With the deer reduction zone and statewide archery deer seasons underway, Indiana Conservation Officers would like to remind hunters to stay safe.

The various deer hunting seasons run through Jan. 31, 2023. It is estimated more than 300,000 people will participate in some form of deer hunting in Indiana during the span of seasons.

The most common injuries during deer seasons are accidents involving tree stands and elevated platforms. Hunters should follow the safety tips listed below when hunting from an elevated position.

Before the hunt:

• Read and understand the tree stand manufacturer’s instructions.

• Check tree stands and equipment for wear, fatigue, corrosion and cracks or loose nuts/bolts, paying particularly close attention to parts made of material other than metal.

• Practice at ground level.

• Learn how to properly wear your full-body safety harness.

During the hunt:

• Wear your full-body safety harness.

• Use a tree stand safety rope.

• Make certain to attach your harness to the tree before leaving the ground, and keep it attached to the tree until you return to the ground.

• Maintain three points of contact during ascent and descent.

• Use boots with non-slip soles.

• Use a haul line to raise and lower firearms, bows and other hunting gear.

• Make sure firearms are unloaded, action is open, and safety is on before attaching them to the haul line.

Additional safety tips:

• Carry emergency equipment, such as a cellphone and flashlight.

• Make a plan before you hunt.

• Tell someone your plan, including where you will be hunting and when you plan to return.

• Stick to your plan.

• Identify game before pointing a firearm.

• Know your target and what is beyond it.

Deer hunters can help feed hungry Hoosiers

Indiana Conservation Officers are encouraging Indiana hunters to donate harvested deer to help feed hungry Hoosiers.

The Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund administered by the DNR Division of Law Enforcement provides grants to Hoosiers Feeding the Hungry, the Dubois County Sportsmen Club and Hunters and Farmers Feeding the Hungry to pay for processing fees when hunters donate legally harvested deer.

Participating in the program is simple:

1. Enjoy a deer hunting experience.

2. Harvest a deer.

3. Drop off the field-dressed deer at a local participating processor.

4. Processing fees are paid for by the Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund.

5. The processor will create healthy venison burger to distribute to food banks.

The participating organizations notify food banks throughout Indiana when venison is ready to be collected from certified Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund butchers. The food banks distribute venison to soup kitchens and food pantries.

As a result of the 2021 deer hunting seasons, Hoosier hunters donated 879 harvested deer resulting in 45,326 pounds of venison being donated. For information on donating harvested deer and a list of participating processors, please visit sbf.IN.gov.

Dutch Oven Cook-off at Patoka Lake

Bring your best Dutch oven recipes, cookware, supplies and ingredients for some friendly competition at Patoka’s Autumn Getaway Dutch Oven Cook-off on Oct. 8 from 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. Judging will be at 3:30 p.m. Advance registration is required this year by Oct. 5 and can be made by calling the Nature Center at 812-685-2447.

The competition must have no fewer than 15 dishes registered or the event will be postponed until 2023. All culinary skill levels are welcome to compete. Winners will be announced in the cooking area at 4:30 p.m. in the Patoka Lake modern campground.

The program is free after paying the state park entrance fee $7 per vehicle and $9 for out-of-state vehicles. Patoka Lake (on.IN.gov/patokalake) is at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513.

Body recovered from Shadyside Lake

Indiana Conservation Officers assisted in an investigation after being contacted by the Anderson Police Department with a reported drowning at Shadyside Lake in Anderson on the afternoon of Sept. 24.

The victim, a 24-year-old male, reportedly disappeared while trying to swim across the lake with a companion. Several witnesses reported the man had shouted he was tangled in something before going under the surface of the water.

Upon arrival, conservation officers utilized a boat equipped with side scan sonar to locate the victim’s body. At 6:56 p.m., the victim was recovered. It was discovered the body was partially entangled in fishing line. The identity was being withheld pending family notification.

Indiana Conservation Officers would like to remind the public of the hazards involved with swimming in undesignated areas and the importance of wearing a life jacket whenever entering the water.

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail to jackspaulding@hughes.net. Spaulding’s books, “The Best of Spaulding Outdoors,” and his latest, “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com.