# Looking into going back east for whitetail!



## ccpay (Jul 29, 2008)

I want to hunt whitetail with my bow a DIY hunt with no guide back east somewhere! Anyone else done this? Any advice on where to start looking? Which states would be the better choice?


----------



## Springville Shooter (Oct 15, 2010)

I have no experience back east, but know that you could find this kind of hunt in Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, or Montana if you wanted to stay closer to home. It's a bit harder to find a huge buck, but western whitetails are fun to hunt.---SS


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm from Illinois and have hunted IL, IA, WI, and MO. Huge populations of whitetails, mostly on private ground. I would look into Wisconsin.


----------



## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

definitely stay away from illinois. it's a nightmare finding a place to hunt. I ate an Illinois tag once when I was living there when I was a younger man. I hadnt done the research and when I asked folks about public land they said "yeah, you can hunt up by lake Shabanah". I went up and hiked around. looked like a good place. lots of sign. When I came up opening day there was a ranger there who asked my what stand number I was in and where my permit was. Apparently I was supposed to apply 6 months ago for a permit to hunt in one of the 25 state maintained stands there. It's my own fault for not researching. Goob is right. WI seems like a good option. Its a good combination of big woods and agriculture land. Rifles are allowed too.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

35whelen said:


> definitely stay away from illinois. it's a nightmare finding a place to hunt. I ate an Illinois tag once when I was living there when I was a younger man. I hadnt done the research and when I asked folks about public land they said "yeah, you can hunt up by lake Shabanah". I went up and hiked around. looked like a good place. lots of sign. When I came up opening day there was a ranger there who asked my what stand number I was in and where my permit was. Apparently I was supposed to apply 6 months ago for a permit to hunt in one of the 25 state maintained stands there. It's my own fault for not researching. Goob is right. WI seems like a good option. Its a good combination of big woods and agriculture land. Rifles are allowed too.


Do you mean Shabonna Lake south of DeKalb Illinois? small world I use to hunt there before the lake was built. The best man at my wedding owned ground on the other side of the highway (US Rt 30). I can still hunt there; pheasants, quail, turkey, squirrels, deer, waterfowl, a fishing pond. My wife is from nearby Rochelle.


----------



## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

if I were you I would apply for a WMA hunt in Texas...look at the Chaparral WMA...some decent bucks. I've looked into other areas in MidWest states and you're gonna be doing a lot of door knocking. Are you thinking archery or rifle?


----------



## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

yeah goob, it was outside dekalb. I had a muzzleloader tag and they stopped me at the parking lot. there was a big cwd problem out there at the time too.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

35whelen said:


> yeah goob, it was outside dekalb. I had a muzzleloader tag and they stopped me at the parking lot. there was a big cwd problem out there at the time too.


Yeah, small world. There's not a lot of good deer country in DeKalb County and almost all of the deer are on private ground. That being said, plus the CWD thing, they have a lot of tags to sell and there's always leftovers.

Note that in Illinois a deer tag is specific to one county. I do Henry or Ogle counties if I go.


----------



## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I shouldve looked into it more. it's my own fault. My wife and I got married on Nov 19 which is the 2nd day of their very short muzzleloader season in Illinois. her uncle didnt come to the wedding. I have no interest in hunting in Illinois again just from the hassle of finding a place and the argument that would ensue when i made plans to hunt on our anniversary.


----------



## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

I apologize...I just went back and read and you said "with your bow". I would still seriously look at the Chaparral WMA in TX...it's in the heart of prime whitetail south Texas brush country.
ARCHERY DEER hUNT CATEgoRy CoDE: ADE
Application Fee: $3 per adult applicant | Application Deadline: August 9, 2012 
Permit Fee: $80 per adult hunter except $130 for designated extended hunt
Archery Stamp fee (Type 135) is required for these hunts
CHAPArrAL Area Code: CP HUNT SCHEDULE
HUNT DATE CODES DATES
01
02
AA
Dec. 5-9
Jan. 9-13
Any above
NOTICE: These extended hunt periods will have a $130 permit fee. 
SPECIAL rESTrICTIONS: COMPOUND, RECURVE and LONGBOWS are the only 
means that may be possessed or used during these hunts. 
BAG AND POSSESSION LIMITS: Three white-tailed deer (either sex, limit one antlerless 
and two bucks). One buck must have at least one unbranched antler or 7 or 
less antler points with an inside main beam spread of at least 12 inches and 
one buck must have an inside main beam spread equal to or wider than the 
ear tips. One javelina (either sex). Unlimited feral hogs and coyotes. For 
information, questions, or comments, contact the area (830/676-3413) or 
by e-mail at [email protected].
HUNT METHOD: By compartment. Hunters may bring portable blinds for their own use.
PErMITS AvAILABLE: 70
LAST yEAr: 839 applicants for 72 permits HUNTEr SUCCESS: 12%


----------



## ccpay (Jul 29, 2008)

Stable buck,
Is it $80 per hunter plus $130 for the extended? Do the pigs also come with the tag or are they extra? Lastly, the hunter success is that for drawing the tag or for successfully getting an animal? 
I thank you all for your comments!


----------



## stablebuck (Nov 22, 2007)

I believe it is either $80 or $130.
The hunter success number is the harvest success.


----------

