Don,

Your opinion of the IDNR and NRC was summed up very clearly by using statements such as "idiocy and lack of foresight by the people managing our deer herd for the past several years". If you think that feeling is exclusive to you towards the IDNR, take a few minutes and read some of the posts on forums from Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, and Missouri (among others).

As we all know, most Midwestern states are in the midst of reducing their deer herds and many hunters aren't happy about it. And in reality, what difference does it make how those goals are met? If Indiana does it with crossbows and (potentially) hprs, why is that so much less palatable to you, than say...Iowa doing the same thing with high numbers of does permits and party hunting?

IMHO, you are doing nothing more than trying to further your ongoing crusade against the approval of new equipment choices such as crossbows and hprs by blaming those choices for the herd being reduced.

Finally, I'll offer my opinions as to where Indiana deer hunting is headed.

1. The herd will be reduced to numbers similar to 20 years ago and hunters are going to complain about it, big time.

2. Crossbows will soon account for a larger share of the harvest than vertical bows in the archery season and continue to account for a larger share of the overall harvest as time goes on.

3. Hprs will be approved but we will not see an appreciable increase in the firearms harvest as hunters will just switch from today's allowed equipment to hprs.

4. Once herd reduction goals are met and are being maintained, I think it is likely that the the gun season will be shortened and/or moved.

5. And you still won't be happy........