Weapons Regulations For Deer

[Mark 1911]

This used to be spelled out in the Deer Hunting Regulations, but has not been for the last few years.

Deer regulations used to explicitly state that you could not carry more than one kind of weapon while hunting deer. Now, the Legal Firearms section has a sentence that reads "Hunters may carry more than one type of legal firearm when hunting during the firearms, youth, reduction zone (in zones where local ordinances allow the use of a firearm), and special antlerless seasons only."

However, in the Archery section, it only states, "Legal equipment includes long bows, compound bows or recurve bows and arrows".

Simply stated, I can shoot a deer with any weapon that is legal for that particular season, whether archery, firearms, muzzleloader, etc.

My question is not about what weapons I can shoot a deer with, but what weapons I can have in my possession in case another in-season critter happens by, like a coyote for example. Most of the DNR people I have discussed this with don't have an answer. Can I carry a firearm for Mr. Coyote during archery season, in case Mr. Coyote happens to wander by during the deer hunt? I know I can't shoot the deer with it. But can I have it "in my possession". I know there are a lot of concerns with poaching these days, but if I don't actually shoot a deer with an illegal weapon, but have another type of weapon in my possession for game for which it IS legal, then AM I LEGAL?

A couple of years ago I broached this topic with two or three DNR property managers at Winamac and at Jasper Pulaski, and they didn't know the answer. They asked me to contact DNR law enforcement. I called DNR law enforcement, and after getting told "I don't know" even by law enforcement, one of the people I spoke to referred me to a number in Michigan City. I finally spoke to one CO who gave me a definitive answer, and the answer I received was that it IS LEGAL to possess a firearm (I was carrying a .243 with a scope) during archery season - just can't shoot the deer with it (obviously).

I should have asked the officer who I spoke to in Michigan City for a written response, but I didn't. Why?

I was hunting at Winamac one day, archery season. I had some unpleasant words (my initiative) with another hunter who had decided to put his deer stand up about 20 yards from mine. If that isn't bad enough, he decided to hunt from it that morning, even though I was already in mine and had signaled him with my flashlight that I was there (prior to sunrise). After several hours, I could no longer keep my frustration in, he had actually drawn on a deer that was approaching. I barked at him, and I went to a different spot (so did the deer). He noticed my rifle, and reported me to DNR. A CO was waiting for me in the parking lot that evening. I explained to him the conversation I had with the CO in Michigan City, but I didn't know the name of the CO who I spoke with. The CO who talked to me dropped the line of questioning, but I could tell that he wasn't convinced. He didn't ask me for any ID or question it any further, but I asked him if I could give him my name and phone number and to please call me back if he heard that I had actually violated any regulation. He took my number, but I never got a call back. So I assume that I was within the law as I was told over the phone.

This year I am going to call Michigan City and request something in writing with the name of the CO on the correspondence, just in case I ever get questioned again.


Anyone have insight on this issue? Experiences?

 

[patience0830]

I'm sure that with your license to carry you can have a pistol of your choice with you. I choose to have a Thompson-Center Contender in .20 VarTarg. Pisses Mr. Wile E. Coyote off to no end.
I always thought the long guns during archery were a no no. If you can find an Indiana code that says it's ok, I'd be interested in the news.

 

[Mark 1911]

I'm sure that with your license to carry you can have a pistol of your choice with you. I choose to have a Thompson-Center Contender in .20 VarTarg. Pisses Mr. Wile E. Coyote off to no end.
I always thought the long guns during archery were a no no. If you can find an Indiana code that says it's ok, I'd be interested in the news.

Yes, fine to have a handgun for personal defense with permit.

On the long gun, the regulations don't necessarily tell you everything that is legal, and seems to make special points about certain things that are illegal (spotlighting for example). Thus my question, where does it say that what I am doing is illegal? There was a time when this was specifically spelled out as a no-no, I remember those days, as it seems you do as well.

The regulations are somewhat ambiguous on the point these days. They don't say it's legal, that's why I went to DNR. But if they don't explicitly say that it is illegal, then why would I think that it was?

