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Close-up of white-tailed deer in fall.
White-tailed deer Managing white-tailed deer populations through hunting helps protect the biodiversity of our preserves. © Kent Mason
Stories in Indiana

Hunting on Nature Conservancy Lands in Indiana

Last updated July 03, 2024

Hunting is an important part of Indiana’s history, traditions and economy, and it also plays a critical role in conservation and keeping our forests healthy. Hunters were some of the early conservationists in our state, and they continue to support habitat protection through hunting license fees and taxes on guns and ammunition.

Why We Allow Hunting

Following statehood in Indiana, unregulated hunting and habitat loss due to farming and lumbering led to the elimination of deer from the state by the late 1800s. Their natural predators, such as mountain lions and wolves, were also eliminated. In the 1930s and 1940s, deer were reintroduced into Indiana and by 1951, due to their amazing reproductive ability, their population had grown large enough that a hunting season was established.

Without predators, deer populations can quickly grow beyond what some areas can support. Deer feed primarily on the leaves, twigs and buds of woody plants. Oak tree seedlings and wildflowers such as Jack-in-the-pulpit, doll’s eyes (baneberry), goldenseal and whorled pogonia are especially tasty to deer.

In forests, young trees are particularly susceptible to deer browse. In Indiana, hunting helps control the deer population, but their numbers remain high enough that our forests are suffering: wildflowers are disappearing from some areas, some tree seedlings cannot grow and invasive plants are taking over where deer over-browse the forest understory.

We use hunting as a tool to control deer populations and reduce the damage they are causing, allowing plant communities to recover.

Meadow with forest in background in autumn.
Hunting on TNC Preserves Located in Gibson County, Indiana. © Christopher Jordan

Where We Allow Hunting

Hunting is allowed, in accordance with our hunting guidelines, at the following preserves and Forest Bank properties. Hunting is limited to white-tailed deer only and a permit is required.

We recommend that hikers and their dogs wear blaze orange or neon pink for safety when visiting these preserves from late September to early January.

List of Preserves

* See "a few special cases" below.

White-tailed deer stands next to tree.
White-tailed Deer A White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) buck, also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, in spring ferns at Mount Porte Crayon in West Virginia. © Kent Mason

TNC Hunting Licenses

Hunting on TNC preserves is not open to the public. A license issued by the Indiana Chapter is required to hunt deer at any of our nature preserves or Forest Bank properties.

There is a $200 fee to hunt on TNC properties. Currently all properties are at capacity. However, we do maintain a waiting list. Permits are renewed annually if the hunter has complied with the program guidelines and at the discretion of TNC. Non-renewing hunters are replaced with interested hunters from the waiting list.

Hunting is permitted during the official deer season established by the Indiana  Department of Natural Resources, generally late September through early January. For specific hunting season dates, refer to the Indiana DNR Hunting and Trapping Guide.

*A few special cases include:

  • Conrad Station – bow hunting only
  • IDNR Division of Fish & Wildlife manages hunting on our land at Kankakee Sands, NIPSCO Savanna and two tracts at Prairie Border. The IDNR manages for hunting most legal species—including deer, pheasant, rabbit, squirrel and turkey—so hunters may be present for much of the year on these preserves.
Two white-tailed deer stand in a snowy forest.
White-tailed Deer White-tailed deer in a snowy forest. © Kent Mason

TNC Hunting Guidelines

Indiana Hunting Guidelines

Hunters must adhere to the following rules at all times when hunting on TNC land in Indiana. All hunting shall be in accordance with ethical and professional "fair chase" standards, including adherence to regulations, seasons and daily/seasonal bag limits as defined by the Indiana DNR. Hunters have an obligation to know and understand these regulations.

General rules

  1. Hunters will behave professionally and respectfully, in compliance with TNC’s Code of Conduct.
  2. Unnecessary shooting or shooting at targets is prohibited.
  3. No baiting of any kind may be used on TNC properties.
  4. No vegetation may be cut, removed or destroyed.
  5. No fires, camping or litter. Recover all arrows/shell casings and remove all trash. 
  6. Do not field dress deer along trails or near parking areas.
  7. Hunting while under the influence of drugs and alcohol is strictly forbidden.

Licenses

  1. The Hunter may participate in the DNR Youth Season with a child under the age of 18 , provided state-issued permits are in hand for both Hunter and child. The Hunter must submit a Parental Consent for Minors waiver signed by the child’s parent or legal guardian before the child enters the Property. The Hunter may not kill a deer or have in his possession any equipment used to kill a deer during the youth hunt.
  2. All hunters, whether successful or not, must complete a harvest report by January 31st.

Access

  1. Park in designated parking areas only. Parking along roadsides or on a preserve neighbor's property may result in your vehicle being towed.
  2. Please respect property boundaries. Unless you have permission to access adjacent private property, remain on TNC land.
  3. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are allowed only on specific properties for the retrieval of game or deer stands. ATVs must be used on marked access trails only. No other off-road vehicle use is allowed. ATVs must meet the following requirements:
  • ATVs should be clean and free of seeds and other vegetation from other properties,
  • be fitted with a spark arrester, and
  • maintain speeds below 15 mph.

