A free Indiana Hunter Education Course is slated for Jan. 13 and 20 at the Dubois County 4-H Fairgrounds. Participants must attend both days to complete the course.

Classes will run from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Jan. 13, and from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Jan. 20. Anyone born after Dec. 31, 1986, must complete a Hunter Education Course to buy an Indiana hunting license.

Indiana conservation officers and certified Indiana volunteer hunter education instructors will teach the course. It will cover ethics, safety, laws, survival and safe handling practices for archery, black powder muzzleloaders and modern cartridge firearms.

Lunch will be provided for participants and attending family members on both days for $5 per-person, per-day. New hunters will need to register at www.passitonindiana.com

There is a 150-student limit for the class, and advance registration is required. The course is sponsored by the Dubois County Shooting Sports Instructor Council and Dubois County Sportsmen. For more information, call 812-685-2447.

Patoka Lake is located at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513.

Eagles Over Monroe returns to Fairfax SRA

Eagles Over Monroe will celebrate Indiana’s relationship with our national bird through educational programs and bird-watching opportunities at Fairfax State Recreation Area (SRA), Jan. 26-28.

Monroe Lake is hosting the event in conjunction with the Fourwinds Lakeside Inn and Visit Bloomington. Advance registration, full program details and lodging and dining information are available at www.visitbloomington.com/eaglesovermonroe

While eagles are the event headliners, programs will explore the lives of other bird species, too. The program kicks off the evening of Jan. 26 with presentations about saw whet owl research and the biodiversity of Monroe Lake.

Jan. 27, offers opportunities to learn about the eagle restoration program, how to bird by impression, the evolution of dinosaurs into birds and the whooping crane recovery story. During lunch, participants can see live raptors from the Dwight Chamberlain Raptor Center and make avian-themed crafts.

A formal presentation later in the day will feature live raptors from the Indiana Raptor Center. A self-guided driving tour around the lake on Saturday afternoon offers attendees a chance to see eagles and other birds in the wild. Stops will be manned by local birders and their spotting scopes.

James Kawlewski, outreach program assistant for the International Crane Foundation, will present that evening’s keynote address, “Raptors and Cranes, An Interconnected Wonder.” The evening concludes with avian-themed bingo.

The event wraps up on the morning of Jan. 27 with photography and birding hikes.

Advance registration is $15 for adults (ages 16 and older) and $10 for kids (ages 6-15) and includes all of the scheduled event programs and activities. Walk-up registration will also be available at the Fourwinds Lakeside Inn from 4-8 p.m. on Jan. 26, and from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 27. Walk-up costs are $20 for adults and $15 for kids.

The Fourwinds Lakeside Inn is offering a special rate of $79 per night for a lakeside room to event attendees. Dining specials will also be available throughout the weekend.

Eagle watch at Patoka Lake

Witness the world of eagles in Indiana even sooner, with indoor and outdoor programs at Patoka Lake Nature Center on Jan. 6. The 30th annual Eagle Watch runs from 10 a.m.-4:45 p.m. EST.

Visitors can see the nature center’s resident bald eagle and other live raptors as Patoka Lake interpretive naturalist Dana Reckelhoff shares the stories of the birds of prey. Patoka Lake wildlife specialist Brian Finch and his team will lead driving tours to hot spots for eagle viewing.

Department of Natural Resources (DNR) nongame bird biologist Allisyn Gillet will explain the history of the 1980s eagle reintroduction program and the success of the species.

A catered meal will be provided. Children’s activities and crafts will be available from 12:45-4 p.m. The cost is $15 per person. Advance registration is required by calling 812-685-2447. The event is limited to the first 55 registered participants.

Participants should dress for the weather and remember to bring binoculars, spotting scopes and cameras. Patoka Lake is located at 3084 N. Dillard Road, Birdseye, IN 47513.

Renovation at Dove Hollow Marsh brings fishing rule changes

Anglers at Dove Hollow Marsh in Glendale Fish & Wildlife Area can soon harvest more fish before the marsh is drained this spring for repairs.

Becoming effective Dec. 15, 2017, the DNR has removed the largemouth bass size limit and doubled the daily bag limit for all species at the marsh in Daviess County. The temporary rule change will be in effect until Dec. 15 this year.

The DNR is replacing the drain-control structure and the boat ramp at the marsh. The construction will require draining the water starting in the spring. The agency is relaxing fishing regulations at the marsh so fewer fish are wasted when it is drained.

The DNR will restock Dove Hollow Marsh with fish after repairs are finished.

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 email at jackspaulding@hughes.net or by writing to him in care of this publication.