Deer hunter numbers down

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  • Jsomerset

    Sharpshooter
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    2   0   0
    Jan 31, 2016
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    Somerset
    Hunter numbers are down 100,000 in 10 year period. DNR is recruiting women and yutes to shore up revenue loss needed for wildlife management. That's only a 2.4 million dollar loss at a minimum. I'm sure PETA will be more than willing to pony up some of their silver. All it would take is an extra commercial per channel for a day with full on crying plea instead of the half hearted whimpering ploy. Sorry I don't have a link for the story. I saw it on the news this morning and couldn't find anything on a Google search yet.
     

    Expat

    Pdub
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    23   0   0
    Feb 27, 2010
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    I heard the same story on the South Bend station this morning. The problem is lack of places to hunt, not willing hunters. They need something like the Hunter Access Program that Michigan used to have (may still) where landowners can get property tax abatements if they allow the public to hunt on their property.
     

    roscott

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    Mar 1, 2009
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    How about some sort of law protecting land owners from lawsuit of any hunters they allow on their property? Liability runs the world these days.
     

    MRockwell

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    Oct 4, 2010
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    How about some sort of law protecting land owners from lawsuit of any hunters they allow on their property? Liability runs the world these days.

    https://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-Private_Land_Permission_Form.pdf

    I would think it is already law: IC 34-31-9

    One thing I see as to landowners not allowing hunting is the jackwagons that ruin it for everyone else. Case in point: I had a kid(mid-20's) set his blind up on the north side of the woods, within 12" of the fence line. Nothing I can do about it, but I did inform him he did not have permission to hunt our woods, then put up no hunting/ no trespassing signs. When I went to take down my game cameras, his blind was gone but he threw his trash in our woods. Why would I want to let some inconsiderate jackwagon hunt on my land if he cannot even pack out his trash?
     

    Leadeye

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    Jan 19, 2009
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    This year the weather was colder during gun season which I think contributed to smaller groups that I saw venturing into the HNF.

    Biggest problem I've seen landowners face with hunting is "buddies". That chain of assumed permission that goes from allowing one person to hunt that now includes their buddies, and their buddies, etc.

    The best story about this was some years back when I was turkey hunting with a friend on his uncles land. We parked near the house and made our way back through the woods to our setup. Sitting in the dark I asked if someone else had permission to hunt here and my friend said no. I pointed out light of vehicles on the back end of his ground and sounds of doors slamming and several people talking. After seeing no birds and hearing plenty of people moving through the woods he went back to the house disgusted and asked his uncle who the people were and he had no idea. He called the CO and we all met along with what was probably a bored state cop and walked down the short log road to find two cars and a motor home with a camp site already set up. After some shouting 5 guys showed up who the land owner had never seen. One of the hunters said he had been deer hunting with the uncles son 6 years ago which the old man recalled. That had been clearly interpreted as a green light for any game, any time, and all of his friends, forever. The CO checked licenses, while the state cop asked the uncle what he wanted to do. The old man said to just run them off, it was the last time I hunted there.
     
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    Bapak2ja

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    Dec 17, 2009
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    Fort Wayne
    Biggest problem for new hunters is location. After they spend time and cash to learn how to hunt they need a place to hunt. Based on what I have seen and experienced, new hunters are not welcomed with open arms. JMHO.
     

    Onebad06vtx

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    Mar 9, 2013
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    Ellettsville
    This year the weather was colder during gun season which I think contributed to smaller groups that I saw venturing into the HNF.

    Biggest problem I've seen landowners face with hunting is "buddies". That chain of assumed permission that goes from allowing one person to hunt that now includes their buddies, and their buddies, etc.
    Where do i start!
    Deer hunting tv shows have ruined deer hunting!
    Less land thru leasing property! Most common people cant afford it.
    Less hunting skills, seems everyone needs trail cameras and food plots,dont sound like fair chase to me!
    Kids these days are to busy playing video games! Which most should be outlawed and I believe is the reason for mass shootings!
    I can go on and on!!!!!
     

    amboy49

    Master
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    5   1   0
    Feb 1, 2013
    2,293
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    central indiana
    I heard the same story on the South Bend station this morning. The problem is lack of places to hunt, not willing hunters. They need something like the Hunter Access Program that Michigan used to have (may still) where landowners can get property tax abatements if they allow the public to hunt on their property.


    I think there is a flaw in your proposal. I suspect the Michigan landowners you describe don’t receive much, if any, compensation for their generosity. Unimproved farm ground is usually given the lowest assessed value of all real estate. However, more and more land owners in Indiana are recognizing that what has been heretofore non cash producing ground can now be leased to hunters or leasing agents who charge hunters for the privilege. Thus, good deer habitat such as timber/swamp/creek bottom has been commercialized and the chase for horns rather than meat compels the trophy hunters to pay the fees being demanded. Several hundred of dollars or more can be obtained from individuals or multiple individuals grouping together to acquaint good ground that harbors good numbers and quality of deer. Plus, the lessee can implement good deer management and not shoot immature bucks. Herd management is something few farmers care about and, in fact, most farmers view whitetail as vermin that are to be removed due to crop loss.

