Reserved Hunt Information

Basics

• Apply for a reserved hunt
• View hunt draw results
• FAQs

What do I need to apply?

• A valid hunting license for the species you intend to hunt for that season/equipment.
• A valid email address for confirmation of application submission.

How do I know if my application is complete?

• You will receive a confirmation email to the email address provided.
• After you have submitted your application, PRINT or SAVE your confirmation page. Once you have applied, you can double-check by logging back into the reserved hunt system. If a hunt choice is still in the drop-down box, you did not successfully apply. The system will not allow you to apply for the same hunt more than once. So, if the hunt shows up in your drop-down box, then you need to apply.

Other important information

• Once you have submitted your hunt application, you cannot change it. If you need to update your contact information, log into the reserved hunt system and update it. All reserved hunt draw results will be posted online at least one week after the deadline has passed.

Hunts currently taking applications or opening soon

Put-and-take pheasant hunts

• The application period runs from 5 a.m. on Sept. 1 to midnight on Nov. 25, first-come, first-served.
• Put-and-take hunting days will start on a Saturday in mid- to late-November.
• Pheasants are usually released for put-and-take hunting on Atterbury, Glendale, J. E. Roush Lake, Pigeon River (west of State Road 3), Tri-County, Willow Slough and Winamac fish & wildlife areas. (Subject to change annually.)
• The cost for put-and-take hunts is $28 per person.
• Hunts are non-refundable.
• Hunters must check-in at the property between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on the day of the hunt.
• Register using the reserved hunt system.

Waterfowl draw hunts

• Applications online Sept. 1-24
• Properties usually participating: Brookville Lake; Monroe Lake; Province Pond Waterfowl Conservation Area; and Goose Pond, Hovey Lake, Kankakee, Kingsbury, LaSalle, and Willow Slough fish & wildlife areas.

Pheasant draw hunts

• Applications accepted online July 1  through Sept 27, 2017
• Applicants do not choose a property, only a date. Properties are assigned to successful applicants on all Game Bird Habitat Areas.
• Youth Pheasant Draw also available.

Military/refuge archery, primitive and firearm deer draw hunts

• Applicants must have successfully completed a Hunter Education class to participate.
• Applications are accepted online July 1 through August 21, 2017.
• Applicants do not have to enter their hunting partner's information online and do not choose dates. Dates are randomly assigned.
• Successful applicants are allowed to bring one hunting partner.
• For the Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge Primitive Deer hunt, only traditional flintlock/percussion side-lock muzzleloading firearms are allowed.

Youth deer hunts

• Applications are accepted online July 1 through August 21, 2017.
• Youth must be 17 or younger on the hunt date and accompanied by a mentor, defined as a licensed hunter, 18 or older. The mentor is not eligible to hunt or carry a firearm for this hunt.

Deer hunts on Fish & Wildlife areas

• Applications are accepted online July 1 through August 21, 2017.
• Properties: Deer Creek FWA, Tern Bar Slough WDCA, Fairbanks Landing.
• Other properties available at a later date.

Upland hunts on state properties

• Applications are accepted online July 1 to August 21, 2017.

Dove draw hunts

• Applications are accepted online in July 1 to July 28, 2017.
• Properties usually participating: Jasper-Pulaski, Kankakee, Kingsbury, LaSalle, Pigeon River, J.E. Roush Lake, Willow Slough, Blue Grass and Winamac fish & wildlife areas.

Other deer reduction hunts as needed

• Deer hunts on properties that are not listed may be requested as needed on state or federal lands.

State park deer reduction draw hunts

State Park Deer Reduction hunt application period is July 10 to August 21.

• NEW – In order to be more consistent with other DNR property draw hunts, the State Parks deer reduction hunts will no longer require that you identify hunting buddies when applying. The application will simply ask how many additional buddies you plan to bring if you are successfully drawn for the hunt. The additional buddies must still meet all age, residency, and licensing requirements of the State Parks deer reduction hunts as described below.
• Applications will be accepted online in July.
• Applicants must possess any valid license to take a deer in Indiana at the time of the application, not including apprentice licenses.
• Applicants are allowed to apply for themselves and as many as two hunting partners.
• Applicants must be Indiana residents (or possess a valid lifetime license to take deer in Indiana), be 18 years of age by the date of the first hunt, and must possess the proper licenses to hunt deer in order to apply. Once you have submitted your application online, you cannot change your information.
• Each applicant may appear on only one application per hunt period.
• Firearm hunts include any firearm legal to take deer on public land in Indiana. Archery hunts include any archery equipment legal to take deer in Indiana, including crossbows.
• For successful applicants, deer harvested at a State Park Reduction Hunt are in addition to regular deer-season bag limits. You do not need to purchase additional licenses to harvest deer if participating in the reduction hunt. For questions regarding State Park Deer Reduction Hunts, please contact DNR’s Division of State Parks at (317) 232-4200.
• Available state parks in 2017: Chain O’Lakes, Charlestown, Clifty Falls (archery only), Fort Harrison (archery only), Harmonie, Lincoln, McCormick’s Creek, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill and Cave River Valley Natural Area (managed and drawn together), Tippecanoe River, Trine State Recreation Area (archery only and managed by Pokagon State Park), Versailles, and Whitewater Memorial.
• Early Hunt:  Nov. 13-14, 2017. Late Hunt:  Nov. 27-28, 2017.

APPLE (Access Program Providing Land Easements) game bird draw hunts

• Applications accepted online August 14 through Sept 24, 2017.
• All APPLE properties are private property and are only open to successfully drawn hunters on the dates of their hunts.
• Properties are grouped by north and south regions. Only north region hunts will be offered for 2017 (no south region properties are available at this time). Applicants do not choose a property only a date. Successful applicants will be assigned an APPLE property based on region applied for and date.
• This year’s APPLE hunting opportunities are for game bird (pheasant-northern properties, quail and woodcock) hunting only.
• Successfully drawn applicants may bring up to two hunting partners with them on their hunt.

Hunt draw information

Frequently Asked Questions