Seeking Indiana’s Largest Trees  (5-27-2009)

Do you know of an extraordinarily large tree? The Indiana DNR is accepting nominations for the 2010 Big Tree Register, a list of the largest known native trees in the state, published every five years.

The application requires three measurements of a tree--total circumference, in inches, at 4 1/2 feet above the ground; total height, in feet; and average crown spread, in feet. 

The total size of a tree is calculated using the formula: circumference + height + 1/4 average crown spread. The tree of each species with the highest total is Indiana’s largest. Each tree nominated is verified for species and size before acceptance in the register.

For more information about nominating a tree for the register or to receive a nomination form, contact Janet Eger at (812) 247-2479 or e-mail to jeger@dnr.IN.gov.  The nomination form is at http://www.IN.gov/dnr/forestry/3605.htm under "directories."

Indiana Inland Trout Season Opens  ( 4-27-2009)

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has stocked 50,000 rainbow trout in 18 streams and 15 lakes in advance of inland trout season opening day, April 25, 2009. 

Legal fishing hours begin at 6 a.m. (local time). Anglers must be in possession of a current Indiana fishing license and trout/salmon stamp to legally fish for trout. 

In 2009, the DNR trout stock program include portions of the following inland streams: Pigeon River (Steuben and LaGrange), Turkey Creek (LaGrange), Little Elkhart River (LaGrange), Rowe-Eden Ditch (LaGrange), Curtis Creek (LaGrange), Solomon Creek (Elkhart), Cobus Creek (Elkhart), Little Kankakee River (LaPorte), Spy Run (Allen), Mississinewa River (Randolph), Big Blue River (Henry), Brookville Tailwater (Franklin), Harden Reservoir Tailwater (Parke), Mill Creek (Fulton), Crooked Creek (Porter), Fawn River (Steuben), Potato Creek (St. Joseph), and Jackson Creek (Brown). 

Trout are stocked in the following lakes: Rainbow Pit (LaGrange), Island Lake (Sullivan), Little George Pit (Sullivan), Airline Pit (Greene), Oak Lake (Clark), Pine Lake (Clark), Wyland Lake (Kosciusko), Oliver Lake Chain (LaGrange), Fancher Lake (Lake), Sand Lake (Noble), Bethel Pit (Pike), Clear Lake (Steuben), Lake Gage (Steuben), Fairfield Pit (Tippecanoe), and Cedar Lake (Whitley). 

Special regulations apply to some of the listed trout fisheries. A detailed explanation of each fishery's regulations may be reviewed on page 16 of the 2009 Indiana Fishing Guide, or online at www.fishing.IN.gov. 

The daily limit for trout is five per angler. No more than one may be a brown trout. Fish must be 7 inches long to be kept. 

Lake Michigan and its tributaries are governed by a separate set of regulations. To review, see page 17 of the Indiana Fishing Guide, or online at www.fishing.IN.gov.

Public Property Reserved Youth Turkey Hunt Opportunities   (2-27-2009)

The DNR will offer youth hunters, 15 years old and younger, reserved turkey hunts during youth wild turkey hunting season for both youth-season days, April 18 and 19, at 26 DNR properties.

The hunts are at Atterbury, Crosley, Glendale, Goose Pond, Hovey Lake, Jasper-Pulaski, Sugar Ridge, Kankakee, Kingsbury, LaSalle, Pigeon River, Tri-County, Minnehaha, Fairbanks Landing, Hillenbrand, Chinook, Winamac and Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Areas, as well as at Cagles Mill, Hardy, Monroe, Patoka, Salamonie, Brookville, Roush and Mississinewa lakes.

In an attempt to provide quality hunts, a limit will be placed on the number of youth hunters allowed to hunt a respective property on each respective day. Each property will hold local early registrations and drawings at the property for the half-day hunts. Hunts will run one-half hour before sunrise until noon at properties in the Central Time Zone, and one-half hour before sunrise until 1 p.m. on properties in the Eastern Time Zone. Those wanting to sign up for Fairbanks Landing, Chinook or Hillenbrand hunts may do so at Minnehaha FWA.

A youth hunter may be drawn for either or both hunt days, depending on the number of applicants. Youth hunters, or an adult representing them, can register in person at the property they wish to hunt from March 16-27, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The drawing will be held March 30. All applicants will be notified of drawing results by mail. Applicants may sign up for only one property. Applicants must possess a valid 2009 Youth Consolidated Hunting License, 2009 Regular Turkey License and Game Bird Stamp, or Lifetime Hunting License. Apprentice hunting licenses also may be used. 

Youth hunters who are selected for the hunt may check in at any time each day during legal hunting hours for that property. Properties that do not fill their quotas during early registration may fill remaining spots through a drawing each morning, first-come, first-served. Properties will not have a daily no-show drawing because there is no time by which selected youth hunters must check in during the morning hunts. Hunters interested in possible unfilled quotas at a property should contact that property for more information before showing up on the opening morning of the youth season. 

