It's Firearm Season: What the Indiana DNR Wants You to Know Before You Hunt

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STATEWIDE -- Firearm hunting season is finally here throughout Indiana.

It's the designated time period in which hunters can legally use a firearm to hunt deer. Along with hunters, Capt. Jet Quillen, a conservation officer with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, reminds you that if you go out hunting his officers will out there with you making sure you are in compliance with state law.

He told Indiana Outdoors that they see several common violations every year that they want you to be aware of.

"For first-time hunters, it's deer firearms season," Quillen said. "With that standard deer firearms license, it allows one deer to be taken with that license and it must be an antlered deer."

Quillen said shooting a doe with the standard firearms license is illegal. He also reminds you to report having killed a deer to the DNR.

"That helps out biologists," said Quillen. "They take all that information to make educated decisions on how they handle the deer population."

Quillen said you can check in a deer to the Department of Natural Resources by visiting a designated check station within your county. You can find a list of those stations on the DNR website. You can also check in a deer online or with your smartphone. Again, you can find how to do that on the DNR website.

Firearm season lasts until December 1st.