Good Lord I am So TIRED of hunting state land.

[Mark 1911]

Sad Story 1:
Last Saturday (10-31) I walked 8 miles, maybe more, scouting for deer sign. Found an interesting spot. Tried to put up a portable but couldn't get high enough in the tree with the steps I had. Lugged that stand back to the truck and came back the next day with a ladder stand. Excited about a new spot with active sign, I got in my stand about 45 minutes before legal on Saturday (11-7). Not 5 minutes after I got settled in, here comes a flashlight up the fire trail and yahoo hunter gets into a tree stand not even 30 yards from me. WTF#*%#@***!!!!!!!! I held my silence for about 2 1/2 hours. Almost screamed when I saw him draw his bow. Got down and walked over to him and asked him if he didn't think 30 yards was slightly close to another stand. He said yes. I asked when he put up the stand. He said he had been hunting there since Tuesday. I asked him how he could hunt there for 4 days and not see my stand, or do you just not give a rat's a$$. He said I shouldn't let it get to me, that there are "stands all over this place". I said you may not have a problem shooting deer out from under me, but maybe I do, you need to make an effort to give people some space. I am not an intimidating person, but I actually think this guy was a little afraid of me because I did not hold back, takes a LOT for me to get in someone's face like this. I asked him what he was planning to do. He said take down the stand. Then he said he had "no other options" but to hunt there Saturday morning, the exact same words some yahoo spoke to me about 3 years ago under very similar conditions. I about lost it, "you're the same guy who put his stand up on top of me 3 years ago aren't you????!!!!???" He said, "I can't answer that question". I asked him how many years he had been deer hunting. He said 30. I told him you're a pretty sorry excuse for a deer hunter, then walked away and went to a different stand.

Sad Story 2
Two of my stands are about 1/4 mile apart from each other. I was checking for sign at one of them and noticed that someone had put some pieces of toilet paper on some twigs around my stand and beyond. I wondered if someone had put out some scent and decided to hunt my stand. The next morning I decided to hunt the stand 1/4 mile from that one. I noticed the same pieces of toilet paper on twigs behind my stand. WTF??? Then when it got a little lighter, there is a stand not 50 yards from mine. I put 2 and 2 together and figured this guy shot a deer from the stand 50 yards from me, then put up toilet paper as he tracked the blood trail through the woods past my other stand. No wonder I haven't been seeing any deer in my woods with this kind of pressure going on. I went back to first stand 1/4 mile away and as I am sitting there looking through the woods, I see a red strap securing yet another stand to tree about 80 yards in a different direction. I found out later from guys I know who are regular hunters there that these two stands belong to the same guy. I have yet to meet him, but plan to ask him if he has a problem with me hunting his stands, or if I should just put one up just above his. WTF!!!!

Sad Story 3 - with happy ending
On the weekends of October 24 and October 31 I witnessed four Asian men at Winamac carrying 22 rifles. I had hear them shooting out in the fields while I was hunting, and wondered what they were shooting at. At one point I dropped my gear at my truck and went scouting. When I returned to the parking lot, wearing a sidearm, the 4 men looked at my sidearm and seemed extremely apprehensive. I asked them if they saw any deer while walking the fields, three shook their heads no and one shook his head yes. Seemed really weird. The next day I was taking a break at the truck, it was very windy. I heard the distinctive sound of a bullet whizzing over my head. WTF!!!! I was on the phone at the time. About that time the assistant property manager pulled in and waited until I was done with my call. He heard me talking about the flying bullets. He asked me how things were going. I told him not bad considering the bullets. About that time, here come the 4 yahoos walking into the parking lot carrying .22 rifles, one looked to have an longer action on it. Hmmm. I think the DNR guy knew something I didn't because he looked like he was about 2 seconds away from kicking some serious a$$.

Last night I stopped off at a friend's house in Hebron for some after-hunting hours beers. He asked me about the whizzing bullet story, then told me about 4 Asian guys just arrested for poaching at Winamac and Jasper Pulaski!!! I am positive they were the same idiots. Sometimes stories have happy endings!!! DNR, Pulaski County Sheriff?s Department Bust Poachers | WKVI Information Center

Moral of Story
Part of last night's conversation revolved around the frustrations of hunting state land. So my buddy from last night, and his brother and his dad, the four of us, decided to start looking for a lease for next year.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

I subscribe to the DNR's region 7 and 8 Facebook feeds. Apparently, poaching and tresspassing on private property is in season right now. I don't hunt but for years, I've had friends make similar complaints to yours while hunting on state property. That sucks.

