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Post by hatchetjack on Mar 16, 2021 11:17:34 GMT -5
The Natural Resources Commission today changed the rule on equipment for muzzleloaders used during deer season. The change allows the use of the rear powder loading and front bullet loading of muzzleloader during the FIREARMS season. This is the final rule and must be reviewed by the Attorney General and the Governor before the change is finalized. Will likely be ready this summer/fall.
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Post by hatchetjack on Mar 15, 2021 17:50:11 GMT -5
Meeting of committee held today but no action on SB389.
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Post by hatchetjack on Mar 6, 2021 0:00:37 GMT -5
SB389 has been introduced in the House and assigned to the House Environmental Affairs Committee. No hearing has been scheduled yet.
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Post by hatchetjack on Feb 25, 2021 20:14:56 GMT -5
If IDEM needs to be fixed, we should fix it. I think it needs fixed. That said I don't think you throw out the entire wetlands rule. Just my opinion. Bill will be assigned to House Environmental Affairs next week.
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Post by hatchetjack on Feb 25, 2021 20:14:01 GMT -5
If IDEM needs to be fixed, we should fix it. I think it needs fixed. That said I don't think you throw out the entire wetlands rule. Just my opinion.
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Post by hatchetjack on Feb 18, 2021 21:52:08 GMT -5
FYI - Bills will switch Houses next week. Senate bills go to House and House bills go to Senate.
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Post by hatchetjack on Feb 5, 2021 18:13:53 GMT -5
Even better - contact the Governor and ask him to veto this bill if it gets to him. Yes.... sometimes you got to go to the Top! He has stated publicly that he had not been made aware of this issue until the big stink last week in the Senate. I hope he will bring cooler minds to the table and make them see what a disaster this is.
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Post by hatchetjack on Feb 4, 2021 13:53:35 GMT -5
Even better - contact the Governor and ask him to veto this bill if it gets to him.
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Post by hatchetjack on Feb 2, 2021 18:30:06 GMT -5
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 31, 2021 20:28:19 GMT -5
Senate Bill 389 goes for 3rd reading tomorrow on the Senate Floor. We have a good chance of delaying this so contact your senator and vote no on this bill.
Jack
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 26, 2021 18:13:55 GMT -5
The bill (Senate Bill 389) passed committee by 8-3. After beating up IDEM and DNR for awhile they allowed 1 other person to testify against the bill. There were at least 10 conservation groups standing in the hall who were told to submit their written comments. They then proceeded to bring in about 10 developers, builders and property owners in support of the bill. Thank you to Sens. Tallian, Yoder, and Niezgodski in voting no on this bill.
Please contact your senator and representative to vote no on this bill or at lease send it to a summer study committee.
Jack
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 18, 2021 20:46:36 GMT -5
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 9, 2021 13:44:00 GMT -5
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 9, 2021 13:40:32 GMT -5
If participants want to fight this they need to get going yesterday. DNR is going to gather data and it's unlikely to get legislative support this year. All of this is in prep to going to the NRC. If that fails then they will go directly to the legislature. Coyote contests today, Big Buck contests tomorrow.
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 4, 2021 22:57:51 GMT -5
Division of Law Enforcement Update, Steve Hunter: Wrapped up deer season, a lot of activity, baiting, trespassing, etc. Interesting case related to hunting leases where someone placed a Facebook ad for land to hunt and someone contacted them and leased land for $2k. They then ran into several other people who also paid to lease that land. Discovered someone leased land they did not own, to people they did not know, and collected money. 3 South region Lieutenants are retiring and have identified their replacements. Currently have 38 vacancies and it is looking good for recruit school for 2021. There were no fatalities this year, however there was one near fatality. Tree stand falls- most going up or down stand. Appears the harness message is out there and people are abiding it for the most part. Rules Update, Amanda Wuestefeld: Before the September Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting, Linnea shared our proposed rules with the group. Those were adopted and now becoming rules. We were notified this week that those rules will be posted mid December and be effective. You can find those rules in the middle of the page at: www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2362.htmFish rules go into effect December 17th and the Wildlife rule package will go into effect on December 16. The biggest thing to note is that air bows and air rifles will be legal in late deer seasons this year anywhere where firearms will be legal. Research update, Joe Caudell: Currently have a research project going on that will look at the effects of changing deer license structure and changing license prices and what that means on deer population and hunter perspectives. Working with an ag economist at Purdue so we can look at if we restructure or add licenses or change prices, what affect it will have on people purchasing and what that means for our deer population. That project just started and will involve talking to a random sample of deer hunters and sending surveys with what is called a choice experiment. This one is a 2 year project. Question was asked if there is any plan to look at other potential funding sources, for example visitors participating in other activities other than fishing/hunting at DFW properties. DFW is proposing one project this year to do a more comprehensive look at the use of properties, volume of use, who is using them, so it is being considered currently. Other Announcements: John Davis announced he will be retiring in January, 2021. David Bausman provided a brief update on legislative session. Things seems to be running a little behind due to COVID. What he is hearing is there will likely be less time to focus on other issues and likely less on natural resources than normal. Amanda Wuestefeld provided a brief update on her meeting with the Humane Society of the U.S. (HSUS) on coyote contests. This is a national initiative for HSUS and they shared the research they have done with other states that have placed a ban on those contests and position statements from several other conservation organizations. DNR has asked them to allow us time gather more data for Indiana. The group discussed the current format of meetings and how the group would like to proceed. It was agreed the virtual format was working well given current climate with COVID. However, the group would like to explore face to face a few times a year once it is safe to do so. There was consensus we will try for a blended approach of virtual monthly calls and strive for some face to face meetings, maybe quarterly. Amanda asked the group to please send her agenda items so she can ensure these meetings are addressing the areas of most interest of the group. There was a suggestion to talk about bobcats at a future meeting. Discussion on a need for education now when there is not a threat of a harvest season. Future Meeting Dates: All calls will be at 5 pm EST January 28, 2021
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 4, 2021 14:41:59 GMT -5
NRC’s Jan. 19 meeting canceled
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 3, 2021 10:36:06 GMT -5
The new session starts tomorrow. So far no bills impacting hunting or fishing. There are a couple of bills on gun, etc. Here's the link to the list of bills: iga.in.gov/legislative/2021/bills/Jack
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Post by hatchetjack on Dec 4, 2020 16:25:18 GMT -5
Migratory birds tend to migrate...lol
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Post by hatchetjack on Dec 1, 2020 16:27:37 GMT -5
A couple of years ago (Spring of 2018). I was turkey hunting at Atterbury. I would call and something would answer. Now I'm not the best caller in the state but I'm not the worst either. Anyway whenever I would get an answer IT sounded odd.Like a Jake trying to gargle. So I crawled up the hill and back down a road to try and see what it was. Standing in the middle of the road was a full grown rooster pheasant trying to answer my call. The next year (2019) I stepped on him (or another one) going in to turkey hunt in the dark.
I also spent a lot of time at Royal Flush and I've seen really big roosters standing in open fields after they run out of the cover. No way you could get close to them. Shawn said it happens every year. No evidence the pheasants reproduce but I'll bet the quail do and Shawn doesn't have a call back pen.
HJ
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Post by hatchetjack on Nov 27, 2020 18:20:34 GMT -5
Might be in place for Fall 2021 season.
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