Wild Bulletin: The inside scoop on what's outside October 2022

Wild Bulletin: The inside scoop on what's outside

October 2022

Gear up for deer season and learn more about wildlife opportunities near you

Hunt deer, not information

Are you prepared for deer season? Whatever your answer, be sure to check out our special e-newsletter, All Things Deer, for season dates, where to hunt, what gear you need, harvest numbers, and much more

Learn more about past harvests in the 2020 Indiana White-tailed Deer Report, available online.

A close-up of a hand holding a gun with a hunting dog standing in the background.

Hunting seasons beginning soon

Wild Turkey Fall Archery: Oct. 1 – 30
Deer Archery: Oct. 1 – Jan. 1, 2023
Woodcock: Oct. 15 – Nov. 28
Red and Gray Fox: Oct. 15 – Feb. 28, 2023
Coyote and Striped Skunk: Oct. 15 – Mar. 15, 2023
Wild Turkey Fall Firearms: Oct. 19 – 30

Ducks, Coots, Mergansers:
North Zone: Oct. 22 – Dec. 11
Central Zone: Oct. 29 – Nov. 6
South Zone: Nov. 26, 2022 – Jan. 22, 2023

Canada Geese:
North Zone: Oct. 22 – Oct. 30
Central Zone: Oct. 29 – Nov. 6
South Zone: Nov. 5 – Nov. 20

Youth & Veteran Waterfowl
North Zone: Oct. 15 – 16
Central Zone: Oct. 22 – 23
South Zone: Oct. 29 – 30

Accessible hunting

DNR Fish & Wildlife areas are for everyone. If you’re a person with a disability who wants to hunt on a DNR property, you can apply for a special permit. In particular, if you’re a veteran with a disability, apply for a DAV hunting license. Be sure to contact the property manager to organize entry for each area. If you have questions about accessible properties or hunts near you, contact us.

Two deer in the woods staring at a trail camera.

Buy your deer license early

Don’t risk delays—plan to buy your deer hunting license early.

If you typically buy your license at a store near you, skip the long lines the day before your hunt and buy it now. Find a list of license retailers online. Be sure to check your license for accuracy before you leave the store.

If you plan to purchase your license online, log in to your Access Indiana account before the season begins—don’t risk delays due to potential technical difficulties.

Interested in harvesting multiple deer or hunting across multiple seasons? Consider buying a deer license bundle, which allows you to harvest up to three deer (only one may be antlered) during the Archery, Firearms, and Muzzleloader seasons.

To find more information about deer licenses, seasons, and regulations, visit our website. Remember, the resident youth consolidated hunt/trap license includes all deer hunting privileges. Still have questions? Email us at INDeerHotline@dnr.IN.gov.

A container labeled “Drop Off-Container: CWD Testing” with a photo of a deer on it.

Testing for chronic wasting disease

Each year, Indiana DNR selects new areas to test deer for chronic wasting disease (CWD). These are areas where DNR has collected few samples in the past or has not targeted for a few years. During opening weekend of the 2022 Firearms Season, DNR will focus its sampling in northeastern and south-central Indiana.

Hunters who wish to have their deer tested for CWD can bring their deer to select Fish & Wildlife areas (FWAs) and State Fish Hatcheries (SFHs) throughout hunting season. Deer heads can be dropped into designated coolers at select FWAs and SFHs, or hunters can make an appointment for their deer to be sampled by a biologist during office hours. The 2022-23 sampling locations and their hours of operation are listed on our website. Hunters who submit a deer for CWD testing will receive a metal tag reminiscent of Indiana’s historical deer harvest confirmation process.

Alternatively, hunters may independently submit their deer to Purdue Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab (ADDL) for testing for a fee. To do so, complete the submission form and follow the shipping instructions on Purdue ADDL’s website.

A map of 2022-2023 Bonus Antlerless Deer Quotas by county, showing the lowered CBAQs in Wayne, Union, Fayette, and Franklin.

