Deer Hunting Seasons
Indiana offers hunters five deer hunting seasons beginning Sept. 15. See the descriptions below for more information about each one.
Each hunter is required to have a deer hunting license or meet a license exemption.
A special season that allows hunters to harvest additional deer in designated areas to reduce human-deer conflicts.
Dates: From Sept. 15 through the following Jan. 31 in designated deer reduction zones (DRZs).
2026 season: Sept. 15, 2026 – Jan. 31, 2027
Licenses: Deer reduction zone license, youth hunt/trap license, or apprentice versions of these licenses; lifetime comprehensive hunting license, lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license; meet a license exemption
Equipment: Archery equipment from Sept. 15 – Jan 31. Firearms equipment from the opening day of firearms season to Jan. 31 where local ordinances allow. See Deer Hunting Equipment for more information.
Harvest: Reduction zone bag limit is 10 deer (10 antlerless or 1 antlered and 9 antlerless). A separate license is needed for each deer harvested. Hunters must first harvest an antlerless deer before harvesting an antlered deer (“earn-a-buck”).
Note:
- All hunters must wear hunter orange from the beginning of firearms season until Jan. 31 in a DRZ.
- Hunters must obtain permission from landowners to hunt on private property.
- The deer reduction zone season does not override any local ordinances restricting shooting of firearms and archery equipment.
Learn more about deer reduction zone regulations and view a map of designated areas.
Dates: Begins the first Saturday after the closing day of firearms season and continues for an additional 15 days.
2026 season: Dec. 5 – 20, 2026
Licenses: Muzzleloader license, deer license bundle, multi-season antlerless license, youth hunt/trap license, or apprentice versions of these licenses; lifetime comprehensive hunting license, lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license; meet a license exemption
Equipment: legal muzzleloaders only. See Deer Hunting Equipment for more information.
Harvest: Hunters may harvest up to the statewide bag limit of 1 antlered deer and 6 antlerless deer. Each county has its own antlerless bag limit that hunters must adhere to. See County Antlerless Deer Bag Limit for each county’s bag limit. A separate license is needed for each deer harvested.
Note: All hunters must wear hunter orange during muzzleloader season.
Dates: Begins the first Saturday after Nov. 11 and continues for an additional 15 days.
2026 season: Nov. 14 – 29, 2026
Licenses: Firearms license (buck only), deer license bundle, multi-season antlerless license, youth hunt/trap license, or apprentice versions of these licenses; lifetime comprehensive hunting license, lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license; meet a license exemption
Equipment: legal rifles, handguns, shotguns, muzzleloaders, air guns, and air bows. See Deer Hunting Equipment for more information.
Harvest: Hunters may harvest up to the statewide bag limit of 1 antlered deer and 6 antlerless deer following county antlerless bag limits with these restrictions:
- Only 1 antlered deer may be harvested with the firearms license; it cannot be used to harvest antlerless deer.
- Antlerless deer may be harvested with the deer license bundle, multi-season antlerless license, youth hunt/trap license, lifetime comprehensive hunting license, lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license or license exemption
- Hunters may not harvest antlerless deer with a firearm during firearms season on DFW-managed properties, Mississinewa Lake, Patoka Lake, and Salamonie Lake. See County Antlerless Deer Bag Limit for a complete list of properties with restrictions.
A separate license is needed for each deer harvested.
Note: All hunters must wear hunter orange during firearms season.
Dates: Oct. 1 through the first Sunday in January. It is continuous and overlaps with firearms and muzzleloader seasons.
2026 season: Oct. 1, 2026 – Jan. 3, 2027
Licenses: Archery license, deer license bundle, multi-season antlerless license, youth hunt/trap license, or apprentice versions of these licenses; lifetime comprehensive hunting license, lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license; meet a license exemption
Equipment: long bow, compound bow, recurve bow, cross bow. See Deer Hunting Equipment for more information.
Harvest: Hunters may harvest up to the statewide bag limit of 1 antlered deer and 6 antlerless deer. Each county has its own antlerless bag limit that hunters must adhere to. See County Antlerless Deer Bag Limit for each county’s bag limit. A separate license is needed for each deer harvested.
Note: All hunters must wear hunter orange from the beginning of firearms season until the end of archery season.
A special season for youth aged 17 and younger on the day of the hunt.
Dates: Two consecutive days beginning on the Saturday immediately before Oct. 1.
2026 season: Sept. 26 & 27, 2026
Licenses: Youth hunt/trap license, non-resident deer hunting licenses, or apprentice versions of these licenses; meet a license exemption
Equipment: A legal rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, air gun, bow and arrow, or crossbow. If hunting with a non-resident deer hunting license, the youth hunter must use the equipment allowed by that license. See Deer Hunting Equipment for more information.
Harvest: Youth hunters may harvest the statewide bag limit of 1 antlered deer and 6 antlerless deer. The number of antlerless deer that can be harvested in a county is determined by the county’s antlerless bag limit. Any deer harvested count toward the hunter’s bag limit for the year. Only one antlerless deer can be taken on DFW-managed properties, Mississinewa Lake, Salamonie Lake, and Patoka Lake. See County Antlerless Deer Bag Limit for a complete list of properties with restrictions.
Note: Youth hunters must be accompanied by a licensed adult at all times during the hunt. Hunters and adults must wear hunter orange.
