Shawnee National Forest

[Jack Leg]

Was just wondering if anyone has hunted it? I am up here now doing some scouting with a friend. Just going to get some advice. This is my first time ever hunting public land. Going to be back to hunt November 7 through the 16. Thanks in advance.

 

[shdw633]

I hunt public land up in Southern Illinois and when I'm scouting I'm looking for fence rows that lead in and out of the woods and into corn or soybean fields, especially if that fence row is private land or attaches one set of woods to another. These are the routes the deer will travel once the fields are picked. I also look for powerlines. It's where I start anyway in order to narrow a very large area down to manageable sizes to scout.

 

[Ihunt]

I’ve seen big deer when I was driving through there. Good luck

 

[blood on the ground]

I’ve seen big deer when I was driving through there. Good luck

Yes, I've seen lots of big deer when driving through the area in early November. Always wanted to give it a go but just haven't.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

Yes, there are big deer in the Shawnee. But be prepared for company if you hunt it during the prime rut dates. The Shawnee NF is the closest public land mid-west hunting opportunity for most of the southeastern states. Thousands of hunters from 10 states come to southern Illinois every year looking for the deer they see on the Outdoor channel and the Shawnee is their destination.

You can kill deer there, even get a shot at a big buck. But you may be sharing a tree with someone from Louisiana.

 

[Jack Leg]

Thanks guys found several nice places and seen some good bucks this afternoon.

 

[bfriendly]

Woohoo!

Y’all got me fired up too! Good luck and I hope you kill a bruiser!

 

[Jim Thompson]

Lots of incredible deer killed in the Shawnee hills and bottoms. Like otehrs said, it gets plenty of pressure, but most public land does. Check out Saline County Conservation Area as well.

 

[Jack Leg]

Thanks guys going to Kansas again next year for our first ever out of state rifle hunt but still wanted to try somewhere this year with the bow so we will see how we like public land. I have hunted private land the last 8 years.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Your dates are excellent.

Biggest thing: hunt smart and hunt hard.

I see folks all the time that take the plunge but when they get there, they are distracted by lunch, weather, become disillusioned etc.

My advice: hunt all day / every day.

I would think Monday - Thursday am is gonna see the least pressure.

Best of luck.