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Deer Creek Fish & Wildlife Area

Address
2001 W County Road 600 S
Greencastle, IN 46135

Link to this page
on.IN.gov/deercreekfwa

Email
DeerCreekFWA@dnr.IN.gov

Admission
Free

Time zone
Eastern

Hours
Office: Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. ET

Property: 24/7. Some activities may have specific open times, especially if there is a draw. Please call property for questions.

Deer Creek Fish & Wildlife Area

Description

Deer Creek Fish, Wildlife & Nature Preserves Area (FWA) began in 2010 with a transfer of 1,962 acres from the Putnamville Correctional Facility to the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. After 2010, several more parcels were added to Deer Creek, bringing the current total to 2,175 acres.

The property consists of mature oak-hickory woods interspersed with agriculture. A 4-acre pond on the north portion offers fishing for bass, bluegill, and catfish. Deer Creek winds through the south portion of the property with a low-head dam, iron bridge, and creek crossing made of concrete. A smaller, unnamed creek crosses the north portion of the property.

Most revenues used in land acquisition, development, operation, and maintenance of Deer Creek FWA are derived from the sale of hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses. Funds are also received from the federal Pittman-Robertson and Dingell-Johnson programs to aid fish and wildlife restoration. These funds are derived from taxes levied on sport hunting, shooting, and fishing equipment. 

  • There is a portable toilet located at the check-in parking lot by the office.
  • Restrooms are also available at the shooting range, open during shooting range hours only.

Deer Creek popular activities accordion

Popular activities

All hunters, range users, and dog runners are required to sign in and obtain the appropriate one-day access permit before entering the field at this property. The one-day permit card must be completed and returned to a self-service booth, drop box, or property office before you leave.

All other visitors are encouraged to obtain a miscellaneous one-day access permit before entering the field. The one-day access permit should be kept with you while visiting, then completed and returned to a self-service booth, drop box, or office before you leave. The information you provide will help us identify ways to improve Indiana’s FWAs for all users. We appreciate your patience in taking the time to complete the permit. Your feedback and comments are valuable to us.

  • Deer Creek FWA provides fishing on a 4-acre pond located on the north portion of the property and in Deer Creek, which runs through the southern portion.
  • Primary species include largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, bluegill, and redear sunfish.
  • There are no fees outside of fishing licenses and stamps.
  • There are no boat ramps on the property and river access is restricted to foot traffic only.
  • Kayaks, canoes, and other watercraft are allowed with electric motors only.
  • Anglers must park in a designated parking lot.
  • Shoreline fishing is available at the pond.
  • Fishing areas accessible to people with disabilities are available. Ask headquarters for details.
  • For more information on where to fish in Indiana, visit the Where to Fish map.

  • Deer, turkey, rabbit, squirrel, quail, dove, woodcock, furbearer, and waterfowl hunting are available.
  • All hunting seasons and bag limits apply. See hunting regulations for details.
  • Additional property specific rules may also apply.

Deer

  • The first seven days of deer firearms season, Saturday through Friday, are managed by reserved draw. These hunts can be applied for online. Before and after the reserved hunt days, all deer seasons, including youth season, are open via self-service check-in.
  • Antlerless deer cannot be taken with a firearm during firearms season at all fish & wildlife areas, including Deer Creek FWA.
  • Deer tree stands and ground blinds may be used and left unattended from noon, Sept. 15, through Jan. 10. These must be legibly marked in English with either the owner’s DNR customer identification number or the owner's name, address, and telephone number.
  • A fastener used with a tree stand or pole climber penetrating a tree more than 1/2 inch is prohibited (e.g., screw-in steps and screw-in bow and gun hangers).
  • Hunting areas for people with disabilities are available. Ask headquarters for details.


Dove

  • The first two days of dove season, Sept. 1 and 2, are by in-person draw only. Draws will be held in the property office at 6:30 a.m. ET.
  • Shooting hours for dove are 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. ET on Sept. 1 and 2.
  • Nontoxic shot is required, and there is a 50-shell limit per hunter per day.
  • Starting Sept. 3, hunting is permitted by daily self-service check-in through the end of the season.
  • Dove Season Fields Map 2025

      Waterfowl

      • Waterfowl hunting is by self-service check-in. There are no draws.
      • Nontoxic shot is required, and there is a 25-shell limit per hunter per day.

      Turkey hunting

      • The first five days of spring turkey season, Wednesday through Sunday, are by in-person draw only. These draws will be held at 5:30 a.m. ET in the property office. Outside of these five draw days, turkey hunting, including youth season, is by self-service check-in
      • Spring turkey hunting hours for youth season and regular spring season (including the draw days) are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. ET. Hunters must be out of the field by 2 p.m. ET.
      • During fall turkey season, hunting is permitted by daily self-service check-in.

