| 11-06-06
The waterfowl migration is not yet in full swing
now in the North Zone, but it is picking
up which means all waterfowl hunting zones of Indiana will be getting more
ducks and geese for the collective pot.
At Willow Sough Fish and Wildlife are there have
been something like 1,000 ducks, and 40 Canada taken, mostly residents
on the geese. There is said to be roughly 5,000 ducks there and more coming
with cold weather. The lion’s share of the ducks are believed to be flight
birds and the
Canada geese are residents.
Hunters at nearby Kankakee State Fish and Wildlife
Area (on the Illinois line in Newton-Lake counties) had harvested 1,365
ducks (mostly mallards) as of last Monday and only four Canada geese. There
are believed to be something like 3,000 or 4,000 ducks there now and more
coming.
The waterfowling, while considerably less exciting
in South and Ohio River zones, is improving.
At Atterbury SFWA there have been something like
50 ducks and 85 Canadas taken, with better hunting expected at Monroe Reservoir
now that Stillwater Marsh is being flooded. Flooding of Stillwater Marsh
was delayed some because corn in the marsh was not quite ripe. That harks
back to last spring when the corn, because of high water, required here
plantings.
These, of course, are only spot checks of the
waterfowl situation. I would suspect, for example, that streams and other
small, wooded waters are clogged with wood ducks now.
PARKS TO CLOSE
Eighteen DNR properties will be closed to the
general public on Nov. 13-14, and Dec. 4-5, for special deer reduction
hunts.
They are Brown County, Chain O'Lakes, Charlestown,
Clifty Falls, Fort Harrison, Harmonie, Indiana Dunes, Lincoln, Ouabache,
Pokagon, Potato Creek, Shades, Summit Lake, Tippecanoe, Turkey Run, Versailles
and Whitewater Memorial state parks, plus Twin Swamps Nature Preserve.
During the special hunts, volunteers assist the
DNR in reducing the size of the deer herds, which have grown too large
to be supported by the vegetation at these properties. The goal of the
deer herd reduction is to help restore and maintain the ecological balance
in the parks and preserve.
All hunting slots for the special DNR deer reduction
hunts have been filled since early October.
Any hunt opportunities that become vacant will
be filled by hunters who indicated on their application they would fill
vacant spots if not chosen for their primary location.
If a drawn hunter calls the property for which
he or she was chosen in advance of the hunt day and advises the property
that he or she is unable to participate, the property will refer to its
list of alternates, select a replacement, and notify the new hunter.
The applications for this year's special deer
hunts drawings were placed online at www.indianaoutdoor.IN.gov in early
July. The applications were also available at state parks, reservoirs,
and fish and wildlife areas. The deadline for applying was Aug. 18 for
mail-in applications and Aug. 25 for online registration.
| BLACK WIDOWS?
How would you like to have your own container
of black widow spider babies (dozens or hundreds of them) quite dead?
Frozen.
I will give them to the first person who contacts
me.
They are in an otherwise clean salsa jar, along
with some web (to give them plenty of room) and two “commie” size egg cases
(like little, round cocoons).
I marvel at their ability to make web for themselves,
and to live in those cramped quarters.
They emerged from one pinpoint hole in each
of the two egg cases. They would have grown had I not frozen them for fear
that they might gain freedom and infest this house. They would make a great
piece of educational matter--could even be a traveling exhibit for school
classes of any age along with pictures of the adults (also frozen). |
RULE CHANGES
The Natural Resources Commission is expected to
put it's stamp of approval on extending the one-buck rule (for deer) rule
for another five years and other changes at a meeting Nov. 14 at 10 a.m.at
Fort Harrison State Park's the Garrison.
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