Just because you see a deer attractant product prominently displayed at your favorite sporting goods store doesn’t mean it is legal for use in Indiana. This is a “fair chase” state and doesn’t allow baiting of deer during the hunting season.

With deer firearm hunting season just around the corner, Nov. 15-30, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Law Enforcement’s Conservation officers are reminding hunters they will be watching for violators of the fair chase law, specifically as it applies to baiting.

Despite heavy commercial promotion on some hunting television shows, extensive sales of such products at some sporting goods stores and evidence of the use of some of these products on some DNR properties, baiting for the purposes of hunting deer remains illegal. “Bait” is best described as anything a deer (or other wildlife) might ingest or lick.

“It has been a longstanding practice for our officers to enforce the hunting over bait rule,” said Lt. Mark Farmer, public information officer for DNR Law Enforcement. “Gaining an advantage over your quarry by the use of a food or mineral product is illegal.”
It is legal to place food products or mineral blocks in the wild, but hunting near them is illegal.

“If a person had put out a feeder or other bait during the summer months to attract wildlife to his property, it must be totally removed 10 days prior to the opening of the hunting season before a hunter could legally hunt in that area,” Farmer said.

Odor differs from bait. Deer lures in the form of scents are legal to use when hunting.

“Basically, if you place corn, apples, salt or mineral blocks, or anything that isn’t grown in the area, and hunt there, it’s illegal,” Farmer said. “Hunting from an apple tree is legal, but placing apples under your tree stand would place you in conflict with current Indiana law.”

Violators apprehended while hunting over bait will face a Class C Misdemeanor charge, and upon conviction could face criminal penalties of up to $500 fine, 60 days incarceration and possible loss of hunting equipment upon conviction.

My advice on deer attractants: If in doubt, don’t put it out.

Trapper education course

Learning the art of trapping on your own is a difficult task. I know of one outdoorsman who became an expert trapper by teaching himself and figuring out animal behavior. It took him years.
Having a mentor to teach you the ins and outs of the tradition is absolutely the quickest way to learn the art of trapping. Even though not everyone has an accomplished trapper in their circle of friends, thanks to the DNR, there is still the opportunity to learn trapping from some of the best.

Raccoon State Recreation Area will offer a free trapper education course on Nov. 1 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the property office. The Indiana Trapper Education and Safety Course helps prepare individuals for safe and successful trapping. Each class provides information about the art of trapping furbearer animals; trap selection, preparation and maintenance; furbearer biology; scouting for furbearer signs; and fur handling.

Rules and regulations, safety, sportsmanship and ethics, as well as making successful trap sets for land and water, are also covered. All courses include demonstrations and hands-on experience to enhance learning.

Trappers can register for the class by contacting Stu Grell in Attica, Ind., by phone at 765-572-2207 or by e-mail at sgrell@wptc.us
For more information about this event, call 765-344-1412.
Raccoon State is on U.S. Highway 36 in Parke and Putnam counties in west-central Indiana, 50 miles west of Indianapolis and 35 miles northeast of Terre Haute.

Sandhill Crane field trip

Spend an evening with Indiana’s largest wildlife spectacle on Nov. 15, as a special field trip tour is offered to view the Sandhill Crane migration at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area. The evening field trip meets at the Indiana Dunes State Park Nature Center at 2:30 p.m. CST.

A short introduction will be given about the history and current status of cranes in Indiana, and then the group will drive to Jasper-Pulaski to view up to 10,000 cranes as they head for their evening roost in the Fish and Wildlife Area. The trip will finish back at the Nature Center by 6 p.m.

The trip leader is Brad Bumgardner, Indiana Dunes State Park interpretive naturalist and Hoosier birder. Trip cost is $10 per person, and spaces are limited. Trip includes travel to and from Jasper-Pulaski, as well as snacks along the way.

Support for the trip comes from the Friends of Indiana Dunes and the Northwest Indiana Migratory Bird Assoc. For more information about this trip or to register, contact the Nature Center at 219-926-1930.

Become a part of outdoor
Hoosier cinema history

Work has begun on a video history to commemorate the 100th birthday of Indiana state parks and reservoirs, which will be celebrated in 2016. To connect the video with Hoosiers from all around the state, the DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs is seeking stories and videos from people who have visited the properties over the years.

The video, which will air in fall 2009, is being developed in partnership with WTIU, the public television station in Bloomington.
Items sought vary from old still photos to slides, film, videotape and souvenirs from visits to any of Indiana’s 24 state parks.

Examples include scenic black-and-white photos from the 1930s, 8 mm film of family camping trips in the 1960s, postcards, buttons, pins or banners. Written descriptions of the items and any stories or memories associated with the objects are encouraged.

Only images and memorabilia received before June 2009 will be considered for use in the production. Items may be loaned or donated. WTIU will create digital copies of loaned items, and then return the originals to the owner.

Items donated will be archived or curated for future use in a State Parks and Reservoirs Centennial collection.

Photos, film and other memorabilia submitted may also be used on the Web, in Outdoor Indiana magazine and in exhibits, brochures and other interpretive media over the next few years, as the Indiana State Parks Centennial celebration starts to move into full swing.

Individuals who may not have photos or physical objects to contribute are welcome to contribute a memorable story or experience at an Indiana state park.

To contribute to the project, download and complete a release form online at www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/11984.htm and mail it with your photos or other memorabilia to: Indiana DNR, Division of State Parks and Reservoirs, c/o Leslie Nocton, Historian, 402 W. Washington St., W298, Indianapolis, IN 46204.

If you would like to have the item(s) returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

To find out more about the Indiana State Parks Centennial, obtain a hard copy of the information and release form or ask a question about donating, please contact Nocton at 317-234-6442 or via e-mail at lnocton@dnr.IN.gov

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 e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.