The official Indiana hunting season calendar for the 2024 – 2025 years has been announced. This State provides many chances for hunters and trappers to go out and pursue their passion.
This comprehensive guide outlines the opening and closing dates for a variety of game species across the state, helping hunters plan their adventures and stay up-to-date with the latest regulations.
So, why wait? Dive into the newest Indiana hunting season with us!
What Hunting Season Is Right Now In Indiana?
There are various species that you can hunt in Indiana all year round. Here we list the game animals you can hunt in each month:
January: Deer, Turkey, Duck, Fox, Coyote, Raccoon, Mink
February: Geese, Fox, Coyote
March: Crow, Coyote, Beaver
April: Turkey
May: Turkey
June: No open season
July: Crow
August: Crow
September: Deer, Doves, Sora, Snipe, Teal, Geese
October: Deer, Turkey, Doves, Snipe, Woodcock, Duck, Fox, Coyote
November: Deer, Pheasant, Quail, Doves, Sora, Snipe, Geese, Fox, Coyote, Raccoon, Mink
December: Deer, Turkey, Pheasant, Quail, Crow, Doves, Snipe, Duck, Fox, Coyote, Raccoon
Each of the seasons has its own limits and regulations. In the next part, we will explain them to you and help you better understand and prepare for the upcoming Indiana hunting seasons.
Deer Hunting Season In Indiana
The first and the most popular season is deer hunting season. The deer season lasts for 4 months this year.
In Indiana, the most common deer species you can hunt is white-tailed deer. Surprisingly, there are about 115 thousand deer being taken annually. If you plan to be one of the deer hunters that contribute to this big number, check out the details of the deer season as follows:
Youth Season: Sept. 28 – 29, 2024
Archery: Oct. 1, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025
Firearm: Nov. 16 – Dec. 1, 2024
Muzzleloader: Dec. 7-22, 2024
Reduction Zone: Sept. 15, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025
Indiana Turkey Hunting Season
Youth Spring: April 19, 2025 – April 20, 2025
Spring: April 23, 2025 – May 11, 2025
Fall Archery: Oct. 1, 2024 – Oct. 27, 2024 and Dec. 7, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025
Fall Firearms: Oct. 16, 2024 – Oct. 27, 2024
The bag limit for the 2 Spring seasons is 1 bearded or male turkey; while the limit for the Fall season is 1 turkey of either sex.
Indiana Gamebird Seasons
Pheasant: Nov. 1, 2024 – Dec. 15, 2024 (2 per day)
Northern Bobwhite Quail:
- North: 1, 2024 – Dec. 15, 2024(4 per day)
- South: 1, 2024 – Jan. 10, 2025(8 per day)
Crow:
- July 1, 2024 – Aug. 15, 2024(No Limit)
- 13, 2024 – March 1, 2025(No Limit)
Indiana Waterfowl Seasons
| Species | Dates | Bag Limit | Possession Limit |
| Mourning Doves | Sept. 1 – Oct. 20 Nov. 1 – Dec. 1 Dec. 21-29 |
15 | 45 |
| Sora | Sept. 1 – Nov. 9 | 25 | 75 |
| American Woodcock | Oct. 15 – Nov. 28 | 3 | 9 |
| Snipe | Sept. 1 – Dec. 16 | 8 | 24 |
| Teal | Sept. 14-29 | 6 | 18 |
| Ducks, Coots, & Mergansers | North Zone
Oct. 19 – Dec. 8 |
6 Ducks, 15 Coots, & 5 Mergansers | 3 times the daily bag limit |
| Central Zone
Nov. 2-10 |
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| South Zone
Nov. 9-10 |
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| Canada Geese, Light geese, & Brant | North Zone Sept. 1-15 Oct. 19 – Oct. 27 Nov. 23 – Feb. 9 |
5 | 15 |
| Central Zone Sept. 1-15 Nov. 2-10 Nov. 23 – Feb. 9 |
5 | 15 | |
| South Zone
Sept. 1-15 Nov. 9-10 Nov. 23 – Feb. 15 |
5 | 15 | |
