Now it is late summer and it seems like a long time until the fall chill moves in drawing our thoughts to hunting. However, in a few short months it will be time to hunt. At Heartland Lodge we are well aware of what our mission is during this short time
Numerous factors lead to when a buck sheds its antlers. Stress related to weather is one of them. This year, here in West-Central Illinois, we’ve hardly had any snow, and other than a few short days of extreme cold, this winter has been mild (so far). We had an extreme cold snap around Christmas, but
My past dog training experiences have proved that most dog problems are manmade. Gun shyness is one of them. In fact I have seen and heard of several such instances on how to break a dog of gun shyness. But I have been tough the best way to introduce gunf
Want to find more whitetail sheds? Here are 7 quick tips to help you find more shed antlers this spring… Find the Food Food is the name of the game in finding deer antlers. If you don’t have a quality late season food source you probably won’t find many sheds. Standing beans or corn will
Finding a match set of sheds can be a difficult task to say the least. Bucks can be one sided for multiple days allowing them to drop their antlers literally miles apart. However, the majority of bucks if left undisturbed, will stay within a distinguished late season pattern as long as cover and a quality
New for 2026 at Heartland Lodge: Guided Predator Hunt Packages! LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE! There’s nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get from a hard charging coyote coming into the call! Experience the ultimate coyote hunt this winter at the lodge! It’s a great way to cure cabin fever in the middle of winter. Let
Will your grandchildren hunt?
This is not only a question for the grandparents of today but for the next 2 generations that will be grandparents in say, 40 years. Think back to when our forefathers came to this part of the country and to what it must h
The 2022 Waterfowl season is in full swing! We have had a phenomenal start to our season, even with the above average temperatures- our clients have had several great hunts! In the beginning a lot of grey ducks (teal, gadwall) moved into the area, now we’re starting to see more mallards and specklebelly geese as
Boone and Crockett Scoring Measuring a bucks score with the B&C (Boone and Crocket) scoring method is one of the most utilized ways of determining a whitetail deer’s score. It’s a relatively simple technique that doesn’t require a lot of time or effort to complete. All you need is a 1/4 inch wide, steel tape
To shoot or pass a buck weighs on many whitetail hunters’ minds each season. The looming question “what will he be next year?” might be squandering in your head when an opportunity at a buck presents itself. For years hunters have tried to justify there deer as “trophies” because of the number of inches of
