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Post by boonechaser on Dec 11, 2022 23:43:10 GMT -5
Firearms is biggest population control tool, and it generates biggest revenue stream. Don't see any changes happening to it. My bad I should have been a little more specific. A 7 day antlered only gun season. If you can't get r done in 7 days with any weapon you see fit then better luck next year. Take as many does for population control for any lenghth of time desired... And the bundle generates the most revenue... I venture to say no changes will be made to firearms season length in my lifetime. (Just don't see it happening anytime soon.) When "CWD" shows up , who knows what will happen??
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Post by genesis273 on Dec 12, 2022 7:29:40 GMT -5
I think the firearms season is good the way it is now. I don't have an issue with any of the current regulations to be honest. I hope the one buck rule stays in place and we do not see any antler restrictions.
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 12, 2022 8:12:23 GMT -5
All an APR in Indiana where we have the OBR already would do is off a TON of folks that have every right to the woods like all of us. I personally believe APRs assist, but I also know I would never support a 4 points on a side rule as I've seen some giant sixes in my life. Besides, truthfully while many things have been proven to assist growing a more mature age class of bucks and ultimately trophies infront of hunters; shorter firearms seasons, firearms limited use in rut times, OBR, APRs and such....none of those matter unless the goal of a state's management is to build such a goal. Indiana's management attempts to appease far too many segments of the population to ever base any decision on building a bigger or older buck population. The fact the OBR got passed still shocks me (I was young when it happened) truthfully but I do know what little I observed before, my Pops and many others all feel it truly did swing the pendulum some on more older bucks running around - minimum the two year olds population really grew, and from those more threes seem to live and obviously the trickle effect happens.
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Post by Mack Apiary Bees on Dec 12, 2022 8:16:24 GMT -5
A 7 day gun season would solve it all...if you can't get er done in that time then better luck next year. As far as public property goes. They should be making a few of the FWAs around the state archery only... Move to Ohio, 7 days starting in Monday and end of November.
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Post by pigeonflier on Dec 12, 2022 8:24:16 GMT -5
Or move to illinios...
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Post by jjas on Dec 12, 2022 8:41:35 GMT -5
A 7 day gun season would solve it all...if you can't get er done in that time then better luck next year. With all due respect, this point was debated ad nauseam several years ago and while you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I think you are wrong...period. Indiana firearms hunters do the majority of herd management and pay for a h*ll of a lot of tags to do so.
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 12, 2022 8:53:41 GMT -5
A 7 day gun season would solve it all...if you can't get er done in that time then better luck next year. As far as public property goes. They should be making a few of the FWAs around the state archery only... This point was debated ad nauseam several years ago and while you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I think you are wrong, period. Indiana firearms hunters do the majority of herd management and pay for a h*ll of a lot of tags to do so. I think wrong is subjective to the nature of the goal you're attempting to accomplish. Pigeon could be said to be completely right if the primary goal of state management was to grow older more mature bucks. However, if the management goal is more geared towards hunter opportunity across the board regardless of the age of the buck than I'd say leaving it how it is would be the right way. Modern inline muzzleloaders also from a practiced hunter is just as lethal as nearly any legal firearm out to 100 yards also and truthfully adds another what two weeks to an already quite sufficiently long firearms season. I think if anything gets tweeked it is muzzleloader as impact is smaller on both hunters and harvest numbers....whether that is moving it to maybe a split season where only one half of it you can use modern inlines...and the other is all flint or percussion cap level guns.
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Post by jjas on Dec 12, 2022 9:13:02 GMT -5
This point was debated ad nauseam several years ago and while you are certainly entitled to your opinion, I think you are wrong, period. Indiana firearms hunters do the majority of herd management and pay for a h*ll of a lot of tags to do so. I think wrong is subjective to the nature of the goal you're attempting to accomplish. Pigeon could be said to be completely right if the primary goal of state management was to grow older more mature bucks. However, if the management goal is more geared towards hunter opportunity across the board regardless of the age of the buck than I'd say leaving it how it is would be the right way. Modern inline muzzleloaders also from a practiced hunter is just as lethal as nearly any legal firearm out to 100 yards also and truthfully adds another what two weeks to an already quite sufficiently long firearms season. I think if anything gets tweeked it is muzzleloader as impact is smaller on both hunters and harvest numbers....whether that is moving it to maybe a split season where only one half of it you can use modern inlines...and the other is all flint or percussion cap level guns. Subjective or not, I think trying to take something from one group of hunters that may benefit another is wrong. Your point about muzzleloaders being nearly as lethal as firearms out to 100 yards may be true, but the equipment most hunters use in the archery seasons (compounds and crossbows) certainly allow for longer, more accurate shots than previous archery equipment did and yet I don't hear any talk about cutting that season. IMO as long as the obr is in effect, I see no reason to change anything.
