Here's an article I read in the paper tonight on the proposed new rules.It's the first one I have read so far.I've been telling everyone I know that hunts,even non hunters.
Hunters target rules
Some opposed to proposed changes in game regulations
BY TRACI MOYER Reporter-Times
July 19, 2010
MARTINSVILLE — Recent proposed changes to Indiana’s hunting laws are missing their intended target, say area hunters.
“They are cutting down the number of days you can hunt with a muzzleloader or firearm,” said Bill Herring of Martinsville. “And they are doing it at a time when the weather turns sour and people have family obligations — all of which is it is going to cut down on their hunting time, and hunters are going to be hopping mad.”
Changes that have been proposed to the Natural Resources Commission include shortening the firearm season to the Saturday before Thanksgiving and then continue for eight days only, compared to the current 16 days of hunting. The proposed changes also would shorten the deer muzzleloader season from 16 to nine days.
Other changes include allowing hunters 64 years of age or older to hunt with a crossbow early in the archery season. Crossbows also could be used during the deer firearms and muzzleloader season by hunters of any age.
The proposed changes also would extend the urban deer season through January 31, of the following year, and extending the urban deer zones in Lake and Porter counties to all of those counties.
Another proposal would add an antlerless deer-only firearms season in October for two days in counties with an antlerless quota of four or more, and add another antlerless deer-only firearms season from Dec. 25 through Jan. 1 of the following year.
A review of the state’s current fish and wildlife regulations initially was launched by the National Resources Commission in January of 2008 to address concerns that the rules were confusing and complicating enforcement efforts by the DNR’s Law Enforcement Division. A report to the Natural Resources Commission by the Natural Resources Advisory Council, said that broad amendments to the fish and wildlife rules needed to be made.
Since that initial meeting, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources has been discussing what changes to make, including changes to Indiana’s hunting laws to help reduce the large deer population in the state.
The Natural Resources Advisory Council also noted in its recommendations that the Indiana Department of Natural Resources should review the deer hunting seasons and bag limits to consider extending seasons or to increase bag limits to address deer herd management.
The advisory council said that reducing the herd will reduce pressure on the Indiana General Assembly from insurance companies and farmers unhappy with the havoc and dangers deer can generate on the general public.
Attempts to contact the Natural Resources Commission and the Natural Resources Advisor Council were unsuccessful.
Herring, who has been an avid hunter for more than 40 years, says he is extremely concerned about the proposed amendments to the hunting season. He says reducing the number of days people can hunt with firearms and limiting the number of deer kills will only make the deer herds larger, not smaller.
“There are no changes to the bow hunters, except to allow them to hunt longer, but the firearm hunters are going to lose days,” he said. “That’s a huge change. And that causes an element of fairness that sits wrong with a lot of people.”
Bob Houseworth Jr., another Martinsville hunter, hunts all season long with archery and a muzzleloader. He is worried that final touches to the proposals are being made with little public awareness, making some hunters feel as if the proposed changes will be quietly hustled in. He said the new rules are going to be a shock to hunters next fall when they are enacted.
“If you notice, the meetings are in the morning during the weekday,” Houseworth said. “If you want the hunters to participate, it would be more conducive to work to the schedule of the common folk.”
Houseworth describes himself as an “average Joe hunter,” but he said he has talked to at least 30 Joes like himself, and they have heard nothing about the proposed changes.
“People turn their vacations in a year in advance,” Houseworth said. “I take off the whole month of November to hunt. You just don’t show up on the opening day and go hunting; there is a whole lot more to it.”
Message boards across the state are filled with comments and concerns by hunters who are upset with the proposed changes and the how it might impact their hunting season. More than 5,000 people have been talking about the issue, and some, like Houseworth, are coming to a conclusion that the changes could cost the state some cash — not doe.
“If they pass this, myself and a lot of other hunters I know will start hunting out of state,” Houseworth said. “With the economy the way it is and if people leave the state to hunt, it will put a dent in their pockets.”
On Tuesday, the Natural Resources Commission plans to preliminarily adopt the proposed changes. After adoption, the commision will allow people to submit comments about the changes. The proposed rule changes will be presented at the Natural Resources Commission meeting at the Garrison in Fort Harrison State Park, located at 6002 North Post Road in Indianapolis. The meeting begins at 10 a.m. The meeting is open to the pubic. The proposed changes can be found on the Internet at
www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htm.
“If there is a lot of opposition to this, they could say this is not popular and we’re not going to do it,” Herring said. “ But they haven’t really tried to let people know about the proposed changes, and if people don’t know about them, there might not be very much opposition to it.”
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Rules to be presented Tuesday
The Natural Resources Commission plans to preliminarily adopt several proposed changes Tuesday to Indiana hunting laws. After preliminary adoption, the commission will allow people to submit comments about the new changes.
The proposed rule changes will be presented at the Natural Resources Commission meeting set for 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Garrison in Fort Harrison State Park, at 6002 North Post Road in Indianapolis. The meeting is open to the public
You can read all the proposed hunting regulation changes on the Internet at
www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.
Copyright: TMNews.com 2010
