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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Wisconsin Archers can take up the deer hunt beginning Saturday, Sept. 14

MADISON – Cooler evening temperatures are a signal to many bow hunters that the Sept. 14 opening of Wisconsin’s archery deer season is just around the corner.

“For those of us who love to bow hunt, it’s an exciting time of the year and anticipation runs high,” said Kevin Wallenfang, the big game ecologist for the state Department of Natural Resources and an ardent, enthusiastic bow hunter.

With good conditions hunters can hope to see plenty of deer in most areas of the state, said Wallenfang. Archers set an all-time record buck harvest last year, he said, including yet another new state record trophy deer shot in Fond du lac County.

“In general, during the past couple of years we’ve had conservative antlerless quotas in the north to allow herds to increase,” Wallenfang said. “As a result, I’m hearing from a lot of folks that they are seeing more deer across the north than in recent years. In addition, we continue to have good numbers of deer in most farmland areas.”

Many archers in the chronic wasting disease management zone will be pleased to see the absence of a four-day October gun hunt, which has been the norm in recent years. The only interruption of the archery season will be a two-day statewide youth hunt Oct. 5-6.

Hunters understand, Wallenfang said, that all properties are not created equal when it comes to deer abundance. Deer change their movements in response to weather, food availability and other factors and are not evenly distributed through a deer management unit. Aerial surveys often show a large number of deer in one square mile of habitat with very few deer in one of the neighboring square-mile blocks.

As always, there is no substitute for scouting and pre-season contacts with neighboring land owners, Wallenfang said.

The 2013 archery deer season runs from Saturday, Sept. 14, through Thursday, Nov. 21 and then from Saturday, Nov. 23, the start of the gun season, through Jan. 5, a Sunday. As always, there is no deer hunting of any kind on the Friday preceding the gun deer hunt. This single day separates the early and late bow deer seasons.

Archery deer hunters will again be allowed to hunt during the regular nine-day gun deer hunt in November and for the second year will be able to fill a gun license deer tag with a bow or crossbow during the gun deer seasons. During the gun deer season, bow hunters are required to follow the same blaze orange clothing regulations as gun hunters.

There were 263,852 licensed archery hunters in 2012 who harvested a total of 94,267 deer, up from 255,426 archery hunters who harvested 90,200 deer in 2011.

Wallenfang urged bow hunters to be especially careful when climbing into and out of deer stands. This is when most injuries occur.

“Things are shaping up to be another excellent year. Be safe in your stand, wear a harness, and enjoy the fall woods.”

More information is available by searching for “deer hunting” on the DNR website.

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Deer Deaths Possible Indicator of EHD

Map of USA with North Dakota highlighted (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wildlife biologists believe recent reports of white-tailed deer deaths in western North Dakota could indicate the presence of epizootic hemorrhagic disease.

Dr. Dan Grove, State Game and Fish Department wildlife veterinarian, said the reports have characteristics similar to previous EHD events, and initial necropsy results on a freshly dead deer from Burleigh County indicate the potential presence of EHD.

“Deer losses to EHD occur periodically,” Grove said. “Sometimes the incidents are isolated and affect few animals, and in other cases the disease is spread over a large geographic region.”

As of Aug. 28, less than 20 dead deer have been reported to the department in three counties – Bowman, Grant and Burleigh. However, the typical range where EHD is found in North Dakota is southwest of the Missouri River, and in large outbreaks most counties in this region are affected. 

Game and Fish is urging bow hunters and elk hunters in the field in early September to report any observations of dead deer, Grove said, and to report locations quickly so biologists can gauge distribution and severity. “To isolate the EHD virus, the animal cannot have been dead for more than 24 hours,” he added.

Information needed from each report is the species, age, sex and location. “It would be nice if we could get the legal description of the land, or a GPS coordinate, and a photograph if possible,” Grove said. “At the very least, we will need the number of miles and direction from the closest town.” 

EHD primarily affects white-tailed deer, and is most noticeable in western North Dakota when high whitetail populations combine with a hot and humid late summer and early fall. Most deer that die from this are infected before the first hard frost, which kills the biting midges that spread the disease, Grove said.

The last time North Dakota had significant deer deaths from EHD was 2011.

EHD causes dehydration and a high body temperature, causing deer to seek water prior to death. Other clinical and behavior symptoms may include respiratory distress; swelling of head, neck, and tongue; lesions on tongue and roof of mouth; indifference to humans; and in later stages, hemorrhaging from body orifices.

EHD is not a danger to humans. However, hunters should not shoot or consume a deer if it appears sick.

Hunters should report any dead deer observations to the Game and Fish Department at ndgf@nd.gov, or (701) 328-6351. 

