The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has closed on the acquisition of 3,950 acres of forests, marshland, and upland habitat in Sullivan County, which will be known as Busseron Creek Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA).

The permanently conserved land, once part of the former Minnehaha FWA, was protected through a collaboration with the Conservation Law Center and its Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape initiative, and The Conservation Fund. Additional project support came from The Nature Conservancy in Indiana.

“Powered by partnerships, the permanent protection of Busseron Creek Fish & Wildlife Area is a win for conservation and a win for Indiana, returning nearly 4,000 acres of land for all Hoosiers to enjoy,” said Dan Bortner, DNR director. “Whether you enjoy hunting, fishing, or viewing Indiana’s magnificent wildlife, we look forward to welcoming Hoosiers and visitors alike to Busseron Creek when the property opens to the public in 2025.”

Indiana’s DNR paid $10.8 million for the property, a total including funding support from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Program. The U.S. Navy paid an additional $910,000 to support a conservation easement on a portion of the land, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided an additional $600,000 competitive grant through Walmart’s Acres for America program. 

“This project exemplifies what can be accomplished when organizations unite under a shared vision. Protecting this land secures environmental benefits for generations while strengthening national security and the region’s resilience,” said Michael Spalding, Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape coordinator for the Conservation Law Center.

The land will provide key habitat for wildlife including turkey, deer, waterfowl, rabbit, and quail. The DNR will work to establish hunting units, parking areas, and access trails before opening the FWA. The property will be a prime spot for wildlife viewing, hunting, trapping, fishing, and foraging.

For more than 30 years, DNR leased the property, operating it as Minnehaha FWA. In 2016, the property owner declined to renew its lease with the state, and Minnehaha FWA closed.

In 2022, a small parcel of the property was listed for sale, signaling the potential for securing the entire holdings. In partnership, The Conservation Fund and the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape initiative negotiated with American Land Holdings of Indiana, a subsidiary of Peabody Energy, to purchase the full 3,950 acres to maintain the ecological integrity of the land.

“The Conservation Fund was glad to partner with Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape to secure this important property for conservation,” said Emy Brawley, vice president and regional director for The Conservation Fund. “Protecting a site this large provides so much for so many. From recreation-based economic development to wildlife habitat to military readiness – this is the business of conservation, and it’s where The Conservation Fund shines.”

“The Nature Conservancy is proud to have helped set the wheels in motion for this project, and we’re honored to have worked with this group of partners,” said Larry Clemens, state director for The Nature Conservancy in Indiana. “As with The Nature Conservancy projects throughout the state, this investment in outdoor recreation and conservation will leave a permanent legacy for the natural heritage of Indiana.”

“Walmart’s Acres for America program is excited to be part of the innovative collaboration that made the Busseron Creek project possible,” said Ryan Pettigrew, senior manager, Walmart U.S. Real Estate and Acres for America. “Acres for America aim to protect vital natural habitat and provide access to outdoor recreation, and this project will do just that in southern Indiana for generations to come.”

The property is located near the Lake Glendora Test Facility, an area of Naval Support Activity (NSA) Crane. 

NRC Seeks Input On Proposed Bobcat Trapping Rule Changes

Indiana’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) has opened its second public comment period for proposed changes to allow the limited, regulated trapping of bobcats in designated counties.

In March, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation (SEA 241-2024) directing the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), by July of 2025, to have rules in place for bobcat harvest.

This is the second of two comment periods to occur before the NRC votes on the proposed changes.

Proposed rule changes include:

•    Establishing a bobcat trapping season in 40 southern Indiana counties, including a bag limit of one bobcat per trapper and a season quota of 250 bobcats.

•    Allowing bobcats and their parts legally acquired to be sold.

•    Allowing bobcats found dead to be kept by people with a permit.

•    Adding bobcats to the list of species for which a game breeder’s license is required.

Research maintained by the DNR and Purdue University shows the bobcat population in Indiana has expanded during the last two decades. The research can be reviewed at on.IN.gov/dfw-rule-changes. 

Bobcats have well-established populations in the 40 proposed counties, and analysis shows the high-quality habitat will continue to support a healthy, sustainable bobcat population which will withstand a regulated harvest.

Public comments can be submitted at IN.gov/nrc/rules/rulemaking-docket by clicking on “Submit Comments Here” under the Bobcat Amendments rule. Comments may also be mailed to: Natural Resources Commission, Indiana Government Center North, 100 North Senate Ave., Room N103, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

Please note comments received during the first comment period (in person or online) will be included with comments received during this second comment period. Multiple comments given by the same person will only be counted as one comment by the person. 

The deadline for submitting public comments is Jan. 16. A public hearing will also be held on Jan. 16, 2025, between 5:30-8 p.m. ET at the Johnson County Fairgrounds (Scott Hall), 250 Fairgrounds St., Franklin, IN 46131. Interested members of the public may attend in person or online anytime during the timeframe. The public hearing will also be webcast live at IN.gov/nrc/rules/rulemaking-docket during the time of the public hearing, and viewers will be able to comment during the webcast. Individuals may sign up for updates at on.IN.gov/dfw-rule-changes.

‘till next time,  

Jack

Readers can contact the author at jackspaulding1971@outlook.com 

Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download.