Changes to Indiana’s hunting deer regulations include: The statewide bag limit is 6 antlerless deer and 1 antlered deer, except for in Deer Reduction Zones and during youth seasons. There is a newly created County Antlerless Bag Limit instead of season antlerless bag limits and the County Bonus Antlerless Quota. Hunters cannot harvest an antlerless deer with a firearm during firearms season on Fish & Wildlife-managed properties as well as Salamonie, Mississinewa, and Patoka lakes. Only 1 antlered and 2 antlerless deer can be harvested with the bundle license. The use of crossbow equipment is now allowed using the archery license. The minimum caliber for a muzzleloader rifle was reduced from 0.44 inches to 0.40 inches. Portable tree stands and ground blinds can be placed on DNR properties in Deer Reduction Zones between noon Sept. 1 and Feb. 8. Drones and/or devices with infrared sensors can be used to locate harvested deer (they still cannot be used to hunt deer). A new change in state law allows hunters to use rifles with a centerfire cartridge that has a minimum bullet diameter of .219 inches (5.56 mm) or larger on both public and private lands. (ANY Caliber from a .223 to a ??? ) .......... (note the PUBLIC LAND part ) .. https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wil.../white-tailed-deer/#Licensing_and_Regulations addendum: Because of the large epizootic hemorrhagic event that occurred in northern Porter County in 2024, the Deer Reduction Zone listed below will be suspended for the 2025-2026 hunting season. Hunters may still use the county bag limit of two in this area as well as the statewide bag limit of one antlered deer using regular hunting licenses. Deer Reduction Zone licenses cannot be used in this area to harvest deer in addition to the statewide and county bag limits.
