Questions about Indiana’s deer seasons and regulations can be directed to the Indiana Deer Hotline at INDeerHotline@dnr.IN.gov or 812-334-3795, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
How many deer can I shoot with my license? You are allowed to harvest one deer per license (with the exception of the deer license bundle, youth hunt/trap license, or lifetime license.) How many deer can I shoot in one day? There is no daily bag limit for deer; however, you must stay within the state and county bag limits and the limit for the license(s) you currently have. How many antlered deer can I harvest? You are allowed to harvest one antlered deer per year in the regular deer season in Indiana. Additional opportunities may be granted to take an additional antlered deer in special circumstances, such as hunting in a deer reduction zone, a military/refuge hunt, or in a state park deer reduction hunt. How many deer can I harvest with a deer license bundle? This license includes privileges to harvest two antlerless deer and one antlered deer. The bundle cannot be used in a deer reduction zone to satisfy deer reduction zone bag limits. What is the deer reduction zone bag limit? The bag limit is 10 deer, of which only one can be antlered. Individuals hunting in a designated deer reduction zone who are attempting to satisfy the Reduction Zone bag limit must harvest an antlerless deer before harvesting an antlered deer. Can I purchase and fill two archery licenses and two crossbow licenses? No, you are allowed to purchase and fill either two archery licenses, two crossbow licenses, or one of each. What is the bag limit for a deer crossbow license? You are allowed to purchase and fill two crossbow licenses which allow you to harvest one antlerless deer and one deer of either sex using a crossbow; however, if you do harvest an antlered deer with either of the crossbow licenses, you will not be able to harvest an antlered deer using an archery, firearms, or muzzleloader license during either the archery season, the firearms season or muzzleloader season respectively. Any combination that totals two archery or crossbow licenses can be used during a hunting season. Can I take more than one antlered deer per year? Under specific circumstances, yes. You are allowed to harvest one antlered deer in the regular statewide deer season, one in any deer reduction zone after harvesting an antlerless deer, one for each military/refuge hunt you have access to; using a military license, and one for each state park deer reduction hunt you are selected to participate in. If you are selected for a state park deer reduction hunt, a license is not required. How many deer can I harvest during youth deer season? During the youth season, youth hunters may take the number of antlerless deer that is allowed by the bonus county quota, as well as one antlered deer. Additional restrictions apply on some DNR properties. The antlered deer taken during the youth season counts toward the limit of one antlered deer in the regular statewide seasons. What can I shoot with an archery license? You are allowed to purchase and fill two Archery licenses which allow you to harvest one antlerless deer and one deer of either sex using conventional archery equipment (longbow, recurve, or compound bow); however, if you do harvest an antlered deer with either of the Archery licenses, you will not be able to harvest an antlered deer using a firearms license or a muzzleloader license during either the firearms season or muzzleloader season respectively. What can I shoot with a firearms license? A firearms license allows you to harvest one antlered deer only during the firearms season. What can I shoot with a muzzleloader license? A muzzleloader license allows you to harvest one deer of either sex, during the muzzleloader season, unless you have taken an antlered deer previously. How many deer can I harvest in the military/refuge hunts? You are allowed to harvest one deer per license. There are two military areas (Crane NWSC and Atterbury MMTC) and two refuge areas (Muscatatuck NWR and Big Oaks NWR). Each has its own requirements for hunting deer on its respective properties. If you are selected for a hunt on one or more of these properties, information will be available online.
When is the deer reduction zone season? The deer reduction zone season is now continuous and runs from Sept. 15, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025. When is the firearms season? The firearms season starts the first Saturday after Veterans Day and runs for 16 days. The 2024 season is Nov. 16 through Dec. 1, 2024. When is the archery season? Archery season is from Oct. 1 through the first Sunday in January. The 2024 season runs from Oct. 1, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025. When is the muzzleloader season? The muzzleloader season starts the first Saturday after the end of Firearms Season and runs for 16 days. The 2024 season is Dec. 7-22, 2024. When is the youth deer season? The Youth Deer Season is the weekend prior to Oct 1. This year, the season is Sept 28-29, 2024. When is the special antlerless firearm season? The special antlerless firearms season is closed this year. In which counties are the special antlerless firearm season offered? The special antlerless firearms season is closed this year. In what season can I use the deer license bundle? The deer license bundle can be used during the youth, archery, firearm, and muzzleloader seasons. The bundle cannot be used in a deer reduction zone to satisfy deer reduction zone bag limits.
When can crossbows be used? Crossbows can be used during the entire archery season. Crossbows can also be used during the deer reduction zone season; however, to hunt with a crossbow, you must purchase a crossbow license, deer license bundle, bonus antlerless license, resident youth hunt/trap license, or already have a lifetime comprehensive hunting license. What rifles are allowed in firearms season? The Department of Natural Resources has received numerous questions regarding recent legislation that legalizes certain rifles for deer hunting beginning in November of 2017. The answers are below. Equipment on Private Lands State law (Indiana Code 14-22-2-8) allows some additional rifle cartridges to be used on private land during the deer firearms season.
Rifle cartridges that are legal under this law for private land include, but are not limited to, the following:
Equipment on Public Land
Rifle cartridges for public lands (state and federal property) must meet the following requirements:
These cartridges are legal to use only during the deer firearms, youth, and reduction zones (after firearms season has started in zones where local ordinances allow the use of a firearm).