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Post by boonechaser on Dec 12, 2022 10:11:18 GMT -5
Can tell season is nearing, as the bickering has started. LOL. Based on previous conversations with those in charge at DNR, I get no sense that any major changes in season length's, limits, changing OBR , weapon changes,etc. are coming Ty Miller is more in touch with Joe Caudell, and could probably address better. IMO things in Indiana's deer world are doing well. Planned deer reductions worked, bonus tags were addjusted to reflect DNR's current goals of maintainece in majority of counties and growth in some ,(mainly central and northern counties). Expect more of same movimg forward. With EHD prevelent in many southern IN counties, would guess low antlerless bonus tags to remain low and maybe even reduced for some counties. (Time will tell.) Have said it once and will say it again. Joe Caudell is the best biologist Indiana has ever had IMO. Guy knows his stuff about whitetail deer, and management. Hope we can keep him.
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Dec 12, 2022 10:19:30 GMT -5
Didn’t realize how bad EHD hit down here. Switzerland co guys were finding quite a bit dead.
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Post by pigeonflier on Dec 12, 2022 11:07:37 GMT -5
Anyone who has hunted in illinios or Iowa has seen what the difference is in buck populations.
And as far as gun hunters paying most of the way. I say I pay more than any gun hunter. And haven't used a gun tag yet...
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Post by pigeonflier on Dec 12, 2022 11:10:08 GMT -5
A entire month of gun hunting is way to much pressure on male whitetails. And I'm including muzzleloaders in that...
10 days total is plenty...
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Post by Woody Williams on Dec 12, 2022 11:26:23 GMT -5
A entire month of gun hunting is way to much pressure on male whitetails. And I'm including muzzleloaders in that... 10 days total is plenty... Since 72% of the deer killed in muzzleloader season are antlerless I'd say that isnt a whole lot of pressure on "male whitetails". Last time a "shorten and move the firearm season" proposal came up it was soundly rejected by 80+ percent of the Indiana deer hunters that gave input. I prefer to hunt with my crossbow, but I am a practical man so I pick up my rifle for firearms season. My main objection to shortening and moving the firearm and muzzleloader season was a fairness issue. It appeared to me that the bowhunters (having 90+ days to hunt) basically wanted the gun hunters to have even less than they did AND kick the gun hunters completely out of the rut... The rut is the prime jewel of deer hunting that everyone wants. Bowhunters have it every year and gun season cycle in such a way they get some of the prime time some years and then the tail end some years. I see nothing wrong with that. The firearms season is the DNR's number one deer management tool and the firearm hunter step up to the task.
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 12, 2022 11:42:59 GMT -5
I think wrong is subjective to the nature of the goal you're attempting to accomplish. Pigeon could be said to be completely right if the primary goal of state management was to grow older more mature bucks. However, if the management goal is more geared towards hunter opportunity across the board regardless of the age of the buck than I'd say leaving it how it is would be the right way. Modern inline muzzleloaders also from a practiced hunter is just as lethal as nearly any legal firearm out to 100 yards also and truthfully adds another what two weeks to an already quite sufficiently long firearms season. I think if anything gets tweeked it is muzzleloader as impact is smaller on both hunters and harvest numbers....whether that is moving it to maybe a split season where only one half of it you can use modern inlines...and the other is all flint or percussion cap level guns. Subjective or not, I think trying to take something from one group of hunters that may benefit another is wrong. Your point about muzzleloaders being nearly as lethal as firearms out to 100 yards may be true, but the equipment most hunters use in the archery seasons (compounds and crossbows) certainly allow for longer, more accurate shots than previous archery equipment did and yet I don't hear any talk about cutting that season. IMO as long as the obr is in effect, I see no reason to change anything. Oh for sure! I was only eluding to what I feel IF anything is ever adjusted I see it happening with ML season is all. Massive updates have occurred in archery seasons and muzzleloader types and overall hunting technology.
