Small game hunting seasons open Nov. 6

Indiana DNR Release:

Statewide small game seasons, a big deal to the many Hoosier hunters who enjoy days afield chasing rabbit, pheasant and quail, open on Nov. 6.

The statewide cottontail rabbit season is from Nov. 6 to Feb 15, 2010. At Atterbury, Blue Grass, Chinook, Crosley, Fairbanks Landing, Glendale, Hillenbrand, Hovey Lake, Jasper-Pulaski, Kankakee, Kingsbury, LaSalle, Minnehaha, Sugar Ridge, Splinter Ridge, Pigeon River, Tri-County, Wilbur Wright, Willow Slough, and Winamac fish and wildlife areas and Brookville, Hardy, Mississinewa, Monroe, Patoka, Roush and Salamonie lakes, the season opened Oct. 1 and closes Jan. 31, 2010. The statewide limit on rabbit is five per day. Possession limit is 10.

“Areas of the state that had significant flooding this past spring may see a decline in the local cottontail population, but most of the state should see improving numbers. Cottontail numbers should be as good or better than last year’s harvest of 196,633 rabbits,” said Budd Veverka, DNR farmland game research biologist.

Pheasant season takes place Nov. 6 to Dec. 20. The bag limit is two and the possession limit is four. Only male pheasants (cock) may be shot. Males are bright in color, while females are varying shades of light brown.

“Pheasant numbers remain low, but stable. I expect a similar harvest to that of last year’s 6,300 wild pheasants,” Veverka said.

Quail season is divided into two regions. North of Indiana 26, the season runs Nov. 6 to Dec. 20, and the limit is five per day. South of Indiana 26, it runs Nov. 6 to Jan. 15, 2010, and the limit is eight per day.

“Quail numbers remain low and continue to decline statewide," Veverka said. "Southwest Indiana, typically the best region for quail, has seen a significant decline in the quail population this year, according to both spring whistle counts and fall covey counts. I expect the harvest to be significantly lower this year than the 20,500 quail harvested in 2008.”

Small-game hunters must abide by hunter orange requirements when in the field. All small-game hunters must possess a valid hunting license. Pheasant and quail hunters must also possess a game bird habitat stamp.