Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area

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Current: Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area

Goose Pond FWA Alerts
- None at this time.

Address
13540 W. 400 S.
Linton, IN 47441

Link to this page
on.IN.gov/goosepondfwa

Admission
Free

Time Zone
Eastern

Hours
Office: Monday-Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m.

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

Description

Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) in Greene County provides quality outdoor recreational opportunities on 9,098 acres of prairie and marsh habitat. About 12,000 wildlife watchers visit each year, and the property records about 3,500 annual hunting efforts with one hunter visit for one day.

Goose Pond FWA features a new office and Visitor’s Center with a panoramic observation deck, large windows to view wildlife, interpretive displays and staff, and restrooms. The 6,840-square-foot building, which opened in 2016, uses sustainable and energy-efficient materials. A geothermal system provides
heating and cooling.

Visitors are required to sign in at the office or any self-service centers on the property.

Indiana DNR purchased the property in 2005 with the help of The Nature Conservancy, Ducks Unlimited, Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), United States Fish & Wildlife Service, and many other organizations. Before that purchase, the previous landowner entered into a permanent easement with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). This permanent easement was part of the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) and consisted of 7,200 acres. NRCS then assumed responsibility for the wetland restoration.

View live video from the Visitors Center.

Amenities

Visitors Center includes interpretive displays and staff; picnic tables; wildlife viewing scopes; and an accessible, packed-gravel-surface .5-mile trail. Modern restrooms are located outside of the center and are accessible 24 hours a day.

Popular activities

Fishing
- Fishing is allowed at Goose Pond FWA. Check-in is required. Please park in designated areas only.
- Selected units may be closed to fishing and other activities at certain times throughout the year. Please obey all signs.
- Boat launching from a trailer is allowed on Thousand Islands Lake only. Canoes, kayaks, and other small watercraft that can be carried and slid into the water are permissible for use on the rest of the property.
- Boats are limited to a maximum 12-volt electric motor.
- Bow fishing is permitted on Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area.
- For more information on fishing opportunities, visit the fishing page.
- To find more places to fish, visit the Where to Fish map.
Hunting
- Self-service hunts include:
  - Crow
  - Dove (after Sept. 3)
  - Deer archery
  - Deer muzzleloader
  - Frog
  - Light geese during the Light Goose Conservation Order
  - Snipe
  - Sora
  - Squirrel
  - Turkey (after the first five days of spring turkey season)
  - Woodcock (from Oct. 15-31)
- All other hunts are draw hunts.
- Check-in is required for all hunting.
- All hunting seasons and bag limits apply. Daily check-in is required. See Hunting Regulations for details.
- Certain daily bag limits and shooting times at Goose Pond FWA are more restrictive than those allowed statewide. Check at the office or the self-service booths for more details.
- Possession of lead shot while in the field is prohibited.
- Accessible hunting opportunities are available. Inquire at the property office.
- Goose Pond FWA participates in all youth hunting seasons and occasionally holds special events such as a family frog gigging event and special dove hunts. Inquire at the property office.
- For more information on hunting in Indiana visit the hunting page.
Deer
- All deer hunting during firearms season is by draw only (including archery and muzzleloader equipment). Drawings are at the Goose Pond office at 6:15 a.m. on Saturdays, Mondays, and Thursdays.
- Archery and muzzleloader hunting are self-service during the archery and muzzleloader seasons.
- Tree stands are allowed from Sept. 15 to Jan. 10. Either your name, phone number, and address or DNR customer ID number must be visible from the ground.
- Deer Firearms Draw Schedule 2024
Dove
- The first three days of dove season are by draw only; these draws are at 6:30 a.m. in the property office.
- Shooting hours for dove are 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. from Sept. 1 - 3.
- There is a 50-shell limit for dove hunting.
- Dove Season Fields Map 2024
Light Goose Conservation Season
- Light geese (snow/Ross) may only be hunted during the Central Zone Waterfowl Seasons and during the Light Goose Conservation Order.
- All units south of County Road 200 South are open for self-service hunting during the Light Goose Conservation Order, and hunting ends at 3 p.m. daily.
- Light Goose Hunting Zone Announcement 2025
Turkey
- Hunting hours end at 1 p.m. and hunters must leave the field by 2 p.m.
- The first five days of spring turkey season are by draw only; these draws are at 5:30 a.m. in the property office.
Upland Game (Quail, Rabbit, and Woodcock)
- Draws are at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays and hunting hours are from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
- Upland Game Drawings 2024-25
Waterfowl
- Draws are at 5:30 a.m. on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. on Wednesdays.
- Hunting starts at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdays.
- Teal & Early Season Goose Draw Schedule 2024
- Regular Season Waterfowl Draw Schedule 2024-25
- Waterfowl Season Draw Units Map
- Waterfowl Counts
Waterfowl hunters may possess a maximum of 25 shot shells during the teal, duck, and dark goose seasons.
Trapping
- Trapping is available through a drawing held on the first Saturday in October.
- View statewide trapping regulations in the Hunting & Trapping Guide.
- Property Trapping Map and Rules
Wildlife watching & birding
- With nearly 5,000 acres of shallow water wetlands, 1,300 acres of prairie, and more than 30 miles of levees, Goose Pond FWA provides excellent wildlife watching opportunities.
- More than 260 bird species have been documented at Goose Pond FWA.
- Accessible viewing opportunities are available.
- You must sign in at the property office or self-service stations for all activities.
This property is a stop on the

