Hunting

FOR DEER SLUGS, REMINGTON ACCUTIPS ARE RIGHT ON THE MONEY

With shotgun deer season right around the corner, I took the opportunity this weekend to make sure my slug gun was still right on the money. Since I shoot a scoped shotgun, I always make it a practice to fire a few rounds to make sure the scope did not get bumped out of whack [...]Read more

MOTHER NATURE CAN BE ONE TOUGH OLD BIRD

Turkey hunting is challenging enough when the weather is nice. Add in 40-degree temperatures, pouring rain and 30 mph winds, and you’ve got your work cut out. That was our situation in Southern Illinois this past weekend. My three buddies and I headed to Franklin County near Rend [...]Read more

TEMPERATURE DROPS, WATERFOWL ACTION HEATS UP

Waterfowl hunting in Will County was off to a slow start this fall. Unseasonably warm temperatures kept a lot of migratory ducks and geese from starting their long trek south for the winter. But when temperatures dropped the second week of December, the birds finally got [...]Read more

9-pointer taken at Midewin Tallgrass Prairie

YES YOU CAN KILL BIG BUCKS ON PUBLIC LAND

Here are a few keys to success when it comes to deer hunting on public land: DO YOUR HOMEWORK. Start with the internet, and download maps from the State. They have pdf maps of most of the public hunt areas. Google earth is another great way to get a satellite image of the [...]Read more

Goose Lake Prairie deer herd is at maximum threshold, so the State has implemented an antlerless only late-season hunt to thin the herd.

NEED A DEER HUNTING SPOT? THOUSANDS OF PUBLIC LAND ACRES AWAIT

It’s been said that Illinois is the land of opportunity. I believe that’s true, especially when it comes to politics and public hunting. I’m not much for politics, but hunting is at the top of my priority list. And make no mistake, public hunting is one area where [...]Read more

DOUBLE TROUBLE TOMS

When the applications became available for Spring Turkey hunting, I already knew where I was going. Franklin County was my first choice, and I had a wingman this time. My longtime deer hunting partner, Kurt Kowalczyk, had never been turkey hunting and jumped at the chance. When [...]Read more

BRINGING HOME THE BACON- FLORIDA BOAR HUNT

I had such a blast with my son on our last boar hunt that I had to go back for more. My good friend and long-time deer hunting partner Kurt Kowalczyk was up for the challenge, so in February, we had enough of the snow and took off to Florida in pursuit of pork. We flew […]Read more

BLACK HILLS GOLD

My desire to take an American Bison was not driven by want of a trophy. On my way back to Illinois from a fishing trip to Minnesota, we spotted a sign for the Silver Bison, a Bison Ranch located off I-90 in Western Wisconsin. It was worth the detour to pick up some bison burger. [...]Read more

KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY

In Spring of 2009, I wanted to try some different turkey hunting terrain, so I targeted Southern Illinois. Since I was going to be fishing with the gang from Illinois Outdoors on their annual Spring Fishing Trip to Rend Lake, I figured I would try and kill 2 birds with one stone [...]Read more

My son Kyle Stefanich with his first wild boar taken near Lake Okeechobee, Florida.

KYLE’S FIRST BOAR HUNT

I already had a couple hunts under my belt for wild hogs. But my 11-year old son, Kyle was chomping at the bit. So I loaded the family and was off to sunny Florida. After a few days of fun in Orlando, we headed south to Lake Okeechobee in the pursuit of wild hogs. We […]Read more