Indiana
Unknown
Est. Whitetail Population
156,000
5-year average
No. Licenses Sold Annually
$59 and up
Resident hunting license and deer permit
$290 and up
Non-resident hunting license and deer permit
205 6/8"
Arrowed by Dustin Huff in 2021. Ranks No. 3 all-time.
Record B&C Typical Stat
683
Total B&C Typical Entries
303 7/8"
Taken by Timothy J. Beck in Huntington County in 2012. It ranks No. 8 of all time.
Record B&C Non-Typical Stat
394
Record B&C Non-Typical Entries
Check out the latest deer-hunting info for Indiana. Image by Bruce MacQueen
Season Dates (2025):
Archery season spans Oct. 1 to Jan. 4. Firearms season runs Nov. 15-30. Muzzleloader is Dec. 6-21. Youth weekend is Sept. 27 and 28. The reduction zone season is Sept. 15 to Jan. 31 (where open). Check the Indiana DNR website to CONFIRM SEASON DATES.
The Grade: A
Indiana might not come up in every big-buck conversation, but it’s picking up steam, and its sleeper status is dwindling as the word has spread. Great population densities. Big deer. Moderate hunting pressure. Affordable tags. Abundant public land. Although the firearms season is smack dab in the rut, the saving grace for buck age class is that Indiana is a one-buck state, and many hunters are selective. It also boasts a great venison-donation program called Indiana Hunt for Hunger. These points make it an A all day.
“The start of firearms season moves a bit each year because it starts the first Saturday after Nov. 11 (Veteran’s Day) each year,” said Joe N. Caudell, state deer program leader for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Fish and Wildlife. “Because of this, in some years firearms season is closer to the peak of the rut for much of Indiana.”
“There are many northern counties known for producing large bucks, but we see big deer coming from across the state,” said Moriah Boggess, former deer biologist with the Indiana DNR. “The less-known counties are significantly underrated and have great trophy potential.”
EHD affects Indiana deer every year, but severe outbreaks were recorded in. 2019, 2022 and 2024. The 2022 event struck Franklin, Fayette, and surrounding counties. The 2024 event affected Allen, Porter and Wabash counties.
Antler Nation Knowledge:
Federal, state and third-party lands are IN PLAY. Conservation areas, fish and wildlife areas, state forests, state recreation areas, national forests, national wildlife refuges, nature preserves, wildlife trusts, and other opportunities abound. Even the Nature Conservancy has a meaningful presence here. INDIANA PRIVATE LANDS ACCESS (IPLA) is a great program through which private landowners allow controlled public access. Another source of hunting access comes from the INDIANA COMMUNITY HUNTING ACCESS PROGRAM (CHAP). It's designed to increase opportunities and reduce deer-human conflicts near urban areas. And don’t forget to apply for some of the BEST RESERVED HUNTS in the nation.
Although the central region of the state is mostly void of notable public lands, the northern and southernmost counties have plenty of access. The interactive “WHERE TO HUNT” MAP can help pinpoint good public-land opportunities in specific areas.
The Indiana DNR publishes historical and real-time, in-season harvest data. The agency also provides other good resources for hunt planning, including a MAP THAT ILLUSTRATES the percentages of county areas that offer good deer habitat. Other valuable resources include the ANNUAL MANAGEMENT GOAL reports and extremely detailed COUNTY-BASED DEER DATA.
