Indiana Deer Population:   A reported state estimate at the beginning of 2024 of 700,000 whitetail deer.  A state estimate of 680,000 deer in 2020, about the same in 2017 estimated from harvest data, down from about 730,000 deer in 2015.  About 700,000 deer in 2014, 730,000 in 2013, and 780,000 in 2012.  Herd analysis at right. 


Indiana Deer News

Deer’s head stuck in plastic container for 12 days February 23, 2024 Indiana, Yahoo News

... The deer was first spotted on February 10 in Vermillion County, Indiana, but troopers couldn’t catch it... the deer had busted through the bottom of the container so it could eat and drink...


Natural Resources Commission seeks input on proposed deer hunting rule changes January 31, 2023 DNR News

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission (NRC) has opened a public comment period for proposed changes to Indiana’s deer hunting rules before they vote on final adoption of the proposed changes. Most proposed changes intend to simplify Indiana’s deer hunting rules to make them easier to understand.  Public comments can be submitted online ... via the “Comment on this rule” link ...


Oh deer, it's the new year January 8, 2024 Indiana, The Daily Journal

...  Indiana DNR reports that 1893 was the year that the deer were extirpated from the state.  For 40 years, there were no deer in Indiana. It was not until 1934 that deer began to be re-introduced to Indiana by DNR. Today, the number of deer in Indiana is estimated by DNR to be approximately 700,000...


Lead shot in deer carcasses is toxic to eagles, other animals. DNR wants hunters to change November 29, 2023 Indiana, The Indianapolis Star

... The state of Indiana can’t tell Hoosiers not to use lead shot when they’re hunting, but it is asking them. Using lead bullets can threaten scavenger species such as bald eagles, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and could put human health at risk, too...


Indiana state parks close for deer hunts November 27, 2023 WISH-TV

... This is the 30th anniversary of the annual hunts ... Last year’s hunt at a program-high 22 parks and areas ended with 1,322 animals taken..,


Deer trapped in plastic pumpkin finally freed November 24, 2023 Indiana, wsbt

... Indiana Department of Natural Resources telling us Friday night, they worked with veterinarian Larry Smith to tranquilize the deer long enough for an officer to remove the plastic pumpkin...

     Community rallies in search for deer trapped in plastic pumpkin November 17, 2023 Indiana, WSBT South Bend 

... The deer has been unable to remove the pumpkin from her head which means the deer has not been able to eat or drink for almost a full week...


Griffy Lake Nature Preserve closed for deer hunt this weekend November 16, 2023 Indiana Public Media

...Twenty-seven hunters are expected to participate at this weekend’s hunt. The hunters are not paid.  The city is paying White Buffalo Inc. over $23,000 to coordinate this year’s hunt...


Indiana Hunter Under Fire For Harvesting All-White Deer After 3 Years Of Hunting It November 1, 2023 Whiskey Riff

... while it’s legal to hunt albino deer in Indiana, it can be against the law in other states (Illinois, for example). Even among hunters, taking a white deer is a topic of debate.  But among those that don’t hunt, they find it pretty reprehensible...


Fear, concealment, and time of day interactively predict group size of a common ungulate - Ecosphere, 2023

... within Indiana, USA ...  in white-tailed deer ... Our findings indicate that fear of

natural predators and anthropogenic disturbance interactively explain variation in group size...


130 years after deer virtually disappeared from Indiana, current population remains steady October 12, 2023 Indiana, Wane

... Due to concerns about deer vehicle collisions and crop damage from deer, the DNR worked to limit deer populations in certain counties in the early 1990s... a stable deer population that has mostly held steady over the last 30 years ..,


Turn In a Poacher this hunting season October 9, 2023 Indiana, WTHI

... You can report any potential violations at 1-800-TIP-IDNR. You can also visit tip.in.gov.  If your TIP leads to an arrest, you can receive up to a $500 award...


Fannin's Elk Ridge Farm Raising An 'Alternative Livestock' October 6, 2023 Indiana,  InkFreeNews.com

...  owner of Fannin’s Elk Ridge Farm in Rochester, has always been a big deer hunter. His main passion with deer was their antlers...Elk are considered an alternative livestock ... 


