It’s nice to have someone standing in as a watchdog for our rights and our outdoor traditions. The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) sent me a heads-up, as Indiana has pending legislation which will mandate individuals to take a safety course before purchasing a firearm. The recently introduced bill would greatly restrict the ability of residents to purchase firearms.

Senate Bill 304, sponsored by state Sen. Connie Sipes (D- New Albany), would, with limited exceptions, prohibit anyone from purchasing, renting or obtaining a firearm by transfer without completing a new firearms safety course administered by the Indiana State Police.

The measure only allows select individuals who have their concealed carry licenses, are current law enforcement officials or are current and former members of the armed forces to be exempted from the safety training mandate. Sportsmen, who are licensed hunters and have fulfilled their hunter education requirements, would still be prohibited from purchasing a new or used firearm without first taking the state’s mandated safety course.

“Law-abiding citizens should not have to jump through hoops to exercise their Second Amendment rights,” said Jeremy Rine, USSA associate director of state services. “This bill creates a new level of bureaucracy without cause.”

SB 304 has now been assigned to the Senate Committee on Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters. Take action! Indiana sportsmen should contact their state senators today and urge their legislators to oppose SB 304.

Experimental February goose season continues

The final year of a three-year experimental hunting season aimed at controlling breeding populations of resident Canada geese around urban areas of Indiana has been authorized for selected counties.

The season dates are Feb. 1-15 in the following: Adams, Allen, Boone, Clay, DeKalb, Elkhart, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Huntington, Johnson, Kosciusko, LaGrange, LaPorte, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Noble, Parke, Shelby, St. Joseph, Starke, Steuben, Sullivan, Vermillion, Vigo, Wells and Whitley counties.

To participate, hunters must have a valid hunting license, Indiana waterfowl stamp, signed federal duck stamp, a Harvest Information Program (HIP) number and a free permit from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). The free permit is available by phone at 317-232-4200, at www.IN.gov/dnr/fishwild or at any state Fish & Wildlife Area, field office or reservoir during regular business hours in January.

Ordering online allows hunters to print a permit at the time of order and saves postage costs. Hunters can minimize time online by not waiting until the last minute to apply. DNR waterfowl biologist Adam Phelps said overall response from hunters remains positive, and adding an online permit application last year helped, as did adding several check stations.

According to Phelps, nearly three-quarters of the 4,000 hunters who registered for the 2009 special season participated and reported taking an estimated 6,300 Canada geese. The two-year total for the February season is more than 11,000 geese.

Hunters must report all harvested geese to a check station. Geese must have the head, a fully feathered wing and reproductive parts still attached when the bird is checked. Check station staff will age and identify the sex of each bird, and will remove and keep the head of all adult birds checked.

Data collected from the heads are used to help determine if the late season will continue in future years. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service guidelines require at least 80 percent of the geese harvested during the three-year experimental period must be the giant subspecies of Canada goose – the one commonly found locally in Indiana and surrounding states.

“If we remain over 80 percent giants across all three years, we will ask the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to grant operational status to the season,” Phelps said. “This means that birds would no longer need to be checked and no permit would be needed to hunt.”
Even if Indiana meets federal guidelines to qualify for the extension, the season may be closed in future years if local Canada goose populations are reduced too much.

The bag limit for the experimental season is five Canada geese per day, with a possession limit of 10. Shooting hours are from a half-hour before sunrise, to sunset.
The temporary rule establishes the late Canada goose season also authorizes a special late season for two light goose species, Ross’ and snow. During the last 30 years, populations of both species have nearly quadrupled, resulting in severe degradation of their breeding grounds.
Hunters do not need a federal duck stamp or HIP number to take snow or Ross’ geese in the special season.
Federal regulations prohibit the Late Canada Goose and Light Goose special seasons being open at the same time. As a result, the Light Goose season will be Feb. 16-March 31 in the 30 counties designated for the Late Canada Goose season, and Feb. 1-March 31 in all other counties.

Spring Mill SP geocache
challenge this Saturday

Outdoor enthusiasts, now’s the time to put new batteries in your GPS and hone your locator skills. Spring Mill State Park will be hosting the park’s fourth annual Geocache Challenge Feb. 6, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Geocaching is an outdoor activity in which participants use Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate hidden treasures. The word geocache derives from a combination of the prefix “geo,” for Earth, and “cache,” a hiding place.
The challenge is a multi-stage quest taking participants on a unique tour of Spring Mill State Park. This year’s theme is “The Boys of the CCC.” The event is open to anyone with a GPS unit, and has been designed to be completed in less than three hours.
Instructions and coordinates to the first cache will be given at the naturalist’s winter office, located next to the game room in Spring Mill Inn. The first individual or team to complete the challenge receives a prize.
More information about the event may be found by searching for “Geocache Challenge” at www.geocaching.com or by calling the park at 812-849-3534. Park entrance fees of $5 per vehicle for Indiana residents and $7 per vehicle for non-residents apply.
 
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.