Hunting in Indiana: 4 Animals To Hunt Year-Round

Indiana offers a multitude of hunting seasons throughout the year, providing hunters with the ability to catch many different types of animals.

For example, in the fall, hunters can catch deer and squirrel, while the winter brings pheasant and quail. In spring, coyotes and river otters are in season, while the summer allows Indianans to hunt crows and squirrels.

“Indiana is another Midwestern state that for years has been flying under the radar, and many Hoosier hunters would probably be content to keep it that way,” Wide Open Spaces reported.

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Here are four animals that hunters can safely target year-round in Indiana:

1. Turtles
Game turtles that can be hunted year-round in Indiana include common snapping turtles, smooth soft shell turtles and spiny soft shell turtles. There’s a daily bag limit of 25 turtles and a possession limit of 50 in aggregate. This means that the limits do not apply to specific species but rather to the total amount of turtles caught per day. Further restrictions involve the use of turtle traps, which while permissible are not allowed to have an opening below the water surface. ¬Also, Eastern box turtles are a protected species and are illegal to hunt. Lastly, a separate license is required when turtle hunting, along with a regular hunting license.

2. Green Frogs
Green frog season is almost year-round, lasting from June through April. The daily bag limit is 25 and the possession limit is 50. Frogs may also be caught legally with a gig or spear with a head not longer than three inches. The use of firearms when hunting frogs is prohibited except for a .22 caliber pistol armed with bird shot ammunition. An amphibian license is required to catch frogs in Indiana.

3. Crows
Typically the open crow season only lasts for a few months, however Indiana allows hunters to catch crows year-round in certain circumstances. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) writes, “Crows may be taken outside of the hunting season only if they are damaging trees, crops, livestock or wildlife, or creating a public health hazard.” There are no firearm restrictions for crows, meaning the use of all types of guns, arrows, and crossbows is permitted.

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4. Mute Swans
Mute swans are an invasive species in Indiana, which means that they are not natural to the region and post a threat to local wildlife. Thus it’s okay to hunt them year-round, although with the proper permit. The IDNR gives these permits away to hunters for free upon request. There is no bag limit for mute swans and all captured birds must be reported.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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