Section 312 IAC 8-2-3 - Firearms, hunting, and trappingAuthority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-11-2-1; IC 14-22-2-6
Affected: IC 14-22-11-1
Sec. 3.
(a) A person must not possess a firearm or bow and arrows on a DNR property unless one (1) of the following conditions apply:(1) The firearm or bow and arrows are:(A) unloaded and unnocked; and(B) placed in a case or locked within a vehicle.(2) The firearm or bow and arrows are possessed at, and of a type designated for usage on: (3) The firearm or bow and arrows are being used in the lawful pursuit of either of the following: (A) A wild animal on a DNR property authorized for that purpose.(B) A groundhog as authorized under a license.(4) The person possesses a handgun on a DNR property other than a reservoir owned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or Falls of the Ohio State Park.(b) Except as provided in subsection (a)(1) or (a)(4), a firearm or bow and arrows may not be possessed on DNR properties within any of the following:(1) A nature preserve or another property administered by the division of nature preserves unless hunting is authorized under subsection (d).(2) A property administered by the division of state museums and historic sites.(7) A headquarters building.(8) A hunter check station.(9) A developed recreation site.(c) A person must not discharge a firearm or bow and arrows on a DNR property except as follows: (1) As authorized for a law enforcement officer.(2) In the lawful defense of persons or property.(3) Under a department permit that authorizes the discharge.(4) As authorized at a shooting range.(5) In the lawful pursuit of wild animals. The exception provided in this subdivision does not apply within two hundred (200) feet of any of the following: (d) A person may hunt on the following DNR properties:(1) A state forest administered by the division of forestry, including a portion of a state forest that is a nature preserve.(2) A reservoir property administered by the division of state parks and reservoirs.(3) A wildlife area administered by the division of fish and wildlife, including a portion of a wildlife area that is a nature preserve.(4) A nature preserve or another property administered by the division of nature preserves, if approved in a written authorization by:(A) the director of the division of nature preserves; and(B) the owner of the nature preserve, if the owner is other than the state of Indiana.(e) A person hunting on any of the areas described in subsection (d) must do the following: (1) Comply with all federal and state: (2) On a fish and wildlife area and a reservoir property, obtain a one (1) day hunting permit and record from a checking station. The person must:(A) retain the permit and record card while in the field for the authorized date; and(B) as directed, return them to the department.(3) Refrain from hunting on a nature preserve if prohibited by signage posted at the site.(f) Unless otherwise posted or designated on a property map, a person must not place a trap except as authorized by a license issued for a property by an authorized representative. This license is in addition to the licensing requirement for traps set forth in IC 14-22-11-1.(g) A person must not run dogs, except: (1) during the lawful pursuit of wild animals; or(2) as authorized by a license for field trials or in a designated training area. A property administered by the division of fish and wildlife may be designated for training purposes without requiring a field trial permit. Only dogs may be used during field trials on a DNR property, except where authorized by a license on a fish and wildlife property.
