Moving to Northwest Indiana

[Tonto]

Job move in mid-May, wondering what to look forward too regarding the shooting sports, gun shops, hunting, fishing.....somewhere around Porter, LaPorte and Michigan City. Will miss Minnesota though....any advice is appreciated.

[Themoose]

Lake Erie fishing can be good... not like Minnesota tho... I've only lived in Southern Indiana other than a couple years in Ft. Wayne... so I can't help you there... Indiana is a right to carry state and you should have no problem getting a handgun permit... the deer herd is not as high as it once was, but still has a very liberal limit and season...you won't see many pheasants unless stocked birds are put out... rabbit and squirrel hunting should be pretty good.

[Bulldogger]

I was born and grew up there. It's pretty good for hunting and fishing. Agree with right to carry. I think you'll like it. I found it too boring as a teenager, but enjoy the peace and quiet when visiting Mama and rest of the family once a year.
BDGR

[KAF]

Shooting:

assra.com Range near Mentone/Etna Green IN

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

,,,,,,,,,,

[jcwit]

Excellent range in Edwardsburg, Mi., just across the line but a bit of a drive East.
Covered Pistol/smallbore rifle range, plenty of space, out to 65/70 yards.
Covered benchrest range with heavy cement benches/tables out to 150 yds.

You must be a member, but the dues aren't bad and the folks are super there.

Toll road is close by so time getting there isn't bad either.

Lots of gun shops close by, myself I'd stay away from Kempf's, just can't get along with the old guy there. But that's just me.

Gun show,s galore!

Do a google search for Edwardsburg conservation club.

[Zymurgy50]

If you are going to the Edwardsburg conservation club take time to stop at Lunkers in Edwardsburg, and the LGS just a few miles down the road in Granger, In. "Granger Guns"

[Ed Barrett]

Spent a lot of time at Tee Lake when I was a kid. Used to plink at a pit where they mined sand. Get over to Shipsawanee and White Pigeon it's a big Amish area and you can find some pretty useful things in the hardware stores that cater to the Amish. Back in the 60's I was going with a girl whose father owned farm in Stark county. he got a pest permit for deer, I went over there and shot 30 deer in one day. Filled up freezers in half the county. At that time there was no deer season. Used to be against the law to hunt before noon on Subday, may still be on the books there.

[jcwit]

Its Shipshewana LOL. Eight miles from my front door. They have one of the biggest outdoor Flea Market weekly there, my wife was a dealer there for 20 years. Its called The Trading Place, google it.

There is a 100 lane range in Bristol, IN, just east of Bristol on Indiana 120. The NRA is holding their National Small Bore matches there this summer, this is 5 miles from my door.

Some of the best restaurants around are in this area, both in Shipshe, "that's the local nickname", and in Middlebury.

A few Amish discount grocery stores makes the cost of groceries reasonable, ie; hotdogs name brand $ .49 a 1 lb package.

Downside? Dodging the road apples in the summer if you park in a closed garage.

[Bad Water Bill]

Check Indiana D N R for ranges near you as you did not state which town you will be living in.

There is a DNR range near La Port. Heading west you have Jasper Pulaski with a 200 yard range. If you have kids check when the Sandhill Crain migration stops there in the spring and fall.

East you can google "Youngs rifle range". It is a MEMBERS ONLY but invites can be arranged.You bring EVERYTHING as all they have is an outhouse and one of the greatest 1K yard ranges anywhere complete with chrony, rifle rests,camping and others. All benches are covered and in the winter there are several heated areas. Shooting has been in the owners blood for many generations.

Check with your local police for the papers for a CCW license. The last I heard it was $25 per year or $125.00 for a lifetime permit.

I stopped at a small shopping center with an IN resident friend in his open jeep. 3 rifles on the dash 2 shotguns between the seats and I sat on 4 handguns.

A couple walked by and commented "Looks like Dusty (my friend) is here." No big deal.

