RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Me and my brother just got back in. I seen 3, he seen nothing. Weather ended up not being all that bad except for the winds, but it's been windy every single day i have had to hunt this year so no surprise there. Seen a doe about 7:45 off in the neighbors land just minding her business. The about 8:15 had a tiny 6 point at 20 yards, he had been spooked by someone. Finally at 9am i seen another lone doe just casually walking through the woods. Overall, pretty pathetic morning for the opener of gun. Normally see a lot more deer then that. I'm not seeing many deer period, i'm averaging about 1 deer sighting per sit. Not good! Don't know if it's been the weather or what, but hope it changes.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I didn't go out this morning...but there was a monster in the bed of a truck at the local McDonald's as I rolled past in the drive thru. Easily a 160" deer. Hopefully they checked it in at the local bow shop so I could verify what I saw.


My Father in-law is staying out all day. I have some decent rain gear....but there's no way I could stay out in this weather for 12 hours.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I just came in stayed pretty dry. Hunted out of the blind. Didnt see a single deer. Didnt hear many shots at all.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Looks like tommorrow will be much better. I bet the deer will be moving in the morning the way it looks.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

was out all day except between 11 and 1 for lunch.....I saw 15 deer total. Very slow early but around 10 they started moving. Past up a small 3 point at 5 yrds, too many does at 10-15 yrds. But I did see the deer I want to shoot. I monster 8 point. He showed up about 10:15 trailing a doe, and a small spike was with him, they were about 125 yrd off, and I didnt even need the binoculars to know he was a shooter. I rattled at him and grunted, got his attention he stomped a few times but then would just go back to running the spike away from the doe, then the doe turned and went back the way they came from and he followed. I was this close to shooting but wanted him to come in about 25 yrds. Know I kicking myself guessing he would be in the 150" range, wide and tall. Hopefully I see him tomorrow. Seems like all the does I was seeing were all very small. Good luck tomorrow guys.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

It rained here most all morning. I saw1 big doe and 3 yearlings, no bucks.I didn't see anything in the afternoon. I didn't want to shoot does today but their fair game tomorrow when I take my son for his first gun season as a shooter.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I sat in my stand all day and saw one deer for about 30 seconds.[:'(] He was a nice 8 pointer that might have been a shooter, but more than likely not if I would have gotten a little more time to look at him. He had his nose to the ground and didn't even give my doe bleats a second listen.

It rained from the time I got into my stand until about 1:00. I sat in our box blind and stayed fairly dry but it was just nippy all day. I think I only heard about half the shots that I normally do on shotgun opener. Seemed like people stayed home yesterday.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

was out again this morning, sat on the opposite side of our property then yesterday. Had a doe and yearly walk past me right at 7. About 8 my brother had 4 does come by but that was it. The snow made it enjoyable but not much movement. Debating on going back out tonight or leaving it sit for a day or two.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I went again this morning and again faced very strong gusty winds[:@]

Me and my brother did not see the first frickin deer.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Wife and I were out since noon didn't see nor hear a deer anywhere around our spot. Usually have a least a couple of does cruise through the heavy brush behind us but nothing. Lots of black birds and Robins. Anyone else in Central Indiana see a lack of quality sign as to the rut being in full swing??

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

decided to go back out got into my stand about 3:30. kicked up a doe right by my stand. About an hour later my brother had 4 does in our food plot then they bedded down. Right at 5 had a little buck cruise by, then nothing. At least we are seeing deer, but I am really kicking myself on not taking that shot at the big 8 on Saturday. Hopefully he's still around but so far I have not seen him, only little bucks and lots of does.

