I'm a second year med student at IU school of Medicine and I say BOILER UP!!! You are more than welcome to adopt Purdue and not that crappy IU team!!! The only problem about hunting indiana is when the deer decide not to leave uncut corn fields... This last season from my stand I could see a nice 8 point walking a corn field (there was about a 3 yard path he would walk acrossed) but due to rain it didn't get harvested unil late in the season when I didn't have time to hunt. I also am curious to see how you find the time in a residency to hunt. From what I hear there aren't enough hours in the day!

I'll be doing an Emergency Medicine residency, so aside from my 2-3 weeks of vacation a year, I can also schedule blocks of 3-4 days off in a row when I'm on my ED months since I'll only be working about 20 shifts a month. Trust me, I'll make time.

So, do I need to get into bow hunting if I want a reasonable shot at getting a deer, or will I be okay hunting the general and ML season with a ML? I wouldn't be totally against bow hunting, but it's been 5-6 years since I've even picked up a bow, and it might take me a while to get comfortable enough to take a shot at a deer.

Let me know if you end up this way. I can probably take you out during the season. I have multiple places to hunt in west central Indiana and also some places up around Boiler Country. I'm in college now, but I hunt most weekends during deer season.

I just know that I took my pathology books with me to my stand this year and ended up spending more time reading than looking for deer!

Iwould suggest thinking about bow hunting.I end this season killing 4 deer with my bow and one with my black diamond. I'm a jr at manchester with a double major in business management and marketing. I found ground around the college but also hunted some public land not to far away.

Thanks for the offers and advice everyone. I find out where I matched in less than a week, and then we'll move to wherever we're going sometime in June. I'll be sure to look you guys up if we do end up in Indianapolis.

Send me an email if you get matched up in indy... I will be there doing my rotations for third year starting June

Well, it's official. I matched at IU for my residency in Emergency Medicine, and will be moving to Indianapolis in June. I'm still a little torn about whether to go with a ML for deer or try my hand at bowhunting (never bowhunted, but have done some target shooting). Either way I'm going to need some new gear. Unfortunately, we'll probably only be in IN for 3 years, and I don't think I'd be doing much ML or bowhunting after we move back out west (but I could be wrong). Any suggestions?

I will say that if you want to enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods, then get yourself a bow and get out there and enjoy. The bow season last from October to January, with a one week break after the firearms season ends. It is really up to you what you use, just getwhatever you feel comfortable with, but with a bow you can hunt a lot longer and it is sometimes easier to gain access to private grounds if you tell them you will bowhunt only. These are just my suggestions, so you do as you feel you should. But welcome to Indiana, hunt hard, and be safe out there.

Congrads on the match. I recommend bowhunting, as whitetaildave said, you can hunt a lot longer and I too have found it easier to get permission to hunt when I say BOW ONLY. Good luck this season.