Indiana is a state worth considering for big whitetails according to the Antler Nation report.

Season Dates (2012): Archery season begins Oct. 1 and runs through the first Saturday in January; Firearms season opens Nov. 17 and runs through Dec. 2; muzzlerloader is Dec. 8-23.

The Grade: A-

Indiana is not the most well-known of the Midwestern states when it comes to whitetails. But when considering the criteria used for Antler Nation grades, it comes out near the top. The state has a ton of deer, about a million acres of public land and some of the most affordable non-resident license fees in the nation. It's also a state that's proven itself willing to change as is evidenced by the fairly recent adoption of a one-buck rule. In 2012, the state will allow crossbows during the archery season and has made changes to youth hunting regulations as well.

And Indiana has churned out some big bucks as well. The southern tier of the state, in fact, has been a real hotbed of big buck activity in recent years. Overall, Indiana is a great state to consider when it comes to whitetails.

Antler Nation Knowledge: Indiana is a shotgun-only state for deer hunters (although you can use pistol calibers). So if you plan on hunting there during gun season, leave the bullets and bring the slugs.