Every year, I get a few calls in January and February from friends or family to exclaim their witnessing the arrival of the first robin of spring.

Unfortunately, the birds posing as false hopes of spring are nothing more than a few slackers among the robin clan staying up North all year. They hang out under cutout creek banks and along rivers using their migratory store of fat to wait out the cold weather.

I also get calls saying spring is here with the sighting of buzzards. Buzzards are even worse than the slacker robins, as they will stick around as long as the dead raccoons, possums and deer aren’t frozen solid. I saw buzzards off and on in Indiana in December, January, February and now March. They are riding the thermals, chasing the warm breaks in the weather and dining roadside on recently thawed carcasses.

Every year on March 15, since 1957, Hinckley, Ohio, has eagerly awaited spring coming with the return of the buzzards at "Buzzards' Roost" at the Cleveland Metroparks Hinckley Reservation. This year will probably be no exception, as Dr. Bob Hinkle (reported last year as Hinckley’s buzzard guru) and other esteemed amateur ornithologists will probably lead the early-morning crowd of onlookers to see who can spot the first one.

I wish I had a phone number for the person in charge of the buzzards at Hinckley. I would have called the person or even addressed the town council multiple times this past winter to tell them to come get their buzzards – I found them!

Those among us of a conspiracy mindset may ponder why the buzzards show up at Hinckley on a specific day in March. Could it be the buzzard proponents in the area gather up the roadkill and keep it stashed until the night of March 14?

I have seen the first killdeer to arrive, but the dark-eyed Juncos (snow birds) are still hanging around, as well.

If the gang in Hinckley really wants to know the status of the arrival of spring, they only have to look to their neighbors in Punxsutawney, Pa., who have a nearsighted groundhog named Phil.

Know a wounded veteran who likes to hunt?

I’ve known Don Steinard of Fayette County for a lot of years, and he is the kind of man you’re proud to know. Because of the efforts of Don, his brother, Dave, and the generosity of Steve Davis, some lucky wounded warrior is going to have an excellent chance to bag a wild turkey in Fayette County this year.

The word is being spread, as Indiana conservation officers are advertising the opportunity for a wounded American veteran to partake in a guided turkey hunt. Steve is offering the hunt on private property within Fayette County and has purchased and adapted a hunting trailer to be wheelchair-accessible.

The trailer is designed to be taken off-road and placed as a hunting blind to assist with difficulties of movement by the hunter. Steve has used the trailer since 2001, and he hopes to pass the opportunity along to others having the same challenges getting into the woods.

Don and Dave are friends of Steve and are willing to help with the hunt, as well. The hunt is planned for April 28-29, the opening weekend for Indiana’s wild turkey season this year.

For further information or to request an opportunity to hunt with Steve and the Steinard brothers, contact Conservation Officer Travis Stewart at 812-340-8323 or tstewart@dnr.in.gov

Should there be a large number of requests, the results will be based on a random draw.

Hardy Lake crappie research

Anglers who fish Hardy Lake near Scottsburg can help the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) learn more about the harvest of crappie at the location. The DNR fishery biologists have tagged more than 350 fish, both black and white crappie, at the lake.

Here is how anglers can help:

•Inspect all crappie caught for a tag. Fish are tagged with a yellow “spaghetti tag” near the dorsal fin with a four- or five-digit number. The tag may appear brown or black, and some crappie may be double-tagged.

•Remove the tag(s) with a knife or scissors.

•Report the capture of a tagged fish to the DNR. Tag return envelopes are at Hardy Lake boat ramps and gate houses, the Hardy Lake property office and the DNR Bloomington field office.

•Fill out the tag return envelope and drop the tag(s) into the envelope. Envelopes can be returned to where you obtained the envelope. Only include tag(s) from one fish per envelope.

If you do not have a tag return envelope, you may return the tag(s) with the following information to: DNR Bloomington Field Office, 5596 E. State Road 46, Bloomington, IN 47401, with the following information: if you released the fish or brought it home; your name and address; and capture date.

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.