graodo

Alright, I've just about had it with hunting in Michigan. The deer numbers are down in the UP and northern lower while deer population seems to have exploded in the southern lower. However, the increase in deer population has lead to an increase in deer hunter population as well which means that finding any decent amount of public land in that area is pretty much a lost cause.

Because of this, I'm seriously considering hunting in a different state next season. If I were to do this, were should I concentrate my scouting efforts? I'm thinking that either Ohio or Indiana are my best options. Please let me know where I should start looking.

Thanks!

Buck Huntin Girl

I have not heard anything from Ohio, other than what I have read here, but I know we here in Indiana have a ton of deer! I saw almost 60 deer between Saturday morning and Sunday evening here in the Northeastern part of Indiana. That doesn't count the deer I saw driving to my land, that's just what I saw from my stand. We have plenty to go around, and we continue to pull big bucks out of here... Michigan is so saturated with hunters, not only the locals, but the people who travel from all over to hunt the state land there.

My boyfriend in the last 3 years has taken a huge 8 point and an even greater 9 point, both awesome deer, and we have seen many monsters that we just couldn't get a shot at, on the other hand, his father's biggest kill (mind you, he's been hunting since he was a boy), is a very tiny 6 point... and he is elated when he shoots a 4 pointer! He's up in Atlanta, Michigan. Michigan is THE place to hunt in the Midwest region, so people come from everywhere... it's no wonder you are having troubles up there. It never fails, everytime we go out to our stand, we see at least a deer, his dad will hunt day after day and not see a single one... Indiana is a good spot, but that is just MHO.

graodo

Great! So when would be a good time to come on out and set up a blind?

I don't know why Michigan is the place to hunt when it's possible to find bigger bucks in other places. Also, many locals here disagree with the DNR in regards to the number of deer that are in the state. I'm not the first hunter that questions their numbers. I'm also not the first hunter to consider leaving the state in hopes of just seeing deer let alone harvesting one.

I'll have to venture out to Indy one day and try to find some public land to hunt on.

Buck Huntin Girl

Lol, I tell you what, my BF has been hunting these grounds since he moved here from Saginaw in '96, he has gotten a deer every year except last year... which was an exception because he WOULD have had one if it wouldn't have been for him letting me shoot it! LOL

When we went out on Saturday afternoon, the owner of the property was out there squirrel hunting, and he saw us come through the woods and followed us, Shane has only seen the guy twice and he wanted to make sure he didn't have any poachers, but the moron came busting through the ditch saying "HEY!" We thought for sure that had dashed any hopes of seeing any deer, but luckily we had decided to go out at 1:30 so it gave the woods time to settle down until PTDT (prime time deer time).

We have had relatives come from Michigan to hunt our stands, but they never see anything, maybe you Wolverines give off a funny odor... LOL