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Have blind will travel????

1K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  BEDB 
#1 ·
Just going to throw this out there and first say this is a great forum with some good info for waterfowling. I am looking to see if anyone has any info on public areas to hunt in central to southern Illinois because I am having some tough luck up here in Northern Illinois. I am hunting heavily pressured areas and have been having no luck at all. I have a 02 1650 Xpress Duck Rig with a 40hp Yammie that runs great with an avery pop up blind with rain topper and wind blockers. My friend and I used to hunt a family farm in Huntley and started waterfowling there and got spoiled. I have worked heavily on my calling and think it is ok but just can not get birds to finish. I also have 4doz mallard floaters, 1 doz flocked goose floaters, 2 mojos on remotes, a flyway feeder and run a rigem right jerk rig. Just wondering if anyone has hunted any public areas south of the northern zone that may not be as heavily pressured as the Fox River up by me. I also have room to take anyone that would like to meet up and do some hunting up here on the Chain o lakes or Fox River. I guess this has been a tough year and I am just looking to branch out and find some new public lands to hunt. I did the scouting and knocking on doors routine and had no luck. In fact, most of the people almost seemed offended that I was asking to hunt their land. I understand because they probably get a lot of people asking to hunt their property. Great to be on the forum now and hope this is not to forward of a post. Just looking for some pointers on some public areas and I am thinking that I may just hook the boat up and do some scouting on google maps and go. Again, if anyone wants to meet up and do some traveling, I am in at any time. Thanks for all the info and reports from the members of this site.
 
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#3 ·
Hear ya there Killer. I guess I was just looking for some less pressured areas or larger areas that may offer more room. For example, on The Fox where I hunt, two weeks ago on Sunday morning we had 10 boats in a very short stretch of river where the stakes are in Barrington. I am not giving up on the private land and will hopefully find something in the future but for now was just hoping for some intel on public opportunities maybe in the central or southern zones. I know Rend Lake and Crab Orchard have some opportunities from my online research but was hoping to gain some knowledge from guys who have hunted these areas because I have read online that both Rend and Crab can be dangerous for smaller watercraft and I have a 16 footer so kindof concerned about that. Both are also 5 1/2 to 6 hour drive from me, and believe me, I have driven farther for other things but don't want to get down there and sink a boat or not be able to hunt at all. Thanks though, and I am going to keep looking! I would rather hunt fields than water because so far in my limited experience, I have had better luck over the fields but all my gear is for hunting over water because that's all I got now. I am also happy and feel lucky to still be getting out even though my friend had that farm get sold in Huntley.
 
#8 ·
I've never hunted the lake but ive hunted around it and know braidwood holds a ton of birds. Might be worth a shot. Just have to watch the weather cause ive heard that lake can get nasty. Also heard that Heidecke holds some geese. Never hunted either though. Planning on trying to later this year.

http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/landmgt/hu ... _wtfwl.htm
 
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