[10X]

Is the bowhunting pretty good on Public land in Indiana?

 

[Wanatah]

In NW IN there is guite a few public areas to hunt. Kingsbury, Jasper Pulaski, LaSalle, Willow Slough to name a few of the more popular areas. Years ago I hunted these areas and took deer every year. If you are just looking to put meat in the freezer you can do pretty good. However, most oppurtunity's will be on smaller deer, which there are an abundance of.

 

[Old Mossy Horns]

..

I found there is way to much pressure on public hunting lands. So I don't even waste my time hunting them. I am sure some people have lots of luck hunting them but I never did. I will stay with private land.

 

[HunterEd]

I agree that there is a lot of pressure on MOST public lands, however during bowseason there isn't NEARLY as much! Many places that I hunt I won't see a SOUL during archery, but will see more orange than brown come gun season!!!Also, I think that it is DIRECTLY proportional to how far you are willing to walk as most aren't willing to stray too far from their truck!!!

Now granted, I would PREFER private (I hunt a lot of private also!)...but it is getting few & far between anymore. Not to mention that even on private land that you can SOMEWHAT control...you still can't control the adjacent land.

All in all, I think that there are some GREAT opportunities on public land...IF you are willing to put in the time & sweat equity! Just look to our South (KY) where there is VERY little public hunting opportunities, and where there is (like Peabody!) you are talking some REAL hunting pressure!!!

 

[HunterEd]

Here is a public land bowhunting opportunity...one that I took FULL advantage of!!!

(sorry for the poor pic quality, it is actually a digital pic of a 35mm pic!)

 

[mich buckmaster]

The only problem I see in hunting public land is the other hunters utilizing the land for other things, small game hunting, walking the dog, out plinking, and then the slob hunters that STEAL everything. Other than that you can still outsmart a wise old buck, it just takes more time and LUCK!!

 

[buck69]

Hello,Ihunt public land and do verywell but i hunt a place that is very hard to hunt and when people hunt it they last only once or twice..There is a lot of deer and some huge bucks,this year i seen 5 that are the ones you see on tv...Shot a 14 pointer out of there the 3rd week of the season,then 2 doe at the end of the year..I to though been looking for land to lease but that is hard to do too...

 

[Switzerland Co]

My public ground bucks

The last two years I hunted public ground during the week while in School at Indiana State University. Here are the last two bucks I took, both on public ground.

Both were taken in early archery before most of the gun pressure. They were also both taken at Minnehaha public hunting ground. I can email you maps once I get moved in that have all my scouted area's marked. I have too much good private ground close by to go back on a two hour one way trip.

Rod

 

[Greendeem]

Rod, I was at ISU from 89 to 93 and also hunted at Minehaha some. Spent most of my weekends driving back to Bloomington to hunt but also found a few private grounds to hunt close to school. I also played football so it took up a lot of time. The weekends I didnt go someplace to deer hunt I spent at the Balley and at Simmerals, are they still around?

 

[Switzerland Co]

Yep, the Balley was remodeled recently. Just expanded really. I went in the Marines and worked for a finance company before going to college to teach. I had a few friends and realtives go to ISU the years you were there. I graduated High School in 93. Do you happen to know J.P. Mathews, Todd Pollock, Craig Sanders, or Matt Mason? All these guys were Pikes, but J.P. is my step dad's nephew and Todd and Craig are now my brother in laws. I worked with Matt Mason in Evansville.

I am student teaching now and have things lined out to graduate in May. My family is from the Ripley county, Switerland County area so this turkey season I will be doing my hunting on private ground.

I can't complain about the public ground on the west side of the state. If you scout hard, print off areal photos and get out early there are good hunting spots to be had.

Rod

 

[Indiana Hunter]

I live about 8 miles from Minnehaha I hunt and fish it all the time. I hope the state don't loose it in October when the lessee is up on it, that is a lot of good public ground to loose.

Robbie

 

[IndianaHick]

The new Fairbanks hunting area should be pretty good; for the most part it was not hunted hard from 1999 - 2004. Although there was a group of 17 select hunters that did hunt that area. But then again most of it was not open to the general public. There is private lands intersperced with in that are that has had some hunting. If you do go there make sure you stay off of the private land and do not park your vehicle on it. This farmer will have you towed away. No ifs ands or buts. He does not want you there unless you have permission and he only gives permission to one relative and he can bring only one friend. He does have his employees patrol it.