Any Good Deer Hunting In Indiana

BIGR · March 17, 2008, 09:14 PM

I know a guy around Terre Haute, IN. that says he has some good whitetail deer hunting. I was just wondering if that area is good for big bucks. If I drive hundreds of miles to get there I want a chance at a good buck. It would not be a trip just for doe meat. Any of you guys got any good info and pointers about that area. I am a non resident and would have to get the 150 dollar license I think.

tyrajam · March 18, 2008, 11:37 AM

It might be worth it. I hunt mostly the southern part of Indiana and there is getting to be fantastic deer hunting down there, one of my hunting buddies shot a 187 gross near columbus this last season. The Terre Haute area also has some good hunting, my friend grew up hunting Park county near there and his dad has a couple of 150's and a 190. If your buddy has private land it might be worth it. If he is taking you to a public FWA in the area, might not be worth it. He should be able to send you some pics, or have him put out a trailcam this summer to see if its really as good as he says.

BIGR · March 18, 2008, 04:29 PM

He has access to alot of private land. It sounds real good.

Six Shooter Steve · March 18, 2008, 05:40 PM

Jump at the chance. If you can hunt private land down there you should have some luck. With corn and beans everywhere, our bucks have some decent body size, and with the 1 buck rule their antler potential is getting better every year, been some mighty nice 150 to 180 bucks from down south the last few years.

bclark1 · March 18, 2008, 08:02 PM

I drive through Indiana every other month or so, and boy, there are some solid deer herds on the fields off the highways. Just off my drive-through observation, it seems like a great state for whitetail hunting.

tyrajam · March 18, 2008, 08:36 PM

here is a pic of my buddy mark and a buck he scored, he is a P&Y scorer. This deer grossed 227" and was shot last fall about 10 miles from his house in Columbus. Not to bad for Indiana, eh?

227 buck.jpg

BIGR · March 19, 2008, 07:01 PM

tyrajam, thats the kind of buck, that I dream about. The mid west has alot better habitat and food sources than some of the areas I hunt. Its got me thinking real serious about trying it next fall or winter. Whats the rule on the legal rifles? Think I read where it has to be of a certain caliber and smaller. Looked like to me that the 30.06 or .300 mag. would be out of the question, I assume due to the flat terrain. Thanks for the great info guys, keept it coming.

Six Shooter Steve · March 19, 2008, 07:04 PM

Indiana shotgun only on deer hunting. We can only use rifles on varmints kinda sucks but you do what you gotta do

tyrajam · March 19, 2008, 07:54 PM

You can use shotguns (rifled barrels and sabots are pretty accurate), or you can hunt with a muzzelloader or a pistol, so a T/C pistol shooting 30-06 is fine, but a '06 rifle is out. They also changed it last year to allow rifles firing handgun cartridges. Last year I bought a Ruger deerstalker in .44mag, very handy little gun. If you bowhunt, you will see alot of big bucks because you can hunt during the rut, Nov. 4,5, & 6 were the magic days for the last two years for me, but gun season doesn't start until the end of Nov. Hope this helps!

lon371 · March 30, 2008, 04:49 PM

TYRAJAM DIDNT YOU GET THE MEMO? We only have small skinny dear in Indiana.

If your buddy has farm land to hunt, you should try it out. I live at the bottom of indiana. Our herd is growing bigger every year. I think i have a picture of one taken last year, it was a medium deer for what we are seeing.
It was 202lbs and I believe 11 point. couldnt find it. Here is my daughter and her first deer 2003. 168lbs-10point.[IMG]

[/IMG]
As for guns, we are able to use shotguns,handguns,rifles .357-.50 in handgun cartrige as stated above.

BIGR · March 30, 2008, 09:18 PM

Nice deer for sure. I know how you guys feel about outsiders coming in hunting on your turf....

. I promise I can't hurt the population.

lon371 · March 31, 2008, 05:52 AM

We really dont mind sharing. Like i posted earlier "our herd is growing" The way I see it, If you want to pay for the tags and have permission you are welcome. With us being able to hunt deer for 4 months, and the amount of deer we have. I would give up if I couldnt fill my tags

Legba · March 31, 2008, 06:12 AM

+1 On hunting private lands if all possible. Hunting the State ground up here is a death wish. Seen alot of people come up here hunting and not know the first thing about gun safety. We do have alot of deer here. The condition of my car can tell you that.

lon371 · April 2, 2008, 08:01 AM

+1
On the car knows. I come home around 11pm every night. I can tell you where the hang out after dark (it aint the woods)

March 17, 2008, 09:14 PM	#1
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,231	Any Good Deer Hunting In Indiana I know a guy around Terre Haute, IN. that says he has some good whitetail deer hunting. I was just wondering if that area is good for big bucks. If I drive hundreds of miles to get there I want a chance at a good buck. It would not be a trip just for doe meat. Any of you guys got any good info and pointers about that area. I am a non resident and would have to get the 150 dollar license I think.

