Sign up Now for the Karl E. Kelley Memorial Youth Camp
Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman explained that this camp is held once a year in West Lafayette at Ross Camp.
“Camp is open to boys and girls both who have completed the fifth and sixth grades,” said Wildeman. “This camp is going to be held from June 16 to June 22.”
DNR Warns Hunters to Be Safe This Season
We’ve received several reports of hunters being involved in tree stand injuries in the last couple of weeks, including a hunter in the Grovertown area. Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman reminds hunters to be safe while in a tree stand.
“Always wear a full-body safety harness or vest when climbing into the stand, while you’re in the stand and when you’re climbing down from your tree stand,” said Wildeman. “Always make sure, prior to hunting, you check your tree stands to make sure they’re secure. When you’re going into a tree stand, use a pull line. Pull up your unloaded firearm and any gear you may need with you so you can keep three points of contact.”
DNR Introduces New Online Tool
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.
New State Law Affects Hunting Blinds
Several new changes have been put forward this year regarding hunting regulations. Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman says a new law has been enacted concerning hunting out of ground blinds.
“If you’re in a ground blind when hunter orange is required, you need to have a minimum of 144 square inches visible from all sides on a ground blind. That’s just one square foot visible from all sides and this is mainly during the firearms muzzleloader season when you’re required to wear hunter orange,” stated Wildeman.
If you are hunting out of an elevated blind, hunter orange is not required on your blind, but you must still wear hunter orange.
DNR Modifies Hunting Regulations
The Department of Natural Resources has changed some regulations in this year’s hunting season. Conservation Officer, Keith Wildeman, said this year will be the first year for a late firearms anterless deer season.
“There used to be a split between early archery and late archery,” said Wildeman. “Now, our archery season is continuous all the way through. It starts statewide Oct. 1 and runs to Jan. 6. There used to be a five-day split and now that’s continuous so archery hunters have that option.”
New DNR Hunting Package Gives Hunters More Options
Several changes have been made in this year’s deer hunting season. Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman said one of the changes is a bundling licensing package to give hunters more options.
“This deer license bundle allows a hunter to take one antlered deer and two antlerless, or does, at a discounted price in this one license. This is available to residents for $65 and non-residents for $295,” explained Wildeman.
Endangered Aquatic Plants In Danger Near Bass Lake
The Indiana Division of Nature Preserves is asking you to help protect a state endangered aquatic plant at Bass Lake.
Conservation Officer Keith Wildeman said the plants have been exposed in areas where the water level has dropped and DNR officials have identified off-road and motor vehicle tracks over these plants.
Ice Fishing Safety Reminders
Conservation Officer, Keith Wildeman, is in today to discuss ice fishing safety.
“Ice is never safe just because it can always change depending on weather conditions,” said Wildeman. “If we have a heavy snow like we did a few weeks back, the snow acts as an insulator and the ice will not form as quickly or as hard.”
What is the rule of thumb about the thickness of the ice?
