Girl's Week Out - Illinois
The Girls: Vicki, Meegan, Dusty, Tina, and Shannon
Dusty's dream come true.
Hunter: Dusty Perillo
Cameraman: Freddy Lagos
It all started back in August when my phone rang. Vicki said she was putting together an “all girls hunt” for Pike County, Illinois and she wanted me to be part of it. I was immediately speechless and broke out in a cold sweat. I then gathered my composure and said “YES, of course, I would be honored to go on a hunt with you!”
I immediately went to school and asked to have the week of October 6-10 off. My boss found me a sub and told me to go on my dream hunt! That’s when the countdown began. The next 51 days I would be marking off my calendar. I sent emails and text messages to all the girls that were going, letting everyone know how many days were left. I spoke to Vicki whenever she was in town and asked a million questions. Then when I found out that Freddy was going to be my camera man, I lost it!! I told my husband that this hunt would be filled with many good memories!
October 4 finally came and I arrived at Eagle Lakes Outfitters in Pike County, Illinois. It was so nice to see everyone again. We all unpacked and got our hunting gear ready for the morning—it was a sleepless night. The excitement of being in Pike County, Illinois, on an “all girls hunt” with Freddy as my camera man got the best of me.
Day 1
I was up before everyone and ready to go by 6:00 a.m., ready to leave Eagle Lakes Lodge. Ted was my guide this morning, he dropped Freddy and I off at the bottom of our tree stand and said, “Good Luck.” Freddy and I got all situated; and settled in for a morning hunt. At first light we had a doe show up to the right of me about 70 yards. Soon after that a few more showed up to the far left of us. Then at 7:45, only an hour and 20 minutes after being in our tree, I told Freddy there was a doe coming out of the woods behind us. I then said, “If she continues on this path, I’m filling my doe tag.” She continued and stood behind a tree for what seemed like 30 minutes. I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. Then she stepped out, I drew my Hoyt bow back, relaxed my breathing, settled my 20-yard pin on her, and released. I followed my arrow and heard “THWACH”, she ran and then I heard a big crash. I immediately turned to Freddy, high-fived him and said, “That was a huge crash, she’s down and boy what a confidence boost that was.” This was my first harvest of a whitetail deer with my compound bow. We called Ted, recovered the deer, and returned to the lodge to celebrate. It felt GREAT!
Day 2
Monday was filled with a lot of good encounters but no harvests.
Day 3
Solid rain—no hunting! But shopping is always a good past time for women when they are not in the woods.
Day 4
Meegan and Vicki both shot a doe! Yeah girls!!
Day 5
Morning hunt, Tina shot a doe!
Thursday evening’s hunt came; Freddy and I were put on top of a beautiful hill with a clover food plot. It was risky, but a fun four-wheel ride to get there. Ted and Red were our drop off guides. They have been seeing 3 nice bucks on top of this hill the last few nights, so I had a good feeling. After getting situated, I enjoyed the setting. It was absolutely beautiful and then the first single doe showed up. Too far, but I decided earlier no doe tonight. Next to show up were 2 fawns and their mom. The fawns were jumping, playing, and chasing each other in the clover field. It was an absolute joy to watch.
Then around 6:30, Freddy looked at me and said, “We have about a half hour left of light. I became very anxious, hoping that something would happen soon. Five minutes later a small buck stepped out from across the field, followed by a shooter. Freddy and I both said, “SHOOTER!” I watched him work his way across the clover field toward the single doe and fawn that were still in the field. The next thing I knew I had the doe and fawn walking straight toward my tree and passing to my left. I then had the small buck 12 yards in front of me. I knew that when the shooter buck came in, I was going to have to be very careful when drawing my bow back. He was now 35 yards away, rubbing a tree. “Just a few more steps,” I said. He turned and started walking closer; now 26 yards, but slightly quartering and I didn’t want to take a quartering shot. I looked over my left shoulder to quickly make sure the doe and fawn were out of sight. I looked at the small buck that was still directly in front of me, but his head was down. I then looked back at the beautiful 10-point who was still standing 26 yards to my right. Also slightly quartering, but then he reached around with his head to bite, itch, or whatever he was doing to his opposite back hind quarter and his vitals were now wide open; I had to take the shot. It was now or never!
I pulled my bow back, settled in, calmed my breathing and released. I saw the arrow hit and knew it was good. He jumped and ran away on 3 legs and wobbled, then out of sight and into the woods. I was absolutely speechless when I looked at Freddy. I gathered my composure as best I could and said, “Please tell me that was a crash I just heard.” Freddy reviewed the footage and said I hit him back a little, but caught lung and liver by the way the arrow went in. We called Ted and he told us to sit tight—they would be up to get us. Upon arrival, they wanted to go back and review the footage to make sure we didn’t push him. Once at the lodge, everyone gathered around and reviewed the footage. They all agreed he was down and we could go get him. Well, this was when the long night began. Once back on top of the hill, it was myself, Freddy, Matt, Ted, Red, and Scott, but no blood trail. We couldn’t find a drop. We saw where he went in, but no way of tracking him. I immediately began to get upset and they assured me that he was down and went down right away, but because it was now 10:00 at night, we had no way of visually finding him. We would have to come back first thing in the morning. We got back to the lodge and everyone else was already asleep. It was another sleepless night. I tried to fall asleep but I ended up staring at the ceiling for hours. I got up around 3:45 am—I couldn’t lie there any longer. I sat on the patio, drank a cup of coffee, counted the stars, and watched the sun rise until everyone began to wake up.
Day 6
Ted and Fred finally woke up and laughed at me because they knew I didn’t sleep—again! We all had coffee and left. We picked up Red and went to the top of the hill where I shot the buck. We reviewed the footage one last time and realized that he had gone around a bend in the woods before disappearing out of sight. We all split up and walked grids in the woods and in the field. I was looking for about an hour in this CRP field and getting very upset. Just then a Monarch Butterfly landed on my hand. I looked at the butterfly and said, “you must be my good luck charm, please help me find my deer.” I continued looking and walking along the field edge, when I noticed some tall grass that was pushed over. I stepped into the woods 5 steps; the butterfly was still on my hand, I looked to the right and saw nothing, I looked to the left, and there was my deer under a low tree. I immediately turned and screamed, “I FOUND HIM!!!” Everyone began running and we all hugged. Meanwhile the butterfly was still on my hand. After I showed everyone, he flew away. He was definitely my good luck charm that morning. I found my own deer, not more than 100 yards from where I shot him and 40 yards from where we last saw him. I was ecstatic! What a great feeling and a great hunt! I had my beautiful 10-point buck in my hands.
Friday October 10, Shannon shot her first doe too! You go girl!
This was the best week ever and filled with memories. I was on an “all girls hunt” with wonderful friends. We all had great cameramen, and wonderful hospitality. Special thanks to Ted and Tina at Eagle Lakes Outfitters for an awesome experience and for the new friendships. Thank you to Freddy for being my cameraman and my buddy for the whole week. You rock and remember the ‘A team’ did it! One more special thanks to Vicki for inviting me and for making my dreams come true!!