During youth wild turkey season, hunters 15 years old or younger can take a bearded or male wild turkey. The youth must be accompanied by an adult of at least 18 years of age.

The youth hunter may use any legal shotgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow. The adult accompanying the youth hunter must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow while in the field, and does not need to possess a turkey hunting license. A youth hunter may take only one bearded or male wild turkey during all spring seasons. The youth must be properly licensed to take a wild turkey and comply with all tagging and check-in requirements.

For additional information, call the property office where you wish to hunt. Phone numbers are available at dnr.IN.gov/fishwild or in the 2008-09 Hunting & Trapping Guide.

Purchase a Youth Consolidated or Turkey license:
dnr.IN.gov/fishwild

DNR property information:
dnr.IN.gov/dnr/destinations/list.html

Wild turkey hunting regulations:
dnr.IN.gov/fishwild/huntguide1/hunting1.htm

Turkey hunting safety tips:
dnr.IN.gov/fishwild/hunt/turkey/turkeysafe.html

CWD Not Detected In Indiana Deer Herd Sampling (2-16-2009)

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) was not detected in the 862 deer collected during the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife’s 2008 CWD sampling.

In every year since 2002, DFW employees have been collecting CWD samples from hunter-harvested deer during the opening weekend of firearm season. Since 2007, these efforts have been supplemented with collecting road-killed samples throughout the year. CWD has not been detected in the more than 10,000 deer collected during the entire monitoring period.

CWD is one of a group of diseases called Transmissible Spongiform Encepalopathies (TSEs). Other examples of TSEs include scrapie in sheep and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans. The agents of CWD are called prions, which are abnormal, protease-resistant forms of cellular proteins normally synthesized in the central nervous system and lymphoid tissues. Prions that cause CWD are highly resistant to heat or disinfectant, and can be transferred to other deer through direct or indirect contact. No study has ever proven that CWD is transmissible to humans.

CWD has been reported in free-ranging deer herds in Wisconsin, Illinois and West Virginia, among other states. Indiana has never detected CWD within its free-ranging or captive deer herds. For more information on deer health, visit dnr.IN.gov/fishwild.
 

Free Goose-Control Seminars  (2-16-2009)

Note: Information on destroying nests and eggs of the Canada goose will not appear on this web page. I further suggest that those attending the seminars take a good supply of rotten goose eggs for use if anyone suggests nests or eggs should be destroyed. – Bayou Bill

The first seminar is March 10 at the Bartholomew County Extension Service Office in Columbus.  Seminars also will be held March 12 at the Wesselman Woods Visitor Center in Evansville and March 19 at the Recreation Building inside Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis. At the Tippecanoe County Extension Service Office in Lafayette a seminar will be held on March 31, at the Potato Creek State Park Nature Center near North Liberty on April 1, and at the Salomon Farm Visitors Center in Fort Wayne on April 2. All seminars run from 9 to approximately noon. All interested landowners, managers of corporate campuses, golf course or park employees, and the general public are invited. 

The seminars will cover various aspects of Canada goose management, including relevant laws, and basic biology.

The population of Canada geese in the Mississippi Flyway exceeds 1.5 million birds and is growing at a rate of 6 percent per year. The classes are free and no registration is required. If you need further information, call the urban wildlife biologist, (812) 334-1137 or e-mail swinks@dnr.in.gov. 

Indiana hunters killed 610 wild turkeys during the 2008 fall wild turkey hunting season. Wild turkeys were killed in 57 of the 74 counties open to turkey hunting during the season, which ran from Oct. 1 to 19.

The 2008 season was Indiana’s fourth modern-day fall turkey hunting season. Hunters experienced a 4 percent increase in success when compared to the 585 turkeys taken during the 2007 fall turkey season. The record is 716 turkeys in 2005.

During the 14-day archery-only season, Oct. 1 to 14, hunters killed 132 turkeys, accounting for 22 percent of the total. The majority of the fall harvest occurred during the combined shotgun and archery season, Oct. 15 to 19, when hunters killed 478 turkeys, accounting for 78 percent of the total fall harvest.

Adult male turkeys accounted for 74.5 percent of the harvest, with the remaining 25.5 percent consisting of juvenile birds. The juvenile-to-adult ratio was 1 to 3. According to DNR biologist Steve Backs, the high adult proportion was probably related to a combination of hunter selectivity and below-average brood production in 2008. 

Harrison County topped the hunter success list with 40 turkeys, followed by Switzerland (36), and Pike (31). 

Input Sought On Fish And Wildlife Rules (1-21-2009)

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission is seeking public suggestions as part of an ongoing comprehensive review and enhancement of fish and wildlife rules for the Department of Natural Resources.

