Indiana North Zone Waterfowl Hunting Season Begins Oct. 15
OutdoorHub 10.07.11
Dust off the calls and decoys, Indiana’s waterfowl hunting season begins Saturday, Oct. 15 in the North Zone; Oct. 22 in the South Zone; and Oct. 29 in the Ohio River Zone.
Waterfowl hunting season in Indiana is divided into three zones: North, South and Ohio River. Each zone has different a season for ducks and Canada geese. Light (snow/Ross) geese, brant and white-fronted geese are regulated statewide.
The North zone is defined as that part of Indiana north of a line extending east from the Illinois border along Indiana 18 to U.S. 31; north along U.S. 31 to U.S. 24; east on U.S. 24 to Huntington; and southeast on U.S. 224 to the Ohio border.
The South Zone is that portion of the state south of the North zone boundary and north of the Ohio River zone.
The Ohio River zone is that portion of the state south of a line extending east from the Illinois border along Interstate 64 to New Albany; east on Indiana 62 to Indiana 56; east on Indiana 56 to Vevay; along Indiana 156 along the Ohio River to North Landing; north on Indiana 56 to U.S. 50; and northeast on U.S. 50 to the Ohio border.
View the hunting dates for each zone at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3569.htm.
The daily bag limit for ducks is six. This includes any combination of goldeneyes, ruddy ducks, ring-necked ducks, buffleheads, gadwalls, long-tailed ducks, scoters, teal, wigeon and shovelers. There are additional bag limit restrictions on numerous duck species. Review these restrictions online at http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/3569.htm. The possession limit for Canada geese, white-fronted geese and brant is two times the daily limit. There is no possession limit for light geese.
The youth waterfowl seasons are also zone specific. The North zone youth waterfowl season is Oct. 8-9, South zone youth waterfowl season is Oct. 15-16, and Ohio River zone youth waterfowl season is Oct. 22-23. The youth seasons are open to hunters 15 years of age or younger. To participate, youths must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age. An adult may accompany more than one youth. The licensed accompanying adult may hunt only snow geese, brants, and whitefronted geese (if those species are in season). If the accompanying adult does not intend to hunt and does not possess a firearm, the adult does not need to be licensed. Bag and species limits are the same as those allowed in the regular season.
A hunter must possess a hunting license, resident youth consolidated hunting license, or disabled American veteran’s hunting license, in addition to a state waterfowl stamp privilege and HIP registration number. Any hunter 16 years or older must have a signed federal duck stamp when hunting ducks and geese. Those that possess valid lifetime hunting or lifetime comprehensive hunting licenses do not need the Indiana waterfowl stamp; however, they still need to have a HIP registration number and a federal duck stamp if 16 years old or older. Resident landowners or lessees, hunting on farmland they own or lease, are exempt from the state license requirement except that a federal duck stamp and HIP registration are still required.
See hunting.IN.gov for additional waterfowl hunting regulations.
