Firearm regulations.

[cg21]

No, in firearms season all anterless licenses are bonus, whether or not it came in a bundle has no bearing. You cannot kill does on parts of Patoka Reservoir property and some other properties with a firearm.

Edited to add the link I was looking for but couldn't find before posting originally. The relevant part: "Bonus antlerless licenses are NOT ALLOWED on the following properties.This includes bonus antlerless deer with a lifetime license, resident youth hunt/trap combolicense, or deer license bundle."

I thought bonus antlerless was above your 3 deer in the bundle? No wonder people still get citations

 

[two70]

I thought bonus antlerless was above your 3 deer in the bundle? No wonder people still get citations

Yes, it is confusing. I think the use of the term "bonus" for antlerless firearms tags goes all the way back to when antlerless tags were issued via a lottery drawing. Since you had to be drawn for the tag, they were considered to be a "bonus" and its been used ever since to describe any tag beyond the antlered firearms tag.

 

[cg21]

I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around this. So your saying even with a deer bundle (2 does 1 buck) during firearm season shooting a doe is considered a bonus antlerless tag? I just checked in a doe and it asked if I wanted this deer to go towards the bonus antlerless quota ... sorry for hijacking

 

[cg21]

Deer Regulations | Indiana Hunting Seasons & Regulations ? 2018 | eRegulations

just read the regs again for deer bundle. What your saying makes even less sense to me now.

 

[dprimm]

Says CAN not must.

"Antlerless deer harvested with the deer license bundle can be used toward the bag limit for bonus antlerless deer in that county as well as the archery, muzzleloader, and special antlerless-only bag limits. If used toward the bonus antlerless deer county quota, the county quota applies. See these regulations for bonus county quotas."

 

[cg21]

I know that’s what I’m saying... the bonus antlerless is referring to the map showing the county bonus doe numbers..... so deer bundle I can shoot one buck 2 does + the bonus deer depending on what county I am in. But I CANNOT use bonus antlerless tags in the mentioned public properties

 

[rooster]

Wow I thought I had this figured out and then I read this thread. Any CO’s on this forum that can clear it up??

 

[amboy49]

Is it any wonder that hunters get ticketed every year if the regs are this difficult to interpret and follow ?

 

[two70]

I know that’s what I’m saying... the bonus antlerless is referring to the map showing the county bonus doe numbers..... so deer bundle I can shoot one buck 2 does + the bonus deer depending on what county I am in. But I CANNOT use bonus antlerless tags in the mentioned public properties

Those 2 does included in the bundle are part of the county bonus antlerless total for whatever county you are hunting. If your county is a 2 bonus antlerless county, you can't legally kill any more than those 2 does with a firearm regardless of how many tags you buy. It would be 2 total does in that county, not 2 does as part of your bundle + 2 more "bonus" does.

Another way to look at it:
Archery season bag limit= 1 either sex tag, 1 antlerless only tag, and "bonus" antlerless tags up to the total for your county and any other counties that you hunt
Firearms season bag limit= 1 antlered only tag and "bonus" antlerless tags up to the total for your county and any other counties that you hunt.
Muzzleloader season bag limit= 1 either sex tag and "bonus" antlerless tags up to the total for your county and any other counties that you hunt.

Outside of the 2 archery tags and the muzzleloader tag, all doe tags are "bonus".

 

[Bill B]

This is why I hunt in Michigan, the regs are so much easier to understand. Buy a deer combo you get two licenses, one can be used on a doe during archery. Want a doe? Buy an anterless tag for your area. Want more than one doe? buy more than one tag, until the quota is met.
Expensive? Kinda, but a lot less confusion.

 

[cg21]

I wasn’t confused until I read this

 

[tr1gg3r]

This is why I hunt in Michigan, the regs are so much easier to understand. Buy a deer combo you get two licenses, one can be used on a doe during archery. Want a doe? Buy an anterless tag for your area. Want more than one doe? buy more than one tag, until the quota is met.
Expensive? Kinda, but a lot less confusion.

Unless you are hunting in the Michigan CWD zone...

 

[Bill B]

Unless you are hunting in the Michigan CWD zone...

True, then it's basically game on. I've thought about going into the CWD zone, but not sure I could eat the meat. I mean I know it's safe, but a part of me just goes EEEWWW.

