Archery Seasons at Hadley Creek - Hadley Creek Outfitters Archery Seasons at Hadley Creek - Hadley Creek Outfitters

Hadley Creek offers the rare opportunity to hunt prime habitat without the pressure. You can rotate locations daily and never hunt the same area if desired. Or you can request to sit on your favorite spots. Every archery season offers a different look at the habits of large whitetail bucks that inhabit the diverse selection of locations and properties.

38_bdp38548

Early Season

The rut tends to steal all the attention but early season hunting produces trophies every year. The deer are patterned between food and cover and they have yet to experience pressure. Scouting is critical this time of year and the guides at Hadley Creek keep a close eye on movement. You can focus on the morning, evening or both. The early morning hours can be productive when hunting between food and bedding areas. The heat is a major influence on activity. Focus your evenings on food sources as the bucks put on weight before the rut. They tend to keep their heads down and fill up more during this season.

Pre-Rut

The pre-rut hunt is similar to the early season, but the big boys tend to spend more time on their feet during daylight hours. Bucks will be working scrapes and can be patterned with more consistency along scrape lines. Many deer will increase the amount of time exposed as they become more active. Continue hunting the mornings and evenings but consider adding a few hours to each end of your stand sessions. Persistence can pay off here.

Prime Rut

Unlike many rut hunts, the pressure remains low here and the deer density is high with great numbers of mature bucks. As you can imagine, the rut hunts fill quickly. The chance at a 140+ bucks are common and with so many prime stand locations to choose from, our guides are able to give you the best chances at shot opportunities. Your guide may put you on stands near doe bedding areas, work the funnels and pinch points. But no matter what, you can plan on rotating between guides and locations daily. Hunting the morning is never a bad idea but deer are active throughout the day and good bucks are sometimes taken mid-day. Putting in the hours means you will see more deer and potentially earn your way into a trophy.

55_bdp39088

Hadley Creek Outfitters has been operating in Pike County, Illinois and the surrounding “golden triangle” area for more than 20 years. Please explore the rest of our website at HadleyCreek.com. If you’d like us to give you more information, send us a message or call us at 217-335-3804.