Furbearers Hunting

A valid hunting license is needed to hunt coyote, gray fox, opossum, raccoon, red fox, and striped skunk. (See the chart above for season dates.)

A continuously burning light that can be seen for at least 500 feet must be carried while pursuing furbearing animals between sunset and sunrise. It is illegal to:

• Remove wild animals from any cavity or den;
• To disturb the den or nest of any animal by shooting, digging, cutting or chipping; with the aid of smoke, fire, fumes, chemicals, ferret or other small animal; or with any device introduced into the hole where the animal is sheltered
• To use or carry tree climbing or cutting equipment for the purpose of dislodging an animal from a tree.

Dog Running

The dog running season for raccoon and opossum extends from noon Feb. 1 through noon Oct. 25. A person needs a valid Indiana hunting license; however, it is illegal to possess a firearm, air rifle, or another device capable of taking a raccoon or opossum while chasing a raccoon or opossum during the dog running season, except for a handgun carried in accordance with IC 35-47-2. It is legal to hunt and chase foxes (Oct. 15 to Feb. 28), raccoons (Nov. 8 to Jan. 31), and coyotes (Oct. 15 to March 15) with dogs during the established hunting seasons.

Fox & Coyote Hunting

It is legal to hunt fox and coyote with the use of mouth- or hand-operated calls, or with the use of recorded calls. Spotlights may be used to take fox and coyote. There are no restrictions on hunting hours or firearms for hunting fox and coyote. It is illegal to hunt fox or coyote from a roadway or with the use of any motor-driven conveyance.

Raccoon: Non-resident Hunting/Trapping

Indiana law allows nonresidents to hunt or trap raccoons in Indiana on a reciprocal basis. That means nonresidents can hunt or trap raccoons only when the season is open to Indiana residents in the nonresident’s state. If another state restricts Indiana hunters from hunting or trapping raccoons in that state, residents of that state will be restricted on the same basis.

For example, if state X does not allow Indiana residents to hunt raccoons for the first two weeks of raccoon season, then residents of state X are not allowed to hunt in Indiana for the first two weeks of the Indiana raccoon season. In addition, the raccoon season is open to residents of other states only on days when the Indiana raccoon season and the raccoon season in the nonresident’s state coincide.

Protected Wildlife

Badgers, bobcats and river otters are protected species. It is illegal to take these furbearers in Indiana. If you accidentally trap a badger, bobcat or river otter, report the incident to an Indiana Conservation Officer. There is no penalty for reporting accidental captures. If the animal is dead, the carcass must be surrendered to an Indiana Conservation Officer. Information provided by hunters and trappers is an important means of determining the status and distribution of these species in Indiana.

For more on non-game and endangered wildlife, call the DNR Wildlife Diversity Program, (317) 232-4200 or go to endangeredwildlife.IN.gov.

Nuisance Animals

A resident landowner or tenant may use legal methods, without a permit, to take a beaver, mink, muskrat, long-tailed weasel, red fox, gray fox, opossum, skunk, gray squirrel, fox squirrel or raccoon that is discovered damaging property.

If the animal is released, it must be released in the county of capture with permission of the landowner.

Ground hogs (woodchucks) may be taken at any time using any equipment without a permit.

Landowners may take coyotes at any time on the land they own or provide written permission for others to take coyotes on their land at any time, without a permit.

Coyotes that are taken outside the hunting and trapping season by a landowner or someone with written permission from a landowner cannot be possessed live for more than 24 hours, and the live coyote cannot be sold, traded, bartered or gifted.