 

[daddyusmaximus]

I twice had a deer spooked by 1. some idiot teaching his girlfriend how to shoot a pistol, 2. kids on ATVs. I quit hunting public land 15 years ago. Haven't hunted since. I'd go back if I had land to hunt.

 

[bocefus78]

I hear ya-state land has its more than fair share of yahoos! Go to some larger properties such as Hoosier national forest so you can get spread out from others. Winimac is only 4880 acres and limits the area to 160 hunters per day. That's only 30 acres per hunter if it's full. No wonder you are seeing people everywhere! That's especially tight quarters when everyone is holding a firearm!

 

[Mark 1911]

I subscribe to the DNR's region 7 and 8 Facebook feeds. Apparently, poaching and tresspassing on private property is in season right now. I don't hunt but for years, I've had friends make similar complaints to yours while hunting on state property. That sucks.

It's a shame because Winamac and JP are really beautiful and both places could support quite a few hunters successfully, and the hunting experience could still be basically positive, if people would just put forth the small little effort that being considerate entails.

I twice had a deer spooked by 1. some idiot teaching his girlfriend how to shoot a pistol, 2. kids on ATVs. I quit hunting public land 15 years ago. Haven't hunted since. I'd go back if I had land to hunt.

The "yahoo" list could get very long, can't say that I blame you for moving on.

I find that when public areas start getting overrun and crowded, a willingness to walk farther from the parking lot than the other guys, and to take the effort that killing a deer that far from the parking lot entails, can pay off.

 

[churchmouse]

My BIL has found 2 stands right on his well marked property line facing into his property.
His daughters ride ATV's through there all the time.
This is not even near the 1st time both these inconsiderate idiots have done this.
I am sure the DNR has been there by now.

 

[Zoub]

I am stressed just from reading this post. Worse when I saw it was Winamac / JP. Over 30 years ago was the last time I hunted there. It was a put and take pheasant hunt. More like a life and death track meet. Friend takes a pellet in the ass, we pack up and leave.

After that I only went up that way to shoot steel at Jim Reinholts place.

Where I live now, I often have hundreds of acres of public land to myself until gun deer season kicks in.

 

[hammer24]

After that I only went up that way to shoot steel at Jim Reinholts .

Jim was my fifth grade teacher, and by far one of my favorites. He was the teacher you didn't cross, and the guy you could talk guns and hunting with.

 

[Zoub]

Jim helped me to learn that not all people from Winimac were evil spawn of Satan. GO PANTHERS!

But I digress, sorry OP. It is a dream of mine to recreate Jim's club up here in da nort' land. If I do I will have an annual Winamacians shoot free event. One gets to deer hunt out back.

Jim was one of the good ones. I always wanted to sit in on a class of his and see what he was doing to those 5th graders. Did he tell border patrol stories?

 

[Onebad06vtx]

I am glad I am not the only one this happens to and I dont hunt state land.
Well at least they have not taken your stand yet and put thiers in the same tree.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

You think it's bad during bow season? I won't even pull in the parking areas of state property during gun season.

 

[phylodog]

I gave up hunting for 20 years due to similar experiences on state land. I won't even consider it.

 

[Max Volume]

I quit hunting 12 years ago for the same reasons. There were some of us that hunted the same area every year, knew where each other's stands were and gave people room. That lasted a few years. I had bullets going right by me when a group of 3 walking down the fire lane decided they wanted to shoot in the air......right at me untlil I hollered. Then there was someone jumping deer and again, bullets all around me.

People would come in and break or steel stands and put theirs in the same area. I made it a point to hold my morning ritual until I got in those areas.

I almost became a very vocal anti hunter. Not due to killing animals but because of the way people acted. Like college kids away from mom and dad for the first time. I still feel the good percentage of hunters are arseholes.

Go deeper into the woods? Doesn't matter anywhere I've hunted. Someone is gonna be there. It will become like parts of Europe. Unless you are wealthy and can afford land you ain't gonna hunt. I have been thinking of an out of state semi guided deer hunt just to get into the woods.

I have also been contemplating not getting an environmental plate anymore. For years I thought the money may possibly be used to open more public hunting land.

 

[Bfish]

I think you are best off getting a lease. Sadly you can't do anything about where guys put their stands since they have as many rights to it as you do...

Leasing is the way to go, then you don't have to worry about anyone else. People still trespass but it's not as common... I don't have any problems where I hunt other than neighbors placing their stand on the line facing the direction of my plots. Heck they couldn't shoot a deer on their property unless they turned around and shot on the back side of the tree their stand is hanging in. I can see them come out and climb in their stands in the morning and while I'm not happy about it I can't do much unless I see them shoot something over the line.

