Patoka Sportsman 3-26-22
Patoka Sportsman 3-26 & 3-27-22
The Dubois County Sportsmen’s Club announces their youth turkey seminar for kids 17 and under on April 9 at the Ireland Sportsmen’s Club. The first 20 kids to register will participate in group and breakout sessions with local hunting gurus. The seminar will focus on enjoying the outdoors, gun safety, successful tips to increase your odds of harvesting a gobbler. Registration is from 8-8:20 and speakers will talk from 8:20-9:30. Hands on learning will be from 9:45-11. Lunch and drawings will take place from 11-12. For more info or to register call Shawn at 812-482-4162. Parents are encouraged to attend with their kids.
The 2022 spring turkey season runs April 27 - May 15, with the youth-only season April 23-24. Predictions for this season call for between 12,000 and 13,000 birds to be harvested including an increase in the number of juvenile (jakes) taken due to high summer brood success (survival of poults/young turkeys).
.410 and 28-gauge shotguns are now legal for turkey hunting in addition to already legal 10, 12, 16 and 20 gauge shotguns. Tungsten Super Shot #9 and #10 are also now legal for wild turkey hunting. Youth season is April 23 & 24.The regular season opens on April 27 through May 15.
This season’s resident Spring Turkey License fee is $32 plus the annual gamebird stamp ($11) for a total of $43. The Resident Youth Consolidated Hunt/Trap license fee is $12 (no stamp required). This license is also available to nonresident youth who have a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian who is an Indiana resident. See the nonresident fees and other seasonal fees.
Remember, your 2021-22 hunting and fishing licenses expire March 31. Purchase your annual hunting and fishing licenses for 2022-23 now.
The annual Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop is April 29 to May 1 at Ross Camp in West Lafayette. The workshop is open to women ages 18 and older and limited to 85 participants. The program is designed for women to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed, low-pressure environment. Participants will choose four activities from more than two dozen offerings, including fishing, archery, geocaching, wilderness survival, natural gardening, wild edibles, wildlife tracking, shooting firearms, and outdoor cooking. The workshop is for women who have never tried these activities, but have hoped for an opportunity to learn; who have tried them but are beginners hoping to improve; or who know how to do some of the activities, but would like to try new ones. Women who enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded individuals and who seek time away to reconnect with nature are also prime candidates for BOW. Registration is now open and runs until there are 85 registrants, can be done online at Indianabow.com. The cost for the workshop is $250 and includes all equipment, meals, and lodging.
The Patoka Lake Watershed Steering Committee is hosting the 16th annual Patoka Lake Clean Up on Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Patoka Lake Corps of Engineers Office at Patoka Lake Dam at 4512 Cuzco Road in Dubois. The event will begin at 8 a.m. Participants of all ages and abilities can participate and will be assigned an area in which to pick up trash and recycling. At 11 a.m. all volunteers can return to the dam for a fish fry, music, door prizes, goody bags, and a free event T-shirt. Each year volunteers pick up more than 2,000 pounds of trash during the event. All supplies are provided. Volunteers should wear sturdy closed-toe shoes, long pants, and consider carpooling to the site. Service and youth groups are asked to register in advance. For more information or register, call the Patoka Lake Nature Center at 812-685-2447 or email Dana Recklehoff at [email protected]. Check the Patoka Lake Watershed Steering Committee Facebook page for event updates.
Spring Mill Inn at Spring Mill State Park will close for major renovation beginning Nov. 13. Reopening is expected in the first quarter of 2024. The 73-room inn is structurally sound but needs significant work that requires extended closure of the entire facility, including the Millstone Dining Room, conference facilities, and overnight lodging. Funding for this project is provided through an infusion of dollars to address deferred maintenance needs in Indiana State Parks and other DNR properties by Governor Eric J. Holcomb and the Indiana General Assembly. The base budget for the project is $10 million.
The primary goal of the project is modernization of all mechanical systems while retaining the historic, natural look and feel of the public spaces and guest rooms. The work includes replacement of water lines, fire alarms, sprinklers, and HVAC. The project also includes installing new windows and doors, making accessibility upgrades, as well as making additional guest room furnishing and bathroom upgrades, and replacing the existing swimming pool with a splash pad. All inn associates will remain employed during the renovation, working in other areas of the park or at other inn locations. The inn will maintain an office with telephone and electronic communications inside the park to answer questions, make day-to-day contacts, and conduct future sales meetings. Its location will be announced once established.
The DNR wants you to give feedback and help improve Indiana’s fisheries? They would like to hear about your 2021-2022 fishing experiences via a new electronic angler survey. Anglers with a current email address within DNR’s electronic license system will receive an email containing a personalized link to the survey the week of April 11. The survey is your chance to provide input on Indiana’s fisheries management statewide and around where you live and fish. Survey responses will help DNR gather information about Indiana anglers and their opinions on fisheries management. This information will provide valuable feedback in developing programs to better serve you. Make sure to add or update your email address to receive a link to the survey. The survey link you receive is a unique link that cannot be used for multiple surveys. DNR asks that you do not share this link with others, as it allows only one survey completion. If you do not receive an email with your licensed angler survey by April 15, email [email protected] to receive your unique survey link.