The acres your hunt will take place on are very strictly managed. South Fork hunters are required to harvest at minimum 140 inch, 3 ½ year old bucks. Having these practices in place for years has only made a good thing that much better. In addition to the doe’s that our hunters harvest, we take heard surveys that enable us to go through late season and remove doe’s in highly populated areas. As a whole – the areas you will be hunting have an excellent doe-to-buck ratio (2 or 3-to-1). Hunter to acre ratio is also very important. Low pressure is a huge part of harvesting mid-west whitetail deer. Here at South Fork, we keep ample ground for the numbers of hunters we run, with some farms not being hunted for entire seasons. This is all to ensure South Fork ground will remain the best of the best. We take stand location very seriously. This is crucial when getting close to giant Illinois bruisers. The wind and thermals are taken into consideration on every set. The stand set ups are for stealth entry and exits. Stand location is one of the biggest keys to a successful hunt- second only to having a piece of great managed whitetail ground. All stands are set by South Fork Guides that have years of experience and the bucks to prove it! The rule of thumb we live by is “if we wouldn’t hunt it, we won’t hang it!” We are as excited to get you into the stand that we hung, as you are to be in it. It’s like we are hunting with you. Our sets consist of hang–on’s with climbing sticks (20′-25′); ladder stands (16′-20′); shooting houses (7′-10′); and assorted ground blinds. We utilize over 70+ Shadowhunter Blinds to provide our gun hunters with a comfortable and solid shooting setup. We put you up close and personal, it’s just a matter of time before a big shooter reveals himself. All hunts are completely free range with no high fences in the “Golden Triangle” of Illinois- Pike, Adams, and Hancock counties. All South Fork properties provide the benefits of a long-standing Quality Deer Management Plan and uphold a Pope & Young deer scoring minimum of 140 inches or better. Trail cameras cover almost every property for the majority of the growing season giving you the chance to see a potential trophy before stepping foot in the woods. Field dressing services and deer transportation are provided by our guides if desired. Our guides will assist in meat & trophy care and preparation for shipping