For example, go to the page in the regulations where it spells out legal weapons during firearms season. Only the firearms columns are checked, yet I know that I can hunt with a bow during that time, because archery season spans from October 1 to January 8. By the same token the regulations state that coyote season is 10/15 to 3/15, and that there are no weapons restrictions. So, where does it say that I can't hunt coyote and deer at the same time? My point, not everything that is legal is explicitly spelled out.



That was a couple of years ago, and I had a verbal that it was legal. This year I am going to try to get it in writing.

 

[patience0830]

Yes, fine to have a handgun for personal defense with permit.

On the long gun, the regulations don't necessarily tell you what is legal, only what is illegal. Thus my question, where does it say that what I am doing is illegal? There was a time when this was specifically spelled out as a no-no, I remember those days, as it seems you do as well.

The regulations are somewhat ambiguous on the point these days. They don't say it's legal, that's why This year I am going to try to get it in writing.

A fine idea, says I!
Just don't get me to lyin' about indiana hunting regs. They are so poorly written this year that I was unsure if I needed to wear blaze orange in the early squirrel season or not.

 

[Mark 1911]

A fine idea, says I!
Just don't get me to lyin' about indiana hunting regs. They are so poorly written this year that I was unsure if I needed to wear blaze orange in the early squirrel season or not.

That's pretty bad!

 

[zoglog]

You do not even need to have a license to carry to have a handgun on you while deer hunting. This is straight out of the hunting regulations.
"While hunting, an individual may carry a handgun without a handgun license in accordance with Indiana Code 35-47-2-1"

I have not ran into a DNR officer yet during hunting seasons. My father in law did a few years ago. He asked the officer if we were allowed to take our bow and rifle out during the bonus season, since we had not taken any deer yet. The officer said yes, but make sure to harvest with the appropriate weapon. We only have one officer for the area, maybe we will run into him again and I can get a name and more information for you.

We hunt turkey late in the season too and have different weapons incase the turkey show up instead of the deer.

I am not a lawyer, so take my experience for what it is worth.

 

[phylodog]

I have asked two separate CO's about this very topic and both told me there is no problem if I bring a coyote rifle into the stand while I'm bowhunting during archery season. The only twist is that I hunt/film with a partner and I only bring a rifle when he is hunting and I'm filming and vice versa. The Indiana Administrative Code does not forbid the carrying of firearms during archery season, only hunting deer with them.

312 IAC 9-3-3 Equipment for deer hunting
Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-22-2-6 Affected: IC 14-22; IC 35-47-1-6
Sec. 3. (a) During the youth special deer season established in section 4(b) of this rule, a youth hunter must hunt deer only with the following equipment:
(1) A bow and arrow as described in subsection (b)(1) through (b)(5). (2) A crossbow as defined in 312 IAC 9-1-5.3.
(3) A shotgun as described in subsection (d)(1).
(4) A muzzleloading long gun as described in subsection (d)(3).
(5) A rifle, with the use of cartridges described in subsection (d)(4).

(b) During the archery season established in section 4(c) of this rule, an individual must hunt deer only with equipment as follows:

(1) With a long bow, recurve bow, or compound bow that has at least thirty-five (35) pounds pull with a valid license identified at section 2(f) of this rule.
(2) With a crossbow with a valid license identified at section 2(g) of this rule.
(3) Arrows or bolts must be equipped with metal or metal-edged (or flint, chert, or obsidian napped) broadheads.


(4) Poisoned or explosive arrows or bolts are unlawful.
(5) For long bows, recurve bows, and compound bows, no portion of the bow's riser (handle) or any:



(A) track;
(B) trough;
(C) channel;
(D) arrow rest; or (E) other device;



FISH AND WILDLIFE


that attaches to the bow's riser shall contact, support, or guide the arrow from a point rearward of the bow's brace height.

 

[Mark 1911]

I have asked two separate CO's about this very topic and both told me there is no problem if I bring a coyote rifle into the stand while I'm bowhunting during archery season....

Thanks for the feedback. That's what I was hoping to hear! Confirms my understanding based on my own phone discussion with a CO a few years back.