Deer firearms season begins Nov. 14
The deer firearms season is from Nov. 14-29. Remember, the deer firearms license allows a hunter to take only one buck. Hunters can harvest an antlerless deer during the firearms season with a firearm if they possess a deer bundle license, bonus antlerless license, resident youth consolidated hunting and trapping license, or comprehensive lifetime hunting license. Antlerless deer taken with a firearm during the firearms season would count toward the bonus antlerless quota, unless you are hunting in a deer reduction zone with the appropriate license and count the deer toward the deer reduction zone bag limit. Bonus antlerless deer cannot be taken on all DNR properties; find information about restrictions. Bonus antlerless deer cannot be taken in Benton or Tipton counties until Nov. 26.
Buy your deer hunting license now
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Remember, signing in to buy hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses looks different now. Access Indiana, an online portal that allows citizens to interact with multiple Indiana state agencies through a single login, launched several months ago. If you haven’t already purchased your hunting license for this fall, we suggest creating your Access Indiana account today.
Find instructions for getting started online. For assistance with a username or password, call Access Indiana customer support at 800-457-8283. The DNR is unable to assist with usernames and passwords. More information about the Access Indiana portal, answers to FAQs, and other helpful information is available online.
If you buy your license from a license retailer, avoid waiting in long lines the day before the season starts by purchasing one now. Find a list of license retailers online. Make sure to check your license for accuracy before you leave the store.
Find more information about deer licenses, seasons, and regulations on our website. Remember, the resident youth consolidated hunt/trap license includes all deer hunting privileges.
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Multiple deer, four seasons, one license
Do you hunt in more than one season? Are you limited on time during firearms season? If so, we have a license deal for you. A deer bundle license can be used in all seasons (except the deer reduction zone season) using legal equipment during that season and gives the hunter the privilege to harvest up to three deer (3 antlerless OR 1 antlered and 2 antlerless deer). If you miss your chance to harvest during firearms season, the deer bundle license has you covered for the special antlerless firearms season.
Season dates, legal equipment, and all other deer hunting laws apply. Antlerless deer taken with a deer license bundle can count toward the archery season bag limit, muzzleloader season bag limit, or as a bonus antlerless deer in that county, depending on the season and equipment used.
Free youth hunting days, Nov. 28-29
Introduce the next generation to hunting on free youth hunting days. The second set of dates falls on Nov. 28-29. Free youth hunting days are a great chance for youth to harvest a deer, try waterfowl hunting, or take to the fields or forest in search of other game.
Youth must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years of age, and the adult must possess a valid hunting license. During free youth hunting days, resident youth and nonresident youth do not need a hunting license, a State migratory waterfowl stamp, or a Harvest Information Program (HIP) number to hunt waterfowl or other migratory birds. All persons 16 years old or older must possess a federal duck stamp.
Check in your deer, wild turkey, or river otter
The Indiana CheckIN Game system allows hunters and trappers to check in their harvested game from any device connected to the internet. You will receive a confirmation number that must be written down on a temporary transportation tag for the harvested game species (turkey, deer, or river otter). Be sure to check your information to ensure accuracy before submitting the check-in.
Remember, you don’t need to login to an account to check in game this fall. Have your Customer ID handy.
Please do not re-enter the correct information if you have entered incorrect information into the CheckIN Game system. The reason is that each submission looks like an animal harvested. Instead of re-entering, email your confirmation number, name, and changes that need to be made to inhuntfish@dnr.IN.gov.
To view all game that was previously checked in with the CheckIN Game system, you will need to set up an account through our online system. You can purchase licenses, check in game, complete your HIP registration and make a donation through your account.
Hunters still have the option of visiting traditional check stations where a confirmation number will be provided to hunters to place on their temporary transportation tag. There is also a phone-in option at 1-800-419-1326; however, there is a $3 charge for this service (Visa or Mastercard only).
New deer biologist joins DNR
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Moriah Boggess joined Indiana DNR in early October as the new statewide deer biologist. A native of North Carolina, Moriah received his bachelor’s degree from North Carolina State University and his master’s degree through the Deer Ecology and Management Lab at Mississippi State University. His master’s thesis examined the effects of prescribed fire and deer on acorn survival and plant communities. Moriah has a keen interest in the interrelationships of habitat management, plant communities, and wildlife populations. He is an avid deer hunter and enjoys shed hunting, hiking, foraging, reading, and writing in his free time. Moriah is stationed at DNR Fish & Wildlife’s Bloomington Field Office.
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Chronic wasting disease surveillance
Remember - Indiana DNR is conducting targeted surveillance for chronic wasting disease (CWD) in northwest and northeast Indiana during the 2020-21 deer hunting season. Sampling locations and their hours of operation are listed on the website. Indiana DNR biologists will intensively sample hunter-harvested deer at local businesses in the surveillance areas during three weekends: Nov. 7-8, 14-15, and 21-22. Hunters may also voluntarily submit samples for free testing at select fish & wildlife areas (FWAs) and state fish hatcheries (SFHs) throughout the hunting season. Deer heads can be dropped into designated coolers, or hunters may make an appointment for their harvested deer to be sampled by a biologist during office hours.
