I can't dispute that if the DNR did what you are saying, in a few short years hunters would likely see more deer.

But then...how long do you figure it would take the DNR to start catching heat due to more crop damage, over browsing, deer related car accidents, etc before another round of herd reductions would be ordered?

Crop damage should be addressed on a farm by farm basis. Report damage to biologist and apply for depredation permits if necessary.
Harvest numbers are trending in the wrong direction. As a hunter, I would like to see more deer.

As a hunter, we all want to see more deer, but realistically there are limits to the number of deer that our ever shrinking amount of suitable habitat can support. Plus there is also a limit to the number of deer that humans find socially acceptable before they start to complain about them and want something done about it.

Finally...many hunters say that depredation permits are used too much and that deer are blamed for damage that is often caused by other animals. Plus many hunters feel that the deer killed with depredation permits in the Summer go to waste and that many of the fawns of does killed end up dead as well and that results in fewer huntable deer in the fall.

I guess the sticking points are....How many deer are to be killed, how are they to be killed, when is that number too high and who decides that number...

Start at year "genesis"..... then look each subsequent year how far up or down the flag pole you are from year "genesis". Ya don't average out a few years that support a jjas/your agenda and ignore the "rest of the story"....and slap a label on it that "it's not that bad".

You know exactly what your up to......and you despise drinking truth serum....

What???.....

Where do you come up with some of this stuff.... Brew...

More to come I'm sure.....

Dew Your Truth serum....that's rich....

...and it gives you 30+ days to hunt bucks, and to heck with shooting does....


Just replying to the "delusional" information you are posting! :rolleyes:

Got anymore half truths or lies ....

If desiring to look at trends just look at the last 20 years or so....you'll notice harvests have always went on a up and down..and up and down process. Not until you hit 4 straight years of an increase or decrease begin to be an abnormal trend if looking at bare bone numbers.

I'm more interested to see county by county trends as I suspect many are fine, and many are declining and have been for a few years now.

That comment was directed at you Brew. You and your "type" that want to keep 30+ days to hunt with a gun is something you fight for with the pure intent of having 30+ days to buck hunt with your guns. You could care less about shooting does, and never will. All you care about is having over a month of deer season length with a gun in your hand to shoot a buck.

You and your "type" say you're all for the 2.0 reduction plan because it will be the most effective way to reduce the herd....when in reality you had NO intent of helping reduce the herd and shooting antlerless...... you were just scared S H I T L E S S you'd lose your 30+ days to hunt bucks with a gun that Prop 1.0 was proposing......and it still scares you to this day.

To prove my point........ how many does/antlerless have you shot since 2012 when the state and Prop 2.0 reduction plan you were all behind launched? Careful what you type/number you claim here little buddy....

lol.....your lost as usual
Not scared of losing gun Days at all...your the one that's in for the surprise again!

Bag limits are the problem not the tools being used!

Bingo..... always good to see people that get it!

I never said the guns/tools were the problem.... The length of time they are used is the problem.....which cut's into your buck hunting with that tool...... and that's a problem for hunters like YOU.

I assume were not gonna get an antlerless kill count from 2012-2017 out of you personally huh.......LOL!!

Starting to think we have TWO of you here that just HATE truth serum....

.........And while we're at it, since the tools and length of use of them is not the problem (according to you). What county do you hunt in Greg? Jennings and a few others? Hold a meeting in those counties and propose then reducing the bag limits (that you say is the problem), but doubling the days to hunt with your gun (since that does not contribute to the problem as you say)...maybe even year round gun hunting. Let us know how your proposal goes over with them........

What makes any difference the time limit when there a One Buck Rule in place.... the problem is Hunters like YOU are afraid the average guy may some how shoot a buck you named or been hand feeding.... gee we couldn't have that OMG! SMH

BTW .... Timmy, if you want to know my antlerless kill look it up it's public posted.... Unlike you I don't kill antlerless deer to run up a score board on a hunting contest then complain we have a deer shortage!

In case you haven't seen, there is some pretty good county data in the 2016 deer report: http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-DeerSummaryReport_2016.pdf

It doesn't give methodology in any detail but this is at least a decent qualitative (objective?) view of some of the things we hens are squawkin' about in our barnyard.