 

[ilikeguns]

You guys are really overthinking this. It truly isn't complicated. First, as to the public property statement, almost all IDNR properties(FWAs,River initiatives etc), do not allow bonus antlerless, or participate in any late season doe only gun seasons. Your best practice is to assume they do not, unless specifically noted that they do, as the vast majority DO NOT.

The bundle license deal does not give you any special abilities or extra tags. It very simply gives you three tags that are able to act as the necessary tag for whatever season you happen to be hunting. It is purely a thing of convenience meant to keep you from having to purchase and carry multiple tags. If you are hunting in archery or muzzleloader, then it acts as an Archery or muzzleloader tag, meaning one deer of either sex. If you are hunting in Firearms season, ALL FIREARMS TAGS ARE BUCK ONLY, therefore, if you have the bundle, then two of those tags can be used as bonus tags to take a doe. Whatever season it is, that's what the bundle tags act as, so if you know the bag limits for each season, which every hunter should, then it truly isn't complicated.

 

[cg21]

You guys are really overthinking this. It truly isn't complicated. First, as to the public property statement, almost all IDNR properties(FWAs,River initiatives etc), do not allow bonus antlerless, or participate in any late season doe only gun seasons. Your best practice is to assume they do not, unless specifically noted that they do, as the vast majority DO NOT.

The bundle license deal does not give you any special abilities or extra tags. It very simply gives you three tags that are able to act as the necessary tag for whatever season you happen to be hunting. It is purely a thing of convenience meant to keep you from having to purchase and carry multiple tags. If you are hunting in archery or muzzleloader, then it acts as an Archery or muzzleloader tag, meaning one deer of either sex. If you are hunting in Firearms season, ALL FIREARMS TAGS ARE BUCK ONLY, therefore, if you have the bundle, then two of those tags can be used as bonus tags to take a doe. Whatever season it is, that's what the bundle tags act as, so if you know the bag limits for each season, which every hunter should, then it truly isn't complicated.

in the regs it says you get 3 deer with the bundle and says you can use them in any season with legal equipment that’s where my confusion comes from. It also doesn’t say only 1 deer per type of season..... can take all 3 in archery if you wanted from what I saw

 

[ilikeguns]

in the regs it says you get 3 deer with the bundle and says you can use them in any season with legal equipment that’s where my confusion comes from. It also doesn’t say only 1 deer per type of season..... can take all 3 in archery if you wanted from what I saw

You are correct, you can take all three in Archery if that's what you want to do. In that case, you would be using your 2 archery tags plus one bonus. You can do the same thing without the bundle. All the bundle does is allowed you to make one purchase, and use the three tags in any combination in any season, rather than having to buy a bunch of separate tags.

When I said "meaning one deer of either sex" I was not saying you could only get one deer per season. An Archery or muzzleloader tag is good for one deer of either sex per tag

 

[JoeG1]

There are areas that you CAN NOT shoot does at all during firearms season, these are public lands. For example Atterbury. There are signs around that say no bonus antlerless. Just make sure you understand the laws, they can be confusing, there are other public lands you CAN take a doe. If you are in doubt call DNR they will explain it.

 

[Hookeye]

Bundle gets you three tags.
Could be one buck and two antlerless, or three antlerless.

"Bonus" is an antlerless tag, usage based on county.

IIRC two counties are zero on bonus tags. So taking a doe there would require having it registered as a season specific bow or MZ kill (under your bundle license).
Same for hunting F&W areas.......bonus doe tags not honored.

Buying the bundle saves you what, 10 dollars? and allows you some flexibility in tag usage.

 

[Hookeye]

Some folks interchange "anterless" and "bonus" terms. That probably making some confused.

 

[Hookeye]

You are correct, you can take all three in Archery if that's what you want to do. In that case, you would be using your 2 archery tags plus one bonus. You can do the same thing without the bundle. All the bundle does is allowed you to make one purchase, and use the three tags in any combination in any season, rather than having to buy a bunch of separate tags.

When I said "meaning one deer of either sex" I was not saying you could only get one deer per season. An Archery or muzzleloader tag is good for one deer of either sex per tag

Yup and once a buck is tagged, your other either sex licenses are doe only.