A county sheriff stopped by Dusties home and asked if we were shooting (his 100 yard range is where we were sitting).

Then the officer said a new resident called him complaining of hearing shots fired. He went over to their home and told them "THAT IS THE SOUND OF FREEDOM".

Yes Indiana is very gun friendly.

[jcwit]

Bad Water Bill's got it nailed pretty well. Forgot about Youngs range, never shot there but have stopped and looked the place over, very nice set-up.

Talk about being gun friendly, I got stopped for speeding 60 in a 30 after the county had just lowered the speed limit on a country road. Officer came up and seeing as I had more than a few gun cases in the back of my car asked if I was going home from a range, told him I was headed home from Edwardsburg, we talked guns for 15/20 minutes then He informed me because he called it in to county dispatch he had to give me something in writing. Gave me a warning, for 30 mph over the limit, laughed about it and told me he was putting in a request to up the limit on this road, but not to 60. This stretch is now 50 speed limit.

YUP, we're gun friendly folks.

[41 mag fan]

Big tip....from someone whose spent a lot of time in MN and lives in IN.....stay in Mn

[41 mag fan]

Big tip....from someone whose spent a lot of time in MN and lives in IN.....stay in Mn. Gun laws are better here. but the country and hunting and fishing is much better there than here

[West Creek]

Stop in at the MC Sporting goods in Michigan City. It is a new store with guns. The store manager is an old friend and he is excited about his gun store. Ask for Dean and tell him Charlie Sent you. Dean is old school and a good guy - he will make sure you are taken care of. Just opened up, Dean just sent me a text this morning saying they are now open.
Also, there is a nice gun range in chesterton, a sporting clays facility in LaPorte. If you are into old gun shops there is Classic Guns in Crete, IL - they do excellent color case hardening.

[Tonto]

Well I'm here a year and here is how it's worked out. Was able to site a shooting range on our property so I can shoot in my yard, it's great. Supplies a different story, between Kempfs, Bass Pro and Cabelas I would need a second job as they all have learned how to price gouge. I will continue to hunt and peck for things as always. I do miss FFF in Ashland, OH as that used to be a place that had everything for fair prices. Kempfs is in business despite themselves, too bad as they are four miles from me. It's still far better than Minnesota though, no deals there. I'm glad to be here.

[Pipefitter]

Get on the toll road to the Mishawaka exit, turn right on Capital, then another right on 23 (the next stoplight). About 3-4 miles down 23 turn right on Bittersweet, half a block turn left into the strip mall. Go all the way around the back and down in the basement is Granger Guns. Good people and decent prices there.

[Cowboy_Dan]

+1 on Grainger Guns. I he can get a wide range of stuff in if you ask him ahead of time, he has ordered quite a few things for me. Also "Crazy" Len of Len's Gun Shop on Michigan St. in South Bend is a Lee dealer (I think). He has some 6 cavity molds in the corner and random things every time I walk in.

[jcwit]

I believe Steve at Granger Gun is retiring soon and is selling off all his stock at reduced pricing. Not a rumen it's gonna happen.

You're not to far from a run to Kalamazoo and a gun store called On Target, largest in the area, then just down the road about a mile or 2 is D & R Sports. Both are west of the Kazoo on highway 43 .

[robinsroost]

I was born and raised in Logansport and probably moving back. Small game hunting is excellent and deer hunting is good. There are still some pockets of native pheasants, the Winamac Wildlife Area has put and take pheasants, and quail hunting is fair. Local fishing is good in the lakes, gravel pits and streams. Salmon fishing in Lake Michigan and the streams that feed into it is good. I used to make the salmon runs in the St. Joseph River at Berian Springs, just over the Michigan line. Keep yer powder dry........Robin

[Plate plinker]

Appears your finding your way around. Lots of shooting sport opportunities here, the valporaiso club is very active as well as bend of the river in Niles Michigan. Also more if you venture a bit further as well as new buffalo mi.