Jeffrey Richwine, a conservation officer with the District 10 office, was selected as officer of the year in his district. District 10 encompasses the northwestern part of the state that includes Starke, Pulaski and LaPorte counties. That recognition made him eligible to be nominated for officer of the year and a candidate for the Pitzer Award.
State fisheries biologists are pleased with the muskie population at Bruce Lake. The DNR has stocked muskies annually at the lake since 2000 and periodically monitors their numbers. A week-long survey in April netted 90 muskies, including 20 measuring over 40 inches long. The largest was a 48-inch, 32-pound female. The daily bag limit for muskie is one, and it must be at least 36 inches long. DNR Fisheries Biologist Tom Bacula and his crew also caught a number of large crappie and several large bluegill at Bruce Lake. DNR officials report the lake has a good balance of prey and predator fish and say muskies will continue to be stocked.
Grab your fishing poles and tackle; Free Fishing Day is coming up in Indiana, giving anglers the perfect opportunity to get out to the water and cast out their lines. Free Fishing Day on May 18 is the second of four Free Fishing Days this year, the first of which was April 20. Indiana’s adult residents do not need a fishing license or a trout/salmon stamp to fish public waters in the state during Free Fishing Day.
DNR officials caution well-meaning citizens not to “rescue” seemingly helpless, abandoned baby wild animals they find while enjoying the outdoors. A wildlife information specialist with the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife says many animals leave their young alone while searching for food and come back to them throughout the day. Michelle Cain adds that picking up animals can be harmful to both animals and people, and removing animals from their natural habitat is illegal. If you believe an animal is truly abandoned or injured, Cain says you should call a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or DNR Law Enforcement. They are reachable 24-hours a day at 812-837-9536. If a bird has fallen out of its nest, Cain says it’s OK to gently put it back. If you’re unsure if an animal is orphaned, check on it periodically. If you’re still unsure, place some strings or sticks across the nest. If they are disturbed, it’s a good sign that the mother returned.
Over a dozen state parks in Indiana will be temporarily closing their gates to visitors in November to allow hunters to take out deer threatening native plant life. Every year, state wildlife biologists evaluate state parks and determine which of them are in need of a deer population reduction, based on previous deer-killing rates and each park’s habitat.
The Department of Natural Resources has introduced a new online tool called Check IN Game program. Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman says hunters can now check in harvested deer and turkeys online.
“They’ll be given a unique number as their tag number. This will alleviate the need to try to find a check station that’s open and the need to drive to another county to find one that’s open to record the metal tag. Those check stations are still currently up and running and the same regulations apply. You need to check a harvested deer within 48 hours and provide the correct information,” said Wildeman.
A LaPorte teenager was arrested yesterday after escaping from the LaPorte County Juvenile Detention Center.
The teen escaped from the center and stole a truck in the Westville area with plans to pick up an ex-girlfriend at South Central High School. Police later located the vehicle near the school and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver fled.
With hunting season just around the corner, Indiana Conservation Officers want to remind hunters to put safety first as they take to the woods or waters this hunting season. Thousands of hunters will be participating in the sport this season, and the Department of Natural Resources would like to ensure that all hunters understand these basic tips.
First, always point the muzzle of the gun in a safe direction, and never assume that a gun isn’t loaded with ammo. Most accidental shootings happen this way and most of them occur at home. Before shooting, make sure that you know that your target is a game animal. Make sure that you don’t shoot at flashes of color as those flashes could be another person.
The Department of Natural Resources is offering a new deer license bundle so hunters can have the right license for the right deer season.
This bundling option includes one license that can be used in multiple seasons. It can be used in youth, archery, firearms, muzzle-loader, and special antlerless seasons and for the harvest of one antlered and two antlerless deer total.
FEMA and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources will be hosting a Flood Risk Information Open House on Tuesday, April 17th from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Knox Community Center. The Open House will provide Starke County residents with an opportunity to review a recently completed preliminary Flood Insurance Study and its accompanying preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps.
