DeerHuntersClub.com » Regions

Indiana Deer Hunting

Bryan — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:18:03 +0000

When people began settling in Indiana in the 1800’s, whitetail deer were numerous. Hunting whitetail deer was an important source of food for families in the state. Because the hunting was unregulated and hunters hunted year round, the deer numbers declined drastically in the early 1900’s almost to extinction.

In 1951, Indiana had its first regulated deer hunting season with approximately 16,000 hunters buying tags in the state. The first deer hunting season brought a harvest of 1,590 deer. Today, 134,004 whitetails were taken in 2010. This big jump in deer harvest numbers is accredited to the popularity of hunting whitetails.

Indiana Whitetail Hunting Facts
Military servicemen and women who are non-residents may hunt in the state of Indiana with a resident tag.

Indiana offers its youth (17 years old and younger) two special hunting time periods per year where they are able to hunt with an adult (18 years or older).

In Indiana it is legal to hunt with laser sights.

In 1985, B. Dodd Porter took a buck that scored 195 1/8 in Park County, Indiana. This buck is on record as the largest firearm typical whitetail taken in state history.

In 1980, Timothy J. Good harvested a buck that scored 251 4/8 in Hendricks County, Indiana. This buck is on record as the largest firearm non-typical whitetail taken in state history.

Popular Public Hunting Lands
Indiana has close to 80 public lands that are forests, conservation areas, refuge areas, and wildlife areas. Many of these areas offer public hunting land for whitetail hunters to access. Some of the areas only allow archery hunting and some areas are available to hunt only through drawings.

Hoosier National Forest is 18,452 acres of prime whitetail hunting in south central Indiana. Hoosier National Forest is very popular hunting land among Indiana residents.

Indiana Private Hunting Areas
Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Indiana? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources:
Visit the Indiana Department of Natural Resources Hunting and Trapping Guide.

Visit the Indiana Game and Fish web site.

Colorado Deer Hunting

Bryan — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:10:55 +0000

When many people think of Colorado they think of mule deer, elk, bear and moose hunting. The whitetail population is rapidly growing every year though. In 1949, it was reported that whitetails has become all but extinct in the area. Since the 1970’s, though, whitetail deer numbers have increased greatly, especially in the eastern part of the state. Much of the eastern part of the state is owned privately but there are other areas of the state that also boast high numbers in whitetails and other wildlife as well. Heavily populated areas of whitetails include along the South Platte and Arkansas River systems. Currently, in these areas whitetails have actually taken over dominance in numbers. This has created a lot of excitement for Colorado whitetail hunters.

Even though Colorado is struck almost every year with wildfires, droughts and severe winters that make it hard on its wildlife, it still remains a hunter’s paradise.

Colorado Whitetail Hunting Facts
Colorado has a Big Game Access Program that allows hunters access to thousands of acres of privately owned land to hunt whitetails.

Records show that in 1996, David A. McCracken took the largest whitetail with a firearm. It scored 186 3/8 typical.

Records also show that in 1997, Scott M. Tenold took the state’s largest whitetail ever with a firearm and it scored 239 2/8 non-typical.

Colorado has adopted a WTO (whitetail only) license that helps reduce the number of mule deer taken. In the past, a deer license could be used for either whitetails or mule deer.

CWD (chronic wasting disease) was first detected in a whitetail in Colorado in 1967. The states first case of it in a wild deer was in 2005.

Popular Public Hunting Lands
Two popular state wildlife areas on the eastern part of the state are Deadman and Granada. The Deadman SWA is approximately 500 acres and the Granada is around 5,500 acres.

Comanche National Grasslands also offers thousands of acres for hunters to hunt mule deer and whitetails.

Bosque Del Oso State Wildlife Area is over 35,000 acres of forest that hunters can hunt.

Grand Mesa National Forest is 3.2 million acres of land that grows large whitetails every year.

Indiana Private Hunting Areas
Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Colorado? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources:
Visit the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

Visit the North American Whitetail’s web page on Colorado Whitetail hunting.

Pennsylvania Deer Hunting

Bryan — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 18:42:56 +0000

Pennsylvania has been made popular by hunters all across the U.S. for its forests. With having 2.2 million acres in forest or wooded lands, they have a high population of whitetail deer. Of those 2.2 million acres, almost all of it is accessible to whitetail hunters. Harvesting antlered deer in Pennsylvania has increased in numbers since 1915. In 1915, 1,287 antlered deer were taken whereas in 2009, 108,330 antlered deer were taken. Currently Pennsylvania has an antler restriction law that all hunters in the state have to abide by. Most of the state is restricted to only taking bucks with at least 3 points on one antler while a small part of the state can only take bucks that have at least 4 points on one antler. Records show that a majority of hunters support this antler restriction law.

Although Pennsylvania has been long known for its whitetails, the number of tags purchased in the state has gone down rapidly since 1982. Today, Pennsylvania sells just over 1,000,000 licenses each year.

Pennsylvania Whitetail Hunting Facts:
State records show that in 1943, Fritz Janowsky of Bradford County harvested the largest buck by firearm in state history. It scored 189-0.

In 2004, Michael J. Nicola Sr. harvested the largest buck taken by archery method at a score of 178-2 in Allegheny County.

Popular Public Hunting Lands:
Pennsylvania offers 20 State Forests covering 2.2 million acres that are rich in Elk, Whitetail, Bald Eagles, Turkeys, Black Bears, Grouse, Squirrels and other wildlife. Hunting plays a big role in keeping these forests going.

Loyalsock State Forest – 114,494 acres. This popular Forest is prime Hunting area that offers 4 areas that are currently in Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) which offers extra tags for antlerless deer.

There are numerous state parks that are open to public hunting as well.

Pennsylvania Private Hunting Areas:
Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Pennsylvania? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources:
Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

Pennsylvania Game Commission
2001 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg Pennsylvania 17110

Montana Deer Hunting

Bryan — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 23:51:51 +0000

With more species of mammals than any other state, Montana caters to hunters at home and abroad, for a price. Outfitters have had thousands of licenses set aside for them for years, yet with a new ruling, hunting in the Treasure State may have taken a turn.

Non-Montanans will see a deer license increase of around 200 dollars, approximately a 40% increase. A lottery, with no guaranteed licences, will give everyone an equal chance to hunt the state, provided there is no sticker shock. Ideally, every license would sell, thus increasing revenue upwards of two million dollars per year.

A move that aims to free up more private land to hunt may in fact do nothing of the sort. Guaranteed outfitter licenses funded public access to private land through block management; this newly passed initiative 161, however, ventures into unknown territory. Guided hunts being handled by an outfitter on private land rids the land owner of managing hunters, while opening private land to in-state or out-of-state hunters is an entirely different scenario. Private hunting clubs may fill the gap. The assumption that all non-resident licenses will indeed sell and the aforementioned revenue to be generated is not set in stone. Outfitters will still be in demand, but will no longer have the ability to book clientele in advance. Whether it will help or hinder them in their entrepreneurship remains to be seen. We believe the big outfitters are here to stay.

Another factor could put a damper on the overall picture. A newly introduced mammal, one that was previously hunted with population plans maintained by the state’s preference, is thriving. None other than the wolf. With minimal estimates, the last decade has seen this animal multiply in number seven times. Now, it’s an endangered species. A high coyote population coupled with a newer predator on the loose, an unregulated one at that, may cut further into deer and other big game totals.

Mule deer and whitetail alike are decreased in number over previous years, a small piece of Montana’s hunting pie. Rut dates occur prevalently through the second week of November towards the end of the month.

Montana Deer Hunting Facts

Around 500,000 deer in the state
Top typical buck is 207 7/8, illegally taken in Teton County in 2004 and now in Montana’s Fish, Wildlife, and parks custody
Top non-typical buck is 275 7/8, taken by Peter Zemljak Sr. in the Highland Mountains in 1962, surpassing his son’s record setting 275 1/8 two years prior

Montana, a Spanish word for mountain, may be looking to climb one of their own creation. Will there be less tourism? More revenue or less? More huntable land? Only time will tell. Until then, enjoy all the hunting available to ye Montanans.