So far I have only seen 2 does being pushed by bucks. I have one little buck grunting and licking the air by my stand where I had my scents out so he was ready, but seems like the does are not? Gonna skip tomorrow and then hit it again Tues.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Last saturday i seen a decent 8 chasing a doe. This is in north central indiana. Other then that i have seen nothing. I have found 1 rub and no scrapes. This place i hunt is normally loaded with does and very good for the rut. I can't find the does anywhere. I don't know if it's the full moon and gusty winds or what the problem is. All i know is that they were definitely not moving very good in my area this weekend.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

That is basically the same problems I'm noticing. Normally I can find rubs and scrapes setup pretty decent this year there is nothing only buck I've seen all year is a little spiker who came to visit me last weekend walked right up to the tent trying to figure out what we were.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I didn`t see a single deer this morning. Very rare for opening weekend here. Man I hope the wind dies down in the am.[:@]

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I hunted all weekend, and seen a very limited amount of deer. On Sat. we seen maybe 3 does, all small and out of range. Then Sat. evening I kicked up a small buck but just got blown around all day. Sunday morning seen a small buck, so I tried to play with him with some rattling and grunt, but he didnt want anything to do with it. I think it was just toooo stinkin windy here to do anything. I heard some shots, but not as many as I normally do. And didnt see much either. Hopefully next weekend will be better.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Went again this morning. Had one quick glimpse of a tail way off in the neighbors land. That was it. Was cold, snowing, and not too terribly windy, and still no deer. I do not understand it. It may be time to give my uncle a call and start hunting with him through the evenings out at his place. My poor brother has yet to see a deer so far.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

One things for sure.....if this bad weather continues throughout Firearm season....there are going to be some BIG deer next year!!!

A bunch of guys at work didn't even go out this weekend. If it stays nasty...they won't be out until Thanksgiving. So with the 6pt's and smaller 8pt's possibly living this year with the "orange army" sitting at home......that all means I'm already pumped for next October!

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I'm heading back out this afternoon. With the winds down and cold weather I hope the bucks really start moving. To tell you the truth I am having a real hard time sitting around at work knowing that big 8 is out there. Hopefully tonight will be the night......

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

We were out again last evening and finally seen a few deer. We seen 8 total. I let my brother sit in my stand and he had 4 does come in on him. I had 4 deer running nuts out in the bean field, never could make out if there were any bucks though. My brother was supposed to go back out this morning, but haven't heard if he did or not. I could not go this morning as i had to take my boy to pre school at 8 am. It would figure though that the winds were dead calm and about a half inch of snow on the ground.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I don't feel so bad that I am not seeing deer either. :DI thought it was just me, but I don't think so. I am hearing very very few shots around my area. Usually sounds like a war on opening weekend. I have been every morning except opening day. Seen very few deer. 2 weeks prior there were deer EVERYWHERE.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Reading this topic is a HUGE relief. 3 mornings in a row and still have yet to see the first deer. Gotta be the weather.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I went out today and boy oh boy was it cold. I didn't have as much time to sit as I would have liked. I got into my stand about 9 and stayed until 4:30. I jumped one doe who was bedded down near my stand when I got to my stand. Then around 12:15 a doe and two fawns walked within range but I wanted to see if there were any bucks following. There weren't of course. [:@]It seems like every year I see a doe with two fawns at least once in the season. The three deer were moving pretty quick and didn't linger very long. For sitting as long as I have I sure haven't seen any great number of deer.

I too am glad to hear that others haven't seen the same amount of deer. I don't know what the dealis. I think we needone good average temperature daywith no wind to get the deer moving.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Since Saturday I have passed up 4 does, a spike, a 4 point and just about had a shot at a buck that would score in the 150's. Seen alot of deer just no bucks big enough to shoot. Getting ready to head out this morning.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I went out yesterday evening 11/18 and I had to go after work so it was late, but any time in a stand is valuable. I got in, got everything set up, did a couple grunt calls and seen nothing. Did it again and heard something walking to me, but it got dark and I could still hear something moving towards me. So I waited in the stand well past dark so I wouldnt spook it when getting down and walking back, but I never seen it and it took for ever. i dont know what is going on. It was COLD and no winds yesterday and no deer. But figures this morning when I get up and ready for work there is a doe in the field behind me laughing at me. my luck.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

We went last night and this morning. Last night was perfect conditions and we seen 3 doe. Thats it.