Substantive rule change suggestions can be made through a Web-based interactive form by going to IN.gov/nrc/  and clicking on the "Submit a Suggestion" link. The introduction of the online suggestion form marks the beginning of the third stage of a four-stage process recommended last year by a steering committee composed of Natural Resources Commission chairman Bryan Poynter; DNR deputy director John Davis; Col. Mike Crider, head of the DNR Division of Law Enforcement; Sandra Jensen, NRC administrative law judge; Patrick Early, chair of the DNR Advisory Council; and John Goss, executive director of the Indiana Wildlife Federation.

The suggestion form will be available until April 1. An advisory group will review the suggestions and conduct public hearings to determine the merit of suggestions received. The advisory group will report its findings and recommendations to the NRC in late 2009. Actual proposal of substantive rule amendments are not expected to be presented to the NRC until early 2010. 

The first stage of the project was to readopt all Fish and Wildlife Rules (312 IAC 9) without change to ensure the rules did not expire while the remainder of the project is in progress. The readopted rules became effective on Dec. 24, 2008.

The Stage 2 goal is to provide clarity and consistency of interpretation and to improve enforceability with only minor amendments to the rules in three segments. The NRC granted preliminary adoption Jan. 13 to the first segment of amendments on deer hunting and hunter education rules. Additional segments will address rules associated with wild animals (except deer), mammals and game birds (March 2009), and rules associated with reptiles, amphibians, fish, invertebrates, commercial licenses and permits (May 2009). It is hoped Stage 2 will be completed and approved by October or November.

"Our intent is to take what we have and organize it, update it, and develop a more user-friendly product that encourages people to hunt and fish rather than discourage them because they don't understand the rules," Poynter said. "We want to unravel any language barriers by employing public input to help point us in that direction."

The fourth stage provides an option to work with the state legislature to enact necessary amendments to existing statutes.

Deer Success Up In State Parks   (12-11-2008)

Volunteer hunters took 13 percent more deer this year than they did in 2007 during two two-day reduction hunts at 17 state parks.

A total of 1,468 deer were taken from the state parks during the special controlled hunts Nov. 17-18 and Dec. 1-2, according to Mike Mycroft, natural resource coordinator for the DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs, who oversees the program. 

The participating state parks, with number of deer harvested in parentheses, included Brown County (198), Chain O’Lakes (152), Charlestown (159), Harmonie (166), Indiana Dunes (42), Lincoln (70), McCormick’s Creek (41), Ouabache (62), Pokagon (44), Shades (130), Spring Mill (32), Summit Lake (36), Tippecanoe River (107), Turkey Run (73), Whitewater Memorial (82), Fort Harrison (42) and Clifty Falls (32). Individual hunters could take up to three deer, which do not count against statewide bag limits. 

DNR biologists evaluate which parks require a deer reduction each year, based on the recovery of vegetation that deer eat and previous hunter success at each park. The state parks are home to more than 32 state-endangered plants. The controlled hunts help reduce browsing by deer to a level that helps ecosystems and associated vegetation recover. The state parks selected are closed temporarily to the general public during the controlled hunts. 

"If you subtract 2006, which was an unusual banner harvest year, we are average for the last five years when we've hunted a similar number of parks," Mycroft said. "We've leveled off from the heavy harvests of the early years of the program and are holding steady, but need to continue progress towards vegetation recovery. Though hunters aren’t taking as many deer as they once were, that’s a good sign for the vegetation. The deer that have been taken recently are healthier and generally larger bodied than the early days of the program.”

To view more about the program and 2008 results see (www.IN.gov/dnr/parklake). 

Participants for the deer reductions were drawn from a pool of eligible applicants in September. The number of hunters who are drawn but do not participate, or leave early, remains a challenge to the program. Attendance improved this year but only slightly.

 “Some parks that have never done so before are nearing a maintenance phase where they wouldn’t require a reduction every year,” Mycroft said. “However, the high no-show percentage and over selective hunting are keeping some parks from doing so. From a management perspective, we rely heavily on folks to show up and fill these coveted spots taking whatever they can.”

Details regarding 2009 state park deer reductions will be available in the 2009-10 Indiana Hunting and Trapping Guide, which will be available throughout the state next summer.

Quail Hunting Rules Adjusted At 7 DNR Properties  (10-26-2008)

The long-term decline of bobwhite quail populations has prompted the Department of Natural Resources to adjust the 2008 season dates, hunting hours and bag limits at seven state Fish and Wildlife areas (FWAs).

In northwest Indiana, quail hunting will be allowed at Jasper-Pulaski, Willow Slough and Winamac FWAs from Nov. 7 through Nov. 30, with a daily bag limit of two birds. Previously announced dates were Nov. 7 to Dec. 21, with a bag limit of five birds.

