Patoka Sportsman 10-31-20

Patoka Sportsman 10-31 & 11-1-20

The Dubois County Sportsmen’s Club is again sponsoring the Hunters for the Hungry during this year’s deer season.  Hunters who legally harvest a deer can donate the entire deer by taking it to either Sanders Processing in Celestine, Ohio Valley Caviar in English or Cannelburg Processing.  The deer should be field dressed and you must donate the entire deer not just parts of it.  The processing will be paid for through a grant from the Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund. Several deer have been donated so far this year and we thank you for your donation.  Each time you donate a deer you will be eligible to win a gun donated by Dr. Greg Gordon and Jasper Optical Lab.

Hunters are getting ready for deer firearms season, Nov. 14–29. All property visitors should be aware of their surroundings – hunters are required to wear hunter orange during deer firearms season and should be easy to spot. Non-hunters should consider wearing hunter orange if they plan to venture off-trail. Questions about deer seasons and regulations can be directed to the Deer Hotline at [email protected] or call 812-334-3795, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

State Park Deer management draw dates are November 16-17 for the early hunt and November 30-December 1, 2020 for the late hunt. Applicants must possess any valid license to take a deer in Indiana at the time of the application, not including apprentice licenses. Applicants must be Indiana residents (or possess a valid lifetime comprehensive hunting license to take deer in Indiana), be 18 years of age by the date of the first hunt, and must possess the proper licenses to hunt deer in order to apply. Once you have submitted your application online, you cannot change your information.

For successful applicants, deer harvested at a State Park Management Hunt are in addition to regular deer-season bag limits. You do not need to purchase additional licenses to harvest deer if participating in the management hunt. For questions regarding State Park Deer Management Hunts, please contact DNR's Division of State Parks at 317-232-4200.

Available state parks locally in 2020 include Brown County, Harmonie, Lincoln State Park, McCormick's Creek and Spring Mill State Park.

If you hunt in more than one season, this is the license deal for you! A deer bundle license can be used in all seasons (except the deer reduction zone season) using legal equipment during that season and gives the hunter the privilege to harvest up to three deer (3 antlerless OR 1 antlered and 2 antlerless deer). Season dates, legal equipment, and all other deer hunting laws apply. Antlerless deer taken with a deer license bundle can count toward the archery season bag limit, muzzleloader season bag limit, or as a bonus antlerless deer in that county, depending on the season and equipment used.

Signing in to buy hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses looks a little different now. A new state online portal called Access Indiana, which allows citizens to interact with multiple Indiana state agencies through a single login, has launched. If you haven’t already purchased your hunting license for this fall, we suggest creating your Access Indiana account today.

The Indiana CheckIN Game system allows hunters and trappers to check in their harvested game from any device connected to the internet. You will receive a confirmation number that must be written down on a temporary transportation tag for the harvested game species (turkey, deer). Be sure to check your information to ensure accuracy before submitting. Deer and wild turkeys must be checked in within 48 hours of harvest; river otters must be checked in within 24 hours of harvest. Have your Customer ID and harvest information ready. Remember, you don’t need to log in to your account to check in game for this fall – you can do so by clicking Game CheckIN and entering your Customer ID number and date of birth.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some Indiana deer processors may have adjusted hours, may not be taking full carcasses, or may not be taking deer at all this fall. Indiana DNR recommends you plan ahead and contact your processor before taking a deer to them. For the do-it-yourselfer, videos about skinning, butchering, and preparing your meat are available at deer.dnr.IN.gov under Field to Freezer: Meat Preparation. Remember to wear gloves, wash your hands after processing, and clean and disinfect your instruments after use.

Wild turkey fall archery season runs through Nov. 1.  Wild turkey fall firearms season is from Oct. 21. – Nov. 1. Deer Archery season runs now through Jan. 3.  Red and gray fox season runs from Oct. 15 – Feb. 28, 2021. Coyote and striped skunk season is Oct. 15. – Mar. 15.

Youth free hunting days are November 28-29.  Any resident age 17 or younger on the date of the hunt can take any legal game in season during these youth free hunting days.  To participate, the youth must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 18 years of age.  The youth hunter does not have to possess a hunting license but must comply with all other hunting regulations.

Enjoy the beauty winter brings to the parks. Winter Special - Two nights for the price of one, Nov. 29 – Feb. 25, 2021.

Stay two nights for the price of one. Sunday - Thursday only. Not available Dec. 20-31, 2020.

Also, take advantage of the Fall special before it ends.

Stay 2 days - save 25%
Stay 3-4 days - save 33%
Stay 5 days - save 50%

Available through Nov. 26, 2020; Sunday - Thursday.

Reserve online or call 1-877-LODGES-1.

The DNR would like to remind everyone to be aware of their surroundings. Hunters are not required to wear hunter orange until firearms season in November, and could be hard to spot. If you see a bowhunter, give them space to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Consider wearing hunter orange when entering areas where hunters are present, especially when venturing off-trail. Please note that state parks only allow deer hunting on certain reserved draw dates. Other DNR properties, like state forests and fish & wildlife areas, allow hunting throughout the seasons. Questions about deer seasons and regulations can be directed to the Deer Hotline at [email protected] or call 812-334-3795, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.

The most common injuries during deer seasons are accidents involving tree stands and elevated platforms. Follow the safety tips listed below when hunting from an elevated position:

Before the hunt:

  • Read and understand the tree stand manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Check tree stands and equipment for wear, fatigue, and cracks or loose nuts/bolts, paying particularly close attention to parts made of material other than metal.
  • Practice at ground level.
  • Learn how to properly wear your full-body safety harness.

During the hunt:

  • Wear your full-body safety harness.
  • Use a tree stand safety rope.
  • Make certain to attach your harness to the tree before leaving the ground, and that it remains attached to the tree until you return to the ground.
  • Maintain three points of contact during ascent and descent.
  • Use boots with non-slip soles to avoid slipping.
  • Use a haul line to raise and lower firearms, bows and other hunting gear.
  • Make certain firearms are unloaded, action open and safety on before attaching the haul line.

Additional safety tips:

  • Carry emergency equipment, such as a cell phone and flashlight.
  • Make a plan before you hunt.
  • Tell someone your plan, including where you will be hunting and when you plan to return.
  • Stick to your plan.
  • Identify game before pointing a firearm.
  • Know your target and what is beyond it.

For more information, see hunting.IN.gov.

Deer-vehicle accidents can be minimized by practicing good defensive driving skills.

Staying aware and keeping the following information in mind can help motorists reduce their chances of becoming another deer-vehicle collision statistic:

  • Deer are most active at dawn and dusk.
  • Deer often travel in groups. If you see one deer, another is likely nearby.
  • Be especially careful in areas where you have seen deer before.
  • Use high beams when there is no opposing traffic. Scan for deer’s illuminated eyes or dark silhouettes along the side of the road.
  • If you see a deer, slow your speed drastically, even if it is far away.
  • Exercise extreme caution along wooded edges, at hills, and during blind turns.
  • Never swerve to avoid hitting a deer. Most serious crashes occur when drivers try to miss a deer, but hit something else.