ORIGINAL: Wolfhound76
ORIGINAL: Zim
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.
I've hunted private land in Pike, IL since '97 and have seen a grand total of 2 really nice deer. None of which are on my wall. I was thrilled a few years back to getmy little 7 point.Because of my losing my place to hunt this year I am heading to Indiana to hunt with a friend opening weekend of Indian's gun season.
Wolfhound,
I've never heard of anyone who has had a decent spread in Pike County who did not have good luck every year. There's definitely something not kosher about seeing 2 buckssince '97......are you talkingcalling a good deer over 200"?
Pike County issecond only to Buffalo County, Wisconsin in P&Y and B&C book entries in the entire United States. I have hunted in many Counties in Illinois, all public land, and have seen P&Y bucks regularly. Typically 1 or two per DAY on average. Have seen P&Y quality bucks here in Indiana but only1 or two perSEASON. Last year in Illinois public land I PASSED on mature bucks my first 5 consecutive days. I'm talking about slamdunk shots.On 10/17 I ended up taking the 140 class.
On top of that, in 15 years of heavy huntingIndiana private & public land I have seen a grand total of zero bucks over 140 class. In Illinois there is no real top end limit on what I might see each year. Last year alone, within a 2 week period, Iviewed two 170+ class bucks and videod a 200"+ class buck in September. I tagged out early and never even got to hunt the rut.
As of 2004, Illinois had 2,267 P&Y/B&C entries and Indiana had 487. The OBR doubled Hoosier Record book entries, so that is progress,but it will never bring us close to Iowa or Illinois. If you do the numbers you will see that.