Timberland Outfitters Inc

Submitted by: Michael Anderson

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Review Submitted: Nov 14, 2011

Hunt Date: Nov 5, 2011

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Days Hunted: 5

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Bow

Price Range: 2000-2999

Awesome

I don't see how you can beat this place. Ben and his guides bust their tail to make sure you are seeing deer and have an opportunity to take one home. If you want to go see some awesome deer habitat and have a chance to hunt some of the best stands in Illinois give him a call. The accomodations and food are great and again they will work hard to get you a chance on some good deer. I think most of us would prefer to have a month to scout and hunt deer but when you have 1 week give these guys a call, they have done the scouting and the hunting is up to you.

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Submitted by: Tony Steinberg

Review Submitted: Jul 24, 2011

Hunt Date: Oct 30, 2010

Species Hunted:

Days Hunted: 5

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Bow

Price Range: 3000-3999

Ben is a good guy and has a good lease. The lodge and food were good. His stands were great, ladder sticks and life lines at every stand, very safe.My only problem was when I talked to him about booking a hunt, he told me that they hunted the first week of October and then didn't hunt again until I arrived the last week of October. That was the kind of outfitter I was looking for. Well after about the third day of hunting, the guide told me that they had hunters in the week before me, and that the stand I was hunting had been hunted the week before me. That bothered me. I did see a nice 8 point buck, in the 150' range, that I would like to have gotten a shot at. It was obvious to me that this buck had been called at and possibly saw the previous hunter in the stand. Ben has put some very big bucks in front of his hunters in the past. My problem with outfitters is that too many of them put too much pressure on their properties and the bucks you are hoping to see are wise to it. If you hunt there and get a fresh stand, I think that your chances would be good.

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Submitted by: Radley Grubbs

Review Submitted: Dec 17, 2010

Hunt Date: Dec 6, 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Days Hunted: 7

Hunt Type: Guided

Primary Terrain: Farmland

Method: Muzzleloader

Price Range: 2000-2999

2010 Combo hunt at Timberland Outfitters

This was my second hunt with Timberland Outfitters. I bowhunted for four days and hunted with a muzzleloader for the subsequent three days. I saw numerous deer from the stand including 7 whitetails that were over the 130" mark. On tuesday of my hunt, I saw a mid 170" ten pointer that was not quite in my bow range. On the last day of the hunt, I did kill a great 135" eight pointer. My best buck to date. Ben's accomodations were great, including the food and lodging. The guides were very knowledgeable and it was clear they were intent on assuring my success.

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note: The following reviews predate the numeric rating system and are not included in this outfitter's overall rating.

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outfitter review submitted by: Radley Grubbs on Jun 29 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer

Game Quality: Excellent

Accommodation Quality:

Camp Condition: N/A

Food Quality:

Guide Experience: Excellent

Other Personal Experience:

Overall Impression: Excellent

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: Hunted with Ben Plattner at Timberland Outfitters Inc from November 9th through November 14th of 2008. During that week, I saw approximately 40 bucks from the stand. Several of which were over the minimum 130" requirement. I couldve shot several bucks that were close to the 130" mark but didnt because I wasnt completely sure of their size. On the last day of my hunt, I saw a buck that I estimated to be in the 150" range but a little far for my bow shooting capabilities. The camp and the accomodations are excellent, and the food was also very good. Breakfast and supper were served and lunches were available to take to the stand. Highly recommend this outfitter and I will be returning to Timberland myself this winter after my Afghanistan deployment is complete.

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outfitter review submitted by: Chip Tamar on Feb 14 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Excellent

Accommodation Quality: good

Camp Condition: Good

Food Quality: Restaurant

Guide Experience: Good

Other Personal Experience: Good

Overall Impression: Very Good

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: I shot a 130 and the same night a 175 and a 183 were taken. Weather was very hot and then stormy rain but many large bucks wee seen.

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outfitter review submitted by: Craig Morrow on Feb 14 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: Good

