The Department of Natural Resources has changed some regulations in this year’s hunting season. Conservation Officer, Keith Wildeman, said this year will be the first year for a late firearms anterless deer season.
“There used to be a split between early archery and late archery,” said Wildeman. “Now, our archery season is continuous all the way through. It starts statewide Oct. 1 and runs to Jan. 6. There used to be a five-day split and now that’s continuous so archery hunters have that option.”
What does this mean for hunters?
“This season is going to start Dec. 26 and run into Jan. 6. What this is is a late firearms season for bonus of the antlerless deer. This is available in counties that have their bonus quota of four or more bonus deer. This applies to most of the listening area – Starke, Marshall, Pulaski and LaPorte are above that so they should be included in this,” said Wildeman.
There has also been a change in archery season this year.
“That allows hunters to go out and if they still haven’t taken a deer, go out with a legal firearm and shoot antlerless deer. It will NOT be open to antlered deer,” Wildeman explained.
