Groundhogs? and Coyote?

[Redleg11b]

We were nearly over run with them in PA. Are there any problem areas in Indiana? I heard there was once a bounty on them in Elkhart County (and maybe a few others). Until I get all my residency stuff switched over, Groundhogs are all I can hunt without a license (not paying non-resident prices when I only have to wait another month). It was one of my favorite things to hunt in PA. I do not know if it is the height of the fields, but I have only seen three in the 6 weeks I have been here (and one was in a rail yard). Anybody willing to point me in the direction of a landowner (or 10) within about an hour of Middlebury/Goshen that has a "problem" with them? I have a .223 and a suppressed 22LR that have proven quite effective.

Once I get my IN license, where would be a good place to start getting involved in coyote hunting. I have always thought it would be fun and a way to help the local deer and small game populations. I am just very new to it, but want to expand my options for hunting year round.

 

[Mgderf]

Many unscrupulous hunters/trespassers in the past few decades have really put a hurt on available private land for hunting.
You'll likely either need to make friends with a property owner or pay too much for a hunting lease.

A lot of people don't seem to want the liability of letting others on their land period, never mind the hunting aspect.
Keep in mind, you cannot charge to dispatch nuisance animals without a license.
On the other hand, if you are able to secure written permission from a landowner, you can legally hunt coyote in Indiana 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year...and with "any legal firearm".
No bag limits, no hassles, just get WRITTEN permission first.

Good luck.

 

[Redleg11b]

That private land thing seems to be the issue, especially for someone new to the area. I would never dream of charging to dispatch nuisance animals. Hunting is reward enough. Heck, I would even offer some assistance around the property from time to time to show gratitude for the permission. I am working on extending my network, but my work schedule makes it difficult sometimes.

 

[IndyDave1776]

Just for fun, I will point out something I included in my written permission. It states that the neighbor doing the hunting and all members of his party have permission, so he can bring along a friend or three without any extra attention on my part being needed. It is a shame you are so far away. I can use all the help I can get, particularly given that the only good coyote is a dead one.

 

[Rookie]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...YKY-l7-I-n7X0KIvg&sig2=e8JgNhav0uqArTcc3VLXCw


That's the form I use when getting permission...

 

[Cpt Caveman]

Ground hogs are few and far between in southern Indiana. The coyotes have hit them pretty hard. Usually when i hear of one its under somebodys barn or shed in their backyard. Used to be when I was a kid you could go out and shoot a half dozen in an afternoon.

 

[Steel and wood]

Finding somewhere to hunt will be your problem are family farm in southern ind. we use to let some hunt it but the year we had are angus bull killed was the end of being nice to others. It is now no hunting ever only family we even had are small pond that we stock almost fish out. So yes being nice does not pay off

 

[oldpink]

As Caveman already mentioned, the groundhog population really got clobbered when coyotes invaded in a massive scale starting in the 1990s.
When I was a kid in the 1980s, I regularly shot the ones undermining my grandparents' barn floors and making the cement collapse.
I only see them once a year if I'm lucky, and I wouldn't shoot them at all now, because they're struggling because of the damn 'yotes, and because they provide much needed burrows for rabbits and all sorts of other wildlife.

 

[ick]

If I wasn't in the city, I'd be happy to let you come and shoot groundhogs at my place.
I can't even fire an air-rifle (in plain view) without someone getting all uppity about it.

I just trap them and drown them in one of the water tanks now. They really really like to tunnel under my barns.

 

[Redleg11b]

I may just wait until I can get things around to start popping yotes then. I appreciate all the responses. Out at Pigeon River FWA doing some final load testing and plinking with the rimfires.

 

[jimb1069]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...YKY-l7-I-n7X0KIvg&sig2=e8JgNhav0uqArTcc3VLXCw


That's the form I use when getting permission...

Thank you for the link!