Hunting in Indiana

[collinedward]

I might be moving to Indy area here soon and was wondering if there were wild birds in the state? Coming from Ohio anything could be better for bird hunting.

[Greg Jennings]

From the IN DNR site

Grade-A quail range is a delicate balance of cropland, nesting cover, woodlands and fence rows or waterways which serve as travel lanes. Early explorers found quail only in our prairie openings or around Indian clearings. Quail closely followed the ax and plow of our early settlers, probably reaching their peak abundance about the time of the Civil War. Improvements in farm machinery resulted in larger fields, fewer fencerows and odd areas, and less living space for quail. Oddly, some bobwhite range in southern counties has been hurt because too much land has gone back to timber or has been converted to grasslands which go not support quail.

Southeastern and southwestern Indiana provide the ideal climate and habitat to support the highest quail numbers. South central Indiana is too heavily wooded, and central Indiana is intensely farmed. The northern third of the state has always been marginal range because of recurring years with persistent snow.

and see: http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5427.htm

FWIW, Greg J.

[collinedward]

Is there anything you don't know Greg?

[Greg Jennings]

I'm a 9th degree Google Master.

[kylenicholas02]

Speaking from personally experience, unless you go down around the KY line or up around Purdue... Wild Birds arent worthy of chasing... Good luck

[jimmyp]

I live in southern indiana and it has been a while since we have had many quail. That said a few years of the farmers getting into the fields late has helped the local population. To be quite honest this has been the first year that I can remember driving around and actually seeing birds on the roadsides. Wild quail can be found but it will require an effort on your part you will have to put in some miles walking fence rows and pounding out thickets. this fall me and a buddy even managed to take our labs out and kill several birds on a couple seperate occasions. seems like most of the people i talk to depend on pen raised birds on preserves to "hunt" quail.
Jim

[ccavacini]

The best pheasant hunting is in our Western counties--Benton, Newton, Warren. Also, probably the hardest to find land to hunt. It's farmed from road to road, but where there is cover, there are birds.

You can find quail in the Southwest counties--Knox, Daviess,Sullivan and also some Southeast counties.

[BirdieBoiler]

I hunt in northern Tippecanoe and Benton counties...There are birds up here for sure..Just got to find em

[collinedward]

I am still working on the job, so it will be a few weeks or so before I am out there. Anything will be better than Ohio. How do they do the phez release?

[kylenicholas02]

Most are draws or afternoon hunts with 10,000 people who think their poodle is a pointing dog... In other words, it's a joke