Tips for first time hunter

[INDPrepper]

Hey guys was just wanting to see if i can't get some tips from the good ol forums.

Basically i'm wanting to get out and do some hunting sometime this year. I don't really have any private land to hunt so it would have to be public unfortunately and the area i was looking at hunting was Wilbur Wright out in New Castle. I was going to do archery deer and maybe some squirrel hunting at some point. I would more than likely be in a ground blind or no blind at all, just maybe some dense vegetation if i can find it. Is there any tips for that area or just any tips in general for hunting public land? I have never scouted the area so i'm a little behind the times on information of the "units" they have as it looks split up into 4 areas on the property map. Just been doing some google maps research and trying to find stuff but it seems outdated by a few years when you see the watermarks from google.

Also one last thing, i don't know why but i'm nervous about going out hunting by myself. I'm not scared of being alone or anything silly like that, i think it's just because i've never done it so i've been trying to get one of my buddies that hunts way more than i ever have to help out but haven't had any luck. I wouldn't be as nervous if it was private land as I would more than likely be the only person out there on that private property depending on size or time.

Thanks ahead of time for any replies.

 

[diver dan]

I dont know area out there, I am from northwest indiana, I hunt public game preserve, You have to go out and scout/look for tracks, go to a area that has corn fields, preferably still standing and go around perimeter and look for tracks, then find heavy brush and get into it, and cut out a shooting path to corn,preferably a corner.I have seen plenty of deer at these areas.I AM NOT A PRO, but it is very common sense suggestion.GOOD LUCK

 

[patience0830]

Learning curve will be steep for a while. I hunt southern IN on private ground and clover and acorns are my major drawing foods this time of year. Make sure you're down wind of any trail you intend to hunt. Deer will come over to see what you are if they can't smell you. But one whiff of you and they usually go. They trust their nose. You can fool their eyes.

 

[Restroyer]

Acorns at this time of year will attract deer and squirrels. Find acorns and set up a ground blind near there. Come Deer Firearms season on public land look for Cedar trees and set up ground blind there (scout now the area you intend to hunt then). When the firearms season opens on public land the woods get noisy with other hunters and sometimes the deer will try to head for the cedars for coverage since by that time in November a lot of the foliage is dwindling.

 

[Leadeye]

Scout now, look for trails, food and good positions that favor the prevailing wind. Keep in mind that on public land close to the city you may have company.

 

[Goodcat]

I remember when I started 2 seasons ago and understand your nervousness. To me being a non-hunter at the time, it made no sense to me. Do I just get a license, then read the rules and go kill something? Well, yes! I HIGHLY advise you take the Indiana Hunter Safety certification online course. You’ll learn a lot about hunting safety and basics. If you can find someone to come with you the first few times who hunts, it’ll be so much easier to start the process. It is a LONG LONG journey.

 

[Leadeye]

Being old now and hunting my own ground, I remember those early days.

 

[Mgderf]

Being old now and hunting my own ground, I remember those early days.

I've got the first part covered.
Looking forward to the second part, starting this season!

 

[Goodcat]

Being old now and hunting my own ground, I remember those early days.

I’m just there at the beginning of the journey now. Second season started for me, took my first deer last night! Happy with this big doe, she’s in my ice cooler in pieces right now.

 

[Leadeye]

It's easy to go out and collect your deer with the tractor and loader, then hang it from the loader to field dress and butcher.

 

[spencer rifle]

It's easy to go out and collect your deer with the tractor and loader, then hang it from the loader to field dress and butcher.

"Easy" is a relative term. It took two of us 11 hours to butcher two deer (all the way down to roasts, ground meat and jerky).

Windy is your friend:
https://www.windy.com/?41.656,-85.020,5

Good video on field dressing WARNING there is blood and guts (not George S. Patton):
https://www.facebook.com/OmnivoresHomestead/videos/1822231877825061/

 

[two70]

I would forget the ground blind at this point, they are more of a hindrance than a benefit in the woods and this late in the game you would have to brush it in very well to avoid spooking deer. Learn to use the existing terrain and vegetation, sometimes with a bit of improvement, to conceal yourself. Since you are trying to learn hot to hunt anyway, I would recommend that you stay as mobile and hit a variety of spots over the course of the season. There really is no substitute for spending time in the woods so spend as much time hunting as you possibly can but also take advantage of all of the information available online to shorten the learning curve.

