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Post by practicalsportsman on Nov 23, 2015 10:54:50 GMT -5
Has anyone noticed that there is little deer being seen in some areas, mine has virtually no deer moving. I shot at the only buck I have seen and missed cleanly, other than him deer have been scarce. I did have coyotes kill a doe in my north field and I shot them. I honestly think it's time to start a one doe rule for a while in some counties. I have no problem with taking a buck and a doe, I think that the outbreak of ehd here did more damage than good and the DNR needs to limit antlerless quotas in those areas. I'm hoping to get my buck tag filled by this weekend.
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Post by GS1 on Nov 23, 2015 11:04:39 GMT -5
Not all Indians were hunters.
Some gathered berries and stuff.
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Post by chasingtails on Nov 23, 2015 11:24:06 GMT -5
Definitely more hunters in a result fewer deer. I would be fine with a two doe limit an a buck draw like other states for bigger game.
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Post by tynimiller on Nov 23, 2015 11:32:33 GMT -5
Some areas may be struggle, but overall the state herd seems to be doing great per harvest totals. Over 120K harvest average for the last 10 years, if overharvesting you'd think by now it'd have caught up state wide.
I definitely think some areas though are struggling no doubt.
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Post by bonecollector23 on Nov 23, 2015 12:28:54 GMT -5
I know a lot of people in my county and the surrounding areas have had a pretty rough season. I personally think this has been a slow season with minimal movement. I am not seeing as many deer this year. However, a lot of the fields around my area have been worked so most of the food has been burrowed. I think it is not about the numbers as much as needing to find there currently food source. Other people have had a great season in my area. You just need to find them, they are there.
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Post by MuzzleLoader on Nov 23, 2015 12:40:01 GMT -5
We have had a crappy start to hunting the last couple seasons due to horrible ehd outbreaks. But this year has been different. Not taking any does and just shooting a buck or two has paid off. Most intense rut I have seen in awhile is still happening today in our area. I have yet to take a deer and may not this year. Sightings went to not seeing anything to at least seeing a couple deer most times out. Definitely on the up swing here.
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Post by urbanguy on Nov 23, 2015 13:15:45 GMT -5
IMO, I saw a lot of deer in the first week of November and witnessed aggressive seeking and chasing. I wondered if the party was a little late this year for firearms. No one in our 5 man group killed a big deer, in fact only 1 killed a buck, a small 6.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2015 13:20:53 GMT -5
Hunter 1 is constantly getting skunked and isn't seeing near the deer they used to. Claims it is the worst year ever.
Hunter 2 hunts 5 miles away and sees quite a few deer but claims the numbers are down slightly.
Hunter 3 is 5 miles away in the other direction and is seeing as many deer as ever. Claims things have never been better.
Which is correct? They all may be correct. Deer management is not an exact science. So much depends upon the conditions in the thousands of "micro-habitats" found around the state. Some areas have few deer. Some areas have too many. Some areas have been over-harvested, some have had severe bouts of EHD, and others have been hit hard by predators. We have to get past this idea that the state can effectively manage deer numbers by setting county limits and start using micromanagement practices on a small scale combined with common sense.
I wasn't seeing the deer numbers I wanted to see at my own property this year, so I opted NOT TO SHOOT ANY DEER THERE this year. I was seeing plenty at my lease, so I killed a buck and a doe. That's what it is going to take to put things in a better balance, not some magic number prescribed from Indianapolis.
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Post by tynimiller on Nov 23, 2015 13:38:19 GMT -5
meta...way too much common sense in your post...please leave bahaha! Amen brother, amen!
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Post by throbak on Nov 23, 2015 14:19:53 GMT -5
Micro managing by county is as its going to get I drive home after hunting last evening there were deer every where I think The Deer are changing to the habitat and Hunters dont change . I see so many pics this year live from the stand where people are hunting Open fields Deer are in those places after dark because of pressure.. Hunters don't want to change and Hunt close there is nothing on a grand scale wrong with Indiana's Herd . every time I have wanted to shoot a deer this year I Have . I doe. two BB,s all by choice The two BBS will not hurt any ones population anywhere I left the Big does alone they are our Bread and Butter late season does are just as bred in Nov as in Jan so whats the diff. shoot a big BB and leave the big does and babies alone if you want meat.
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Post by Woody Williams on Nov 23, 2015 15:10:09 GMT -5
Hunter 1 is constantly getting skunked and isn't seeing near the deer they used to. Claims it is the worst year ever. Hunter 2 hunts 5 miles away and sees quite a few deer but claims the numbers are down slightly. Hunter 3 is 5 miles away in the other direction and is seeing as many deer as ever. Claims things have never been better. Which is correct? They all may be correct. Deer management is not an exact science. So much depends upon the conditions in the thousands of "micro-habitats" found around the state. Some areas have few deer. Some areas have too many. Some areas have been over-harvested, some have had severe bouts of EHD, and others have been hit hard by predators. We have to get past this idea that the state can effectively manage deer numbers by setting county limits and start using micromanagement practices on a small scale combined with common sense. I wasn't seeing the deer numbers I wanted to see at my own property this year, so I opted NOT TO SHOOT ANY DEER THERE this year. I was seeing plenty at my lease, so I killed a buck and a doe. That's what it is going to take to put things in a better balance, not some magic number prescribed from Indianapolis. Here, here! Give that man a CEEEEGGGAAARRR!