In southwest Indiana, the quail season dates at Glendale, Goose Pond, Minnehaha and Sugar Ridge FWAs will remain Nov. 7 through Jan. 15, but hunting hours at these sites will be restricted to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. EST from Dec. 15 through Jan. 15. Also, the daily bag limit will be reduced from eight birds to four at Glendale, Minnehaha and Sugar Ridge. Goose Pond already has a four-bird limit. 

“The concept here is to relieve some of the pressure on these small, isolated quail populations so we can provide a sustainable harvest,” said Wayne Bivans, wildlife section chief for the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife. The belief is this will allow the quail numbers to rebound quicker and be less susceptible to other factors like severe weather.

Harsh winter storms in the late 1970s took a brutal toll on Indiana’s quail population, and a widespread lack of suitable habitat hampered the bird’s ability to rebound. Even so, quail numbers in Indiana already were declining prior to 1978 for the same reason--lack of habitat. 

Poor habitat does not appear to be the issue at DNR FWAs, yet hunter harvest of quail continues a steep downward slide. At Winamac, for instance, hunters bagged 208 quail in 1977 but about half that total a year later. By 1982 it dipped to 42 birds before climbing back above the 200 mark in 1987 and 1989. Since then, the annual harvest has been in gradual decline, bottoming out at 25 birds in 2007.

DNR biologists recently completed fall covey counts to establish current quail populations at state FWAs. The baseline data will be combined with future research in an ongoing process to determine if additional restrictions on season dates and bag limits will be necessary to reach sustainable harvest goals.

Interlake Property To Open For Use August 23  (07-25-08)

Interlake, a new DNR property,  will officially open for year-round use Aug. 23.

The property, located in Warrick and Pike counties in southern Indiana, near Lynnville also can be used for boating, hiking, fishing, hunting, trapping dog training and other activities. Operating hours will be sunrise to sunset.

Property rules will be posted at four entrances:

South entrance (main entrance) - S.R. 68 (east of Lynnville)
North entrance - C.R. 1200 South (Pike County, south of Spurgeon)
West entrances - C.R. 1300 South (Pike-Warrick county line)
Clutter Road (Warrick County)

Parking is permitted along roadsides and at the Marion parking lot (adjacent to the north entrance road).

No on-site amenities will be offered at opening; however, a master planning process is in progress to identify opportunities for future property development. Public meetings on that subject will be announced soon. 

Persons who visit Interlake are required to follow all DNR-property rules. Vehicles and horses are not permitted on marked reclaimed areas. Camping and open fires are prohibited. The Carry In/Carry Out trash policy is required. All off-road vehicles must be properly registered. Equestrians must comply with bridle tags rules. Interlake is for day-use only and is an at-your-own risk property.

Information about Interlake is at: www.in.gov/dnr/outdoor/2915.htm. Specific questions can be directed to Nila Armstrong at narmstrong@dnr.IN.gov or via phone at (317) 232-4029.

DNR Announces Over $1 Million in Grants for 26 Lake and River Enhancement Projects in 26 Counties (7-22-2008)

More than $1 million in grants will go toward care of 26 of Indiana's waterways this year through the DNR's Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program, part of the DNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife.

"Boaters make these grants possible through the Lake Enhancement Fee paid when they register their boats," said DNR director Robert E. Carter Jr. in announcing the awards. "These funds, in turn, provide money for projects targeted to protect and enhance the very resources used in aquatic recreational pursuits, including fishing and boating." 

The 26 projects approved total $1,055,110, and were submitted by local sponsors and include the commitment of each to share a portion of the total project cost. 

"The LARE grants provide crucial financial assistance to local groups in tackling natural resource issues that can be very expensive and perhaps impossible for them to address on their own," said Jim Ray, section chief for the LARE program. 

Ray added that these projects can require years of planning and diligence to complete. The grants for 2008-09 feature both biological and engineering projects, including diagnostic, design, and engineering feasibility studies, as well as construction projects. Several watershed land-treatment projects received funding to provide assistance to landowners with water-quality concerns near locally important streams. These grants complement the $1.19 million in more specifically targeted LARE grant awards that Carter announced in March to address nuisance aquatic vegetation and dredging of sediment. 

Funding for the newly announced targeted projects comes from the LARE fee paid annually by boat owners to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, which is a variable fee based on the value of the boat when new. 

"A positive local and state economic impact occurs with access to improved water resources," Ray said. "People are able to more fully enjoy boating, fishing and other activities, while at the same time supporting projects that enhance and improve the aquatic environment for fish and other inhabitants of Indiana’s waters."

