2021 fishing and hunting licenses
Indiana fishing and hunting licenses are now available for purchase and are valid from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.
Disconnect from the worries of the day. Reconnect with your family and friends. Brush up on your fishing skills at a fishing spot near you. Want to share your opening weekend story? Please consider telling us about your time on the water using these hashtags: #INopeningweekend #takemetothewater #takemefishing #fishIndiana #outsideINspired
Also, the opening day of trout season for inland streams is April 24.
Need to purchase or renew your fishing license? Buy online or at a local retailer.
Your guide to Indiana's best values in outdoor recreation is available now at on.IN.gov/recguide.
And your guide to Indiana fishing is also available online.
Free printed copies of each are available at local retail outlets, state parks, lakes, state forests and other DNR properties all over the Hoosier state.
The DNR’s 2021 Indiana Recreation Guide is the one-stop source for information on state parks, state forests, lakes, fish & wildlife areas, nature preserves, state park inns, and other DNR properties.
 Easter Meals at Indiana State Park Inns
Join us for a delicious family tradition at your favorite inn on Sunday, April 4. Enjoy the meal, explore the park, and make a day of it.
 State parks, inns are hiring summer workers
Indiana state park properties and inns are hiring about 1,300 workers for the summer season.
Positions available include gate attendants, laborers, naturalist aides, security, housekeepers, dishwashers, cooks, guest service workers, and camp store attendants. Most positions will be seasonal, but some are full- or part-time year-round positions.
To apply for a position at one of the properties, see WorkforIndiana.IN.gov. To apply for a position at one of the seven Indiana state park inns, see Indianainnsjobs.com. See stateparks.IN.gov find out which property or inn is closest to you.
Most pools at state parks to open; lifeguards needed
Most public swimming pools located in Indiana State Parks properties will open Memorial Day weekend if the required number of lifeguards can be recruited and certified for each respective park property.
Concession services will also be open at those pools.
Lifeguards are being recruited for pools at Brown County, Clifty Falls, McCormick’s Creek, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Turkey Run, and Versailles state parks, at Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber State Recreation Area), and for the aquatic centers at Prophetstown and O’Bannon Woods state parks.
Lifeguards are also being recruited for the state park beach at Indiana Dunes.
 All visitors to sign in at Fish & Wildlife Areas starting April 1
A new property rule will go into effect later this summer requiring all visitors to fish & wildlife areas to sign in and get a one-day permit card before going into the field, regardless of activity. To ease into this new requirement, DNR asks that visitors sign in beginning April 1. The one-day access permit must be kept on hand while visiting the respective FWA and must be completed and returned to a self-service booth, drop box, or the office before leaving.
We appreciate your patience in taking the extra time to fill out the permit. Feedback from these cards helps staff identify ways to improve Indiana’s FWAs for all users.
All FWAs listed on the DNR website, except Wilbur Wright FWA will follow this process.
 Whitefish state record broken again
Phil Duracz of Chesterton broke the state record for whitefish while fishing on Lake Michigan near Portage on March 6.
Duracz’s catch weighed 9.34 pounds, besting the previous record set in 2019 by 1.65 pounds.
Lake whitefish state records are the most frequently broken in Indiana in the past decade. This is the eighth time the record has fallen since 2012.
 Crooked Lake land acquisition means protection for endangered wildlife
Thanks to contributions from donors like you, we can protect ecological sites such as the recent land acquisition at Crooked Lake. Preserving areas rich in research opportunities and making them available to local universities paves the way for future conservationists to make a difference in the state.
 Keep safety in mind during spring turkey season
Warmer weather will soon make Indiana’s woods and fields more inviting. As you take to the woods in search of spring wildflowers and tasty morel mushrooms, remember to check property rules.
The spring turkey hunting season begins in late April, with the youth season taking place April 17-18 and the regular season running from April 21 – May 9.
DNR properties may have restrictions on when visitors participating in different activities can be in the field or in certain areas. For properties run by the Division of Fish & Wildlife, turkey and mushroom hunters are allowed in the field at only certain times. Check with the property you are interested in visiting for more information on what restrictions may be in place.
 Wild animals are greeting new arrivals across the state
You may soon discover baby animals in your backyard. Often, pets are the first to discover a rabbit nest or fledgling bird. To prevent negative interactions with wildlife, DNR recommends supervising pets at all times when they are outdoors. Leash your pets for walks or keep them in a secure kennel.
Remember, it’s normal for young wildlife to be left unattended – discovering a young animal alone is not necessarily a cause for alarm. If you find a truly orphaned or injured wild animal, contact a permitted wildlife rehabilitator for help.
DNR website updates
The DNR has finished a website transition. Pages were consolidated, updated, and improved. URLs changed from numbers to words, which should make it easier to find pages. If your favorite DNR webpages are bookmarked, you will need to update those bookmarks.
Outdoors in Your Mailbox
Subscribe to Outdoor Indiana magazine for yourself or a friend. To read article excerpts, go to OutdoorIndiana.org.
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 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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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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