Online reserved-hunt applications now available
Hunters may apply for a reserved hunt online by visiting hunting.IN.gov and clicking on the "Reserved Hunt Information" link. This is the only way to apply.
All applicants must possess a valid hunting license for the species they’d like to hunt. All applications must be completed by the application deadline to be eligible for the drawing. Hunters will be selected through a random drawing.
Due to flooding during the sunflower growing season, J.E. Roush Lake, Willow Slough FWA, LaSalle FWA and Salamonie Reservoir will not be in the 2015 dove hunting draw.
All drawing results will be posted at wildlife.IN.gov within a week after application deadlines. More information
Bonus deer antlerless quotas set for 2015
Quotas have been reduced in eight counties and increased in one. As a result, 60 counties will be included in the special antlerless season compared to 63 in 2014-15.
In addition to basic bag limits, hunters can purchase bonus licenses to take additional antlerless deer based on the quota assigned to the county in which they hunt. Bonus antlerless licenses can be used in any season, except the Reduction Zone Season, using the equipment that is legal for that season.
Bonus licenses may be used in any county, but hunters may not take more than the county quota for bonus antlerless deer in any specific county.
County quotas range from A to 8. For counties designated as an “A,” a bonus antlerless license can be used to take one antlerless deer from Nov. 26 through Jan. 3, 2016 (the last four days of the regular firearms season, plus muzzleloader and archery seasons). Bonus antlerless licenses cannot be used in an “A” county prior to Nov. 26.
Since 2011, the number of counties with a bonus quota of 8 has dropped from 45 to 23 this coming season.
DNR seeks help with aquatic species research
The DNR seeks volunteers to help gather information on recreational use at large northern Indiana lakes to learn about the spread of aquatic species.
Lakes involved in the project are Bass, Manitou, Maxinkuckee, Wawasee, Webster and Winona.
Volunteers will monitor selected boat ramps during high-use times to record boats entering or leaving the lake and if any aquatic species, such as plants, mussels or invertebrates, are attached. Volunteers will also record the type of watercraft and its home state, according to license plate. Find out more
Fishing reports
Want to know what’s biting near you? Check out our weekly fishing reports.
 Photo by Teresa Bass
Bald eagle spotted at Monroe one of oldest on record
It’s not uncommon to see bald eagles around Monroe Lake these days, but the one Cassie Hudson and her friends recently saw was a rare find.
Hudson, a biologist with the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife, was on a boat ride with her husband, Brandon, and friends Eric and Teresa Bass when she caught a glimpse of a bald eagle along the shoreline.
“We slowly cruised over, shut off the engine and quietly floated,” Hudson said.
Before they got too close, Teresa Bass put a telephoto lens on her camera and began taking photographs.
Hudson later shared the photos with coworker Amy Kearns and former DNR employee John Castrale, who used an orange color band on one wing and metal leg bands to identify the eagle as C43 — one of the original eagles released at Monroe when the Indiana DNR began its bald eagle restoration program in the late 1980s.
“I was kind of shocked,” said Castrale, who supervised the DNR’s release of bald eagles, peregrine falcons and ospreys before retiring last year. Read more
Join a fisheries survey crew as they use
an electrofishing boat
 Did you ever wonder how fisheries biologists collect and gather data on so many fish? One way is by electrofishing. Check out how this works in the video above.
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DNR banding mourning doves, ducks and Canada geese
In July, wildlife staff will be banding mourning doves, ducks and Canada geese. Biologists will determine the age and sex of each bird. A small metal band is affixed to the leg of the bird. These bands do not injure or impair the birds and will remain on for life. Hunters will occasionally harvest these banded birds and relay the information back to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service bird banding laboratory. Important data about migration patterns, longevity and population dispersal is determined by these band recoveries.
 Learn the process and importance of banding geese. For more information about geese.
Troxel Lake in LaGrange Co. to undergo fish renovation
The DNR will lower Troxel Lake this summer in preparation to remove the existing fish and restock the lake with desirable sport fish.
Troxel Lake is a 72-acre man-made lake in Pigeon River Fish & Wildlife Area in LaGrange County.
Maintaining a balanced fish population at Troxel Lake has been an ongoing challenge made more difficult by a significant fish kill during the severe winter of 2013-14. The largemouth bass population was especially hard hit. The fishery has reached a point of no return. Read more
NRC meets at Fort Harrison
The Natural Resources Commission will have its regular bi-monthly meeting at 10 a.m. July 21 at Fort Harrison State Park Inn. The agenda will be posted prior to the meeting.
Fishing Guide - Hunting & Trapping Guide - What license do I need - Purchase a license
About Fish and Wildlife Management in Indiana
Fish and wildlife management and public access are funded by fishing and hunting license revenue and also through the Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration Programs administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These programs collect excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, and motor boat fuels. The money is distributed among state fish and wildlife agencies based on land size and the number of licensed anglers and hunters in each state. Find out more information about fish and wildlife management in Indiana at www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild.
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