For instance, in Parke County where I hunt a lot:

- 46% of the county is deer habitat

- it took roughly 5 days (efforts) of firearm hunting to kill a deer in 2016, 12 days in 2013

- landowner attitude is fairly strongly negative but improved slightly from 2008-2013

- hunter attitude is a bit positive and barely improved from 2013-2016

- antlerless kill was down from its high in 2012

- antlered kill was pretty flat but increased in 2016

- rates of deer/vehicle collisions (DVC) were down about 20% from their highs in the late 2000's early teens

- % of antlerless in the kill was pretty consistently in the low to mid 60s but was down to 56% in 2016. Only one other time was it in the 50s from 2005-2016

Highlights from Monroe County where I also hunt a lot:

- 82% is deer habitat

- it took only 2.5 days of firearms hunting to kill a deer in 2016, 9 or so in 2013

- landowner attitude is negative but improving a bit

- hunter attitude is moderately positive and getting slightly worse

- deer vehicle collision rate is flat to slightly rising

- antlerless consistently makes up 60% of kill

Washington County:

- 3 days to kill a deer in 2016, 10 in 2013

- DVC rate going down a bit

1) Not afraid my 30-40+ named bucks that I protect every year will all be shot off..... I still get the one I want and am very happy with that.... and I'm happy for the guys that hunt with me on those same areas that get those huge bucks too that we've named and grew. And I'm also happy for the "fence line sitters" that get one every now and then too. They help keep an eye on things too and bring value to the table. Good relationships with our neighbors trump anything else we do........ And I'm not afraid to look some internet thug in the eye and let him know he resorts to trying to make good people look bad when he's cornered....AGAIN...Brew.....

2) I have no deer shortage.... I never said I had a deer shortage.......I've never complained about MY deer shortage. I just happen to be one of the few that understand how bad it is for others and want to jump in and help. And you "rag on me" as I attempt to help others sway the State to alter the regs a bit. They are stuck in a world where regs and other irresponsible hunters around them shoot all the deer they see with the long seasons and long range weapons and move on to the next place that will let them in when they run dry...... So no Brew...... once again you try and taint the reputation of good people trying to help the situation. Feels good to do that to others huh......and you try to keep fellow hunters stuck where they no longer want to be. Pat yourself on the back man.........

Also.... I've killed does since I can remember. It's a responsible thing to do when needed..... and it's an irresponsible thing to do when not needed. So, when I needed to kill does, and also put them in a contest that you never won....sorry you got you precious little feelings hurt as you were just busy using all 30+ days to hunt a buck with your gun, and coming home empty handed most years. But thank God you had one day in your life where you lobbed/hail Mary'd a slug over 150 yards from that Montgomery Wards shotgun you have to kill your 200+ inch buck. That was a great day for you....proud of ya man. And somehow made you an expert in how long gun season needs to stay as others around you suffer. You have allot to be proud of don't you........

"Intent Thug".... lol That's the pot calling the kettle black.... keep grasping with your delusional BS as usual!

I will wear that Badge with honor when it comes to dealing with hypocrites like you.... Pretty sure most know your TRUE COLORS!

Gets a little itchy for you when someone shines the light of TRUTH in your eyes.... huh

John Scifres....look into what they declare "deer habitat"

It most definitely is not what nearly any wildlife biologist or habitat person would consider deer habitat

Not to mention that data is pulled from a 2009 study...and a land use "study" but doesn't express how that was calculated exactly.

As an example take row crop ag fields as an example...pesonally I'm not including those in deer habitat as outside of 3 months of the year most of them provide NOTHING....

Also...mature park understory woods outside of maybe acorn/nut droppings in a small window again provide next to NOTHING for the deer...

Ok so I didn't read all of this but the people that complain about long gun season why? My dad doesn't bow hunt any more and that's more time I get with him and no he refuses to use a Xbow. Also what is wrong with a Montgomery wards shotgun? If it shoots something straight and you shoot enough you know your gun no matter the distance. Dad has pulled off shots with his front head sight smoothbore Tom knapp couldn't do. And lastly yes I filled my bundle tag this year. I am about as poor as poor gets so I take my passion and put it in the freezer. And before anyone says anything remember you ain't never walked in anyone else's shoes.

