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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 4, 2011 20:48:57 GMT -5
Until the Natural Resources Commission gives preliminary adoption to the proposed rule changes, comments regarding these proposed changes can be sent to the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife at:
dfwinput@dnr.in.gov
Please do send in your input.
Personally I am going to congratulate them on a well thought out and presented plan that will do exactly what they want it to do without taking away hunting opportunities to do it.
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Post by Decatur on Jan 4, 2011 20:56:59 GMT -5
Done!
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Post by huxbux on Jan 4, 2011 21:51:48 GMT -5
Finished!
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Post by deweydutchmen on Jan 4, 2011 22:09:28 GMT -5
done!
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Post by colts1888 on Jan 4, 2011 23:00:09 GMT -5
Done!
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Post by goodyz71 on Jan 4, 2011 23:05:35 GMT -5
Done! I thanked them for listening to us and told them the proposed rules package is very fair in my opinon!
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Post by 76chevy on Jan 5, 2011 9:21:41 GMT -5
DONE
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Post by 76chevy on Jan 5, 2011 9:22:24 GMT -5
X2! I am going to congratulate them on a well thought out and presented plan that will do exactly what they want it to do without taking away hunting opportunities to do it. [/size][/b] [/quote]
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Post by Russ Koon on Jan 5, 2011 10:34:42 GMT -5
I'll be sending mine along shortly.
I'm also pretty satisfied with the new set of proposals.
I still disagree on opening up bow season to crossbows for anyone just because they are too lazy to learn to shoot a bow. Never had a problem with opening it to anyone with a legitimate impairment, and I can agree that most guys 64 and over would probably qualify, so by that age they might as well be included without needing a slip from a doc. I will never buy into the idea that they're "just bows, only sideways". Anything that has a stock, a trigger, a safety, and can be carried cocked and locked, and cocked on Saturday and shot on Thursday, is a gun, whether it sounds like one or not. And some of them do sound about like one.
But their inclusion for the terminally lazy doesn't seem to have been disastrous for the states where they have done so, and at least it's better than losing more season to the powderguns, so I'll shut up about it and surrender, begrudgingly.
I would like to see another change or two that IMO would help the department manage the harvest for the targeted results, and would also increase the opportunities for the lawful hunter.
I think it's time for IN to ease up on their baiting restrictions.
There are an increasing number of smaller plots available to hunters, and many are surrounded by off-limits properties that provide the deer with safe havens. Lots of deer respond to the first sign of pressure by simply staying in their safe zone until after dark.
If the legal hunter was allowed to provide them some enticement to come onto the hunted property earlier, or to stay on the hunted area, they would likely be more successful in their efforts. We all know that MANY, MANY people who don't take the regulations seriously are already using various attractants that are legally considered baiting. I'd like to see the law-abiding hunter granted the same opportunity that the poachers now enjoy with little fear of detection or prosecution.
A recent article on the subject stated that 25 states allow some baiting. It also stated that the baiting tends to be more effective on antlerless than on older bucks. That seems logical, since the antlerless about always lead the parade to hit the food sources, and are the last to leave in the mornings. That article also said there was no hard evidence of any increases in disease transmission found in states that allowed baiting.
It just seems to me that some compromise position on the issue, maybe still banning truckloads of corn or apples, but allowing smaller amounts and maybe some peanut butter or some commercial attractants would be more realistic in view of the changing hunting plot sizes and the frequency of deer safety zones in today's woods. Anything that brings the deer off the safety zone and in front of the legal hunter would seem to me to be a win-win situation. The department gets better harvest numbers of antlerless, the meat hunter gets a better chance of successfully putting some venison in the freezer, more guys would be sitting in one place instead of tromping all over creation messing up everyone else's setup, and even the landowner who won't let you on gets his deer destruction reduced without having to put up with hunters on his place.
I'd like to see us be allowed to use those heat-seeker gamefinders, too. They're not foolproof or so effective that they would change shot selection criteria for anyone, but they could help to reduce the one thing we are all against, the wounding loss.
I haven't had many, nor have my relatives who hunt, but even the most diligent trackers and most careful shot selectors will lose one sooner or later if they hunt. One more tool that might find that wounded or dead deer would be a good thing, IMO. They aren't as effective as a good trailing dog, but I'd rather have one of the devices in the glove box of the truck than the phone number of a guy whose dogs may know what they're doing, and may be available sometime soon, and who may pick up if I dial his number.
If we're going to include those who can't tell a stringgun from a bow in the plan to increase antlerless harvest, let's also include those who are tired of seeing the fresh tracks leading off the place where they have permission to the neighbors fence and safety, and those who really would like to have a slightly better chance at making that difficult recovery, or helping their friends with one.
