November 21 - Bobby Goodine

Hunter: Bobby Goodine
Animal: 130" Whitetail
Location: Illinois
Weapon: Thompson Center Triumph Muzzleloader

Growing up in Georgia you are always hunting but very seldom are you hunting giant bucks. I decided to apply for a few tags in the midwest to increase my odds or harvesting a big buck. I have always heard about how good the hunting is in Illinois and how much fun it is deer hunting there. So when I drew a firearm tag I was stoked.. First firearm season here I come!

My long time hunting buddy Jeff Lindsey had bought a farm in Illinois back in the summer and we were excited to see what it produced come deer season. We were getting some great reconyx pics of some awesome bucks so we knew we had a good chance of filling our tag on the first season.

The weather was warm but the deer were still moving me and lil Jon Gibbs had high hopes the afternoon of the 21st. We had checked our trail camera that morning and there were a few mature deer frequently using a trail right under our stand the few days prior to that morning. Immediately upon climbing in our stand that eve we had deer under us. We just knew then that it was going to be a good night. About an hour before dark I seen a small buck walking a ridge headed to a field and I was watching him through binoculars when lil Jon said there was a buck behind that one. Once I seen him I knew he was a shooter. I grunted and snort-weezed but he didn't hear me, so I rattled a bit and got his attention and he then made a bee line for our stand. Once he was in range my Thompson Center let the hammer down on him. We were pumped! My first Illinois buck was down and I couldn't be happier. My friends said hunting Illinois would be a blast but that was an understatement. I think I am going to have to make Illinois an every year trip from now on....