Indiana
 

I just feel the need to blow off some steam here and to see how others feel about the Indiana deer season. I just cant understand why Indiana doesnt match up to Illinois, Ohio, Michigan or Kentucky when it comes to getting bigger racked deer. I mean come on we are right in the middle of all these states and they have way bigger racked deer. Dont get me wrong there are some nice deer taken in Indiana, but it just doesnt compare to these other states were surrounded by. I dont know if its how our DNR operates or what the problem is. I know for a fact we have way to many hunters who shoot up the woods during our gun season. I mean everyone becomes a deer hunter when gun season gets here. Is our gun season too long, I say yes. How do others feel about this?

RE: Indiana
 

Yes arrow master our gun season is to long, an invisable deer would have a hard time making it thru our gun season. And as far as our DNR goes it is the most mismanaged bunch I have ever seen. I say ditch Mitch to start with and that might solve of the problems.

RE: Indiana
 

I say ditch mitch as well. Not my man.

RE: Indiana
 

we are more populated across the state then the others. We have the one buck rule. what else do you want to make bigger deer. Remember if all your doing is managing for trophy bucks thats not good management. You have to keep the deer herd in check. We shoot some moster deer each year here. Besides i don't know about kentucky but michigans management sucks. most areas they only want 10-12 deer a square mile

RE: Indiana
 

We are not too far behind Michigan. We are ahead of Kentucky. Ohio and Illinois are way ahead of us but we are in the top ten. I think it is about as good as it can be here.

RE: Indiana
 

yeah not very many hunters care about the size of the buck they kill.

RE: Indiana
 

There are many variables in the equasion. For one thing we have way too many antlerless deer, trophy hunters refusing to shoot does is like them shooting themselves in the foot. You're part of the problem or part of the solution, you can't have it both ways. The QDM mindset is another problem, you can't practice QDM unless everyone around you is, which will never happen in Indiana, or anywhere else for that matter. The length of the gun season is set to manage the overall herd numbers according to IDNR, with the majority of the cull occurring during the time the maximum number of hunters are afield(gun seasons), so unless the antlerless population is greatly reduced it will stay the way it is or actually be increased. They have categorically stated that they will never shorten the gun season for trophy management reasons, only if the overall population is sufficiently reduced, or if the number of bucks becomes dangerously low. Habitat/forage must also be factored in, states like Iowa and Illinois have a bit richer forage than Indiana, and more suitable habitat. "Brown is down" is less of a problem than you might believe, all states seem to have that issue judging by the complaints on internet forums. Poaching is a far more serious problem, many of your larger bodied/racked deer get poached every year, far more than a B&Der will ever see, much less shoot. You also have to consider where you personally hunt, the area you hunt in may simply not have larger deer than another area might. Big bucks also tend to be extremely wary and largely nocturnal, they don't get big and stupid at the same time except at "pic n' shoots". If you want to see more large deer than I suggest you hunt in Sasketchewan or other northern areas, they naturally produce larger deer, you won't see them here anytime soon unless you hunt deep in wilderness areas like the Hoosier Natl. Forest.

RE: Indiana
 

I belive theres big bucks evry where but you have to let them get to the age structure to produce large antlers. i hunt in northern IN and have killed 6 P/y's and one b/c. my buddy shot a 204" gross on public land. if the deer can get the age we have the nutriences to produce good deer. but you have to shoot doe's also.

RE: Indiana
 

I believe we here could have a lot bigger bucks if we would let them get some age on them. Yes we have the one buck rule thats true. But you get thousands of hunters who shoot smaller inmature bucks, it takes its toll on the population. Lets face it everyone is a gun hunter when the season rolls around in NOV. But me I start my deer season OCT 1st.I hate to say it but to be honest those who believe that this state is on the right track (besides the one buck rule) for deer management needs to open their eyes for a different view. I say cut down the gun season and we will see rewards in the bigger buck catagory.

RE: Indiana
 

the long gun season in my opinion needs to be shortened. more does need harvested, and button bucksshould not be counted as antlerless. You shoot a button, check it in as a antlerless and then kill another buck ??? thats just wrong!!

RE: Indiana
 

Isn't Indiana smaller geographically than most other states like Illinois?

RE: Indiana
 

in indiana we lack the big trackes of woods all accross the state. its hard to find a tract of land thats more than 300 acres. everythings been divided down and down.