      Upland Game (quail and rabbit)

      • Quail and rabbit hunting is only available on Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

      • Range types include archery, pistol, rifle, and shotgun.
      • A fee is assessed to use the firearms range. Fees are $7/hour per lane for the first person and $5/hour for each additional shooter (up to three additional).
      • A sales area and restrooms are available.
      • Hours of operation:
        • Firearms Range
          • March – November: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday – Sunday
          • December – February: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Friday – Sunday
          • Closed: Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day
        • Archery Range
          • Open daily sunrise - sunset
      • See the Fish & Wildlife Area Shooting Ranges webpage for more details.

      • The trapping draw is held the first Saturday in October at 10 a.m. ET at the Deer Creek FWA Office.

      • Mature oak/hickory forest, creek bottoms, and rolling agriculture create a diverse area for wildlife to thrive at Deer Creek FWA. This area attracts a wide variety of raptors, songbirds, herons, and other wildlife.
      • During the early spring numerous kinds of waterfowl can be seen on the property.
      • Other common sightings include white-tailed deer, wild turkey, turtles, frogs, and hawks.

      More activities

      • Bicycling is allowed on all paved and gravel roads that are open to vehicle travel.
      • There are no mountain bike trails and off-road travel is prohibited.

      • Dog running and training is allowed in Area A.
      • Dogs must always be leashed outside of the dog running and training area unless being used by a registered hunter in the pursuit of game.
      • Only service dogs are allowed inside buildings.
      • Portions of the property may be dry land trapped during the season.

      • Mushrooms, berries, and nuts may be gathered; however, a written permit is required to remove plants, animals, rocks, and fossils.
      • Please note that during spring turkey season, no visitors are allowed on the property until after 1 p.m. Please call the office for dates and any questions.

      • Visitors are encouraged to hike, explore, and enjoy Deer Creek.
      • One marked hiking trail is available in partnership with Peoples Pathway and the City of Greencastle. This trail, The Putnam Nature Trail, starts in the northwest corner of Deer Creek.
      • Access lanes are mowed a few times a year and are available for a more backcountry hiking experience.

      • Deer Creek and Deweese Branch run through this property.
      • Swimming is prohibited.
      • Canoeing, kayaking, and paddleboarding are allowed.
      • Anyone in a canoe, kayak, or on a paddleboard must be in possession of a wearable personal flotation device (PFD) while on the water.

      • Need a reason to get outside and move? You can volunteer alone or in small groups at this property. Some possible opportunities are listed below.
        • Wildlife survey support – assist staff with fall quail covey counts, songbird surveys, bird observations, and more.
        • Property photographer – help document what makes Deer Creek FWA unique, from plants and animals to the people that use it.
        • Skilled labor- If you are a carpenter, electrician, plumber, welder, or have other specialized skills, there is likely a time you could assist us with projects.
        • Land stewards – help maintain a portion of the property that you enjoy. Projects could include invasive species treatment/removal, seeding wildflowers, maintenance of trails, mowing, maintaining signage, etc.

      Map

      Other properties managed by this office

      • Chinook FWA is 2,141 acres of reclaimed surface mine land near Vigo County in western Clay County. Approximately 80 acres of the property is water (mostly strip pits). Originally, it was leased as a Public Fishing Area in 1982, but Chinook opened in 1997 as a Fish & Wildlife Area open to the public. Hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreational opportunities are available.
      • Wabashiki FWA is composed of 3,652 acres of floodplain along the Wabash River. In 2010, Vigo County Parks Department and the Department of Natural Resources joined together in a cooperative effort to offer this bird viewing paradise to all its patrons. Hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreational opportunities are available.
      • Fairbanks Landing Fish & Wildlife Area in Sullivan County sits on 8,133 acres of bottomland hardwoods, agriculture fields, prairie, and riparian habitat along the banks of the Wabash River. Hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreational opportunities are available.
      • Green Valley Wildlife Management Area is 150 acres of wooded ground in Vigo County, Indiana. Green Valley Lake was originally constructed as a water supply reservoir for a coal mining operation. The property was purchased by the Department of Natural Resources in the mid-1960s and opened to the public. Hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreational opportunities are available. More information.
      • Sugar Creek Conservation Area begins along the tributary creek at Shades State Park and runs south-southwest, ending at Jackson Bridge in Parke County. It encompasses 1,321 acres of diverse terrain and is open to the public. Hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreational opportunities are available.
      • Wabash River Conservation Area begins along the banks of the Wabash near Montezuma, IN, and runs south-southwest, stretching across four counties - Parke, Vermillion, Vigo, and Sullivan - ending at Fairbanks Landing FWA, south of Terre Haute. It encompasses 2,452 acres of primarily floodplain terrain and is open to the public. Hunting, fishing, trapping, and other outdoor recreational opportunities are available.