Why... because it IS to long ... Indiana could have one heck of a deer herd, if they had decent management ... there is no reason to have over 30 days of some kind of gun/firearms.... Illinois has a much better system with their firearms and they still manage the herd numbers to within both social and biological carrying capacity .. . the best thing Indiana ever did was go to our One Buck rule... the worst thing is the darn Dec. kill all the Does season .... two great things Indiana needs to do... one, stop the Dec. antlerless season(or drastically reduce the numbers of counties at least) and two, shorten gun and move it back to Thanksgiving.... IMO

It wouldn't matter if they changed the season some of you guys will always find something to gripe about. This is the first season in over 20 years that I haven't killed a deer. It wasn't because the herd is so small like some are claiming it was because I didn't need the meat. I saw deer on every sit except 1 and that's hunting 3 different farms in 2 counties.

In my opinion the herd is fine. I can name at least 6 people that I'm close to that usually kill 3 or 4 a year that either only killed 1 or didn't kill any because they didn't need the meat. There is other factors that determine the numbers of deer killed not just herd count.

Do you hunt in Illinois? I work with a Maintenance Manager who has a family farm and I ask him every year how his Illinois hunt went and he for several years it has said it sucked because the deer are no longer there.

What constitutes "one heck of a deer herd"? Every time you go out you see do you expect to see 5,10,20,50 deer at one time.

The loss of habitat one of the biggest reasons why herds are declining in some areas and you should know that living in LaPorte County. Most of the southern part of the County is rural and it is mostly farmland. There isn't much woods or forests left to sustain large herds.


All you've done since the implementation of the Dec hunting is complain about it so why would you support "reducing the counties" instead of being totally against it all together? I am against it, so I do not participate in it, and never will.

But I also know that when I hunt in Franklin and Fulton Counties, that whatever happens in the surrounding counties has NO impact on my hunting whatsoever. Matter of fact, what ever happens 10 miles down the road has very little impact on my hunting. Does generally spend their entire lives within a mile of where they were born and bucks generally do too, but, will travel up to 5 miles during the rut and generally return to their home range after the rut is finished.

Also, you are aware that the OBR is a misnomer right? If we as hunters have the ability to take more than one buck, then we do not have a true OBR. I do agree that it needs to be addressed though.

Season dates, length, weapons used, is all relative. It all starts with looking in the mirror. The reflection staring back at you is the biggest factor when it comes to our herd size.

AMEN!!!!

good, I'm glad some have the forsight to pass on deer if they wont be utilized ... many are killed just because a guy wont eat his tag ... this is now the second year I havnt filled my 2nd archery tag ... and that was by choice... and not seeing many Does as I would like to have also .. as for bucks... pffft ... I dont expect to see many on the F&W areas ...like I said earlier, some guys would cry for the lack decent deer and the pressure these places get ...

I hunt Illinois and there herd is managed better, The herd is more balanced and the age structure is better. Results are a more intense rut. I think in 7 days of gun hunting they killed around 80,000 deer last year. PLus they have a 3 day muzzleloader season.
I hunt western Indiana as well. Its good but not as good as Illinois. In this case, the grass is greener on the other side.

For those of you who like Illinois go ahead & move there. The whole state is run by liberal morons.

The November firearms season in Indiana is not going to be reduced in length anytime in the near future so get over it.

We're not going to set records every year on the deer harvest. I'd be more worried if we did.

that may be true, but I love to see some on here squirm every time shortening it comes up .... this place is better than daytime soap operas ... or the X Files ... "the truth is out there" .. lol

from another Site (Bowsite) and the feelings of many and the management of deer in this state

yea its tough to read, but what this all comes down to is 90% think our DNR deer management sucks ..

