Deer-hunting rules changes gain preliminary
approval

   The Indiana Natural Resources
Commission gave preliminary approval yesterday to a comprehensive
package of proposed changes to deer-hunting rules in Indiana.

   The DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife developed the rules proposal
to focus deer-herd reduction in a strategically targeted manner to more
adequately balance the ecological, recreational and economic needs of
the state’s citizens.

Key points of the proposal include:

–Changing the deer firearms season to nine days beginning the
Saturday before Thanksgiving

–Adding a two-day antlerless-only firearms season in October in
counties that have a bonus antlerless quota of four or more

–Adding a statewide antlerless-only firearms season from Dec. 25 to
Jan. 1

–Shortening the muzzleloader season to nine days

–Extending the urban zone season through Jan. 31

–Allowing the use of crossbows during archery season by hunters 64
years old or older

–Allowing the use of crossbows by hunters of any age during firearms
season

–Allowing a hunter of any age to use a crossbow in an urban deer zone
during the urban deer season

–Requiring hunters to take at least one antlerless deer prior to
taking an antlered deer in an urban deer zone

   “For the last several years, Indiana deer management and
associated deer rules were designed to stabilize or slightly grow the
deer herd,” said Mitch Marcus, wildlife section chief for the DNR
Division of Fish and Wildlife. “We are now experiencing record-setting
harvests, record numbers of deer damage complaints, constituent
complaints to legislators, and record numbers of deer-vehicle
collisions. The intent of this deer rule proposal is to move Indiana
toward a focused, strategically targeted deer-herd reduction.”

   Hunters have harvested more than 100,000 deer in the state in 15
of the last 17 years, topping 125,000 in four of the last five years,
including a record 132,752 in 2009.

   Further changes would add a new nonresident youth deer license,
add license requirements for the new special antlerless seasons, add
requirements to the use of ground blinds, allow a rifle cartridge to
have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches instead of l.625 inches, and
require youth hunters to wear hunter orange during the youth special
season.

   A complete summary of the proposed changes is at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm

   The NRC’s preliminary approval moves the proposed changes into the
public input phase of the rules-making process. Comments on the
proposal can be submitted online at www.IN.gov/nrc;
by mail to Division of Hearings, Indiana Government Center North, 100
North Senate Ave., Indianapolis, IN, 46204; or at public hearings. Dates
and locations for a minimum two hearings will be announced at a later
date.

   After the public input process is complete, the NRC will consider
final adoption of the rule package.

   If adopted, the new rules would take effect in 2011 and would be
evaluated over a five-year period to determine if the intended result of
reducing the deer herd is being achieved. Success will be measured
through maintaining an annual deer harvest sex ratio of 60/40
(females/males), landowner and deer-hunter survey responses, reduction
in county antlerless quotas, and reduction in deer-vehicle accident
rates.

   The proposed changes to deer-hunting rules are a result of the NRC
Advisory Council’s Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Rules Enhancement
Project and a DNR review of Indiana deer management. The NRAC project
drew more than 1,000 suggestions from the public, and the DNR review
included discussions with representatives from several stakeholder
groups—Indiana Sportsman’s Roundtable, Indiana Wildlife Federation,
Indiana Deer Hunters Association, Indiana Bowhunters Association,
Quality Deer Management Association, The Nature Conservancy, Indiana
Farm Bureau, Bloomington City Council, Indiana Forestry and Woodland
Owners Association, and a sporting goods retailer.

   Leaders or representatives of the Roundtable, IWF, IDHA, IBA,
QDMA, The Nature Conservancy and Indiana Farm Bureau spoke in support of
the proposed rule changes at Tuesday’s NRC meeting.

   “We are pleased with the amount of public input given through the
Comprehensive Fish and Wildlife Rule Enhancement Project and the agency
review of deer management with stakeholder groups,” Marcus said. “We
look forward to additional public input as part of the rule-making
process.”