Indiana Deer Seasons

Urban deer zone: Sept. 15 – Jan. 31
Youth season: Sept. 28-29
Archery season: Oct. 1 – Jan. 5

URBAN DEER ZONES:

Eager archers can start legally hunting deer in urban deer zones onSept. 15, which are available throughout all regions of Indiana. There are 8 urban deer zones in Indiana.

The bag limit for the urban deer zone remains separate from the statewide bag limits, with up to 4 antlerless deer (one per license), or 3 antlerless deer and 1 antlered deer (one per license). Hunters should remember the urban deer zone deer  “earn a buck” restriction, which requires hunters hunting with an urban deer zone license to take one antlerless deer prior to taking their urban zone antlered deer. 

Urban deer zones were established to provide hunters opportunities to harvest deer in specified areas in addition to regular bag limits. Urban deer zones are for archery and crossbow hunting only. This provision does not override any local ordinances restricting bow and arrow or crossbow use.

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IOWA REGULAR DEER SEASONS END

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The final regular deer season ended Jan. 10 when the late season muzzleloader and the archery season closed. Deer hunters had reported taking nearly 113,000 deer at the end of the season which is about 4 percent lower than was reported last year at this time and about 21 percent below the reported harvest in 2006.

While the harvest is lower, the number of deer licenses issued during the regular seasons has stayed about the same since 2006.

“The reduced kill is a result of the reduced deer population,” said Dale Garner, chief of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Bureau. “Deer numbers in many areas are near the established goal. We continue to hear complaints from hunters that they did not see the number of deer that they had in the past and some are voicing their concerns that the herd reduction may have gone too far.”

Hunts for antlerless deer continue until Jan. 29, in select counties and urban areas. Even though licenses may be available, not all areas in these counties need the extra harvest, Garner said. Hunters need to work with the landowner where they hunt to determine if extra does need to be taken.

The DNR will review the harvest and population surveys after the seasons are complete in January and make proposals to reduce the deer kill and stabilize deer numbers. Reductions in the harvest were proposed in 2011 but not adopted.

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Changes to Indiana Urban Deer Zones

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The new deer rule changes that the Natural Resources Commission gave final adoption to this fall are now in effect. 

This means that the 2011 Urban Deer Zone season has been extended until January 31, 2012.

Here is a summary of additional changes to the Urban Deer Zone:

*  The urban deer zone season now lasts from Sept. 15 through Jan. 31. (Previously, the urban deer zone ended the first Sunday in January).

*   A new urban deer zone license is required and replaces the old requirements of needing an extra archery license, bonus antlerless, or regular archery license. The resident urban deer zone license is $24 and the nonresident urban deer zone license is $150. Resident youth hunt/trap, lifetime comprehensive hunting, or lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license or those exempt from needing a license, do not need to purchase urban deer zone licenses.

*   The urban deer zone in Lake and Porter counties now includes the entire county.

*   Hunters that are using an urban deer zone license must harvest at least one antlerless deer before harvesting an antlered deer with an urban deer zone license; a.k.a, “earn-a-buck.” The earn-a-buck program only applies to the urban deer zone season.

*   Crossbows can now be used during the urban deer zone season.

The bag limit for the urban deer zone remains the same at 4 antlerless deer (one per license), or with the new “earn-a-buck,” 3 antlerless deer and 1 antlered deer (one per license). Urban deer zones were established to provide hunters opportunities to harvest deer in specified areas in addition to regular bag limits. Urban deer zones are for archery and crossbow hunting only. This provision does not override any local ordinances restricting bow and arrow or crossbow use.

What does this mean for the remainder of the 2011 Urban Deer Zone Season?

Here are some scenarios that should help hunters determine license requirements and harvest regulations for the remainder of the 2011 Urban Deer Zone season, which ends January 31, 2012.

Scenario 1 - if a hunter has already harvested an antlered deer in an urban deer zone this season (Sept. 15, 2011 – Jan. 31, 2012), all the hunter can harvest thru Jan. 31 would be antlerless deer in an urban deer zone; assuming the hunter has not reached the bag limit for the urban deer zone.
 
