Photo courtesy of USFWS

Firearms season for white-tailed deer in Indiana opens Nov. 12, and a DNR wildlife expert predicts another year of near-record harvest numbers.

Hunters are coming off a third straight record harvest, having tagged 134,004 deer in 2010. DNR deer biologist Chad Stewart said conditions for the 2011 season are shaping up similarly to the 2010 season.

“I’d hate to predict a record, but we should be close to it” Stewart said. “It’s almost guaranteed to be a top-three harvest.”

Firearms season generally accounts for about 65 percent of the overall deer harvest. Legal firearms for firearms season are shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns and center-fire rifles of specific cartridge dimensions.

The 16-day firearms season ends Nov. 27.

Hunters on opening weekend of firearms season last year harvested 37,525 deer.

Steuben County led the state in overall number of deer harvested last year with 3,948. The harvest exceeded 1,000 deer in 64 counties; exceeded 2,000 deer in 17 counties; and exceeded 3,000 deer in five counties. Counties with high harvests tend to have a good mix of woods and farm ground.

“For a deer hunter, Indiana is great because it can sustain a very high population and a very healthy population,” Stewart said.

The number of antlered deer harvested in 2010 was 53,007, or about 40 percent of the overall harvest.

Approximately 60 biologists will be at check stations across the state on opening day of firearms season to collect biological information and sample deer for the presence of chronic wasting disease.

Biologists also will collect samples to test for bovine tuberculosis at the following locations:

–Dearborn County: Tedesco’s Convenient Store, 24486 State Line Road, Lawrenceburg (812-637-5777); Day Nite Food Mart, 13891 Indiana 350, Moores Hill (812-744-4300); Widolff General Store, 7981 York Ridge, Guilford (812-487-2665); and Manchester Deer Processing, 18675 Willoughby Road, Aurora (812-926-2600)

–Fayette County: Mustin’s Taxidermy, 1660 W CR 350 S, Connersville (765-825-5943)

–Franklin County: 52 Pik-Up, 11183 U.S. 52, Brookville (765-647-3600)

–Ripley County: French’s Locker/Prime Meats, 106 Sycamore St., Batesville (812-934-2902)

Muzzleloader season starts Dec. 3 and lasts through Dec. 18. Early archery season, which is already underway, lasts through Nov. 27. Late archery season opens Dec. 3 and lasts through Jan. 1, 2012.

Unless otherwise exempted, a license is required to hunt deer during the firearms season. The DNR is encouraging hunters to buy their licenses early and avoid waiting until the last minute. The DNR Customer Service Center and the DNR Deer Hotline will not be open on Friday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day.

Licenses can be purchased online at www.IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov, or by calling the DNR Customer Service Center at (317) 232-4200, or at a retailer or DNR site listed at www.IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov.

The Deer Hunting Guide is available online at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/6032.htm.

For more information: Chad Stewart, DNR deer biologist, Division of Fish & Wildlife, (812) 334-1137.

Hunters must possess a valid deer hunting, youth, lifetime comprehensive hunting, or apprentice deer hunting license to legally pursue deer. Hunter education is required for anyone born after Dec. 31, 1986; however, individuals of any age may buy an apprentice license without having to take hunter education provided they are hunting with a licensed mentor. Individuals are limited to three apprentice hunting licenses in their lifetime.

Legal archery equipment includes long bows, compound bows and recurve bows. A bow must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds. Arrows must be tipped with broadheads that are metal, metal-edged, or napped flint, chert or obsidian.

Crossbows are not legal for use in the early season, but are legal in the late season, Dec. 3 – Jan. 1.

“Last year archery deer hunters harvested approximately 28,000 deer,” said Mitch Marcus, wildlife section chief. “Providing the weather cooperates and deer hunters take to the field, this should prove to be another great deer hunting season.”

Hunters should stay safe in the field by following basic tree-stand safety rules.

“Hunters should always wear a harness and have three points of contact with the tree during their ascent and descent,” said Lt. Bill Browne, DNR Law Enforcement. “Falling from a tree stand accounts for a large percentage of hunting related accidents and is totally preventable.

