this is the first season in around 30 seasons that I have not BOWhunted into December...a point was made earlier, and yes, I agree with what was said...I saved a Doe ('prolly..lol) by not filling my last archery tag and tearing it up ....how many on here with bonus tags are waiting for the "Kill all the Does" gun season and are willing to do that ?? stop now, tear up your bonus tags or dont try for that last Doe/deer this season ?? .. In the last 4 seasons, Ive only killed one Doe and that was in 2014 down at Wabash ... 3 of of the last seasons(including this) have been only 1 buck per those seasons(no Does) ...period ... this is what I can remember off the top of my head, I'll go back and check my logs..

I agree with not setting on the couch... I also don't belive folks should be pushed out of hunting because they can't get time to only hunt Few days or less a year! Hunting shouldn't have to be a Rush...IMO.

+1....

That is the problem. I don't know you could ever get it to match the current revenue, but I could be wrong. Like others said ... the start is to jack up the price for out of state hunters. We all know how insanely cheap we are relative to surrounding states.

Also, make deer hunters actually buy a hunting license. I know a lot of us have or buy a general hunting license, but there are a lot of deer hunt only guys that have no need to buy a hunting license because the state only requires them to buy deer tags. Most other states you also have to buy a hunting license in addition to your deer tags.

Another thing that they could do is actually sell the tags for draw type hunts like the State Parks and other areas. They could charge 1/2 price or something, since now they charge nothing. Same with an emergency rule hunt. Charge something for the tags in that zone, again, maybe 1/2 price of normal.

Again, I am of the opinion that our State cares more about the dollars than the deer or the deer hunters. So, this is all wishful thinking on my part when it comes to changing the overall system. I could be all wet on it and maybe a bean counter could make the numbers work.

I am not saying that I have the absolute answer, but I feel that it would be a start in the right direction from a licensing standpoint. I just know what we have now it not working and I don't think it has anything to do with weapons options. Again, there are all kinds of season structure issues which are hot topics that I think would make huge improvements to the overall herd as well ... but that is for another debate.

It's obviously tough to keep revenues up, deer numbers in check and all hunters happy.

Throw in the fact that deer hunting has many different definitions to hunters as well and it's no wonder that we seem to spend more time fussing and fighting than reaching any real level of consensus.

That's why I've said for years, that I don't envy the folks that work @ the DNR.

Great points... This is something I could very easily support...

Based on 2015 licenses sold as indicated in the 2015 Harvest Report - p. 13 , if we doubled the price of NR deer tags, removed the bundle, removed the bonus antlerless, and sold 2 tags to every hunter that bought the bundle we would have a net of $433,000. Forgive the screwy format.

NR Doubled 16440 $125.00 $2,055,000.00
Bonus Antlerless Removed 21088 $24.00 -$506,112.00
Bundle Removed 65604 $65.00 -$4,264,260.00
2 Tags/Hunter 65604 $48.00 $3,148,992.00
Net change $433,620.00

p.s. These are just back-of-the-napkin numbers. Much more analysis of the policy implications is needed. But it seems feasible. If someone cares a whole awful lot, they should do some real evaluation of the potential impacts, prepare a petition for the NRC, and work towards the change.

I will say that until the harvest numbers, crop damage complaints, and deer-vehicle collisions drop by at least 25%, there will be very little political motivation to get this done. But if you believe the trajectory is drastically downward, start now and in a few years, you might be able to get something done.

But in the immortal words of the Lorax...

You really think the same amount of out state tags will sell if you double them?

no

Not only double.......but TRIPLE or more if the gun season is shortened and moved out of the rut. QUALITY deer drives state tags up in interest....... not shrinking QUANTITY, and 30+ days of gun.

But then all those smiling resident and non-resident deer hunters posing with does, little bucks, medium bucks and big bucks would be called "Hypocrites" by jjas...... just for getting a change in hunting that jjas doesn't like........ but all the while still leaves intact the ability to shoot does, dinks and still use HPR's and Crossbows.

So we got 2 no's and 1 yes so far...

BTW.... John didn't say anything about season changes!

You were called a hypocrite because you are a hypocrite....

You've b*tched about the firearms season for years complaining about how it should be shortened and moved. But yet, this gun season on the last Saturday of the third weekend, your principles apparently took the day off as you happily went out and took advantage of the very thing you have roasted people on this site for wanting to keep in place over and over again.

So yes...that makes you a hypocrite in my eyes.

It's no different than when you admitted to using a "real time" camera to help you kill that buck a couple of years ago and then in later posts claiming that you don't support their use.

You are nothing but a hypocrite...on a lot of different levels....and you know that.