RE: Indiana
 

I agree bloodcreek we do need to shoot more does, and to be honest it irks me off when a button buck or even a yearling doe gets shot. Shoot a mature doe and let the young ones grow up. I just hate it when the blasting gets started. Shorten the gun season...

RE: Indiana
 

they can't shorten the gun season because not enough hunters harvest deer in the bow season. you will never change somes mind set where they will shoot the first thing that walks by no mater what it is.

RE: Indiana
 

Arrow master that makes no sense, if you shorten the gun season you are going to shoot less does. Which is what needs to be done anyway in my opinion.

RE: Indiana
 

I am definetly not the only one who feels the gun season needs to be shortened. I agree trophyhunter that you cant change the mind set of other hunters. They will always shoot the first thing that walks by. The problem I face every year when gun season rolls around are the hundreds of shots I hear. I mean they just shoot up the woods. Im sure there are many more deer killed than we all know. How many of these deer are wounded and cant be found and then die. In the first 2 weekends of gun season I had counted over 400 shots. Thats just wasnt last year. Thats basically every year for the past 5 years. We keep a running total of shots. Now I do agree with the one buck rule. I believe thats a good thing. Maybe we should also add a size requirement for the bucks. Let the 1.5 and 2.5 year olds grow up. Im not trying to down grade this state. This is my home, but I would really like to see more trophy deer. I dont know what the solution is, but we definetly need some change...

RE: Indiana
 

Better yet... in order to get your buck tag you must shoot a doe first! Heck shoot 2 does first!

RE: Indiana
 

i would be for the earn a buck tag program i sgoot about 4-6 does a year anyways

RE: Indiana
 

That would be an ok thing earn your buck tag...

RE: Indiana
 

I live in Illinois, but have several friends who live in East CentralIndiana, and in my opinion, one reason states like IL,IA, and KS produce bigger deer, is becausewe have all these damn outfitters from other statesbuying or leaseing large tracts of land. Yes, we produce bigger deer, BUT how many are taken by local hunters? I can't and would not pay someone $3,000-$5,000 for a 5 day hunt in my own state. Also, while most people here are "trophy hunters", a majority of people who gun hunt don't care for headgear, they care about filling the freezer, and whether we like it or not, as long as they have the required permitts, then that's there right as a hunter. The best way to achieve big deer is tobuy ourown land or hunt private groundand do the management ourselves. But I do agree you gun season is WAY to long. We only have 7 days total, the Fri, Sat, Sun before Thanksgiving, and the Thur,Fri,Sat, Sun after Thanksgiving.

RE: Indiana
 

I've wondered many times why Indy doesn't compare to her neighbors on each side? It seems everyone drives right through Indy to get to either IL or OH. It sounds like from the posts above that you guys really need to educate your average sportsman. A statewide effort at QDM is seriously needed. Shooting more Does and allowing immature bucks to atleast get some age on 'em. One thing that helps IL is the unlimited Antlerless-Only tags and a restrictive buck limit. We shoot a lot of Does every season in my region. Also, more and more hunters in my area seemed to have jumped on the QDM band wagon over the last few seasons and we're hearing of a LOT more folks letting the yearling Bucks walk. Add to this good management, a short limited Firearm season of which only 3 days really hit the Rut(weekend before Thanksgiving) and a lot of bucksslip by eachseason. Best of luck to all of you guys and I hope someday that most of the thousands of NR hunters that head to my state every year will start stopping in YOURS! ;):D

RE: Indiana
 

I don't want IN to be like IL where alot of the deer hunting is leased by outfitters for out of town hunters. The problem I see with deer hunting now days is everyone has to be a badasss trophy hunter, whatever happened to a simple hunting trip when you could be happy with a basket rack 8 point. Some of my most favorite hunting memories are of killing small bucks. Lots of restrictions are fine for people who have private ground to hunt on but for us guys who have mainly public ground where the killing of does is illegal it cuts down are chances of being able to kill a deer.

RE: Indiana
 

Where the badass trophy hunter comes into play is from watching all these Hunting shows, where huge deer are shot every year. Everyone wants to be like the next big hunting star. For me I dont shoot basket racks or deer under 3.5 years of age. Thats just my personal choice. I myself would like to see the deer grow and get some age. Lets see which would I rather have a 135lb basket rack or a 200lb buck with some nice genectics. There is definetly a lot more meat with the 200lb deer. The last buck I shot in 2004 was a 150in 220lb buck. I could have killed lots of smaller bucks and still could have the past 2 years. But Im trying to practice QDM. Here is what happened the day I shot my biggest buck. I had a small spike come by me, I passed on him, then walks a 5 point right by me, I passed on him. But the neighbor didnt. That small 5 point which weighed 120lbs was dead with in 15 minutes of me seeing him. 30 minutes later I had my biggest buck down. Its all the hunters choice. You just cant practice QDM by killing off all the smaller bucks.

