Patoka Sportsman 10-6-18
Patoka Sportsman 10-6 & 10-7-18
A new law may impact where you go hunting this fall. If you see a line of purple paint, turn around. That means it’s private property. Indiana’s “Purple Paint Law” went into effect July 1, 2018. Instead of marking property with a “no trespassing” sign, property owners can spray a line of purple paint either on a tree or post. Lawmakers believe the line of purple paint is a more efficient way to mark private land because unlike a no trespassing sign, it can’t be torn down or stolen. It’s also a simple way to show people what land is off limits. Anyone caught crossing the line of paint can be prosecuted. If you choose to use the purple paint, make sure your post is at least three to five feet high and eight inches long. The bottom of each mark must be between three and five feet from the ground and a tree or post should be marked every 100 yards. Indiana is the fifteenth state to adopt this kind of law.
Purdue Extension with Dubois County 4-H is hosting an ATV 101 Experience on Tuesday, Oct. 23 through Thursday Oct. 25 from 6-8 PM at the Dubois county 4-H Fairgrounds. Participants are required to attend all three days. Participants will have the opportunity to operate an ATV in a controlled environment and learn skills to utilize when riding. The youth will learn controls, riding techniques and the proper way to manage different terrain. ATV 101 Experience will increase riders safety awareness and skills and help identify riders abilities and ATV’s capabilities. Any youth in grades 3-12 is welcome to participate. They will need to provide their own ATV that fits them. No ATV’s will be provided. The cost is free for current 4-H members and $15 for non 4-H members. If your family has a financial hardship that would make it difficult to pay, please contact the Purdue Extension Office at 812-482-1782. All participants must register in advance. The deadline to register is Oct. 16 by 4 PM.
JASPER RIFLE AND GUN CLUB WILL BE OPENING THEIR TRAP FIELDS FOR SIX SUNDAYS, THRU 10-28 FOR YOUTH SHOOTERS TO PARTICIPATE, LEARN AND SHOOT THE SPORT OF TRAP. YOUTH SHOOTERS MAY ATTEND AS MANY OR ALL OF THESE SESSIONS. THANKS TO THE SUPPORT OF THE FRIENDS OF THE NRA AND THE JRGC, THE COST OF A ROUND OF 25 TRAP TARGETS WILL BE $2.00 AND A BOX OF SHOTGUN SHELLS WILL BE $3.00. THESE PRICES ARE ONLY AVAILABLE DURING THESE EVENTS. FOR MORE INFORMATION OF IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE email [email protected] OR CALL STEVE HAGGH AT 812-482-9013 OR JOE JONES AT 360-975-9284.
The Indiana Conservation Officers and Fur takers of America local 7C will sponsor an Indiana trapper Ed. Class Sat. Oct. 20 from 8 AM to 4 PM EST at Sugar Ridge Fish & Wildlife Area. The class is free and lunch will be provided by the Dubois County Sportsmen’s Club. The class will be specifically oriented toward beginning trappers with the following subjects being covered at the class: Furbearer Management, Behavior and disease, trapper safety, Historical culture of trapping, sportsmanship, rules and regulations and trapper ethics, trapper technology, equipment modifications and preparation for upland water trapping, trap setting demonstrations, proper fur handling techniques an trapline management. You can sign up at pass it on Indiana dot com.
Celebrate the season at Patoka Lake's annual Autumn Getaway Weekend #1 Friday, October 19th & Saturday October 20th. All programs take place in the modern campgrounds at the shelter house & large tents. Friday October 19th, Campers bring canned vegetables for Friendship Stew at 5p.m. to the modern campgrounds shelterhouse. Naturalists & Volunteers will cook the stew, ready to serve at 7p.m. Bring family & friends, lawn chairs, crackers, bowls and eating utensils. Join the naturalists as we gather around the campfire with Friendship Stew. Campers can start their quest around the park during the Selfie Scavenger Hunt or buy pumpkins from the pumpkin wagon. Proceeds of $3/small pumpkin and $5/large pumpkin will benefit the Patoka Birds of Prey. Join our volunteers as they present Hocus Pocus on a big movie screen under the big tents at 7:30p.m. Bring blankets, comfy chairs, and refreshments for this special premier!
On Saturday, October 20th from 9 -11a.m. enjoy “Fall Family Fun” with crafts, activities and games. Bring your own pumpkin and carving tools. Create your special jack-o-lantern for the pumpkin carving contest. Bring a pre-washed white cotton T-shirt for Tie-Dying, supplies provided. Make a tin punch lantern for your campsite for $5/kit. Look for the tents in Campgrounds Section A near the gatehouse. Pumpkins will be for sale with small pumpkins priced at $3 and large at $5. Proceeds will benefit the Patoka birds of prey.