| White-fronted Geese | North Zone
Oct. 19 – Oct. 27 |
2 | 6 |
| Central Zone Nov. 2-10 Nov. 23 – Feb. 9 |
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| South Zone Nov. 9-10 Nov. 23 – Feb. 15 |
Indiana Small Game Seasons
Squirrel: Aug. 15, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025 (5 per day)
Rabbit: Nov. 1, 2024 – Feb. 28, 2025 (5 per day)
Green Frog & Bullfrog: June 15, 2024 – April 30, 2025 (25 per day)
Game Turtles: July 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025 (4 per day)
Indiana Furbearer Seasons
Red & Gray Fox: Oct. 15, 2024 – Feb. 28, 2025 No limit
Coyote & Striped Skunk: Oct. 15, 2024 – March 15, 2025 No limit
Raccoon & Opossum: Nov. 8, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025 No limit
Mink, Muskrat & Long-Tailed Weasel: Nov. 15, 2024 – Jan. 31, 2025 No limit
Beaver: Nov. 15, 2024 – March 15, 2025 No limit
Dog Running (Raccoon, Opossum)Chasing season only – no hunting: Feb. 1, 2024 – Oct. 25, 2024 Not applicable
Indiana Hunting License Price
There are lots of different types of hunting licenses available. Check the following tables to find the required licenses you need and their costs. Note that there is no lifetime hunting license in Indiana anymore.
Resident Licenses
| Annual Hunting | $20 |
| Deer License Bundle4 | $91 |
| Deer Archery (Archery Season) | $39 |
| Deer Crossbow (Archery Season) | $39 |
| Deer Firearm (Buck Only – Firearms Season) | $39 |
| Deer Military/Refuge (federal military and national wildlife refuges only) | $39 |
| Deer Muzzleloader (Muzzleloader Season only) | $39 |
| Deer Reduction Zone (Reduction Zones only) | $39 |
| Deer First Bonus Antlerless | $39 |
| Deer – Second and Additional Resident Bonus Antlerless Deer License only5 | $24 |
| Spring Turkey | $32 |
| Fall Turkey | $32 |
| Waterfowl Stamp Privilege | $11 |
| Annual Trapping | $20 |
| Disabled American Veterans | $2.75 |
Non-residents Licenses
| Annual Hunting | $90 |
| Youth Annual Hunting | $20 |
| Five-day Hunting | $50 |
| Deer License Bundle4 | $550 |
| Deer Archery (Archery Season) | $240 |
| Deer Crossbow (Archery Season) | $240 |
| Deer Firearm (Buck Only – Firearms Season) | $240 |
| Deer Muzzleloader (Muzzleloader Season Only) | $240 |
| Deer Military/Refuge (federal military and national wildlife refuges only) | $240 |
| Deer Reduction Zone (Reduction Zones Only) | $240 |
| Deer First Bonus Antlerless | $240 |
| Deer Hunting – Second and Additional Non-Resident Bonus Antlerless Deer License | $39 |
| Youth Deer License Bundle | $91 |
| Deer – Second and Additional Non-Resident Bonus Antlerless Deer License | $39 |
| Youth Deer Archery (Archery Season) | $39 |
| Youth Deer Crossbow (Archery Season) | $39 |
| Youth Deer Firearm (Buck Only – Firearm Season) | $39 |
| Youth Deer Military/Refuge (Federal military and national wildlife refuges only) | $39 |
| Youth Deer Muzzleloader (Muzzleloader season) | $39 |
| Youth Deer Reduction Zone (Reduction Zones Only) | $39 |
| Youth Deer First Bonus Antlerless | $39 |
| Youth Deer Second and Additional Bonus Antlerless 5 | $24 |
| Spring Turkey (Age 18 and up) | $175 |
| Youth Spring Turkey | $32 |
| Fall Turkey (Age 18 and up) | $175 |
| Youth Fall Turkey | $32 |
| Private Shooting Preserve | $20 |
| Youth Private Shooting Preserve | $12 |
Indiana General Hunting Regulations
Deer Hunting Regulations
- Deer hunting is only permitted from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset during all deer hunting seasons.
