Camping season is almost here
Hoping to spend quality time outdoors again? Book a summer camping vacation today. Go online or call 1-866-622-6746 to pick your favorite cabin or campsite. If you look forward to hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, bird-watching, studying history and culture, or just relaxing by a campfire, we have something for everyone.
 Indiana State Nature Passport Program
Indiana is blessed with unique places and remarkable natural features. From state parks to forests to lakes, this passport includes 59 outdoor locations to explore.
It's free to sign up. All you need to do is check in to one of the passport locations, and you are on your way to earning prizes. The more you visit, the more you win. You can also qualify for a grand prize giveaway and specific drawings throughout the year. This program is 100% free, but property entrance fees apply when you visit.
Prizes include:
• sign up week decals/stickers
• 10 visits sunglasses
• 25 visits water bottle
• 40 visits trucker hat
• All 59 places backpack
There will also be some special promotions each season of the year, and we’ll be giving away some annual passes, gift cards and Outdoor Indiana magazine subscriptions as a part of that.
 Restaurants open at Indiana State Park Inns
The restaurants at Abe Martin Lodge, Clifty Inn, Canyon Inn, Potawatomi Inn, Spring Mill Inn and Turkey Run Inn are currently open to dine-in service. Seating capacity is limited, based on county COVID-19 restrictions. The Garrison Restaurant at Fort Harrison remains closed at this time to dine-in service, but delicious carry out options are available.
The buffets remain closed in all locations, but there is plenty of great food on each menu.
State Park Inn/Lodge conference facilities are also open for meetings and gatherings with limited capacity based on county COVID-19 restrictions as well. Our staff are committed to honoring the Hoosier Hospitality Promise in the work we do. Read what that means.
We can't wait to see you again, please stop by and enjoy our delicious menu items. Need to plan a meeting or a overnight trip, visit our website.
Memories Made Naturally ~ IndianaInns.com ~ 1.877.LODGES 1
Winter photos from around Indiana
 Michigan City Lighthouse on Lake Michigan
 Suspension bridge at Turkey Run State Park
 Bison at Kankakee Sands Nature Conservancy
 Narrows Covered Bridge at Turkey Run State Park
Photos taken by DNR photographers John Maxwell and Frank Oliver.
To view more photos, visit the DNR Instagram page.
Give back to Indiana’s wildlife this tax season
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You can help Indiana’s warblers, bats, salamanders, and other wildlife by donating to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund when you file your 2020 state taxes. Funds have been used to recover species like the bald eagle, which was removed from Indiana’s endangered species list last fall. The Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund supports more than 150 Species of Greatest Conservation Need. “Nongame” means species that are not hunted, trapped, or fished.
Donate all or a portion of your state tax refund to the Nongame Wildlife Fund by marking the appropriate boxes on your 2020 Indiana tax forms or when filing electronically. Watch a video on how to fill out the form. To donate, fill out Line 1 of Schedule 5/Schedule IN-DONATE form with “Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund”, enter the three-digit code “200”, and then enter donation amount on Line 17 of the main IT-40 form.
Interested in learning more about Indiana’s most imperiled species and the work DNR is doing to save them? Consider subscribing to Nongame Wildlife Fund News.
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 Hunting and fishing licenses expire March 31
Your 2020-21 hunting and fishing licenses expire on March 31. Purchase your annual hunting and fishing licenses for 2021-22 now.
 Mark your calendars for 2021 Free Fishing Days
This year's four Free Fishing Days are May 2, June 5-6, and Sept. 25. Indiana residents do not need a fishing license or a trout stamp to fish in public waters on these days. Free Fishing Days are a great opportunity to give fishing a try or share fishing with a friend or family member.
 Brown County State Park added to National Register
Brown County State Park’s recent addition to the National Register of Historic Places makes it the state’s largest historic district.
Listing as a historic district recognizes an area that has a high degree of historical integrity in its buildings, structures, and landscapes. To be eligible, a district is required to have been associated with events, developments, or people that were important in the history of the state or country. In addition, districts on the National Register must be at least 50 years old and look much the way they did in the past.
 Keep wildlife wild
Spring is fast approaching, and soon young wildlife will be noticeable statewide. If you find young wildlife, remember:
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Adult animals rarely abandon their young. The parent may be out searching for food. Leaving young unattended is normal for many species.
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Do not hover to see if a parent comes back. Give the baby animal space and only check back periodically. Adult animals will not return if a person is standing nearby.
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Young wildlife should not be handled. They can carry diseases or parasites and are capable of inflicting damage by biting or scratching. Human scent can also alert predators to a young animal’s presence.
While rescuing young wildlife is legal, keeping them is not. Truly orphaned or injured wild animals must be given to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator within 24 hours to maximize their chance of survival.
 Avoid issues with Canada geese
Large areas with turf grass, waterbodies, and food sources create ideal habitat for Canada geese, potentially leading to human-goose conflict. Most conflicts occur during the nesting season from March to June. If you see a goose exhibiting aggressive behavior, give the bird and its nest some space and calmly leave the area. Injuries resulting from human-goose conflicts most often occur when people run from geese.
Prior to nesting, harassment techniques can be implemented without a permit so long as the birds are not harmed and local ordinances are not violated. Harassment techniques can be audial, visual, or physical. If a Canada goose nest does not have eggs or birds in it, it can be destroyed without a permit. The nest must not be kept. Once eggs have been laid, no further action can be taken without first registering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Remember, efforts to deter Canada geese are not effective if supplemental foods such as bread or bird seed are being provided.
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 Outdoor Recreation for All
Nature provides a place to have fun, connect with our thoughts and find peace of mind. For this reason and many others, it is imperative that everyone have access to the outdoors. Thanks to a kind and generous donor, McCormick’s Creek State Park now offers guests access to a Grit Freedom Chair.
 Help build habitat structures at Patoka Lake, March 13
Join DNR to improve fish habitat at Patoka Lake through a volunteer habitat structure build day. As reservoirs age, the number and type of hiding places for fish decrease. The Reservoir Habitat Enhancement Program addresses this issue and works to build fish habitat where natural structure is lacking. Fish habitat structures built out of pallets are one option to improve the complexity of the habitat at Patoka Lake.
 Outdoors in Your Mailbox
The March-April issue of Outdoor Indiana magazine features a cover story on wild turkey, one of a few once-scarce species in the state that have been brought back by restoration efforts led by DNR. Become part of Outdoor Indiana. Subscribe for yourself, a friend or relative.
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 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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The Foundation celebrates and preserves Indiana’s natural legacy by raising funds to support the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and its programs.
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