This morning the winds were really picking up about 6:30. Decided to try it anyway. Yesterday afternoon i had moved a stand for my brother so he sat there today. About 7:30, a guy just starts unloading on the neighboring property. Very close to us. I was shocked becuase normally nobody deer hunts over there and i have never seen anyone there on a weekday. I aint kidding, he shot 8 frickin times. I don't know if they all came from him or if his buddy joined in too. Anyways, after the 8th shot i look over and could finally see a deer right on the edge of the woods we hunt and the neighbors bean field. Then, i see the "hunter" running across the bean field and then i hear another shot. He had evidently cripped the thing and went to finish it off. 9 shots total. Went and got my brother and he was bummed. He said there were 2 deer that ran across the field we have permission to hunt, they crossed the fence into the neighbors field and began to walk back towards our woods on the very back side. The deer were going to come straight to him, and thats when the guy started unloading. Said he thinks it was a buck becuase he thought he saw a rack and the 2 guys were dragging it across the field by it's head. Thats how our luck has been so far.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Did not get out yesterday, work interferred. However today it wont and I will be heading out around 2pm... winds dont look toobad right now.

Funny about people unloading, we have all types of hunters around us and I cannot tell you how many times I heard people unloading on deer. I can forgive the one as I saw him leave his stand and looked to be young kid, but come on people learn how to sight in your gun and take responsible shots.

Saw a nice big 6 today on my way into work, however not anywhere near where I hunt but nice to see it out moving.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Got in my stand around 3:30 tonight, light breeze from the west, perfect for this stand. Sunny skies and the wind actually laid down to near still at times. Heard quite a few shots in the area, however no activity until about 5:30 it was getting dark and 3 or 4 does showed up in our food plot. I waited awhile until they were gone.

I had high hopes for tonight, saw a buck pushing 3 does in a field about 3 or 4 miles west of our land, but nothing around me.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

saw one doe and four fawns saturday, a young eight pointer slow pushing a doe sunday, and got out tonight and saw a doe and a six pointer. I saw a lot of ground scrapes around the 17th of October and few since then. I wonder if the warm up after the earlier cold weather makes a difference in the rut?

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

A friend got this one last night off our land in Steuben County

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I haven't been out since I shot my doe early last week. I asked a friend if he wanted to go this morning...but he couldn't make it. I might head up this afternoon though.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Pat tell you buddy great buck! I am planning on hitting it hard again this weekend. I have a stand that I have not sat in yet right on a natural hill side funnel across our property, with the deer not out in the open I am hoping I bust a big guy moving along this funnel. Worth a shot.......good luck everyone, let hope the deer start moving for all of us!

Scott

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Nice deer there Pat. Looks like you guys got on em good this year.

I was out tonight in the howling winds, sat in the stand i had set up for my brother. About quarter after 5 i seen 2 deer take off across the corner of the bean field. They entered our woods in the thick stuff and never came out. This makes the 3rd straight day we have seen deer in that general area. I can't go in the morning but i told my brother to sit on the ground along that fencerow and see if they show up again.

Thankfully, this weekend looks a lot better weather wise.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Well no luck for my brother this morning. He said it was a great morning to be out, but not a single deer[:@]

Probably try again tonight and tomorrow morning. Tomorrow evening we might be hunting up in the Akron area with my wifes friends husband. Guess he has an 800 acre spot and seen 45 deer opening weekend.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

The guy that shot that buck (on the previous page) kills huge deer year in and year out. His family has a bunch of land in southern Michigan...so he usually gets a 120" or higher bucks year in and year out either there or here in Indiana...sometimes both. In '05 he shot a 225#doe in Michigan! I never got to see it...but everyone who has gives the "OMFG" face when they talk about it.




