Alright guys, havnt posted in awhile but i know this is the place to go for advice. Me and my buddies are looking to do a public land Indiana archery hunt, November 7-10. We’re liking the size of Hoosier National Forest. Does anyone have any pointers? Looking for a cheap motel to book close by because we won’t be spending much time in the room. I’m all ears for pointers. We’ve done public land trips in PA and Ohio but this is the first for Indiana. Thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I don’t know what level of amenities you guys prefer. If your hunting around Monroe county (lake Monroe/Bloomington), I believe there are some rental cabins around the lake. Motel 6 in Bloomington is around $50-$60/night also. What area are you guys looking into? There are bits and pieces from the bottom of the state to the middle.
I'm too lazy to check the IU football schedule but if there's a home game that Saturday it's likely the Bucket Game (Purdue) and all the Bloomington hotels will book. Honestly same if WI, MSU, OSU, or UM. Big Ten team's fans travel and all the bigger name football program fans love to watch their alma mater beat the pants off IU at football. Plus the traffic will be horrendous. You will have better luck out towards Columbus or down south of Bedford. I have hunted near Lake Monroe (15 years ago) and the terrain is pretty tough going unless you are used to foothill country. Simon, just a heads-up Southern Indiana is worlds apart from northern Indiana- there are a lot more big woods and fewer crops to the south compared to north of Bloomington. Lots of hills, and access can be an issue. Not to say you can't have success but be diligent with your on-line scouting.
That weekend is a bye week. When I was a boiler operator and worked 4-12 at the heat plant on campus, driving in to work on game days could get pretty frustrating. You’re right though. Habitat diversity can be tough to find on an aerial. And there are more ridges than a man could cover in a lifetime. Up, down, up, down, up, down, down, down, down, holy sh1t I wish I wouldn’t have walked down into this ravine.
one of those posts where I got almost done with it and realized I could've googled the schedule faster than it took me to type up the ultimately unnecessary cautionary tale. I've busted my butt more times than I can count in in more than one of those Monroe County ravines. Fallen leaves + limestone shale + steep grade = down you go. Back then I was hunting by myself. Looking back I'm glad I never shot a deer b/c there was no way I could've dragged it out. Didn't think that far ahead.
One of my favorite out of state hunts was in Indiana on public ground. We typically hunt ohio archery the week before indiana gun season. So I have never hunted archery in Indiana but I can say that in general the public ground out there was great. Not much pressure (compared to PA and some parts of OH). We were actually out there on the first day of Gun season and there was a whole troop of boy scouts hiking through the woods.. long story short, they had no idea it was even the first day of gun season.. if that doesnt tell you something I dont know what will.. To me indiana has phenomenal potential. Any chance I get to hunt that state I will.
We’re really looking hard at the Hoosier National Forest. We prefer a cheap motel. I’ve been looking at aerials. I’m used to hunting WV a few times a year so I’m not opposed to some hills, we’re gonna look at terrain maps and setup on ridges and saddles, it’ll be rut so anything can happen. Thursday (first day) will be setup day and we’ll hunt Friday - Sunday morning. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
If you book ahead, the motel 6 in Bloomington will be around $50/ night or something like that. That puts you between Morgan Monroe state forest, yellowood state forest, and Hoosier national.
Another option is staying in North Vernon or Seymour. You could hunt Musacatuck and Crosley refuges. Seymour has all kinds of $50-$60 motel rooms. Your also still a short drive to Hoosier National Forrest over by Brownstown. Bigger deer are taken in Jennings/Jackson counties than those taken Brown.
Take a look at Salem.. depending on what part of Hoosier nat you're hunting, its not bad little town.
Thank you everyone for the replies. Keep them coming. I believe the plan will be to find a decent drive up motel first and then find areas on the map to hunt from there. This first year we will truly be going in blind. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
that has happened to me on more than one northern IN public land hunt. Groups of people (non-hunters) tromping through the woods on opening morning. Good times!
Highly encourage you to check out this area especially if you have boat access https://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files/fw-Wabashiki_FWA.pdf
We will not be bringing a boat. I would love to, but no room this year. What are the laws on using canoes In Indiana? Must be registered I’m assuming? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
What’s the cell phone service like in the Hoosier? We rented an Air BnB not far from Heltonville closer to the lake. That’s gonna be our base camp. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You're going to be in my neighbor hood. Our Family farm is not 10 miles from Heltonville. this buck was taken from that area in 2017 I use to hunt Hoosier National a lot in the 90's. The key is finding places that have AG fields that boarder HNF that don't get tons of pressure. Couple place that that you might want to look at. Fork Ridge Maumee
Awesome buck man. Those areas your circled we have been looking at pretty hard on the map. Also a lot over southwest of Elkinville. We’re used to hunting farmland but we’ve also hunted the big woods of WV and PA so I knew what thats like too. We’re just excited to get out of our comfort zone a little and experience some new territory. Any good restaurants or bars in the area for us to eat lunch/dinner at? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
