Sometimes when it goes wrong, it goes horribly wrong. Such was the case when a hunter was almost killed by the buck deer he had just harvested. 

Indiana Conservation Officers are still investigating an off-road vehicle accident resulting in the operator being airlifted with serious injuries.

On Nov. 16 around 2 p.m. responders were dispatched to the 11000 block of South Fork Road in Dillsboro, regarding a hunter who was involved in an ATV rollover accident. 

Sixty-three year old, Earl Hagy of Dillsboro was airlifted from the scene and flown to the University Of Cincinnati Hospital in stable condition. 

 Hagy was retrieving a harvested antlered deer from the bottom of a steep incline where he had been hunting. After securing the deer to the rear of an off-road vehicle, Hagy attempted to navigate back up the steep incline; but the ORV rolled over backwards, throwing him from the vehicle. 

 As a result of the accident, Hagy was impaled in the right side of his torso by the antlers of the deer. 

Responding agencies include Indiana Conservation Officers, Ohio County Sheriff’s Department, Rising Sun Police Department, Bear Branch Fire Department, and Rising Sun EMS.

NRC Accepts Preliminary Adoption Of Hunting Changes

The Natural Resources Commission on Nov. 17 during its bi-monthly meeting accepted preliminary adoption of amendments to 312 IAC 9 related to hunting deer and wild turkeys.

Granting preliminary adoption starts a long and deliberative process, including a public comment period with the ability to participate in public hearings conducted by the NRC’s Division of Hearings.

The amendments granted preliminary adoption include allowing hunters the option of using a 28-, 16-, or 10-gauge shotgun and .410 shotguns to hunt wild turkeys, in addition to having the option of using other equipment already legal in the spring and fall turkey season, as well as adding the #9 tungsten super shot. Additionally, it removes the restriction requiring the powder used in muzzleloaders for deer hunting to be loaded only from the muzzle end of the muzzleloader.

State Park Inns Restaurants Return To Carry-Out

Indiana Department of Natural Resources properties have been a safe place for Hoosiers to get fresh air, stretch their legs, and seek solace throughout 2020. However, they have had to temporarily suspend some services for the safety of guests and staff. 

Out of an abundance of caution, they are modifying all dining for the seven restaurants at State Park Inns to carry-out only through Dec. 15. 

Thanksgiving meals will be carry-out only for inn guests. Reservation holders will be notified. The Indiana DNR apologizes for the inconvenience. If any additional alterations are needed they will be posted to the DNR COVID-19 Response page on IN.gov/DNRcovid19.

Hoosiers have gathered at state park tables for Thanksgiving dinner for more than 60 years, and the State of Indiana looks forward to restarting the annual tradition in 2021.

2021 State Park Passes & Permits Now Available

The 2021 Indiana state park passes, lake permits, off-road cycling permits, and horse tags are now available at property offices and front gates, and online at ShopINstateparks.com.

A resident annual entrance pass costs $50. A non-resident annual entrance pass for visitors who live outside the state costs $70. Annual entrance passes are not valid for entrance to the Indiana State Museum, State Historic Sites, or the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center. 

Golden Hoosier Passports cost $25 and are available to all Hoosier residents 65 and older. There’s also a Golden Hoosier Passport for disabled Hoosier veterans (DHV) who qualify to purchase a DHV license plate. To quality, the veteran must be 50 percent service-connected disabled as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Anyone who has been issued a Prisoner of War license plate may receive a passport for free. SSDI Golden Hoosier Passports may be used by an Indiana resident receiving or eligible to receive Social Security Disability Income under 42 U.S. Code 423 as described by the Social Security Administration.

Lake permits are available for motorized watercraft for $25 and non-motorized watercraft for $5. The permits are required for all private watercraft using state park, reservoir, and state forest lakes, and all watercraft moored at marinas, private docks, or bank ties on the lakes. The 2020 lake permits also remain available for the rest of this year.

Off-road cycling permits are available for $20 and are required for each bicycle user for off-road bicycle access and use of DNR properties where off-road cycling is allowed. The permits are not an entrance permit and do not cover special user charges for services and facilities within the property. The permits are required only for trails identified as Intermediate, Advanced, and Expert. They are not required for trails identified as Beginner. 

Horse tags cost $20 and are required for each horse brought to designated DNR properties where horse use is allowed. A horse tag is not an entrance permit and does not cover special user charges for services and facilities within the property. This year’s 2020 horse tags and lake permits remain available to purchase for use for the rest of 2020.

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net

“The Best of Spaulding Outdoors,” a compilation of 74 of Spaulding’s best articles written over the past 30 years is available from Amazon.com.