Popular Public Hunting Areas in Montana

Beckman WMA – Over 6,500 acres of grassland hunting. For more information, check out the Montana Fish and Wildlife’s WMA Site Detail.

Montana Private Hunting Areas

Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Montana? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources

For Montana hunting license information, rules and regulations, visit the Montana Hunting and Trapping License page and the Montana Hunting Regulations page.

Nebraska Deer Hunting

Bryan — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 02:26:01 +0000

Anyone know the recipe for making big game considerably larger?
This is an easy one. We say feed them. How about creating a food plot for deer to feast on, the size of say, Nebraska. Once named the Great American Desert, the state now yields corn, soybean, and wheat. You may call it deer bliss.

Deer hunters faced restrictions as early as 1901, when anyone hunting outside their county was required to buy a $1.00 hunting/fishing license. In 1905, two deer could be harvested yearly. There were an estimated fifty deer in the state.

The nickname Cornhusker State, where corn was husked by hand before the machine, was adopted in 1945 replacing the Tree Planter’s State. The same year, a December season was opened for deer hunters on the Bessey Ranger District which allotted five hundred permits. This notable time marked the first such permit sold since 1906, when legislation banned deer hunting. From 1949 it would remain open. Gun season was statewide by 1961.

Other than a severe winter in the 1978-1979 winter season that likely halved the herd, population has been increasing. Good harvest rates and more browse than deer can stomach seem to be the ingredients for a successful trophy hunt. Rutting peaks from the middle to end of November.

Nebraska Deer Hunting Facts

Over 200,000 deer in the state
Nearly 40,000 deer taken yearly
Top typical buck is 200 3/8, taken by Miles Lemley in Scotts Bluff County with a muzzleloader in 1983
Top non-typical buck is a world record 279 7/8, taken by Del Austin in Hall County with a bow in 1962

From an Oto Indian word meaning flat water, Nebraska is a food source for whitetail and mule deer alike. May your next buck be a monster.

Popular Public Hunting Areas in Nebraska

Ponderosa WMA – Over 3,500 acres to hunt, mostly grassland covered with pines. For more information, check out 2009 Nebraska Guide to Hunting and Public Lands or information about the Ponderosa Wildlife Management Area.

Nebraska Private Hunting Areas

Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Nebraska? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources

For Nebraska hunting license information, rules and regulations, visit the Nebraska Game Parks Whitetail and Mule Deer Hunting permit information and the Nebraska deer hunting regulations.

California Deer Hunting

Bryan — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:55:25 +0000

Home to Hollywood and the Walk of Fame, California also shelters over 500,000 deer. While most everyone won’t be having their name carved, or perhaps laser etched now, into this particular stone walkway, we still aspire to have our name written down. We’ll take our place among the Sequoias, weapon near, and hope the next buck will land us in the record books.

The gold rush of 1849, that continued for years to come, spelled decimation to the deer populace. Deer were marketed in order to keep mine camps supplied with venison. Hunted year-round, deer numbers continued a downward trend. Not until 1910 was legislation passed for deer hunting, resulting in a visual increase in herds. Though logging areas, which included clearing and burning, had a negative impact initially, what came about was an ideal habitation covered with new growth.

Today, the deer management plan is not geared towards having a plenitude of deer, but maintaining a healthy number by putting limits and regulations in place so that the herd can be large enough to persevere.

The rut begins as early as October in the north and as late as January in the south. Biggest of the breeds, a Rocky Mountain mule deer’s rack will inevitably become home decor.

California Deer Hunting Facts

Over 150,000 hunters

Around 500,000 blacktailed mule deer in the state, six subspecies, no whitetails, unless they’re lost

Deer occupy more than half the state

Top typical buck is 195 7/8, taken by Sulo E. Lakso in Lassen County in 1941

Top non-typical buck is 319 4/8, taken by Harold R. Laird in Mariposa County in 1972

California was named after a fictitious utopian island from Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo’s novel, Las Sergas de Esplandián (The Adventures of Esplandián). The true state of California is a peninsula, but a happy hunting ground all the same.

