Pond Boss Forums GENERAL QUESTIONS Wildlife Management It's that time of year again....

Here we go... As I locked up the shop tonight, I could hear the barrage of gunshots echoing up and down the valley. Tomorrow morning is opening day of firearms season here in Indiana, and, as usual, those who pick up a weapon once a year were frantically using the last few minutes of daylight to get sighted in. Really???

As a non deer hunter, what this means to me is that fishing MY last pond, the one bordered by MY woods, now requires the wearing of blaze orange, accompanied by the loud, verbal announcement to anyone who may be within earshot, that Deer are not normally found to carry a fishing rod. It goes without saying that my squirrel hunting is over for awhile, as is any activity that would take me into MY OWN woods. Heck, I have one neighbor who wears orange to go to the mailbox this time of year.

I've stated here before that I have nothing against deer hunting, in fact, two of my neighbors have asked for, and received, permission to hunt on me. It's the bunches who come down from wherever, to hunt on a co-workers, or friends place, that cause me problems. I'm glad you have a place to "hunt", but that place is most definitely not here, on my posted property.

Did you like all the no trespassing signs that cost me some money, and most of one weekend, to put up last year? I know you saw at least one, as I found it shot full of holes. Glad I could assist you with your target practice, as the tree bore silent witness to your obvious lack of proficiency with your weapon.

Oh, and I really admire your creativity in solving the problem of getting YOUR deer over MY boundary fence, and back onto the property you were supposed to be hunting on. Cutting the bottom two strands of barbed wire surely made that chore much easier. Well done.

Have I thanked you for providing me with the fine set of antlers from that 8 pointer you wounded? When I found it floating in my big pond that was the only thing left salvageable. It had been shot in the hindquarters. From the looks of the infected wound, It's death wasn't quick, or painless. Far from it.
Maybe you should've taken a few more practice shots at that no trespassing sign, huh?

Now please understand that this tirade is not directed at anyone on this site. From what I've read, the deer hunters' on here are ethical, qualified sportsmen/women, who know, and practice proficient hunting techniques. Harvest is necessary, whether it be deer, or fish. It's the "must shoot something" types, and their complete disregard for personal property, who cause me grief.

Oh well, like I told a neighbor earlier today, "make sure your goats stay in the barn, and your great dane stays on the porch". and we'll get through it, hopefully unscathed.

That is funny stuff............Yet I see the seriousness of your situation.

Good Luck

Tony:

I hear you loud and clear.

I have permission to hunt on a friends property, and I will be doing just as much (if not more) police work than hunting this weekend. I have the muzzleloader sighted in at 100 yds, and I shot groups and verified drops at 200 and 300 Yds. (just in case a nice deer steps out)

(Now, if anybody can explain to me why the group at 300 Yds was smaller than the group at 200 Yds, I'm all ears!)

Because of hunting with the muzzleloader, I will also be carrying my .45. (I DO have a permit) More for protection against 2 legged animals than 4 legged ones. You never know. It's a yearly chore to put up the No Tresspassing signs a week or so before season. I did find aluminum signs for less than a buck each, IIRC, they are $0.55 each.

Hopefully, after this weekend all the wannabe hunters will be back in the house.

Sprkplug,I believe I would have a Game Warden on their butts in a hurry. I recently found a bronchial inhaler on the ground near a deer blind and a comb inside it. I resent having to put a lock on it but did.

Last year I allowed a friend and his 8 year old Son to hunt my place. They ran into a couple of guys that asked them what they doing on "their" land. The friend had the good sense to leave and call me. Since I don't have good sense I drove there and started looking. I found the place where that had crossed the fence. I called the GW and he accompanied me to where they had parked. He interviewed my friend, got a description and made an arrest. In Texas, trespassing with a deadly weapon is a felony. The case is still "pending".

First light is here... Boom- Boom -Boom.... everybody stay safe.

Post a bunch of these signs. Hopefully they can read.

Don't even get me started. I gave up deer hunting years ago due to all the hassles of dealing with trespassers and poachers.

I did put a salt block on my property a few days ago as the deer seem to be pawing at my damp leech bed for the water softener salt. No hunting here anyway as they come through only at night.