Accommodation Quality: Good

Camp Condition: Good

Food Quality: Excellent

Guide Experience: Excellent

Other Personal Experience: N/A

Overall Impression: Excellent

Recommend: Yes

Reviewer Comments: I hunted during the last full week of archery season in November and had an awesome experience. First off, since my wife went along with me, we were set up with our own room for my wife's privacy which I felt was great. I was hoping that it wouldn't inconvenience the other hunter's (there were 7 hunters with 2 guides in camp)since we had one bathroom to ourselves and they had to share the other but I didn't hear any complaints. My wife might have helped herself out by doing their laundry even though she wasn't asked to plus running other little errands for the guys but that is the way she is - one not to sit around. Ben assigned me a guide and he and I hit it off real well from the beginning. I informed my guide that being from Alaska I was very limited in my knowledge about hunting whitetails and I was willing to do anything he suggested. "When in Rome, do as the Romans" so I was more than anxious to take any advice or suggestions that he might have. This might have contributed to my great experience because my guide did everything that was legal in trying to get me a quality whitetail. From setting up decoys that contributed to my witnessing some great deer action to loaning his winter snow camo - that's right, winter snow camo. Because it was overcast with heavy rains at time during the whole hunt, the winter camo with the predominantly white pattern blended extremely well with the sky and kept the deer from seeing me. I can't begin to count the number of deer I had right under my stand not knowing what I was or in most cases not even seeing me! He also loaned me a bow holder much better than mine and to top all the above off, he, after me seeing this large 170 class deer two days in a row in the same area but from a distance, set up a stand virtually in the bucks bedroom - in the middle of the day! At first I was skeptical thinking that between the two of us we would be leaving all kinds of scent in the area but he assured me that he would spray everything down real good and it would not be a problem. That very evening I had the 170 class bruiser all in his regal glory at 15 yards broadside, looking away from me but I couldn't shoot him. He was on the wrong side of the fence! He was on private property. Where my stand was located was beside a traveling corridor that connected two bedding areas and he was making his rounds via that corridor. If only he was traveling on my side of the fence I would still be smiling and it's been 3 months since that moment. But those are the breaks of hunting. I rattled him in to the edge of one of the bedding areas later during the week but he would not come to my decoy. Other lesser bucks were coming in but not him. Twice I had a 140 class buck pass under my stand - once in the late evening when it became too dark to shoot and the next morning in the wee hours of the morning before there was enough light to see my pins. I had seen this same buck before earlier in the hunt three different times but not close enough for a shot so I knew him well. But there again, that's hunting. It's not always killing. Sure, I went home without a Illinois whitetail but I gained many fond memories. I would recommend Timberland Outfitters for a tremendous hunting experience to anyone. I plan on going back again in the near future and hopefully this time it will all come together. Craig Morrow Anchorage, Alaska

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outfitter review submitted by: Henry Passerini on Feb 12 2010

Species Hunted: Whitetail

Game Quality: excellent

Accommodation Quality: Clean and comfortable

Camp Condition: excellent

Food Quality: excellent

Guide Experience: very good, hard working

Other Personal Experience: All very pleasant

Overall Impression: excellent

Recommend: YES

Reviewer Comments: Fellow bow hunters: I have been on a quest for a P & Y buck for the past 8 years. I have bow hunted for 33 years. I have been to the bow zone in Alberta, hunted Ohio & PA on private land looking for an opportunity for a trophy buck. Timberland was recommended as a personal reference. Myself and several buddies have hunted Timberland for the past 3 years. Our group has always taken a P & Y buck. This past year were were 2 out of 3. We decided on the mid-west as it was a sound place to hunt for trophy whitetails. The stands were all preset, deer areas were prescouted and documentation of trophy bucks were there. I believe all that anyone can ask out of any outfitter is to work hard and put you were the animals are. Timberland offers the best fair chase hunt I have ever experienced so this is why I keep going back. I taggged a 142 10 pt. on my 3rd year hunting at Timberland. The odds were to the deers favor. The wet weather caused the crops not to be harvested. This wasn't the outfitters fault. We hunted different stands every day listening to Ben & the guides recommendations. Our group hunted hard and we are serious bow hunters. Everyone was pleased in the efforts put forward by Ben & his guides. There was never a guarantee offered you only get that in a high fence hunt I hear. I personally and highly recommend this outfitter if you are after trophy class whitetails in the midwest. If you want to talk with me send me an email I will reply. roofchez@aol.com. Ben Plattner has worked hard for me and our hunt group to put us where the Big Boys travel. That is all I ask from any outfitter. We enjoyed the comradery at camp. You will not be disappointed in Timberland Outfitters of west central IL. Sincerely, Henry Passerini Florida

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outfitter review submitted by: Stu Mauney on Jan 13 2009

Species Hunted: WHITETAIL DEER

Game Quality: POOR TO NON EXISTANT

Accommodation Quality: GOOD

Camp Condition: GOOD

Food Quality: RESTAURANT

Guide Experience: POOR

Other Personal Experience: NOT APPLICABLE

Overall Impression: POOR

Recommend: DEFINITELY NOT!!!