A non-resident tag in Iowa is is $551 plus about three years worth of preference points at $50 a pop. They have people lined up to buy them at that price, I'm one of them. However I believe they have a much better mgt plan. But yeah if the right mgt is applied you could double or triple nr tag prices and not lose revenue IMO. But on the current system... no I don't think the same # would be bought but then again anything over half as many would produce revenue.

Lic. Sales last 5 years

You are the REAL deal when it comes to problems here..... and you LOATHE that I make it clear to others just what your fiber is......

As in your "Hypocrite" logic above........ you didn't ask how many days I gun hunted did you. You would be SHOCKED to learn that it was just 3 days I had this year to hunt since I got married and had little vacation time. I didn't need 30+ days to hunt the deer I was after with a gun....... I needed 3. And if our Indiana Gun/Muzzy season was only 9,10, or 12 days....and placed somewhere else on the calendar... I still would have only needed 3 vacation days and a weekend to get it done. And that PIZZZZES you off that there are people that prove YEAR AFTER YEAR you don't need 30+ days to hunt a buck with a gun. :p So....... you slither around in here and call them "hypocrites" and try to make themselves out to be something that they are not........ you've been doing that tactic for years to others in here and on other forums..... and you won't stop...... and neither will I.


As for the trail caming with "real time" trail cams......... Again, you fling a false statement up on the wall like Zhit hoping some will stick. I hunt with ICO's and Retired ICO's, and have others from the county Prosecutors office and Sheriff Office in my hunting group....... NONE of us have EVER used a real time trail cam......EVER!! We use the Moultrie M-80's of the past and the new Moultrie 880i's GEN 2 series exclusively...... all are SD card series cams....... no "real time" cell service. You are MOST welcome to come up here to the Kos County Justice building and call me and all of us liars to our face...... and then we can all go to lunch and get to know you a bit better and determine how you got to be such an angry little man ....... and offer you some advice on how to let all of that hatred go. And..... we'd get to put a real face and real name behind your "jjas alias" since you won't come forward with that from your dark little hole in your basement as you type away on your keyboard with you empty cereal boxes, cracker crumbs and empty pop cans at your feet........LOL!!

And....... we can help you get ahold of this Hunting Sites or ANY hunting sites old archives and help you find this post which "proves" I have used real trail time cams..... that you can't seem to find, but elude to for your acidic agenda.

Keep postin' jjas........... people are reading.

Yep....

Keep dancing....and living by the "Dew as I say, not as I Dew" creed you've embraced....

BTW, no one ever intimated that "real time" cameras were illegal. They aren't, but then you know that don't you..... :rolleyes:

Yep...... those cams are not illegal at all. I'm just correcting your false claim..... and turning the light on the roach again.

So....... this means no lunch with us and getting to meet you face to face I guess??..... And here I was SO hopeful..... LOL!!

Keep dancing Dew, keep dancing....

I Don't hunt to kill ,So only needing 3days to get it done not something I do "I don't hunt to get it done " I don't want the state to Trophy Manage !! I like the seasonsjust fine other than the late antlerless gun! Stop the out of state landowners no tags needed option and raise out of state licence imo

It wouldn't break my heart to see the DNR not only raise the non-resident fees but limit the number of nr tags available as well.

There's no problem with collecting a large amount of non-resident fees, while limiting NR licenses. But they key ingredient is that you're deer hunting has to be good.

Example is Iowa, with arguably the best managed and most abundant deer herd in the USA. And the most highly-desired NR deer hunting license in the country. They offer only 6000 deer licenses per year to non-residents. The demand is much greater than the supply. They charge 551.00 total if you draw. Plus the cost, on average, of about 2 years worth of preference points per successful applicant, at 52.00 per year. For a total of 655.00 per license.

So with only 6000 licenses issued, they collect about $4 million. From non-residents only. Unlikely to work here though. It's no secret that their deer hunting is dramatically better than our's, because their hunters, in cooperation with their DNR, have chosen to make it so.

"Good/Better "... can have many meanings among a lot of different Hunter's .... IMO

That's a valid point. Ask many of Iowa and Illinois' residents that USED to be able to afford to deer hunt in their home states how much "better" they feel deer hunting is now?

Nothing to add...just wanted to show that post again in BOLD.

Probably a valid point in Illinois as that state manages for quality AND offers basically unlimited non-resident buck tags. Both outfitting and non-resident leasing is big business in Illinois.

You won't find that nearly as prevalent in Iowa. The fact NR tags are extremely limited keeps the number of outfitters in check. The fact NR's can only draw a tag every 3-4 years in most zones keeps non-resident leasing in check. Even public land deer hunting in Iowa is pretty darned good!