More activities

Biking
Foraging
- Mushrooms, berries, and nuts may be gathered; however, a written permit is required to remove plants, animals, rocks, and fossils.
- During the spring turkey season, only those who are checked in to turkey hunt or fish are permitted in the field before 1 p.m. ET.
Hiking & walking
- Hiking and walking are permitted at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area. There is a trail loop located at the Visitor’s Center.
- There are other mowed lanes that can be used to explore the property, which are available during different seasons depending on what other activities are occurring on the property. Inquire at the office for what trails are available when you plan on visiting.
Water recreation
- Boating, canoeing, and kayaking are permitted at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area. A DNR launch permit is not required.
- Swimming is NOT allowed.
- Selected units may be closed during certain times of the year. Please obey all signs.
- Boat launching from a trailer is allowed on Thousand Islands Lake only. Canoes, kayaks, and other small watercraft that can be carried and slid into the water are permissible for use on the rest of the property.
- Boats are limited to a maximum 12-volt electric motor.
Volunteering
- Need a reason to get outside and move? You can volunteer alone or in small groups at this property. Some activities include trash pick-up, basic gardening, painting, and more. Call the property office for details.
- While you’re at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area, have fun and fill a bucket with trash.
  - Check out a bucket at the Goose Pond FWA Visitor’s Center, take it with you to fill it with trash, and dump the trash when you return the bucket. You can also bring your own 5-gallon bucket and pack out the trash with you.
  - Your small act of kindness helps to keep our public lands healthy and beautiful. For additional details, stop in the Visitor’s Center.

Map

Other properties managed by this office

Ashcraft Wildlife Management Area (WMA) includes 62 acres of mixed hardwood forest in eastern Greene County. This property provides hunting opportunities for squirrel, deer, and turkey. Ashcraft WMA is open for public use; all regulations for Division of Fish & Wildlife properties apply.
Busseron Creek Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) in Sullivan County provides quality outdoor recreational opportunities on 3,950 acres of bottomland forest, marshland, and upland habitats. The property is a popular destination for hunting, foraging, and wildlife watching.
Hillenbrand Fish & Wildlife Area in Greene County provides quality outdoor recreational opportunities while maintaining 3,631 acres of upland game and wetland habitat, lakes, and shallow impoundments. It is located east and west of S.R. 59 approximately 5 miles north of Linton. Hillenbrand FWA is open for public use.
Morgan Bluff Wildlife Management Area (WMA) includes 455 acres of bottomland hardwoods, ephemeral wetlands, and an oxbow lake bordering the West Fork of the White River in southwestern Greene County. In 2020, INDOT transferred the property to the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife, and restoration work was completed as part of Interstate 69 mitigation. The property provides excellent hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, and waterfowl. Morgan Bluff WMA is open for public use; all regulations for Division of Fish & Wildlife properties apply. Access to the area crosses private land. Visitors should only drive on the gravel access lane and park only in the designated parking lot.
Swamper Bend Wildlife Managements Area (WMA) is a 108-acre tract of bottomland hardwood in Knox County located in a bend of the White River. Swamper Bend WMA was purchased to protect the state endangered swamp rabbit and its associated habitat. The swamp rabbit is the largest member of the cottontail genus, with individuals weighing 3-6 pounds. Rabbit hunting is strictly prohibited due to the similarities between the Eastern cottontail and the swamp rabbit. Other forms of hunting are allowed, as are fishing and trapping.

Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area

812-512-9185

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