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Views and opinions: Public access for hunters effort begins second year
 

The Access Program Providing Land Enhancements (APPLE) is beginning its second year in Indiana. With nearly 96 percent of Indiana land privately owned, public gamebird hunting opportunities across the state are increasingly difficult to come by.

The APPLE program’s main focus is to encourage participants, through financial incentives, to allow limited public hunting of pheasant, quail and woodcock on their land. Eligible landowners who enroll work with a wildlife biologist to develop a management plan to create, improve and manage habitat, as well as maintain APPLE eligibility.

For initial consideration, landowners must have a minimum of 20 acres for possible enrollment and be located in one of the five focal regions. Individuals interested in establishing and improving wildlife habitat and/or providing limited public hunting access for gamebirds are encouraged to contact their local wildlife biologist.

Funding for CHAP

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Community Hunting Access Program (CHAP) is taking applications for funding for the 2019 hunting season, through March 31.

Parks, homeowners associations and other land-managing entities are eligible to apply. If selected, community partners will be awarded financial assistance to help them manage a deer hunt during the regulated deer-hunting seasons.

CHAP allows for community partner oversight and the flexibility to determine when and where managed hunts occur. The program provides a practical and economical method for reducing deer numbers and balancing ecological and societal needs.

“Participating in the CHAP program has been a great option for us as a community,” said Rick Normington, member of the Cordry-Sweetwater Conservancy District. “The efforts of our hunt coordinator helped us make great strides in balancing our deer numbers.”

Ice fishing accident results in death

Indiana conservation officers are concluding a death investigation of a 55-year-old Loogootee man who fell through the ice on Feb. 1. The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office received the call around 7 p.m., to which multiple agencies responded.

South East Fire District rescue personnel were able to bring Roger L. Williams to shore, where he was pronounced dead at the scene by the Daviess County Coroner’s Office. The ice thickness at the time of the incident was approximately 2 inches where Williams went into the water.

He had not been in contact with anyone for several hours before he was found, and was not wearing any type of personal floatation device.

No ice is safe ice, and when in doubt, don’t go out. Below are some guidelines for the amount of weight fresh solid ice can hold:

•1 inch of ice – STAY OFF

•4 inches of ice needed to support the weight of a person

•5 inches of ice needed to support the weight of a snowmobile or ATV

•8 inches of ice needed to support a medium-weight truck

2019 reserved youth turkey hunts

Youth hunters younger than age 18 on the day of the hunt may apply for reserved turkey hunts from March 18-29. The youth wild turkey hunting season is April 20-21 on selected DNR properties.

Youth hunters or an adult representing them must register in person or by phone during normal office hours for the property they wish to hunt. Hunters are allowed to register for only one property. A limit will be placed on the number of youth hunters allowed on a respective property each hunting day, in an attempt to provide quality hunts for participants.

Participating Fish & Wildlife Areas (FWAs) include: Atterbury, Chinook, Crosley, Deer Creek, 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. Youth hunts are also at Mississinewa Lake and Salamonie Lake.

Hunters wanting to sign up for the Chinook or Wabashiki hunts may do so at Deer Creek FWA. Those wanting to sign up for Fairbanks Landing or Hillenbrand hunts may do so at Goose Pond FWA.

A drawing will be held April 3 at properties where the number of registered hunters exceeds the spots available. A youth hunter may be drawn for either one or both hunt days, depending on the number of applicants. All will be notified of drawing results by mail.

Applicants must possess a 2019 Youth Consolidated Hunting & Trapping License, a 2019 Non-Resident Youth Spring Turkey License with a gamebird habitat stamp privilege or Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting License. Apprentice hunting licenses of the types named above also may be used.

Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon at properties in the Central Time Zone, and until 1 p.m. in the Eastern Time Zone. Youth hunters who are selected for the hunt may check in at any time each day until the end of legal hunting hours for the property.

Properties will not have a daily no-show drawing. Hunters interested in possible unfilled quotas at a property should call that property office for more information before showing up.

During youth wild turkey season, hunters younger than age 18 on the day of the hunt may legally take a bearded or male wild turkey. The youth must be accompanied by someone age 18 or older. The youth hunter may use any legal shotgun, bow and arrow or crossbow.

The adult accompanying the youth hunter must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow or crossbow while in the field. The accompanying adult must be licensed if they are assisting by calling or if the youth is using an apprentice license.

To purchase a Youth Consolidated or Turkey license, visit www.INHuntFish.com

Reserved turkey hunt permits online

Turkey hunters may apply for a reserved turkey hunt online by visiting www.hunting.IN.gov until March 22 and clicking on the "Reserved Hunt Info" link. The online method is the only way to apply. No late entries will be accepted. Applicants must possess a valid hunting license for the species they wish to hunt.

The application process is now consolidated into the online services website along with Licenses, Check-In Game and Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program registration. A DNR online account is not required to apply.

Hunts without registration fees will follow the same process as those with a fee. For hunts with no fee, you still will be asked to “Add to Cart, Proceed to Checkout and Place Order.” If the transaction total is $0, you will not be asked to enter credit card information.

For draw-hunt results, there is a “Click Here” link on the home page, or you may log in to your online services account. The link from the home page will only show hunts you registered for when the date of the hunt is still upcoming. Logging into your account is required for you to see the full history of your past hunt registrations from previous years.

Hunters will be selected through a computerized, random drawing. Drawing results will be available at https://secure.IN.gov/apps/dnr/portal/#/home – click on the link in the “Reserved Hunts” box to see the status of your registrations within two weeks after application deadlines. An email will be sent to applicants when results are posted.

Only one application is allowed per license holder. No changes can be made once the application is submitted. More information is available at www.dnr.IN.gov/fishwild/5834.htm

Campground hosts wanted at DNR properties

Several of Indiana's state parks, state forest and state recreation properties are looking for volunteers to serve as campground hosts in exchange for free camping during their service.

Hosts work a minimum of 20 hours per week. The volunteer period length varies at properties based on the number of applicants and on the amount and type of work required.

Properties are looking for dedicated campers who enjoy working outdoors, as well as with people and DNR staff. A complete list of site availability and detailed information about hosting duties is at www.stateparks.IN.gov/2404.htm or you can contact the property directly where you would like to serve as a host.

Completion of a volunteer application is required to be eligible. Download a volunteer application form from the above website.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by email at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.

2/21/2019