BREAKDOWN BY RESIDENT AND NONRESIDENT
Residents: D+ ...Nonresidents: C+

Reports and Comments...ADD YOUR GRADE ... Brent jones (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FDoe tags need to be cut back!! Worst season I’ve seen in 35 years!! Late doe season should be done away with!! Trying to keep my daughters interested with no deer is impossible!! Ridiculous! David Hutchinson (resident)Buck Quality: D+ Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: FBucks are covering more ground in search of the doe now days. Causes more sightings and harvesting. But they will continue and expand their faulty paper management. Jeff Swafford (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FHigh quotas, in areas where high quotas should not exist, have driven the deer population as a whole, down. Combining this with the “Slaghter Doe Season”. Mike Meisberger (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: D To many bonus antlerless tags. Brian elliott (resident)Buck Quality: D+ Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FNeed to limit everyone to two deer only . One antlered and one antlered. INBOWHUNTER (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FBetter than average buck size / not enough deer numbers to keep up the hunters spirits and retain young or new hunters / We need second buck to manage our buck herd /Reduce doe tags to 2 per hunter. Jacob Morrisett (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: A Deer Management: A+ Lots of deer all around. Lots of big bucks. Don lawson (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FIndiana is a legalized poaching state. Shoot all you want no matter the time of year . Blind eye policy. Mark Klug (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: B- Deer Management: FIndiana is still in a reduction mode. Wake up, STOP Killing the Does. Cricket Hall (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: D- Just not great all around unless you hunt one of a half dozen southern counties .Its plain bad in most ! No Deer here ! Ashley Reichert (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FIndiana DNR are only concerned with generating revenue!! Ashley Reichert (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FIndiana DNR are only concerned with generating revenue!! Kevin Schuler (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: C Saw the least amount of deer that I can remember. Greg Yazel (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FWay too many antlerless deer being taken in my county. Their "reduction plan" has went way too far. Tag structure needs overhauled. They do NOT listen to their deer hunters, and the people in the f Robert (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: FWhat deer I seen was ok but not at large number of mature animals. Bucks seen 3 yr olds at best. James from ind (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FAll young bucks and need to cut back on Doe tags Nick Demop (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: FDNR is allowing the herd to be decimated! Michael W McKee (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: A Deer Management: D saw numerous 130-class bucks, five to 15 does pe outing. Hunt 900 acres with light pressure (mostly gun) from other hunters. If followed the allowed DNR limits, I am certain quality and quantity wou Rick Flair (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FOverharvest for too many years has herd decimated. Steven Martens (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FI have hunted Indiana for 33 + years .... worst iv ever seen Andrew goodman (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: F ****Possibly best potential state for giant bucks but gun seasons prevent the majority of deer ever seeing that age. 17 days of high powered rifle in the peak of rut followed by 17 days of muzzleloader.**** Darrell Hildebrand (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FDNR has sold antlerless tags to the point that the herd is almost gone in only five years. One season of EHD or a bad winter should wipe out the herd completely. PATHETIC! Darrell Hildebrand (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FDNR has sold antlerless tags to the point that the herd is almost gone in only five years. One season of EHD or a bad winter should wipe out the herd completely. PATHETIC! Indeer (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FNo need for hi powers or crossbows doe limits to high no deer in the county's I have hunted this year. North central part of the state is dead Nathan Steed (resident)Buck Quality: A- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FThere is no science behind the management of the deer herd! Doe tags need to be drastically reduced! Chris miller (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FThe herd has been all but destroyed except in small pockets in this state. Between hunters who can’t lay off does and the idnr keeping bag limits so high allowing this behavior. Hunt Iowa Mike Bruton (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FThe big bucks are out there just have to hunt hard.to many does being shot late doe season is a joke. Robert Deventer (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FIDNR Deer management is a joke. Special anterless season is just a slap in the face to conservation. And regular season doe tags reaching 10 in some areas. It’s horrendous. Tony Olivier (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FIDNR is about 3 years behind on maintaining a reasonable herd. Should have cut the doe tags back much sooner. Only people happy with deer numbers are farmers and insurance companies. Brad Smith (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FState needs to limit bag limits drastically! IMO, 1 buck, 1 doe per season. Deer here is really low. Brad Smith (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FState needs to limit bag limits drastically! IMO, 1 buck, 1 doe per season. Deer here is really low. Mike Bruton (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FThe big bucks are out there just have to hunt hard.to many does being shot late doe season is a joke. Nrm (resident)Buck Quality: A- Deer Quantity: A+ Deer Management: B Plenty of deer in southern indiana, too many at times. After killing 50 deer with depridation permits, still more than enough deer around. Didnt even put a dent in them. Craig fisher (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FPoor management from indnr deer upper management won't listen Mark . L (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FWe don't have enough bucks or deer to consider quality . IN don't have the quantity or DFW management to keep hunters participating . Tom miracle (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: D- There are some nice bucks in state for sure and that is good. But doe numbers are horribly low. Seeore bucks than does. But the DNR does not listen to hunters on that issue. Colt Doster (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FToo many doe permits DNR is not in touch with sportsman they aren't the ones sitting on stand no way to keep kids interested because deer numbers are so low Richard McCormick (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: FThere are pockets of great hunting however, the F is for the states horrible antlerless quota. There are counties with horrible numbers, still allowing folks to shoot 10+ does a year. Kim lee (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: D- To many antlerless permits. Chuck case (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FPoor management Jimmy Crafton (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: D Bonus antlerless tags are out of control. ONE BUCK AND ONE DOE!!! That is what we need in Indiana for a few years. Jeff dullaghan (resident)Buck Quality: D+ Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: FOur dnr is horrible at managing our deer herd as well as our lakes. Indiana dnr sucks! Period! Brian Irion (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FBuck to Doe ratio has been decimated by liberal doe permits. If something doesn’t change we will go back to herd numbers like those of the seventies. James koehler (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: D Bonus season on does is crazy,need to do away with this . Your killing between 1 to 3 deer,now times that by what the total is taken,each year it will be worse if something isn’t done Josh Winchester (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: D- Doe numbers are far to low. There's no need for a doe killing late season. Only positive thing is the one buck rule. Hopefully that doesn't change Josh Minnick (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: D- Late doe season. Deprivation hunting increase and increased deer poaching. Per person kill quantity is to high. To easy to hunt from out of state. There's enough hunters already in Indiana. Hoyt EM (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: D We have decent yet average bucks ..Not a lot of em though. We have bad herd numbers and DNR management is kill every deer for money .Our deer harvest has fallen for 6 years and hunter numbers are up! Kristopher workman (resident)Buck Quality: B- Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: D- With our one buck law we have some very decent bucks. But with the state allowing so antlerless deer to be killed it has really hurt the numbers in this state. Karla Birtchman (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FToo many antlerless tags issued. New hunters and those who dont care kill everything they can, and do not take into consideration that does carry the next generation. So sad! Roy Smith (resident)Buck Quality: D- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: D- Declining numbers for several years amen DNR has done nothing to change that. Deer sightings are becoming rare due to antlerless deer hunting and the diseases that have hit the state. Brad (resident)Buck Quality: D+ Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FVery few deer sightings. Doe sightings extremely low. Been seeing less and less deer over the past several seasons. State is more interested in destroying the deer herd then they are managing it. LISA THOMAS (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FQuality mature bucks are on private land, neighbors shoot everything in sight. Public land bucks average 2 years & mature bucks are nocturnal. DNR bought out by insurance industry & politicians. Carol David (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: D- There are a few decent bucks around the best cover .But the herd is low in numbers and the state will not make good choices only money choices . Wiliam Forger (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FPoor Deer Herd Numbers in much of the state aside from the farthest Southern Counties . Far Far too few bucks to keep good mature buck numbers up. Jaref (resident)Buck Quality: A- Deer Quantity: B+ Deer Management: A+ There are pockets of great hunting and poor hunting throughout the state but overall Indiana is in a really good place right now with agood doe/buck ratio and a good age structure. Mark Woodcox (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: C Too many does being taken. Danoliver (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: D