Deer count not plausible for Bloomington following deer feeding ban, solutions limited September 21, 2023 Indiana, WFIU

... Tim Carter, biology professor and director of the field stations and environmental education center at Ball State, said ... “There's too many [deer] by people's standards, not by environmental standards,” ... deer suppressed the number of invasive shrubs in unfenced areas, but there was less vegetation density...


Lead bullets in deer carcasses harm eagles, other wildlife. DNR aims to educate hunters September 20, 2023 Indiana, WFYI

... The DNR has set up a webpage informing hunters of the benefits of using bullets without lead and recommending less toxic options for anglers... encouraging hunters that use lead bullets to clean up the guts after field-dressing deer or other game to reduce the impact on eagles and vultures...


Bloomington could hold larger deer population July 25, 2023 Indiana, WFIU

... “They [deer] find good homes and what they need to survive in Bloomington,” Sauder said [director of animal care and control]  . “Biologically, we could carry quite a few more, so it’s more of a question socially of what we as a community are comfortable with handling.” ...


Predicting and indexing ungulate browse intensity from local to regional scales.  2023 - Ecological Indicators.

... Food availability seemed to drive browsing intensities in our study, however, deer density was also important in the region with the lowest cover of forest. When meaningful, landscape characteristics fit data best at the 500 m buffer size. The twig age method showed the strongest correlations to both browsing intensity and deer density and was among the most efficient methods, suggesting it is a reliable index of browsing intensity within Indiana and similar regions...


Animals are dying on Indiana roads. Could wildlife crossings help? March 6, 2023 Indiana, The Indianapolis Star

... Annually, more than 14,000 deer-vehicle collisions are reported in Indiana, according to a 2021 newsletter from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources... Not that all wildlife isn’t worth helping, Boritt [president of the Indiana Wildlife Federation]   said, but it’s important to focus on areas and species that are threatened or of great significance ..,


Indiana Conservation Officers Rescue Deer Nicknamed 'Jughead'   January 13, 2023, 99.5 WKDQ

... quickly given the nickname "Jughead" - that's because he had an empty water jug stuck on his head... can't eat or drink as long as the jug is there ... " the deer was tranquilized today and the bucket was safely removed ..." [from the department Facebook page]


Pokagon State Park closed for deer reduction hunt November 14, 2022 Indiana,  WANE 15

... This is the 29th year the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has held controlled hunts at parks across the state. The first management hunt was held in 1993 as an effort to reduce damage to vegetation ...


Good news from Indiana DNR ahead of firearm season November 11, 2022 WTHR

... every Indiana county sees yearly reports of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, also known as EHD.   This year, however, reports show some Indiana counties fared better than others... In central Indiana ... no major outbreaks ..,


What you need to know as Deer Hunting Firearms Season begins in Indiana November 11, 2022 Indiana WRTV

... Capt. Jet Quillen with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources estimates 300,000 hunters will be out in the field this year...


Deer season for all Hoosiers — not just hunters October 19, 2022 Indiana, News and Tribune

...  the last verified report of deer in Indiana had been in 1893.  It was not until 41 years later in 1934 that deer were brought back to the state. The Department of Conservation, as the Indiana DNR was known then, gathered deer from Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, and let them go...


Comparing Methods of Estimating Fecal Pellet-Group Density in Woodlots of the Midwest United States 2022, Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management

...  Our results suggest that quadrat sampling may be the most effective method for estimating pellet-group densities within woodlots of the Midwest United States, and that precision may increase in areas with higher white-tailed deer densities...


Residents pressure supervisors into postponing bow hunting in White's Woods September 29, 2022 Indiana Gazette

... after residents and Friends of White’s Woods members raised a variety of property and safety concerns, the board decided to take a step back and look at how to implement the program more favorably...


Antlerless deer quotas lowered in 4 counties due to disease September 16, 2022 Indiana, WFIU

... bluetongue has hit the deer herd in Wayne, Union, Fayette and Franklin counties this year. As a result, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has reduced the bonus antlerless quota in these four counties from 2 to 1 per licensed hunter this season...


Residents oppose bow hunting in White's Woods September 15, 2022 Indiana, Indiana Gazette

... With bow hunting season right around the corner, residents raised safety concerns over the township’s Dec. 2021 adoption of a deer management program that will allow bow hunting in the 250-acre forest... research by FOWW and IUP indicated that local residents mostly oppose bow hunting in White’s Woods ...