A list of projects by water body, county, project type and grant award follow:
 

Water body (County)	Project Type	Grant Award
Galena River (LaPorte)	Watershed Diagnostic	29,700
Knox County Streams (Knox)	Watershed Diagnostic	34,650
Loefler & Scott Ditches (Gibson)	Watershed Diagnostic	42,030
Geist Reservoir (Marion, Hamilton, Hancock, Madison,  Henry)	Strategic Management Plan	54,000
Koontz Lake (Starke/Marshall)	Strategic Management Plan	52,200
Morse Reservoir (Hamilton, Boone,   Tipton, Clinton)	Strategic Management Plan	47,700
Big & Crooked Lakes (Whitley/Noble)	Engineering Feasibility	39,600
Palestine Lake (Kosciusko)	Engineering Feasibility	36,000
Salt Creek (Porter)	Engineering Feasibility	49,375
West Otter Lake (Steuben)	Engineering Feasibility	18,000
Lake Sullivan (Sullivan)	Engineering Feasibility/Dredging Plan	45,000
Center Lake (Kosciusko)	Engineering Feasibility/Design	27,000
Lake James (Steuben)	Engineering Feasibility/Design	50,580
Griffy Lake (Monroe)	Design	31,500
Blue Lake (Whitley)	Design/Construction	44,970
Winona Lake (Kosciusko)	Design/Construction	63,375
Dewart Lake (Kosciusko)	Construction	34,875
Lake Gage (Steuben)	Construction	50,775
Ball Lake Watershed (DeKalb/Steuben)	Watershed Land Treatment	20,000
Chain O'Lakes Watershed (Noble)	Watershed Land Treatment	28,780
Elkhart River Watershed (LaGrange)	Watershed Land Treatment	20,000
Locust Creek Watershed (Vanderburgh)	Watershed Land Treatment	30,000
Lost River Watershed (Orange)	Watershed Land Treatment	40,000
Pigeon Creek Watershed (Steuben)	Watershed Land Treatment	70,000
Ramp Creek Watershed (Putnam)	Watershed Land Treatment	20,000
Sand Creek Watershed (Decatur/Jennings)	Watershed Land Treatment	75,000
Total		$1,055,110

Media contacts: Marty Benson, public information officer, (317) 233-3853, (317) 696-9812; Jim Ray, LARE chief, (317) 233-3871.

2008-09 Indiana Hunting and Trapping Guide Now Available  (7-03-08)

The 2008-09 Hunting and Trapping guide is now available wildlife.IN.gov, then clicking on the hunting guide link on left side of the page.

Printed copies of the Hunting and Trapping Guide will be delivered to retailers around the state beginning mid-July.

This version of the guide includes striped-skunk hunting season changes, trap size changes and additional counties for the '09 fall turkey season. Sportsmen and women should check laws pertaining to given activity before going afield. 

Apprentice Hunting Licenses now available

In an effort to help recruit new hunters, Indiana will allow individuals of any age to go hunting before taking a hunter education class, provided that they purchase an Apprentice Hunting License and are accompanied by a licensed adult while hunting. The licenses are currently on sale.

This initiative, which allows individuals to try hunting to see if it is a sport they wish to pursue, without having to first invest a lot of time and money, has been done in other states as part of a nationwide initiative to recruit new hunters.

Here is some basic information about the Indiana Apprentice Hunting License:
* An apprentice hunter can be of any age. 
* An apprentice hunter can be a resident or non-resident. 
* An individual can purchase no more than three apprentice hunting licenses during his/her lifetime. 
* An individual who is at least 18 years old and has a valid hunting license (or is exempt from needing a hunting license under state law) must be in close proximity and be able to communicate at all times with the apprentice hunter.  The individual who accompanies the apprentice hunter cannot accompany more than two apprentice hunters at one time while in the field. 
* All hunting license types will be available to purchase as an apprentice license. 
* Apprentice hunting licenses fees will be established by the Natural Resources Commission in May, but are expected to be the same as for a regular hunting license of that type. 

To purchase your license, go to IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov.

Tippecanoe Lakes Report Issued  (6-03-08)

A consulting firm hired to develop a plan to manage seven lakes in Whitley and Noble counties in the upper reaches of the Tippecanoe River watershed has identified goals that can be achieved by reducing non-point sources of pollution. The report shows some of the progress being made by the DNR's lake programs.

Williams Creek Consulting, Inc., compiled past and current information on the water quality of Big, Crane, Crooked, Goose, Loon, New, and Old lakes north of Columbia City and prioritized critical areas in the watershed that are contributing to the runoff of excess sediments and nutrients to the lakes into a 190-page draft document.

The report found that by addressing problem areas, water quality within the lakes can be protected and improved, leading to balanced aquatic plant communities, sustainable fish populations, controlled development, protection of natural areas, and greater cooperation among lake users. 

The diagnostic study was funded by the DNR's Lake and River Enhancement (LARE) program), with matching funds from local residents and the Tippecanoe Watershed Foundation (TWF). 