    If you don’t own huntable ground you’re ability to hunt is tenuous at best and can disappear in a heartbeat even tho you’ve hunted for decades based on your association with friends or family relationships.
     
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    cerebus85

    Sharpshooter
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    5   1   0
    Mar 5, 2012
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    Hunting land and demographics i think play a huge part. Hunting culture is dying in a lot of places. All it takes is one generation to not have the ACCESS and the ability to learn the skill. I hunt private land and gone are the days of just being able to walk in the woods and not see another person. We lament the lack of hunters we lament the lack of land, and we lament the leadership or socio/political decision that placed us in that spot. Conservation programs and outreach are lacking in most areas
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
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    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
    18,749
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    Arcadia
    Where do i start!
    Deer hunting tv shows have ruined deer hunting!
    Less land thru leasing property! Most common people cant afford it.
    Less hunting skills, seems everyone needs trail cameras and food plots,dont sound like fair chase to me!
    Kids these days are to busy playing video games! Which most should be outlawed and I believe is the reason for mass shootings!
    I can go on and on!!!!!

    Lol, yeah those deer hunting shows have educated the deer to the point they're damned near impossible to kill nowadays.
     

    Restroyer

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    May 13, 2015
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    SE Indiana
    I think if they moved the firearms season to earlier in November it would help. I'm thinking of doing Archery next year so I can get in the rut and also have more time to hunt. This year some "disabled" union neighbors of mine got all the good sized bucks via Archery on the first week of November. Nothing against unions but when you claim to be disabled pipefitters but you can bow hunt for 3 months seems like b.s. But I digress, if the firearms season moved earlier I think it would improve some people's chances at getting a deer because of the rut and not everyone can sit in the woods and hunt every day due to work, family, etc. (my same complaint with Spring Turkey season).
    I also think the state should buy up some land and save it for public hunting grounds for the next generation. I am blessed to have bought some property to hunt on after saving every penny I could for 20 years, but public hunting land is where the state should be improving to preserve the deer and hunting of them for the future.
     

    GodFearinGunTotin

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    1   0   0
    Mar 22, 2011
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    Mitchell
    I don't think this is an Indiana phenomenon. As I mentioned in another thread, my brother who lives in Tennessee told me about a conversation he had with a deer processor friend of his down there. He told my brother that he's processing fewer and fewer deer than he used to. It'd interesting to see if other states are having similar numbers dropping out.
     

    Hoosier Carry

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    Aug 20, 2012
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    In the Woods
    Less hunting skills, seems everyone needs trail cameras and food plots,dont sound like fair chase to me!

    I believe cameras are a very good tool in self-conservation. I think cameras can help us in knowing how deer population is reacting to hunting in our own counties and that we should not rely on state management alone.
    They can help you set your own management, especially with does, in your area. I don’t know about you but I have seen a huge decline in antlerless deer sightings over the last 5-10 years. With the help of pictures I can see what is happening in deer travel and the numbers.
     

    Restroyer

    Expert
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 13, 2015
    1,187
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    SE Indiana
    Where do i start!
    Deer hunting tv shows have ruined deer hunting!
    Less land thru leasing property! Most common people cant afford it.
    Less hunting skills, seems everyone needs trail cameras and food plots,dont sound like fair chase to me!
    Kids these days are to busy playing video games! Which most should be outlawed and I believe is the reason for mass shootings!
    I can go on and on!!!!!

    Do you even know the difference between a "food plot" and a "kill plot"? Hunting my own land is enjoyable but what makes it more enjoyable is creating a healthy habitat to sustain the animals that I hunt. Food plots help turkeys and deer etc. get extra nutrients in their diets. It helps keep them on my property. Using Trail Cameras helps determine the amount of animals on my property so that I can attempt to better improve the habitat. It's a lot of work but it's also a great learning experience and makes the hunt that more rewarding. I spend part of every weekend checking my trail cameras and spend many days improving food plots and kill plots. Someone who uses food / kill plots or trail cameras is no less a hunter than anyone else.
     

    phylodog

    Grandmaster
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    59   0   0
    Mar 7, 2008
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    Arcadia
    Bah humbug.....anyone who doesn’t stomp into the woods 29 minutes after daylight smelling like the ashtray in a Waffle House, plop down on a stump and shooting at the first brown thing that moves is ruining hunting.
     

    Hatin Since 87

    Bacon Hater
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    Mar 31, 2018
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    Mooresville
    Bah humbug.....anyone who doesn’t stomp into the woods 29 minutes after daylight smelling like the ashtray in a Waffle House, plop down on a stump and shooting at the first brown thing that moves is ruining hunting.

    I see you’ve been hunting with my uncle. As a kid he told us the deer are curious and will come to see what the smell is :rolleyes:

    We don’t tell him when we’re hunting anymore.
     
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