Deer Task Force To Start Reduction Efforts Sept. 15 - September 7, 2022, Indiana, Warsaw Times-Union

... Since the Deer Task Force (DTF) in Warsaw started in 2006, archers have taken 627 deer... Quance said another important thing about the reduction efforts was that it’s not just about deer eating the gardens or getting hit by vehicles. “But when you have an overpopulation, then you have disease [?] ...


EHD, Officials link Indiana deer deaths to deadly viral disease August 19, 2022 Indiana, WHIO

... Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) was confirmed to be in deer found in Franklin County, Indiana ... 


A deer is the newest neighbor in southwest Fort Wayne July 3, 2022 Indiana, Wane.com

... He appeared to be friendly and took a stroll down the street with his new friends, some kids in the neighborhood...


Attacking citizen who criticized White Township wasn't constructive contribution June 22, 2022 Indiana,Indiana Gazette

... deer managemen  ...  the only public meeting held was the “open house,” where “experts” were available at separate tables to answer questions. The township declined to have a public discussion, claiming that they had been advised by the Game Commission that such meetings were hard to control....


Reporting sick or injured wildlife in Indiana: 5 things to know March 21, 2022 IndyStar

...There are 59 permitted wildlife rehabilitators in Indiana who work toward the goal of helping sick or injured animals recover so the can be released back to the wild....


Police rescue deer trapped in Indiana resident's pool March 18, 2022 Indiana, UPI.com

...The South Bend Police Department said in a Facebook post that officers responded alongside animal control personnel ... 


Public Invited to take Indiana Deer Management Survey  February 2, 2022 WIMS Radio

...This survey will ask about your perceptions of deer populations. If you hunt deer, it will also ask about your deer hunting ... complete the survey by clicking here...


47 deer killed during annual hunts at Griffy Lake Nature Preserve  January 6, 2022 Indiana, The Herald-Times

... "We have been looking at plants' height data and progress in some experimental research plots for seven years now," said Steve Cotter, natural resource manager for the city of Bloomington. "There does appear to be some slight improvement in the height of some plants." ...


Deer harvest numbers drop this season January 5, 2022 Indiana, The Herald Bulletin

... The harvest for this past season is 111,921 down 124,180 deer from the previous season. The record whitetail harvest was 136,248 during the 2012-13 season. Harvest data similar to this past season occurred during the seasons ending in 2018 and 2019...


Conservation officers rescue rare piebald deer that fell 50 feet into cave December 17, 2021 Indiana, MLive

... Utilizing a tranquilizer gun provided by Harrison County Animal Control, the officers were able to sedate the deer, rig up a haul system, and extricate him from the cave...


Deer harvest down along with food pantry donations December 10, 2021 Indiana, Washington Times-Herald

... The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is reporting so far this year Hoosier hunters have bagged a total of 104,332 deer. That is about 20,000 less than last year... down around 15%...


Griffy Lake Nature Preserve closed on weekends in November for CHAP Deer Hunts November 9, 2021 WBIW

... Eco Logic, LLC conducted a study ... presented to the Board of Park Commissioners on October 22, 2019, deer selectively browse certain favored plants, including oak seedlings, keeping them from growing, or growing large enough to reproduce...

Open house set for proposed deer management plan October 7, 2021 Indiana,  indianagazette.com

... Local experts in the fields of wildlife biology and forestry will join township officials for the plan display. The township has proposed a restricted archery hunting season ... open house is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 21 ...


Drivers warned to watch for deer on Indiana roads October 6, 2021 Indiana, FOX59.com

... Each year more than 14,000 deer-vehicle collisions are reported across the state. Most occur between October and December ...


Township receiving comments on draft deer management plan September 9, 2021 Indiana, Indiana Gazette

... Archery hunting is the only method permitted by the plan ... Those interested in applying to be on the committee can fill out an application for vacant board or commission, available on the township’s website, www.whitetownship.org, under documents and forms...


Deer are now preparing their coats for summer May 13, 2021 Indiana, WTHITV.com

... Recently, residents have spotted deer with hair coats that look patchy and dingy...  it's fine.  Each spring and fall, deer begin their molting process. That's when they shed their current coat for the next season...