- Hunters must wear hunter orangematerial on their head, chest, and back while hunting deer. This helps ensure the safety of all hunters in the field.
- All deer harvested in Indiana must be reported within 48 hours of the time of harvest. This can be done online, by phone, or through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) mobile app.
- Hunters must purchase a deer hunting license to legally hunt deer in Indiana, not a general hunting license.
- Hunters are allowed to use tree stands to hunt deer, but cannot build permanent tree blinds on state-owned lands. Temporary, portable tree stands are permitted.
- Hunters must purchase different licenses for hunting with different firearms. Such as a firearms license for firearms season, while the a muzzleloader license for muzzleloader season.
- Hunters can harvest one deer with each deer hunting license. While a deer license bundle includes the privilege to harvest two antlerless deer and one antlered deer.
- In designated deer reduction zones, the bag limit is 10 deer with only one can be an antlered deer.
- Hunters can use rifle cartridges with a case length ranging from 1.16 to 3 inches, and shoot a bullet with a diameter of at least .243 inches (6mm).
Turkey Hunting Regulations
- Hunters under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult possessing a valid license.
- Legal shooting hours are from half an hour before sunrise until sunset across the state. Certain DNR facilities have shortened operating hours.
- Spring turkey hunting license and Game Bird Habitat stamp are necessary.
- There will be no youth season in autumn.
- Hunter orange is mandatory for turkey season when deer muzzleloader season overlaps (Dec. 7-22).
- Successful turkey harvest needs to be registered within 48 hours through the CheckIN Game platform.
- Legal weapons for turkey season include shotguns ranging from 410 to 28 gauge with designated pellet sizes, muzzleloading shotguns, as well as bows and crossbows.
Waterfowl Hunting Regulations
- Migratory gamebirds may be hunted from a motorboat if it’s beached, at anchor, tied to a stationary object, or only moving due to non-motor forces like wind or paddles.
- Hunters may retrieve dead or injured birds by hand or from a motorboat under power.
- No shooting from a powered or moving boat.
- All killed gamebirds must be retrieved and kept in the hunter’s custody.
- Birds given to another person must be tagged with the hunter’s signature, address, species count, and kill dates.
- No receiving untagged birds from others.
- Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset for all migratory birds except early teal season.
- Non-toxic shot is required for migratory waterfowl and mourning doves on DNR properties.
- No traps, snares, nets, rifles, pistols, larger than 10-gauge shotguns, etc.
- No hunting from a sink box or with live decoys.
- No hunting from aircraft, motor vehicles, or sailboats (exceptions for certain disabled persons).
- No driving, rallying, or chasing birds with motorized vehicles or sailboats.
- No baiting or hunting over baited areas.
- No use of recorded or amplified bird calls or sounds.
Gamebird Hunting Regulations
Pheasant Hunting:
- Female pheasants (hens) can only be legally shot during put-and-take hunts in designated areas.
- When transporting pheasants, the head and head plumage must be left intact.
- No specific equipment or ammunition restrictions, but a 12- or 20-gauge shotgun with 4- to 6-size shot is recommended.
- Nontoxic shot is mandatory for certain DNR properties.
Northern Bobwhite Quail Hunting:
- A valid hunting license and Indiana Gamebird Habitat Stamp are required.
- Hunter orange clothing is mandatory.
- No specific equipment or ammunition restrictions.
Crow Hunting:
- Crows can be hunted outside the regular season if they cause damage to trees, crops, livestock, or wildlife, or pose a public health risk.
- No restrictions on the use of calls or decoys; crows can be hunted with bows and arrows, crossbows, or firearms following local regulations.
- No need for a state stamp, federal stamp, or HIP registration number for crow hunting.
Conclusion
From white-tailed deer, gamebirds to small game, this comprehensive overview of Indiana hunting season will help maximize your time in the field. The schedule will change each year. Check back with us and we will keep you posted with the latest information all the time.
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