Under IC 4-22-2-24, notice is hereby given that on July 25, 2011, at 6:00 p.m., at the Spring Mill Inn, Spring Mill State Park, 3333 State Road 60 East, Mitchell, Indiana; AND on July 26, 2011, at 6:00 p.m., at the Miami County Fairgrounds, Community Building, 1029 West 200 North, Peru, Indiana, the Natural Resources Commission will hold public hearings on proposed amendments, which add 312 IAC 9-1-5.5 to define "crossbow"; add 312 IAC 9-1-7.6 to define "ground blind"; amend 312 IAC 9-3-2 governing general requirements and licenses for hunting deer to include the new nonresident youth deer license, crossbow license, and deer license bundle and specify hunter orange requirements for ground blinds; amend 312 IAC 9-3-3 governing the use of crossbows, rifles, and blinds used while deer hunting; amend 312 IAC 9-3-4 governing the season dates and bag limits for the special youth deer season, archery season, and special antlerless only season and amends the urban deer zones in Lake and Porter counties; and amend 312 IAC 9-3-8 by opening the firearms season on October 1 on military reserves and national wildlife refuges and adds the new nonresident youth deer licenses.

IC 4-22-2-24(d)(3) Justification Statement: The DNR has the statutory authority to provide for the protection, reproduction, care, management, survival, and regulation of wild animal populations in IC 14-22-2-3. Furthermore, the DNR has the statutory authority to allow the taking, possession, and sale of wild animals and to establish the methods, locations, and means of taking white-tailed deer in IC 14-22-2-6. Insurance companies, farmers, and other landowners will benefit from these rule proposals. With an increase in the number of deer harvested, the deer population should decrease, thereby reducing damage to crops and other property, as well as helping to reduce deer-vehicle collisions. Some deer hunters will benefit from these rule changes by having three separate opportunities to hunt deer with a firearm – during the new special antlerless only season (in December), firearms season, and muzzleloader season. Youth hunters will have the opportunity to take more deer during their special youth deer season. Those who hunt during the urban deer season in the urban deer zones also will have additional days to hunt. Allowing crossbows to be used by all hunters during the entire archery season and allowing rifle cartridges of a longer length will also benefit hunters by providing them with more equipment options. The addition of the new nonresident deer license types is required by state law in IC 14-22-12-1. The number of deer hunters in Indiana that will be affected by these rule changes is approximately 229,000. The number of check stations that will be affected is approximately 391, and the number of deer processors is approximately 140. Approximately 728 taxidermy businesses could also be affected. The number of licensed deer hunters was obtained from the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife's databases of license holders and the 2007 deer hunter survey. The number of deer licenses sold was obtained from the DNR's database of license holders. The number of deer processors and check stations was obtained from the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife's database of registered deer processors, licensed taxidermists, and official deer check stations.

Copies of these rules are now on file at the Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N501 and Legislative Services Agency, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Avenue, Room N201, Indianapolis, Indiana and are open for public inspection.