Parasites detected after 40 wild deer found dead on private property in Indiana April 28, 2021 Indiana, WLWT

... officials believe heavy snow, cold temperatures and poor nutrition played a part in their deaths.  Lab results confirmed the presence of parasites in the wild white-tailed deer that were found dead in late February and early March...


Deer tested for wasting disease March 30, 2021 Indiana, KPCnews.com

... 893 wild deer in Indiana were tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) through the end of the 2020-21 deer season ... not detected ..,


No CWD detected in deer in Indiana March 14, 2021 Indiana, The Journal Gazette

... A total of 893 wild deer in Indiana were tested for chronic wasting disease through the end of the 2020-21 deer season, an increase from the 823 tested in 2019..,


Hunters spur increase in number of deer tested for CWD March 1, 2021 Indiana, Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW)

... A total of 893 wild deer in Indiana were tested for chronic wasting disease (CWD) through the end of the 2020-21 deer season, ... CWD has been found in the neighboring states of Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio but has not been detected CWD in Indiana to date...


Pet deer that formed bond with family dogs seized by Indiana wildlife officials January 20, 2021 Indiana, WDRB

... was never forced into captivity or restrained, even though the family considered him a pet, but he did learn how to go in and out of the home's doggie door by following huskies... they're hearing from a lot of people in the community who have offered to start a petition or fundraising campaign to get the deer back...


Bloomington, November Cull Nets 40 Deer At Griffy Lake Nature Preserve December 24, 2020 Indiana, Indiana Public Media

... The Department of Natural Resources created the CHAP program to increase opportunities for hunting white-tailed deer and alleviate “human/deer conflicts.” ... The nature preserve is only two square miles, so the ideal number of deer at Griffy Lake would be 10 [U.S. Forest research puts an ideal number at 15 to 28 per square mile] ...


Group Rallies Together to Save Deer From Icy Lake in Indiana December 9, 2020 Indiana, Yahoo Lifestyle

... was struggling to get out ...Video of the rescue shows two men paddling out to the deer in a rowboat, grabbing the protesting animal, and bringing her back to shore...


Bloomington, Griffy Lake Nature Preserve Will Be Closed Weekends For Controlled Deer Hunt November 12, 2020 Indiana, WBIW.com

... Griffy Lake Nature Preserve in 2020 was designated as a deer reduction zone (DRZ) by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Under DRZ regulations, each hunter is permitted to take up to one antlered and up to nine antlerless deer within the DRZ...


Annual State Park Deer Hunt Begins Monday November 9, 2020 Indiana, 93.1 WIBC Indianapolis

... The Department of Natural Resources holds deer hunts each year in parks ... The hunts began in 1993 ... About 5,300 hunters were chosen by random draw in September, about half the number who applied...


How one FNR researcher coordinates observation of Indiana's deer population November 2, 2020 Indiana, Purdue Agricultural Communications

... Using trail cameras, the project uses distance sampling where researchers estimate the distance the deer is from the camera and, then, using “statistical wizardry” extrapolates the population density in that area. This is also the chief method used to keep an eye on predator populations ...


Hunting season begins and deer are on the run October 6, 2020 Indiana, Washington Times Herald

... In 1900, deer had been hunted completely out of the state. In the 1930s, some deer were introduced into the state parks. By 1951, there were 5,000 deer and now, state officials estimate the deer herd at 23 per square mile and totaling 680,000..,


DNR provides online tool for public to report sick, dead wildlife September 16, 2020 Indiana, KPCnews.com

... Reports are added to an active database that helps DNR track wildlife health over time and detect disease outbreaks.  The form can be found at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.


Indiana DNR form allows people to report dead, sick animals September 8, 2020 WAVE 3

... Deer with signs that may indicate chronic wasting disease (CWD) such as emaciation, staggering or standing with poor posture ...Deer with signs that may indicate EHD such as death in or near water, loss of appetite and wariness, swelling around the head ...


  Abandoned fawn becomes a dear friend for Zalas family August 16, 2020 Indiana, South Bend Tribune

...  Does often leave fawns for up to 12 hours.  A day later Clint returned to the island and the fawn was still in the same spot and no mom anywhere.  The fawn was not cleaned off from birth and was stressed... it had the signs of dehydration such as curling of the ears ... [lives free and mingles with other deer] ...


