Park hunt numbers?

Here's some info on Springmill I just read in the paper...Hope I can get drawed for it one of these days...

MITCHELL — In two days, hunters took just 10 deer from Spring Mill State Park.

While the state sets no goals on the number of animals to be harvested from the park, the numbers are lower than expected.

Deer overpopulation has become a problem at several Department of Natural Resource properties. The animals nibble down the plants, harming the habitat for plants and other animals. And so hunts have been scheduled the past few years to reduce the number of deer.

Mark Young, Spring Mill State Park property manager, said confusion about the process and poor weather hampered the hunt.

This year, he said, hunters applied online and were notified of their selections through e-mail. That was a change from the prior system, in which parks notified the hunters by mail.

“I think there was a fair amount of confusion about the process,” he said.

In all, 60 people were selected to hunt at Spring Mill Monday and Tuesday. But 35 showed up Monday, killing nine deer, and 11 came to the park Tuesday, taking one animal.

“I think it’ll go a lot smoother next year,” Young said of the computer-based process.

Mother Nature didn’t cooperate, either. For the third straight year, it rained on the Spring Mill hunters.

Another two-day hunt is set for Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at Spring Mill.

Some spring, DNR officials will study the vegetation state parks, to determine if hunts are needed.

The state parks are home to more than 32 state-endangered plants, according to the DNR.

Initially, Young said, the plan was to take enough deer that parks could be put on a “maintenance phase,” having hunts every two or three years.

“My asumption right now is we may have to re-evaluate that,” Young said. “It’s possible we may have to do it every year.”

Like last year, Spring Mill is on the firearms list. Other properties on the list include Chain O’Lakes, Charlestown, Harmonie, Lincoln, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run, Versailles and Whitewater Memorial.

Times-Mail Managing Editor Mike Lewis welcomes comments at 277-7258 or by e-mail at mikel@tmnews.com.

I hunted Shakamak and checked out around 3:00 both days. Day one there had been 11 checked in, including a 140 class 8 pt. Not sure of the hunter number from day 1. Day 2 there were 9 hunters and only 2 deer had been checked in; a doe and small 6 pt.

BTW.. 4 out of the 6 that didn't show up at Prophetstown Monday were locals. We drove 4 hours each way (actually I went up the Saturday the week before to scout and hang stands, so that is two round trips) , spent two nights in a motel just to hunt there and 4 locals didn't show up?

Not so much antis but some dont agree with park hunts. Most of those folks hunt land bordering the park and know that it messes with there deer movement after everyone gets in there moving around. Some times you would think it would do them good by pushing the deer onto their properties. Who knows that just what I have heard people say that hunt around the parks.

If it was an anti they had to have a valid license to apply, and priority is given to those who have taken hunter ed. Probably just lazy locals, and i somewhat agree with jake

I hunted Spring Mill the previous two years and while they may not have needed a hunt this year, I don't think it is quite as bad as the 10 deer harvest indicates. From my experience, of the 35 hunters that showed up it is a safe bet that at least 20 of them got in each other's way.

Anyone hunt Lincoln State Park or have any info?

I posted in another thread, but I hear there will be a report on all park hunts available on the parks homepage of the DNR site after December 4.

Anything from Tippecanoe River State Park?? I hunt there this coming Mon & Tues....