Patoka Sportsman 3-21-20
Patoka Sportsman 3-21 & 3-22-20
Youth hunters (under age 18 on the day of the hunt) may register for reserved turkey hunts between March 16-27. Hunts will occur April 18-19. Spots are limited. Hunters will only be allowed to register for one property. Find a list of participating DNR properties on their website.
Hunter Ed classes scheduled for March 27 & 28 at the Faith Baptist Church in Loogootee and the one scheduled for April 4 at Cornerstone Methodist Church on State Road 70 in Christney are cancelled. Please check all other scheduled hunter ed. classes at pass it on Indiana dot com to see if they are still cancelled due to CDC guidelines. Most other seminars and group events for more than 10 people are also cancelled. Stay tuned as the conditions change for further updates.
As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic continues to evolve and impacts the way we work and live, along with the current recommendations of the CDC and our Government, The St. Anthony Conservation Club has postponed the 3/28/20 Archery Expo to a later date. They will try to pick a date that will work for all parties involved. This date will be based off the future direction of the CDC and our government. Their plan is to host the normal Archery Expo at that time and also have the raffle drawing.
Your guide to Indiana's best values in outdoor recreation is available now online. The Indiana Fishing Guide is also available online. The DNR’s 2020 Indiana Recreation Guide is the source for information on state parks, state forests, lakes, fish & wildlife areas, nature preserves, state park inns, and other DNR properties. This year's four free fishing days are May 3, June 6-7, and Sept. 26. Indiana residents do not need a fishing license or a trout stamp to fish in public waters on these days.
The 2020-2021 hunting seasons are now posted. Dates for migratory bird and waterfowl seasons will become available in the summer. Those seasons are set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife. Your 2019 hunting and fishing licenses are valid through March 31, 2020.
Registration is open for the Full Moon 5K taking place at Patoka Lake beach on Friday, June 5 at 9:15p.m. Race 3.1miles through the woods on roadways, a well-maintained gravel and grass lane and paved bike trail lit by moonlight and tiki torches. All proceeds from this event will go to support Patoka’s non-releasable raptors; a red-tailed hawk, eastern screech owl and bald eagle. Early registration is $25 which includes a race t-shirt. Go to http://fullmoon5K.itsyourrace.com to register today! For more information or call (812)685-2447. This could still be cancelled we’ll have to wait and see.
Patoka Lake Nature Center is planning a women’s only event to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed environment on Friday, April 24 through Sunday April 26. This event will start at the Patoka Lake Nature Center and include overnight camping for the duration of the weekend. Women ages 16 and older can participate in activities including in depth archery lessons, kayaking, kayak fishing, Dutch oven cooking, basic bush craft, wild edibles, wilderness 1st aid, yoga, trap shooting, rifle, boat operations, self-defense, wildlife tracking, beginner birding, beginner bow hunter, hunting basics and more. Meals will be provided on Saturday and Sunday. Camping will take place in the modern electric campgrounds. Pre-registration is required by April 10th. There is a registration fee of $65/participant. For more information or to register, call the Patoka Lake Nature Center at (812)685-2447. This event is being sponsored by the Dubois County Shooting Sports Instructor Council. Again this event could be cancelled if the CDC guidelines remain in effect.
Kick off the spring season with a walk along the Patoka Lake Fitness Trail on Saturday, March 21 at 10:30a.m. This trail is an extension of the bike trail and features 26 fitness stations. Participate at the stations or simply walk along with the group during this fun, no pressure fitness walk. Get back on track with a New Year’s Resolution or stay focused with this group activity! Meet at the Modern Campground parking lot located next to the campground gatehouse. Patoka Lake (stateparks.IN.gov/2953.htm) is at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513. The entrance fee of $7 per vehicle for Indiana residents ($9 out of state) is required for the Newton Stewart State Recreation Area, Patoka Reservoir, located north of Wickliffe Indiana, Highway 164. For more information regarding this program or other interpretive events, call the Nature Center at 812.685.2447.
Indiana Conservation Officers are investigating an off-road vehicle (ORV) accident that occurred Monday, killing one Gibson County man and leaving his teen-age passenger in critical condition. Gibson County Central Dispatch received a 911 call at 4:36 p.m., about an accident at the intersection of State Road 168 and County Road 550 East. Initial investigation showed that a side by side ORV driven by Zane Wampler, 18, of Princeton, with a juvenile passenger, was traveling southbound on C.R. 550 E when it attempted to pull out onto S.R. 168. The ORV was struck by a pickup truck traveling eastbound on S.R. 168. Wampler was ejected from the ORV. The juvenile passenger remained in the ORV. The juvenile passenger was taken by helicopter to St. Vincent Hospital in Evansville, where he is in critical condition. Wampler was transported by ambulance to St. Vincent Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The investigation is still ongoing. Helmets and protective riding gear were not being worn at the time of the accident. Indiana Conservation Officers recommend using all available safety equipment, and Indiana law requires anyone under 18 that is operator or passenger on an ORV to wear a helmet. For more information on ORV safety, see offroad-ed.com/indiana.