Youth under the age of 18 on the day of their hunt may apply from March 20-31 for the reserved youth turkey hunts on DNR properties during the youth turkey hunting season.  The 2023 youth turkey hunting season is April 22-23.

Interested young hunters or an adult representing them must register in person or by phone during regular office hours for the property they wish to hunt.  More information about the participating properties and youth turkey hunt regulations is at http://bit.ly/3Zquj5y.

Hunters are allowed to register for only one property. Limits are placed on the number of youth hunters allowed to hunt a respective property each day. A drawing will be held on Monday, April 3 at properties where the number of registered hunters exceeds the spots available. A youth hunter may be drawn for one or both hunt days, depending on the number of applicants. All applicants will be notified of drawing results by mail.

To purchase a hunting or hunting apprentice license, visit on.IN.gov/inhuntfish.

Accessibility Telephone App Enhances State Park Experience 

A new technology installation at Falls of the Ohio State Park’s Interpretive Center allows individuals with hearing, visual, or sensory needs to have equal access to the center’s natural, cultural, and historical resources.

Park visitors who can benefit from the free Access 4 All app can download it on their mobile devices.

The Interpretive Center features 3,000 square feet of immersive exhibits telling the story of 390-million-year-old fossil beds, the receding glaciers which carved the landscape along the Ohio River, and how conservation can preserve the area.

The app project was made possible through the American Water Charitable Foundation’s Water and Environment grant program and support from the Indiana Parks Alliance. The grants allowed the Falls of the Ohio Foundation to partner with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the museum technology firm Communication Electronics Design (CED), and A4A Designs.

“The mission of Indiana State Parks is to conserve, manage and interpret our resources while creating memorable experiences for everyone,” said Ginger Murphy, Indiana State Parks deputy director for stewardship. “The work that The Falls of the Ohio Foundation has done on the tool provides improved accessibility to the center’s exhibits and really takes that term ‘everyone’ to heart.

“This is the first of its kind in any of our nature/interpretive centers. We value our partnership with The Falls of the Ohio Foundation and thank them for their leadership on this app!”

New Boater’s Guide To Indiana Marinas

Whether you boat, fish, or just relax on the water, Indiana has a new tool to help plan your next boating adventure when warm weather returns.  The new digital version of the Boater’s Guide to Indiana Marinas offers an interactive map to filter marinas by location, as well as by services offered.  Boaters can search about 80 different marinas in Indiana.

Firewood Permits At Potato Creek SP

 The public is invited to cut up and remove certain downed trees at Potato Creek State Park for firewood.  Trees eligible for firewood have fallen as a result of natural causes or have been dropped by property staff. They are along roadsides or in public areas such as campsites and picnic areas. 

Permit sales and cutting are available now and go through March 31. The cost of one pickup-truck load is $10. All proceeds will be used for resource management and restoration efforts, including replacement of trees in campgrounds and other public areas. Firewood cut at Potato Creek is for personal use only and cannot be sold.

A firewood permit must be obtained for each load at Potato Creek’s office between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Permits are not available on observed state holidays.

Firewood may be cut up to 30 feet from roadsides in designated areas; however, vehicles are not allowed off roads. The use of tractors, UTVs, and ATVs is prohibited. Wood may be cut and removed between 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. daily. For more information, call 574-656-8186. 

Potato Creek State Park (on.IN.gov/potatocreek) is at 25601 State Road 4, North Liberty, IN.

‘till next time, Jack

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 in paperback or as a Kindle download.