Spauling Outdoors By Jack Spaulding

 

The regular-season waterfowl dates, as proposed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), are listed below. The dates are not final until approved by the FWS in mid- to late-September. Look for another announcement around late September confirming or amending the dates. Historically, they have been accepted as proposed. The DNR’s recommended dates for ducks, coots and mergansers are:

•North Zone: Oct. 18-Dec. 7 and Dec. 20-28

•Central Zone: Oct. 25-Dec. 7 and Dec. 20-Jan. 4, 2015

•South Zone: Nov. 1-9 and Nov. 29-Jan. 18, 2015

The daily bag limit for ducks in all zones is six, including no more than four mallards (of which no more than two may be hens), three scaup, three wood ducks, two pintails, two redheads, one canvasback, one black duck and one mottled duck.

The daily bag limit for coots is 15. The daily bag limit for mergansers, separate from ducks, is five, of which no more than two may be hooded mergansers.

The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit.

The FWS estimates the mallard breeding population at 10.9 million, about the same as last year and 42 percent higher than the long-term average. Estimates of most species were similar to last year’s record-setting estimates. Total ducks, gadwalls, green- and blue-winged teal, shovelers and redheads remain at or near record levels in 2014.

For Canada geese, white-fronted geese, Brant and light geese, the proposed dates are:

•North Zone: Oct. 18-Nov. 9; Nov. 27-Jan. 4; and Jan. 20-31, 2015

•Central Zone: Oct. 25-Dec. 7; Dec. 20-Jan. 4; and Jan. 18-31, 2015

•South Zone: Nov. 1-10 and Nov. 29-Jan. 31, 2015

The daily bag limit this year for Canada geese during the regular season will remain at three, and the daily bag limit for white-fronted geese, at two. The daily bag limit for Brant is one.

The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit. The daily bag limit for light geese (snow and/or Ross’ geese in aggregate) is 20, with no possession limit for light geese.

The proposed late season for Canada geese is Feb. 1-15, 2015. The counties open during the late season are: Adams, Allen, Boone, Clay, DeKalb, Elkhart, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Huntington, Johnson, Kosciusko, LaPorte, LaGrange, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan, Noble, Parke, St. Joseph, Shelby, Steuben, Starke, Sullivan, Vermillion, Vigo, Wells and Whitley.

A permit is no longer required to participate in the late season, and geese harvested during the season no longer need to be taken to a check station.

The daily bag limit during the late Canada goose season has been reduced to three, with a possession limit of nine. The bag limit reduction is because of a decline in Indiana’s breeding population of Canada geese, probably due in large part to the success of the late season. We are now at our state goal of 80,000 spring geese.

The proposed light goose conservation order is Feb. 1-March 31, 2015 statewide, except for counties having a late season on Canada geese. For counties with a late season on Canada geese, the proposed light goose conservation order season is Feb. 16-March 31, 2015.

The light goose conservation order has no bag or possession limit. A free permit is required. Details will be available later in the winter.

The DNR’s recommended dates for youth waterfowl season are:

•North Zone: Oct. 11-12

•Central Zone: Oct. 18-19

•South Zone: Oct. 25-26

Bag and possession limits are the same as the regular seasons. The youth waterfowl season is open to those age 15 and younger, accompanied by an adult.

DNR’s recommended dates for extended falconry season for ducks, coots and mergansers are:

•North Zone: Sept. 27-30 and Feb. 14-March 10, 2015

•Central Zone: Oct. 18-24 and Feb. 17-March 10, 2015

•South Zone: Oct. 25-31 and Feb. 17-March 10, 2015

For more information, contact Adam Phelps, DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife, at 812-334-1137 or aphelps@dnr.IN.gov

Bellmore man falls

from tree stand

The tree stand accidents started early this year for Indiana conservation officers. Each year, they see a proliferation of avoidable accidents in regard to tree stand safety, making tree stand falls one of the greatest risks of injury and death for deer hunters.

Conservation officers started the season by investigating a tree stand accident on Aug. 27 at approximately 10:30 a.m. The victim, Bob Wilson, 55, of Bellmore, was attempting to install a tree stand in preparation of the upcoming deer season. Wilson fell approximately 20 feet from the stand and suffered injuries to the lower portion of his body, including his leg. Wilson was not wearing a safety harness at the time of the fall and did not have a cell phone to call for help. With the help of his family, conservation officers were able to find Wilson the next day about 8:30 a.m.

He was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The Parke County Sheriff’s Department, Rockville Police Department, Rockville/Adams Township Fire Department and the StatFlight medical helicopter all assisted in the incident.

Officers want to remind the public of the dangers in climbing a tree stand without the proper safety restraints. The No. 1 cause of hunting-related injuries and deaths are falls from elevated hunting platforms. Officers encourage the public to use a safety harness while climbing into or hunting out of an elevated platform. It is also important to let someone know where you are at all times and what time to expect you home; this will allow your family to know where to begin to look for you in the event something happens.

It is also recommended you have a cell phone or some sort of signaling device, such as a whistle, while climbing into an elevated stand. Conservation officers strongly encourage hunters to always hang tree stands with a companion.

Officers also encourage the public, young or old, to attend an Indiana Hunter Education Program, to learn the ins and outs of hunting and how to stay safe while in the outdoors. You can find information on the free programs at www.indianahuntereducation.com

Share outdoor experiences

with DNR social media contest

A new DNR social media contest encourages Hoosiers to stay connected with the online world even as they unwind in the great outdoors. The contest asks people to share their outdoor experiences on the Instagram photo-sharing service at www.instagram.com and follow DNR on there at indianadnr

To participate, post a photo and use the hashtag #getINoutdoors. Make sure to identify the subjects and locations in the photo and tag indianadnr

Participants will be entered for a random chance to win a 2015 Annual Entrance Pass for Indiana state parks and reservoirs. The contest ends Sept. 19. The DNR may use the photo entries for promotional purposes.

A series of videos promoting the contest is online at http://bit.ly/1p9GBup

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.