Popular Public Hunting Areas in California

North Grasslands Wildlife Area – Over 7,000 acres of wetland hunting. For more information, check out the California Department of Fish Game’s official web site.

California Private Hunting Areas

Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in California? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources

For California hunting license information, rules and regulations, visit the California licensing information web site and the California regulatory web site.

Minnesota Deer Hunting

Bryan — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:38:20 +0000

Home to the famous Mayo Clinic, where highly skilled doctors armed with the newest techologies draw people worldwide. If you’re not ailing, you’re hunting. Grab yourself a Milky Way, Snickers, or maybe a Three Musketeers and head to your favorite haunt, up in a tree preferably, and remember to thank Mr. Mars of Minnesota for those irresistible treats.

The five words that would bring any deer hunter to tears were spoken in 1971, “deer hunting season is closed”. Fierce winters and unregulated hunting depleted deer numbers severely. Thus the season was closed in an attempt to form regulations and restabilize the herd.

After a five year hiatus, 1976 was the year antlerless permits were introduced. A specific number of does and fawns were allowed to be hunted in each of the 120 permit areas. Biologists reviewed density charts, then adjusted the amount of permits given according to population levels wanted.

Although winters may play the largest role in deer population, aging hunters and a lack of young hunters have pushed the amount of deer to over one million today. Today, the strategies have reversed. Minnesota is wanting to thin their herd, not increase it.

Rutting peaks around the second week of November. Movement will be greatest before and, to a lesser extent, after this time period.

Minnesota Deer Hunting Facts

Over 400,000 hunters

Over 1 million deer

Over 200,000 deer harvested in nine of the past ten years, dipping under the mark in 2009(194,186)

Top typical buck at 202 0/8 taken by John Breene with a gun in Beltrami County dates back to 1918

Top non-typical buck at 268 5/8 taken by Mitchell Vakoch with a gun in Norman County, in 1974

Minnesota, derived from a Sioux Indian word meaning sky-tinted water, is overpopulated with deer. Perhaps you could use some extra deer jerky this year. You would be helping to reduce the herd.

Popular Public Hunting Areas in Minnesota

Red Lake—The largest Wildlife Management Area in the state, covering more than 200,000 acres. Heavily timbered wetland hunting for all. For more information, check out the Red Lake Wildlife Management Area page.

Minnesota Private Hunting Areas

Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Minnesota? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources

For Minnesota hunting license information, rules and regulations, visit Minnesota’s Department of Resources hunting license page and hunting and regulations page.

Arkansas Deer Hunting

Bryan — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:32:25 +0000

Arkansas is currently the only state being mined for diamonds in the United States. In fact, Crater of Diamonds State Park can be prospected by anyone for a small digging fee. Any treasure found can be kept. We at Deer Hunter’s Club will take our chances sitting in a tree stand looking for a different sort of gem, one we can mount on the wall.

Deer management began in Arkansas in 1916 with a sixty-one day hunting season and a limit of two bucks. The population, which was guessed to be around 2,000, further dwindled into the 1920’s. This forced wildlife agencies into restocking, as well as tinkering with bag limits and the seasonal hunting length in an attempt to bolster populace.

The current deer management plan incorporates public opinion into the process. Sustaining a certain number of deer is difficult to achieve. At present, deer number over a million in the state, though a maintained number at around 500,000 is desired. Each of the six Deer Management Units contain citizen advisory groups, who together manage preferred population in their particular DMU. Strategies fluctuate as does the herd, thus regulations are in place to help the hunter of the future enjoy what we the hunter love today.

Rutting usually starts around the end of October in the north, and the last weeks of November in the south.

Arkansas Deer Hunting Facts

Over a million deer

Near 200,000 deer harvested

Top typical buck at 189 0/8, taken by Thomas Sparks with a gun in Crawford County, in 1975

Top non-typical buck at 238 3/8, taken by Bill Dooley with a gun along the Cache River NWR, in 1999

Arkansas, deriving from a Sioux Indian word meaning downstream place, is looking to thin their deer numbers. Most Arkansans believe fewer deer produce bigger, healthier herds.

Popular Public Hunting Areas in Arkansas

Gum Flats—15,000 acres to hunt among the pines. For more information, check out the Gum Flats area at the AGFC web site.

