Does anyone know how these hunts draw/work? Is it worth putting in for? I know literally nothing about it and was wondering if any one can give me input

Open draw starts in July I think and you do it online. I always put in because I like hunting somewhere else than home and I do it with friends. Fun get away.

People who do their homework and put in the time usually do ok. It takes time to learn an area and systems at each place.

Go for it. Try and see if you like it.

+1 on what bean said.

It's free to apply for the draw and you get to hunt someplace new for a couple days.

I have hunted both and it is nice to hunt someplace different... All state rules apply and each place has separate rules that differ from the state...

For example:

Atterbury:

Unless changed this year, Atterbury does NOT allow handguns for personal protection or hunting... They have an antler restriction in place... I believe it is ONLY shotgun, muzzleloader, and rifles (that fire handgun cartridges only) and I'm not sure if the last one is legal there... Check out time is 4pm prompt

Big Oaks:

You have to watch a safety video before you head out in the field... Whatever area you are pick to hunt YOU STAY THERE... If you shoot a deer and it goes into the next area DO NOT go after it without calling the office first...

You do want to be out by 1600. Or they come looking for you!

once I was there for a gun hunt, the gym was full of maybe 300-400 deer hunters for the pre-hunt orientation. All excited for the hunt and talking loudly.

The Colonel takes the stages and says into the mic, "There is going to be one person talking at a time, it might be me or it might be you"

You could of heard a pin drop...

Dang, lol. So it is it draw for everything, including bow?

Atterbury doesn't have a bow hunt, it is gun hunt only. Big Oaks has both gun and bow.

That's kinda dissappointing lol, Atterbury is a lot closer to me, and I'd prefer to not have to shoot a buck with a gun again but I'll still put in for it. Does Big Oaks have a draw for bow as well?

Sorry I'm completely clueless, I never hunt public land at all.

yes there is a draw for big oaks bow hunts as well.

they used to have a bow hunt Week day hunt and it was awesome for those who could hunt during the week.

I was at that hunt too!

I used to hunt there during the week when I'd come home from college. Of course once I was out and lived two minutes away they did away with the weekday hunts. I know several people that work there and I work for the federal government myself. I get the hunting rules and regulations for the camp sent to me every year, so I'm guessing I could hunt there if I pushed it. I just have never tried it for bowhunting.

I had a friend who lived in Princes lakes and used to hunt it all the time during the week with a bow. He knew it very well. Killed a bunch of deer there. Mostly area 7.

Back when I bow hunted it thru the week you could hunt Mon-Thur and then NG took over on the weekends. My buddy and I watched a heck of a show one day sitting on the tailgate of my truck. 4 F-16's were scrapping targets a 1 mile away, then turning over the top of us and doing it again. This went on for 1/2 hour or so. Pilots had the jets cranked up and about blew our eardrums out as they passed over head. They were close enough to us you could see the pilots. Camped across the road in the county park. This was about 10-12 years ago. h.h.

That's awesome HH, I'm definitely going to put in down there for next year.