Hunters interested in testing a deer for CWD that was harvested outside the CWD surveillance areas can also take their deer to select FWAs and SFHs (see our interactive map, pictured). This testing option is free. Alternatively, hunters may independently submit their deer to the Purdue Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab (ADDL) for testing for a fee. To use the ADDL option, hunters should complete the submission form and follow the shipping instructions on Purdue ADDL’s website.
Hunters who submit a deer for CWD testing will receive a metal tag reminiscent of Indiana’s historical deer harvest confirmation process.
Hunting and trapping seasons in November
Hunting
Deer Firearms: Nov. 14 – Nov. 29
Dove: Nov. 1 – Nov. 15
Pheasant (Cock only): Nov. 1 – Dec.15
Rabbit: Nov. 1 – Feb. 28, 2021
Raccoon, Opossum: Nov. 8 - Jan. 31, 2021
Quail:
– (north of Interstate 74): Nov. 1 – Dec. 15
– (south of Interstate 74): Nov. 1 – Jan. 10, 2021
Canada Geese:
– North Zone: Nov. 21 – Feb. 14, 2021
– Central Zone: Nov. 21 – Feb. 14, 2021
– South Zone: Nov. 7 – 22, Nov. 28 – Feb. 14, 2021
Ducks:
– Central Zone: Nov. 21 – Jan. 10, 2021
– South Zone: Nov. 7 – 8, Nov. 28 – Jan. 24, 2021
Trapping
Beaver: Nov. 15 – March 15, 2021
Mink, Muskrat, Weasel: Nov. 15 – Jan. 31, 2021
Raccoon, Opossum: Nov. 8 – Jan. 31, 2020
River Otter: Nov. 15 – March 15, 2020 (or until quota is met)
Can’t find your hunter education card?
If you lost your hunter education card, you can order a replacement online.
Be sure to enter your hunter education card into your online account before purchasing a license or give it to the retailer when you purchase your license at a store.
Hunter education class information is available on our website.
Celebrating access and opportunity in the outdoors
It’s the 30th anniversary of the year the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law. DNR is proud to provide fishing access to Hoosiers through several ADA-accessible public access sites and fishing areas. Find accessible sites near you on the Where to Fish Map by selecting the ADA accessible filter.
DNR is also preparing to build an ADA-accessible trail at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area, thanks to a recent grant from the Duke Energy Foundation. The trail is being developed in partnership with the Indiana Wildlife Federation and will be certified through their Sustainable Trail program. Read more about the upcoming project.
What’s biting?
Fall is a great time for some late season trout fishing. As water temperatures cool in our lakes, trout move into shallower water and are easier for anglers to target. Fly fishing equipment and trolling streamers or slender minnow type crank baits are the most popular methods for fall trout fishing in glacial lakes, but a worm under a bobber can be just as effective.
For shoreline anglers, city park ponds are great locations to try their luck at catching fall trout. Several sites were recently stocked with rainbow trout. Find stocking locations and numbers online.
Sandhill crane migration is underway
Sandhill cranes are migrating through Indiana and stopping to refuel at Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area in large numbers. Find updated crane counts and plan your trip close to peak by visiting our website.
Natural decomposition creates winter habitat
Allowing plant trimmings and woody debris to naturally decay is a great way for Hoosiers to help wildlife. Naturally decaying leaves, grass clippings, and dead wood help wildlife keep warm and provide valuable food sources in the fall and winter months.
Birds seek insects in fallen leaves for food. Leaves can also be used as insulation and cover for wildlife such as Eastern box turtles and red bats. Leaving tall wildflowers and grasses in place through winter allows birds such as Northern bobwhite and pheasant to use them as nesting materials. Overwintering pollinators will also use grass and flower stalks. Dead trees (where safe) provide nesting spaces for many birds and mammals. Downed logs retain heat and moisture in winter months, providing habitat for salamanders and frogs. Brush piles protect species including small mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians from harsh winter conditions.
For more information about creating habitat in your backyard, visit our website.
Photo courtesy of Dan Kaiser.
Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund at Work: Birds
Whooping cranes (Grus americana) are one of the rarest birds in the world. Only 826 whooping cranes remain in the world today, and a remarkable 30 whooping cranes winter in Indiana each year, often at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area.
Whooping cranes have arrived in Indiana, and some will stay all winter long. They are easily recognized by their height and white body, as they stand 5 feet tall and don dark red crowns and black mustaches that contrast sharply against their snowy white feathers. If you see a whooping crane, keep a distance of at least 100 yards, or one football fields, and report any activity that attempts to harm or disturb these magnificent birds to 1-800-TIP-IDNR.
Play your part in conserving whooping cranes by donating to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. For the past three years, DNR ornithologists have assisted the International Crane Foundation in the tracking and tagging of whooping cranes to help study these endangered birds. If the whooping crane has bands around its legs, try to identify its unique leg band color combination while keeping your distance. Assist with monitoring efforts by reporting sightings online. Support whooping crane research through your donations and by telling your friends how they can help.
NRC meets at Fort Harrison State Park
The Natural Resources Commission will conduct its regular bi-monthly meeting at 10 a.m., Nov. 17, at the Garrison at Fort Harrison State Park. The agenda will be posted online before the meeting.
Recent news releases
J.E. Roush Lake FWA receives donation
Goose Pond FWA to get a new accessible trail
DNR stocks Coho salmon in northwest Indiana
Fall trout stockings planned for Allen and Huntington counties
DNR Fish & Wildlife receives 2020 Indiana GIS Award
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