Deer Season: 2012

[HICKMAN]

So what are you doing to prepare for the upcoming deer season?

I'm still pretty new to it all, anyone have cams, blocks or food plots yet?

Not sure when everyone starts their pre-season stuff, but I've seen lots of deer on the move one the way to and from work every day.

 

[inlineman]

All of the above. I hunt about everyday during season when possible ,take a month or so off and start preparing.That way it is fresh what will make your next season better.

 

[benjaminlee06]

I am interested in deer hunting this season for the first time. Any ideas in how to get started, i.e. safety, regulation, practice, resources, etc... I have a cousin who has hunted for years that has volunteered to take me and get me started, but I would like to do as much homework as I can. Also, any random tips or insights would be welcomed. Thanks.

 

[singlestacksig]

find an area to hunt, get permission for that area, get permission to chase wounded game from surrounding owners..
that is the hard part.

 

[hammer24]

Put in almost 3 acres of food plots. Later will move a couple stands and check all the others. Shoot a decent bit this summer and fall; bow, crossbow (for the boy), and firearms (6 between my son and myself.)

 

[hacksawfg]

I am interested in deer hunting this season for the first time. Any ideas in how to get started, i.e. safety, regulation, practice, resources, etc... I have a cousin who has hunted for years that has volunteered to take me and get me started, but I would like to do as much homework as I can. Also, any random tips or insights would be welcomed. Thanks.

I'm in the same boat as you, except without the deer hunting cousin. In my previous efforts to get started, I would recommend the following - practice with whatever you will be using to harvest, from shooting positions you might encounter (i.e. you probably won't be prone, or standing straight up, etc.). If you're going to use a bow, wear the same clothing so you can see where the string might catch, etc. Get an aerial photo/topo map of the area so you can see where the breaks, etc. are (the book, Mapping Trophy Bucks has a lot of good info in it on preparing to hunt land you may not get a chance to scout).

I never actually got to seal the deal and go hunting, mainly because (a) the nowhere to hunt issue (if you're in the southern half of the state there are a lot more options as far as public land than there are in central Indiana), and (b) never field dressed a deer before, and really would like to learn before I harvest an animal.

 

[Mike H]

I got 6 stands out and I have been shooting my bow, MLR, and Ruger 77/.44.
Bring on Oct.

 

[Hemingway]

It doesn't take too much preparation for me. If I really want to practice, I get up at 3 am, get dressed up in 10 layers of clothes, drive down to Brown county, sit in a walk in freezer for 10 hours then drive home. That gets me fully prepared for Nov. And just as productive

That's how my last 3 seasons have gone anyway...

 

[phylodog]

I'll do like I always do and day dream about what it must be like to have someplace decent to hunt while those I work with turn vacation time into tasty venison.



Then I'll go to the grocery store and buy food.

 

[civicisaye]

Also interested

Would like to go but new to the state and have no idea where to get hunters education done. Prefer to go coyote hunting.... Need to learn to field dress both...

 

[NDhunter]

I always practice religiously. I used to scout, spend hours plotting stand locations, shoot my bow for an hour a night, and on and on.

Last year a new job severely limited all of this and even my hunting time. I killed the buck in my avatar.

Sometimes, just help the old lady with groceries at the store. Karma and good luck can be as good as skill sometimes, and this is true for hunting, also.

I'd recommend going the practice route, though.

 

[knoxace]

One of the biggest problems I had when I started was sitting for hours keeping quiet . sounds easy , scanning the tree lines and listining constintly . WHEN you finely see one stay calm ( not so easy ) . holding your bow or gun on point waiting for a clean shot with your adrnaline pumping .

What im trying to say is practice , learn to listen , really listen . most of the time you will hear the deer first , When you practice with your bow or gun dont just shoot hold it on sight for a few mniutes .

 

[netsecurity]

There's lots of state forest that doesn't require any permission. Just gets a map from DNR or something.

 

[HICKMAN]

hunting.in.gov

Indiana is LOADED with places to fish/hunt.

 

[NDhunter]

I'll do like I always do and day dream about what it must be like to have someplace decent to hunt while those I work with turn vacation time into tasty venison.



Then I'll go to the grocery store and buy food.

If you put in a little homework and some elbow grease, you can find isolated nooks and crannies on state ground that can be fantastic hunting. It may take a canoe or very long hike, but it makes it more rewarding in the end, anyway, IMHO. Look for urban areas, too. They give a ton of opportunities where other hunters may not look.

It takes a lot of time and effort to find them, but so does working contacts for that great private ground in most instances.

Start 'hunting' for hunting ground. I know, it's easier said than done. If you find that old farmer with a few woods and offer to bale straw or pick rocks for a day or two in the spring, you'd be amazed at the results. Hunting is a lot more fun when you see a lot more deer and a lot fewer other hunters, though.

 

[tom1025]

I am just waiting for the start of the season. Right now we have 7 to 8 deer bedding down on our property every night.

 

[Hookeye]

I only bowhunt the public ground near me.
But might try gun down south (found a cool but tough public area).
Hunt and scout it in middle of early bow
If there's too much traffic in early bow I'll just gun hunt my mediocre private spots.
I had a tough but great area to hunt for almost 20 years, learned it intimately and could goof off and hunt with recurve bow, even pass on some deer.
That spoiled me.
Been pretty depressing ever since that place got sold.
But learning a new area is way cool.........just gotta burn more time and gas to try and have fun now

 

[Tydeeh22]

i will NEVER hunt public land.. last time i hit missinewa reservoir, and it was like world war 3 had broken loose. heard slugs hitting trees and all the like. bunch of FREAKS up there that enjoy shooting at shadows before sunrise. well.. at least before the half hour prior to sunrise.

 

[Hookeye]

i will NEVER hunt public land.. last time i hit missinewa reservoir, and it was like world war 3 had broken loose. heard slugs hitting trees and all the like. bunch of FREAKS up there that enjoy shooting at shadows before sunrise. well.. at least before the half hour prior to sunrise.

Yup.

Try it or Salamonie in bow.

I hunted Miss Res 3 times last yr and only saw people in the parking area. Got a spot all picked out

Was pretty far back though, which is gonna suck with crops up (and carting a deer out).

What's bad is you can't use a bonus tag there. If I don't see a decent buck then it's a doe and out for me, until late bow season.

 

[Tydeeh22]

here in tippecanoe county, 8 is my bonus limit, i think we are going to have a busy year if they keep walking out back.. should really knock out a few of the coyotes before it starts cooling off.