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Post by Woody Williams on Nov 23, 2015 15:13:45 GMT -5
We have had a crappy start to hunting the last couple seasons due to horrible ehd outbreaks. But this year has been different. Not taking any does and just shooting a buck or two has paid off. Most intense rut I have seen in awhile is still happening today in our area. I have yet to take a deer and may not this year. Sightings went to not seeing anything to at least seeing a couple deer most times out. Definitely on the up swing here. I had the same thing in Northern Warrick back in 2007. 17 trips to the stand no deer sightings..In two years you could not tell there had been any EHD problem... Contrary to what some folks said EHD statewide was not bad at all this year. I think it got blown out of proportion by better reporting, rather than more EHD cases..
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Post by tynimiller on Nov 23, 2015 15:26:04 GMT -5
We have had a crappy start to hunting the last couple seasons due to horrible ehd outbreaks. But this year has been different. Not taking any does and just shooting a buck or two has paid off. Most intense rut I have seen in awhile is still happening today in our area. I have yet to take a deer and may not this year. Sightings went to not seeing anything to at least seeing a couple deer most times out. Definitely on the up swing here. I had the same thing in Northern Warrick back in 2007. 17 trips to the stand no deer sightings..In two years you could not tell there had been any EHD problem... Contrary to what some folks said EHD statewide was not bad at all this year. I think it got blown out of proportion by better reporting, rather than more EHD cases.. Word spreads so much easier than ever before...I mean shoot, my brother knew from a friend that follows Small Acre Hunting that I'd dropped Junior before the text went out....I mean seriously?!
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Post by swilk on Nov 23, 2015 15:31:48 GMT -5
meta...way too much common sense in your post...please leave bahaha! Amen brother, amen! As long as he isnt talking about the Colts or the Pats met usually makes pretty good sense.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 23, 2015 15:38:01 GMT -5
meta...way too much common sense in your post...please leave bahaha! Amen brother, amen! As long as he isnt talking about the Colts or the Pats met usually makes pretty good sense. C'mon now, fans (fanatics) can't be expected to make any sense!
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Post by treetop on Nov 23, 2015 16:02:14 GMT -5
Seems to be spotty I'm blessed with three ares to hunt all in a 25 mile area two in adams county one Allen county 2 places in adams I have yet to see more than a few deer last year I saw deer most times out , the other place seems a bit slower but that could be weather crops or 20 other things but I see deer most days . I do put a lot of windshield time in at work and I would say the numbers are down in my area I don't see near the deer I did , some is new roads homes cleaning of all the fence rows and I do believe it's over hunted and way to many tags.
In my area we got a bunch of new hunters the Amish in my area have taken up hunting very seriously and the vast majority of them seem to have the mentality of if it's brown it's down. i'm ok with that style of hunting are used to be in that group but you just can't go out and kill every deer in the woods
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Post by tynimiller on Nov 23, 2015 16:05:18 GMT -5
Muzzle...check your post...I think you quoted but forget to add text.
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Post by chewbacca on Nov 23, 2015 16:17:21 GMT -5
Hunter 1 is constantly getting skunked and isn't seeing near the deer they used to. Claims it is the worst year ever. Hunter 2 hunts 5 miles away and sees quite a few deer but claims the numbers are down slightly. Hunter 3 is 5 miles away in the other direction and is seeing as many deer as ever. Claims things have never been better. Which is correct? They all may be correct. Deer management is not an exact science. So much depends upon the conditions in the thousands of "micro-habitats" found around the state. Some areas have few deer. Some areas have too many. Some areas have been over-harvested, some have had severe bouts of EHD, and others have been hit hard by predators. We have to get past this idea that the state can effectively manage deer numbers by setting county limits and start using micromanagement practices on a small scale combined with common sense. I wasn't seeing the deer numbers I wanted to see at my own property this year, so I opted NOT TO SHOOT ANY DEER THERE this year. I was seeing plenty at my lease, so I killed a buck and a doe. That's what it is going to take to put things in a better balance, not some magic number prescribed from Indianapolis. Spot on!! Myself and the guys that hunt immediately around me went through this about 10 years ago. Deer numbers were way down in my area. We all opted to lay off the does for a couple of seasons. It took about 3 seasons til we started seeing the deer with a lot of regularity again. I have yet to sit this season without seeing at least one deer. I have had some sits were I saw over 20 deer. Hunting is as good as it's ever been in my area now. This is all because about 5 hunters didn't shoot a doe for 2 seasons. However, the deer sightings have tapered off tremendously since firearms season opened but that is typical every year. I would never base my local herd on what I'm seeing/not seeing in firearms season. I know the condition of my herd based on time spent bowhunting.
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Post by bullseye69 on Nov 23, 2015 18:07:51 GMT -5
Where I'm hunting I'm seeing lots of deer. But haven't seen any rutting activity. One scrape and one rub. Seen bucks in field eating alone. Haven't seen any since day before firearms started. Seen deer everyday since, but no bucks, not even small ones. Seen 18 does , antlerless, total ,in three different groups at once, in three different fields. Didn't shoot any because i was thinking a buck should be some where close by but nothing.
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Post by M4Madness on Nov 23, 2015 18:18:52 GMT -5
I see so many pics this year live from the stand where people are hunting Open fields. Same here. I never dreamed so many did so.
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