RE: Indiana
 

If your happy with shooting the first thing that comes by then fine. Your not helping the deer herd by shooting young bucks or doe's. The people who say "you cant eat the rack" is just an excuse for not raising your goals. if you don't care if you shoot a huge buck then fine challenge your self to harvest a mature buck. But most are to lazy to put in the time or think they have to shoot something so they don't waste there tag. but there probably happy with just getting by in life also and not wanting more, no goals.

RE: Indiana
 

Dont tell me I am just happy getting by in life pal I am in management at a large company,own a rental house with the plans on buying more and basically don't owe much on anything I own. Its the way hunting is going that I don't like, nobody is content to just go hunting anymore for a simple relaxing day, they have to live the life of the hunting shows they watch every Saturday.Yes I shot a buck that scored around 140" this year but it is not my favorite whitetail I have harvested, my favorite was a spike I snuck up on and killed at 15 yds in its bed a couple of years ago( it did't even get up just dropped dead on the spot). I just don't like the idea of having a strict set of regulations telling me I have to kill a doe first, the rack has to have so many points or a minimum width. With me its the hunt and not the size of the harvest that matters to me.

RE: Indiana
 

yes ive always thought our gun season was to long

RE: Indiana
 

well i didn't point the finger at anyone. just making an observation. I shoot 140 or bigger, not because they do it on tv but for the challange. If i wanted to shoot what ever i would be done on the first day of bow. i always see 4-6 young bucks. We don't need the point or spread resriction. the one buck is working fine. its increasing are buck population. i got a 182-5/8 but my favorite is a 140 i stalked. imo its no fun to shoot a young buck. they just don't produce a challange. The reason are gun season is so long is because theres not enough bow hunters shooting doe's.

RE: Indiana
 

As an Illinois native who still owns land and hunts there, i can tell you that we shouldn't be the model for other states to follow. Deer management (farming?) is a relative term and lot's of folks were much happier before it turned into big business where not bagging a trophy buck means that one apparently doesn't have any goals in life or they are wasting their tag. Some of the easiest kills i have ever seen where pretty big, pretty old bucks. Hell, the biggest buck killed in my immediate area was taken by a guy standing out in the middle of a cut cornfield. The goal should be to enjoy hunting first and secondarily to put meat in the freezer or a rack on the wall. As long as the first goal is being achieved I don't care if my land is infested with mega-bucks or only has a few spikes and does.

RE: Indiana
 

One persons goal is diffrent from another. if you hunt in an area like where my grand father hunts you will be lucky to see a buck. Because to many hunters shoot everything i watched 5 doe's go into a woods and only 2 made it out. But they have the nerve to say this area sucks or theres no deer here. uhh DUHH. If you are happy shooting the first deer that walks by then fine do it. but you will have an unbalanced deer herd. I have a great time sitting in the woods watching nature. even if i don't see a deer. And i haven't shot a buck the past 2 seasons. But i still had a great time in the woods.

RE: Indiana
 

I agree trophyhunter25. The area I hunt in sucks cause all the hunters think they have to wipe out everything that comes by. In some places the deer herd is unbalanced. I myself havent shot a deer in 2 years but thats ok cause I enjoy setting out watching nature. I myself would like to see some QDM happen. The one buck rule has helped, but to be honest the gun season is too long. Thats my opinion. But Im sure someone will try to shove that down my throat. I do hate it when you voice your opinion and others agree only to have someone shove it down your throat. Some take offense to others opinions. Lets face it Indiana has a problem. BTW I dont think you pointed any fingers at anyone. I myself set goals for deer hunting as well as turkey hunting. I could have shot a couple jakes while turkey hunting this past season, but that wasnt my goal. Its no secret that I love to hunt those turkeys, but just to go and shoot an imature bird isnt for me. The same applys to deer hunting. Give me a MATURE deer or turkey and I'll harvest it. NO younguns for the Arrowmaster. Let em grow up and pass the genectics on...