 'Crown Point's very own pet': Local white deer mystifies residents July 10, 2020 Indiana, nwitimes.com

... For the past few years, a white deer has made her way around the city, prancing around backyards, being spotted by residents and captivating hearts.  Most refer to her as "Snow," ...


Safe Use of Butorphanol–Azaperone–Medetomidine to Immobilize Free‐Ranging White‐tailed Deer  JR McDermott, W Leuenberger, CA Haymes… - Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2020

... Butorphanol–Azaperone–Medetomidine (BAM) is a relatively new drug mixture compounded for the past decade to immobilize mammals, particularly ungulates... we found that BAM was an efficacious and safe drug to use on white‐tailed deer captured by a variety of trapping methods...


DNR Will Trap And Remove Collar From Remaining Bloomington Deer March 6, 2020 Indiana, IndianaPublicMedia.com

... There are two known cases of Bloomington deer that have been killed by the tracking collars ... the agency became aware of potential problems in early November 2019, when it was notified of a deer with a too-tight collar...


Some GPS collars are choking deer, sometimes to death, in Indiana February 27, 2020 Indiana, WTHR

... Ball State started a study in 2013 ... the study ended in 2017 the deer collars remained... Recently a dead dear was found on South Ballantine Road in Bloomington with blood on its neck where it had apparently tried to get the collar off and failed...


  Firefighters rescue deer from frozen Porter County lake February 8, 2020 Indiana, Northwest Indiana Times

... The crew was able to wrangle the deer and help it safely back to the shore ... The deer was reported to be in good health ...


Reindeer stopped in traffic on way to meet Santa, police say December 20, 2019 Indiana, Northwest Indiana Times

... a driver called police after they thought they saw a live deer in the back of a van driving through Schererville ...The reindeer was later spotted Thursday at Protsman Elementary School in Dyer accompanied by a man in a festive hat, red tunic and striped tights, presumably a North Pole elf...

Deer harvest data available to hunters on DNR website December 1, 2019 Indiana, Terre Haute Tribune Star

... Indiana DNR has launched a new website allowing deer hunters to access white-tailed deer harvest data as it is accumulated by the state...


Deer Culls Scheduled For Next 3 Weekends At Griffy Lake November 13, 2019 Indiana, WFIU

... “These are Indiana deer hunters who have been trained and screened by White Buffalo," ...


State Park Sites Scheduled To Close For Deer Hunts November 11, 2019 Indiana, Northeast Indiana Public Radio

... “You can never really stop the deer hunts permanently," Sipes says. "You can’t bring the population down and then call it fixed and stop because at that point, in just a year or two, the population will climb pretty quickly.”...


Why 17 Indiana State Parks will close for controlled deer hunts November 7, 2019 Indianapolis Star on MSN.com

... The organized hunts began in 1993. Last year, selected hunters killed 1,302 deer during controlled hunts. Since the deer reductions began in 1993, over 37,000 deer have been killed,..


Reports of taking trophy deer lead to hunting charges October 2, 2019 Indiana, Tribune Star

... phone numbers that afternoon described him killing the deer and were time-stamped about 45 minutes before he purchased the appropriate license online ...


Panel receptive to using airbows to hunt deer October 1, 2019 Indiana, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

...  a crossbow with compressed air to hunt deer.... The Natural Resources Commission ... said these “air-bows are more efficient than a regular long bow, recurve bow, or compound bow, and are not considered to be archery equipment...


Indiana DNR says it's one of the worst years for deer illness September 25, 2019 WLKY Louisville

... More than 200 potential cases have been reported in the WLKY viewing area while eight have been tested and confirmed... 


DNR Reduces Bonus Antlerless Quota For Counties Impacted By Deer Virus September 13, 2019 Indiana, Indiana Public Media

... The state is lowering some bonus antlerless quotas because of ... Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, or EHD... The DNR also looks at how deer-vehicle collisions and the previous hunting season impacted the deer population when setting its bonus quotas...


A "Deer"-ing Rescue On The Ohio River September 13, 2019 Indiana, Eagle Radio 99.3 FM WSCH

... an eight-point buck was swimming in the river... struggling to stay afloat... grabbed the deer by the antlers and held its head above the water beside the boat...


