Last year at the Eastern Sports and Outdoor show I noticed an Outfitter Booth that had a whitetail hunter’s dream. Big bucks displayed all over their wall. Although I talked to other Whitetail Outfitters, there was something that kept drawing me back to this booth. Finally I went up and spoke with the Outfitter, Carter’s Hunting Lodge in Pike County, Illinois. The gentlemen I spoke with were Randy Hall and Nathan Carter. After working out some minor details we had a hunt planned for me in November, 2009 in Pike County during the rut. Excited isn’t even the word. Although I think everyone dreams of hunting the big mid-west bucks at some point in their hunting career. I realized my dream was going to happen.
Carter's Lodge above.
Some of the impressive bucks hanging on the Lodge wall. These big bucks are enough to make even a seasoned hunter "Drool"!
It seemed like time flew and before you knew it, November was here and it was time to hit the woods with Carter Hunting Lodge. On the way out, Randy sent me a text message showing me the buck one of their hunters from Georgia shot the night before. A 10 point 166 inch. I was "wired!"
166 inch 10 pointer shot the night before I left for Carter's.
Don and I drove the 12 hour + trip to Milton, Illinois. (Right outside of Pittsfield, Illinois) We were greeted by Nathan at the Lodge and after I took a few practice shots with my bow, we met with Randy for a tour of some of the property. When I say some, I mean only a small portion. Carter’s has over 8,000 acres of prime Pike County hunting land. Corn, food plots, deer, and more deer, and did I mention they have deer? Well our first tour proved that the rut was on. We were able to witness and film a small 140 class buck tending a doe at dusk in a field. Proof the rut was on!!!! This made me even more “wired” to get in a stand the next day. During our ride Randy explained how things worked at Carter’s, the food plots, antler requirements of a 140 inch rack or better, tree stands, they have over 250 double stands hung all over the property.
Above talking with Nathan at Carter's Hunting Lodge.
Taking some practice shots.
Above, Randy is showing me trail cam pictures of their big bucks at the office, Carter Network Realty.
Above, our Guide for the week, Eddie Anderson
Our first evening out to hunt we weren’t in the stand more than 45 minutes when we saw out first buck across the hillside, with his nose to the ground, grunting. We also saw a small buck and a doe and fawn. I just knew this was a sign of good things to come.
Big Cedar tree rub...don't think a little spike did this!!!
Don 24+ feet up hooking up camera equipment.
The next morning, Eddie Anderson, our Guide, took us to another location he said had no pressure and hadn’t been hunted. As we pulled into the field to the path leading into our stand, off ran about 20 deer. Does and bucks around 120+ inches. “Small bucks” as we would refer to them out at Carter’s for the week. Back home they would have been “shooters”! As we were gathering our equipment form Eddie’s truck we heard crashing down in the woods behind us and a buck grunting loudly. We all just smiled! As Eddie lead us down the path to our tree perch for the day, the woods reeked of buck urine. It smelled like you walked into a “Tinks” factory. There were scrapes about every 50-75 yards along the path. The whole walk in we still heard grunts and deer running all around us. Eddie smiled and told Don, “You better have that camera ready at first light!” As we were climbing into our stand, hauling up cameras, equipment, my bow, there were literally deer walking all around us. As if we weren’t even there. I was so “wired” for daylight to hit so we could see the sights. I was like a kid at Christmas!!! I thought daylight would NEVER arrive. I kept whispering to Don, “Camera light yet?” I wanted to know as soon as he had camera light so if a buck arrived I had the go! As the sun rose over the tree tops, deer started to filter into the hollow. We had a small pond in front of us and could hear wood ducks hit the pond. Soon we saw some doe and fawns head into the pond for a drink. Then our first buck a small buck. We heard and saw a piece of farm equipment in the field above us cutting corn. Everything was late this year getting cut due to the high amount of rain they received out in Illinois. Nathan, Randy, Eddie, Dale kept telling us, “The deer are in the corn!” Well, we saw proof of this. As the corn was being cut, we looked up the hill and a string of deer started out of the corn down the hollow. One right after another came, does, small bucks. It was something! It was only 