Section 312IAC9-3-4. Season dates and bag limits

   (a) An individual must not take more than one (1) deer with each deer license.

  (b) The special youth deer season is two (2) consecutive days beginning on the Saturday immediately before October 1 or as approved annually by the director as follows:

(1) The seasonal limit for hunting deer under this subsection is one (1) antlered deer and the number of antlerless deer established under subsection (g) for the county being hunted. If the county being hunted is designated as an "A" county under subsection (g), the youth hunter may take no more than one (1) antlerless deer under this subsection.

(2) A youth hunter who takes an antlered deer under this subsection may not take another antlered deer during the:

(A) archery seasons established in subsection (c);

(B) firearm season established in subsection (e); or

(C) muzzleloader season established in subsection (f).

(3) As used in this section, "youth" means an individual who is less than eighteen (18) years of age by the date of the hunt.

(4) A youth who hunts a deer under this subsection must be accompanied by an adult of at least eighteen (18) years of age who:

(A) does not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow while in the field, except for a handgun carried lawfully in accordance with IC 35-47-2;

(B) possesses a valid hunting license of any type that is not an apprentice license unless exempt from needing a hunting license under IC 14-22-11-1 and 312 IAC 9-2-14;

(C) must not accompany more than two (2) youth hunters at any one (1) time; and

(D) must be in close proximity and able to communicate with the youth hunter at all times.

  (c) The archery deer season is from October 1 through the first Sunday in January. An individual must take not more than two (2) deer of which only one (1) may be antlered under this subsection.

  (d) The deer reduction season is as follows:

(1) From September 15 through January 31 of the following year in a deer reduction zone.

(2) Under this subsection:

(A) An individual must take not more than ten (10) deer of which only one (1) may be antlered.

(B) At least one (1) antlerless deer must be taken in a deer reduction zone prior to taking an antlered deer.

(3) A deer taken under this subsection does not count against a bag limit for deer set elsewhere in this rule.

(4) Deer reduction zones subject to the deer reduction season shall be established on an annual basis by a temporary rule authorized by the director.

  (e) The firearms deer season is from the first Saturday after November 11 and continues for an additional fifteen (15) days. An individual must take not more than one (1) antlered deer under this subsection.

  (f) The deer hunting season for only using a muzzleloading long gun or muzzleloading handgun is from the first Saturday after the closing day of firearms season as established in subsection (e) and continues for an additional fifteen (15) days. An individual must not take more than one (1) deer of either sex under this subsection.

  (g) The season and bag limit for hunting antlerless deer in a designated county, by authority of an extra deer bonus antlerless license, shall be established on an annual basis by a temporary rule authorized by the director.

  (h) The special antlerless deer season is from December 26 through the first Sunday in January of the following year in counties with an antlerless quota of four (4) or more deer. An individual may take only antlerless deer under this subsection and may take only the number established under subsection (g) for the county being hunted. (Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 9-3-4; filed May 12, 1997, 10:00 a.m.: 20 IR 2703; filed Nov 5, 1997, 3:25 p.m.: 21 IR 930; filed Dec 26, 2001, 2:40 p.m.: 25 IR 1530; readopted filed Jul 28, 2003, 12:00 p.m.: 27 IR 286; filed Sep 23, 2004, 3:00 p.m.: 28 IR 538; filed May 25, 2005, 10:15 a.m.: 28 IR 2945; filed Jun 29, 2007, 2:30 p.m.: 20070725-IR-312060272FRA; filed Jul 10, 2007, 2:09 p.m.: 20070808-IR-312060572FRA; filed Sep 6, 2007, 12:20 p.m.: 20071003-IR-312070023FRA; readopted filed Nov 24, 2008, 11:08 a.m.: 20081210-IR-312080672RFA; filed Nov 3, 2009, 3:34 p.m.: 20091202-IR-312090044FRA; filed Nov 12, 2009, 3:53 p.m.: 20091209-IR-312090060FRA; filed Dec 1, 2011, 4:01 p.m.: 20111228-IR-312110101FRA; readopted filed May 20, 2014, 9:43 a.m.: 20140618-IR-312140017RFA; filed Jun 15, 2015, 3:43 p.m.: 20150715-IR-312140453FRA)