Deer dies of EHD in southeast Indiana as DNR investigates potential outbreak August 12, 2019 Indiana, fox59.com

... A deer died from epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) in southeast Indiana... The most recent significant outbreaks were in 2007 and 2012...


Bloomington Deer Cull Scheduled For Later This Year June 27, 2019 Indiana, WFIU

... White Buffalo Inc. will recruit, train, and supervise the hunt scheduled for November and December...


Court upholds DNR's right to hold deer culls in state parks April 25, 2019 Indiana, Chesterton Tribune

... the Indiana Court of Appeals on Tuesday affirmed DNR’s authority to hold controlled deer hunts at state parks... In 2017, a public interest organization called the Center for Wildlife Ethics Inc. went to court to challenge DNR’s authority to hold such hunts...


Senator Says Hunting Guide Bill Would Stop Overhunting February 22, 2019 Indiana, Eagle 99.3 FM WSCH

... Senate Bill 363 would keep hunting guides from leading hunts if they violating license laws... “Many people are concerned the deer population is getting too small in our state because of overhunting,” ...


As hunting licenses go unsold in Indiana, officials and advocates look for answers January 22, 2019 Chicago Tribune

... The state's wildlife preservation programs rely on the sale of hunting licenses as a main source of funding ... Indiana sold more than 552,100 hunting licenses, tags and permits in 2006, but the number was down to about 426,300 in 2016 ...


Kids shooting bows and arrows in schools could help turn declining hunting numbers around January 2, 2018 Indiana, Indianapolis Star

... "Our system and conservation relies on money from licenses and equipment sales — without it, it's a spiraling problem." ... Indiana ... has the largest youth deer hunt across the country ...


'Hunters and Hoosiers should be scared': Deadly deer disease threatens Indiana's borders December 22, 2018 Indiana, Indianapolis Star

... Chronic Wasting Disease ... has been found in three neighboring states. In two of them, Michigan and Illinois, deer with CWD have been found within 30 miles of the Indiana border... Deer numbers will dwindle ...


Indianapolis, As many as 100 deer likely to be harvested in planned Eagle Creek deer hunt December 20, 2018 Indiana, Indianapolis Star

... More than 500 deer have already been harvested during the three previous hunts...The city pays $90,000 for a three-year contract with USDA to do the hunts ... "It's hard to hear there is an overabundance when we don't see them," ...


  Community upset after Indiana DNR officer kills tame deer in residential area December 14, 2018 Indiana, WNDU

... A small community in LaGrange County is horrified after a deer they grew accustomed to seeing around their homes was shot by an Indiana Department of Natural Resources officer, and they say children witnessed the entire incident unfold...


Bloomington, City Reschedules Griffy Lake Deer Cull To Recruit More Hunters November 15, 2018 Indiana, WFIU

... More than 20 hunters expressed interest, but White Buffalo told the city it needed more to meet its reduction goals...  a $32,500 Community Hunting Access Program grant to conduct regulated deer hunts ...


2018 Indiana Deer Forecast  October 29, 2018 Game & Fish ·

... "The trend in the deer herd appears to be stable. We do not measure population size directly" ... A nearly balanced doe-to-buck ratio in the Indiana deer herd means the rutting period is condensed, which allows almost all does to become bred quickly and drop their fawns at the optimal time of the year ..,


Pet Deer Found After Weeks-Long Search In Kane County October 28, 2018 Indiana, WBBM NewsRadio 

... Gerdisch rescued Abigail from a processing plant in Indiana and said he felt sick not knowing how she was doing...


Indiana Deer Management & Reports IN.gov

... The Deer Research Program has developed an online survey that will allow the DNR to survey all hunters and non-hunters with internet access on a yearly basis to help monitor observed trends in deer populations and to assess desires for deer management.  Any individual with a DNR account can provide input on a regular basis. Customers who purchase licenses will receive an invitation to complete surveys in their email...


DNR asking deer hunters to help monitor for chronic wasting disease September 28, 2018 Indiana, Chesterton Tribune

... help monitor the deer populations in Northwest and Northeast Indiana for chronic wasting disease (CWD) by voluntarily submitting harvested deer to the DNR for testing during the 2018-19 deer hunting season...


