With all due respect, it's reeeeeaaaaally stretching it to claim we are not far behind Iowa & Illinois with regards to buck quality. The fact is we are not even close. I've hunted all 3 of these states for years. My big buck sightings in Indiana are a mere fraction of those I've seen in Iowa & Illinois. Our long gun rut seasons see to that. IN registers about 1/4th the B&C entries these other states do.

I'd hunt any public land in IA or IL before I'd hunt even private land in IN.

Good luck with your outfitted hunt. I scored a 140 class on IL public land last year. Passed on every buck in IN and ate that tag.