2015 Fish of the Year Winners Announced
The 2015 fish of the year awards are now online. A few highlights from this year: Jeff Carlin of Crown Point recorded three winners: Lake trout (39 inches), Coho salmon (32 inches), and yellow perch (14.5 inches) from Lake Michigan. Robert Ecenbarger of Fort Wayne caught the top cisco for the fifth straight year. Tristan Weaver caught a 35.3-inch steelhead from the St. Joseph River, giving him the steelhead of the year for three years running.
March Migratory Bird of the Month: King Rail
The king rail is a secretive marsh bird that is difficult to find. Its behavior of foraging through the tall grass and dense emergent vegetation of a marsh make it incredibly hard to see. It's only during the beginning of the breeding season, when rails are calling, that these birds are easy to find. Decades of study have revealed these details about the life and behavior of this species. Because of their secretiveness, little is known about the population and distribution of the king rail. Records from the Breeding Bird Survey indicate a steep decline of 6.7 percent per year since 1966.
In Indiana, the king rail is listed as a state endangered species, with confirmed breeding evidence in only two counties. Want to help the king rail and other endangered species in Indiana? Consider donating to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund.
2016 annual licenses
The 2016 annual hunting and fishing licenses are available for purchase. Remember, these licenses are not valid until April 1.
Your 2015 license is good through March 31.
Hunting seasons ending in March
March 1 - crow
March 15 - coyote, striped skunk
March 31 - game turtles, light geese
Trapping season for coyote, striped skunk, and beaver ends March 15.
2016-17 Fishing Guide now available
The 2016-17 Indiana fishing guide is now online and in retail locations throughout the state. Pick up yours today to see regulations changes for 2016.
The guide includes feature stories on new catfish regulations and DNR’s urban fishing program, fish consumption advisories,and contact information for DNR fisheries biologists and law enforcement districts, and DNR properties.
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Upcoming Go FishIN Crew Captain Workshops
Go FishIN Crew Captain workshops are scheduled in four cities this month:
March 12 - Indianapolis
March 15 - Evansville
March 17 - Indianapolis
March 31 - Fort Wayne
The workshops are free for adults (e.g., educators and youth leaders) and cover fish biology, Indiana's aquatic ecosystems, fish management in Indiana, basic angling skills, and angler ethics. Participants will become crew captains and can then take this knowledge and these skills to their classrooms and community. Crew captains also can receive sport fishing educational materials and borrow fishing equipment from the DNR to carry out the program.
Youth turkey hunts on DNR properties
Youth hunters (under age 18 on the day of the hunt) may apply for reserved turkey hunts during the special youth wild turkey hunting season, April 23-24 on selected DNR properties.
Participating fish & wildlife areas include Atterbury, Chinook, Crosley, Fairbanks Landing, Glendale, Goose Pond, Hillenbrand, Hovey Lake, Jasper-Pulaski, Kankakee, Kingsbury, LaSalle, Pigeon River, Roush Lake, Sugar Ridge, Tri-County, Wabashiki, Willow Slough and Winamac. Two reservoir properties, Mississinewa and Salamonie, are also participating. More information
Two programs to help improve bat habitats
DNR Fish & Wildlife is seeking volunteers for two bat habitat programs. They are:
Bat House Distribution Project: We will supply a free bat house, hardware, and installation guidelines for applicants who want a bat house on their property. Sign up at the “Service projects listing” link by choosing Bat House Distribution Project. Bat houses must be mounted to pole or building, must be a sunny location, and near a permanent water source.
Summer Roost Monitoring Project: Do you have bats roosting on your property or know someone who does? We’re looking for volunteers to collect data on summer bat colonies. Possible roost sites include trees, bat houses, and barns. Each night of surveying, volunteers count bats exiting the roost and record weather conditions. Surveys generally take less than an hour and are conducted on 8-12 nights from May 17-July 15. Sign up at the “Service projects listing” and choose Summer Bat Roost Monitoring Program.
Reserved turkey hunt applications close March 21
You can apply for one turkey hunt per licensed hunter. Details on properties and requirements can be found online.
 Support Indiana’s non-game wildlife
You can help Indiana’s wildlife thrive by donating to the non-game fund. There are more than 750 endangered and non-game animals in Indiana that need help, including the trumpeter swan, barn owl and spotted turtle.
Three ways you can help:
1. Donate via your Indiana state taxes. If filing with paper forms, look for the eagle logo on Schedule 5/Schedule IN-Donate. If donating through online tax programs, you will be prompted to donate at the end of filing, the eagle logo will not be present.
2. Donate online with your credit card.
3. Donate directly to the program by check or money order.
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 Willow Slough FWA shooting range coming along nicely
The new shooting range at Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area is on track to be completed in early fall. Current work includes forming and pouring the last two south walls for the 25-yard and short pistol ranges. Work is progressing as scheduled due to favorable weather conditions. The next phase of construction will include installation of overhead baffles.
Fish & Wildlife welcomes new faces in 2015-16
DNR Fish & Wildlife has welcomed several new faces in 2015-16. They include: Allisyn-Marie Gillet, nongame bird biologist; Savanna Vaughn, property manager at Pigeon River FWA; Jack Basiger, Hoosier outdoor heritage coordinator; John Haupt, assistant big rivers biologist; Jon Munter, assistant property manager at Sugar Ridge FWA; Andrew Bueltmann, assistant fisheries research south biologist; Andrew Gima, assistant property manager at Mixsawbah Fish Hatchery; Seth Peters, assistant property manager Kankakee FWA.
We also have several new/returning staff this year. Rebecca Pawlak was promoted to the District 6 fisheries biologist. Brianna Ciara was promoted to the assistant fisheries research north biologist. Olivia Vaught was promoted to environmental review biologist. Dericke Lavoine transferred to the assistant property manager at Tri-County FWA. Matt Burlingame came back to work for the division as the fisheries biometrician.
Congrats and welcome to all.
NRC meets at Fort Harrison State Park
The Natural Resources Commission will conduct its regular bi-monthly meeting at 10 a.m. March 15 at Fort Harrison State Park's Garrison Ballroom. The agenda will be posted prior to the meeting.
Quick Links
Hunting & Trapping Guide
Waterfowl seasons
Fishing Guide
Regulaciones de pesca
Buy your license
Where to Hunt
Where to Fish
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 Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs administered by the U.S. Fish & 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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