Reviewer Comments: Booking agent Tony Ruggeri of Trophy Seekers Worldwide was the major problemn of this hunt. He sold the hunt as a "good opportunity to take a 150 - 180 class" deer. In fact this was a total misrepresentation! None were even seen in 3 days. After the hunt the owner Ben Plattner even admitted to me on the phone that he told Ruggeri not to book hunters in for the Dec 12 - 15, 2008 time frame due to past poor succes duirng this time frame. Ruggeri said Plattner only runs 30 - 35 hunters thru when Plattenr admitted later that the number was 90 -110. Ruggeri said there were 3000 acres to hunt on in Cass County, the southern camp, when in fact there were only 5 leases of about 300 acres each - all with heavy adjoining deer and pheasant hunting pressure. One lease even had tresspass issues !!! On the night before the hunt I asked head guide Joe Coates how many 150 or higher deer were taken in the season so far and the answer was "I don't know" I then asked no less than 3 times to see their 2008 harvest log book and was told first it was "at the camp' and then "I don't have the key to the camp" Later via phone owner Plattner stated he thought that number was "about 3 - 5". That's about 10 - 15% - a far cry from the "good opportunity" as the hunt was represented as! Do not go to Timberland Outfitters if you expect to see or have a "good opportunity" to harvest a 150 " or higher deer. More importantly, do not ever book a hunt with Tony Ruggeri of Trophy Seekers Worldwide, in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, he will lie and misrepresent the hunt to make a sale!

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outfitter review submitted by: Julius Simonelli on Nov 22 2006

