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Indiana

Hunting

Hunting

Deer Seasons, Licenses, & Equipment

Deer Seasons, Licenses, & Equipment

Archery

Crossbow

Handgun

Muzzleloading Handgun

Muzzleloading Long Gun

Shotgun

Rifle

Air Guns

Youth Season – Sept. 24-25, 2022

Resident Youth Hunt/Trap License

Nonresident Youth Deer License
(incl. Deer License Bundle)



Reduction Zone Season* – Sept. 15, 2022 - Jan. 31, 2023

Deer Reduction Zone License

Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting License

Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting/Fishing License

Youth License

Archery Season – Oct. 1, 2022 - Jan. 1, 2023

Archery License








Crossbow License








Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting License







Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting/Fishing License







Deer License Bundle







Bonus Antlerless License







Youth License







Firearms Season – Nov. 12-27, 2022

Firearms License (antlered deer only)



Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting License



Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting/Fishing License



Deer License Bundle



Bonus Antlerless License



Youth License



Muzzleloader Season – Dec. 3-18, 2022

Muzzleloader License







Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting License







Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting/Fishing License







Deer License Bundle







Bonus Antlerless License







Youth License







Special Antlerless Firearms Season – Closed

Deer Bag Limits

Season

Bag Limit*

Youth Season

1 antlered deer AND the number of bonus antlerless deer per county quota; exceptions apply on some DNR properties

Reduction Zone Season

1 antlered deer (see “earn-a-buck” page 25) AND 9 antlerless deer OR 10 antlerless deer

Archery Season

2 antlerless deer OR 1 antlered and 1 antlerless deer

Firearms Season

1 antlered deer

Muzzleloader Season

1 antlered deer OR 1 antlerless deer

Special Antlerless Firearms Season

Closed in 2022-2023

Additional Opportunities

Bonus Antlerless Deer

1 antlerless deer per license not to exceed the bonus antlerless county quota; bonus deer can be taken during the archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons with the appropriate license

State Park Hunts

3 antlerless deer OR 2 antlerless and 1 antlered deer (reserved hunts; visit hunting.IN.gov)

Military/Refuge Properties (by reserved hunt drawing or invitation only)

1 deer of either sex per Military/Refuge Deer License

Deer Equipment Chart


Equipment

Specifications

Legal Season

Firearms

Rifle

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE LAND:

Bullet diameter: .357” minimum

Casing length: 1.16–1.8”

• full metal jacketed bullets are illegal

Youth, firearms, deer reduction zone

PRIVATE LAND ONLY:

Bullet diameter: .243” (6 mm) minimum

Casing length: 1.16-3”

• a hunter must not possess more than 10 of these cartridges while hunting deer

• full metal jacketed bullets are illegal

Handgun

Barrel length: 4” minimum

Bullet diameter: .243” minimum

Case length: 1.16” minimum, except for 10 mm

• 10 mm also legal cartridges (i.e. 10 mm Auto and .40 S&W)

• rifles with barrel less than 18” are NOT considered handguns

• .25-20 Winchester, .32-20 Winchester, .30 carbine, and .38 special ammunition are prohibited

• NOT permitted for hunting on military areas

Firearms, deer reduction zone

Shotgun

Bore: 10, 12, 16, 20, or 28 gauge or .410”

• shooting slugs and saboted bullets only

• combination rifle-shotguns are allowed

Youth, firearms, deer reduction zone

Muzzleloaders

Muzzleloading Rifle/Shotgun

Barrel caliber: .44” minimum

Bullet diameter: .357” minimum

• powder and bullet loaded from muzzle and single bullet*

• saboted bullets permitted

• multiple barreled guns permitted

* can have powder loaded from the breech end only during the youth and firearms seasons

Youth, firearms, muzzleloader, deer reduction zone

Muzzeloading Handgun

Barrel length: 12” minimum, measured from the base of the breech plug (excluding tangs and other projections to the end of the barrel, including the muzzle crown)

Barrel caliber: .50” minimum

Bullet diameter: .44” minimum

• loaded from muzzle and single shot

Archery

Vertical Bow

Long bows, compound bows, or recurve bows and arrows

• bows drawn, held, or released by means other than by hand or hand-held releases may be used

• arrows must have metal, metal-edged, napped flint, chert, or obsidian broadheads

Archery, youth, deer reduction zone

Draw weight: 35 lbs. minimum

Crossbow

Defined as a device for propelling an arrow by means of limbs mounted on a stock and a string, and having a working safety that may be drawn or held

Draw weight: 125 lbs. minimum

Special

Air guns

Using non-ignited compressed air or other gas charged by external high compression power source

Projectiles: Must shoot .40 caliber or larger single bullet generating 400 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy; or an arrow or bolt with a sharpened metal or metal-edged broadhead at minimum of 300 fps at release

Youth, firearms, deer reduction zone

Deer Hotline

If you need information about deer, take advantage of our Deer Hotline. Call 812-334-3795, 8:30 a.m - 4 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday or email [email protected] with your questions. Find additional information at deer.dnr.IN.gov.