March 18, 2008, 05:40 PM	#4
Six Shooter Steve Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2008 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 161	Jump at the chance. If you can hunt private land down there you should have some luck. With corn and beans everywhere, our bucks have some decent body size, and with the 1 buck rule their antler potential is getting better every year, been some mighty nice 150 to 180 bucks from down south the last few years. __________________ Six Sooter Steve {There is no problem that can't be solved by the use of high explosives}

March 19, 2008, 07:04 PM	#8
Six Shooter Steve Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2008 Location: North Central Indiana Posts: 161	Indiana shotgun only on deer hunting. We can only use rifles on varmints kinda sucks but you do what you gotta do __________________ Six Sooter Steve {There is no problem that can't be solved by the use of high explosives}

March 30, 2008, 04:49 PM	#10
lon371 Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 2007 Location: S.Indiana Posts: 252	TYRAJAM DIDNT YOU GET THE MEMO? We only have small skinny dear in Indiana. If your buddy has farm land to hunt, you should try it out. I live at the bottom of indiana. Our herd is growing bigger every year. I think i have a picture of one taken last year, it was a medium deer for what we are seeing. It was 202lbs and I believe 11 point. couldnt find it. Here is my daughter and her first deer 2003. 168lbs-10point.[IMG][/IMG] As for guns, we are able to use shotguns,handguns,rifles .357-.50 in handgun cartrige as stated above.

March 30, 2008, 09:18 PM	#11
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,231	Nice deer for sure. I know how you guys feel about outsiders coming in hunting on your turf..... I promise I can't hurt the population.

March 18, 2008, 11:37 AM	#2
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	It might be worth it. I hunt mostly the southern part of Indiana and there is getting to be fantastic deer hunting down there, one of my hunting buddies shot a 187 gross near columbus this last season. The Terre Haute area also has some good hunting, my friend grew up hunting Park county near there and his dad has a couple of 150's and a 190. If your buddy has private land it might be worth it. If he is taking you to a public FWA in the area, might not be worth it. He should be able to send you some pics, or have him put out a trailcam this summer to see if its really as good as he says.

March 18, 2008, 04:29 PM	#3
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,231	He has access to alot of private land. It sounds real good.

March 18, 2008, 08:02 PM	#5
bclark1 Senior Member Join Date: January 5, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 1,531	I drive through Indiana every other month or so, and boy, there are some solid deer herds on the fields off the highways. Just off my drive-through observation, it seems like a great state for whitetail hunting.

March 18, 2008, 08:36 PM	#6
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	here is a pic of my buddy mark and a buck he scored, he is a P&Y scorer. This deer grossed 227" and was shot last fall about 10 miles from his house in Columbus. Not to bad for Indiana, eh? 227 buck.jpg

March 19, 2008, 07:01 PM	#7
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,231	tyrajam, thats the kind of buck, that I dream about. The mid west has alot better habitat and food sources than some of the areas I hunt. Its got me thinking real serious about trying it next fall or winter. Whats the rule on the legal rifles? Think I read where it has to be of a certain caliber and smaller. Looked like to me that the 30.06 or .300 mag. would be out of the question, I assume due to the flat terrain. Thanks for the great info guys, keept it coming.

March 19, 2008, 07:54 PM	#9
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	You can use shotguns (rifled barrels and sabots are pretty accurate), or you can hunt with a muzzelloader or a pistol, so a T/C pistol shooting 30-06 is fine, but a '06 rifle is out. They also changed it last year to allow rifles firing handgun cartridges. Last year I bought a Ruger deerstalker in .44mag, very handy little gun. If you bowhunt, you will see alot of big bucks because you can hunt during the rut, Nov. 4,5, & 6 were the magic days for the last two years for me, but gun season doesn't start until the end of Nov. Hope this helps!

March 31, 2008, 05:52 AM	#12
lon371 Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 2007 Location: S.Indiana Posts: 252	We really dont mind sharing. Like i posted earlier "our herd is growing" The way I see it, If you want to pay for the tags and have permission you are welcome. With us being able to hunt deer for 4 months, and the amount of deer we have. I would give up if I couldnt fill my tags

April 2, 2008, 08:01 AM	#14
lon371 Senior Member Join Date: September 1, 2007 Location: S.Indiana Posts: 252	+1 On the car knows. I come home around 11pm every night. I can tell you where the hang out after dark (it aint the woods)