HEARTLAND'S MONSTER BUCKS

Locating The Monster Bucks

EDITOR'S NOTE: James Woodley is the lodge manager at Heartland Lodge located in west-central Illinois in Pike, Adams and Brown counties. Heartland Lodge uses extreme deer-management strategies to raise monster bucks on the property.

QUESTION: After your guides take the hunters out, do they look for deer and move stands?
ANSWER: Basically, after we get the hunters out, we'll go around and try to locate some other bucks. If we can, we'll move a couple of stands that need to be moved, just depending on what the other guys have been seeing. We'll try to stay ahead of the deer. We may wait for the deer a couple of times to make sure that they are doing what we think they are doing. But yes, we are trying to get on them before something else changes their habits.

QUESTION: How many different stands will a hunter typically hunt here?
ANSWER: A hunter will hunt up to 10 stands. If he wants to stay in one stand, and the wind is right, he can stay in one stand. On average, hunters will hunt five to six stands in different areas.

QUESTION: How long are most shots?
ANSWER: The average bowshot is 20 to 30 yards.

For more information on hunting with Heartland Outfitters, call James Woodley at (217) 773-3003.

TOMORROW: HUNTERS KEEP COMING BACK FOR MORE