(h) A person may construct or place a tree stand or hunting blind on a DNR property during the hunting season for the animal being hunted under the following terms: (1) Except as provided in subdivisions (2) and (3), a stand or blind may only be left overnight if it is legibly marked with the:(A) name, address, and telephone number of the owner of the stand or blind in the English language; or(B) owner's customer identification number issued by the department.(2) A blind or stand used for deer hunting must comply with 312 IAC 9-3-3.(3) A blind used for hunting migratory birds or waterfowl must: (A) comply with 312 IAC 9-4-2; and(B) be legibly marked with the: (i) name, address, and telephone number of the owner of the stand or blind in the English language; or(ii) owner's customer identification number issued by the department.(i) The following terms apply to the use of shooting ranges:(1) A person must not use a shooting range unless the person is:(A) at least eighteen (18) years of age; or(B) accompanied by a person who is at least eighteen (18) years of age.(2) A person must: (A) register with the department; and(B) pay any applicable fees; before using a shooting range.(3) Except as otherwise provided in this subdivision, a person must shoot only at paper targets placed on target holders provided by the department. An authorized representative may approve the use of alternative targets on a supervised shooting range if the department determines a hazard to public safety would not result.(4) A person must fire downrange and take reasonable care to ensure any projectile is stopped by the range backstop.(5) Shot not larger than size 6 must be used on a shotgun range.(6) A person must not: (A) discharge a firearm using automatic fire;(B) use tracer, armor-piercing, or incendiary rounds;(C) play on, climb on, walk on, or shoot into or from the side berms; or(D) shoot at clay pigeons, except on a site designated for shooting clay pigeons. Glass and other forms of breakable targets must not be used on a shooting range.(7) A person must dispose of the targets used by the person under section 2(a) of this rule.(8) Permission must be obtained from the department in advance for a shooting event that involves any of the following:(B) Competition for any of the following: (C) The exclusive use of the range or facilities.(D) A portion of the event occurring between sunset and sunrise.(9) On a field course, signs and markers must be staked. Trees must not be marked or damaged.(j) A person must not take a reptile or amphibian unless the person is issued a scientific purposes license under 312 IAC 9-10-6. Exempted from this subsection are: (1) eastern snapping turtles;(2) smooth softshell turtles;(3) spiny softshell turtles;(5) green frogs; taken under 312 IAC 9-5-6 from a DNR property where hunting or fishing is authorized.(k) A person must not possess lead shot while hunting mourning doves on a DNR property.(l) A person may place a trail or game camera as follows:(1) The trail or game camera must be legibly marked with the:(A) name, address, and telephone number of the owner of the camera in the English language; or(B) individual's customer identification number issued by the department.(2) A trail or game camera may only be placed on the following DNR properties:(A) A property administered by the division of fish and wildlife, including a portion of that property that is a nature preserve.(B) A state forest or recreation area administered by the department, including a portion of that property that is a nature preserve.(3) Placement of a trail or game camera must not damage a tree.(m) A person must not place bait on a DNR property, except as follows:(1) Bait or food placed for management as authorized by the department.(2) The result of authorized agricultural operations on the property.(3) A bird feeder placed by a department employee.(n) As used in this section, "bait" includes: (1) a food that is transported to and placed for consumption, including, but not limited to, piles of corn and apples placed on the property;(2) a prepared solid or liquid that is manufactured and intended for consumption by livestock, wild deer, or birds, including, but not limited to, commercial baits and food supplements;Natural Resources Commission; 312 IAC 8-2-3; filed Oct 28, 1998,3:32 p.m.: 22 IR 739, eff Jan 1, 1999; filed Nov 5, 1999, 10:14 a.m.: 23 IR 553, eff Jan 1, 2000; filed Jun 17, 2002, 4:13 p.m.: 25 IR 3714; filed Sep 19, 2003, 8:14 a.m.: 27 IR 456; readopted filed Nov 17, 2004, 11:00 a.m.: 28 IR 1315; filed Sep 14, 2005, 2:45 p.m.: 29 IR 461, eff Jan 1, 2006; filed Jul 11, 2006, 9:04 a.m.: 20060802-IR-312060009FRA; filed Sep 6, 2007, 12:20 p.m.:20071003-IR-312070023FRA; filed Mar 11, 2008, 9:34 a.m.: 20080409-IR-312070449FRA; filed Mar 12, 2010, 1:25 p.m.: 20100407-IR-312090470FRA, eff Jan 1, 2011; readopted filed Mar 25, 2010, 2:58 p.m.: 20100421-IR-312100037RFA; filed Feb 6, 2012, 3:07 p.m.: 20120307-IR-312110442FRA, eff Jan 1, 2013; filed Nov 5, 2012, 2:30 p.m.: 20121205-IR-312120218FRA, eff Jan 2, 2013Readopted filed 9/27/2016, 1:57 p.m.: 20161026-IR-312160151RFAFiled 6/21/2022, 12:13 p.m.: 20220720-IR-312210341FRAReadopted filed 9/28/2022, 8:20 a.m.: 20221026-IR-312220242RFAFiled 1/25/2024, 1:33 p.m.: 20240221-IR-312230538FRA Emergency Rule, LSA Document #22-227(E), temporarily supplements this section, effective July 1, 2022. See LSA Document 22-227(E) posted at 20220706-IR-312220227ERA. LSA Document #22-227(E) expires July 1, 2023.