Before it even started.

Live and hunt in Illinois. I hunt pubic land and here you apply in April for the county you want to hunt. My spot is in Pike Co, along the Mississippi. Took a drive yesterday to scout the area. As I crossed the sand levy I was greeted with about 8 feet of flowing water up to the edge of the levy. The season doesn't start for another 6 weeks, but there's no way that much water will disappear by that time.

I stopped at the lodge I normally stay at and told them I wouldn't be around this year for the opener. Gina, the manager, told me she would ask around if there is a local farmer who wouldn't mind a few less deer munching on their crops … there still may be hope!

Maybe ? Hopefully ? the water will recede faster than you think.

Maybe you’ll be offered & find not only a place to hunt but some new Friends as well.

Good Luck

Jerry

Never know - hope it does work out for you.

Sorry.
I would never give up.
As a matter of fact I’d probably look for an “island” with a boat and try that.

I'd have a hard time giving up Pike County myself, but those deer need to be somewhere and a year bigger next year if they survive this year's gauntlet. Kind of a milestone year for me too with new anti hunter management where I usually stay with more hoops than I want to jump through and a 50% up charge from last year. When does a guy say enough is enough and just go hunt, or not?

Often thats illegal during floods in most states that I'm aware of. Just FYI to look at in the rules if you decide to attempt that.

An awful situation. The lower parking area at my WMA occasionally is inaccessible due to flooding but the upper one is always open.

Every time I read about having to draw a tag just to hunt, I'm thankful for where I live. Really big deer aren't found in many places here, but public land is open to all, all the time, except for special park hunts.

There's Hope! The first 3-day season starts on Friday the 22nd. Went up Saturday to see how much water was still there. I was amazed that most of it was not under water. I won't be able to get back to my usual spots with all the streams still above chest-wader level, but I noticed a much higher density of tracks in and out along the levy. They are still going in and out of there, but their routes have been funneled to one ambush point (sorry but you can't see the sly grin on my face right now). So, I won't have to walk 1/2 mile in with all my stuff and then take it all back out again, plus drag any animal killed … the funnel point is just on the other side of the levy about 50 yds from where I park the jeep.

Oh, and the really great part … I busted three fat does when I pulled up to the parking spot. They were on the top of the levy and went back towards the river. Some big buck will be tapping that!

Go get'em,fill that freezer.

Yeah, reads like a grin-worthy spot!