11 AM and we had seen more deer than I could have imagined. Around Noon we saw a movement at the other side of the pond and sure enough it had a high rack. But I was unable to tell how big he was. He slowly moved around the pond and to my right side with another small rack buck. (small meaning about 110+) As he stepped out I knew he wasn’t a “Carter Shooter” but he was a buck with potential. At home…he would have been drawn on. But I let him walk. Don and I were just excited to see a nice buck. The day was busy. At one time, Don said, “Teresa, small buck to your right!” I answered, “I know, but I have doe right under me to the left!” There was just action and deer moving ALL DAY LONG!!!! It made the day go by so fast. Finally I hear movement behind us. Don was filming deer at the pond and as I look I see a buck with a “Noticeable” rack on the bank behind us at about 300 yards. He was following a doe. I tell him there is a buck. Possible shooter! So the bleating grunts and rattling started. After about 10 minutes we see the buck coming back down the hill to a deep ravine behind us. He crests the hill 20 yards and offers a broadside shot. At this time…Don and I are whispering back and forth whether or not he was a 140 inch rack. He was high, heavy, a 10 point…but did he have it all? The only thing that left me unsure was he had shorter brow tines. But I was ready to draw and Don said, “No, I think he’s close but not sure. May not be there. Let him go!” So I watched as this beautiful 10 point, walked out of range…VERY SLOWLY may I add. But I was so Wired Up with the fact I got to see a buck like this at 20 yards. My hopes were high for another.
Above, the 10 pointer I passed up.
As we got back to camp, one of the guys, Victor, had already gotten his deer first day in camp. 141 inch buck. Victor has gotten a buck at Carter’s 6 out of 8 years hunting there.
Don was explaining to the guys about the buck we passed on. Teasing he would pay them to tell me it wasn’t a 140 inch buck even if it was. He was hoping he didn’t make a mistake by telling me not to shoot. The guys all gathered around and watched the footage. They said he was REAL close, but not sure if he quite made a 140. Could be, but not sure. Plus he was a young deer. All I know…if this guy makes it until next year…he is going to be a beast! Needless to say they all agreed we did the right thing. Randy kept trying to stress to us, “If you have to THINK about it and try to add the buck’s rack up in your head…..he’s too close for comfort…let him walk!! When you see a big boy…you will just know…there won’t be ANY thinking or judging!” At this point, it wasn’t as if we didn’t believe Randy…but not having bucks of this caliber around our home hunting grounds, it WAS hard to believe. But I was still Wired up for the next day to arrive.
Next day, being so much activity went on there, we decided to hunt the same stand. Saw the same 10 point again. At this point he kept looking bigger. But he wasn’t in shooting distance. Another small 120 buck and numerous does and small bucks. The wind was around 25mph that day. The afternoon lead us to another stand up over the hill that was at a point of numerous cornfields. You could see forever from this stand. Eddie told us this was a good afternoon stand and that this is where they had been seeing all the big bucks at. Meaning 180, 195+. The wind didn’t seem to bother the deer here like it does back home. We saw several does and some more small bucks.
Morning lead us to another stand overlooking a cut cornfield with green grass bordering. This is the stand where we realized what Randy had been telling us. Around 8:30 AM we saw a doe across the field ready to jump a fence. Don said, “Get ready!” Sure enough all you could see were antlers and then the BIG BOY jumped the fence. This was the biggest bodied deer I had ever seen in my life. Mass the whole way out his antlers. A big heavy 12 point, dogging a doe, grunting across the field. He followed her and got within 60 yards, but there was no leaving her. We heard his growls…YES; I said Growls and Roars behind us. I had never heard anything like this in my life. COOL! The day passed with some small bucks, does and fawns. The next day more of the same.
Everyone in camp was talking about the big bucks they were seeing. Everyday we saw deer, bucks, and “Carter Shooter” bucks. But until this point nothing within range. As everyone back in camp agreed around the dinner table, you just can’t wait to get back out the next day and see what is around the tree! Why? Because you know you are going to see something and it just may be that shooter.
