Brettski, I just got done planting hundreds of seedlings of various types on my land. All there was were a handful of Virginia and Pitch/Loblolly pines on mine when I got it ... like yours it was hardwoods dominated by poplar, black cherry, and walnut. The seedlings I planted included shortleaf, eastern white, and loblolly pine. There are lots of deer out there but I didn't protect the seedlings. If you plant a large number some will get damaged by wildlife, some will come through unscathed, and some will even be eaten/killed. But as long as it's not a lawn or manicured & landscaped type setting it doesn't really matter. There are already lots of imperfect, mishapen, deformed, and gnarled trees naturally in the woods. Rodents and deer will quit bothering pine trees after they get to a certain size, and if you plant a good number some will survive. You probably have inexpensive seedlings available through the state forestry service. If the quantities are too large or the prices aren't right in Illinois, most of the surrounding states will sell to out of state too.
