It is difficult to extrapolate the general from the specific when it comes to deer hunting.

So I hesitate to wonder if the total harvest for both firearm seasons in Illinois will reach 100,000, but I bet it will be close.

Wind was a major factor on every day but Saturday in the four-day second season that ended Sunday. As was unpicked corn in the fields.

As to my hunt, between juggling keeping tabs on the fish kill and handing kids so my wife could on funeral stuff for an aunt limited my time in the stand to three brief mornings and all day Sunday. Squat, other than fun with squirrels and some good thinking time.

And it didn't help that the neighboring farmers still had not picked their corn. There was no reason for deer to poke their heads out. And they didn't.

My one sighting of the buck I wanted was Sunday morning of first season.

It was sad to walk out in the darkness Sunday.