Deer Reduction Zone Season Begins Sept 15th For Indiana Hunters
According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Deer Reduction Zone Season is set to begin September 15th. For those not in the know, this means that the state will allow hunting in specific and defined urban areas as well as along portions of state highways. These are in addition to the state-issued bag limits.
The Deer Reduction Zone Season will run September 15, 2020 through January 31, 2021. According to Indiana DNR:
- Bag limit: 10 deer, of which only one can be antlered. Individuals hunting in a designated reduction zone who are attempting to satisfy the reduction zone bag limit must harvest an antlerless deer in the Deer Reduction Zone before harvesting an antlered deer (a.k.a. earn-a-buck). The earn-a-buck requirement only applies to the reduction zone bag limit. The reduction zone bag limit is in addition to all other bag limits. See the hunting guide for deer bag limits.
- A Deer Reduction Zone license, resident youth hunt/trap, lifetime comprehensive hunting, or lifetime comprehensive hunting/fishing license is required unless you meet a license exemption under state law.
- The Deer Reduction Zone license allows the individual to harvest one deer per license. A valid license is required for each deer taken. Purchase a license .
- Where allowed by local ordinances, firearms legal for deer hunting can be used in reduction zones with a Deer Reduction Zone license or to count the deer towards the reduction zone bag limit from Nov. 14, 2020 through Jan. 31, 2021. The season does not override any local ordinances restricting discharge of firearms and bows.
The season does not override any local ordinances restricting discharge of firearms and bows.- It's illegal to hunt, shoot at, or kill a deer or to shoot at any deer from within, into, upon, or across any public road.
- Hunters must obtain permission from landowners to hunt on their property. (For a private land permission form, see Permission to Hunt on Private Lands .)
- Deer Reduction Zones may be altered annually at the DNR director’s discretion based on deer population management needs.
In the Evansville area, the Deer Reduction Zone is south of Boonville-New Harmony Road but does exclude the area to the south of I-69/Veterans Memorial Parkway extending from the Warrick County line where Veterans Memorial becomes River Side Drive and intersects with Main Street in Downtown Evansville. It also excludes the area south of where Broadway Avenue and the Posey County line intersect and extending east to Bayou Creek Road and then east to the Ohio River. To learn more about the reduction zones in other parts of the Hoosier state, visit IN.gov/DNR