Bonus Antlerless Quotas lowered in four counties

The County Bonus Antlerless Quotas are set for the 2022-2023 hunting season. This year, the quotas in several counties in southern Indiana remain low in response to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Indiana DNR raised the quotas in a few northern counties and kept counties in south-central Indiana lower than normal because of new population research from the Integrated Deer Management Project with Purdue. Quotas in Wayne, Union, Fayette, and Franklin counties have been reduced from 2 to 1 because of a significant EHD outbreak in those areas. Find out more online about Bonus Antlerless regulations and see what the quota is in your county.

EHD is a common disease in the Indiana deer herd that DNR receives reports of annually through its online reporting form. In many cases, the disease only affects small areas but can become widespread in some years, affecting a larger-than-normal portion of deer. This quota change will help DNR maintain the deer herd in the impacted counties for many future successful seasons. Please report sick or dead deer using the online reporting form at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.

Two men in camouflage standing on a boat in low water.

Wade into October’s open waterfowl seasons

Duck, duck, shoot! Hunting seasons for ducks and geese for two of Indiana’s waterfowl hunting zones open in October. The North Zone season opens Oct. 22, and the Central Zone season opens Oct. 29. In addition, the youth and veteran-only hunting days for all three zones occur in October. Other migratory bird seasons that opened in September remain open this month. For more information regarding shooting times, daily limits, zone boundaries, and other regulations, visit our site.

A woman in hunter orange holding a deer by its antlers.

CheckIN your harvest

The Indiana CheckIN Game system allows hunters and trappers to check in their harvested game from any device connected to the internet. You will receive a confirmation number that must be written down on a temporary transportation tag for the harvested game species (turkey, deer). Be sure to check your information to ensure accuracy before submitting. Deer and wild turkeys must be checked in within 48 hours of harvest, while river otters must be checked in within 24 hours of harvest. Be sure to have your Customer ID and harvest information ready.

Remember, you don’t need to log in to your account to check in game for this fall – you can do so by clicking CheckIN Game and entering your Customer ID number and date of birth.

Please do not re-enter the correct information if you have entered incorrect information into the CheckIN Game system because each submission registers as a harvested animal. Email your confirmation number, name, and changes that need to be made to INhuntfish@dnr.IN.gov.

To view all game that was previously checked in with the CheckIN Game system, you will need to set up an account through our online system. You can purchase licenses, check in game, complete your HIP registration, or make a donation through your account.

Hunters still have the option of visiting traditional check-in stations where a confirmation number will be provided to hunters to place on their temporary transportation tag. You can also phone-in your harvest by calling 1-800-419-1326; however, there is a $3 charge for this service (Visa or MasterCard only).

A close-up photo of an Indiana Disease Surveillance sample sticker and bottle.

Report sick or dead wildlife

If you see fish or wildlife displaying odd behaviors or signs of disease, DNR encourages you to report them using our reporting system. DNR is especially interested in incidents involving the death of five or more animals, recurring deaths of animals in the same location over a period of time, deer exhibiting signs that may indicate chronic wasting disease or epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or incidents involving threatened or endangered species.

DNR appreciates your reports, as they help us track wildlife health over time and detect potential disease outbreaks in the state.

New import regulations on unprocessed game

Effective since Sept. 12, 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has allowed the import of hunter-harvested unprocessed game from Canada into the U.S. This change came after implementation of strict controls on imports of hunter-harvested wild bird meat and carcasses from Canada. These regulations are intended to prevent highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) introductions to the U.S.

In order to import the game from Canada into the U.S., the carcasses must meet the following conditions:

Viscera, head, neck, feet, skin, and one wing must be removed.
With the exception of one wing, feathers must be removed. One wing must remain fully feathered and attached for identification purposes.
Carcasses must be rinsed in fresh, clean, potable water prior to packaging and must not have visible evidence of contamination with dirt, blood, or feces.
Carcasses must be imported in leak-proof plastic packaging and stored in a leak-proof cooler or container during transport and import.
Carcasses must be chilled or frozen during transport and import.

