Patoka Sportsman 10-8-22

Patoka Sportsman 10-8 & 10-9-22

Indiana’s whitetail archery season is now open as is the fall turkey season.  Archery runs through Jan. 1, 2023. The wild turkey fall archery season runs from Oct. 1-30.  The fall wild turkey firearms season runs from Oct. 19-30. One turkey of either sex may be harvested during the fall season with the appropriate license. Woodcock, Rad and gray fox, coyote and striped skunk all begin on October 15.  Woodcock season runs through Nov. 28. Fox season ends on February 28. The coyote and striped skunk seasons runs Oct. 15 through March 15.

DNR Fish & Wildlife areas are for everyone. If you’re a person with a disability who wants to hunt on a DNR property, you can apply for a special permit. In particular, if you’re a veteran with a disability, apply for a DAV hunting license. Be sure to contact the property manager to organize entry for each area. If you have questions about accessible properties or hunts near you, contact them.

Don’t risk delays—plan to buy your deer hunting license early. If you typically buy your license at a store near you, skip the long lines the day before your hunt and buy it now. Find a list of license retailers online. Be sure to check your license for accuracy before you leave the store.If you plan to purchase your license online, log in to your Access Indiana account before the season begins—don’t risk delays due to potential technical difficulties.

Interested in harvesting multiple deer or hunting across multiple seasons? Consider buying a deer license bundle, which allows you to harvest up to three deer (only one may be antlered) during the Archery, Firearms, and Muzzleloader seasons. To find more information about deer licenses, seasons, and regulations, visit our website. Remember, the resident youth consolidated hunt/trap license includes all deer hunting privileges. Still have questions? Email us at [email protected].

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, while river otters must be checked in within 24 hours of harvest. Be sure to 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 CheckIN Game and entering your Customer ID number and date of birth. Please do not re-enter the correct information if you have entered incorrect information into the CheckIN Game system because each submission registers as a harvested animal. Email your confirmation number, name, and changes that need to be made to [email protected]. To view all game that was previously checked in with the CheckIN Game system, you will need to set up an account through our online system. You can purchase licenses, check in game, complete your HIP registration, or make a donation through your account. Hunters still have the option of visiting traditional check-in stations where a confirmation number will be provided to hunters to place on their temporary transportation tag. You can also phone-in your harvest by calling 1-800-419-1326; however, there is a $3 charge for this service (Visa or MasterCard only).

The County Bonus Antlerless Quotas are set for the 2022-2023 hunting season. This year, the quotas in several counties in southern Indiana remain low in response to epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD). Indiana DNR raised the quotas in a few northern counties and kept counties in south-central Indiana lower than normal because of new population research from the Integrated Deer Management Project with Purdue. Quotas in Wayne, Union, Fayette, and Franklin counties have been reduced from 2 to 1 because of a significant EHD outbreak in those areas. Find out more online about Bonus Antlerless regulations and see what the quota is in your county.

EHD is a common disease in the Indiana deer herd that DNR receives reports of annually through its online reporting form. In many cases, the disease only affects small areas but can become widespread in some years, affecting a larger-than-normal portion of deer. This quota change will help DNR maintain the deer herd in the impacted counties for many future successful seasons. Please report sick or dead deer using the online reporting form at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.

Bowhunters have a unique opportunity to observe a variety of wildlife during the hours they spend sitting quietly in the field. If you plan to hunt deer with archery equipment in Indiana during October and November, consider becoming an Archer’s Index volunteer. Wildlife reported through the index allows researchers to track wildlife trends over time. This effort also provides other valuable data like fawn-to-doe and buck-to-doe ratios to help manage white-tailed deer populations.

Indiana Conservation Officers encourage citizens to partner with the Turn In a Poacher, Inc. (TIP) program and help put an end to poaching. TIP is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects fish and wildlife resources by increasing public support and involvement in bringing violators to justice. A poacher is a thief who illegally steals wildlife that belongs to each Indiana citizen. Indiana DNR manages wildlife for everyone, and every person can help TIP support DNR efforts by reporting potential violations at 1-800-TIP-IDNR (800-847-4367) or tip.IN.gov. Doing so will help conserve wildlife for future generations. Call TIP if you see, hear, or learn about poaching or another violation regarding fish and wildlife. If your “TIP” leads to an arrest, you may receive as much as a $500 reward, and you can remain anonymous. Since 2017 TIP has received 1,788 tips and paid thousands of dollars in rewards for tips that have led to the arrest of a suspect.

The public is invited to the respective open houses that DNR Division of Forestry will host on Oct. 17, 18, and 19.

Martin State Forest: Oct. 17, 4 to 7 p.m. at the property office off U.S. 50, approximately 4 miles northeast of Shoals. Call 812-247-3491 for more information.

Ferdinand-Pike State Forest: Oct. 18, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Ferdinand State Forest office, off State Road 264, approximately 4 miles northeast of Ferdinand. Call 812-367-1524 for more information.

Harrison-Crawford State Forest: Oct. 19, 4 to 7 p.m. at the property office off State Road 462, just past the gatehouse for O’Bannon Woods State Park. Call 812-738-7694 for more information.
Property staff members are also often available during normal business hours, which are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. See dnr.IN.gov/forestry/properties for contact information.

The DNR Division of Forestry promotes and practices good stewardship of natural, recreational, and cultural resources on Indiana's public and private forest lands. This stewardship produces continuing benefits, both tangible and intangible, for present and future generations.
During the events, division personnel will display information on forest, recreation, and facility management. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and comment. Written comments can be submitted at dnr.IN.gov/forestry/state-forest-management/public-comment/submit

A guided hike starting at 5 p.m. will be offered during each open house listed below. Those participating in the hike should meet at the office.

It’s that time of year again, when the weather is cooling, leaves are falling, and the DNR is stocking channel catfish. This fall, DNR will stock 147 locations with approximately 63,742.
To provide additional angling opportunities, the DNR annually stocks channel catfish statewide in publicly accessible waters. All stocked channel catfish are produced by state personnel at the following DNR hatcheries (county): Cikana (Morgan), Driftwood (Jackson), and East Fork (Daviess). All locations should be stocked by the end of October or early November. The channel catfish range in size from 8-10 inches. Once stocked, these fish acclimate to their new environment quickly and don’t take long to start biting. Anglers are encouraged to harvest the catfish, as they make great table fare.

Anglers interested in harvesting channel catfish need to follow bag and size restrictions. In most lakes and reservoirs, the statewide regulation is 10 channel catfish per day in lakes, with no more than one being longer than 28 inches; however, there are a few lakes that have a different bag limit. They are listed at eregulations.com/indiana/fishing/basic-fishing-information under Special Regulations Waters. Channel Catfish stocking locations, numbers, and sizes are listed at: wildlife.IN.gov/fishing/indiana-fish-stocking.

With the deer reduction zone season underway and the statewide archery deer season that started on Oct. 1, Indiana Conservation Officers remind hunters to stay safe.The various deer hunting seasons run through Jan. 31, 2023. It is estimated that more than 300,000 people will participate in some form of deer hunting in Indiana during that span. The most common injuries during deer seasons are accidents involving tree stands and elevated platforms. Hunters should 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.
  • Use a haul line to raise and lower firearms, bows and other hunting gear.
  • Make sure firearms are unloaded, action is open, and safety is on before attaching them to the haul line.

Additional safety tips:

  • Carry emergency equipment, such as a cellphone 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.