Starting at Noon, sign up for the 16th annual Dutch Oven Cook-Off Competition. With Dutch ovens and supplies, create a dish from 12:30 - 3p.m.; to be judged as well as a 3:30p.m. sampling by the public.
At 12p.m. bring your team to the tent area for the Cornhole Tournament. There will be separate tourneys for youth and adults.
Bring your pets, in costume for the 2p.m. pet parade with a special guest grand marshall. Pets must be on a leash. Pet costume contest to follow.
At 3:30p.m., TASTE OF PATOKA offers campers a taste of the Dutch Oven Cooking dishes & cast iron chili, prepared and served by DNR staff and volunteers. Bring a bowl or plate, silverware, & $2 donation to taste and judge these dishes.
Please have your campsites decorated by 3p.m. for the decorating contest. Judges will make their way around to all registered campsites to select first place winners for three themes: Scariest, Most Original, Best Fall Theme.
Campers 12 years of age and under are invited to "Trick or Treat” from 6-7:30p.m. around the campgrounds. There will be no vehicle traffic at this time for the safety of your children!
For more information regarding this special event, details of Dutch Oven Cook-Off, or other programs at Patoka, call the Patoka Lake Nature Center at (812)685-2447.
Celebrate the season at Patoka Lake's annual Autumn Getaway Weekend #2 Friday, October 26th & Saturday October 27th. All programs take place in the modern campgrounds at the shelter house & large tents and at the Baseball Field.
Many Indiana State Parks are offering Fall Festival and Halloween events, Oct. 19-21 and Oct. 26-28. Some parks still have camping openings for these weekends. Check your favorite park for availability and reserve your site at camp.IN.gov.
It's going to be a beautiful autumn at Indiana State Parks. Make your reservation at one of the seven State Park Inns and take full advantage of Mother Nature's colorful show. Call 1.877.LODGES 1 or visit IndianaInns.com to reserve your room.
Hunters can check in their game online through the CheckIN Game system, in the Fish & Wildlife Online Services application, at an on-site check station, or by phone. The online CheckIN Game system and the Fish & Wildlife Online Services can be used with any Internet-connected device. Both of these options are free, and you don’t need to set up an account online to check in your game. You can purchases licenses, check in game, view your check-in history, get your HIP number, purchase a gift certificate or make a donation through your account. The phone-in option (1-800-419-1326) carries a $3 fee (Visa or Mastercard only). Even at on-site check stations, station managers will enter information online through the CheckIN Game System. Stations no longer use paper log books or issue metal tags.
While every tree in the woods serves a purpose in some way, there are some trees that bear a greater importance and should remain in your woodlands to provide ever-important mast. Oak trees of all varieties and other mast producers should be identified and pampered. When oaks reach their potential, their canopies produce tons of needed mast.
White Oak
It’s no secret to deer hunters across the nation that the mast produced by the white oak is highly favored by whitetails. White oak acorns draw deer like ants to sugar. When the acorns hit the ground, the deer devour them like candy. White oak trees are easy to identify because of their white scaly bark from where they derive their name. The leaves have seven to nine rounded lobes on each side. When the acorns are mature, they sit inside the shallow cups. Finding and marking the white oaks in your timber stand to prevent accidental cutting or removal is a must.
Red And Black Oak
Likewise, you should identify red oaks and black oaks which also produce important mast for game of all sorts. Red oaks have brownish gray bark with silver streaks running vertically throughout. Their acorns are large and round and sit in a shallow cup. Black oaks have rigid black bark and their leaves have five to seven rounded lobes on each side. Black oak acorns sit deep in their cap and sometimes appear fuzzy.
Persimmon
Perhaps the sweetest treat in the woods is the fruit of the persimmon tree. Identifying and preserving these trees will give you a leg up on where the deer will be when these sweet treats hit the ground. Persimmon trees have dark rigid bark and are typically slender and tall. Their leaves are elongated ovals and the fruit is hard and green throughout the summer months. During late fall as the frost begins to appear, the fruit will turn a soft orange color. When they begin to fall you can bet that every deer in the woods will be there to swallow them up. Clearing competing vegetation around the persimmon trees will help them to receive more sunlight and nutrients from the soil.
Fall is here and it’s the greatest time of year… for walleye fishing. The cooling water temps spark a pre-winter need to feed and get walleyes moving into more shallow water. In lakes, they spend most of the time in deeper, darker water, then swim to 5-10 feet of water to feed. Trolling a three-way rig along dropoffs and rocky-gravel bottom areas or trolling spinners and crankbaits in open water can be effective approaches this time of year.