• Starboard Choice Marine
  • Moore Boats
Michiana Outdoors News
Advertise with Us

What's New?

D&R Sports Center will host its annual Spring Fishing Show Friday and Saturday with a stellar lineup of seminar speakers.

Read more

If Matt Arey’s boat number at this year’s Bassmaster Classic is any indication of good things to come, then #22 might just lead to first place. Arey is the ultimate ‘girl dad’ and his two young daughters love Taylor Swift’s hit song “22”.

Read more

New Gear

The Jitterbug was among Fred Arbogast’s signature creations and now a few iconic anglers are putting their signature on the Jitterbug as part of a collaborative effort to mark Arbogast’s election this year to the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame.

Read more
Clear H2O Tackle
KVD Answers Most Frequently Asked Questions
Quick Tip: How to Replace the Carpet on Your Boat Trailer Bunks
D&R Sports Center


By LOUIE STOUT

Michiana bow hunters were greeted to a double-edge sword when their season opened this week.

On the bright side, there’s the decent weather in the forecast, and more importantly, an early crop harvest which is driving some deer out of the cornfields.

On the downside, there’s that nasty EHD virus that likely will reduce the size of the herd in many areas of Michiana.

But you have to think positive. There are still a lot of healthy deer in the region and the hunters who scout areas, use common sense and stealthy hunting tactics will still get their deer.

Some hunters prefer to hunt later in the bow season, but the first week has its advantages, especially with the corn coming down. The elder bucks will be a little less wary.

And whereas previous seasons have been too windy or hot and muggy, the extended forecast should make for pleasant conditions for being in the woods.

In addition, Michiana farmers have been picking corn for the past three weeks - way ahead of schedule - a huge bonus for bow hunters with tree stands that border farm lots.

Granted, there will be standing corn during the early weeks of the bow season and some of those deer disturbed by farm operators may push deeper into the stalks. But, you have to figure some will seek cover in nearby wooded areas where they will become more vulnerable to the hunter.

A couple of factors have attributed to the advance corn harvest. First, farmers planted early this season and, secondly, the hot dry summer pushed the crops to early maturity.

“We could be as much as three weeks ahead of schedule in areas where the crops were irrigated,” said Bruce Mackellar of the Southwest Michigan MSU Extension Office.

In addition, the drought triggered some crop disease outbreaks in some Michiana cornfields.

“There could be some disease issues prompting early harvest,” noted Phil Sutton of the St. Joseph County Purdue Extension office in South Bend. “The quicker farmers can get those crops harvested the better they can manage that.”

Of course, how much corn comes down depends upon weather over the next couple of weeks. Extended wet weather will hamper the farmers’ ability to get in the fields. So far, so good.

The EHD virus has hit Michigan hardest but there are growing signs of it creeping into northern Indiana. Some deer deaths already have been attributed to EHD in northern Elkhart and LaGrange counties.

Look for those numbers to grow.

While Michigan’s bow season regulations remain the same as last year, Indiana has introduced some changes.

The Hoosier archery season will run through the first week of January this year whereas it has been broken up in previous years. Also, crossbows are legal throughout all archery seasons although a crossbow hunter needs a crossbow license ($24) unless he has a resident youth hunt license, a deer bundle license, a lifetime license, or is exempt from needing a license.

The deer bundle also is new. Hunters pay one price to get three licenses (2 antlerless and 1 buck). It’s $65 for residents and $295 for non residents.

JBLP

Powered by Lake Drive Marine

  • Power Pole
  • Mercury Marine
  • Bass Boat Technologies
Loc-R-Bar Boat Security System

Advertise with Us!

Advertise with Michiana Outdoors News

Michiana Outdoors News provides advertisers a cost effective vehicle to target thousands of sportsmen across southern Michigan and northern Indiana.

Find out how here!