RE: Indiana
 

i agree with you oneverypoint arrowmaster except if the deer herd is out of balance why not shoot a couple does even if the are smaller. the gun season is to long and i would like to see a much shorter gun season and maybe a early season primitave antler-less 2 or so days long as far a only shooting bucks 140 and above im with you on that to thats my standard too i also only use my bow and ocasionally my hawken on a late season stalk hunt one buck has help around my area but i would like tosee somethoughtaboutearn a buck tags

RE: Indiana
 

I hunt in 2 diffrent counties. Lagrange and elkhart. There are deer every where in lagrange but in elkhart. there hit or miss one area will have a few or none the other over flowing. I think the gun season is too long but think we should have an area season. meaning sertain counties have longer than others.

RE: Indiana
 

WHILE BIG BUCKS ARE NICE HUNTING FOR THEM IS WHATS GOING TO RUIN HUNTING IN INDIANA, THE BIGGER BUCKS YOUR STATE PRODUCES THE LESS LAND THE NORMAL GUY WILL HAVE TO HUNT, LAND WHERE THE BIG BUCKS ARE KILLED WILL BE SNAPPED UP BY THE GREAT TROPHY HUNTERS. WHILE I LIKE BIG DEER SAME AS EVERYONE ELSE I HUNT BECAUSE I EAT THE DEER I KILL(ALL OF THEM) AND WHEN I KILL A BIG BUCK ITS A BONUS, I DONT MAKE MY LIFE(EGO) REVOLVE AROUND THEM. A OLD DOE IS 10 TIMES HARDER TO KILL THEN THE SAME AGE BUCK. I LIVE IN FAR WEST CENTRAL INDIANA AND JUST LOST 1,000 ACRES TO HUNT DO TO THE FARMER LEASING IT AFTER SAYING HE WOULD NEVER LEASE IT, MONEY TALKS. SO EVERYBODY KEEP HOLLERING FOR TROPHY DEER AND SEE HOW LONG YOULL BE ABLE TO HUNT THAT GREAT "PRIVATE" PIECE OF PROPERTY YOU HAVE,WILL ALWAYS BE PUBLIC LAND FOR FUTURE TROPHY HUNTERS...THIS IS JUST MY OPINION BUT I SEE PRIVATE LAND OUT HERE WHERE I LIVED DISAPPEARING BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS..

RE: Indiana
 

IF YOU WANT TO INSURE A PLACE TO HUNT THEN BUY SOME LAND. I OWN THE LAND I HUNT ON. NOBODY ELSE IN THE ARE MANAGES DEER AND THERES NOT HUGE DEER SHOT ALL AROUND THERE. AND I CANT EVEN LEASE A PIECE OF PROPERTY. FOR EVERY BODY THAT HUNTS FOR FREE ON SOMEONES LAND AND CRIES BECAUSE SOMEONE CAME UP TO THE FARMER AND OFFERED HIM MONEY TO HUNT THERE TO HELP HIM PAY FOR THE LAND AND TAXES,THAT YOU HUNT ON FOR FREE, I GET A LITTLE CHUCKLE. NOW IF YOU OFFERED THE LAND OWNER MONEY THEN THAT SUCKS FOR YOU AND I WOULD BE MAD TOO. ITS NOTJUST TROPHY HUNTERS THAT ARE LEASING ALL THE LAND. PEOPLE ARE TIRED OF OTHER HUNTERS RUINING THERE HUNT ON PUBLIC OR PRIVATE SO THERE INSURING THEY HAVE A SPOT TO HUNT

