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Goose hunts set at Potato Creek and Summit Lake

Potato Creek and Summit Lake state parks will conduct controlled Canada goose reductions in the coming weeks, temporarily limiting general public access to the properties for the two days of each round of the reductions.

Three hunt reductions will take place – two at Potato Creek and one at Mt. Summit. The first will be Nov. 9-10 at Potato Creek, and the second is scheduled for Nov. 23-24. Summit Lake will conduct a hunt reduction Dec. 5-6.

The parks will start limiting general public access the evening before each of the three efforts and will fully reopen the morning after the second day of each of the two-day hunt reductions. Summit Lake will be closed during its reduction times, while Potato Creek will close only certain areas.

Having attempted numerous non-lethal methods of managing the Canada goose populations at the two parks, with little success, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will conduct the hunts to manage issues such as severe erosion and degraded water quality brought about by dense populations of Canada geese.

An advanced drawing has already selected the hunt participants, who can bring up to three non-registered buddies. A standby drawing for Indiana residents 18 or older by Nov. 9 will take place each morning of the hunts, 90 minutes before local sunrise, to fill spots reserved for no-show hunters.

Group sizes are limited to four individuals. All state and federal laws regarding waterfowl hunting apply. State and federal waterfowl stamps, state hunting license and HIP number are required for any participant to be eligible.

Apprentice licenses are not applicable. Questions regarding the stand-by drawing can be directed to the park of interest.

Fish and Wildlife Service approves new nontoxic shot

Not too many years ago, there were only two types of shotgun shell shot to choose from: lead and steel. With the new mandates then set in effect by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), hunters bemoaned the incorporation of steel shot as “too light” and “inadequate.”

Years of testing and field use has proven steel to be an acceptable substitute for lead, but other approved nontoxic shot formulations now proliferate. The new combinations, however, can make a hunter feel like he needs a degree in alchemy to determine what is legal and what is not.

Hunters in Indiana are required to use approved nontoxic shot while hunting waterfowl, and when hunting mourning doves on fish and wildlife areas. The FWS determined which types of shot are legally considered nontoxic. In addition to the already approved list of shot types, tungsten-iron-polymer has recently been added and is now legal to use when and where nontoxic shot is required.
It is illegal to possess shells loaded with anything other than approved nontoxic shot while hunting ducks, geese or coots anywhere in the state. The following is a list of non-toxic shot currently approved for use:

Bismuth-tin – 97 percent bismuth and 3 percent tin
Iron (steel) - iron and carbon Iron-tungsten - Any proportion of tungsten and more than 1 percent iron

Iron-tungsten-nickel – More than 1 percent iron with any proportion of tungsten, and up to 40 percent nickel

Tungsten-bronze – 51.1 percent tungsten, 44.4 percent copper, 3.9 percent tin and 0.6 percent iron; or 60 percent tungsten, 35.1 percent copper, 3.9 percent tin and 1 percent iron
Tungsten-iron-copper-nickel – 40-76 percent tungsten, 10-37 percent iron, 9-16 percent copper and 5-7 percent nickel
Tungsten-matrix – 95.9 percent tungsten and 4.1 percent polymer
Tungsten-polymer – 95.5 percent tungsten and 4.5 percent Nylon 6 or 11

Tungsten-tin-iron – Any proportions of tungsten and tin, and more than 1 percent iron

Tungsten-tin-bismuth – Any proportions of tungsten, tin and bismuth

Tungsten-tin-iron-nickel – 65 percent tungsten, 21.8 percent tin, 10.4 percent iron and 2.8 percent nickel

Tungsten-iron-polymer - 41.5-95.2 percent tungsten, 1.5-52 percent iron and 3.5-8 percent fluoropolymer

Coatings of copper, nickel, tin, zinc, zinc chloride and zinc chrome on approved nontoxic shot types also are approved. For more information, refer to the 2009-10 Indiana Hunting and Trapping Guide, which can be viewed online at www.in.gov/dnr

Free trapper education at Raccoon SRA

A trapper education course will be offered at Raccoon State Recreation Area on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the park’s property office.

The Indiana Trapper Education and Safety courses will help prepare trappers for safe and successful trapping experiences on land and in water. Each class will provide information about the art of trapping furbearer animals, trap selection, preparation and maintenance, furbearer biology, scouting for furbearer signs and fur handling.

Rules and regulations, safety, sportsmanship and ethics will be emphasized. Demonstrations and hands-on experiences enhance the learning experience.

The course is free, but registration is required. Participants need to register by contacting Stu Grell at 765-572-2207 or by e-mailing sgrell@wptc.us

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World. Readers with questions or comments may contact Jack Spaulding by e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.

11/4/2009