# Indiana new proposed deer hunting rules for 2011



## blackoak (Jul 22, 2010)

I'm posting this for the fellow Hoosiers that frequent this site to inform them that rules are being proposed that will greatly change the way you hunt deer in out state. 

Here are the proposed changes from yesterday's 7/20 meeting of DNR policy-makers. I would recommend contacting your elected representative if you disagree with any of the items.

Deer-hunting rules changes gain preliminary approval
The Indiana Natural Resources Commission gave preliminary approval yesterday to a comprehensive package of proposed changes to deer-hunting rules in Indiana.
The DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife developed the rules proposal to focus deer-herd reduction in a strategically targeted manner to more adequately balance the ecological, recreational and economic needs of the state’s citizens.
Key points of the proposal include:
–Changing the deer firearms season to nine days beginning the Saturday before Thanksgiving
–Adding a two-day antlerless-only firearms season in October in counties that have a bonus antlerless quota of four or more
–Adding a statewide antlerless-only firearms season from Dec. 25 to Jan. 1
–Shortening the muzzleloader season to nine days
–Extending the urban zone season through Jan. 31
–Allowing the use of crossbows during archery season by hunters 64 years old or older
–Allowing the use of crossbows by hunters of any age during firearms season
–Allowing a hunter of any age to use a crossbow in an urban deer zone during the urban deer season
–Requiring hunters to take at least one antlerless deer prior to taking an antlered deer in an urban deer zone
“For the last several years, Indiana deer management and associated deer rules were designed to stabilize or slightly grow the deer herd,” said Mitch Marcus, wildlife section chief for the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife. “We are now experiencing record-setting harvests, record numbers of deer damage complaints, constituent complaints to legislators, and record numbers of deer-vehicle collisions. The intent of this deer rule proposal is to move Indiana toward a focused, strategically targeted deer-herd reduction.”
Hunters have harvested more than 100,000 deer in the state in 15 of the last 17 years, topping 125,000 in four of the last five years, including a record 132,752 in 2009.
Further changes would add a new nonresident youth deer license, add license requirements for the new special antlerless seasons, add requirements to the use of ground blinds, allow a rifle cartridge to have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches instead of l.625 inches, and require youth hunters to wear hunter orange during the youth special season.
A complete summary of the proposed changes is at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm
The NRC’s preliminary approval moves the proposed changes into the public input phase of the rules-making process. Comments on the proposal can be submitted online at www.IN.gov/nrc; by mail to Division of Hearings, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46204; or at public hearings. Dates and locations for a minimum two hearings will be announced at a later date.
After the public input process is complete, the NRC will consider final adoption of the rule package.
If adopted, the new rules would take effect in 2011 and would be evaluated over a five-year period to determine if the intended result of reducing the deer herd is being achieved. Success will be measured through maintaining an annual deer harvest sex ratio of 60/40 (females/males), landowner and deer-hunter survey responses, reduction in county antlerless quotas, and reduction in deer-vehicle accident rates.
The proposed changes to deer-hunting rules are a result of the NRC Advisory Council’s Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Rules Enhancement Project and a DNR review of Indiana deer management. The NRAC project drew more than 1,000 suggestions from the public, and the DNR review included discussions with representatives from several stakeholder groups—Indiana Sportsman’s Roundtable, Indiana Wildlife Federation, Indiana Deer Hunters Association, Indiana Bowhunters Association, Quality Deer Management Association, The Nature Conservancy, Indiana Farm Bureau, Bloomington City Council, Indiana Forestry and Woodland Owners Association, and a sporting goods retailer.
Leaders or representatives of the Roundtable, IWF, IDHA, IBA, QDMA, The Nature Conservancy and Indiana Farm Bureau spoke in support of the proposed rule changes at Tuesday’s NRC meeting.
“We are pleased with the amount of public input given through the Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Rule Enhancement Project and the agency review of deer management with stakeholder groups,” Marcus said. “We look forward to additional public input as part of the rule-making process.”
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For more information: Phil Bloom, DNR director of communications, (317) 232-4003 or [email protected]
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These new rule proposals are going to cause much grief and sorrow for Indiana deer hunters and no doubt damage the unity of deer hunters in this state and that's a bad thing in my opinion.


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## deeker (Jul 22, 2010)

Not a Hoosier, by the grace of God.



Just kidding, tell me more about the current laws kind of a side by side comparison would be nice.

We don't have any where near that liberal bag limit or season in Utah.