Not seeing numbers of deer I did a few years ago. Not out hunting or driving Steve Roe (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FShooting to many does!!! John Stanley (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FManagement program has allowed far too many excess doe tags for far too many years. Deer herd decimated in large portions of State. Chuck Liddell (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FLiberal doe tags. No science behind the bonus quotas. Idnr doesn't listen to the hunters...no working relationship. JAmes Sides (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: A Deer Management: A I don’t see the devastation a lot speak of huntings been good for me Eaglefeather5@frontier.com (resident)Buck Quality: D- Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FWe have been hit hard by chronic waste desease, from what I can tell our herd numbers are way down but our state Dnr is still handing out liberal amounts of doe tags, when we should be cutting back Shaner (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: F Ind. is way to liberal with the antlerless tags. Each year laws are passed to make it easier for hunters to harvest a deer. In turn, tags numbers should go down, they haven't. something has to change Brayden (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: A+ Deer Management: FThey offer too many doe tags and then the antlerless season is in when bucks may be shedding antlers so many people are killing bucks without horns and it’s stupid.luckily for me I don’t shoot doe’s. Rick S (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FGun Season too long. Way too manybdoes being killed. Population in some areas so low few if any deer are being seen. Nicholas landis (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FDNR has FUCKed up our deer. I'm pissed. There are no deer and they still want their quota for Franklin county Cassie Evans (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FTo many antlerless tags permitted, unnecessary late season, extended firearms, zero management, only reduction and all this leading to dangerous decline in the herd. Killing off the IN herd! Alex Mosby (resident)Buck Quality: D- Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: F Piss poor management by DNR and other hunters. Too many antlerless deer tags issued, not enough fawns being bored cause of the amount of doe killed cause the Antlerless season. Craig McClure (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FState allows way to many does to be killed. Needs to go back to the days when you could only take does the last 4 days of gun season. Until deer numbers rebound. Craig McClure (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FState allows way to many does to be killed. Needs to go back to the days when you could only take does the last 4 days of gun season. Until deer numbers rebound. Rodney Langdon St. (nonresident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: D- Our deer herd is in severe decllne, due to mismanagement and being in reduction mode for far too long. A serious change is needed in the relationship between hunters and the IDNR. Troy Elmans (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: D- Used to love hunting this state .It takes a lawyer to understand the seasons and tags here .Its awful all out war on our doe here. Pete from IN. (resident)Buck Quality: D+ Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FLowest deer numbers I have seen bucks and doe in decades. Fred Claar (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: C To high doe limits and seasons too long William England (resident)Buck Quality: B- Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: FThe DNR has chosen not to listen to Indiana's hunters. Unlimited doe tags is killing our herd. Max W. (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: FCan't really say much good about the counties I hunt in . Michael corwin (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: Fbuck , Mont. CO. We have way more bucks than does . Quality they are small . Mngt , there seems to be none. Shoot them all. To many being shot and left , look into Allen clause farms. Tolin farms. Michael corwin (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: Fbuck , Mont. CO. We have way more bucks than does . Quality they are small . Mngt , there seems to be none. Shoot them all. To many being shot and left , look into Allen clause farms. Tolin farms. Sam (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: D- Ok bucks when you see one.Not enough deer by a long shot !! Too many tags for each hunter. Boone Crocker (nonresident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FThe state is over hunted. The DNR should be ashamed. Rack Buster (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FThis is a no brainer ..All any real hunter worth his or her salt has to do is one thing ..Compare the herd in Indiana to one of the top destination states .All F's here. Anna Kriss (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FA few good bucks where there are some good herd numbers .Overall Indiana has all but destroyed the deer herd in most counties . Christopher Brum (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: D Deer Management: FPiss poor management by DNR and other hunters Robert H Bergen Jr. (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: D Going to one buck has helped the quantity and quality of the bucks. However our doe herd has really suffered because of quotas being way too high and the extra doe season. Robert Swartzel (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FBad deer herd management by the state DFW. Wayne Clark (resident)Buck Quality: D+ Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FThere are a few good bucks around but the doe's are over hunted. Tim Miller (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FTHE DOE HERD IS SO LOW IN MY AREA IT'S HORRIBLE .THE RUT DOES NOT LAST LONG ENOUGH TO EVEN HAVE A CHANCE A BIG BUCK . Rick Martin (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FWe don't have near enough older bucks ! Jeffrey Granger (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FToo many antlerless deer tags issued. Not enough does left to sustain a herd Kody Hunt (resident)Buck Quality: D- Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FNorth central Indiana is shot out !!! Brett Shepherd (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FThere is over 25 hunters a square mile where we live and hunt and not enough deer . Josh shepherd (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FToo many doe tags available and hunting pressure is off the charts Dave Shepherd (resident)Buck Quality: FDeer Quantity: FDeer Management: FIndiana's deer herd and seasons limits are awful. Chris Hunt (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FIts bad here in many areas .Not enough buck fawns being born because our doe tags are too liberal . Bill Carry (resident)Buck Quality: D+ Deer Quantity: FDeer Management: FWe do not have enough deer any more in Indiana to sustain good hunting . Ed Hunt (resident)Buck Quality: C- Deer Quantity: D- Deer Management: FWe have basically no limit of antlerless der we can take here .Its over 350 a year here literally on a county to county basis .The herd is so low we cant reload shooter bucks every year . Jim bob (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: C- Experience Buck (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: C+ Deer Management: FIndiana needs to be on same hunting rules as Illinois and Ohio. Caleb Gaiser (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: B- Deer Management: FWe have good genetics and plenty of food in Indiana. Doe limits are too high in most counties along with too long of a rifle season makes it difficult for anyone wanting to manage a deer heard . Jeff Pals (nonresident)Buck Quality: A+ Deer Quantity: A+ Deer Management: A In Indiana, anyone who wants to get a buck, gets a buck. Crazy long gun seasons that includes rifles (dangerous in the Midwest). But, you only get ONE buck. It is making a big difference. Bows all Yr. twobows (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: C Two years of brain disease and firearms season to long and a state that does not care Philip Perry (nonresident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: B+ Deer Management: A+ After spending a small fortune, and 7 days in Missouri(to no avail) came to my families farm in Indiana, in the 10 days spent in Indiana I saw 1 booner, and choked on a 25 yard shot on a solid 150” sticksender (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: B Deer Management: D 32 days of gun season with 16 days centered on the November rut. Liberalization of weapons now includes unlimited centerfire rifles. Full use of crossbows added to all archery seasons. Peter (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: C- Deer Management: C One buck rule has been good for Indiana and should continue. Doe limits are way too high. 8 does in some counties (10 with bundle) is WAY too high and not sustainable IMO. DNR please help/reconsider. Todd Harrison (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: FIndiana could rival any state in the country if there were any type of decent managment for deer. All our DNR cares about is killing as many as possible. Dave Guggenbiller (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: C- Gun season still starts too early. Back gun off until after thanksgiving. Yes I am a avid gun hunter sean ferbrache (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: FKill em all is the state of indiana philosophy. Sad. Dan Haire (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: D+ Deer Management: FThe amount of bonus antlerless tags allowed has driven the population way down. This year's harvest will be back at the level it was 20+ years ago. Terry Rensberger (resident)Buck Quality: B+ Deer Quantity: B Deer Management: C- Indiana does a poor job in deer management. DNR is overruled by insurance companies and farm interests Livereater (resident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: A Deer Management: A Had two chances on deer over 140+, did get a decent buck day before shotgun season. There were no acorns dropped so typical hunting strategies did not work. Bownut (nonresident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: D Deer Management: C- We are paying the price for a deer herd managed by politicians rather than biologists. stick slinger (resident)Buck Quality: C+ Deer Quantity: B Deer Management: B- Very few deer sightings while on the road. pav (resident)Buck Quality: B Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: FIndiana has no deer management program. Private deer management is the ONLY thing allowing the deer herd to survive. KY EyeBow (nonresident)Buck Quality: A Deer Quantity: A Deer Management: B I am lucky enough to hunt an awesome property. The rifle regs are ridiculous. Crazy why they ever moved away from shotgun only. JTV (resident)Buck Quality: D Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: D Deer numbers declining, this will be the lowest kill in 14 years this season, State lands the pressure is super intense... way to many Does still being killed in many areas ... Matt Finney (resident)Buck Quality: C Deer Quantity: C Deer Management: C NA