The final report will be used by the local community to seek grants to help cover the cost of preventing soil erosion, providing buffer strips along inlets, creating and maintaining short-term water retention basins and sediment traps, reducing runoff from agricultural and residential areas, and other projects.

The planning process began in 2006, when TWF contacted local lake leaders in the area in hopes of coordinating efforts to protect water quality throughout the watershed. All seven lakes eventually drain into Lake Tippecanoe.

By combining efforts, TWF and the newly established Upper Tippecanoe River Lake Association (UTRLA) can share funds and local expertise in solving lake management problems.

Through a series of educational seminars and meetings in 2006 and 2007, Williams Creek solicited public input on high priority concerns and suggested strategies on how to address them.

The consultants identified three high-priority areas: the area north of Big Lake, the area the drains through Friskney Ditch into Loon Lake, and the area surrounding Crooked Lake.
Areas around two other inlets to Loon Lake, an area that drains into the northwest corner of Old Lake, and an area north of Crane Lake, are considered moderate priorities for better watershed management.

Since the process began, a local steering committee of ULTRA members has met monthly to oversee the planning effort and will ultimately assume responsibility for making decisions on how best to implement the plan. Meetings are open to the public and are held at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Thorncreek Fire Station, north of Columbia City.

Better Bass Fishing in Indiana Natural Lakes (4-10-2008)

Adult largemouth bass numbers have nearly doubled since 1980 in northern Indiana natural lakes and there are more big bass now, according to DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife fisheries biologist Jed Pearson. 

The increases, he said, are most likely due to the minimum size limits and widespread acceptance of catch-and-release fishing by area bass anglers.

In 1980 most northern Indiana natural lakes had no minimum size limit on bass. A 12-inch size limit was imposed in 1990, and was increased to 14 inches in 1998.

Based on estimates of the number of 8-inch and larger bass in 59 natural lakes sampled on 171 occasions by DFW biologists, the average density of bass increased from 13 per acre to 24 per acre between 1980 and 2007. 

The actual number of 8-inch and larger bass captured by biologists increased from 78 per hour of sampling to 123 per hour. 

As bass numbers increased at natural lakes, so did bass size. Bigger bass now make up larger proportions of the adult populations.

The proportion of 12- to 14-inch bass increased from an average of 13 percent in 1980 to 26 percent in 2007. The proportion of 14- to 18-inch bass increased from 8 to 18 percent. 

Meanwhile, the proportion of 18-inch and larger bass stayed the same, at 3 percent. 

"Indiana now has more bass and more bigger bass in its natural lakes than ever before," said Pearson, who compiled the figures from the large set of data gathered over the 27-year period. "We've also seen a rise in the catch rate of bass by anglers."

In 1980 it took anglers an average of 2.7 hours to catch a bass, including both bass that were taken home and those that were released. Now it takes bass anglers about one hour to catch a bass. 

Overall, bass densities ranged from a low of less than one bass per acre at Lake-of-the-Woods near Bremen in 1985, to a high of 69 per acre at Barrel-and-a-half Lake near North Webster in 1998. 

Other lakes with unusually high densities of bass included Appleman in 1995, with 52 per acre and Big Long in 2005, with 40 per acre. Both are in LaGrange County. Crane Lake, in Noble County, contained 50 per acre in 1990, and Robinson Lake in Whitley County held 49 per acre in 2002. 

Other lakes with low numbers of bass were Maxinkuckee in Marshall County with three bass per acre in 1990, as well as Kosciusko County's Wawasee with four per acre in 1997 and Beaver Dam with four per acre in 1985. 

Ball Lake in Steuben County contained less than four bass per acre in 1995 and 1996, but the number rose to more than 15 bass per acre in 2001 and 2002, after imposition of a special 18-inch size limit and two-bass daily creel limit. 

Bill James Named to Great Lakes Commission  (3-24-2008)

Bill James, chief fisheries biologist for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources for more than 35 years, has been nominated to the Great Lakes Fishery Commission by President George W. Bush.

“It’s humbling and kind of mysterious,” James said of the announcement.

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission was established in 1955 by Canada and the United States to control the invasive sea lamprey but has expanded to incorporate a wide range of aquatic research and management efforts in the Great Lakes.

 “This reflects admirably on the career and talents of Bill James, but at the same time sheds a favorable light on DNR and our state,” said Gov. Mitch Daniels, who last year honored James for 35 years of state government service. 

The GLFC focuses on aquatic resource management issues on lakes Michigan, Superior, Huron, Erie and Ontario and represents Canada and the eight states that border them: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Indiana has 45 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline.

Indiana is a Great Lakes state,” James said. “So when you list the Great Lakes states, there are eight of them. It doesn’t say, Seven big ones plus Indiana. There are eight, and Indiana is one of them.”

