did you have a bad hunting season?

[mgf]

I just looked at the license fee increases for this year. I only have two things to say. "Wow!" and "No!"

I get a lot of use out of the fishing license so I'll buy one more. Next year I qualify for a senior fishing license...3$/year or 23$ for a lifetime license...they'll probably jack up that price before I get there too.

[mgf]

I intend for this to be my last post to this thread...although I could change my mind. LOL

Given my dim prospects in Indiana (nothing close to home) and the increase in license fees and the scarcity of vacation time I thought I might like to hunt my old stomping grounds in the Illinois national forest again. It's just a little further to drive. I used to see more deer down there in a single week of driving back and forth from the main road to camp than I have in all the years that I've been hunting the Hoosier National forest...just comparing these two specific areas.

Sticker shock! Over $400 for an archery tag? I have $400 but when you add in enough time (vacation time) to make for a fair chance of success it's beyond my budget.

So this has been a good thread for me. For many years I've been dancing around trying to ignore one basic fact which is that hunting is something that I can't really afford. Well, not the kind of hunting where you have much of a chance of actually killing something.

Thanks for your patience.

[Baylee]

Lol again. You guys need a little perspective in your life. The Hoosier National Forest has plenty of deer. There were a lot of hunters in some areas but a short walk would put you far enough away to see deer. I killed a decent size buck but saw some really nice ones that I didn’t get a shot at. Save your vacation this year. End of November come down to Louisiana you can stay at my house. You can walk out my back door and hunt National Forest. If you can get a daytime picture of a buck in that National Forest I’ll pay your gas money both ways to get here, lol. You have no idea what pressured low density deer areas are like. I’m not exaggerating you can drive these roads thru the NF for days and not see ANY deer in the daytime. So many people in the woods the deer are absolutely nocturnal by Sept 1 that’s fawns does and especially bucks. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I have to drive thru at least 5 miles of NF to get to town and I may see 2 deer a year from the truck. In Indiana or Illinois I’d see 20 a day within site of Wallmart. Your dealing with a whole different world up there. The thing is you don’t realize just how much better it is there.

[kennym]

Baylee ain't kiddin.  I had a guy call from LA about the lease I manage, asked how many deer sightings per day roughly.  When I told him if I didn't see 6 or 8 per hunt I felt like I'd screwed up.

He said he saw 2 last year.   Of course he may not spend as much time at it as I do either...

Baylee, I'd move! LOL  I like seein deer too much ...

[mgf]

Lol again. You guys need a little perspective in your life. The Hoosier National Forest has plenty of deer. There were a lot of hunters in some areas but a short walk would put you far enough away to see deer. I killed a decent size buck but saw some really nice ones that I didn’t get a shot at. Save your vacation this year. End of November come down to Louisiana you can stay at my house. You can walk out my back door and hunt National Forest. If you can get a daytime picture of a buck in that National Forest I’ll pay your gas money both ways to get here, lol. You have no idea what pressured low density deer areas are like. I’m not exaggerating you can drive these roads thru the NF for days and not see ANY deer in the daytime. So many people in the woods the deer are absolutely nocturnal by Sept 1 that’s fawns does and especially bucks. I’m not exaggerating when I tell you I have to drive thru at least 5 miles of NF to get to town and I may see 2 deer a year from the truck. In Indiana or Illinois I’d see 20 a day within site of Wallmart. Your dealing with a whole different world up there. The thing is you don’t realize just how much better it is there.

I love hunting the Hoosier National Forest. Though the area I've hunted doesn't have near the deer density that we have near home out in farm country...but I like to hunt it anyway. The problem is the distance. I just don't get to hunt there very often. Maybe when I retire that'll be a more viable option.

The problem with the local WMA is the hunting pressure vs the number of deer...yes nocturnal deer and tripping over people and deer stands.

