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Monroe Lake - Hunting and Trapping

4850 South State Road 446
Bloomington, IN 47401
812-837-9546

Paynetown SRA, Fairfax SRA, Allen's Creek SRA, Cutright SRA, Moore's Creek SRA, Salt Creek SRA

Hunting and Trapping

Monroe Lake provides a wide variety of hunting options. Woodland species such as white-tailed deer, wild turkey, squirrels, and grouse are hunted on over 7,000 acres of woodlands. Upland fields and early successional habitats of over 3,500 acres provide rabbit, woodcock and mourning dove hunting. Night hunting for raccoon, fox and coyote is permitted. State hunting regulations apply to all legal species. The 10,750 acre lake and the over 400 acres of managed wetlands offer waterfowl hunters the chance to hunt open water, streams and marshes for migrating waterfowl. Special hunts are held in managed seasonal Waterfowl Resting Areas and selected mourning dove fields on a draw basis. Reserve waterfowl draws are offered through the online application process. Contact the property office for additional information. Archery and firearms shooting ranges are not available. Safety Zones are closed to all hunting. Wildlife viewing areas are abundant.

Monroe Lake allows the use of bonus county antlerless deer tags.

Trapping opportunities are available through a sealed bidding process for specific trapping units. Contact the property office in late summer for details on the bidding process.

All hunters must register and sign the waiver of liability at one of the nineteen hunter sign-in stations on the property. Hunter sign-in is mandatory, and failure to sign in and out properly may result in a fine. All game taken must be recorded on a required one-day hunter permit card that is carried with you as you hunt and turned in at the end of the day. At some properties, the card must be returned to the same hunter sign-in station where the waiver of liability was signed; please look for that requirement when you check-in. Take and use only one card per day. This system provides valuable wildlife management information.

Accessible hunting opportunities are available. Inquire at the property office or by calling 812-837-9546.

2023-2024 Waterfowl Season

All waterfowl hunting requires mandatory check-in and checkout. You also must possess a one-day Waterfowl Hunting Permit Card.  Hunting parties must hunt at least 300 yards away from any and all Resting Area Lines, some Recreation Areas, Safety Zones, Boat Ramps, and other hunting parties. Hunter check-in stations are located at most boat ramps and many other locations around the reservoir.

Early Duck Season, Nov. 4-Nov. 12, 2023

All areas of the Lake not in Waterfowl Resting Area or under special restrictions, including the Crooked Creek marshes are open to hunting during legal shooting hours on a first-come, first-served basis.

Northfork Resting Area & Stillwater - Northfork Marshes will be hunted as public draw hunts on the following days; Nov. 4, 6, 8,10, and 12. (Nov. 4, 8, and 12 will be drawn at 5:30 a.m. and will hunt until noon). All other hunts will draw at 10:30 a.m. and will hunt from noon to sunset.

***Nov. 14, 16, and 18 will be first-come, first-served with limited blinds for the remaining early goose dates (Nov. 14, 16, and 18). Sign in and find available goose blinds at the Stillwater draw parking lot located off Kent road. Same rules apply as during late goose season.

All early season hunts (other than Nov 14, 16, 18) will be public draw.  Parties of two and three will draw first, singles last. The Nov. 6 hunt will be EST. All hunting sites in the area north of the south boundary of the Northfork Resting area to the Kent Bridge on the Northfork of Salt Creek and the Stevens Creek Bridge on Friendship Road will be by drawing at the Northfork Check Station if conditions warrant. Waterfowl hunting will only be permitted from designated locations in this area. Some areas may not be flooded – check with the Monroe Lake Office for sites available.  A shell limit of 25 shot shells per hunter will be in effect for all Stillwater- Northfork hunts.

Middlefork Resting Area can be hunted all day during legal shooting hours, but ONLY on the same days as Stillwater/Northfork draw hunts. These will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Southfork Marshes can be hunted all day during legal shooting times, but ONLY on the same days as Stillwater/Northfork draw hunts. These will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Late Duck Season, Nov. 24, 2023-Jan. 13, 2024

All areas of the lake not in the Waterfowl Resting Areas or under special restrictions, including the Crooked Creek marshes, are open to hunting during legal shooting hours on a first-come, first-served basis. Check in-out at the orange hunter booths located around the lake. Please return your card to the booth you signed in at.

Northfork Resting Area & Stillwater-Northfork Marshes will be hunted as public draw hunts on the following days; Nov. 25, 28. Dec. 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 26, 29, 2023; and Jan. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 13, 2024. All late-season hunts will be public draw. Parties of two and three draw first, singles draw last. (Nov. 25, Dec. 22 and Jan. 13 hunts will be the only a.m. hunts and will draw at 5:30 a.m. and hunt until noon). All other hunts will draw at 10:30 a.m. and hunt from noon to sunset. The calendar of hunt dates and times are available at the Paynetown office, online and at all manned waterfowl check stations. All hunting sites in the area north of the south boundary of the Northfork Resting Area to the Kent Road Bridge on the Northfork of Salt Creek and to the Stevens Creek Bridge on Friendship Road will be by drawing at the Northfork – Stillwater Check Station if conditions warrant.  Waterfowl hunting will only be permitted from designated locations in this area.  A shell limit of 25 shot shells per hunter will be in effect for all Stillwater- Northfork hunts.

