Primitive camping southern Indiana

Denni2

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We are looking for a small campground for primitive camping in southern Indiana in September. Dispersed camping in the Hoosier National Forest is out. We will be gone a week and Hubby wants water and pit toilets. We want to hike and fish. I was looking at Yellowwood State Forest, but after a guy was shot squirrel hunting in in a DNR facility close to here and we read not to hike in Yellowwood without wearing orange during hunting season, we are looking for somewhere new.
We are thinking about a canoe campground near Turkey Run, it is still more modern than my liking. I am dreaming of a week of seclusion. Any suggestions?
 

Pathfinder1

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Liberty, N.Y. Lower Catskill Mountains.
Denni2;

I was looking at Yellowwood State Forest, but after a guy was shot squirrel hunting in in a DNR facility close to here and we read not to hike in Yellowwood without wearing orange during hunting season, we are looking for somewhere new.



Hi...


What kind of buffoon mistakes a hunter for a squirrel...?? I hope he was soundly thrashed, and then hung...!! Do you have any more info?

A shame that you have to wear orange while camping...but not all hunters are 'hunters', unfortunately (they'll shoot at anything, anywhere).

So, orange is the best 'safe' color to wear...especially during hunting seasons.
 

Hikenhunter

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Denni2;

I was looking at Yellowwood State Forest, but after a guy was shot squirrel hunting in in a DNR facility close to here and we read not to hike in Yellowwood without wearing orange during hunting season, we are looking for somewhere new.



Hi...


What kind of buffoon mistakes a hunter for a squirrel...?? I hope he was soundly thrashed, and then hung...!! Do you have any more info?

A shame that you have to wear orange while camping...but not all hunters are 'hunters', unfortunately (they'll shoot at anything, anywhere).

So, orange is the best 'safe' color to wear...especially during hunting seasons.
Accidents should not happen but they do. I have always practiced safety first in all my pursuits, but under certain circumstances even the safest of the safe can have an accident. My first reaction is much the same as yours, how can you shoot a person in mistake for a squirrel? Maybe he wasn't shot in mistake for a squirrel. Maybe he was beyond the squirrel. While it is the shooters responsibility to identify his target AND what is behind it, he might not have realized that a man was beyond his identified target because the man beyond his target was dressed in colors that blended in with his surroundings. Because these things shouldn't happen, but they do, the best thing you can do when you are in a huntable area during hunting season, is to dress so that you can be seen. Best color to wear is flourescent orange and it should be visable 360 degrees which means at the very least a hat. Wearing flourescent orange in hunting areas is as important as wearing a life vest in a watercraft, IMO.
 
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ppine

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No one mistakes a human for a squirrel. When people hunt they are intent on their prey. Sometimes they don't notice people off in the distance wearing dark clothing. Squirrel hunters shoot up into the trees making it a dangerous business if anyone is around.
 

Denni2

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From what I read the guy heard a noise behind him, turned and fired. I guess not every hunter is trained in safety. I was taught to only shoot squirrels in trees and NEVER fire unless you know where everyone is.

I love being in the woods in the fall, but I don't go anywhere hunting is allowed any more.
 

Denni2

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Update. We decided to leave early and leave a location to luck. We wanted to hike up to Devils Backbone at Pine Hills Nature Preserve so we checked out Shades State Park. It was perfect. I don't think this would be someplace I would like in the peak of camping season but last week there were only three other sites occupied. The hiking trails are great. This was really great. My husband was always resistant to camping has really fallen in love.
 
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