Indiana Deer Licenses

[RatherBeHuntin24/7]

I know theres some guys here from indiana. wondered what you thought about our license situation.. I happened to pick up a kentucky hunting guide the other day and was shocked to find out that hunters only buy one deer permit that is good for a buck and a doe.. and it is valid for archery, crossbow, muzzleloader, and modern gun (please correct me if im wrong). and yet indiana law states that you must buy a new license for each deer you kill. and that licenses are no good for different divisions of weapons. this drives me crazy.. a shoot a doe with my achery license, so i have to buy a new archery license to take a buck, i dont get the buck during early archery so i have to buy a firearms license. say i dont get the one im looking for, so i wait til muzzleloader and i have to buy yet another license. it seems like a huge rip off to me. it seems like the state takes its problems out on sportsmen, and yet they really arnt making hunting and fishing in indiana any better.. just my opinion

[hunter480]

I don`t know the situation in Ky. with the health of the herd, the State Governments fiscal situation, etc. but with everyone hurting for cash these days, and state DNR`s hurting for funds always, I`m not sure how Ky. is getting by with that plan. It would be a dream for sure, to pay once and be able to take whatever, but is that financially sound?
 
I was fortunate enough to be able to buy a comprehensive Life Time hunting and fishing license when they were available, so it`s not even a concern for me now, but I still have to wonder if the Kentucky model can be fiscally sound.

[RatherBeHuntin24/7]

i suppose the biggest difference between the two is the income they take in from non resident license's. i know alot of people willing to dish out the big bucks to hunt in kentucky. its still frustrating to me, for instance a turkey tag is like 25-$30.. why not just go buy one at the grocery store? i hunt for the love of it but id like to make a profit off my hunts once in a while, and thats hard to do in indiana.

[hunter480]

Ultimately, it`s the responsibility of any DNR, to manage the game for the best benefit of hunters, as well as, maintain the balance that farmers, insurance companies, etc. can accept.
 
I believe the Indiana DNR does a great job of this.

[69Viking]

In Alabama you buy one license for deer season and that is good for Bow, Muzzleloader and General Gun seasons.  It seems to me Indiana is doing it's best to deter hunting, what a complicated and irrational system.  Even Florida is simpler, you buy the hunting license that is good for the season and then $5 permits for things like Archery, Muzzloader, and WMA access.  I've never heard of having to buy a license for every animal you shoot with a certain weapon, that's crazy.  If I was in Indiana and cloe enough to Kentucky I'd just make things simple and buy the Kentucky license and hunt in Kentucky if I could.   

[Gafrage]

Wisconsin has separate licenses for Gun (regular gun season, as well as muzzleloader) and Bow.  Although, if you buy both licenses you get 2 bonus antlerless permits.  Which can be used during either the gun season or the bow season, or the T-Zone hunts in WI.  Extra antlerless tags in EAB zones, or T-Zone units are only $2.  So that's pretty affordable (I think it's only $2 for non-residents too!).

I think what really gets me, is the out of state tags in most, if not all states is almost ridiculous in price.  I was looking at getting a pheasant stamp and license to hunt in MN while I'm at my brothers and sister-in-law's over Thanksgiving.  Holy smokes!  If the license came with a guarentee I'd get some shots at a bird, maybe I'd spring for it.  Since there's no guarentee I'm even going to shoot a bird, or see one for that matter, I'm probably not going to go.  Some income is better than no income.  It's like some other moron moves WI is trying to pass, like a grouse stamp?  Are you serious?  People are either going to do it illegally, and the DNR will get less money, or they'll just deter some youngsters from even trying the sport.  Or older people, who "marry" into the family.  I'm sure there is a rhyme to the reason, but I haven't been motivated enough yet to actually check into it, my guess is that they don't have their head screwed on straight.

I spend $160 on my WI licenses for all of the things I do, well, plus the Bobcat tag, it's a little more.  I would hate to be a non-resident.  Whew!  I do just about anything here, that people can do anywhere else in the nation, except being able to hunt a few species...which I'll do some day.  I'm not really sure what my point is about this whole situation, but I guess it's just that the DNR just gives us hunters something else to talk about.  Wish there was something I could do, but it's not likely.

[joker1656]

I have heard a rumor that the Indiana DNR was going to open up the Lifetime License again.  Does anyone know if that is true?  I am really sore from kicking myself throughout the years.  I didn't buy one when I could, and have regretted it ever since. 

[hunter480]

That rumor has been running rampant, but it`s still only a rumor as far as I know. In fact, I think it`s just wishful thinking. The DNR has the feeling it lost money on the lifetime Licenses, and I`ve heard rumblings that there may have been some political hocus pocus with the Life Ti,e License funds. Thet were supposed to go into a DNR account, but may have been tapped.
 
Anyway, I`ll keep my ears to the ground, but I`m wouldn`t count on them coming back.

[mojo]

My wife and son also hunt with me here in Indiana, and it can get very costly buying tags.
Archery $24 x 3
Bonus Antlerless $24 x 3
Shotgun $24 x 3
Muzzleloader $24 x 3 (only needed 1 last year)

[djohns13]

And if you happen to want to buy more than one bonus anterless, then the second one and beyond are only supposed to cost $15 each, but most of the licensing systems won't ring it up correctly.  I don't have any issues with the way the state is managing the herd, but the licensing system could definitely use an overhaul.  Too many questions from the hunters and too few have know and can communicate the answers.
 
Good shooting.