 Free DNR event on Sept. 20-21 at Fort Harrison
The sixth annual Ford Hoosier Outdoor Experience returns Sept, 20-21 to Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days and is free to all participants.
The event is presented by the Indiana DNR and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation and sponsored by Central Indiana Ford Dealers. The goal is to introduce people to outdoor activities they may have never tried.
There will be activities for almost everyone, from archery and target shooting to mountain biking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and much more.
Admission, parking and all activities are free. Food vendors will be available, or you can bring a sack lunch.
List of activities
Visitor registration
Activity map
We're still seeking volunteers
|
Hunting seasons beginning in September
Sora Rails: Sept. 1 – Nov. 9
Snipe: Sept. 1 – Dec. 16
Teal: Sept. 6–21
Canada Goose: Sept. 1-15
Urban Deer Zone: Sept. 15 – Jan. 31
Youth Deer: Sept. 27–28
Complete list of waterfowl and migratory bird hunting dates
Complete list of hunting and trapping seasons
Get your license
The 2014-15 mourning dove hunting season is:
Sept. 1 – Oct. 19
Nov. 1 – Nov. 9
Dec. 13 – Jan. 11
Hunting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset. The daily bag limit is 15 with a possession limit of 45.
“Most mourning doves are harvested in September, but great dove hunting can be found later in the season with a little scouting,” said Budd Veverka, DNR farmland game research biologist. “Looking at data from the past five years, I would expect to see approximately 11,000 dove hunters harvest nearly 214,000 mourning doves in 2014.”
With the extended season, the harvest could be even higher.
The expansion is based on research by the Indiana DNR and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
See what dove hunting is all about.
Free family fun day at Kingsbury FWA shooting range
A family fun day at the shooting range will take place from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 21 at Kingsbury Fish & Wildlife Area.
Participants will learn safe firearm handling and shooting using BB guns, .22-caliber rifles, and shotguns, along with muzzleloading demonstrations, trapping information, and archery instruction with 3-D target shooting.
Lunch is provided. The event is free and door prizes will be given.
Space is limited. Participants should register soon by calling (219) 393-3612. Find out more
 Venison donation program connects hunters and the public
A program that allows hunters to give deer meat to the public will continue this fall.
GiveIN Game, DNR’s venison donation program, will be available for its fourth year. Hunters who are willing to donate venison and people who would like to receive venison can begin registering now. Find out more
|
DNR proposes regular-season 2014 waterfowl season dates
The regular-season waterfowl dates, as proposed to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) by the Indiana DNR are now available.
The dates are not final until approved by the USFWS in mid- to late-September. Look for another announcement around that time that will either confirm or amend these dates. Historically, they have been accepted as proposed. Learn more
 Free beginners waterfowl workshop in Bloomington
A free waterfowl hunting workshop for beginners will be offered from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 27 at the Fish & Wildlife field office, 5596 E. State Road 46, Bloomington. All ages are welcome.
The focus of the workshop is on hunting Canada geese, although there will also be information on duck hunting. Find out more
|
Four venison workshops in September
During each workshop, a deer will be skinned, butchered and prepared in a variety of ways for participants to taste. Food safety and handling procedures, as well as, an update on deer health issues will be presented. Adult admission is $20 and children are free. The workshop at Bass Pro Shops on Sept. 13 and at the Ford Hoosier Outdoor Experience on Sept. 20 are free of charge.
Registration is appreciated by calling the appropriate number below:
Date/Location/Registration number
Sept. 10 – Montgomery County Fairgrounds (Crawfordsville), 6-9 p.m. – (765) 364-6363
Sept. 13 – Bass Pro Shops (Clarksville), 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – (812) 218-5500
Sept. 16 – Southeast Purdue Ag Center (Butlerville) 6-9 p.m. (812) 458-6977
Sept. 21 – Fort Harrison State Park (Indianapolis) 10 a.m.-1 p.m. – No registration required.
For more information, contact Jonathan Ferris in the Purdue Extension Office at (765) 973-9281.
Retirements, goodbyes and gone fishing
Over the past month, we’ve said “so long” to a countless number of our staff. From property managers, to wildlife biologists, secretaries, leadership staff and non-game staff, the list is so long we can’t begin to name them all. We wish everyone well in their retirement.
Learn how to squirrel hunt in Huntington
In this course you'll learn in a hands-on safe environment the skills necessary to begin to hunt squirrel in Indiana. It's an 8-hour session that will focus on the following fundamentals: laws and regulations, firearms and safety, locating a hunting spot, stalking your game, field dressing your harvest and handling and preparing your harvest for the table. This session will include an opportunity to go on a guided squirrel hunt, plus sample squirrel recipes. We ask that participants attend the entire 8-hour session. Find out more
|