Arkansas Private Hunting Areas

Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Arkansas? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources

For Arkansas hunting license information, rules and regulations, visit the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

New York Deer Hunting

Bryan — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:56:44 +0000

Think of subways, and buildings stretching toward the sky. The Big Apple is a tourist attraction home to many firsts: car license plates, the railroad, newspaper, the capital of the United States. Is there deer hunting opportunity here? Niagara Reservation opened as the first state park, so there is hope.

Deer population was low in the early 1900’s. Early strategies where doe harvest was restricted has led to an imbalance in the herd. Many more does roam the land than bucks, and the latter seldom reach maturity. Wildlife resource agencies have multiplied the herd of 20,000 to over a million today. Over the last twenty years, the state has seen double the amount of harvested deer.

Though successful in populating the state, problems have arisen. The herd is concentrated to the middle and west portions of the state. With the number of hunters decreasing, and less land available to hunt, New York is depending on you to help get the herd to the levels desired.

At present, deer hunting licenses are given for areas that need thinning out or controlled. This management process is dependent upon data which is used to estimate harvest totals. The animal’s age, health and many other considerations are reviewed. Regulations are determined for each area in this manner.

There are plenty of deer in the state. With efforts in place to benefit the herd, New York hunters will collectively affect the outcome. Rut dates are late October to mid-November.

New York Deer Hunting Facts

Over 1 million deer

Around 200,000 deer harvested annually

Around 500,000 hunters, but numbers are falling

Top typical buck is 198 2/8, taken by Roosevelt Luckey in Allegany County with a gun

Top non-typical buck is 244 2/8, taken by Homer Boylan in Allegany County with a gun

New York, named after the Duke of York in England, hosts many deer hunting areas to choose from. Many stem from a collaboration of private hunting areas made publicly available.

Popular Public Hunting Areas in New York
Erwin Wildlife Management Area—Nearly 2,500 acres in Steuben County with a variety of game to hunt. For more information, check out the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation site.

New York Private Hunting Areas
Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in New York? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources
For New York hunting license information, rules and regulations, visit the Permits and Licenses section of the Department of Environmental Conservation web site.

Illinois Deer Hunting

Bryan — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 23:38:12 +0000

Sports are huge in Illinois. The Fire, Blackhawks, Whitesox, Cubs, and ‘da Bulls and ‘da Bears are all professional teams. They are all in Chicago. If you want a larger playing area, not confined by rinks, courts, fields, or particular cities, try deer hunting statewide. Hunters, the woods are your playground.

Deer hunting went unchecked until the 1850’s, providing food and clothing for all. The herd was noticeably decreasing in number. Seeing this, many northern counties began a half-year season. With no population improvement, deer hunting was officially closed for the state in 1901, temporarily.

Breeding programs began in the 1930’s, and deer were brought in from out of state. The herds did well, but remained to the areas they were released. Trapping and transporting began on a county to county basis.

The impermanent ban was lifted in 1957. Check stations began providing information, such as age, sex, and harvest totals, that directly influenced the number of permits counties were allowed to sell. Though controversial, either sex was allowed to be harvested.

Let the numbers speak for themselves. At present, Illinois is teeming with deer. Rut dates begin early November. Long live the sport.

Illinois Deer Hunting Facts

Around 800,000 deer

Over 500,000 hunters

Top typical buck is 204 4/8, taken by Mel Johnson in Peoria County in 1965 with a bow, which is also the world record in archery

Top non-typical buck is 304 3/8, taken by Jerry Bryant in Fulton County in 2001 with a crossbow
Illinois, an Indian name meaning warriors, has rebounded nicely with their deer population. Thankfully, you can hunt them.

Popular Public Hunting Areas in Illinois
Fox Ridge State Park – More than 1,000 acres of woodland hunting along the Embarras River. For more information, check out this site.

Illinois Private Hunting Areas
Do you own private hunting land or offer guided hunts in Illinois? Contact us about a listing in this section!

Other Resources
For Illinois hunting license information, rules and regulations, visit the Deer Hunting section of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.