State park hunts

Woody started a thread on this subject a while back.

huntingindiana.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=deerhunting&action=display&thread=29301

I am an Illinois resident and own property bordering Tippicanoe state park. I am an avid deer hunter and am from a state that has a significant number of big deer b&c entries. I hate to say because I am a new guy to this forum, BUT when is Indiana gonna join the rest of the large producing big buck states and shorten their gun season and quit the State park hunts, ....I understand the overpopulation, but allowing bucks to be killed is poor herd management. How about doe only!!! when is the Indiana DNR gonna wake up. The reason Illinois has so many big bucks is due to the short firearm season, having the firearm season when the rut is winding down, and the high publicity that little bucks need to walk and grow. Indiana is in the middle of Illinois and Ohio, 2 big buck states but they just cant catch up.
I own 150 acres near TSP and have not hunted it for deer in years. It used to be excellent, now the deer are wiped out. Its a real shame.
Does anyone know who is in charge of this??? I cant believe the do- gooding plant lovers have succeeded in erradicating our deer population in Indiana and continue to do so year after year. Thank God turkey hunting is awesome near our farm, I just hope the Indiana DNR doesnt start wiping them out too.

Go stir the pot someplace else...90% or more of us are just happy with our "crappy" deer hunting here in Indiana. Who wants a 3 day gun season?

There's no deer there Indy, who'd want to buy that?

OK, I’ll bite…



You have addressed two different subjects. Lets take them one at a time.

Parks first –



I think that is sour grapes. You want the state to provide a sanctuary to grow some bucks for you by just allowing hunting of does on the parks. Wouldn’t want any of the park hunters killing a good buck that might just wander off the park and on to your ground. 150 acres - it would seem to me that you could set aside 50 of those acres for your own sanctuary where no human ever walks into. Have you tried that or would you rather just blame the IDNR?



Yes, I do. It is Mike Mycroft, the Chief of Natural Resources of the IDNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs. I just sent an email to Mike complimenting how well the Prophetstown Park deer reduction was run.



Are you a biologist? Maybe just a conservationist? Maybe not even that? Any conservationist will be concerned about ALL habitat and not just what is best to grow a big deer herd. It is a proven fact that an overabundance of deer is very detrimental to the habitat and other animals and birds that share that habitat. There has to be a balance and has NOTHING to do with “do-gooding plant lovers”. Every one that knows anything about habitat knows that we should not sacrifice the habitat just for deer.

There was a multitude of studies conducted by people a lot wildlife smarter than you and me and they concluded that we NEED to deer hunt the parks. If not the parks were headed for a sure catastrophe. In fact Brown county had already reached that stage.



If the IDNR made the park hunts does only they would get very few takers/hunters. When park hunts first started the IDNR cut off the antlers and would not even allow “trophy pictures” to be taken. This was an appeasement to the ARFs who protested the hunts. They quickly changed that when they found out that deer hunters are deer hunters and bucks are deer too.



A couple years ago the Illinois gun season came in a day before the Indiana gun season did. Bucks are still pushing does in Illinois. I know, I was there this last weekend. BTW – do you think Indiana should mimic Illinois on their two-buck limit – even to the extent of killing them with both with a firearm? How about two with archery equipment - residents only of course?

What may or may not be good for Illinois may or may not be good for Indiana. There is not a one size fits all in deer management.



I’ll agree with that and we are seeing more and more of that. Education is the key without slapping more and more restrictions on a dwindling hunter base.



Maybe we would like to look south to another big buck producing state that times their just as long RIFLE season to the rut – Kentucky.

BTW – Welcome to Hunting - Indiana.

I will. I need a place to grow more peppers and maybe some peas and carrots. Couple hundred per acre should cover it. When can I sign the papers?
By the way, the new Indiana record was captured on trail cam recently,incredible buck compared to what i've seen in Indiana.... outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1103207853043721206SYdojJ

On a serious note, i'll let Illinois keep Pike county and the 'golden triangle' along with all the other leased land that pushes the average hunter away. Let Ohio and Illinois draw all the attention, better for Indiana in my opinion.

Note to self...do not get on Woody's bad side.

Strong points and well put.

Woody don't you post those same answers every year on a post? Maybe not all in the same post but pretty much the same stuff year in year out isn't it... LOL... Always someone saying something about how we manage our state. The funny thing is he says that then says Don't let our state do anything to the Turkey's... What the heck. I see 50 turkey's every time I hunt. I can't stand them. And wish we do do more killing of them. They have torn my woods up and make it look like I have wild hogs in there. But that's another subject and might just be me thinking that. Back to his turkey stuff. Does IL not have good turkey's? Why is that? Do they not manage their turkey population right? A lot of this stuff is just funny. But I give you props woody for doing the come back in a smart and well put way. Not just beating him down. Well Put!! And classy!
BB

Ok ladies and gents. I am not trying to get into a ing match with you guys. I am simply stating that we all want to kill larger bucks. I dont think you guys can argue with that. All im saying is that I feel Indiana should be a little more careful with the herd management. And yes,maybe it is for selfish reasons. We have lots of bucks on our farm and we do set aside sanctuary. I have clover plots,standing corn , milo and beans. How can you guys be so quick to disagree with me. Please dont tell me that WE all dont want to harvest more mature bucks. How about a 8 pt limit on the bucks in the state park? I HAVE to live in Illinois for my employment but if I could Id be in Indiana. AND dont get me started on the Pike county Illinois outfitters, its a sham. They should be regulated and charged thousands for their permits,hell their making a few grand a guy for a hunt. The days of banging on doors and getting permission is over. Its really sad. I am fortunate to have good ground in Illinois to hunt. But unfortunately deer hunting is becoming way too comercialized. We cant legally sell deer how can we buy deer hunts?