Deer Hunting Harvest Poll

[singlesix]

Haven't been hunting in 10 years, helping a newbie get into Bow Hunting. While looking up current hunting regulations on the DNR site, I saw the stats on Deer Harvests for Indiana. Year after year less than 9% of harvests are on public lands. For 2022 it was 7.8% for public lands. This is a depressing state for public land hunters (we only have access to public lands). So, please response to the poll, let's see if the stats hold true for a smaller population.

 

[tcecil88]

Last season, I got my deer on my property. However, I typically hunt public land, but I have not seen many deer the last several seasons until last season. I hunted 3 times, got my deer on the second trip, and saw 10 deer during those trips. 6 bucks and 4 does. Maybe the deer are starting to recover from the Blue Tongue that went through our area a few years back.

 

[phylodog]

I've never taken a deer on public land and haven't killed a deer in three years so I didn't vote. Indiana doesn't offer great public land hunting but that makes it little different than most of the eastern half of the U.S.. I've had bad experiences hunting public land here which led me to give up hunting for almost two decades until a private land opportunity came up. That said, I have a friend who has great success on public land and takes really good bucks almost every year. It is possible but it typically requires more research and effort than hunting private ground. The odds of encountering other hunters is obviously higher on public ground but that can work in someone's favor.

 

[two70]

Haven't been hunting in 10 years, helping a newbie get into Bow Hunting. While looking up current hunting regulations on the DNR site, I saw the stats on Deer Harvests for Indiana. Year after year less than 9% of harvests are on public lands. For 2022 it was 7.8% for public lands. This is a depressing state for public land hunters (we only have access to public lands). So, please response to the poll, let's see if the stats hold true for a smaller population.

I didn't kill a deer this past year but if I had it would mostly likely have been on private land although I did hunt some public land. It makes complete sense that only 9% or less of the deer harvested are killed on public land. Public land is not managed like private land is. A prime example of the "Tragedy of the Commons". The habitat is usually not nearly as good either. Also, a significant number of hunters take advantage of landowner tags on their own property to avoid license fees. Plus, some public properties of significant size do not allow the use of bonus antlerless tags to be used.

 

[spencer rifle]

LOL tag soup this year.

 

[duanewade]

Did they count the reduction hunts in state parks in that "public land" kill count?

 

[cg21]

Both. Save my property for new hunters old and young. I go hunt public it is more of a challenge and that proves frustrating.

 

[Dirty Steve]

Private land.I have not hunted public since the mid-90's,...but back then I did manage to take a deer each year though. It took a lot of studying topo quad maps and going where others didn't or wouldn't.

Dirty Steve

 

[Mgderf]

I've only hunted public land on two occasions, both being at Prophetstown State Park.
Both hunts were unsuccessful.
I have taken multiple deer on private property for many years running.

 

[model1994]

both, but I now live very close to 20,000+ acres of public land across various properties. I grew up in Delaware county and huntable public land was basically restricted to navigable riparian zones, so not much hunting was successful or even possible. such is why I shot with a camera for years before a gun.

 

[chubbs]

I typically only hunt private land. But I did the park reduction hunts with a buddy this year, filled my meat quota with an 8 point buck and a button buck.

 

[greg]

9,549 Deer were taken on public land this year per harvest data

Deer Harvest Data

Preliminary deer harvest data from Indiana DNR's CheckINGame system.

www.in.gov

 

[greg]

Haven't been hunting in 10 years, helping a newbie get into Bow Hunting. While looking up current hunting regulations on the DNR site, I saw the stats on Deer Harvests for Indiana. Year after year less than 9% of harvests are on public lands. For 2022 it was 7.8% for public lands. This is a depressing state for public land hunters (we only have access to public lands). So, please response to the poll, let's see if the stats hold true for a smaller population.

The real question is how many folks hunt public only…..Bet it’s a low percentage IMO

 

[Hookeye]

I hunt public once in a while, before gun season (bow).
Yearlings, does and small bucks.
Refreshing change to be on diff ground.
Don't have the doe numbers to shoot em on my tiny private spot.
Will hit public a few times to try (recurve).