For some reason deer hunting brings out the freaking crazy in people. I won't ever quit hunting but I've considered giving up deer hunting many times!
The only thing I hate are people who trespass! I've only ran people off once, but I did catch people parking and walking in front of my deer camera last year. If it happens this year there will be a issue. All is good until you trespass.

 

[Restroyer]

Just curious - how does one go about getting a land lease for hunting? I have always been curious how that works? Is it a go door to door and ask type of thing or is there a realtor type website that advertises hunting land for lease? I am fortunate enough this year to finally have my own land to hunt on (my wife and I saved every penny we could for 19 years to buy our property).

 

[Hookeye]

I hunted mid week after the gun opener 2 yrs ago at Winamac.
One day. Met a nice guy and his kid after seeing nobody for a couple of hrs (both of us moving to different area on common path).

Went up last Thanksgiving morning. Nobody at first area, went to 2nd and saw orange way off so drove around and saw a 130 class go from State to private at some distance.
Up ahead two Chicago guys walk out to the road.

I pick a parking area with no vehicles and get way back. Saw a small buck the first yr, couple of does. Nothing but the buck hitting private ground the 2nd yr.

Got out of the house, had a safe hunt on free ground......and met a nice guy and kid one trip, two decent chaps from Chi town the next.

Success on taking a deer sucked..........but I enjoyed the overall experience. But then I like that place ( is different enough from my normal hunting ground).

Hunted private for yrs. Had bullets zip by, poachers, stands stolen, death threats and even a guy try to run me off the road.
Winamac I limit myself to off days, get away from others...............and enjoy it.

So far it's been pretty darn relaxing.

 

[Max Volume]

BTW, I believe it was a very smart move to keep high powered rifles illegal for deer.

 

[Hookeye]

I did bowhunt other state ground and a stand was nearby ( 100 +yards farther down).
Never saw anybody in it, or walking to it. Never saw anybody back there.
Did they hang it for gun way early?
Did they hang mult stands and hunt the "hotter" ones?

Funny, a deer was shot near my stand..........by a guy that packed a climber in and out.
I hunted mornings, he shot it in the evening.

Didn't bother me one bit.

Found 2 ladder stands on other side. They've been there at least 3 yrs. Supposed to remove them by a certain date.
I don't hunt deer on that side, but my bud and I hunt yotes from those stands..........because we consider them public stands (since they broke the rules).
Plus we hunt them after deer season.

 

[w_ADAM_d88]

Just curious - how does one go about getting a land lease for hunting? I have always been curious how that works? Is it a go door to door and ask type of thing or is there a realtor type website that advertises hunting land for lease? I am fortunate enough this year to finally have my own land to hunt on (my wife and I saved every penny we could for 19 years to buy our property).

I've been curious about how hunting leases work too? Where/How do you go about finding a lease?

 

[ilikeguns]

I too am stuck on mostly state land. And it does have more than it's share of frustrations, and it gets tiring getting out there early in the afternoon only to have some slacker come wandering in an hour before sunset, or five minutes after daylight,etc. HOWEVER, I have to be honest here, and say one of my biggest pet peeves, and please no offense, and apologies if I am misunderstanding your OP, is people like you, who put up a fixed stand on public ground and think that claims the spot for themselves. It's PUBLIC ground. Do you hunt every single day, morning and night? How are people supposed to know if you are hunting at any one time? There is limited land, if you could claim a spot, they would ALL be claimed and it would not be public anymore. If I come in and someone is physically in an area,I back out and find somewhere else,and I appreciate it when others do the same, and most do with the exception of the occasional Ahole. I would never climb up right next to you. But, your stand? You aren't there, and I hunt the area. People stick a ladder stand up, leave it, then act like you are trespassing if you hunt anywhere near it. I had a guy last year put a stand up in an area I've hunted for YEARS and never had any run ins. No big deal, if I thought he was there I went somewhere else. Went in early one afternoon , got in my climber. Bout four o'clock here he comes in. I whistle and wave. Dude comes unglued. Base of my tree yelling. I don't intimidate though,and he left with a new understanding of public ground. Only nastiness I've ever experienced while hunting, all because a guy thought he could claim a piece of public land to himself. I personally wish all fixed stands were banned from public ground.Some states do, for just this reason. Get a good comfy climber or some mobile sticks and light hang on and you can go wherever you want, and, no-one can mess with or stand or use your scouting by finding your stand locations.