Indiana deer research / Starke County

Starke County, Indiana Deer Hunting Research

Provisional FDR Deer Herd Index 65 Provisional, ranked #11 of 92 ranked Indiana counties. Built from Indiana DNR (IDNR) county deer harvest (antlered/antlerless), 2013–2024.

B - Strong
65 / 100
Provisional FDR Index
#11 of 92
Ranked-county rank
90↑
Trophy Index
1,812
2024 deer harvest

What drives the Starke County index

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

Herd quality · 28%41
Population · 18%93
Trophy history · 15%69
Habitat · 15%57
Momentum · 12%55
Deer-vehicle crash rate · 12%95

Trophy Index

90↑ 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
20241,812
20231,591
20221,546
20211,295
20201,669
20191,449
20181,318
20171,379
20161,436
20151,522
20141,595
20131,641

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 Starke County harvest was 857 antlered and 955 antlerless deer.

SeasonAntleredAntlerlessTotal
20248579551,812
20237128791,591
20227597871,546
20215927031,295
20207239461,669
20196877621,449
20185158031,318
20174968831,379
20165498871,436
20155929301,522
20145431,0521,595
20135401,1011,641

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

Herd & land detail

MetricValue
Latest season (2024)1,812 deer
Harvest per sq mi5.86
Antlered harvest857
Antlerless harvest955
County land (sq mi)309.10

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 Starke 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 Starke County, Indiana good for deer hunting?

Starke County scores 65 of 100 on the provisional FDR Deer Herd Index (B - Strong), ranked #11 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 Starke County last season?

Indiana DNR records show 1,812 deer harvested in Starke 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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