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 12, 2022 11:45:57 GMT -5
FTR I don't envision ANY changes season length wise of the main three Archery, Firearms or ML changing at all.
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Post by tynimiller on Dec 12, 2022 11:49:36 GMT -5
A entire month of gun hunting is way to much pressure on male whitetails. And I'm including muzzleloaders in that... 10 days total is plenty... Since 72% of the deer killed in muzzleloader season are antlerless I'd say that isnt a whole lot of pressure on "male whitetails". Last time a "shorten and move the firearm season" proposal came up it was soundly rejected by 80+ percent of the Indiana deer hunters that gave input. I prefer to hunt with my crossbow, but I am a practical man so I pick up my rifle for firearms season. My main objection to shortening and moving the firearm and muzzleloader season was a fairness issue. It appeared to me that the bowhunters (having 90+ days to hunt) basically wanted the gun hunters to have even less than they did AND kick the gun hunters completely out of the rut... The rut is the prime jewel of deer hunting that everyone wants. Bowhunters have it every year and gun season cycle in such a way they get some of the prime time some years and then the tail end some years. I see nothing wrong with that. The firearms season is the DNR's number one deer management tool and the firearm hunter step up to the task. All very true! Many are shocked to hear that ML season is majority antlerless but truthfully once you get past the first week of firearms I believe that is the case across the board (correct me if wrong). Matter of fact I think a ton of folks would be BLOWN away by just how much of the entire state's harvest total is accounted for in just say 10 days of the first firearms season. So I can to the point of reason get when folks say harvest wise shortening the firearms season wouldn't be very noticeable if any....BUT that isn't how everyone measures their opinion. While I'm sure since the last proposal perhaps a few more percentage points of people would support it depending on severity I'd still bet minimum 70% of hunters that buy licenses would support such a thing.
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Post by jjas on Dec 12, 2022 11:50:28 GMT -5
And end up like a lot of the locals in Illinois and Iowa and get priced out of hunting...
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Dec 12, 2022 11:55:54 GMT -5
Easy solution, if ya want less pressure.
2 weeks of bows/crossbows 2 weeks of gun, include muzzleloaders. 2 weeks of muzzleloader. Include bows and crossbows.
Pick in any order -
2 weeks in October 2 weeks in November 2 weeks in December
Put the guns in October. That should set some free. Lol.
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Post by boonechaser on Dec 12, 2022 11:56:06 GMT -5
Didn’t realize how bad EHD hit down here. Switzerland co guys were finding quite a bit dead. Some areas it was extremely bad, others minimal. Myself and 2 neighbor's did not find any on our 3 farms, but I found a couple on a hay lease just 2 miles north of my farm and a friend 2 miles south of me found 18 dead on his property. Pretty evident from looking at harvest #s for county that we took some pretty substantial losses.
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Post by Mack Apiary Bees on Dec 12, 2022 12:07:31 GMT -5
Can tell season is nearing, as the bickering has started. LOL. Based on previous conversations with those in charge at DNR, I get no sense that any major changes in season length's, limits, changing OBR , weapon changes,etc. are coming Ty Miller is more in touch with Joe Caudell, and could probably address better. IMO things in Indiana's deer world are doing well. Planned deer reductions worked, bonus tags were addjusted to reflect DNR's current goals of maintainece in majority of counties and growth in some ,(mainly central and northern counties). Expect more of same movimg forward. With EHD prevelent in many southern IN counties, would guess low antlerless bonus tags to remain low and maybe even reduced for some counties. (Time will tell.) Have said it once and will say it again. Joe Caudell is the best biologist Indiana has ever had IMO. Guy knows his stuff about whitetail deer, and management. Hope we can keep him. Once muzzle season is over my brother and I are going to walk the creeks and check. We stay away from the big creek from July to winter. My guess we will find a lot of skeletons and antlers. All 5 trail cameras never showed a good buck. Basket 8 the best. Either the 26/27th or 30/31st.
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