Indiana deer research / Porter County

Porter County, Indiana Deer Hunting Research

Provisional FDR Deer Herd Index 27.7 Provisional, ranked #86 of 92 ranked Indiana counties. Built from Indiana DNR (IDNR) county deer harvest (antlered/antlerless), 2013–2024.

D - Average
27.7 / 100
Provisional FDR Index
#86 of 92
Ranked-county rank
94↓
Trophy Index
906
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Porter County index

Provisional components, each scored 0–100 against the ranked Indiana counties. Provisional.

Herd quality · 28%3
Population · 18%19
Trophy history · 15%70
Habitat · 15%47
Momentum · 12%25
Deer-vehicle crash rate · 12%23

Trophy Index

94↓ out of 100. How this county ranks for trophy bucks against every county we cover. 100 is the top. Ranked per acre of bow-huntable land (10 m estimate).

2013–2024 harvest trend

SeasonTotal harvest
2024906
20231,646
20221,525
20211,514
20201,626
20191,468
20181,358
20171,245
20161,453
20151,509
20141,350
20131,513

Harvest totals from Indiana DNR (IDNR) county deer harvest (antlered/antlerless), 2013–2024. Indiana DNR reports totals by county and season; archery / firearm splits are not broken out in this dataset.

Harvest composition

Indiana DNR reports each deer as antlered or antlerless. In 2024, the Porter County harvest was 363 antlered and 543 antlerless deer.

SeasonAntleredAntlerlessTotal
2024363543906
20236939531,646
20226348911,525
20215779371,514
20206091,0171,626
20195808881,468
20185088501,358
20174248211,245
20164909631,453
20155189911,509
20144279231,350
20134171,0961,513

The dataset carries antlered and antlerless counts only, with no finer split of the antlerless count.

Herd & land detail

MetricValue
Latest season (2024)906 deer
Harvest per sq mi2.17
Antlered harvest363
Antlerless harvest543
County land (sq mi)418.10

Methodology

Provisional index. Provisional index: herd, harvest, trophy (the Trophy Index), and roadway (exposure-normalized deer-vehicle crash rate) components; habitat/age-structure partial where the state does not publish them.. FULLY DRAWN RESEARCH · Indiana DNR (IDNR) PROVISIONAL COUNTY DEER INDEX

Informational only. Built from public-record Indiana DNR (IDNR) county harvest data, US Census TIGER county land area, the Trophy Index, and exposure-normalized deer-vehicle crash rates where published. Provisional index; some components partial or pending. Not a prediction or guarantee. Verify with the Indiana DNR (IDNR).

See Porter County on the map

Parcels with owner & acreage, public hunting land, leaf-off imagery, and this research, together on one hunting map.

Nearby counties

Frequently asked questions

Is Porter County, Indiana good for deer hunting?

Porter County scores 27.7 of 100 on the provisional FDR Deer Herd Index (D - Average), ranked #86 of 92 ranked Indiana counties. The provisional index is built from Indiana DNR public harvest records, the Trophy Index and deer-vehicle crash data; some components are partial, as noted in the methodology.

How many deer were harvested in Porter County last season?

Indiana DNR records show 906 deer harvested in Porter County, Indiana in 2024, the most recent reported season.

Sources: Indiana DNR (IDNR) county deer harvest (antlered/antlerless), 2013–2024. Public-record data only: no private contact information, no landowner lists. This provisional index includes harvest, trophy and roadway records. Other inputs may be partial.

Fully Drawn Research is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Indiana DNR. Historical data and modeled indexes describe the past; they are not a promise of hunting outcomes. Always verify current seasons, permits, and site rules with the Indiana DNR before you hunt.

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