Monroe Lake: hunting and access
Monroe Lake is 1,210 acres open to public hunting in Monroe County, 2 miles from Smithville-Sanders, managed by the DNR's Division of State Parks. Hunters took 1,652 deer in Monroe 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 forestFederal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakesState parksCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landMonroe LakeCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,210 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Deer harvest unit | Monroe County |
| DNR lists for hunting | Quail, Rabbit, Squirrel, Turkey, Deer, Dove, Waterfowl, Fox, Coyote and Raccoon |
| Managed by | the DNR's Division of State Parks |
| DNR contact | Monroe Lake 812-837-9546 |
| On the property (DNR) | camping |
| Hunter check-in (DNR) | Required |
| Nearest towns | Smithville-Sanders (2 mi), Harrodsburg (2 mi) and Judah (3 mi) |
What can you hunt on Monroe Lake?
In the DNR's words: Quail, rabbit, squirrel, turkey, deer, snipe, dove, waterfowl. Night hunting for fox, coyote, and raccoon. Bonus antlerless licenses will be permitted on this property.
What are the rules on Monroe Lake?
Hunters must check in at the property; the DNR's property page says how.
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 Monroe Lake?
Monroe Lake lies in Monroe County. Hunters took 1,652 deer in Monroe County in 2025, against 1,397 in 2024.
| County | Monroe Lake acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 1,210 | 1,652 | 1,397 | 1,457 |
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 Monroe Lake?
Nearest towns: Smithville-Sanders (2 miles), Harrodsburg (2 miles), Judah (3 miles) and Needmore (5 miles).
What other public land is near Monroe Lake?
Properties open to public hunting within 10 miles:
- Hoosier National Forest: 202,389 acres, 0.6 miles away
- Morgan-Monroe State Forest: 24,729 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Yellowwood State Forest: 24,360 acres, 5 miles away
- Martin State Forest: 9,745 acres, 8.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Monroe Lake
Counting Monroe Lake itself, 16,377 of the 45,754 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (35.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's public hunting property boundaries.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| Federal land, mostly Corps of Engineers lakes | 9,479 |
| Properties open to public hunting (DNR map) | 6,396 |
| National forest | 264 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 150 |
| State parks | 88 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Monroe Lake?
In Monroe County, 2 miles from Smithville-Sanders.
What can you hunt on Monroe Lake?
The DNR lists: Quail, rabbit, squirrel, turkey, deer, snipe, dove, waterfowl. Night hunting for fox, coyote, and raccoon. Bonus antlerless licenses will be permitted on this property.
How much public land is around Monroe Lake?
16,377 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Monroe Lake 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 (0.6 miles).
Get a Indiana hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Indiana are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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, Monroe Lake; 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.