Everyone at camp, at home, my friends on facebook, kept telling me that “Thursday” was BBD day. Back to our stand in the hollow, or holler as they say out there. Does and small bucks near the pond in the morning. Late morning behind us, Don sees a MONSTER, at least a 190 inch buck chasing a doe behind us. I knew this buck had to be big. I have NEVER seen Don this excited and frantic about a buck. This one he was over the top. He grabbed the grunt call, horns, bleat and through the kitchen sink at it. But to no avail. Around 3 PM I look up on the hill and about 400 yards I see a buck rubbing his horns on a tree. Don caught him with the camera. After a few grunt roars, we turned his head and headed down the path toward the ravine. Don was keeping an eye there to see if he would come our way, when out to my right came 2 doe busting down out of the field! I was sure a buck was chasing them. The stopped to my right at a scrape. I could tell the one doe was in and was keeping an eye on what might be following behind. When something caught my eye to the left coming around the pond. I could tell it was a bigger bodied deer but didn’t want to move too much to spook the doe 10 yards in front of me standing in the scrape. Just then, the doe walked over to my left also about 20 yards behind me. Did you ever just get a feeling like “this isn’t good!” Why? I didn’t’ know. I mean usually you would want doe by your stand. Especially in the rut, especially if they are in heat! But something just didn’t feel right. Just then I looked up the path coming to my stand and I saw HIM! Yes, as soon as my eyes lay upon this buck I KNEW HE WAS A “Carter Shooter”!!! He was wide past his ears and HIGH! I started praying! I can honestly say this is the FIRST buck I ever saw in the woods that made my knees shake!!! He was smelling our drag line headed right down the path to us. If he continued I knew I would have a ten yard broadside shot! Then it happened. The doe moved. Too soon. Meaning he didn’t make it down the path far enough to get a closer shot. He saw them and started his show. Lifting each leg high with each step and stomping it down all the while never taking his eyes off the does.
As he went behind a brush area I drew. He was 30 yards. The doe started to move down the ravine and he angled away. Hard quartering away. I fired off the shot. WHIFF!!! To his left. WHAT???? This cannot be. He took one leap and stood there.
One doe never moved the other, as if nothing had happened, slowly walked down the hill. I knocked another arrow, frantically I may add. Hoping the hot doe would bring him back up past the stand. It started to look that way. But she decided to go down and across the other side. He followed.
Putting on a show. Even turning and looking up the hill as if to laugh.
I was SICK!
Don't I look sick? I just missed the biggest buck of my life!
I could NOT believe the biggest buck of my life just slipped through my fingers. After a few minutes. I realized. That’s hunting. I was excited and thrilled that I even got an opportunity at a trophy buck of that caliber. What happened, I don’t know. Don and I did notice the next morning in the stand there were a few briar twigs high enough where he was standing that the arrow may have hit and deflected. OR it could have been I looked at the shot and didn’t hold through. The heat of the moment I honestly don’t know. At least it was a clean miss. When Eddie came to pick us up that evening,I was so excited in telling him about the buck I missed He just laughed. Saying that you would have thought I had gotten it as excited as we were. Well in reviewing pictures, the buck had kickers and stickers and Randy is guessing in the 160’s. Just wasn’t meant to be.
Friday was like the other days, plenty of deer to be seen, “Carter shooter” bucks, even the one I missed the day before. Just none of them within range.
Relaxing at the Lodge after a long day, laughing and telling stories with Randy Hall and Eddie Anderson.
Saturday we spent time with Randy and Eddie before leaving. Finishing up filming, visiting the Archery Shop and Jeff Foiles shop and display room.
Above, Eddie, Randy and I talking at the "Archery Shop" in Pike County.
Above, Jeff Foiles store and showroom.
Above, Eddie goofing around.
Dale Carter and I at the only eatery in Milton, Dink's Diner.
Don and I
Our first time spent at Carter’s Hunting Lodge will remain with us forever. Don and I saw over 50 bucks through the week. Numerous BIG BUCKS (meaning over 140 inches), does and fawns everywhere. This is a whitetail hunter’s paradise. I know this is a place I plan on coming back next year. If you want to hunt TROPHY whitetail. Come to Carter’s! Plenty of opportunity to see and harvest a TROPHY whitetail. The Lodge is laid back and comfortable, good food, good people, good friends, land, and more land. And oh yeah they have deer!! Their management of the whitetail on their property allows these bucks to get to their full potential. Which allows us the possibility of harvesting a trophy whitetail!
