Free parks admission on Black Friday
Spend time outdoors with Indiana DNR on Black Friday and win prizes as a part of #OptOutsideIN2022.
All DNR properties will offer free admission. To participate, visit a state park, state forest, state-managed reservoir, fish & wildlife area, nature preserve, or an off-road state recreation area.
Prizes you will become eligible to win by participating include DNR annual passes, lake permits, Outdoor Indiana subscriptions, Smokey Bear materials, gift cards and DNR staff-led outdoor experiences.
 Winter Special - 2 nights for 1
Nov. 27 through March 2, 2023
Stay two nights for the price of one at a state park inn, Sunday - Thursday only. Certain restrictions may apply. (Blackout period Dec. 25-Jan. 5, 2023). Reserve online at IndianaInns.com or call 1.877.LODGES1.
Shop the official store of Indiana State Parks
Since you are skipping the Black Friday shopping chaos #OptOutsideIN2022, consider getting the outdoor lover on your shopping list a gift from Mother Nature's Mercantile, the Indiana State Parks online store. There you will find gifts, clothing, permits, gift cards, and, of course, the Holiday Gift Pack.
 Holiday light show at five DNR properties
Five DNR destinations will have a holiday light shows this December.
- Lieber State Recreation Area: Dec. 2–4 and Dec. 9–11 from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Mounds State Park: Dec. 2–Jan. 1 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Ouabache State Park: Dec. 2–31, from 6 to 9 p.m.
- Spring Mill State Park: Dec. 2–3, from 6 to 9:45 p.m.
- Starve Hollow State Recreation Area: Dec. 17, 6 to 9:30 p.m.
 Hunting seasons in December
Deer Muzzleloader: Dec. 3–18
Wild Turkey Fall Archery: Dec. 3, 2022–Jan. 1, 2023
Pheasant (Cock only): Closes Dec. 15
Dove: Dec. 17, 2022–Jan. 2, 2023
Crow: Dec. 13, 2022–March 1, 2023
Snipe: Closes Dec. 16
Quail (north of Interstate 74): Closes Dec. 15
Quail (south of Interstate 74): Closes Jan. 10, 2023
Ducks (North Zone): Closes Dec. 11, reopens Dec. 26, 2022–Jan. 3. 2023
 Pokagon SP Toboggan Run opens Friday
Get ready to ride, Hoosiers — Pokagon State Park’s toboggan run opens Friday, Nov. 25.
Riders drop 90 feet over the distance of a quarter-mile in this exciting thrill ride.
State park holiday gift packs available
Don’t know what to buy for the person who has everything? Giving a holiday gift pack from the DNR may be your solution.
Whether that person enjoys camping outdoors or sleeping in the comfort of one of our Indiana State Park Inns, the gift pack is sure to please.
The $99 gift pack includes a 2023 resident annual entrance permit, a one-year subscription to Outdoor Indiana magazine, and one of two $65 gift card options. There’s a $65 gift card that can be used at the campgrounds—or, for those who like to enjoy nature from the comfort of the indoors, a $65 State Park Inns gift card. There’s also an option to upgrade the gift card to $100 for $35 more.
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 Ice bites: Let the ice fishing begin
Seasons change but your fishing habits don’t have to—as long as you have the right equipment. As Indiana’s waters cool, you can turn your attention to ice fishing. If you plan to ice fish, be sure to put safety first. Follow these tips for a safe and successful ice fishing season:
- Fish with a partner so that someone can call for help in case of an emergency.
- Carry ice picks to assist in pulling yourself out if you happen to fall through the ice.
- Wear ice cleats to avoid slipping and falling on the ice and possibly causing injury.
- Notify others where you will be fishing and when you expect to be home.
- Wear a flotation device and carry a rope in case of an emergency.
For more information on ice fishing, visit our Fishing Guide. Looking for places to fish? Visit our Where to Fish Map.
 Natural Resources Foundation, Clif Bar, and the Division of Forestry add to Indiana's forests
As part of the Indiana Tree Project, volunteers from Clif Bar joined staff from the INRF and the Division of Forestry to plant 3,000 trees in Greene-Sullivan State Forest earlier this month.
Clif Bar started supporting the Indiana Tree Project in 2019. This year’s tree planting marks the fourth time the group from Indianapolis has ventured south to help grow Indiana’s forests.
Get your muzzleloaders ready
Be sure to prepare for muzzleloader season, which runs Dec. 3–18. Follow the regulations for firearms as you participate this year:
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
Muzzleloading 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
Get your outdoor lover Outdoor Indiana
Subscribe to Outdoor Indiana magazine to see the Hoosier state as you’ve never seen it before. View excerpts of the November/December issue.
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The Foundation celebrates and preserves Indiana’s natural legacy by raising funds to support the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and its programs.
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