Anyhow, that's the way I see it. I'll spruce it up some and see if I can dig up some references for the supporting info for some of it, and send it along soon.
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Post by DEERTRACKS on Jan 5, 2011 15:14:35 GMT -5
Done. I gave em a thumbs-up & a thank you from us "Average Joe" deer hunters.
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Post by barton174 on Jan 5, 2011 15:38:06 GMT -5
Just sent mine! Thanks for the heads up!
Mike
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Post by steve46511 on Jan 5, 2011 16:54:56 GMT -5
Done Mine also sent with a huge THANK YOU and "atta boys"
and thank YOU, Woody! God Bless
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 5, 2011 17:05:27 GMT -5
Russ,
I think that you will find that all the hullabaloo about crossbows was Much Ado About Nothing.
Baiting? Not sure on that one yet. Personally I wouldn't use it if I could but that is me. Maybe just use it in the 4 or 8 and up counties? Dunno....
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Post by tenring on Jan 5, 2011 17:33:35 GMT -5
Then we wouldn't be hunting any more, just trying to fill in for our inadequate ability to use our senses against the senses of the deer.
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Post by daviesshunter on Jan 5, 2011 17:45:08 GMT -5
Done! I even included a disclaimer that all communications from Russ should be filed away for future funny page material.
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Post by Russ Koon on Jan 5, 2011 18:12:28 GMT -5
You're probably right about that, Woody. Does appear to have been pretty harmless to the seasons in the areas that have allowed it. I read one opinion that the reason is that those unimpaired people who don't have enough ambition to learn to shoot a modern compound tend to be the people who also don't put forth the required effort to hunt very well, so they tend to go back to the couch after a year or two.
The baiting thing wouldn't suit or help everyone, that's for sure. But there are a lot of those small plots that are adjacent to safe havens, and the number of them seem to be increasing with urban sprawl and city kids moving into the country. Just like to see that tool made legal for those who would benefit from it, rather than see it reserved for the poachers as it is now. Your suggestion might be a good one to tailor the technique to the territory where it would be most appropriately used. That is another advantage to it, it could be limited to private ground and some counties, at least to the extent that it's limited now.
I have hunted for years on one such place, and it used to be really good. Then a tornado followed by a timber sale removed many of the white oaks, and a couple more guys got permission, loading it with too many hunters for the remaining resource. Looking to buy a place somewhere not too far from home, but the pickings are slim.
If I get something, I'll put in plenty of food plots of every variety and sit in one of the permanent stands overlooking the growing bait. Fifty years of tromping all over the county watching white tails disappear over the hill are enough. I'm ready to put some venison in the freezer by a less strenuous method if I can, somwhere where I can back the Jeep up to the carcass. Enjoyed most of those earler efforts, but time's catching up to me.
BTW, I bought a crossbow a couple weeks ago.
R U still there, ol' friend? 8^) Hope you didn't hurt yourself hitting the floor.
They had a cheapie at the pawn shop, and I thought it might be just the thing for the late turkey season, since my draw with the compound is still pretty slow and shaky, and I can't hold long enough to wait for anything to come into a clear shot picture. Gave up on the dang thing after comparing the penetration against my Mathews (cranked down to 40#). I don't think the one I got would even be ethical to shoot a turkey with.
I wasn't expecting much, but it surprised me how little penetration I got with it, even after I loaded the bolt with some electrical wire to boost the weight. Taking it back to the pawnshop to see what else they have I might need. Got plenty of weaponry that will handle squirrels, and that's about all the super-cheap old Barnett would bring home, IMO.
I might still look for real stringgun for that purpose in the future, depending on the rehab progress between now and spring. I think the only chance I'd have on turkeys right now would be either with the "dreaded contraption" or a ground blind.
Have a good time at the ATA?
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 5, 2011 18:26:24 GMT -5
Oh my...Russ you just about caused me to have THE BIG ONE! There is a reason that crossbow was in a pawn shop. The brand gave me the next clue. Too many folks want to just try them and see if they like them and go cheap. Most times they don't like them. I'll pick you out a REAL crossbow at that ATA show tomorrow. PM me your VISA card number.. did we get off topic or what?
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Post by Hoosier Hunter on Jan 5, 2011 18:37:47 GMT -5
DONE
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Post by shooterbuck on Jan 5, 2011 19:07:24 GMT -5
My letter is sent thanks for the link! Good package way better than the last
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Post by HighCotton on Jan 5, 2011 19:08:27 GMT -5
Sent - and thanks for the notice Woody!
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