Indiana’s annual firearms season for whitetail deer opened Nov. 14. During the 16-day season ending Nov. 29, Hoosier hunters are expected to kill an estimated 86,000 deer.

“In 2008, hunters killed 86,454 deer during firearms season. I expect the numbers from 2009 to reflect a similar total,” said Chad Stewart, Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) deer biologist.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of DNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife whitetail deer reintroduction project. The opportunity to hunt whitetail deer in Indiana represents a major success in wildlife restoration.

Indiana’s 2008 antlered deer harvest (50,845) was a 3 percent increase over 49,375 harvested in 2007. The antlerless harvest of 2008 (78,903) also increased over the 76,052 in 2007.

Deer hunters harvested 129,748 Indiana deer during the 2008 season, over 5,000 more than the 124,427 deer harvested during the 2007 season. Although the overall deer harvest for the last three years has averaged around 126,500, Stewart said, “2009 may mark the first year hunters kill more than 130,000 deer in Indiana. It’s only 252 more deer than last season.”

The combined 2008 archery seasons yielded 26,921 deer.
Muzzleloader rifle season hunters killed 15,154 deer. Firearms hunters killed 86,454 deer, 66.6 percent of the entire 2008 harvest.
Hunters killed 17,418 deer on opening day of firearms season in 2008 and 13,746 on the second day. Opening weekend accounted for 36 percent of the total deer killed during firearms season. According to DNR Wildlife Chief Wayne Bivans, this year’s opening weekend should be just as successful.

“Indiana’s deer haven’t experienced any serious threats this year. The weather has been fine, and we haven’t seen much disease. The overall deer population is healthy and thriving. I believe there is every reason to expect hunters to experience a successful opening weekend,” Bivans said.

The number of deer harvested in individual counties last year ranged from a low of 130 in Tipton County to 3,672 in Steuben County. The deer kill exceeded 1,000 in 61 counties; exceeded 2,000 in 16 counties; and exceeded 3,000 in four counties.

17 state properties close for deer reductions

Outdoor lovers are reminded many Indiana state parks will be closed temporarily for a controlled deer hunt reduction Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Participating parks will close to the general public the evening before and will re-open the morning after the reduction ends.
State parks participating include Chain O’Lakes, Charlestown, Clifty Falls Fort Harrison Harmonie, Lincoln, Ouabache, Pokagon, Potato Creek, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run, Versailles and Whitewater Memorial.

Only individuals chosen from applications drawn last September will be allowed to participate. No standby drawings will be conducted, nor will substitutes or additions be permitted.

Hunters urged to dispose of carcasses properly

Many years ago, I stopped at one of the bridges over Big Flatrock River. It was a beautiful fall day and the river was running low and clear. Stepping to the railing of the bridge, I was shocked to see the carcasses of at least four partially butchered deer caught in the shallows by some brush.

Further examination later by an Indiana conservation officer confirmed the deer were not only illegally disposed but were poached using a high-powered rifle, as well.

A couple of years later, I stopped at a roadside culvert near to my home only to see what looked like the carcasses of at least five deer pitched into a ravine from the county road.  No tags or evidence of the carcasses being tagged were seen in the jumble of leg bones and rib cages.  There was no way to tell if it was an act by poachers, or just inconsiderate “legal hunters” improperly discarding the butchered remains.

With the deer firearms season under way, successful hunters need to be aware of the proper way to dispose of deer carcasses once the meat has been removed.

“A hunter’s responsibility, both ethically and legally, doesn’t end until the carcass is disposed of properly,” said Lt. Mark Farmer, public information officer for the DNR Division of Law Enforcement.
Professional meat processors have legal means of disposing of carcasses. Successful hunters who do not use professional processors have a few different options for proper carcass disposal, according to the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH).
One is to check to see if a local processor will dispose of the carcass. If so, there will likely be a charge for pickup. The hunter cannot take the carcass into the processing facility.

Another option is to contact a renderer to ask about pickup/drop off. BOAH’s list of renderer contact information is online at www.in.gov/boah/2368.htm

Landfills meet BOAH’s standard, but hunters should check with the landfill first to see if it accepts carcasses and if it has bagging requirements.

Indiana conservation officers will be stepping up enforcement of illegal dumping laws using electronic monitoring equipment. If you wish to report the illegal dumping of deer carcasses or any environmental or fish and wildlife violation, call the Turn in a Poacher or Polluter Hotline at 800-TIP-IDNR or register a complaint online at www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2745.htm

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.