“Don’t fall asleep. If you feel drowsy, move your arms and splash water on your face until feeling alert.”

Anyone with questions regarding deer hunting rules, regulations and safety should consult the Indiana 2011-2012 Deer Hunting Guide at hunting.IN.gov.

For more information: Kevin Hoffman, Fish and Wildlife, (317) 234-5904 or Lt. Bill Browne, DNR Law Enforcement, (765) 509-0207.

Photo courtesy of USFWS

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Natural Resources Commission on Tuesday approved a package of changes to deer hunting rules that will go into effect in the 2012 season.

None of the changes will be in effect this year.

The final adoption vote came after preliminary approval by the NRC in January and a six-month public comment period that included hundreds of written comments and two public hearings.

The  rule changes include creating a crossbow license and authorizing its use during the entire archery season; extending the archery season without interruption from Oct. 1 through the first Sunday in January; extending the urban zone season from Sept. 15 through Jan. 31; requiring hunters in urban zones to harvest an antlerless deer before harvesting and antlered deer; establishing a special antlerless season from Dec. 26 through the first Sunday in January in designated counties; adding the non-resident youth licenses and a new deer license bundles; requiring display of hunter orange on occupied ground blinds; and extending the rifle cartridge length that can be used in the firearm season to 1.8 inches.

These changes must still be approved by the Attorney General’s Office and Governor’s Office and published in the Indiana Register before taking effect.

In other actions, the NRC:

–Approved the dedication of four nature preserves at Fort Harrison State Park totaling approximately 670 acres or more than one-third of the park. The sites are named Bluffs of Fall Creek, Chinquapin Ridge, Lawrence Creek and Warbler Woods.
–Authorized state State park Park inns Inns to increase lodging fees from Jan. 28 through Feb. 12 to coincide with the Super Bowl in Indianapolis.
–Approved final adoption of rule amendments governing logjam removal from floodways and navigable waters.
–Turned down a citizen’s petition to allow high-speed boating on Shipshewana Lake in LaGrange County.
–Approved preliminary adoption of rules governing the sale, distribution and transportation of invasive aquatic plants, and a rule to regulate Thousand thousand Cankers cankers Disease disease in walnut trees.
–Removed the four-toed salamander from and added the plains leopard frog and mole salamander to the state endangered species list.

Contact Information:
Name: Phil Bloom
Phone: 317-232-4003
Email: dnrnews@dnr.in.gov

Photo courtesy of USFWS

A new landowner liability law combined with the DNR’s Hunters Helping Farmers program can help landowners experiencing deer damage to crops, forest regeneration or landscaping get deer populations under control on their property.

The DNR has liberalized hunting regulations in most counties to address deer populations by strategically targeting antlerless deer, but effectiveness depends on landowner participation because 94 percent of the state is in private ownership.

In the Hunters Helping Farmers program, each DNR district wildlife biologist maintains a county-by-county list of hunters who are looking for places to hunt and willing to harvest antlerless deer during the hunting seasons. Landowners having difficulty finding hunters for this purpose may contact the DNR district biologist in their area for a copy. Contact information for district biologists is at www.wildlife.IN.gov/2716.htm.

The Indiana General Assembly took steps this year to protect landowners from liability associated with allowing sportsmen and sportswomen to recreate on their land. Indiana Code 34-31-9 was created to limit liability associated with agritourism related activities such as field days, self-pick farmers, corn mazes, animal exhibitions, and agricultural fairs, but also includes natural resource based activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking and trail riding.

The law, which went into effect July 1, states that landowners who provide access to their land for natural resource based activities is not liable for the injury or death of a participant resulting from the inherent risks of such activities. Also, a participant or the participant’s representative cannot make claim, maintain an action against, or recover from the landowner any loss, damage, or death resulting from the inherent risk of the natural resource based activity.

Inherent risks include conditions, dangers, or hazards that are an integral part of the activity, including surface and subsurface conditions and natural conditions of the land, vegetation and waters, the behavior of wild or domestic animals on the land, the ordinary dangers of structures or equipment on the land, and negligent acts of a participant that may contribute to the injury of that participant or others.