[Bowwild]

I hunted in Indiana from 1970-1989 when I lived there.  I've hunted there a few years since then.  Without any doubt whatsoever, the biggest deer I've seen in my life were in Indiana. I killed a 9-point with a bow that field dressed 265 in the early 80's.  That was in NW Indiana (Elkhart County). When I killed that big'n I fancied myself a "trophy hunter". I passed up great deer the next three years looking for giant deer. Learned a lot, one of the things I learned that passing great deer hoping for the greatest deer is as much fun as hunting with a camera...for me... not fun.

My best friend hunts in Tippecanoe county, Indiana. He has bow-killed several deer over 150 and passed many more.

I didn't do quite as well in Orange County when I was manager of Patoka Lake (1985-1989) before moving to Kansas.

Here's one for you, the worst deer hunting period in my life was the 3.5 years I lived in Kansas.

The one buck rule is already producing great results in Indiana, just like here in Kentucky.

All my hunting has been and continues to be on private land. Not because deer are lacking, but because I don't want to interact with people I don't know.

[mgf]

There's nothing wrong with the number or the size of deer here in northern Indiana. Deer are easy to find. I know a drunk who kills a big buck just about every year from the very same tree.  It takes great effort to NOT hit them with my vehicle...or to not let them hit me. They're everywhere. LOL

 

 
 

[Wudstix]

Fortunate to be able to hunt Government land, when I get drawn.  Last two years sat home.  General, non-whitetail hunting allowed with permit; weekends only.
 

[mgf]

Drawings for public land here too. I'm sitting out turkey season because all the public land in this part of the state is hunting by drawing only and they require you to buy the turkey tag and "game bird habitat stamp" BEFORE you enter the drawing...most people don't get drawn so you're just donating your money.

Too many hunters and not enough land to hunt.

[string bean]

It wasn't the best but not the worst either.

[Terry Green]

Luckily here in GA our season never ends.... I just didn't get our much this year at all in the fall. Too much going on with my girls.  Thanks a good thing though.

[mgf]

I travel a lot to hunt and pretty much all on public land, never have a problem finding game to hunt and never had a bad season... some are just better than others.

It's good that you 1, are able to travel and 2, that you like to travel. I never thought of game as being hard to find. Travel time and money now that's difficult.

Most of my available travel time is used to visit the kids and grandkids but, truth be told, I hate to travel. As much as I want to go hunting I can't get myself to pull the trigger on a trip...if I even knew where to go.

[mgf]

Luckily here in GA our season never ends.... I just didn't get our much this year at all in the fall. Too much going on with my girls.  Thanks a good thing though.

As far as hunting, I wish I lived someplace like that. I have family in Arkansas and they have tons of good hunting available.

[Wudstix]

Plenty of hunting opportunity here in Texas if you want to pay to day hunt.  Public Land is scattered around but much of it is limited as to what you can hunt.  3 hour drive one way to go hunt hogs on a heavily pressured hog population.  Deer is drawing only with very low drawing success.
 

[mgf]

I travel a lot to hunt and pretty much all on public land, never have a problem finding game to hunt and never had a bad season... some are just better than others.

It's good that you 1, are able to travel and 2, that you like to travel. I never thought of game as being hard to find. Travel time and money now that's difficult.

Most of my available travel time is used to visit the kids and grandkids but, truth be told, I hate to travel. As much as I want to go hunting I can't get myself to pull the trigger on a trip...if I even knew where to go.

Not sure why you think my post was directed at you? Just replying to the topic.

I didn't think your post was directed at me. I was just commenting on what you said.

[Russell Southerland]

Ah, I would say something along the lines of what I heard Asbell say in camp once, 'it was a little dry'. 

[Mint]

Right before the rut started on Long Island I messed up my rotator cuff tendon and couldn't lift my arm without extreme pain, couldn't sleep either. Iced it down off and on for three days and then followed some youtube videos doing pt and it started feeling better but couldn't pull back my bow. Went to check my cameras and found that two stands were stolen. Found a nice rub line though and figured I'd give it a shot when I could shoot. Second time sitting the stand was able to shot a nice 8 pointer. felt blessed to have been given lemons and made lemonade.