Bloomington, Local Hunter-Led Deer Cull Approved For Griffy Lake Preserve September 20, 2018 Indiana, WFIU

... The amendment will allow the city’s Parks and Recreation Department to move forward with an organized deer cull led by local hunters... Many residents opposed to the plan call the cull unnecessary and an invasion of the Griffy Lake area...


Bloomington City council: Vote against killing more deer   September 19, 2018 Indiana,  by Maria Katrien Heslin, former Bloomington deputy mayor, heraldtimesonline

... There’s no public demand for the kill... The city doesn’t know how many deer remain in the preserve ... it was stated 10-to-30 deer per square mile was sufficient for plant regeneration; inexplicably now staff says it should be 5 per square mile ...


Bloomington Residents Oppose Plans For Griffy Deer Cull September 13, 2018 Indiana, WFIU

...  residents opposed to a proposed deer cull at Griffy Lake say they want to see more data that shows the cull is necessary... the department is unsure how many deer are currently in the preserve ...


Indiana data:   A January, 2024, news article reports the DNR estimates the deer population "today" at 700,00, presumably for 2023 A state estimate of 680,000 deer in 2020.  About the same for 2017 at 680,00 estimated using harvest data.  In 2022, limited outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease, which happen every year, had little negative impact on the deer population.  About 300,000 deer hunters in 2022.  More than 14,000 deer-vehicle collisons reported in 2021.


About 730,000 deer in 2015, 700,000 deer in 2014, 730,000 in 2013, and 780,000 in 2012.   The 2017 harvest data suggests a moderate downward trend since 2015, about stable in 2018 according to the state.  In 2017, newly formed Deer Advisory Councils reported seeing fewer deer.  In 2017 a live deer was set on fire after being hit by a car.  


For 2016, the state's goal was to stabilize or reduce the herd.  High powered rifles were legalized for deer hunting in 2016.  A right to hunt amendment was passed in 2016.  Fenced deer hunting was legalized in 2016. Significant reductions in young forests, oak and hickory noted in 2016 provide less support for deer.  The deer population has been on a slow steady decline since 2007-08, especially in the southwest. The DNR reduced the number of antlerless permits in 2014 to moderate the trend.  


The population declined particularly in 2012, but also in 2013, as a result of outbreaks of EHD, a viral disease. Deer populations in the south rebounded somewhat, but populations in the north have been slower to recover.  A record antlerless harvest in 2012 was designed to reduce the population. A hard winter in 2013-14 also drove the population lower. Does have been 30 to 40 percent of the harvest. Hunting data


In 2011 the Department of Natural Resources estimated anywhere from 500,000 to 1,000,000 deer in the state, roughly 750,000 which is used as the base for the current estimates relying on harvest data.  There was no formal population estimate when the state announced it planned to reduce the population by 25 percent.  


An estimate of 575,000 deer in 2009 and 230,000 in 1990.  A rough population estimate from 1900 to 2000.


Graph of Historic Deer Harvest to 1950 to 2020

Source:  2020 Indiana White-tailed Deer Report

History     Deer were hunted to extinction in Indiana by the early 1900s.  The last deer reported killed in 1893 in Knox County.  No deer were reported until a 1934 restocking effort, trapping and transporting 400 deer from other states such as Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and North Carolina. By 1943, there were an estimated 900 deer.  In 1951 with an estimated 5,000 deer, Indiana opened selected areas to regulated hunting.   Deer were still rare in many areas into the 1960s and were stocked in military installations.  "Due to concerns about deer vehicle collisions and crop damage from deer, the DNR worked to limit deer populations in certain counties in the early 1990s."


Deer population estimates:  1940:  800.    1950:  3,000   1960:  17,000.     1968:   40,000


Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).  Not detected in the state up to 2021 with more than 800 animals tested each year for 2020 and 2019.


Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD). In 2017.  A mild outbreak in 2015.  An outbreak in Franklin County in 2022.


 Bovine TB first identified in a wild deer in 2016.


- Report poachers at 1-800-TIP-IDNR.  More information on the IDNR website.


Other useful links: 

- Report Sick or Dead Wildlife

- Indiana Department of Natural Resources   - The Deer Page

- Indiana Whitetail Deer Herd Management  committed to advocating for the health of our deer herd 

- There are 59 permitted wildlife rehabilitators in Indiana