Help Understanding Muzzleloading License

[sbcman]

Question: If a guy has taken all bonus anterless available for his county, can he then take another doe with his muzzleloading license?

I'm in this situation currently and I have called the DNR about it. The lady that spoke to me said, in a very uncertain voice, "I..think..you can." She then got someone else to verify and came back on the phone and said "we..thiink..you can." Not exactly confidence inspiring

Anybody been there and done that?

 

[Titanium Man]

Kinda thinking NO.

It's like you have one shot at a buck, and just so many bonus tags whether you use a bow, shotgun or black powder.

Somebody else chime in here.

 

[singlestacksig]

yes the ML tag is good for antlered or antlerless, if you have not shot a buck already.
bonus antlerless are just that extra ones above that.

 

[nighthawk80]

Actually, no, the Muzzle loading tag is for antlers only. You have to buy the bonus antlerless tag to get a doe. That was what was explained to me by a CO.

 

[HICKMAN]

Actually, no, the Muzzle loading tag is for antlers only. You have to buy the bonus antlerless tag to get a doe. That was what was explained to me by a CO.

That is incorrect.

Antlered only is for firearms season, not muzzleloading season. It's in the guide.

 

[singlestacksig]

page 9 , 2011 indiana deer hunting guide.
Muzzleloading license is good for 1 antlered or 1 antler less deer.

 

[nighthawk80]

DNR: Deer Hunting FAQ's

Just finished reading that. Thanks for the correction!

 

[HICKMAN]

Question: If a guy has taken all bonus anterless available for his county, can he then take another doe with his muzzleloading license?

Read the guide:

In addition to the basic bag limits, hunters
can purchase bonus licenses to take
additional antlerless deer. Bonus antlerless
licenses can be used in any season, using
the equipment that is legal for that season.
One antlerless deer may be taken per
bonus anterless license.
Bonus licenses may be used in any
county, but you may not take more than the
county quota for bonus antlerless deer in
any specific county. The map on page 10
indicates county quotas for bonus antlerless
deer.

Notice the "IN ADDITION TO"

That quota is for "bonus antlerless", not total antlerless. That quota listed in the county maps are all "bonus". So if you live in a county that allows for 5 bonus antlerless, you can take a total of 7 does.

1 - Archery
1 - Muzzleloader
5 - Bonus Antlerless

Could even add more with Urban Zone and Extra Archery licenses.

 

[singlestacksig]

remember, there is no State doe limit. the doe tag limit is per county..
if you are good you could fill doe tags in every county...

 

[shooter1054]

If I understand it correctly, you can only take as many does as are allowed in the highest bonus county. Example: Brown has a 4 doe limit. Switzerland has an 8 doe limit. If I shoot 4 does in Brown, I can then go to Switzerland and get 4 more does. A total of 8.I could not go to Switzerland and get 8 more. If I misunderstood your post singlestacksig, my apologies.

 

[sbcman]

That was what was explained to me by a CO.

And that is where the problem is found. It is pretty clear from the reading the guide that you can take, in my county, four bonus does and then one with the muzzleloader (knocked my buck out in firearms). But when you're in the field getting checked or the CO goes to the check in station and reads your name on the list 7 times, he's the guy you've got to deal with right then and there.

Fortunately, all the COs I've encountered in my area have been solid, level headed guys whom it is a pleasure to encounter.

In any event, doesn't look like anyone here has had a problem.

 

[hammer24]

If I understand it correctly, you can only take as many does as are allowed in the highest bonus county. Example: Brown has a 4 doe limit. Switzerland has an 8 doe limit. If I shoot 4 does in Brown, I can then go to Switzerland and get 4 more does. A total of 8.I could not go to Switzerland and get 8 more. If I misunderstood your post singlestacksig, my apologies.

That is also incorrect. Look on the DNR FAQ page, it says THERE IS NO STATEWIDE LIMIT ON BONUS ANTLERLESS. If you take your 4 in Brown county you CAN go to Switzerland co. and take 8 more, then over to the next county...and so on. I forget the total number including regular + bonus tags but theoretically a guy could kill 300 some deer in a year.

 

[singlestacksig]

if the CO is going to read & enforce it his way, then one will just have to deal with that.. but the hunting rules are pretty certain. There is no state set doe limit. the county limit is for the # of bonus antler less tags you can fill from that county..
If you have deep pockets or an unlimited lifetime licenses you could hunt from October to January and bag a lot of does...

 

[M4Madness]

That is also incorrect. Look on the DNR FAQ page, it says THERE IS NO STATEWIDE LIMIT ON BONUS ANTLERLESS. If you take your 4 in Brown county you CAN go to Switzerland co. and take 8 more, then over to the next county...and so on. I forget the total number including regular + bonus tags but theoretically a guy could kill 300 some deer in a year.

The number is even higher than that -- 517 bonus antlerless (if you hunted all of Indiana's 92 counties), plus 2 archery, plus 1 firearm, and plus 1 muzzleloader for a total of 520 antlerless and 1 buck.

45 counties have a bonus antlerless quota of "8"
29 counties have a bonus antlerless quota of "4"
9 counties have a bonus antlerless quota of "3"
5 counties have a bonus antlerless quota of "2"
3 counties have a bonus antlerless quota of "1"
1 county has a bonus antlerless quota of "A", which is essentially a "1"

 

[HICKMAN]

keep in mind, there is that sticky "bag limit" you gotta deal with.

 

[cschwanz]

keep in mind, there is that sticky "bag limit" you gotta deal with.

what bag limit?

 

[jkfletcher]

page 9 , 2011 indiana deer hunting guide.
Muzzleloading license is good for 1 antlered or 1 antler less deer.

So what happens if you haven't taken a buck yet, and you take a doe off of the muzzleloader license? You can't take a buck at all then(until late archery)?

 

[45fan]

So what happens if you haven't taken a buck yet, and you take a doe off of the muzzleloader license? You can't take a buck at all then(until late archery)?

That is where your bonus antlerless tag would come in. You can tag it with a bonus tag, and continue to hunt for your buck to the end of the season.

 

[HICKMAN]

So what happens if you haven't taken a buck yet, and you take a doe off of the muzzleloader license? You can't take a buck at all then(until late archery)?

heh, it IS late archery.... and late turkey.

 

[HICKMAN]

That is where your bonus antlerless tag would come in. You can tag it with a bonus tag, and continue to hunt for your buck to the end of the season.