Ferdinand State Forest: hunting and access
Ferdinand State Forest is 7,893 acres open to public hunting in Dubois, Perry and Crawford counties, next to Birdseye, managed by the DNR's Division of Forestry. Hunters took 2,018 deer in Dubois County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's DNR property open to hunting data, read 2026-10. Harvest: Indiana DNR deer reports, 2021 to 2025.
Properties open to public hunting (DNR map)National forestOther DNR landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landFerdinand State ForestCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 7,893 acres in 30 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Dubois County, Perry County and Crawford County |
| Deer harvest unit | Dubois County, Perry County, Crawford County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Deer, Squirrel and Turkey |
| Managed by | the DNR's Division of Forestry |
| DNR contact | Ferdinand SF 812-367-1524 |
| On the property (DNR) | camping |
| Nearest towns | Birdseye (next to it), St. Anthony (2 mi) and Ferdinand (3 mi) |
What can you hunt on Ferdinand State Forest?
In the DNR's words: Deer, squirrel, turkey.
What are the rules on Ferdinand State Forest?
Indiana's statewide bag limit is 1 antlered and 6 antlerless deer, within each county's antlerless limit (DNR).
How many deer are taken around Ferdinand State Forest?
Ferdinand State Forest lies in 3 counties. Hunters took 2,018 deer in Dubois County in 2025, against 2,067 in 2024.
| County | Ferdinand State Forest acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubois County | 4,141 | 2,018 | 2,067 | 1,823 |
| Perry County | 3,713 | 1,771 | 1,831 | 1,701 |
| Crawford County | 39 | 2,118 | 2,001 | 1,756 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the property alone: Indiana DNR White-tailed Deer Reports (2021 to 2025 seasons, Table 3-4).
How do you get to Ferdinand State Forest?
Nearest towns: Birdseye (next to it), St. Anthony (2 miles), Ferdinand (3 miles) and Schnellville (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-64.
What other public land is near Ferdinand State Forest?
Properties open to public hunting within 10 miles:
- Hoosier National Forest: 202,389 acres, next to it
- Patoka Lake: 25,983 acres, 3 miles away
- Barnes-Seng Wetland Conservation Area: 179 acres, 8.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Ferdinand State Forest
Counting Ferdinand State Forest itself, 22,387 of the 128,536 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (17.4%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting property boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Properties open to public hunting (DNR map) | 21,871 |
| Other DNR land | 330 |
| National forest | 183 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 3 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Ferdinand State Forest?
In Dubois, Perry and Crawford counties, next to Birdseye.
What can you hunt on Ferdinand State Forest?
The DNR lists: Deer, squirrel, turkey.
How much public land is around Ferdinand State Forest?
22,387 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Ferdinand State Forest included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting property boundaries. The closest other public hunting property is Hoosier National Forest (next to it).
Get a Indiana hunt plan when they open
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Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Indiana included.
Where these facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: DNR, Ferdinand State Forest; Indiana DNR properties with public hunting (managed lands layer).
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's public hunting property boundaries.
- Deer harvest: Indiana DNR White-tailed Deer Reports (2021 to 2025 seasons, Table 3-4).
FilledTag is not part of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.