However, the law does not prevent or limit the liability of a landowner who has knowledge of a dangerous condition that exists on the land and does not make the danger known to the participant, who commits and act or omission that constitutes willful or wanton disregard for the safety of the participant, or who intentionally injures the participant.

The new law also protects landowners who charge a participant a fee for providing natural resources based activities, as long as they provide the participant with a specific warning notice specified by the law. The warning notice can be printed on a sign, posted and maintained in a clearly visible location at the main entrance to the property where the natural resources based activity is to occur, or included as part of a signed release or written contract between the landowner and the participant. The actual language of the new law can be found at www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2011/HE/HE1133.1.html.

More information on managing deer damage is at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2718.htm.

The 2011-12 Deer Hunting Guide is at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/6032.htm.

Contact Information:
Name: Phil Bloom
Phone: (317) 232-4003
Email: dnrnews@dnr.in.gov

Large amounts of goose waste at park beaches, picnic areas and in bank-fishing locations have raised health concerns, adversely affected visitor enjoyment, increased erosion, and resulted in increased operating costs.

“Though we are seeing some success, reduction hunting is still just one of many tools we use to manage geese,” said Mike Mycroft, chief of natural resources for Indiana State Parks & Reservoirs. “Challenges such as legal-season limitations, recreational demand for popular park areas, local weather, and daily movement patterns of the birds combine to complicate achieving the desired results.”

The dates are chosen to coincide with state and federal hunting seasons and to optimize effectiveness while considering local flight patterns and goose behavior. Potato Creek and Whitewater Memorial state parks will have limited public access with certain areas open only to participating hunters on hunt days. Ouabache, Chain O’Lakes, Shakamak, and Lincoln state parks will be accessible to drawn participants only.

Even though the reductions occur during the slower recreational season, Mycroft said the reduction effort may still affect some visitors.

“We keep visitation rates in mind when selecting dates,” he said. “Our goal is to get in and out, with safety and effective resource management being our top priorities.”

Reduction efforts start in early November. Each participating park will conduct reduction hunts four to 10 days between November and February. The parks will start limiting general public access the evening before each of the efforts and will be fully open the morning after each reduction.

An advanced drawing has selected participants who can bring up to three non-registered fellow participants  along. A standby drawing for Indiana residents who are 18 and older by Nov. 8 will take place each morning of the hunts 90 minutes before local sunrise to fill spots still remaining vacant. Group sizes are limited to four individuals. All state and federal laws regarding waterfowl hunting apply. State and federal waterfowl stamps, state hunting license, and HIP number are required for any participant to be eligible. Apprentice licenses are not applicable. Questions regarding the standby drawing can be directed to the park of interest.

–DEER: Four-day hunts, Friday through Monday, except for three-day hunts at the end of firearms season and the beginning of muzzleloader/late archery seasons. Tree stands are legal, cannot penetrate the bark of the tree more than ½ inch, and must be removed at the end of the hunt. Tree stands must have hunter’s name, address and telephone number legibly visible from ground level. Fall turkeys may be taken by deer hunters who are legally licensed to kill a fall turkey during the fall turkey season as long as those hunters have not previously filled their fall turkey bag.

–QUAIL: Hunts are Saturdays only from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hunts are in November and December. Hunting parties may consist of one or two hunters.

–RABBIT: Hunts are Saturdays only from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hunts are in November, December and January. Hunting parties may consist of one to four hunters.

Hunters can apply for each of these hunts online from now until Oct. 22 at 11:59 p.m. at www.Hunting.IN.gov. Click on the Reserved Hunt Registration link.

Hunters will be able to apply for up to three dates of their choice for each species. Hunters must have a valid license to hunt for that species in order to apply.

No first-come, first-served hunts for deer, quail and rabbit will be available at Deer Creek FWA.

Deer Creek information can be found at http://www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild/6297.htm.

Questions can be directed to Minnehaha FWA (812) 268-5640.

