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Finally Found My Slug Barrel!


chislinger

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The only shotgun I've ever had is an Ithaca/SKB XL900 with an improved cylinder barrel that I bought for $100 from a high school friend in 1983 or so, he needed the money to buy parts for the hot rod he was building. I'm sure that car ended up in the junkyard decades ago, but the shotgun still looks as good as when I bought it and still runs flawlessly. I typically put around 250 rounds through it each time I shoot clays (my friends shoot it because they can't be bothered buying their own shotgun) and it just runs and runs, I've never replaced anything in it. Even cycles the "low recoil" loads without issue.

 

Though that model was discontinued around the time I bought it skbshotguns.com still sells most parts for it, new old stock, so it's still a viable shotgun. Except for the barrels, those are hard to find and when they are available the asking price is steep - $300 or so. For that price I'd rather by a new shotgun!

 

Anyway, the last 4 years or so I've been kicking around the idea of trying deer hunting and so my quest for the holy grail - a slug barrel - began. But no way was I going to pay $300 for one! Finally last week one became available on ebay for a starting bid of $145 (with free shipping!) so I bid on it. It ended today with no other bids, much to my astonishment! Probably because the seller spelled "Ithaca" wrong, he spelled it "Ithica" so anyone searching for Ithaca wouldn't find it. And he never used "SKB" in the tag either. I can't help but think that's how it slipped under the radar. ;)

 

Now that I finally secured my slug barrel I need to figure out how to get into deer hunting in this god-forsaken state!

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Well, someplace to hunt would be a good start.

Yes it would. Looks like you have to win a lottery to hunt in most public areas within 3 hours of here. And I think tree stands are required in some areas? Haven't really looked into it closely before since I had no slug barrel.

 

what part of the state you in I only hunt public land maybe i can help point you

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Well, someplace to hunt would be a good start.

Yes it would. Looks like you have to win a lottery to hunt in most public areas within 3 hours of here. And I think tree stands are required in some areas? Haven't really looked into it closely before since I had no slug barrel.

 

what part of the state you in I only hunt public land maybe i can help point you

 

I'm in Chicago, and yes I realize odds aren't real good in drawing a permit. I went to the IDNR site and when I click on the permit page I get a prompt to log in?

 

I'm open to other game like pheasant. Is it worth even trying to hunt pheasant without a dog, or do they just run away unseen instead of flying away?

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Sounds like you got the better deal in the trade!

 

When I bought my Mossberg 500, it came with a rifled barrel, and a bird barrel with 3 different chokes.

 

I bought it because to hunt in lower Michigan where my land was, no rifles were allowed. Oddly they did allow rifled barrel on shotguns so that's how I hunted.

 

Scratch that, that's how I pretended to hunt for 3 years. Never saw deer during the season, lol. Honestly, a successful hunt for me would have been seeing a deer and missing the shot.

 

Sold the land when I moved up the standby list at a campground in Wisconsin I was volunteering at. I was able to put meat in the freezer 2 years in a row.

 

I like that I have a place to go, but I have a goal to bag an Illinois deer one day. Compared to what I've been paying for licenses in MI and WI, it would be a bargain.

 

But it isn't about the cost of a license for me, I would be happy about spending that saved money on a gift for my host in Illinois.

 

I still consider myself a beginner, but the differences or diversity in hunting areas intrigues me in the same way fishing does.

 

Years ago I pleaded in these forums for someone to give me the opportunity in Illinois, and a space for my bunk roll in their barn. I received some good offers, so I would go that route. Just make sure you take your hunter safety classes so that you don't become a liability to your host.

 

If you find a good place but need a mentor, I would consider showing you what I've learned over the years. I was taught by a co-worker who humored me for a couple of years when I had my MI land.

 

Simple things, it's not rocket science, but valuable info like how to go up and down a tree stand, or stepping over barbed wire with a gun, or what a scrape looks like. There's nothing like filling the freezer without going to the butcher.

 

Learning how to butcher your own deer was a huge bonus for me, the guys I hunted with and mentored me wouldn't let me take my kill to a processor. One of the best learning experiences I ever had!

 

 

 

 

 

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https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/deer/Pages/DeerSeasonsDeadlinesAvailablePermits.aspx this is a good place to try https://dnr.illinois.gov/Lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R1/green.htm two hotels about 25 min away look on find a park click on the part of the state you want to hunt in https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/Pages/default.aspx this will come up https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/Parks/Pages/Northwestern.aspx

then pick out a park that you can hunt in https://dnr.illinois.gov/Lands/Landmgt/PARKS/R1/green.htmdo your home work and get out there

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Thanks Fife and luckydawg! I'm still not finding a link to enter the April 30 lottery? Am I just not seeing it, or does it become available as the date approaches?

 

Incidentally I found a page that has an interactive map of all the IDNR public hunting areas, it's a private site since apparently Illinois has never figured out the utility of something like this: http://engineeredpursuit.com/illinois-public-hunting-areas/

 

 

eta: oh, and on sites where it's allowed to leave a stand up overnight is it wise to do so, or do people steal them?

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Well I filled out my application and paid the fee. Crossing my fingers!

 

Now I just need to see which brand of slugs my shotgun likes, maybe even get an optic if the iron sights give me problems but iron should be fine out to 50-60 yards.

 

Anyone have any favorite slug brands for deer that I should try first? Smoothbore, so no sabots.

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were did you Apply at and good luck

Just from poking around on Google Earth I picked Castle Rock as my first choice, and since you mentioned it and it looked good too I chose Green River as my second choice.

 

Time will tell what happens! If denied there's always the option of kicking up the brush for pheasant in places where lead shot is allowed. My barrel is too thin for steel shot and bismuth is way too expensive!

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Incidentally I found a page that has an interactive map of all the IDNR public hunting areas, it's a private site since apparently Illinois has never figured out the utility of something like this: http://engineeredpursuit.com/illinois-public-hunting-areas/

 

 

eta: oh, and on sites where it's allowed to leave a stand up overnight is it wise to do so, or do people steal them?

Hey that's my website! Glad you found the map useful. As for leaving stands overnight, I would only do so if I chained them to the tree so they couldn't grow legs. That said I haven't come across many sites where it is legal to do it.

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If the barrel is a smooth I doubt it will shoot the Sabot slugs well. You more than likely have to the old fashion Foster slugs. I've killed a lot deer with fosters.

Yes I should have said the 1 oz slugs were Foster style. I shot many deer between 25 and 50 yards and they never moved out of their tracks.

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