Many of the nonresident scores were very high. Wonder if it's like was stated earlier, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

In Harrison County I would give the DNR all A's. The numbers are great and trophy potential is high.

many of the NON's are hunting with outfitters or on choice private lands where landowners can control what is taken I'm sure.... plus they are here only for a short time.. there are other properties where the brown and down crowd hammer anything that moves, like on the Fish and Wildlife areas and other state lands/fed. lands... heck, many private lands are like that from what I hear, they just HAVE to fill those tags... of course to some "farmers" deer to them are nothing but YUUUge rats/pests, when in fact much damage is cause by 'coons and squirrels .... heck, Ive seen where muskrats and even beaver had leveled patches in corn fields along creeks ... If you have property where your trying to manage it, and allow for an older class deer and have some brown and downers next to ya, you can be screwed ... also there is a YUUUUge difference between the Northern and southern portion of this state ....

Nonresidents love the price of a deer license here.
That is what the DNR needs to address. IN charges $150. IL charges $410 for bow and $300 for firearm. Plus you have to buy a non resident hunting license($57) and a habitat stamp($5.50). Non residents are flocking here and leasing all are land up. Results are less land for are resident hunters. IN should be charging $400-$500 for a deer license. Results would be less non resident hunters and more revenue for the state. Less non resident hunters would result in more hunting opportunities for resident hunters.

So you think charging nonresident $300-$400 more when they are paying thousands to lease land will keep them out of the state?

If you want to limit nonresident leasing you need a draw system so they aren't guaranteed a tag every year.

yup, nonres.... DRAW ... plus charge more

I talked to 3 guys from Michigan of all places who were hunting the F&W area I do.... First off, why all the way down here from Michigan just to hunt a state area that gets pounded ??... he said for the $150, its hard to beat the price, plus his parents live close by so they stay there. He said he dosnt want to lease and the area is free (cant blame him for that ..lol..).. ... I see a LOT of Illinois plates here also.... most are from the Chicago/Northern Ill. area, where there isnt much for public land... so they come here ...

there is way less available private and large areas of land up here to hunt, so many more just pile into the F&W areas.... J/P, Willow Slough, LaSalle, Kingsbury, Kanakakee ... these get pounded and get quite a bit of Nonres... Willow Slough gets a LOT of Illinois people 'cause its right on the state line... same for LaSalle.....

js2397 You are exactly right about the draw system.

Limit the numbers of licenses available and raise the prices for non residents as well. $295 for an OTC, any season bundle tag is way too cheap IMO.

Yes it will. A draw system wont work. IL has a lottery system but you are guaranteed a tag because the high price of tags has reduced the non resident pool. Years ago when they charged $200 for a tag the lottery worked because you had more Non resident hunters than tags available. When the price of non residents permits went up the non resident applications went way down. You are now guaranteed a tag in the lottery system because of the price of a non resident tag.
Increase price to $400-500 will increase revenue for IN DNR and provide mpre opportunities for resident hunters. What you suggest will not help IN DNR or the resident hunters.

Thats not a knock on nonresident hunters. I feel like anybody in the US should be able to cross a state line and be able to hunt. However they need to pay a premium price for the hunt.

Raising the license prices will reduce the number of nonresident hunters on public land but will do nothing to change the amount of nonresident leasing. The license is the cheapest part of the hunt.

Actually a lot states around us are cheaper per Deer....not sure how many folks come here to kill antlerlees though! Maybe Parke county

You think our public land gets pounded....those Michigan guys know it is much worse up on most Michigan public depending on where they are coming from.

I don't put much stock in a survey conducted by a site...where most likely one or a few tell a bunch of other folks about it and to go there and share thoughts as well....really just tapping into a small group of minds that share the same feelings (could swing either direction). It is one of the biggest challenges for someone like Joe Caudell, trying to capture an overall true snapshot of hunter thoughts.

I work in a job where I only hear from folks unhappy and appealing something....while they represent less than 5% of the total section that make up the area I'm dealing with...does that mean the other 95% are happy, no. However, it does and should illustrate the unhappy will always make the most noise. (whether justified or not)