I went out last night trying to get another doe to donate. Got in stand at 230pm....around 4pm some weirdo walks past to my left...who never knew I was there (he was walking through a picked corn field next to our property).He got about ½ way to another woods...when he turned left and walked into a thicket in the middle of his corn field. As he approached it..he pulled some Navy Seal type maneuvers trying to creep up on a deer...bending...sitting..crouching...you name it! I chucked knowing there was no way in hell he would be doing that stuff if he knew I was in my stand. So he sat down against a tree in thicket....did a bunch of weird calling like he thought we have Moose in our area.

45 minutes later....I look over and saw some deer to the east of him a ways acrossed the road. They ran about 100' behind him acrossed open fields...to the tiny thicket he was in...sat there for about 5 minutes...and then ran acrossed more open fields to our property. After they were 100+ yards from him running through picked corn fields away from him...he finally noticed them. At this time it's fairly dark.....but I hear "BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM".....dirt and snow kicking up everywhere. It was classic.


I tried to take a few pics...but the camera didn't have a good enough zoom to get the good stuff. But I'll attempt to post a few....


The tard after he walked past me...

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/studpat/DSC01197.jpg

As he approaches part of the thicket (it's only a 3x zoom..bah)

http://i418.photobucket.com/albums/pp270/studpat/DSC01198.jpg

Andenclosed picis sort of an overview of what went down for pure entertainment value. The red blob is where I was. The black blob is where he was sitting in the thicket.The brown stick figure (with a white tail..lol) is where I first saw the deer. They ran right behind him...sat there for a few minutes without him knowing...and then trotted off towards our property.

The white blob in the woods is where I shot my buck and doe, and also where that buck on the previous page was taken. That's "Death Valley."

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Was out this evening and finally seen a buck. Had a wide racked 6 point come in about an hour before dark. He was crusing for does it appeared. That was all i seen though. Seen a lot in the fields on the way home though. Tomorrow morning may be a good time.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I've seen a lot of deerin winter wheat fields in groups of 15+ already as I'm driving around. This year has surely been odd...

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Sure was cold this morning. But, it was by far the best weather of the season for me so far. Nice frost and no winds.

We saw 5 doe. That may not sound like much but when you have a had a season like me, thats encouraging. I simply have not been on does at all this year. I had the bigger one come in behind me but on the wrong side of the tree. As i turned to get into position she busted me and took off back across the fence. I watched them as they went on toward the back of the neighbors property and they just started scaterring in different directions and running in circles, etc. I'm almost positive a buck was on them back there, but never could find him.

Going back tonight. My wifes friends husband wants me to come to Akron and hunt, but says they are doing a deer drive. Thats not really my style so i don't know what i will do. I'd like to just go and find a spot on the ground to sit by myself.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

I've never been into drives either.



A friend went out this morning...said he heard 100+ shots...half of which were before legal hours (people getting desparate b/c of the bad weather?). He kicked up a bunch of deer getting into his blind. The only deer he saw were a group of doesin a full out run.


I wanted to go out, but went to my old High School's football game last night and got trashed afterwards(Bellmont!!!!!!!!! Playing at Lucas Oil Stadium next week!!!).

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Yeah, i guess the guy usually hunts out of stands, but said something about huntin riverbottoms and i guess they just walk it when they hunt there. I'm gonna go and least check it out, maybe make a friend in the process and who knows, maybe get invited back to hunt another time. He has access to almost a thousand acres he said.

RE: Indiana Hunters
 

Just got back in, stayed in my blind until around 11:15.....awesome morning weatherwise and good for deer but no shooters again. I had 9 does at different times throughout the morning, then around 10:15 a small 6 pushed 5 does by me, and then about 15min later a small spike pushed 4 does past me the other way. All in all I saw 21 deer, but so far I have only seen bucks either around 10-12 or late around 5-5:30. Thinking about hunting from 9am to 2pm tomorrow.