Kevin


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## BlueRidgeMark (Jul 22, 2010)

deeker said:


> We don't have any where near that liberal bag limit or season in Utah.
> 
> Kevin




That's cause you ain't got no forest, Kevin!


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## blackoak (Jul 22, 2010)

deeker said:


> Not a Hoosier, by the grace of God.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Where's Utah?:greenchainsaw:


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## Taxmantoo (Jul 22, 2010)

blackoak said:


> –Requiring hunters to take at least one antlerless deer prior to taking an antlered deer in an urban deer zone



What if you get a chance at the trophy buck of a lifetime before you get a chance at a doe?


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## deeker (Jul 22, 2010)

BlueRidgeMark said:


> That's cause you ain't got no forest, Kevin!



But, my mill loved it.


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## deeker (Jul 22, 2010)

blackoak said:


> Where's Utah?:greenchainsaw:



In BYU "Cougar" country.

Would you please post the current regs too??


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## blackoak (Jul 23, 2010)

taxmantoo said:


> What if you get a chance at the trophy buck of a lifetime before you get a chance at a doe?


If you take a buck before a doe you are breaking the law. You will have to let the trophy of a lifetime WALK.


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## blackoak (Jul 23, 2010)

deeker said:


> In BYU "Cougar" country.
> 
> Would you please post the current regs too??


The basic change is shortening the time for shotgun and muzzle loader hunters to hunt male deer and moving it out of the rut that most are upset with. The present deer hunting rules are listed on the Indiana Department of Natural Resources web site. Which if all listed would fill up a couple pages here.


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## deeker (Jul 24, 2010)

blackoak said:


> The basic change is shortening the time for shotgun and muzzle loader hunters to hunt male deer and moving it out of the rut that most are upset with. The present deer hunting rules are listed on the Indiana Department of Natural Resources web site. Which if all listed would fill up a couple pages here.



I have shot one Mulie buck a 4x5 26"+....during the rut....the meat was not edible.

Is it different with white tailed deer??


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## Metals406 (Jul 24, 2010)

deeker said:


> I have shot one Mulie buck a 4x5 26"+....during the rut....the meat was not edible.
> 
> Is it different with white tailed deer??



Depends. . . Whities and Mulies are pretty rank when they're all puffed up with hormones during rut.

I personally think Muly is a gamier meat, and don't shoot them -- well -- unless it's a freaking huge ass buck. 

I've shot Whitetail bucks that you'd think would be rank, and weren't, and others you'd think would be decent, and weren't.

High plains and desert Muly tastes different than these high Rockies Mulies too. The ones up here don't taste near as good as the high plains and deserty variety.

To each his own though I guess? I'd take tasty Elk over any deer anyway.


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## dingeryote (Jul 24, 2010)

deeker said:


> I have shot one Mulie buck a 4x5 26"+....during the rut....the meat was not edible.
> 
> Is it different with white tailed deer??




Towards the tail end of the rut, a dominant White tail Buck will have been running,fighting, and scrumping non stop for several weeks. 

Whack one with his adrenaline up at the end of the season, and yeah...it's gonna need to hang in the barn for several days before you can stick a fork in the gravy.

Catch a nice 2-3yr old with plenty of Fat on 'em however, and it's plenty good fare. 

Poor Bambi Gets laid only a couple times a year, and during the same few weeks when a bunch of Orange Stormy Kromer wearing FUDDS start shooting up the place. It's just rude when ya think about it.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


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## deeker (Jul 24, 2010)

Metals406 said:


> Depends. . . Whities and Mulies are pretty rank when they're all puffed up with hormones during rut.
> 
> I personally think Muly is a gamier meat, and don't shoot them -- well -- unless it's a freaking huge ass buck.
> 
> ...



Like these little bucks??


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## Metals406 (Jul 24, 2010)

deeker said:


> Like these little bucks??



Yes. . . Those would die by my hand, without question. And if it was too gross to eat, I'd donate it to the local game farm for their cougars, wolves, etc. 

Those bucks remind me of one our group saw while on a speed-goat hunt near Chinook Montucky. This fricken Muly was massive. . . Definitely a record.

You could see this bucks horns, by the naked eye, a mile out. And no, I'm not exaggerating, it was a mile. He was exceptional! We scoped him for about 10 minutes, whispering to each other how we should just go kill him. . . Which would have been a very bad idea.

It's hard to let ones like that go.


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