Will indiana overtake kentucky in deer hunting?

[predator]

This was brought to my attention today by an KDFWR employee who predicts that Indiana will soon overtake Kentucky in overall quality of deer hunting in the near future if things are not reversed in Kentucky.

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-2008deerseasonsummary.pdf

Look at the detail of the report, the breakdowns and trends. I noticed they have a 1 buck rule, an expanded x-bow season and mirco-manage the anterless harvest by county.

Disclaimer: I've never hunted Indiana, so I have no first-and knowledge, again this was brought to my attention by a Dept employee who seems to think Kentucky should copy some of Indiana's practices. Thought I'd share.

 

[QDM]

I think they have always been better, they just have more people per acre than KY and that hurts them as far as refuge for the bucks to age.

 

[huntr467]

This was brought to my attention today by an KDFWR employee who predicts that Indiana will soon overtake Kentucky in overall quality of deer hunting in the near future if things are not reversed in Kentucky.

Just out of curiousity what is it exactly that needs to be "reversed"?
Ky manages counties by zoning, one buck rule, bonus antlerless tag program, similar seasons. Looks to be pretty close to the same to me. I could not imagine what they meant by reversing. I have hunted in In. and there are some awsome areas just as there is in Ky.
I would be very interested to see Ky publish such a report with statitistics to back it. Although there would still be the naysayers who would say it was all propoganda and lies. I sometimes can't help but think that when people bash the way KDFW does things that they are not being a little to micro sensitive and want change for everyone just because they have or had a bad experience in their own little world. Lets face it folks you can only make the so many people happy. There are alwasy going to be the ones who feel betrayed and left out for one reason or the other.
And besides, I didn't know that there was a race going on., heck I would have done my part and maybe padded telecheck to help keep our lead

 

[carter county cuckler]

Have guys ever been to Indiana and seen how much farm land they have,its crazy,and it would be crazy if they didnt have nicer deer than we do.

 

[sheperd]

Does anybody remember hunting in the mid to late 80's. I think back to those days and can't believe how good we have it now. We hunted good crop land in Hart County and Edmonson county and were thrilled to kill a deer, much less a good buck. I think we have great hunting now and the department is doing an excellent job.

 

[bowcrazy3]

Does anybody remember hunting in the mid to late 80's. I think back to those days and can't believe how good we have it now. We hunted good crop land in Hart County and Edmonson county and were thrilled to kill a deer, much less a good buck. I think we have great hunting now and the department is doing an excellent job.

It just varies a lot from place to place I guess, but our situation in Southeast Kentucky is just the opposite. I wish we could go back to the mid to late 80's when you could actually see what you would call a "herd" of deer. Nothing like that exists around hear today unless you count a few private "managed" farms.

 

[predator]

Just out of curiousity what is it exactly that needs to be "reversed"?
Ky manages counties by zoning, one buck rule, bonus antlerless tag program, similar seasons. Looks to be pretty close to the same to me. I could not imagine what they meant by reversing. I have hunted in In. and there are some awsome areas just as there is in Ky.
I would be very interested to see Ky publish such a report with statitistics to back it.

I didn't ask specifics, but I will. But I assume, from previous conversations with this Dept. biologist that they are concerned about the lack of............................................... with the deer herd!!

 

[AteUp]

This was brought to my attention today by an KDFWR employee who predicts that Indiana will soon overtake Kentucky in overall quality of deer hunting in the near future if things are not reversed in Kentucky.

Good, then everybody will want to hunt Indiana instead of Kentucky and our deer hunting will still be as good as it always was. If theirs gets better, that doesn't mean ours got worse. I didn't know it was a competition?

 

[riverboss]

It just varies a lot from place to place I guess, but our situation in Southeast Kentucky is just the opposite. I wish we could go back to the mid to late 80's when you could actually see what you would call a "herd" of deer. Nothing like that exists around hear today unless you count a few private "managed" farms.

The biggest problem down there is the only season most of the people down there no is salt and pepper.

 

[bowcrazy3]

The biggest problem down there is the only season most of the people down there no is salt and pepper.

Well I doubt that them thar folks up there don't no much more better.

 

[wcpickens]

No matter what each state does, we have to manage ourselves. NO matter how many deer you can legally kill. Only harvest what your family will actually eat. Those of us that can, need to do whatever possible as far as habitat goes to help out. Try to help out the younger generation coming up and teach them good hunting ethics. If you think the mid to late 80's were bad, you should have hunted the 70's.

 

[NonTyp]

Indiana has been making some big strides the last few years and is getting some well deserved attention. They have been rolling out some dandy bucks! Not so many years ago they were a two buck state with gun season coming in the second saturday in Nov. IMO the one buck rule is one of the major contributers to their new found fame.

 

[HuntKY21685]

I have lived in IN and KY. Ive seen hunting at its best in both states. I saw the biggest deer of my life killed in IN, But I only saw one big deer killed a year, everyone else was shooting 2 or younger. When I moved to KY I saw 5 to 10 hugh deer killed a year. When I lived in IN the word got out about a big deer down everyone flooded the check station, here in KY you hear about a big deer down and you have to ask which one there talking about. I hunt KY every year and love it, I would have no problem hunting in IN. To me deer hunting is what you make of it, I dont care how far one state is up on the B&C list. Its not gonna determine where I go to hunt. I hunt where I wana hunt and I shoot what I want to shoot.

 

[westkybanded]

Good, then everybody will want to hunt Indiana instead of Kentucky and our deer hunting will still be as good as it always was. If theirs gets better, that doesn't mean ours got worse. I didn't know it was a competition?

Exactly!

Let them hunt north!

 

[SwampMonster10]

The biggest problem down there is the only season most of the people down there no is salt and pepper.

Way to show your ignorance at least twice with the same post.......I think most people in SE KY "know" the difference between "know" and "no" and the general attitude from your post speaks volumes......

Anyway, I think the KDFWR has done an exceptional job the last 15 or 20 years. I remember hunting when I was a kid, and the hunting today is far better. As for Indiana, I didn't know it was a competition but if they edge us out, so be it. That will just keep some non-resident hunters out of KY.........maybe