Local Sports

State Parks Draw Hunt application period opens July 15

Hunters can apply online for State Parks Deer Management Draw Hunts beginning July 15 by visiting on.IN.gov/reservedhunt. Applications are only available online and close Aug. 26.

The first State Park hunt was held in 1993 as an effort to mitigate damage to vegetation and unique habitat by an overpopulation of white-tailed deer in Brown County State Park. Multiple parks have hosted deer management hunts annually since 1995. The decision to start deer management at individual parks has been based on scientific vegetation monitoring. Decisions to continue deer management at individual parks are made annually using harvest data and consideration of occurrences of rare, threatened, and endangered flora that could be affected by excessive browsing by deer.

Applicants must possess any valid license to take a deer in Indiana at the time of the application, excluding an apprentice license, and must be Indiana residents who will be 18 years of age by the date of the first hunt. Once an application has been submitted, information cannot be changed. Applications must be completed by the application deadline.

Primary applicants can apply by themselves or with up to two secondary applicants (buddies). Primary applicants must apply with their buddies’ information on their application in order for them to participate, including their buddies’ deer license number(s) and date(s) of birth.

Buddies must still meet all age, residency, and licensing requirements of the State Parks Deer Management Hunts. Each applicant may appear on only one application per hunt period.

Firearm hunts allow applicants to use any legal firearm to take deer on public land in Indiana. Archery hunts allow applications to use any legal archery equipment to take deer in Indiana, including crossbows.

Hunters will be selected through a randomized computer drawing. A link to view drawing results will be posted at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt by Aug. 30.  

 

2019 State Parks Deer Management Draw Hunt properties:

  • Chain O’ Lakes State Park
  • Charlestown State Park
  • Clifty Falls State Park (archery only)
  • Fort Harrison State Park (archery only)
  • Harmonie State Park
  • Indiana Dunes State Park
  • McCormick’s Creek State Park
  • Ouabache State Park
  • Pokagon State Park
  • Prophetstown State Park
  • Shakamak State Park
  • Spring Mill State Park and Cave River Valley Natural Area (drawn and managed together)
  • Summit Lake State Park
  • Tippecanoe River State Park
  • Trine State Recreation Area (archery only)
  • Whitewater Memorial State Park

 

Early hunts are Nov. 18-19, 2019 and late hunts are Dec. 2-3, 2019.

 

More information is available at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt.

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