Species Hunted: White-tailed deer

Game Quality: Excellent

Accommodation Quality: Poor

Camp Condition: N/A

Food Quality: mediocre

Guide Experience: Poor

Other Personal Experience: N/A

Overall Impression: below average

Recommend: No

Reviewer Comments: I spent nearly two years arranging an archery whitetail hunt for myself and two other friends with Timberland Outfitters at Duck Creek Station in Canton, Illinois. Here I provide a review of our experience. Everything Ben Plattner, owner/proprietor of Timberland Outfitters had told us prior to us arriving in Canton, Illinois had been exactly what we wanted to hear: Exclusive access to a full 6,000 acres of huntable land teeming with giant bucks, guides that do everything they can to put you on deer and that do not hunt while clients are, a smooth running operation with basically no problems. Upon our arrival, I called Ben to notify him that we were there. He told us that he would like to put us up at the local motel rather than for us to stay at his lodge. I was a bit perplexed and thought it very odd to have such a significant change in plans at the very last minute. I told him that if he thought it best for us to stay at the motel that we would do it. Thank God we did. When we saw the lodge we couldn’t believe how atrocious it was. Folks, it doesn’t get much worse, that building is uninhabitable and in my opinion needs to be torn down. I can see why he didn’t want us to stay there, we wouldn’t have been able to even if we wanted, as it was filled to capacity. 8 people including 2 of the guides were staying in the dilapidated 3 bedroom, one bathroom old farmhouse and an additional 3-4 people were in campers outside the house, but all used the single bathroom within the house which incidentally must have been leaking for ages since the ceiling in the kitchen was collapsing with the bathroom right above it. Furthermore, the house was an absolute safety hazard. The chimney probably hadn’t been examined or swept in years and the guides told us this was the first time in who knows how long that a fire was burning in there. Moreover, the wiring of the house was far from up to code. One of the guys in my party is an electrician and he couldn’t believe how dangerous the situation was there. He said the wiring was downright hazardous and that the multiple space heaters plugged in everywhere created the perfect conditions for a disaster. He pulled Ben aside and warned him of the situation; hopefully something will be done about it before it’s too late. If you go, ask to stay at the motel in Canton, you won’t regret it and the Outfitter seems pretty accommodating to do so. Enough of that though, let’s get to the nitty gritty and talk deer hunting, after all that’s the reason we went in the first place. The first day of the 5 and ½ day hunt would be an afternoon hunt. Prior to heading out we received an orientation and learned that there would be 11 hunters at Duck Creek that week. Seven of the guys were together in one party. We quickly learned that the group of seven were close with Ben Plattner and had gone on a scouting/shed-hunting excursion at Duck Creek the prior spring to learn the lay of the land and pick spots for the following season. In fact, they requested and received exclusive access to two of the five quadrants set up at the property. The two quadrants they selected were the most heavily timbered areas of Duck Creek and after one look at aerials of the property it became glaringly obvious that that area had the best potential on the property. Especially for guys like us who like to sit dawn to dusk this was disconcerting. I asked Ben why he didn’t let us know that half of Duck Creek’s huntable terrain would be off limits to us and he replied that after the first couple of days of hunting we would be intermingled and all would have to opportunity to hunt the other quads. This NEVER happened, no one other that the select group who were obvious friends of Ben had the privilege to hunt that area. Even one of the guides told us that he was pissed about the situation and felt it was wrong to limit 28 stand sites to that group and not give us access to any of them. Especially since many of those stands were great morning stands and there weren’t that many other good morning spots on the property. So we hunted the other, less timbered quads and I must say the hunting there was quite good, especially in the afternoon. I saw 130”+ deer in the evening nearly every day, the morning hunts however weren’t that good since most of the spots were field edges. One morning, a guide told me to hunt a particular stand; I questioned his decision based on my buddy’s observations from that same stand. My friend told me that all the deer he had seen always came from a particular direction, the same direction in which the wind was blowing towards that morning. I told the guide that I’d probably get winded if I sat the stand and he immediately copped an attitude with me. He started yelling and berating me since I questioned his stand choice. He told me not to worry about the wind, that “Illinois deer are different” and bucks during the rut don’t spook if they would smell me. I thought to myself that this guy really had no clue what he was talking about, but rather than arguing, I had to tell him to calm down and that I would sit the stand. Once on stand guess what happened? The deer started coming from the direction my buddy said and you guessed it, I got winded. Shortly thereafter, another group of deer started coming from the same direction and I got winded again. Imagine that, the deer actually could smell me even during the rut lol. I was quite pissed that the guide forced me to sit a stand when the wind was wrong for it and I wasted a perfectly good morning because of this. Later that evening that same guide drank way too much and nearly got into a fist-fight with another guide. The next morning that guide was supposed to take me and another guy from PA to our stand sites. We arrived on-time to the lodge but could not wake him up no matter what we did. Eventually, another guide managed to get the still drunk/hung-over guide out of bed. Before we left for our stands this guide said that we were wasting our time hunting that morning as it was windy. We didn’t travel 900 miles to sit in the lodge, we were there to hunt from dawn till dusk. The guide finally got his act together and delivered us to our stands, though we got to them late. I felt bad for the other guy he was taking because he was supposed to hunt a stand that you can only access by boat in the AM so as not to spook deer off the fields, but because the guide overslept it was too late for that. So the PA guy had to settle for a lesser stand from which he didn’t see squat. On to the topic of extra hunters and guides hunting. Guess what? The guides do hunt, despite being told by Ben Plattner otherwise when we specifically asked him prior to booking. Apparently some of the guides trade their pay for hunting days on the property. In addition, there was a videographer on the property who also was allowed to hunt and who traded videography services to promote the outfitter’s business for hunting time on the property. This videographer was given exclusive rights to almost a third of one of “our quads”. We did not find this out until we asked about hunting a stand marked on the map and we were told that this stand was not “in good shape”. Well it turns out 2 of the videographer’s stands were on either side of that particular stand which is why we couldn’t hunt it. Furthermore, on the last day of our hunt, which was also the day before gun season, 3 gun hunters who arrived at the lodge early, were allowed to bow hunt on the property prior to the first day of firearms season. Because of this we could not hunt one of the stands we wanted to because these guys were occupying them. One last thing to note is that all of these extra hunters were allowed to hunt only on “our quads” and not the quads in which the select, preferred group was hunting. Despite the shortcomings, my buddy nailed a 130” class buck one day and I hit a 150-160 class one evening that we didn’t recover. The shot was a little low resulting in a single lung hit. I called the guides after hitting the deer and they came out about 45 minutes later to start tracking it. Knowing the hit was low, I told one of the guides that we should let the deer sit for at least a couple of more hours, but the guides felt that the blood trail was heavy enough to yield a dead buck. So we got on the trail and sure enough we pushed the deer out of the woodlot it had run into. After that we lost the blood trail. We went back the next morning, but couldn’t find any evidence of where the deer went. Near the end of our hunt I was told that Ben Plattner wanted to have a word with me. I assumed we were going to discuss my “run in” with the guide. Well the only thing on his agenda was to express his concern about any write-up I might do on the various internet sites I frequent. So rather than being concerned with improving his operation he only cared about what I might say on the internet. The morning we left Timberland Outfitters and were at the lodge saying good-bye to everyone, the guide who I had problems with comes up to us to see us off. He then starts accusing my buddy of walking around one day after he had dropped him off near his stand site. My buddy replied that all he was doing was looking for the stand he was supposed to hunt. The guide then called him a liar. At that point, I truly thought my friend was going to right hook that guide, but he collected himself and realized that a fool such as that certainly wasn’t worth it. In short, I think that Timberland Outfitters at Duck Creek station has great land with an amazing potential for world-class bucks. On a 1-5 scale with 5 being the best, I would rate the land a 5 for quality of the deer, but the service and everything else gets a mere 2 (my buddy would have given it a 1 and that’s the guy who shot the 130”). Timberland needs to work out the kinks in their operation at Duck Creek. I think the Outfitter, who also runs a very different operation in Cass county, appears to have grown too fast and thus does not have the control over his second operation that he should. Nevertheless, with some better help and if he would be more up front with clients regarding many issues, this outfit could turn out to be a fantastic deer hunting destination.

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