Hanson Blvd, between Bunker and crosstown

[analyzer]

I'm driving south on Hanson from Crosstown, and look to my right through the fence, and there stands a beautiful 10 point buck. He's not more than 20 yards away. I pulled over and watched him for 5 or 6 minutes. Couldn't get a picture because it was too dark, but man he was awesome. Had my 2 million candle watt light with me, and put it on him. 3 or 4 other cars pulled in behind me to watch too.

Is that area enclosed? It's tall fence with barb wire on the top.

[Black_Bay]

If it's the area west of Hanson about a mile north of Bunker Blvd, that's an old landfill. It is fenced off but there has been a lot of construction going on so the fence may be compromised.

[CodyDawg]

Yes it is enclosed.

[Tripleplay]

Yep, the old landfill. At times I see up to 10-12 deer spread out in there.

I drive my kids to Andover High School in the morning most days and I'm pretty sure I've seen the fella you were looking at. Earlier this fall he and another very good buck seemed to be hanging out in the north-east corner by the creek. It is grassy and almost swampy looking in that corner and I saw the two bucks together at least 3 of 4 mornings one week as well as at least once the following week.

One morning I drove past it with the kids and both my son and daughter who hunt deer with me commented that both bucks were bigger than anything they had every seen before.

[fishhawk1750]

Growing up off of Crosstown and Prairie Rd I have seen Many and I mean Many Giants. Many a night I had a near miss with vehicle and ghost of the night.

[Mark Christianson]

In the past, there were some dandy bucks in the Federal Cartridge fenced compound off Hwy 10 and Round Lake Blvd.

A monarch of a buck lived in there one winter for sure. Bigger than anything I had ever seen in the wild by far.

[pinkfloyd4ever]

In the past, there were some dandy bucks in the Federal Cartridge fenced compound off Hwy 10 and Round Lake Blvd.

A monarch of a buck lived in there one winter for sure. Bigger than anything I had ever seen in the wild by far.

speaking of that area, what is it all about? I have seen the deer in there for years, and there are some shelters, so is it managed by federal cartridge or what?

[Mark Christianson]

yeah the shelters contain gun powder I guess

[pinkfloyd4ever]

so this deer population then, how is it controlled? DNR or Federal cartridge do it?

[Wanderer]

yeah the shelters contain gun powder I guess

They have them spaced out so when one goes BOOM! They all don't go BOOM!

[jbell1981]

so this deer population then, how is it controlled? DNR or Federal cartridge do it?

I had heard that they captured the does and had them spayed and then released them back. So basically when the deer die, thats it, but they have some nice pet deer until then. I am not sure how true this is, as I got the info second hand. (or maybe 3rd or 4th)

[BJB]

Originally Posted By: biglakeba$$

yeah the shelters contain gun powder I guess

They have them spaced out so when one goes BOOM! They all don't go BOOM!

They contain primers, not gunpowder. The powder is not nearly as volitile as the primers.

[Big R]

Haven't seen many deer at Federal for awhile now. In the winter they look very scraggly - almost sickly looking. I always tell people they use them for target practice

[analyzer]

The buck I was looking at was probably 140 class maybe 150. Not real wide, just outside the ears, but tall 9-10 inch variety. And almost perfectly symmetrical. I was wondering why he wouldn't be interested in a doe right now. He seemed to be content to just stand there. But if the does are fixed, maybe that would explain it. Or perhaps one was laying down just over the berm.

It was still very fun/exciting to look at. I never get tired of looking at trophy class bucks. They're so majestic.

[huntingislife]

The deer at Federal aren't really "managed" so to speak. If the herd gets too large, we will thin them down with the help of the DNR. Several of them are tame enough to feed by hand. They must feel safe sleeping with the enemy.