Scenario 2 – if a hunter hasn’t harvested an urban zone antlered deer and has already harvested an urban zone antlerless deer during the 2011 urban zone deer season, the hunter has already met the “earn-a-buck” requirement.  The hunter can harvest one urban zone antlered deer thru Jan. 31 in an urban deer zone.

Scenario 3 – if a hunter hasn’t harvested any urban zone deer this season, the hunter must harvest an antlerless deer in an urban deer zone prior to harvesting an antlered deer in an urban deer zone.

Urban Deer Zones are:
• Lake County
• Porter County
• Vanderburgh County
• Fort Wayne – the portion of Allen County within the bounds of Interstate 69 and Indiana 469.
• Indianapolis – all of Marion County, Hendricks County east of Indiana 267; southeast portion of Boone County bounded by Indiana 267, Interstate 65, Indiana 32; and the portion of Hamilton County south of Indiana 32.
• Lafayette – the portion of Tippecanoe County north of Indiana 28.
• Michigan City – the portion of LaPorte County north of Interstate 94.
• Warsaw – the portion of Kosciusko County within the corporate limits of Warsaw.

All other deer rule changes that went into effect on January 1, 2012 can be found athttp://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm. This information will be summarized and included in the Hunting Guide that will come out later this summer (June/July).

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WI: Muzzleloader season underway after regular deer season

December antlerless season also ahead

MADISON – The close of the nine-day gun deer hunt also signals the opening of the 10-day, muzzleloader deer hunt that runs from Nov. 28 through Dec. 7. The muzzleloader hunt is statewide with the exception of most state parks. There is also an ongoing deer hunting season through Dec. 7 in designated metropolitan, or metro, units due to higher deer populations near some urban areas. Check the current deer hunting regulations for details.

Following the muzzleloader hunt is a four-day antlerless deer hunt running Dec. 8 through 11 statewide except in state parks and in Menominee County.

All hunters are reminded that blaze orange clothing requirements are in place whenever any gun deer season is open.

License sales officials say there are unit-specific antlerless deer tags are still available for some regular units. Permits are $5 for 10 and 11 year olds, $12 for residents and $20 for the nonresidents. Antlerless deer tags for herd control units and earn-a-buck units are available for $2 each.

Visit the deer hunting pages of the DNR Web site for details on license requirements, permit availability, bag limits and harvest rules. For additional questions call the toll free 1-888-WDNR-INFo (888-936-7463) line for answers. The line is staffed 7a.m. to 10 p.m. 7-days per week

More information on a muzzleloader hunting is available on the law enforcement pages of the DNR website.

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Iowa: GREEN VALLEY STATE PARK TO CLOSE DURING SPECIAL DEER HUNT

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Green Valley State Park will be closed Nov. 19 and 20 for its annual special deer hunt. Green Valley will re-open to the public on Nov. 21.

The Green Valley State Park deer hunt is limited to 30 hunters using only muzzleloaders to harvest up to 60 antlerless deer. Hunters have already registered and will receive two antlerless tags each, redeemable only during the special hunt at the designated areas and specified dates.

Additional DNR staff will be on hand to patrol the park boundaries during the event.

“This hunt helps to manage the deer population in the park. We have had seven successful hunts and expect this hunt will go as well as previous hunts,” said Alan Carr, park ranger at Green Valley. “Hunters are required to attend a special safety meeting before the hunt where we explain the reason for the hunt, discuss the rules and identify the park boundaries.”

Carr said the park hunt has shown to be a successful management tool for state parks.

“We are attempting to maintain a balance in the deer herd for the people who want to see deer when they come to park and for our neighbors who may want a smaller deer herd,” Carr said. “The hunt will probably remain an annual event with the number of deer targeted for removal changing based on the population estimates.”

Hunters have been allowed to harvest up to 60 antlerless deer, the average harvest for the past seven years has been just over 40 deer.

For questions, contact the park office at (641) 782-5131.

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