Hoosiers of Arfcom, I've been interested in hunting for a very long time, but other than a single dove hunting trip, I've not had the ability to pursue the sport. I'm not squeamish, I know my firearms safety, and I know my marksmanship fundamentals, I just lack the location and a mentor.

Are any of the Indiana members of the forum willing to help out a fellow Hoosier?

What type of hunting are you interested in?  Have you taken a hunter's safety course?  IIRC it's not necessary if you're born before 1986 in Indiana, however it's a good way to get familiar with the state's laws and practices.

In all honesty I'd like to try hunting just about anything with just about anything. I'd really like to try my had at deer, predator, waterfowl, and rabbit hunting. I've been dove hunting before, and that was a lot of fun.

I've taken a hunter's Ed course in Ohio, and will most likely take one here in Indiana partially as a refresher and partially because I can't remember off the top of my head where my Ohio Hunter's Ed card went off to.

Not sure what is all covered in other state's hunter's safety, but it should act as a primer to get you started.  Knowing when the seasons run, what is allowable to hunt with, and other laws should be covered.

Next step would be to see what is available in your area with regards to game and terrain.  Is there state land available, or is it primarily private owned land?  Unless you know the property owner, private land is harder to get permission to hunt on.  Imagine what it's like being the property owner, and a complete stranger approaches you to hunt your land.

If you do get access to a wooded area, squirrel hunting is a great introduction to hunting.  You can use either a .22 rifle, or a shotgun.  I prefer #7 or #8 shot because it will kill the squirrel without ruining the meat.  Squirrels are fairly thick skinned, and the lighter shot doesn't penetrate deep.  Head shots with a .22 also prevent meat loss.  Locate a food source such as walnuts, acorns, or chestnuts, then wait for the squirrels to show up.

Im going after some "tree rats" today! They annoyed the crap out of me this firearm season.

I'll be honest, I'm willing to travel to just about anywhere in the state to get guidance, some mentoring, and access to land. I've got a .22, a 12ga, a .300 blk pistol built for IN deer, and other rifles for varmint/predator.

No rifle rounds in Indiana yet bud, the 300 is a no go.

I knew that

Yeah, I double checked that a couple times before building it. But, next year anything bigger than .243 should be gtg, which does expand my options; not that .300blk wouldn't do the job.