Deer Reduction Zones give hunters opportunities to harvest deer in defined urban areas and along portions of Indiana highways, in addition to statewide bag limits.
NOTE: Hunters must secure permission from landowners and/or land management authorities prior to hunting a property located within a deer reduction zone. Not all publicly owned properties within a zone are open to hunting, and those that are may have hunting restrictions in place. For a private land permission form, see Permission to Hunt on Private Lands.
Season facts
- Dates: Sept. 15, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025.
- Bag limit: 10 deer statewide, of which only one can be antlered. To satisfy the reduction zone bag limit, a hunter 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, which is in addition to all other bag limits. See the hunting guide for deer bag limits.
- License required: Deer Reduction Zone license, resident youth hunt/trap, lifetime comprehensive hunting, lifetime comprehensive hunting/fishing license, or license exemption. A valid license is required for each deer taken. For example, to harvest 10 deer toward the deer reduction zone bag limit, a hunter needs 10 deer reduction zone licenses.
- Use of firearms: 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. 16, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025. The season does not override any local ordinances restricting the discharge of firearms and bows.
- For public land included in a Deer Reduction Zone Corridor, the area that can be hunted is limited to within one-half (1/2) mile on either side of the centerline of the indicated road and does not extend beyond the boundaries of the Deer Reduction Zone Corridor. Contact the property for more information about deer hunting rules.
- 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.
- Deer Reduction Zones are reviewed annually and any changes must be made to Indiana Administrative Code, which includes review and approval from the Natural Resources Commission and a public input process.
Deer Reduction Zones
- Allen County Deer Reduction Zone
- Central Indiana Deer Reduction Zone
- Cordry-Sweetwater Deer Reduction Zone
- Griffy Lake Nature Preserve Deer Reduction Zone
- Evansville Deer Reduction Zone
- Lafayette Deer Reduction Zone
- Lake County Deer Reduction Zone
- Porter County Deer Reduction Zone
- Michigan City/LaPorte Deer Reduction Zone
- Muncie Deer Reduction Zone
- South Bend/Mishawaka/Elkhart Deer Reduction Zone
- Warsaw Deer Reduction Zone
- Warrick County Deer Reduction Zone
Deer Reduction Zones Corridors
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. Watch a video explaining deer reduction zone corridors.
- Brown County Deer Reduction Zone
- Dearborn County Deer Reduction Zone
- Dekalb County Deer Reduction Zone
- Fulton County Deer Reduction Zone
- LaGrange County Deer Reduction Zone
- Madison County Deer Reduction Zone
- Monroe County Deer Reduction Zone
- Steuben County Deer Reduction Zone
- Wabash County Deer Reduction Zone