By Jack Spaulding

The activity at the bird feeder during the past four or five weeks has been amazing. The amount of sunflower seeds and suet cakes being consumed has never been higher, even in the dead of winter. I can only assume the incredibly dry period we experienced from the middle of June and through most of July severely impacted the amount of insects available for forage. The birds are apparently making up their protein intake by gorging on sunflower seeds and suet cakes. They are eating in excess of two gallons of seed per day and almost two suet cakes.

With the many years of feeding the birds, they have lost some of their fear for me. As I approached the empty sunflower feeder, I noticed a young Downy Woodpecker on a branch about 15 feet away. The bird was watching my every move.

Walking up to the feeder, I opened the top and started to shovel a scoop full of sunflower seeds intro it. My face was about six inches away from the feeder when the little woodpecker launched itself from the nearby tree limb and made a fluttering landing on the feeder right next to my nose.

Caught off guard, I stumbled backward uttering an expletive and said, “&#@** WAIT YOUR TURN!”

The little bird must have understood me as it flew back to the tree branch, and patiently waited for me to finishing filling the feeder.

Rule changes on DNR properties

Several rule changes that affect DNR properties have taken effect, with the Natural Resources Commission, attorney general’s office, and governor’s office having recently approved them.

Changes include the following:

• Stands or blinds (including portable ground blinds) are allowed to be left overnight on DNR properties if the blind or stand is legibly marked with the name, address and phone number of the owner or the owner’s customer identification number issued by the DNR.

• Trail/game cameras can be placed on properties managed by the Division of Fish & Wildlife, as well as on state forests and state recreation areas, as long as the camera is legibly marked with the owner’s name, address, phone number or customer identification number issued by DNR. Placement of the camera must not damage a tree.

• The placing of bait for wildlife is prohibited on any DNR property. Exceptions are granted for bait or food placed for wildlife management as authorized by DNR, the result of authorized agricultural operations on the property (like tenant farming) or a bird feeder placed by a DNR employee. The definition of bait includes (1) a food that is transported to and placed for consumption, including but not limited to piles of corn and apples placed on the property; (2) prepared solids or liquids manufactured and intended for consumption by livestock, wild deer or birds, including, but not limited to, commercial baits and food supplements; (3) salt; and (4) mineral supplements.

• The collection of shed antlers without a permit is allowed, except on dedicated Nature Preserves.

• Via a permit, magnet fishing is allowed on public waters on DNR properties as long as the magnet is able to be carried and retrieved by hand. Individuals will need to contact the respective property office to get a permit for magnet fishing on a DNR property.

Patoka Lake dove hunt 

Due to poor sunflower growing conditions locally, wildlife management staff at Patoka Lake will not conduct in-person drawings for controlled mourning dove hunting opportunities this year. Instead, the two sunflower fields on South Ramp Road within Newton-Stewart SRA will be open for mourning dove hunting on a first-come, first-served basis. The routine drawing process for mourning dove hunting opportunities is expected to return in 2023.

Hunters are reminded to procure the proper licenses, stamps and their federal Harvest Information Program (HIP) number. Hunters are required to sign in at a property hunter check-in station and ensure they have a One-Day Hunting Permit on their person. Hunters are also reminded they are federally required to use nontoxic shot of size 6 or smaller, in addition to having their firearm plugged so it can only contain three shells at any time. Regular shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset through the legal season(s).

Hunters should contact Indiana DNR Law Enforcement at 812-837-9536 regarding specific questions on federal or state laws, statutes and rules. For other information on the controlled hunt, call Patoka Lake at 812-685-2464, 8 a.m.-4 p.m., and ask for the wildlife specialist.

Patoka Lake (on.IN.gov/patokalake) is at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513.

DNR still needs volunteers for state fair Fishin’ Pond

The DNR is still in need of some worthy outdoor lovers to step up to the plate to help youngsters enjoy the thrill of fishing. Volunteers can help introduce youth who attend the Indiana State Fair to the joy of fishing by volunteering at the Indiana DNR’s Fishin’ Pond, which is located beside the Natural Resources Building on the fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The Fishin’ Pond, which is an annual highlight of the fair, is a free, immersive experience for ages 5 to 17.

Volunteers are needed to help youth register to fish, bait hooks, remove fish from hooks, and use fishing equipment during all days and times the Fishin’ Pond is offered. The Fishin’ Pond is open July 29, which is the fair’s opening day, as well as all Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays that follow through Aug. 21. Two separate volunteer shifts are available on each of those days, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 3:30-7:30 p.m. ET.

Volunteers, who will work alongside DNR staff members, receive a free parking pass, State Fair entry and a DNR Fishin’ Pond Volunteer T-shirt. You can register for one or more shifts here (https://www.in.gov/dnr/places-to-go/events/dnr-at-the-state-fair/dnr-state-fair-fishin-pond/).

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