Enjoy fall fun and Halloween events
A cornucopia of fall fun and Halloween events are happening at DNR properties throughout October.
Campsite decorating, pumpkin decorating, costume contests and a variety of other events are a part of these weekends. You can come for one activity, stay for a day, or spend the entire weekend at most events.
Activities will follow the state’s guidance for event planning, including social distancing, mask requirements, hand-washing, and sanitizing of program materials.
For details regarding a fall or Halloween event near you, or one that’s well worth a road trip, visit the DNR Calendar at calendar.dnr.IN.gov.
 Stay more, save more specials at State Park Inns
Stay 2 days - save 25% (Rate Code: SP25)
Stay 3-4 days - save 33% (Rate Code: SP33)
Stay 5 days - save 50% (Rate Code: SP50)
Available through Nov. 26, 2020; Sunday - Thursday.
Reserve online at IndianaInns.com or by calling 1.877.LODGES1.
 Upcoming deer hunting seasons
The 2020-21 deer reduction zone season started Sept. 15, archery season begins Oct. 1, and firearms season begins Nov. 14.
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 INDeerHotline@dnr.IN.gov or call 812-334-3795, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
 Discovery Trail open in Clarksville
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb recently joined members of the Clarksville Town Council and Redevelopment Commission to officially open the newly completed Discovery Trail. The 1.9-mile asphalt multi-use trail was built with help from a Next Level Trails grant.
The new trail is built on a former railroad corridor, acquired from CSX by the town in 2018. The project extends through Clarksville, from Applegate Lane southwest to Silver Creek, where the trail merges with the Ohio River Greenway, creating uninterrupted trail connections to New Albany, Jeffersonville, and Louisville. As part of the project, a new trailhead and crossing signal were installed at Eastern Boulevard.
Indiana Conservation Officer receives national award
Indiana Conservation Officer Jarred Coffing has been named the 2020 Operation Dry Water Officer of the Year by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA).
The award recognizes the top officer making a difference in recreational boating safety by educating boaters, raising awareness about the dangers of boating under the influence, and removing impaired operators from the nation’s waterways.
During this year’s campaign's heightened awareness and enforcement weekend Coffing contacted 74 boats and more than 150 boaters. The majority of these contacts were calls of service, assisting stranded boaters, and responding to complaints and visible boating violations.
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 Importance of Public Access
A parking lot may not sound like something that is important to conservation, but in a time when most people drive to their destinations, parking is a necessity.
The Indiana Natural Resources Foundation and the Indiana Muskie Club recently worked in partnership with the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife to purchase land along Kuhn Lake in northeast Indiana to solve the parking problem for local boaters and fishermen. The solution was to create a legal parking area for outdoor enthusiasts.
DNR Reclamation receives regional award
An Indiana DNR Division of Reclamation (DOR) project in southwest Indiana received the highest regional award the federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) issues annually.
The award is for the Buttermilk Highwalls project in Pike County. The project addressed public safety and environmental concerns left by the Ayrshire #7400 mine that operated from 1953-1955 in what is now a section of Sugar Ridge Fish & Wildlife Area. The project included two highwalls and an acidic mine pit lake with poor water quality. Ranging between 15 and 38 feet high, with a combined length of 1,615 feet, the steep and unstable highwalls were a danger to Sugar Ridge FWA visitors.
 Sandhill cranes begin fall migration at Jasper-Pulaski
Sandhill cranes can be seen at Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area from late September through December. Crane numbers peak in mid-November. The best time to view is sunrise, from the Goose Pasture viewing area.
Upcoming educational wildlife workshops and events
Learn about Indiana wildlife at one of DNR’s upcoming educational events. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions with experts.
Oct. 3 – Monarch Migration Hike, Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area
Oct. 21 – Large Mammals of Indiana Webinar
Interested in learning how to teach conservation to children through a professional development workshop in Project WET or Project WILD?
Explore and share the fascinating world of wildlife and natural resources using fun, hands-on educational activities through our Early Childhood Workshop, Fort Wayne on Oct. 24.
Redbird SRA Fall Night Ride, Oct. 24-25
This fun event is family friendly and as spooky as you want it to be. Stay on the easy trails for a relaxed night with a different feel or venture into the advanced areas where the ghosts and goblins of Redbird are sure to find you.
Dirt bikes, ATVs, side-by-sides, 4x4 vehicles, and other ORVs are welcome to attend. Admission cost for the night ride is $25/ORV to ride from Saturday dawn until Sunday dusk. Annual Motorized Trail Permit holders will receive a $10 discount for the Night Ride, paying just $15/ORV. All ORV trails will remain open overnight for your enjoyment.
 Stay safe on the road – Look out for deer
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.
Statistics about deer-vehicle collisions in Indiana are available in the 2019 Indiana Deer Report.
Report sick or dead wildlife
Help DNR track wildlife health over time and detect potential disease outbreaks through a new reporting system. Individuals are encouraged to report fish or wildlife displaying odd behavior or signs of disease.
We are especially interested in incidents involving the death of five or more animals, recurring deaths of animals in the same location over a period of time, deer exhibiting signs that may indicate chronic wasting disease or epizootic hemorrhagic disease, or incidents involving threatened or endangered species.
Subscribe to Outdoor Indiana magazine
At the recent Association for Conservation Information (ACI) national awards presentation, a 2019 Outdoor Indiana article on covered bridges written by Scott Roberts won third place in the destination/cultural/historical category. Subscribe to Outdoor Indiana here.
DNR Response to COVID-19
The DNR is committed to ensuring that our guests and staff continue to have safe and memorable outdoor experiences at our state parks, state forests, fish & wildlife areas, nature preserves and state recreation areas in light of the COVID-19. We are following the lead of the Indiana State Department of Health and many local county health departments as we monitor the virus and its potential impacts on DNR properties.
VIEW WHAT IS OPEN, CLOSED AND CANCELED >>
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