 

[Restroyer]

I would forget the ground blind at this point, they are more of a hindrance than a benefit in the woods and this late in the game you would have to brush it in very well to avoid spooking deer. Learn to use the existing terrain and vegetation, sometimes with a bit of improvement, to conceal yourself. Since you are trying to learn hot to hunt anyway, I would recommend that you stay as mobile and hit a variety of spots over the course of the season. There really is no substitute for spending time in the woods so spend as much time hunting as you possibly can but also take advantage of all of the information available online to shorten the learning curve.

I use a ground blind every year. Get deer, doesn't spook them. The only time I know of a ground blind spooking deer is when someone buys a new blind and doesn't let it air out for a few weeks to get rid of that Chinese vinyl smell. You do need to brush in the blind but that is easy especially with the abundance of honeysuckle in Indiana (our leaves in SE Indiana haven't even started falling yet). Last year I had one of my trail cameras near my ground blind to see how long after I set it up a deer came by and I had a two does pass by it with no fear about 5 hours after I set it up. I would also say that since he hunts public ground it's not good advice to try and stay mobile since that's going to tick off other hunters and might increase his chances of getting shot by another hunter on public land.

 

[two70]

It sounds like you do a good job of brushing your blind in, try not brushing it in very well, especially on heavily hunted public land, and you will see a very different result. You don't often find honeysuckle growing in the middle of the woods, especially not on public land with the typically undisturbed mature timber, to make brushing the blind in easier either. What I meant by staying mobile, is to hunt a number of different spots throughout the season instead of tying oneself down to one spot with a ground blind for the entire season. I didn't say for him to going constantly wandering around the woods while he hunts or to move constantly throughout a given hunt but to instead hunt a variety of different spots over the course of the season, as in hunt spot A one morning, then hunt spot B that evening or the next morning, spot C the next day, and so on.

 

[patience0830]

My experience with ground blinds is if you put it in the middle or on the edge of a hay field, they'll ignore it like just another bale. Mostly just a PITA in the woods though.

 

[INDPrepper]

Thanks for all the replies guys, been busy with work so i haven't had time to get on here the past couple days. Will definitely take all of your information into account and try to learn as much as i can, even if i don't get a deer. I understand it's a big process learning everything you can about the land you intend on hunting whether it's private or public. I've heard from guys i work with that the area i intend to hunt isn't nearly as busy on the weekdays compared to weekends which is good for me as i have a work schedule that allows for hunting on weekdays every week.

 

[thunderchicken]

Personally, I don't deer hunt. But I do rabbit hunt at Wilbur Wright and have seen many deer there over tye years. My advice would be after you leave the check in station, head south just a bit to the 2nd road on the right. It dead ends at a gate/ highway divider barrier down by the river (looks more like a creek but is part of Blue river). If you park somewhere near the end of the road and go into the woods on either side along the river, I have seen several deer in there the last couple years.

 

[INDPrepper]

Personally, I don't deer hunt. But I do rabbit hunt at Wilbur Wright and have seen many deer there over tye years. My advice would be after you leave the check in station, head south just a bit to the 2nd road on the right. It dead ends at a gate/ highway divider barrier down by the river (looks more like a creek but is part of Blue river). If you park somewhere near the end of the road and go into the woods on either side along the river, I have seen several deer in there the last couple years.

is that the road that leads to the correctional facility or is it further down? I'm looking on google maps right now and can't seem to pinpoint where you're talking about.

 

[thunderchicken]

is that the road that leads to the correctional facility or is it further down? I'm looking on google maps right now and can't seem to pinpoint where you're talking about.

It would lead to the correctional facility except the highway barriers and gate prevent getting through

 

[bdybdall]

Yah, that road used to cross there at the old state mental hospital. I've seen deer in all four quadrants but never shot except once. Opening day of gun season usually has them moving around but then you won't see many after opening weekend.