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Post by arlowe13 on May 11, 2018 18:04:33 GMT -5
Well, this was a way different hunt for me, but it was an experience, to say the least! 4:00PM: My wife gets home from work, I already have the car packed and ready to go. 5:30PM: I get to our lease in Switzerland Co. While driving through the farm, I see a large tom in full strut in a field with at least 3 hens. 5:33PM: I buy my license online and get dressed. 5:40PM: My dad drives me back down the road to the field edge, I get out and start stalking down the fence row. 5:45PM: Big bird down! 11" beard, both spurs are 1-5/16"!!!
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Post by arlowe13 on Apr 28, 2018 20:57:08 GMT -5
Video of today's hunt
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Post by arlowe13 on Apr 28, 2018 8:19:04 GMT -5
Finally a successful turkey hunt together. Got it on video for the first time, too. Will upload later.
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Post by arlowe13 on Feb 16, 2018 21:25:36 GMT -5
Did a quick walk around the farm tonight, only about 45 minutes. No sheds but saw about 45 different deer.
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Post by arlowe13 on Feb 13, 2018 5:39:06 GMT -5
added Parke county link
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Post by arlowe13 on Feb 1, 2018 21:25:55 GMT -5
Only a few insights I've learned...
-There are only a few CHAP coordinators in the state (less than 5). There have been ZERO CHAP-coordinated hunts conducted yet (last year was the first year of CHAP).
-The coordinator is responsible for "selling" the hunt to the community partners (parks, homeowners associations, and other land managing entities).
-The DNR provides the list of hunters signed up for the Hunters Helping Farmers to the CHAP coordinator. Then it is up to the coordinator and community partner to vet the hunters available and willing to participate.
-All hunts will be held during regular deer seasons. The hunters must have valid deer tags for the season in which the hunt occurs.
-The CHAP coordinator and community partners can set "rules" for the hunt (weapons, sex of deer targeted, etc...)
-The DNR is modeling their program after other states' similar programs.
The bottom line, from what I can tell, is that this program has been started in preparation of more and more urban areas becoming overrun with deer. The DNR wants part of the pie that these private sharpshooter groups are getting paid for. It will be an uphill battle for the CHAP coordinators to get hunts approved, but there is monetary incentive to be the best salesman they can.
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Post by arlowe13 on Feb 1, 2018 10:45:10 GMT -5
I'll hopefully be gaining some insight on this program soon. My dad is in the middle of the process to become a CHAP hunt coordinator. Please fill us in when you now more about it... Thanks The on-site training is today at the Bloomington DNR field office. Last he heard, he was the only person going through the training. I will have more info tonight, hopefully.
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 31, 2018 22:04:42 GMT -5
I'll hopefully be gaining some insight on this program soon. My dad is in the middle of the process to become a CHAP hunt coordinator.
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 31, 2018 21:07:30 GMT -5
Thanks, maybe I should open my eyes a little more lol
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 31, 2018 20:44:00 GMT -5
Have you guys heard about the CHAP program? My dad is a state-licensed wildlife control operator and is going through the training to be a CHAP hunt coordinator. "The Community Hunting Access Program (CHAP) was developed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) to increase deer hunting opportunities for white-tailed deer in urban environments, while helping to alleviate human/deer conflicts. Regulated deer hunting is the most practical and cost-effective method for herd management and has been implemented successfully in Indiana for many years. However, for social and logistical reasons, deer hunting is relatively uncommon in urban spaces. High densities of human dwellings, complex land ownership, perceived safety concerns, and other factors can create a need for expert coordination and management of urban hunts." www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-CHAP_app_info.pdf
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 27, 2018 8:48:00 GMT -5
Total Kill and Habitat maps side by side
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 27, 2018 8:40:18 GMT -5
Map chart of total deer killed, reminder this 2015 data
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 27, 2018 8:33:40 GMT -5
Seems like a simple question, but does more habitat lead to more deer killed? As a general trend, yes, but there will always be some outliers. Could you list the 8 counties that are above the 2500 line? Here's the chart with labels...
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 26, 2018 10:12:58 GMT -5
Seems like a simple question, but does more habitat lead to more deer killed? As a general trend, yes, but there will always be some outliers.
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 26, 2018 9:59:57 GMT -5
I see no reason to not trust their data. I just meant that particular piece goes against the idea that public land is always overrun with hunters.
I suspect that the data is accurate enough to portray the overall picture as you've done here, and is very interesting to look at. But the state doesn't even know how many people deer hunt each year, let alone how many days that they get out or what counties they hunt in, so the numbers here cannot be absolute.
I hear ya. Sure, we're never going to have every single piece of data available, but surveys and check-in data can be used to infer what's happening, with a large-enough data set. Hence, why most agree that this map, in the overall picture, is pretty close to reality.
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 26, 2018 8:52:48 GMT -5
That's cool arlowe13 ! Assuming the data is fairly accurate, it's interesting that the counties with the most public land also have some of the lowest hunting pressure. I see no reason to not trust their data.
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 25, 2018 21:47:31 GMT -5
Excel has an awesome new map-charting feature...comparing these two, in particular, spoke volumes to me. Square Miles of Deer Habitat vs. Gun Hunting Effort per Sq. Mile
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 25, 2018 19:54:45 GMT -5
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 25, 2018 19:53:11 GMT -5
I started playing around with the 2015 deer numbers (because the 2016 data was missing a data point) and put together some charts that rank counties based on various pieces of data. I ranked them based on: - Square Miles of Deer-holding habitat (based on last land survey, 2013 I think) - Gun effort (not exactly how this was calculated, assuming it's a way of knowing how many hunters in the county) - Gun effort per Sq Mi (This could tell us how dense the hunter population was) - Deer killed per effort (Essentially, how successful were hunters in killing a deer) - Deer killed per sq mi- Deer killed per sq mi per effort (I see this as a way of "ranking" how good the deer hunting was in that county)
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Post by arlowe13 on Jan 20, 2018 20:56:04 GMT -5
Finished this project, for now! Action bedded. Barrel free-floated. Now just gotta get to the range.
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