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East River, Muzzleloader and Refuge Deer Deadline Approaching

Paper applications for the 2013 East River, Muzzleloader and Refuge Deer license drawings must be postmarked and mailed by Friday, August 30th.

Applications may be submitted online through 8:00 a.m. CDT, Wednesday, Sept.4th.  To submit an application electronically, click here,

Also, to make sure you have your archery, youth, and mentored deer licenses in your hand by opening day click here.

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MORAVIA MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO POACHING DEER SCORING MORE THAN 200 INCHES

Map of Iowa highlighting Appanoose County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

CENTERVILLE, Iowa - Jerry Kaster, 40, of Moravia, pleaded guilty and was assessed the maximum amount of $20,000 in liquidated damages for unlawfully killing of a trophy whitetail deer in Appanoose County. The case began with a call to the Turn in Poachers hotline on December 2, 2010. 

According to the investigation, Kaster had shot a buck deer that scored more than 200 inches, with a .270 rifle while driving in his minivan on a rural road in the Lake Rathbun area. 

Conservation officers located Kaster, the deer, and Kaster’s rifle at a residence a few miles from where the deer was killed.  A .270 bullet recovered from the deer was later matched by the DCI to Kaster’s Ruger .270 rifle.   

Kaster was fined $195 for one count of unlawful killing of an antlered whitetail deer and $195 for one count of unlawful transportation of whitetail deer.  The DNR seized the Ruger .270 rifle Kaster used in the violations.  He will also lose his hunting privileges.

While under investigation for this case, Kaster was fined in 2012 for falsely obtaining landowner tags to hunt deer.

In the course of the investigation, conservation officers determined that a matching set of shed antlers off this deer had been sold by another person to a collector for $8,000. 

The timely reporting to the Turn In Poachers hotline made apprehending this trophy deer poacher possible.

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Wisconsin: Sign up by Sept. 1 to participate in a gun deer hunt for people with disabilities

Hunters planning to participate in the gun deer hunt for people with disabilities are reminded to take three

actions before Sept. 1.

1)      Visit dnr.wi.gov and search keywords “disabled deer hunt,” to find a list of hunt sponsors. At least 90 sponsors have enrolled over 72,000 acres of property in 50 counties to date.

2)      Contact a participating sponsor directly and ask for permission to participate in their hunt.

3)      Sign up with the sponsor by Sept. 1. Be prepared to supply your name and contact information.

Hunting space is limited on some properties, so hunters are encouraged to contact sponsors as soon as possible.

Hunters must possess a valid Class A, long-term Class B that authorizes shooting from a vehicle, Class C or Class D Disabled Hunting Permit and a current gun deer hunting license to participate in the disabled deer hunt.

This year’s gun hunt for hunters with disabilities will occur Oct. 5 to 13. Hunters are allowed to shoot either antlered or antlerless deer during this hunt with the appropriate permit(s). Please check the 2013 Deer Hunting Regulations for more information.

If you are a hunt sponsor, please submit your list of hunters using the new online process which can be found at dnr.wi.gov, keywords “disabled deer hunt.” If sponsors do not have access to the online form, hard copies are available at DNR service centers or by calling Scott Roepke at 608-261-7588.

Sponsors should submit the list of participating hunters no later than Sept. 1.

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North Dakota Deer Archery Season Opens Aug. 30

North Dakota’s deer archery season opens Friday, Aug. 30 at noon, and bowhunters are

reminded that deer bow licenses and accompanying tags are only available through electronic purchase this year.

Bowhunters can buy a license online at the State Game and Fish Department website, gf.nd.gov; by calling (800) 406-6409; or at license vendors in counties that are linked to the Game and Fish Department’s online licensing system.

In counties that are not on the Game and Fish system, deer bow licenses will not be available at the usual license vendors. Hunters who purchase bow licenses online should allow for several days to receive their tag in the mail.

County auditors and all their authorized license vendors that are part of the Game and Fish Department electronic licensing system are: Adams, Barnes, Benson, Bottineau, Bowman, Burleigh, Cass, Dickey, Grand Forks, Grant, McIntosh, Mercer, Morton, Ramsey, Ransom, Rolette, Sargent, Stark, Steele, Stutsman, Walsh, Ward and Williams. 

Bowhunters must follow all regulations of the managing agency when using tree stands on public hunting areas, including displaying the owner’s name, address and telephone number on tree stands left unattended on Game and Fish wildlife management areas.

In addition, hunting big game over bait is prohibited on both public and private land in deer units3E1, 3E2, 3F1, 3F2 and 3C west of the Missouri River.

The archery season is open through Jan. 5, 2014. Hunters should refer to the 2013 deer hunting guide for season information and regulations.

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