Choosing to Pass – Different Goals for Whitetail Hunters Choosing to Pass – Different Goals for Whitetail Hunters

Those who have spent time around Hadley Creek Outfitters have probably heard the phrase, “140 or nothing”, in reference to our management policy of harvesting whitetail bucks that are 140” or better.

While this policy serves as an important piece of our quality management strategy, it’s worth pointing out that each hunter comes with different goals. For many hunters, a 145” buck is a shooter without doubt. Other hunters might come with goals of shooting a buck that’s 150”, or maybe 160” or even bigger.

One of the things we love about our job here in the whitetail hunting mecca of Illinois, is offering hunters a legitimate shot at the trophy deer of a lifetime. These are no farm raised or high-fenced deer. These are smart, cagey, free-range whitetails. They aren’t easy to kill. But that’s exactly why we all love it.

Killing a mature whitetail is hard, but we’re good at it. We operate our own full-time farming operation, which gives us control of our farms. Rather than relying on leases from local farmers, we are able to farm with hunting in mind. We also have thousands of stand locations, allowing our guides to put clients on deer in almost any conditions.

Every time one of our hunters takes a stand, they are in great position to realize their personal goals. But some of our hunters pass on deer that others would take.

In fact, a hunter at Hadley Creek Outfitters recently passed on this buck. We’re guessing this deer could have scored in the upper 150s. While this hunter took a little heat from his family for passing, he opted to pick up his camera instead of his crossbow.

Free Range Whitetail Hunt

We would have loved to show you a photo of this hunter with the buck on our annual season gallery. But we certainly understand his decision to pass. He was waiting for his next “buck of a lifetime” which might look different than yours or mine.

We thought this story was a great way to illustrate the diverse goals of the hunters who join us here at Hadley Creek. What are your goals this coming season? If you’ve got a big, free-range whitetail on your priority list, please give us a call at 217-335-3804.

To learn more about hunting in Pike County, Illinois and the surrounding “golden triangle” area with Hadley Creek Outfitters, you can explore the rest of our website. Please contact us online or call us at 217-335-3804 for details.