Black Powder Traditions
Deer muzzleloader season begins Dec. 6 and continues through Dec. 21. Hunting deer with a traditional black powder muzzleloader is a tradition that remains from hunters of decades past. Of course, there is an increased challenge when using this single-shot firearm, as your range can be a little shorter, and reloading is considerably slower. This requires more patience from the hunter, but that’s what makes this season special!
A full list of season dates, bag limits, and legal equipmentcan be found in the Indiana Hunting & Trapping Guide.
Smallmouth Bass Fishing in Winter
Don’t let colder days fool you into hanging up your fishing rods. The winter months still offer great opportunities to catch smallmouth bass.
When water temperatures drop, a smallmouth’s metabolism slows down, and the fish head for deeper water with slow currents. To target them, get out on your favorite river and search for slow, deep water (somewhere in the 15-foot range). Dark colored jigs or Texas-style worm soft baits work best. Smallmouth bass usually winter in schools, so if you find one, there’s a good chance that the rest are close by.
To find a good river for targeting smallmouth bass, check out the Where to Fish Map.
It's Never Too Late to Donate
Whether it’s Giving Tuesday, a regular Tuesday, or any other day, Indiana's rare and endangered species benefit from your donations!
This past year, generous donors to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund provided critical funding for projects that protect some of our state's rarest species. Projects included rearing and releasing more than 900 state-endangered crawfish frogs, partnering with the National Park Service to improve freshwater mussel populations, conducting research on recently released Franklin’s ground squirrels, and surveying rare bird and bat populations. These projects are a small sample of what a gift to the Nongame Wildlife Fund supports.
The fund depends entirely on donations and serves as a dedicated source of match dollars for federal rare-species conservation grants. This means that for every $50 donated, Indiana receives $143 for conservation thanks to federal grants. Generous donors make DNR’s efforts to protect Indiana’s biodiversity possible. Contribute today by donating to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund.
Late Season Small Game Hunting
As deer season starts to wind down, some of the best small game hunting continues. The trees are bare, and the foliage is sparse, giving hunters the ideal conditions to harvest small game meat for the freezer. Indiana squirrel season continues through Jan. 31, 2026, and rabbit season continues through Feb. 28. For more season dates and bag limits, please visit the Hunting Seasons webpage.
Spot a Skunk, Win a Skunk … Stress Ball!
The DNR is interested in obtaining more information about skunk habitat use throughout the state, and you can help. If you spot a wild skunk in Indiana, please consider snapping a photo of it and reporting the observation to iNaturalist throughout the remainder of December. The top five observers with the most verified skunk sightings by the end of the month will receive a small skunk stress ball as a token of DNR’s gratitude! The winners will be contacted through the iNaturalist app at the end of the month.
iNaturalist is an online social network to share biodiversity information and wildlife observations. Help DNR map these animals by creating a free iNaturalist account and uploading your observations of skunks from your computer or mobile device. Additionally, you can receive updates about skunk sightings in Indiana by joining DNR’s iNaturalist project here.
Thank you for reporting your observations of these elusive nocturnal creatures.
Crawfish Frog Updates
This year, DNR wildlife health biologists and herpetologists worked together on a captive-rearing project for state-endangered crawfish frogs. These frogs were raised from eggs through their tadpole stage, when they are most vulnerable to predation.
Once the tadpoles went through metamorphosis and developed into frogs, they were released into pre-identified habitats that could sustain them. This technique, known as headstarting, has been successful with other North American frogs, and DNR hopes the project will help boost the populations of Indiana’s rare crawfish frogs.
Rare and endangered wildlife conservation projects like this one are made possible by generous donations made to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund.
Now’s the Time to Manage Invasive Plants
Late fall and winter are a great time to manage invasive plant species on your property. If not handled, invasive plants can rapidly spread, eliminating native plants from an area.
It's important to prioritize native plants as they provide seeds, twigs, berries, and leaves that native wildlife use for food. Native plants also provide better shelter and nesting cover for Indiana’s wildlife.
Many invasive plants remain green longer than natives, making them easier to identify and treat in the cooler months (when most native plants are dormant). Mechanical removal or a well-timed herbicide application can reduce or eliminate invasive plants, giving natives a chance to re-establish themselves in the area.
Some common invasive plants in Indiana are bush honeysuckle, autumn olive, multiflora rose, and Japanese honeysuckle. Many of these can be treated with a herbicide application to a cut stump or the intact outer bark (basal bark) in the fall and winter months.
To learn more about managing invasive plants on your property, contact your District Wildlife Biologist. They can give you guidance for your specific needs.
A Wild Winter Wonderland
Looking for a way to stay active in nature this winter? Try a hike in the snow to look for wildlife tracks! Here are some tips for exploring snow-covered trails or your own backyard to reveal a world of activity you might otherwise miss.
- Find an Indiana wildlife track identification book or website to help you identify the animal you are tracking. Try this identification resource from Elkhart County Parks.
- Bring tools like a small ruler or notebook. This will help you record measurements for identification. Snapping a photo is also helpful for identifying the track later.
- Look near water sources, tree lines, or feeding spots where animals are more likely to gather.
- Follow the tracks. Tracks often lead to other signs, like nests, scat, or feeding areas. Stay quiet and watch—you might even spot the animal itself.
Not sure where to go looking for tracks? Visit your nearest Fish & Wildlife Area or public Nature Preserve after a fresh snowfall.
Upcoming events
- Dec. 03: Whooper Wednesday, Goose Pond FWA
- Dec. 06: Women’s Pheasant Hunt in Partnership with NWTF, Pigeon River FWA
- Dec. 06: Sandhill Crane Saturdays, Jasper-Pulaski FWA
- Dec. 07: Adult Pheasant Hunt in Partnership with NWTF, Pigeon River FWA
- Jan. 01: Introduction to Squirrel Hunting Workshop, Sugar Ridge FWA
Recent news releases
- Perfect holiday gifts available from Indiana DNR
- Applications open for Lake Michigan conservation grants
- Free admission to DNR properties for veterans, active-duty military, Nov. 11
- Help Indiana DNR track Mediterranean geckos in Indiana
- Avian influenza detected in multiple Indiana counties
- Rainbow trout to be stocked in Fort Wayne and Huntington, Oct. 17
- Reserved hunt applications open for December Gamebird Area and Indiana Private Land hunts
- Natural Resources Commission to meet Oct. 7 at Fort Harrison State Park
- Bonus antlerless bag limits lowered in seven southern Indiana counties
More
- Buy a license
- Hunting information
- Where to Hunt
- Fishing information
- Where to Fish
- Fish & Wildlife properties
- Donate to help rare and endangered species
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 Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. These programs collect excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, and motorboat 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 wildlife.IN.gov.