Pike County Illinois Deer Hunting Outfitter

Thanks for your interest in Hadley Creek Outfitters. If you're a serious whitetail hunter you undoubtedly know Pike County Illinois as one of the best, if not the best place in North America to hunt trophy whitetails. We began offering guided whitetail hunts in 1997 on a thousand acres of Pike County Illinois land with one lodge, a small dedicated staff of part time employees, a dream and a goal.

That goal was simple... to make Hadley Creek the best free-range trophy whitetail outfitter period! That goal and commitment has driven every decision we make, from the number and quality of acres we hunt, to the amount of pressure we allow on our deer.

Our Trophy Quality Improves Each Year! We manage so the age structure and trophy quality of our deer herd improves each year. In our early years, a 150 class buck was cause for celebration. Now it's just average as our clients regularly see and kill 160's and above. Our 2010 seasons a good example as Hadley Creek hunters killed 17 bucks grossing 170 plus including a triple main beam 208 that was taken early season. You can see for yourself, right now, by comparing the Hadley Creek bucks taken each season since 2000 on our photo gallery pages. As far as we know, Hadley Creek is still the only free range whitetail outfitter willing to post photos of bucks taken each season on their website. Check it out. Our clients' success is our best advertising. Over 80% of our hunters are repeat or direct referrals.

What It Takes To Produce Quality Bucks. Biologists will tell you there's no real secret to growing trophy whitetails. It takes good genetics, the right food, habitat, and proper management of the deer herd's age and sex structure. And while west central Illinois is blessed with the "best of the best" of these ingredients, growing good bucks is just part of the equation. Having deer and producing them for hunters are two totally different things.

When Bigger Is Better. To consistently put big bucks on the ground an outfitter needs the deer but that's just a start. He also needs to manage the land and the hunters as well. Not enough quality ground, too many hunters, too few stands, inadequate food sources, too much pressure, improper stand placement, harvesting juvenile bucks... these are the types of things that turn potentially good hunts into mediocre experiences at best. It becomes a numbers game and many outfitters unfortunately have to over-hunt their ground to make it pay.

At Hadley Creek we've utilized our farming and real estate business, along with our real estate partnerships, to invest in and expand our hunting operation even in these less than perfect economic times. We've added substantial new hunting acreage, another new lodge, a self-guided operation, new full time employees and upgraded equipment. Bigger is better when it allows the acreage necessary to manage/improve the quality of our deer herd. Bigger is better when we have the flexibility to move hunters to quality farms when the unexpected happens. Bigger is better when it allows us to keep hunting pressure low.

Bigger is better when it lets us deliver on our promise to improve the trophy quality of our deer herd each season.