An Illinois native, James has been in charge of the Division of Fish and Wildlife Fisheries Section since 1978. He previously worked as a reservoir biologist, statewide research supervisor and regional supervisor. James actually began his career with the DNR while in college, spending three summers assisting with lake and stream investigations throughout Indiana.

“Bill is the full package, humble, dedicated, loyal and hard working,” DNR Director Robert E. Carter Jr. said. “I’m confident he will approach this task with the same diligence he has given all these years to DNR and our state fisheries programs.”

James’ duties with DNR include overseeing statewide programs of fish management, research, hatcheries, public access, aquatic habitat, aquatic invasive species control and contaminants. 

He led management team efforts to extend migratory runs of steelhead trout and salmon on the St. Joseph River through Michigan and Indiana. That award-winning partnership project between Indiana DNR, Michigan DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service resulted in the construction of four migration ladders to assist fish in passing over dams, a new fish hatchery in Indiana and expanded public access facilities on the river.

James has served on numerous state and national committees, is a founding member of the six-state Ohio River Fisheries Management Team, and has worked with the Great Lakes Fishery Commission in several capacities as a committee chair.

“I kind of have an idea what they do, but because I’m not working full-time on Lake Michigan issues -- there will be a brief, steep learning curve just to get up to speed on all the issues that go beyond Indiana, from Lake Superior to the St. Laurence Seaway,” James said. “That’s the real challenge, plus running out and getting a passport so I can run back and forth to Canada as needed.”

James will be completing a six-year term on the commission, which has four members and an alternate from each of the two countries.

Two previous DNR employees served on the Great Lakes commission: Division of Fish and Wildlife director Frank R. Lockard from 1978-91, and DNR director James Ridenour from 1983-89.

Media Contact: Phil Bloom, (317) 232-4003; cell (317) 502-1683.

For a photo of James, go to http://dnr.in.gov/press/bill-james-photo.jpg

Arrest Made in Live Coyote Trade Investigation (11-20-07)

Indiana conservation officers arrested one person Sunday in connection with a multi-state investigation into the illegal movement of live coyotes being sold for use in penned dog-running facilities in other states. Officers with the Department of Natural Resources checked holding facilities in Indiana for compliance with state regulations.

Earl Hunt of Kennard in Henry County was arrested on multiple charges after conservation officers searched his home and business. He was charged with two Class D felonies for conspiracy to illegally ship wildlife, and for illegally selling or shipping wildlife. Hunt also was charged with Class C misdemeanors for illegal sale to a non-licensed fur buyer, failure to issue a valid and dated receipt, and illegal possession of 40 raccoons and two beavers.

Inspections also were conducted Sunday by state fish and wildlife agents in Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia as the result of a two-year investigation.

“Trapping is an essential wildlife management tool in controlling predator and nuisance wildlife populations as well as disease,” DNR director Robert E. Carter Jr. said. “The DNR supports and encourages legitimate trapping for those purposes, but this practice is a relatively new twist that is outside the traditional pursuit of wildlife.”

Indiana DNR, concerned that translocation of wildlife poses a health risk to animals and humans, was in the process of clarifying rules on possession of coyotes when it joined the investigation.

In addition to the DNR-regulated trapping and hunting season for coyotes (Oct. 15 through March 15), an Indiana landowner or someone with a landowner’s written permission can take nuisance coyotes year round. The DNR recently sought to amend the regulation to require that a coyote taken outside the regulated season must be euthanized within 24 hours and may not be sold, traded, bartered or gifted. The Natural Resources Commission gave preliminary approval to that proposal in September and is expected to hold public hearings on the rule change early next year before considering final adoption.

MEDIA CONTACTS:  Mark Farmer, DNR conservation officer, 812-620-4666; John Salb, DNR conservation officer, 317-695-6526; Phil Bloom, DNR communications director, 317-502-1683

DNR Studies Wabash River Catfish (8-25-2007)

DNR river biologists are in the third year of a four-year study to determine the population status of blue, channel and flathead catfish in the Wabash River.

So far, about 2,000 catfish have been sampled to provide information on growth, age, movement, and survival.

Prelminary results indicate that at 10 years of age, blue catfish average 27 inches, channel catfish average 19 inches and flathead catfish average 28 inches in length.

The oldest fish observed was a 31-year-old flathead catfish that measured 42 inches and weighed 34 pounds.

Wabash River catfish generally remain within one mile of the location they were caught and released.

However, a blue catfish tagged and released in 2005 moved 27 miles downstream, where it was recaptured in 2007. Anglers have recaptured about 5 percent of the catfish tagged by biologists.

If anglers catch a catfish with a green tag near the dorsal fin, they are asked to send the tag in for a reward to the Big Rivers Fisheries Program, Sugar Ridge FWA, 2310 E. SR 364, Winslow, IN  47598. The reward is a camouflage baseball cap that says "Wabash River Fisheries Research."

