in-20250611-IR-312250282FNA: The Natural Resources Commission (commission) is soliciting public comment on adding rules at 312 IAC 9-1-8.5 to add the definition of "harvest per effort"; and 312 IAC 9-2-18 concerning scheduled deer hunting in designated areas for population management. The commission seeks comment on the affected citations listed and any other provisions of Title 312 that may be affected by this rulemaking.

Notice of First Public Comment Period LSA Document #25-282 Sec. 8.5. "Harvest per effort" means the ratio of the total number of deer harvested divided by the hunter effort recorded as calculated under 312 IAC 9-2-18(l). Sec. 18. (a) An individual may apply to the department for a license to take deer during a scheduled hunt for population management under this section if the individual: (b) Notwithstanding another provision of the Indiana Code or the Indiana Administrative Code governing taking a wild animal in a designated area, the department shall issue a license to take deer during a scheduled hunt under this section to an individual or a unit selected by a random drawing under subsection (d). (c) The application for a license to take deer under this section must be in a form and manner prescribed by the department, including the hunter's: (d) An individual, or not more than three (3) individuals as a unit, may submit one (1) application to participate in a scheduled hunt under subsection (h)(1), or (h)(2), or both. An individual, or an individual on behalf of a unit, who submits more than one (1) application for each scheduled hunt disqualifies the individual or unit from participating in the scheduled hunt under this section for which the individual submitted multiple applications. (e) An individual, or not more than three (3) individuals as a unit, who applies to participate in a scheduled hunt under this section will be entered into a random drawing conducted by the department to participate in a scheduled hunt under subsection (h). The department shall notify the individuals drawn that they are selected to participate in a scheduled hunt and the details of the specific scheduled hunt for which the individual was drawn. If the number of hunters that enter the random drawing for a specific property does not meet the number of spots available for the scheduled hunt, the property manager for the property where the scheduled hunt is to occur may randomly draw additional hunters at the property before the beginning of the scheduled hunt to accommodate the number of hunters required for population management. (f) The department shall draw one (1) hunter for: (g) The department shall draw one (1) hunter for: (h) Except as provided in subsection (i), an individual who is issued a license to take deer under this section may participate in a scheduled hunt on the following dates: (i) If the first Monday and Tuesday following the opening day of the firearms season under 312 IAC 9-3-4 falls during the week of Thanksgiving: (j) If the director of the department determines, in consultation with a professional biologist, that: (k) The director of the department shall determine the properties owned or managed by the department under subsection (m) where an individual participating in a scheduled hunt may use a bow and arrows or a crossbow or firearms, or both, using the factors under this subsection and the calculated harvest per effort under subsection (l). A determination by the director under this section is based on the following factors: (l) Harvest per effort is calculated based on the following: (m) An individual who is issued a license to take deer under subsection (b) may take deer in a designated area, as determined by the department under subsections (k) and (l), with the permitted equipment as follows: (n) An individual who participates in a scheduled hunt may begin hunting not earlier than thirty (30) minutes before sunrise until 4:00 p.m. each day of a scheduled hunt. The department shall provide an individual under this subsection an information packet that includes the following: (o) The following individuals may enter a property owned or managed by the department during a scheduled hunt: (p) The department shall designate permitted areas for representatives of the media during a scheduled hunt. Representatives of the media must be escorted to and from the areas by an employee of the department. These areas include: (q) Except as otherwise provided in this section, an individual may not enter a property owned or managed by the department when there is a scheduled hunt: (r) An individual who participates in a scheduled hunt shall enter a property owned or managed by the department only in a location designated by the department. (s) An individual issued a license to take deer under this section may be randomly assigned: (t) An individual issued a license to take deer under this section shall check in and check out of a designated area on each arrival to and departure from the property owned or managed by the department where the scheduled hunt occurs. (u) An individual who participates in a scheduled hunt shall wear two (2) articles of hunter orange clothing that meets the requirements under IC 14-22-38-7, including: (v) Except for property owned or managed by the department under subsection (m)(1), an individual may not use ground blinds, as defined by 312 IAC 9-1-7.6, in a designated area. (w) An individual participating in a scheduled hunt under this section may not possess or consume an alcoholic beverage in a designated area during the scheduled hunt. (x) An individual may take not more than three (3) deer during a scheduled hunt for population management under this section. An individual may take not more than one (1) antlered deer under this subsection. (y) A deer taken under this section does not apply to the seasonal bag limit for taking deer under this article. (z) An individual who takes a deer under this section shall deliver the deer to a designated check station at the property owned or managed by the department where the scheduled hunt for population management occurs before leaving the property with the deer. (aa) If the harvest per effort is below the required thresholds under subsection (m) for a specific property where scheduled hunts occur, the department may pause scheduled hunts for one (1) hunting season. Scheduled hunts will resume at the property for the hunting season following the season in which the scheduled hunts are paused. (bb) The department may pause scheduled hunts for population management for a specific property where scheduled hunts occur for one (1) hunting season if a provisional rule is adopted by the department to avoid: