Latest Press |
Brian Rosier harvested this great ten point with his bow during one of our mid November bow hunt.
Remaining IL Archery Hunts
Arriive Oct 27th, Hunt Oct 28-Nov 1, depart Nov 2nd. 4 spots
(Check out the moon phase on this hunt, going to be a great week)
Arrive Nov 8th, Hunt Nov 9-13, depart Nov 14th. 4 spots
(This is the peak of the rut, you won't want to be in any other spot then in a treestand)
Arrive Nov 14th, Hunt Nov 15-19, depart Nov 20th, 4 spots
(One of the best weeks to hunt Pike Co, IL. Last bow hunt before the gun seasons)
**For the true trophy hunter ask about our 140" minimum Trophy Hunts
**Do not hesitate to call me about any one of these hunts.
Mid September Archery Hunts in Missouri!!
Arrive Sept 14th, Hunt Sept 15-17, depart Sept 18th
Arrive Sept 20th, Hunt Sept 21-23, depart Sept 24th
Arrive Sept 26th, Hunt Sept 27-29, depart Sept 30th.
**THese hunts will be some great early season bow hunts.
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Rick Stravola harvested both these great bucks in one season with Heartland Lodge. |
The Trophy Hunter Every year some hunters make the transition from meat hunter to trophy hunter. After years of hunting whitetails, just tagging a deer doesn't seem to be enough anymore. The hunter begins looking for something more. The transformation has begun and a trophy hunter is born. After guiding for the past 4 years I have put together a list of qualities that most of our successful trophy hunters possess. -Patience is the biggest key in trophy hunting for whitetails. The successful trophy hunter must come to the realization that he will not harvest a trophy on every hunt, every week, or even every year. Being persistent in the pursuit of that trophy is what will ultimately decide the success or failure of the trophy hunter. He must possess the perseverance to continue in his quest despite failure. -Attitude is essential for success. Most hunters who are consistently successful maintain a positive attitude throughout their hunt. The ability to stay positive can be a difficult task. Hot weather, slow hunting, and few deer sightings can destroy the trophy hunter's morale. The hunter who can overcome this and remain positive will enjoy his days a field more and stay more dedicated to his pursuit. -Confidence will keep you on the right path. The hunter that is confident in his abilities and in the deer themselves will hunt longer and more often. The trophy hunter may be on the best hunting ground in the world and still have some extremely slow hunts. He must assure himself that the trophy of a lifetime could show up at any moment. The confident hunter will always be ready at the moment of truth. -Preparation is a key element in trophy hunting. The most successful hunters in the world are the most prepared. The successful hunter prepares for everything. Inclement weather will not deter him because he has the right gear. Rain, sleet, snow or wind will not keep the prepared hunter in his pajamas. The trophy hunter practices with the same intensity that he hunts with. Practice has honed his skills and boosted his confidence. He knows his limitations and does not take chances. When the buck he desires is within range, the odds are in his favor because he is prepared mentally and physically for this moment. Some of you that are hunting with us this fall are seasoned trophy whitetail hunters and some of you have just begun your quest for a trophy buck. I can't guarantee that all of you will kill a trophy buck. Mother Nature will put some of you to the test. You may experience bad weather or slow deer movement. Some of you will have the hunt of a lifetime and may kill that monster that you have dreamed about. What I can guarantee you is that you will be hunting some of the finest whitetail ground in the world and we will do everything in our power to make your trip enjoyable. If you are willing to hunt some tremendous bucks, stay in a beautiful lodge, and eat incredible meals with the realization that you may or may not harvest a trophy buck every year, I promise you will treasure your hunt at Heartland Lodge.
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Tim LaPointe and Rick Manardi, both harvested bucks during our 2nd Firearm season here at the lodge. Thanks guys and way to put the bucks in the dirt. | |
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Food Plot Development While making my rounds I have notice an increase in antler growth this year, whether or not it is due to the extremely wet spring and the growth of the food sources, or my imagination. I have already noted several bucks with growth past there G 2's and several within days of getting to that point. With all of the rain we have received this past spring our food plots have grown to amazing levels supplying the whitetail herd a variety to choose from. Being as wet as it has been, many of the crop fields have been planted behind schedule, increasing the odds of a late harvest. I am looking forward to a great year here in west central Illinois, and with all of the issues that surround the hectic life styles of the modern world, I can't help but look to this year's deer season to relief. I truly hope you have a chance to join us out in the woods this fall.
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Upcoming Shows |
July 18th-20th, Birmingham, AL
"25th Annual World Deer and Turkey Expo" |
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September Bow Hunts! |
We have exclusive rights to some prime Missouri hunting ground that we have used for our spring turkey hunts, and now we are offering bow only whitetail hunts on this ground. The Missouri season opens mid September, which could produce some great bucks harvested in velvet. These hunts will be 3 day, 4 nights, all meals, lodging and guide service included. Hunts are 1 on 1 guided hunts or "Buddy Hunts" which will be 2 on 1 guided hunts. These hunts are going to be managed for mature whitetails with at least 8 points and an inside spread past the ears. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in one of these hunts. Hunt Dates Available: Arrive September 14th, Hunt 15th-17th, and Depart the 18th. Arrive September 20th, Hunt 21st-23rd, and Depart the 24th. Arrive September 26th, Hunt 27th-29th, and Depart the 30th. Hunt Costs: A. $1250 per hunter on 1 on 1 guided hunts. B. "Buddy Hunt" costs are $1050 per hunter. | |
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Dirt Nap for the Old Long Beards Yelp, yelp, yelp, bang, that's all it took. The 30 minute turkey hunter became one of our hunters new name tag. It took 20 minutes to walk in and set up, 9 minutes to sit quietly and yelp just 3 times, and 1 minute for the bird to see the decoys, come in and be put to rest by a blanket of lead. "Man, is it always that easy?" asked our turkey hunter this past week. As far as most turkey hunts go, that wasn't even a true turkey hunt, but we'll take it. Here at Heartland Lodge our turkey season has come and gone, but for the hunters that experienced some of the best gobbler hunting in the Midwest, it is still a strong memory that just happened yesterday. We have bagged several nice long beards, and had even more of opportunities, but that's just the icing on the cake. The experience alone out in the woods during the spring is worth it. With all of our hunts being fully guided, 1 on 1 hunts, most of our hunters are just getting started or looking for that edge of having a seasoned guide at their side. No matter which end of the experience spectrum they are on, we give 110% towards getting them a bird and great hunt. We are definitely looking forward to our upcoming whitetail season, to complete the cycle. Whether or not you are after longbeards or big bucks, I love to see you in camp on a hunt in the future.
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I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you in camp this fall.
Yours in the Outdoors,
Matt Farnham |
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