Middlefork Resting Area can be hunted all day during legal shooting times, but ONLY on the same days as the Stillwater - Northfork draw hunts.  These will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

Southfork Marshes can be hunted during legal shooting hours, but ONLY on the same days as the Stillwater / Northfork draw hunts. These will be hunted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Goose Hunting

SPECIAL EARLY SEASON DATES: Sept. 9 through Sept. 17, 2023

Geese can be hunted during legal shooting hours all day in all areas. This will be on a first come first served basis. All state and federal regulations apply.

EARLY SEASON DATES: Nov. 4 through Nov. 18, 2023

Geese can be hunted during early duck season while hunting Stillwater – Northfork public draw hunts and in all other areas open to hunting. In all other locations, all state and federal regulations apply. All rules listed for Late Season apply for Early Season, excluding the section on the Extended Season.  

***Nov. 14,16, and 18 will be first-come, first-served with limited blinds for the remaining early goose dates (Nov. 14, 16, and 18) Sign in and find available goose blinds at the Stillwater draw parking lot located off Kent road. Same rules apply as during late goose season.

LATE SEASON DATES: Nov. 24, 2023 through Feb. 11, 2024  

Geese can be hunted during legal shooting hours during all open seasons on the main lake and in the Crooked Creek area within State and Federal Regulations.  Goose hunting in Stillwater – Northfork Marshes will be on drawn hunt days only beginning Nov. 25through the end of duck season (Jan. 13, 2024).

EXTENDED DATES: From Jan. 17 through Feb. 11, 2024

Stillwater-Northfork Marsh Area will have a limited number of blinds that can be hunted. Mandatory self check-in and out is required at the Stillwater-Northfork Check Station on a first-come, first-served basis. GOOSE HUNTING IS ONLY ALLOWED on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Stillwater - Northfork goosehunters can self check-in from 4:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. only on hunt days.

Middlefork Resting Area and Southfork Marshes can only be hunted on Wednesdays and Saturdays during legal shooting hours on a first-come, first-served basis.

2023 Youth Duck Hunt

A special hunt will be held on Oct. 28 and Oct. 29, 2023 for hunters 17 years old and younger. All youth must be accompanied by an adult (not allowed to hunt ducks on that day). Youth hunters 16 years old or older are required to have a federal waterfowl stamp. Youth are required to abide by all harvest restrictions and bag limits. For these youth hunt days, all open hunt areas of the lake can be hunted within the regular season restrictions. A special drawing will be held at the Stillwater-Northfork Check Station at 5:30 a.m. on Oct. 28 and youths selected can hunt from legal shooting time until noon. A special drawing will be held at the Stillwater- Northfork Check Station at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 29, and youths selected can hunt from 12:00 noon till sunset.

Southfork Marshes can be hunted on both days for all day hunts during legal shooting hours. The Hunter Check Station is located at the Robertson Cemetery. For these hunts only, at least one youth hunter required per party. Youth hunters will not have a shell limit for Resting Area hunts.

Middlefork Resting Area can be hunted on both days for all day hunts during legal shooting hours. For these hunts only, at least one youth hunter required per party

Veterans Special Waterfowl Hunts

Military Veterans may hunt waterfowl on Oct. 28 and 29, 2023 during legal shooting hours and within all state and federal regulations. All areas of the lake are open to hunting that are not under special restrictions. The Middlefork Resting Area and the Southfork Marshes will be open for this hunt.

The Northfork – Stillwater Marshes will be closed to Veterans except for those Veterans hunting with a Youth that have participated in the Public draw. Veterans hunting with youth have a 25-shell limit.

Directions to Stillwater – Northfork and Southfork Check Stations

Stillwater-Northfork: Travel east on State Road 46 from Bloomington to Kent Road (approx. 4.1 miles from S.R. 446 intersection). Turn right onto Kent Road and cross the bridge. The Stillwater-Northfork Waterfowl Check Station is on the right. Address: 8550 E. Kent Road, Bloomington, IN 47401, (GPS 39.149534, - 86.397285)

Southfork: Travel South on State Road 446 to Tower Ridge Road (Deam Wilderness, Maumee Scout Camp), turn left (east) on Tower Ridge Road and take every left turn past the fire tower. This brings you to Robertson Cemetery, turn left again, hunter check-in station is on the right.

(GPS 39.038393, - 86.276822).

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