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Here's the run-down:
Summary of Proposed Deer Rule Changes
Definitions
Moves the definition of crossbow to the definitions section, instead of defining it in 312 IAC 9-3-3
Adds a definition of ground blind
General Requirements and Licenses
Adds the new nonresident youth deer license types
Adds license requirements for the new special antlerless seasons
Requires hunter orange for youth hunters during the youth special deer season and during the new antlerless only seasons; hunter orange is already required for all deer hunters during the firearms and muzzleloader seasons
Requires at least 144 square inches of hunter orange material on a ground blind used while deer hunting during a season when a hunter is already required to wear hunter orange
Requires the owner’s name and address on ground blinds used on department properties
Hunting Equipment
Allows a crossbow to be used by hunters who are at least 64 years old during the early archery season
Allows a crossbow to be used during the deer firearms and muzzleloader seasons by hunters of any age
Allows a hunter of any age to use a crossbow in an urban deer zone during the urban deer season.
Allows a rifle cartridge to have a maximum case length of 1.8 inches instead of 1.625 inches
Seasons and Bag Limits
Allows youth hunters to take the number of antlerless deer allowed in each county during the special youth deer season (in addition to one antlered deer)
Extends the urban deer season through January 31 of the following year
Requires hunters to take at least one antlerless deer prior to taking an antlered deer in the urban deer season
Expands the urban deer zones in Lake and Porter counties to all of those counties
Changes the deer firearms season to start on the first Saturday before Thanksgiving and continue for only 8 additional days
Shortens the deer muzzleloader season to only 9 days
Adds an antlerless deer only firearms season in October (2 days only) in counties with an antlerless quota of 4 or more. The hunter may take the number of antlerless deer in each county allowed under the bonus county quota.
Adds another antlerless deer-only firearms season from December 25 through January 1 of the following year. The hunter may take the number of antlerless deer in each county allowed under the bonus county quota.
Military Reserves and National Wildlife Refuges
Opens the firearms season on designated military reserves and national wildlife refuges on October 1 instead of November 1
Adds the new nonresident youth deer hunting license types