About Fish and Wildlife Management in Indiana
Fish and wildlife management and public access are funded by fishing and hunting license revenue and also through the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These programs collect excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, and motor boat fuels. The money is distributed among state fish and wildlife agencies based on land size and the number of licensed anglers and hunters in each state. Find out more information about fish and wildlife management in Indiana at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/.

The hunts are $15 per person and the bag limit is two birds. Hunters need a valid hunting license to apply.

Hunters can reserve these pheasant hunts online beginning Sept. 1 at 12:01 a.m. until Nov. 27 at midnight, at: www.hunting.IN.gov.

Hunters will be able to select the date, property and property location for their hunt.

Hunters can choose up to five property and date combinations. Successful hunters will be selected for one of their choices. Draw results will be posted online up to one week after the deadline to apply.

—

Youth hunters may apply through the online reserved hunt system (www.hunting.IN.gov) beginning Aug. 23. The deadline to apply for this hunt is Sept. 3. Youth hunters must have a valid license to hunt deer to apply.

Successfully drawn hunters will be able to scout the property on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010 from 8 a.m. to noon. Successfully drawn hunters will be able to hunt on Saturday, Sept. 25 and Sunday, Sept. 26. Hunting hours will be from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

The youth hunter must comply with all deer hunting regulations, including tagging the deer and checking it in to a deer check station within 48 hours of the take. The youth hunter and accompanying adult must wear hunter orange.

The youth hunter may use a legal firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow to take the deer, but may possess only one type of equipment to take a deer while in the field.

The accompanying adult cannot take a deer and may not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, etc., while in the field with the youth hunter.

Youth age 17 or younger on the date of the hunt, and accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age, can take one deer of either sex during this special youth deer season. If the youth hunter takes an antlerless deer during this season, it is in addition to any antlerless deer taken during any other season. If the youth hunter takes an antlered deer during this season, he or she may not take another antlered deer during the regular archery, firearm, or muzzleloader seasons.

More information regarding the hunt will be supplied to successfully drawn youth hunters.

—

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has scheduled five open house meetings to share information about proposed changes to deer hunting regulations.

A rules package put forth by the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife received preliminary approval from the Natural Resources Commission in July. The rules package is open to public comment and will be the subject of official public hearings sometime in early 2011.

“We think it’s important in the meantime to inform deer hunters and the public about the reasons behind the proposals,” said Mark Reiter, director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife. “With the feedback we’ve received so far, it’s clear there is some misunderstanding about the goals of our management strategy and how the various pieces fit into our plan.”

Dates, times and locations for the open houses are:

– Aug. 16, 2-6 p.m. at Pike Township Public Library, 6525 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis

– Aug. 18, 2-7 p.m. at Kankakee Fish and Wildlife Area, 4320 W. Toto Road, North Judson

– Aug. 18, 2-7 p.m. at Jennings County Public Library, 2375 N. SR 3, North Vernon

– Aug. 19, 2-7 p.m. at DNR Northeast Region Office, 1353 S. Governors Dr., Columbia City

– Aug. 19, 2-7 p.m. at Sugar Ridge Fish & Wildlife Area, 2310 E SR 364, Winslow

Division of Fish and Wildlife biologists will be present to provide information in an informal discussion format. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions to learn more about the proposed changes.

Attendees also will be able to submit written comments, which will be delivered to the DNR Division of Hearings and the NRC.

The proposed changes include reconfiguring the traditional 16-day firearms and muzzleloader seasons to nine days each while adding new antlerless-only “seasons”—two days in October in designated counties, and eight days in late December statewide.

Another change would extend urban deer zone hunting through Jan. 31. Under current rules, the urban zone season ends the first Sunday in January. Other changes would allow hunters age 64 and older to use crossbows in the early archery season, allow hunters of any age to use crossbows in the firearms, muzzleloader and urban deer zone seasons, and create a new nonresident youth deer license.

—
For more information: Phil Bloom, DNR Communications, (317) 232-4003, pbloom@dnr.in.gov
—