You can find more information on APHIS regulations and further recommendations on importing cooked or cured meat and importing wild game bird trophies on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website. Visit our website to learn more about HPAI, including information for hunters about safely handling harvested birds.

Coldwater habitat assessments

Each summer DNR fisheries biologists measure the amount of coolwater and coldwater habitat available to fishes in glacial lakes by completing dissolved oxygen and water temperature profiles. A dissolved oxygen and water temperature profile is completed by taking measurements from the surface of the lake all the way to its bottom. As summer progresses, the dissolved oxygen level in the deeper portions of lakes gradually declines. Simultaneously, increasing air temperatures gradually warm water temperatures from the surface downward. Fish species are often grouped broadly into three groups—warmwater, coolwater, and coldwater species—based on their habitat preferences.

Results show that warmwater habitat is abundant among Indiana glacial lakes, while coolwater and coldwater habitat layers are not present in all lakes. Several of the lakes that contain coldwater habitat continue to support populations of cisco, which is Indiana’s only native fish from the salmon family found in waters outside of Lake Michigan.

Have questions about deer hunting?

For questions about equipment, regulations, or which license you need, use our Deer Hotline by emailing INDeerHotline@dnr.IN.gov or calling 812-334-3795, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

For questions related to the CheckIN Game system, your online license system account, license-purchasing errors, or deer control permits, email inhuntfish@dnr.IN.gov or call 317-232-4082.

To report hunting violations or trespassing, locate your law enforcement district using the information here or contact Central Dispatch at ICODispatch@dnr.IN.gov or 812-837-9536.

To report a poacher, call 1-800-TIP-IDNR or use this form.

A bow poised above the ground in a forest.

Archer’s Index opportunity

Bowhunters have a unique opportunity to observe a variety of wildlife during the hours they spend sitting quietly in the field. If you plan to hunt deer with archery equipment in Indiana during October and November, consider becoming an Archer’s Index volunteer. Wildlife reported through the index allows researchers to track wildlife trends over time. This effort also provides other valuable data like fawn-to-doe and buck-to-doe ratios to help manage white-tailed deer populations.

Endangered species proposal: tricolored bat

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing the tricolored bat as an endangered species. This proposed change is due in large part to the number of tricolored bats killed by white-nose syndrome (WNS). Declines of up to 90% are documented.

Currently, WNS has been found across 59% of the tricolored bat’s native range. WNS is a fungal disease that thrives in dark and damp habitats such as caves and affects bat species that hibernate over winter. Habitat loss and the effects of wind turbines have also negatively affected tricolored bat populations.

You can help the tricolored bat by not exploring caves that bats use during winter months, decontaminating clothes and equipment between all cave visits, and minimizing disturbance to bats when caving responsibly.

A gray catbird sitting on a tree branch.

Try birding with DNR at a Big Sit!

Ready, set, sit, birders! The Big Sit! is designed for anyone who enjoys birding with family and friends. On Sunday, Oct. 9, birders can stop by Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) and enjoy the company of other birders while sitting in one place and recording birds observed at the property. Whether you’re new to birding or are an avid birder, come and share your excitement with others, bring a chair and notebook, and enjoy the views. In addition to birding, the event will feature lawn games and a free wild game lunch.

Sharing spaces thanks to Indiana’s Nongame Wildlife Fund

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund. To celebrate, we’re sharing a series of 40 stories across 12 themed months. Our most recent stories highlight the spaces the fund has helped purchase that benefit both people and wildlife. Donations to the Nongame Wildlife Fund help protect rare and endangered species and the habitat that supports them.

Wild Bulletin: The inside scoop on what's outside October 2022

Wild Bulletin: The inside scoop on what's outside

October 2022

Gear up for deer season and learn more about wildlife opportunities near you

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