Some cartridges legal for deer hunting on public land include the .350 Legend, .357 Magnum, .38-.40 Winchester, .41 Magnum, .41 Special, .44 Magnum, .44 Special, .44-.40 Winchester, .45 Colt, .454 Casull, .458 SOCOM, .475 Linebaugh, .480 Ruger, .50 Action Express, .500 S&W, .460 Smith & Wesson, .450 Bushmaster, and .50 Beowulf. Full metal jacketed bullets are illegal.
Air Guns for Deer Hunting
Air guns that use non-ignited compressed air or other gas charged by an external high compression power source and meet the following specifications are now legal for deer hunting during the youth, firearms, and deer reduction zone seasons when firearms are allowed after firearms season has started.
What are some examples of things you CAN do with the deer bundle license?
Can I use the bundle as a bonus antlerless license on DNR properties?
The bundle cannot be used to take bonus antlerless deer on a DNR property or during any regular deer season, except where authorized. This means antlerless deer cannot be harvested with a firearm during firearms season on DNR properties.
If the property has restrictions on bonus antlerless license harvest, use the flowchart to determine how to use the bundle on these properties.
Can I use the bundle in the deer reduction zone?
No, the deer license bundle cannot be used in the deer reduction zone to satisfy deer reduction zone bag limits. It can be used in deer reduction zones when fulfilling regular season bag limits
Now that I've harvested a deer, how do I clean it? Links to deer processing videos:
Deer skinning
Deer Quartering
Deer Loins and Foreleg
Deer Hind Quarter How do I cook venison to make it taste good? Links to deer recipe videos:
Sesame Venison Kabobs (Grilled)
How to cook Venison Parmesan
Venison Steaks with Bleu Cheese Sauce
Venison Pumpkin Chili
Venison Queso Blanco Dip What good manners should I follow when I am hunting? Review them on the hunting etiquette page. What are the legal firearms for Firearms Season? The legal firearms for the Firearms Season are shotguns, handguns, center-fire rifles of specific cartridge dimensions, muzzleloading handguns, and muzzleloading long guns. What are the legal firearms for Muzzleloader Season? The legal firearms for the Muzzleloader Season are muzzleloading handguns and muzzleloading long guns only. What is the minimum acreage to be considered a landowner? There is no minimum acreage. The only requirement is that the land has to be used for some type of agricultural production (i.e. growing corn, soybeans, wheat, Christmas trees, timber that is harvested, raising cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, etc.) or is assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes. If I shoot a deer and it goes on a neighboring property, can I legally retrieve the deer? Unless you have permission from the landowner, preferably written, you may not go onto his/her property to retrieve/track the deer. Contact your local Conservation Officer for assistance (Central Dispatch, 812-837-9536). What do I do if a landowner does not give me permission to retrieve the deer I shot? Contact your local Conservation Officer for assistance in retrieving the deer. He/she can be contacted via the Sheriff's office or the DNR Law Enforcement District for your county. The landowner can still legally refuse to give up the deer. When must a deer hunter wear orange? Hunter orange is required for all deer hunters during Youth, Firearm or Muzzleloader season. Hunter orange must be worn at all times during the hunt, including walking to and from the hunting location. A good rule of thumb is: if it's any kind of firearms season, and you have your hunting weapon with you, you need to be wearing hunter orange. How much hunter orange is required on a ground blind? A ground blind must have at least 144 square inches of hunter orange material that is visible from any direction during any season in which a hunter is already required to wear hunter orange. What is "baiting"? Baiting includes any of the following: 1) a solid or liquid that is transported and intended for consumption, 2) salt, 3) mineral blocks, and 4) food that is transported and placed for consumption, including, but not limited to, piles of apples and corn placed in the field. An area is considered baited for 10 days after the removal of the bait and the baited soil. Hunting an orchard, or another area that may be attractive to deer as a result of normal agricultural activity is not prohibited. If baiting is illegal, why do stores sell products such as Stump Likker? Stump Likker and other similar products are not illegal to sell or illegal to use as a supplement to wildlife. However, it is illegal to hunt over these products. Which counties qualify for the Deer Reduction Zone season? Please see the Deer Reduction Zone Interactive map for details. Can I harvest a buck in a Deer Reduction Zone? Individuals hunting in a designated deer reduction zone and attempting to satisfy the deer reduction zone bag limit must harvest an antlerless deer within the deer reduction zone first before taking a buck. Individuals hunting in an area within a Deer Reduction Zone may take a buck if hunting under a regular deer hunting season license and are not required to take a doe first. Can I use a crossbow with the deer bundle? Yes, any legal equipment can be used for the seasons that the bundle can be used How should I dispose of the carcass and unwanted animal waste? Carcasses of deer and other wild animals that are lawfully taken cannot be dumped in streams or other bodies of water. Dumping dead deer and other wild animals in a waterway is considered littering and is a criminal offense punishable by a fine. Carcasses should not be burned because this can cause air pollution. Carcasses shouldn’t be left in the open for scavengers and others to see without permission from the landowner. We recommend all discarded carcasses and unwanted animal parts be bagged, placed in your trash, and sent to a landfill.