Anyone have input on why the non-resident sales increased last year vs falling off or staying about the same as prior years?

While your points about NR hunting in Iowa are valid, resident hunters (and I know a few) have found that leasing costs have risen so high that many resident Iowans can no longer afford to hunt private ground. I have a buddy that has lived in Iowa his entire life and he told me when he came down here to hunt last month that he just can't afford the leases any longer in Iowa.

As far as public ground goes, I would imagine that those resources will be stretched as well as more Iowa resident hunters transition from private ground to public resources.

I would say more national press about Indiana as a trophy deer hunting state and how the tags are over the counter and dirt cheap as out of state deer hunting in the midwest goes.

Coverage of the #2 all time non typical buck a couple years ago might of helped too?

I wonder if that is a carry-overed error from the mis-reporting of the non-resident harvest numbers in the original 2015 harvest report?

Remember that the Non-resident kills was originally listed as 11,034 but then an error was found and was reduced to 5,767?

Seems slightly coincidental that the difference in that error and the difference in tags sold from previous years is very close.

Maybe a small example, but I just noticed a couple weeks ago that in 2012 and 2014 I had online checked in my deer as non resident. I don't know how in the world I did that or if the system glitched.

I deer hunted Iowa just a month ago....and I believe it was my 7th trip overall. I have permission to hunt (not leasing) five different properties owned by three different landowners.

I stayed in a cabin on public ground which includes some prime deer habitat (I've actually hunted this piece of public ground). During my mid-November stay, I saw a total of two trucks in the hunter parking areas. One of those had the tailgate down and a dog box in the back...so I'm assuming bird hunter.

This is in Zone 6....one of the higher demand zones. I've previously hunted private land in Zone 5 twice on a handshake...and witnessed the same lack of public hunting. If my employer had a facility in Iowa....I'd be long gone!

Post a pic of your Iowa Buck from this year Pav.... If you don't mind.

I know a dozen guys that go hunt Iowa and though they'd all love to lease not a one of them do. That is because they are only able to draw once every four years. Doesn't make much since to lease when that is the stipulation. Plus Iowa sets an exact amount of tags that are given out. No different crowds now than from years ago. And if it ever is too high of hunter numbers all they need to do is decrease tags available. Like I said not apples to apples as IN regs aren't comparable but it is possible with the right system.

Now fellas,
Indiana may not be as good OVERALL as Iowa. But I PROMISE you, that if you OWN land and are selective or have a dandy lease you will have plenty of opportunities to kill a big buck. This is why NR Tags are up 6000. Deer hunters with money have figured out that not only are Indiana NR tags cheaper than a dozen arrows, but there is no "quota" like Iowa. You think those 6000 extra tags were guys coming across from Illinois and Ohio to hunt HNF? Uh, No. Indiana is pumping out some huge bucks and everybody knows it. We are GIVING our licenses away and creating a great amount of competition for leases with guys from other states. No quota and $155 NR tag is in my opinion the DUMBEST thing our deer managers are doing. It's the FIRST thing i would fix if I was in charge.
Is the overall herd getting better? Probably not. But if you have money to lease in several states, and you've already taken a buck in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas or maybe you didn't draw a tag in all those states this season, why not come to Indiana for $155 and enjoy a 2 week gun season? It's a no-brainer. We might be able to charge as much or more than the other states given the amount of days to hunt AND throw in the opportunity to kill a second buck and CALL it and "Urban" deer. If you aren't discussing these things around the campfire at deer camp you're falling behind fellas.

Pav,

Maybe I need to introduce my Iowa buddy to you so you can help him out..lol.

He's lived in Des Moines his whole life and over the last 10 years or so the properties he was hunting have all been leased up @ rates he says he just can't afford to pay.

He lives in the most populated place in Iowa. Of course there is going to be leasing. If he hasn't realized leases have taken over nationwide in the last 10 years he has had his head in the sand. Obviously he is going to see an increase in leasing. That said, A quick Google search will show you leases are more available and affordable in Iowa than any other Midwest state with a decent mgt plan. I've looked and leased in most of them.
But then again maybe he is one of the fellas that thanks he should get to hunt someone's place for free like a lot of people I hear griping. Go ahead and reply with it isn't free he helps put up hay for the guy or etc. That may be well and good but it doesn't cut it most of the time anymore and if it does they are lucky. Landowners have realized they have a valuable resource and should realize that value imo.

Cody,

I know he leased/hunted a couple of those places for several years. He told me the rates just got to be too high for him to pay..

That's the way it goes sometimes....

True. Probably is tough by a bigger city. I live just south of Indy but the closest place I hunt is 1.5 hrs away, just too much competition for the little amount of available ground. It is frustrating at times.