Lakes Get More Protection (8-25-2007)

As summer draws to a close and recreational activity on Indiana's public freshwater lakes begins to dwindle, many lakefront property owners may consider landscaping projects along the lake's shore.

Indiana requires a biologist check many types of shoreline work on public freshwater lakes because some types of lakeside work degrade water quality or destroy fish and wildlife habitat.

If you are considering a project on or near the shoreline of a public freshwater lake, and are not sure if you need a shoreline construction permit, contact the DNR Division of Water at (877) 928-3755, or e-mail water_inquiry@dnr.IN.gov.

DNR Offering Farm Plan To Restore Habitat For Pheasant And Quail  (03-06-06)

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is offering farmers and landowners a monetary incentive for enrolling idle farmland in federal land retirement programs.

In the early 1960s and '70s, pheasant and bobwhite quail were abundant in Indiana. With nearly four million acres of Hoosier farmland set-aside in U.S. Department of Agriculture land retirement programs, these idle fields provided undisturbed nesting and brood-rearing habitat for pheasant and quail alike.

Today, only slightly more than 250,000 acres of cropland are being idled in USDA programs across the state. As a result, Indiana has lost more than 93 percent of its idle nesting and brood-rearing cover.

The loss of idled farmland acres, changes in farming practices, and the widespread use of tall fescue have led to significant declines in pheasant, bobwhite quail, and grassland songbird populations.

To help address population declines the DNR has developed habitat priority areas to focus efforts in developing, enhancing, and maintaining habitat for pheasants and quail. Landowners within selected habitat priority counties and townships will be eligible to apply for a one-time signing incentive for enrollment in the USDA's CRP-CP33, Habitat Buffers for Upland Birds.

The signing incentive can be up to 120 percent of the average soil rental rate and is in addition to any signing incentive payments provided by USDA.

Interested landowners can take advantage of this limited time offer by calling the appropriate priority area biologist to discuss habitat management on their property. The biologist will prepare a management plan for each acceptable parcel and determine the total amount of incentive payments the landowner may be eligible to receive.

To be eligible for the incentive payments, a priority area biologist must approve the habitat practice or practice enrollment prior to implementation. Payments will be made after the work has been completed and inspected by the priority area biologist or their designated representative.

A detailed map of pheasant priority areas is available on the World Wide Web at: www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/hunt/phhabitat.pdf and a detailed map of quail priority areas can be found at: www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/hunt/quailhab.pdf

Pheasant Priority Areas are:

All of Newton, Jasper, and Benton Counties; Warren County - Prairie Twp. Contact: Bob Porch, Phone: (219) 285-2704;
Tippecanoe County - N of Hwy 52 and W of I-65, and S of Wabash and SR 26 and W of I-65; Montgomery County - N of I-74; Fountain County - N of I-74 and E of Hwy 41. Contact: Dean Zimmerman, Phone: (765) 567-2152; 

Fulton County, Contact: Tom Hewitt, Phone: (765) 473-9324.

Dekalb County - Fairfield Twp; Noble County - Wayne Twp; LaGrange County - Milford Twp; Steuben County - Salem Twp. Contact: Al Van Hoey, Phone: (260) 367-2186;

Starke County - California Twp, Contact: Mike Schoof, Phone: (574) 896-3522;

Porter County - S of SR 8, Marshall County - E of US 31 & S of US 30. Contact: Linda Byer, Phone: (574) 896-3572;

Clinton County - Washington and Perry Twp. Contact: Rick Peercy, Phone: (317) 591-0904;

LaPorte Co.- Washington, Union, Lincoln, and Johnson Twps, Contact: Ron Lorman,
Phone: (219) 393-3612.

Quail Priority Areas are:

Putnam County - Marion, Jefferson, and Cloverdale (East of US 231) Twps; Morgan County - Ashland, Ray, Baker, Jefferson, Washington, and Jackson Twps. Contact: Josh Griffin, Phone: (812) 526-4891.

Sullivan County, Contact: Roger Stonebraker, Phone: (812) 268-0300.

Lawrence County -Pleasant Run, Shawswick, Bono, and Guthrie Twps; Jackson County -Salt Creek and Owen Twp. Contact: Bloomington Field Office, Phone: (812) 334-1137.

Ripley County - North of US 50, Contact: Ed Guljas, Phone: (812) 346-6888.

Scott County, Contact: Chris Grauel, Phone: (812) 352-8486.

Greene County - Taylor Twp, Contact: Bob Montgomery, Phone: (812) 644-7382.

Warrick County - Lane, Owen, Pigeon, and Skelton Twps, Contact: Jeff Thompson Phone: (812) 789-2724.

Harrison County - South of I-64, Contact: Mark Bennett, Phone: (812) 849-4586.