Indiana hunting lottery
- Thread starter Agall84
- Start date
Ryedog
New member
Under the Indiana DNR Reserved Hunts page this was listed (under Indiana Private Lands Access Program): "Pheasant, Quail, and Woodcock (Application period: 8/18 - 9/17/2025)". Link is below.
www.in.gov
Reserved Hunt Information and Applications
Listing of available reserved hunts from Indiana DNR
www.in.gov
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
I have hunted the pheasant properties 4 or 5 times but never the private land ones.
Ryedog
New member
I've not hunted the Private Lands Program, but the Gamebird Habitat Program I've hunted 4 times.
Agall84
New member
How did you do that Gamebird Habitat Sites?
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
You need to register for the lottery on the IN DNR website and be chosen. Log onto your DNR account and look for 'Enter a Reserved Hunt Drawing" on the right side of the site. From there follow the prompts. It now costs $1 to enter. And apparently they will now start a point system for people like me who should have 30+ points and those with the most get preference since they haven't been picked. But I'll believe it when I see it.
I have registered nearly 30 times (or more) and never been picked. Have had friends picked multiple times in that period, however and each time I have been invited have seen at least 50 pheasants except for one time. Went last year near Earl Park and saw about 70.
I have registered nearly 30 times (or more) and never been picked. Have had friends picked multiple times in that period, however and each time I have been invited have seen at least 50 pheasants except for one time. Went last year near Earl Park and saw about 70.
HS Strut
Active member
2 years ago I got drawn for an 60 acre spot that was shaped like a football field and was surrounded by ag fields on all sides. I bet we saw 100 pheasants. Ive hunted wild pheasants in 6 states and I’ve never had a better hunt than that one
AtTheMurph
Well-known member
Yes, and that one was probably about the 2nd worst I have hunted in. Friend got picked to hunt Kirsch NW of Boswell and we probably kicked up 150. We didn't shoot much as we didn't want to limit out too fast. That was the best place I hunted.
Did a spot 15 years ago NE of Fowler. That was good too. Did one just off the state line near Freeland park and we say maybe 5 or 7. Only one cock. Kicked out more deer than birds.
The Indiana Game Bird Habitat locations are full of surprises. We've been picked probably a dozen times since 1990. About 6 of those times the hunting was good; another 3 of those times it was fantastic--rivaling Iowa--and another 3 times it was poor to very poor. One tract, the Deno property, was excellent; an 80 acre weed/food plot patch surrounded by harvested corn stubble. It is well worth the effort to apply, but if selected the result isn't always the greatest. But the good draws are like going to Iowa without making the drive.