Someone Please Explain the Deer hunting licenses

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  • jagee

    Grandmaster
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    24   0   0
    Jan 19, 2013
    44,414
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    New Palestine
    It depends on what you plan on shooting. Firearm has different seasons than archery and muzzleloader.

    Rules are generally the same. Deer license = antlered deer. Bonus antlerless = non- antlered deer. (1) deer per license. You can buy additional antlerless licenses, total number depends on county you're in. Or you can get the bundle which is different.
     

    oldpink

    Grandmaster
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    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2009
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    Farmland
    My opinion that the best way to for firearms season is to get the bundle, which allows you to take one antlered and one antlerless.
    You're covered one way or the other, whichever deer walks out of the brush in front of you.
     

    clfergus

    Expert
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    49   0   0
    Mar 9, 2009
    1,464
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    Southeast Indy
    Antlered Deer = only 1 per season per hunter across all licenses.


    Bundle License = 1 antlered deer, 2 antlerless deer. Can be used across archery, firearm, muzzleloader, special firearms season. Some restrictions on reduction zone hunts and some DNR properties I believe.
    Archery License = 1 antlered or 1 antlerless per license. If you take a doe and want a second you need a bonus antlerless.
    Firearm License = 1 antlered deer only. If you want to take a doe you need a bonus antlerless license separate from the firearm.
    Muzzleloader License = 1 antlered or 1 antlerless per license. If you take a doe and want a second you need a bonus antlerless.
    Special Firearms = season is for doe only so either a bonus antlerless in participating counties or a bundle.

    There are other rules for reduction areas and dnr properties but I think these rules above cover the main seasons as I understand them. The only thing I don't remember is what happens if you buy an Archery or Muzzleloader license and take a doe with it but have yet to kill a buck. I don't think you can purchase a second archery or muzzleloader license to kill a buck. I think your only option would be a bundle at that point but since I buy a bundle each year I am unsure of the answer to that.
     

    Hadley1987

    Plinker
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    0   0   0
    Jan 8, 2012
    90
    6
    Warrick County, IN
    Okay, I like the bundle license much better. Not sure if my first time will be next season or the following, but I'm interested in it for the meat, not so much the rack.
    It just had me confused because it says in the first question: Can I use my Firearms License to take an antlerless deer which of course says no, it can only be used to harvest antlered deer and can only be used during firearms season.
    I got confused because I'm wondering do I need to get the Firearms License and the Bundle? I mean, my equipment will be a shotgun so yeah I'll be using a firearm.
     

    huntall50

    Sharpshooter
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    3   0   0
    Jul 7, 2009
    673
    28
    NW Indianapolis
    Before the bundle you had to buy and firearms license, a bow license, and a muzzleloader license if you hunted all seasons. The bundle eliminates the need for separate license across the various seasons. Saves the hunters from eating tags, besides they have little nutritional value.
     

    clfergus

    Expert
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    49   0   0
    Mar 9, 2009
    1,464
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    Southeast Indy
    Okay, I like the bundle license much better. Not sure if my first time will be next season or the following, but I'm interested in it for the meat, not so much the rack.
    It just had me confused because it says in the first question: Can I use my Firearms License to take an antlerless deer which of course says no, it can only be used to harvest antlered deer and can only be used during firearms season.
    I got confused because I'm wondering do I need to get the Firearms License and the Bundle? I mean, my equipment will be a shotgun so yeah I'll be using a firearm.

    It is confusing, and a way for them to make more money. I guess they figure that if you are a trophy hunter then you will buy the firearms license only, a meat hunter the bonus antlerless. Then there is a group of guys like me who are mainly focused on meat and are looking for a doe but would also like to take a giant trophy deer if it steps out and presents itself.

    I like the bundle and it makes sense for me since I bow, gun, muzzleloader and hunt the special antlerless season. I have though in the past failed to fill all three deer in the bundle after paying 60.00 for it and that really bites. But, you have the option for three deer across all the seasons so you don't have to worry about making a mistake aside from shooting only one buck. This year it worked out really well for me as I got a buck in bow season and then in gun I had two doe come out and after I shot the first, the second one ran and stopped at 130 yards. Since I had a second doe available on my bundle I took her as well. Lots of nice doe for the freezer and the second allowed for some extra jerky and sausage for friends.

    If you are a guy who only gun hunts and money is already an issue...hence you are hunting for meat to feed your family the individual license makes sense. You buy one doe tag at 24.00 and you, maybe a second for 15.00 and you have two deer for less than the bundle by 20.00
     

    Hadley1987

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Jan 8, 2012
    90
    6
    Warrick County, IN
    It is confusing, and a way for them to make more money. I guess they figure that if you are a trophy hunter then you will buy the firearms license only, a meat hunter the bonus antlerless. Then there is a group of guys like me who are mainly focused on meat and are looking for a doe but would also like to take a giant trophy deer if it steps out and presents itself.

    I like the bundle and it makes sense for me since I bow, gun, muzzleloader and hunt the special antlerless season. I have though in the past failed to fill all three deer in the bundle after paying 60.00 for it and that really bites. But, you have the option for three deer across all the seasons so you don't have to worry about making a mistake aside from shooting only one buck. This year it worked out really well for me as I got a buck in bow season and then in gun I had two doe come out and after I shot the first, the second one ran and stopped at 130 yards. Since I had a second doe available on my bundle I took her as well. Lots of nice doe for the freezer and the second allowed for some extra jerky and sausage for friends.

    If you are a guy who only gun hunts and money is already an issue...hence you are hunting for meat to feed your family the individual license makes sense. You buy one doe tag at 24.00 and you, maybe a second for 15.00 and you have two deer for less than the bundle by 20.00

    Money isn't really so much the issue, but like I've discussed with my husband, I want to start getting more independent and less dependent on society and grocery stores. Plus, I've watched the videos of behind the scenes at slaughterhouses and it makes me sick at how the cattle, pigs and poultry are treated and then killed, (I want to eventually also hunt turkey, but figure deer hunting for my first would go better). We bought this house from my brother-in-law and it already had a big deep freezer downstairs that I barely use, and I think it's time I start putting it to use damn it :)
    We've got 5 acres of land and a 20x20 square spot that used to have apple trees and pear trees so I figure I could transform that area into a vegetable garden. I just want to become more independent as best we can :) :)
    But yeah to pay for that bundle and end up with nothing my first year would suck, so to do like you said - pay $24 for the Bonus Antlerless Deer and then an extra $15 for another sounds much better, even if I don't bag a deer my first time.
     

    yetti462

    Master
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    5   0   0
    May 18, 2016
    1,627
    113
    Unglaciated heaven
    I have a lifetime license and glad I do. I wish they'd sell them again so my co-worker would quit b#$ching about buying tags every year. The lifetime license was one of the best deals ever.
     

    Disposable84

    Plinker
    Site Supporter
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    1   0   0
    Jan 4, 2017
    33
    8
    Palmyra
    Yetti462 ... im going to b#$ch about it.. lol I wish ..i wish..they would bring that back. I was too young at the time.

    I go Bundle. Every Year. It is worth it and lots less hassle. 1 Buck, 2 Does or 3 Does. Simple. I live in a bonus county so i can buy up to 4 more tags or something like that. but it gets wasteful anymore.. the deer around here are not small deer.
    I and my family would have a hard time shoveling down 7 deer a year.
     
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