Reading posts makes me sad as a hunter. My father is a hunter education instructor and tries to reach out to the new youth hunters. Unfortunately, the bad apple hunters make a bad name for the rest of us. They will be the cause of hunting being banned or extremely restricted. It's amazing what men are willing to do to shoot a "trophy" buck. However, in my mind no matter how large a deer's antlers are, if it was taken illegally it isn't a trophy. Whether the illegal method be through trespassing, poaching or other method. I am fortunate to have over the years with my father become friends with several land owners who didn't allow hunting on their land. But as those land owners got to know my father and I, they eventually gave us permission to hunt as they knew the type of people we were.

You mean something like this?

Interesting read and it's a shame this buck was poached it is a dandy buck.. It seems like he didn't think anything wrong about it, and was doing it for a while.....

Links to the story
http://heartlandoutdoors.com/index.php/scattershooting/story/kiernan_faces_poaching_charges/

http://www.morrisdailyherald.com/2011/11/01/local-hunter-faces-41-criminal-counts/anz05br/

Here is a picture of the deer and his story of the harvest

http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?/hunting/article/chris_kiernans_39-pointer/

Not much worse than poachers, trespassers and road hunters.

I now find my yellow "posted signs" ripped off the trees and an empty beer can at the base of the tree as a calling card. Classy.

As they say in PA, POSTED means... Plenty Of Squirrels Turkeys Even Deer

May I ask where? I haven't had problems.... yet.

My memory is bad. They could be either over a buck or under a buck depending on quantity.

http://cspoutdoors.com/ponotrsi.html

I haven't ordered from them, but found them on the internet for a buddy.

Last year when deer hunting season opened I walked to the pond and found a large buck laying dead by the edge of my pond. Thankfully I had a tractor to pull the deer to the nearest road, and called the sheriff dept. to have it picked up and possibly butchered for the needy. I was awakened at 12:30 am this morning when coon hunters were in my back yard woods that connects with an adjoining woods. It happens every year so I expect it but it's hard on the sleep.

Can't believe how warm it is here in east central Indiana in the middle of November. I still have frogs jumping in the water as I walk around the pond.

It's above normal up here too John. But as we all know that can quickly change!

Right around 70 for the last few days... Sure killed the daytime deer movement. With the front moving through, temps are supposed to drop nearly 20 degrees. Should get the deer back to day time movement and me filling a couple more deer tags. All without trespassing or breaking the law.

Is the rut over in Indiana? Saw three does with no buck this evening.

I doubt it... The rut is probably about half way through. Probably right in the peak of the breeding phase. Remember, some does won't get bred and there will be a second mini rut in December as well as fawn does coming into estrus for the first time. One study I saw on doing fetus size from does harvested in the late season showed that does were bred in every month from September to February in Pennsylvania but about 75% were bred in November. The bucks were out cruising for does this evening in VA.

Yup, It's that time of year again ...

when the trophies are ready for entry into the Freezer Hall of Fame!






















Nothing looks a prettier than a little brook trout on an early winter evening! (I should have taken this picture in the yard -- we got about an inch snow in the last hour.)

At this size, they've got teeth like walleyes! They ain't for lippin' like a bass or crappie.

That's a nice male Ken. Where and how did you catch it? Stream, pond etc?

I cheated. He just fell in the back of my truck last night when I stopped at a friend's place.

This friend raises big trout, and he has been breeding brookies this past week. The unfortunate fella in the photos apparently died of exhaustion from all of the festivities in the "re-creation" pool.

A similar thing happened earlier today with venison. Two large beautiful corn-fed deer fell in the back of my truck. A couple of friends have permits to thin deer at some local farms. Along with a few other friends, we butcher and vacuum pack the meat. Because of regulations, we cannot provide it through our local food banks. Instead, we offer and deliver it to elderly neighbors who really appreciate well-cleaned fresh venison. Fully de-boned, these two deer will provide at least 80 lbs. of cuts and ground meat.

We support a radius of about 5-10 miles. Each package we give away has 10-15 lbs. of individually packed meats. We are able to provide 1/4 lb. cuts of backstrap. We prepare boneless sirloin roasts, other roasts, round steak, cleaned shanks, and ground meat to each recipient.

You're a good man.

I finally gave up hunting about 4-5 years ago, it's not the cream of the crop out there hunting these days. The people I would run in to while hunting public land honestly scared the living tar out of me, don't want them around me with a firearm, in fact, don't want them around me at all. If I had some land, I would hunt my own but for now, guns will continue their stay in the closet.

Yes, hunting public land can be "interesting"...