RE: Indiana
 

NOT EVERYONE CAN BUY LAND OR AT LEAST NOT ENOUGH TO HUNT AND 95 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE LEASING LAND ARE PEOPLE WHO JUST HUNT BIG BUCKS, I LIVE WHERE SOME OF THE BIGGEST BUCKS IN INDIANA ARE KILLED AND TALK TO ALOT OF THESE GUYS. PEOPLE WHO HAVE HUNTED OUT HERE ALL THEIR LIVES CAN NO LONGER HUNT BECAUSE THEY DONT HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO LEASE THE GROUND. WHILE I RESPECT THE FACT FARMERS HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR GROUND, GREED HAS ALOT TO DO WITH WHAT IT COSTS TO LEASE GROUND, KILL A HUGE BUCK ON YOUR PROPERTY AND THE SKYS THE LIMIT AS FAR AS WHAT YOU CAN CHARGE. MY FRIEND KILLED A MONSTER BUCK OUT HERE THIS YEAR, 198 IN. DEER AND THE PROPERTY HES BEEN HUNTING WAS A GUY HE WENT TO SCHOOL WITH GRANDMAS PROPERTY AND NOW HE MAY LOSE IT TO BEING LEASED DO TO SOMEONE FINDING OUT ABOUT IT AND OFFERING HER BIG BUCKS TO HUNT AND IN GENERAL SHE HATES PEOPLE BUT LIKES MONEY, BUT DOESNT NEED IT. NOTHING AGAINST TROPHY HUNTERS OR PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO HUNT BIG DEER BECAUSE I DO DO BUT THE BIG PICTURE IS ONLY A MINORITY CAN AFFORD TO BUY ENOUGH GROUND TO HUNT OR LEASE AND THAT WILL LEAVE THE MAJORITY OF HUNTERS CLUSTERED ON PUBLIC GROUND LIKE THEY ARE IN ILLINOIS AND OTHER LEASED OUT STATES, ASK THE HUNTERS THAT LIVE THERE HOW THEY LIKE IT, A FEW GET RICH OFF HUNTING AND ALOT OF PEOPLE LOSE PLACES TO HUNT SOUNDS LIKE A FAIR TRADEOFF TO ME....HUNTING NOW IS ABOUT MONEY OR KILLING BIG DEER NOT ABOUT WHAT ITS MEANT TO BE, THE EXPERIENCE WEATHER ITS A BIG BUCK OR A DOE.....THIS IS THE LAST ILL POST ON THE SUBJECT BECAUSE THERE IS NO SENSE ARGUING ABOUT IT, IT IS WHAT IT IS AND THE MENTALITY OF TODAYS HUNTERS ISNT GOING TO CHANGE..

RE: Indiana
 

You are right about not everybody can afford to buy or lease land. But you can’t blame the farmers for wanting to make some extra money. There not getting rich off of leasing. You always want to make as much money as possible at work so why shouldn’t they be able to do the same. I think it’s a revolving circle just like corn prices. It will peak then go back down. I’ve been offered $5,000 from a guy to hunt my 56 acres. Turned him down because he wanted sole rights. I could use that money and go to an outfitted hunt but that’s not my style. Indiana hunters will never be on the same page. There are too many small tracks of land. Not like Illinois where a farmer may own thousands of acres here they might own a couple hundred.

RE: Indiana
 

Illinois is a bigger state with a lot of variation in landownership. There are parts of the state, especially in the northern part of the state where many farms are thousands of acres, but it is different in the southern half of the state. In the area where i am from, tracts generally range from my very modest 19 acres of woods to 200-300 acres of combined fields, pasture, and woods.

People are well within their right to post their land to hunting or lease it to small groups that post it and use it to farm trophy bucks. But, the flip side to that is that you end up with very low hunting pressure and very large numbers of deer in generally, especially does. It gets even worse when the big buck mindset comes to dominate. People hitting deer with cars and havng their fields and gardens torn up by too many deer is pretty common.
The same farmer that leases his land for 5K may end up with 10K in crop damage because those leasing the land only shoot a few big books.
I prefer the old days when the numbers were low and getting any deer was a challenge that was appreciated. Nowdays you get people who literally go into depression if they don't tag a 10 pointer or bigger every year. What a change in 20 years.

RE: Indiana
 

I haven’t been hunting for 20 years but I do remember when you had to put in for a drawing for a doe tag here in Indiana. Yeah theres an outfitter by my property that has like 1700 acres but its all family owned, and he said his biggest problem is he can’t get the hunters to shoot does. He charges $2000 per hunter and you get to hunt it for the month of October. Then he does something simaller for muzzle loader. No shot gun hunting. But over there we have a deer population of about 45-50 deer per square mile. So I shoot a lot of doe’s

RE: Indiana
 

If i recall, back in the 70s when i started hunting, Illinois only issued one permit (buck only??) per person per year, and it was on a lottery system. People picked the county that they wanted to hunt in as well as alternate counties. Some people didn't even get permits or they got them for counties where they did't really have places to hunt. In my opinion, the state was very slow in allowing larger deer harvests to the point that many places are crawling with deer and it is a problem.

RE: Indiana
 

One of the arguments i have heard against a shorter gun season is it makes people less selective instead of more selective. If someones knows they have two weeks to kill a buck they are more likely to pass on a smaller deer but if they only have three days they might just take the first one that walks by them. As far as the one buck rule in Indiana it has not had any effect on the overall buck harvest. The numbers have stayed constant from the pre OBR to the post OBR. The only thing that has changed is the weapon they are taken with.