We definitely dont have the animal numbers they think we do. It might have had some to do with the wealthy individuals crying because they couldnt take their kids to these fenced in hunts and use high-powered rifles or crossbows. I've got a colleague that is a DNR officer here and he said he couldnt go into details but something along those lines happened. He knows our population isn't doing the hottest. I see amish piling deer into the backs of their buggies and know 100% they dont check them in. They butcher at home and dont have internet to check them in online. They caught one guy not long ago with 8 deer hanging in his barn.
I moved out of that county that I hunted my whole life because the deer just disappeared. You were lucky to see a yearling still alive at the end of the season. The amish kill absolutely anything they can reach. They don't care what it is. The most illegal hunters ever, I'm glad most of you dont have to bother with them.
Interesting and controversial thread here. Let's go back to the spear, without the atlatl, and stone axe. Even then, there will be debate. The ones who try an Xbow shot at 100 yards are the same ones who shoot at a duck at 100 yards and never sight in any firearm to make a clean, ethical kill. Eight inches at 100 yards? As mentioned, waaaay to much margin for error. I'm a hunter education instructor- "Find your most accurate distance with whatever you use, bow, firearm, etc. and don't exceed that." Edit- a wildlife officer commented that the turkey harvest was down in Tennessee. Why? He attributed it to the online check-in. They just aren't reporting it! BTW, what are the Amish using to hunt?
Okay, sorry but I'm gonna declare your blanket statement as utterly false. The amish are just like ANY sect of people, there are terrible ones and great ones...to blanketly label and hate an entire group of people is a stance out of ignorance. Some of the greatest neighbors my parents have ever had around them (northern Indiana as well) are the amish. From helping if ever in need (trees down, deep snow needing plowed...hosting or attending family bonfires) to even organizing the area hunters to dinners where everyone can share their stories but also allows overall discussion of goals and management ideas deer wise. His neighbors are nothing like you outline and do not just kill all they can. Shoot two of them have read about every book on hunting I have...and have even attended habitat work days by consultants and do a ton of work on their own places. Now flip this to a dear friends farm in the same county about 6 miles away...his amish neighbors are scum. Trespassers, poachers....all of it. But they are not hunters NOR are they a representation of an entire group of people. Shoot personally in ALL my history of issues hunting or property related (over 30 trespassing cases and 1 poaching case) NONE of them have been amish related. Did you go through the proper steps to report them through the DNR tip line? Such a claim, must be 100% substantiated to say it in this capacity and reporting EVERY poaching instance we as hunters are aware of is a must. This sport is only as clean as those of us going about things legally and ethically keep it.
You sir are lucky to not have the problems we have around here. Yes Amish get reported, some do get caught. Most get away with stuff. Why? Because our county commissioners say they attribute too much to the local economy and cracking down on them would possibly make them take their money elsewhere. As we speak, the Amish community has hired a lawyer to sue the county for making them follow regulations because their way of life contradicts it.
This didn't answer my question, nor do the county commissioners control the ICO's. Did you report them?
Yup some areas definitely see larger concentrations of good or bad, and honestly where I grew up the terrible non-amish "hunting" folks out numbered the good as well.
Like I've stated before there is a lack of CO in our area, we have one officer that covers two counties. Yes I have called and made reports, I have the CO personal number. We had amish shoot out of buggies into our property, trespassing. We've made several reports. How do you catch them? Most dont have license plates on their buggies even though its law now that they must plate them. No IDs. Etc. Now you see why i moved out of that county.
I'd recommend not just a verbal discussion with an ICO but an actual tip line sent in to the state site, I'd also double it up as I've always done (FAR TOO OFTEN) make an actual police report, especially in trespassing cases. If ever caught having numerous reports and any evidence which can connect to it not being their first time breaking the law UPS your chances. Many counties in the state share ICOs actually sadly, not an uncommon thing. It's getting better but still very common.
Here's my thoughts. You have a right to be ticked, but not at the yahoo's. Be mad at the DNR or DEC ,what ever agancy that allowed users of crossbows out there without the manditory safety class for BOWHUNTING ! I use a crossbow but I'm a bow hunter. I understand the killing dynamics. Our state allows them for deer only in last 2 wks. and late season. NO safety requirement but reading a paragraph then carrying a signed dated note saying you did some reading. That pisses me right off. Oh and they need to buy... a muzzle loading tag??!!!
Amazing what a difference moving one county away does. No Amish here and deer population is great. Somehow the tag limits here are 2 does lower though? I really think the on-line check in really affects the true numbers. I know it's hard on the CO around here to follow up on every call and be everywhere at once.
Exactly lol! You woulda thought the DNR woulda have got the hint years ago when limit was high in that certain county and harvest numbers were staying low
The entire state of Indiana deliberately entered a reduction mode (agree or disagree) for about five years. Since that ended, and with the addition of a deer biologist, we have slowly seen bonus quotas drop across the state every year. The targeted reduction zone approach Joe is implementing is handling deer density/public carrying capacity much better and is a great tool. Adjusting quota figures do impact, but not nearly as much as everyone believes. The number of folks that actually harvest 4 or more deer is incredibly minute to the overall successful hunter counts. One can take 4 deer legally without using anything besides Archery (2 deer), Firearms and Muzzleloader licenses.
Funny you folks a little south complain about the amish , up north they complain about the indians killing their deer.