Hunting Activities

  1. Hunters shall respect the "no hunting" areas designated on the hunting maps and follow safe shooting practices when close to property lines, trails, structures or safety zones.
  2. Unless otherwise specified, only deer may be hunted.
  3. Dogs may not be used to take deer or to track wounded deer.
  4. Harvest at least one doe. In order to effectively reduce the size of the deer population, the taking of antlerless deer is preferred.
  5. Please consider donating a deer to those in need. The Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund supports the cost of processing when donating to local food banks. Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry maintains a list of participating meat processors.

Hunting Stands

  1. Only temporary, non-damaging stands and blinds may be used.
  2. Blinds or stands must be locked on to the tree and labeled with the owner's name and phone number.
  3. You may not put up a stand or blind more than three weeks before the start of the season, and the stand/blind must be removed within one week after the close of the hunting season or risk confiscation.
  4. Blinds and stands should not be set up directly off a public access trail.
  5. TNC is not responsible for any stolen or lost stands, blinds or other items left unattended.

Hunting FAQs

  • At some of our preserves white-tailed deer populations have grown well beyond the ability of plant communities to withstand their browsing. We use hunting as a tool to control deer populations and reduce the damage they are causing, allowing plant communities to recover their full vigor and diversity. TNC allows hunting for white-tailed deer on preserves to reduce the threats too many deer pose to our conservation targets and to ensure that the preserve does not become a “refuge” for deer during the hunting season.

  • Deer hunting is allowed during the official hunting season in Indiana, generally late September through early January. Consult the Indiana DNR Hunting and Trapping Guide for hunting season dates and additional information.

    The Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife manages hunting on our land at Kankakee Sands, NIPSCO Savanna and two tracts at Prairie Border. Hunting of most legal species is allowed, so hunters may be present for much of the year.

  • Yes, most TNC preserves are open during the hunting season. In the fall, we post notice that hunting is allowed at the entry points to our preserves so that non-hunters are aware that hunting could be taking place at the preserve.

    On occasion, we post when a preserve is temporarily closed at the trailhead. We recommend that visitors and dogs wear blaze orange or neon pink for visibility and safety on the preserve during these hunting seasons. For additional guidelines on how you can hike safely during the hunting season, visit the American Hiking Society.

  • Yes, hunting is allowed by permit only, due to limited public access on many of our properties or where the size of the property or proximity to nearby residences limits the number of hunters who can safely hunt. We follow the general guideline of one hunter per 40 acres to ensure safety.

  • We allow hunting, by permit only, of white-tailed deer. At this time, other species do not cause the ecological damage that deer do, so management of them by hunting is not necessary.

    The Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife manages hunting on our land at Kankakee Sands, NIPSCO Savanna and two tracts at Prairie Border. On these properties, hunting of most legal species is allowed.

    • Only temporary, non-damaging stands or blinds may be used.
    • Stands must be labeled with the owner's name and phone number and locked on to the tree.
    • Blinds and stands should not be set up directly off a public access trail.
    • Stands may not be put up more than three weeks before the start of the season, and they must be removed within one week after the close of the hunting season or risk confiscation.
    • TNC is not responsible for any stolen or lost stands, blinds or other items left unattended.

  • Artificial baiting and planting of food plots is not allowed. We use hunting as a tool to control deer populations and reduce the damage they are causing. Planting food plots, especially any non-native species, can be detrimental to the natural ecosystem we are protecting and restoring at any given site.

    The purpose of the hunting program is to control deer populations on the preserves at non-damaging levels, so attracting additional deer is counter to our management objective.

  • No. Shooting at targets is prohibited on TNC land.

  • Hunters with a TNC license may bring no more than one minor under the age of 18 at a time. The child must be at least 10 years of age, must have all licenses required by the Indiana DNR and must have completed a course in hunting safety approved by the State of Indiana.

    The Hunter must submit a Parental Consent for Minors waiver signed by the child’s parent or legal guardian before the child enters the Property.

  • We follow several guidelines at each of our preserves to ensure the safety of visitors and hunters:

    • Hunters must comply with all local, state and federal laws governing hunting, including obtaining all required government licenses. Hunters shall carry their TNC license with them while hunting.
    • All TNC properties are open to the public for hiking, birdwatching, nature study or simple enjoyment. Hunting on a TNC property is a privilege and hunters will yield to other users even if it disturbs their hunt.
    • Hunters must respect TNC's property boundaries and the boundaries of our neighbors. Unless hunters have permission to access adjacent private property, they must remain on TNC land.
    • Hunters shall respect the no hunting areas designated on the hunting property maps and follow safe shooting practices when close to property lines, structures or safety zones.
    • No unnecessary discharge of firearms is allowed. No target practice.
    • Hunters should not shoot while on a public access trail and no shots may be taken using the public access trail as a shooting lane.
    • Temporary blinds and stands should not be set up directly off a public access trail.
    • Hunting while under the influence of drugs and alcohol will result in a permanent ban from hunting on TNC lands.
    • No fires, camping or litter. Hunters must recover all arrows/shell casings and remove all trash.

  • Email us at huntindiana@tnc.org or call 317-829-3896.