This weekend starts Illinois firearm deer season. Who’s gonna be in the woods, and what is your preferred gun/guns and ammo? I’ll be out with my Mossberg 535 stoked with Hornady SST slugs. My ccw for the weekend will be my Ruger GP100 with some Underwood Hardcast 180 grain .357. For my knife, a good old Buck 110 Hunter.
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Good luck Chet and God Bless stay safe, I can visualize these Chicago “hunters” getting ready already. All tanked up and I don’t mean gasoline. Heading South for their day of outdoor activity before winter sets in fully.
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That’s why I hunt on private land only. I’ve seen some of the Chicago hunters come and go.
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I know, not much more sad and interest worthy than a Chicago outdoorsman. I bet you could tell some stories.
Lets just say, I knew an older gent, that painted the word cow on his livestock.
My-oh-My I’m really happy he painted COW and not BEEF that poor cow may have been mistaken for just about anything
Just got back from a week of hunting in KS, we were upland hunting. We took pheasants, quail, and prairie chicken. Most were taken with a Parker 16 ga using Federal Upland (#6) and Fiocchi Golden Pheasant (#5), the longest shot was with a Remington 870 12 ga using Federal Prairie Storm #5. CCW for the trip was a XDs. Knives were Colonel blades for ccw, Remington Duck/Pheasant knife for dressing birds, a Boker shell puller knife while in the field.
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Sounds like a successful hunting trip, @Greg1!
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Be safe. Back when I was training with a Cardiology team, they said that heart attack deaths shot up during deer season (relative to dragging a 100+ lbs weight miles to a vehicle). My friend is missing his bow hunting since he is recovering from foot surgery.
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Hey iPac, I’m looking for a slug gun. How do you like that mossberg in the picture? I have the GP100 and more buck knives than anyone should own. Just need a slug gun.
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I like it. It handles well, but isn’t overly heavy for carrying. It’s a 535, so it can handle 3.5 inch shells. The down side, is the regular 500 has a wider selection of barrels. The 535 is aimed more at turkey and bird hunting, with a slug barrel available. It doesn’t like Lightfield slugs though. That’s the only thing it has ever misfired with. It’s a good gun for the 400 bucks I have for it, with both barrels. If you were strictly looking for a slug gun, in a Mossberg, get the 500. It will shoot 2 3/4 and 3 inch shells.
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Thanks 45ipac. I guess Illinois still doesn’t allow rifles for deer hunting?
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No. There is a bill that has passed the house, and is in committee in the Senate that would change this. You can, build a single shot AR pistol, with Sig Brace, in 350 legend, 450 bushmaster, or 300 Blackout, and hunt with that. Just need the pistol setup, with a Bobsled magazine and it would be 100% legal. That will probably be my setup next year, in 350 Legend.
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Also, if you just want a slug gun, look into a Savage 220. They are more pricey than a Mossberg, but they are tack drivers.
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Well, no deer today. I took my son with me after school. He’s not the quietest thing in the woods. I took some antlers and let him “rattle” for me, and some binoculars. No deer, but, a couple of hours of no electronics and some father son time in the woods.
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When your hunting with kids especially small ones, harvesting game is a bonus, the real goal is that they enjoy the experience.
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Wow, it’s been a year already from the original post.
Good luck today everyone, and be safe.
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Friendly reminder. Not sure if your state has a required deadline as well. But, I just now finished completing my “annual harvest report” to my state’s natural resources department (online).
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Illinois has a “report in the field” setup. Before you remove the game from the area, you’re supposed to tag it and call an automated hotline. I actually like that setup. Tag, call, straight to the processor.
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