Spaulding Outdoors by Jack Spaulding 

 

I believe it was back in late 1996 when the Turn-In-a-Poacher (TIP) citizens’ advisory board decided to fund the Department of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Division’s (LED) decision to send two officers to train with K-9s. There were no funds available in the LED back then for a new program, especially one requiring thousands of dollars.

The LED would pay the officers’ salaries and TIP would pay the travel, dog costs and expenses. The combined effort was the birth of Indiana’s conservation officers’ K-9 teams. Since then, Indiana has become a premier state using the teams, and in the training of officers from other states developing their own K-9 team programs.

Back then, the newly formed K-9 teams hit the floor – excuse me, the forest – running. It didn’t take long before wildlife violators found they could run, but they couldn’t hide!

The dogs were trained in the tracking of individuals and the location of game, weapons and ammunition.

Before conservation K-9 teams, a squirrel poacher might hide his rifle and ill-gotten game in a hollow tree, and hope an investigating officer wouldn’t be able to find the evidence. With a K-9 on the scene, the situation changed in a hurry. All hope for a poacher disappeared as the dog simply tracked the game and gun, on command by the officer.

The dogs have a phenomenal sense of smell and can pick up the scent of a firearm thrown by a perpetrator along a road days after the incident. If a perpetrator ran, he didn’t stand a chance on foot with the keen nose of a K-9 following his track. Foot chases of miles have ensued, with the dogs ever-vigilant.

Indiana’s K-9 units continue today, and thanks to generous donations from two staunch supporting organizations, Indiana’s K-9 teams will continue and expand. Safari Club International (SCI) and Central Indiana Ethanol (CIE) have each donated $5,000.

“These funds will be used to completely equip an officer and a dog to begin service for our agency,” said Law Enforcement Director Danny L. East. “We appreciate these two organizations for understanding and supporting our mission.”

The Indiana Conservation Officers K-9 Team established in 1997 uses sporting breeds for man-tracking, wildlife detection, evidence detection and educational programs. Indiana has increased its K-9 team from 7 officers to 11 within the past year.

“Our K-9 program is nationally recognized and five other states (Kentucky, Kansas, Virginia, Idaho and Maryland) have come to Indiana for training,” said Master Officer Jeff Milner, ICO K-9 team coordinator.

“Giving back to programs which benefit the communities of our state is one of our missions at CIE,” said Jason Drook, vice president of Emerging Business. “It is an honor for our company to support the ICO K-9 program and their work to protect our natural resources and our citizens.”

The K-9 team has logged 1,329 arrests, 826 successful man-tracks, 1,770 public appearances and 422 evidence recoveries since 1997 and has become a vital part of conservation law enforcement – and a useful tool to conventional law enforcement agencies in our state.

Monroe Lake winter hikes

Continuing through April, Monroe Lake will offer guided hikes twice a month with the local naturalist leading participants on off-trail adventures to lesser-known areas of the property. Each trek in the Winter Exploration Hike Series will last 90 minutes to 2 hours. Monroe Lake naturalist Jill Vance will lead the hikes. The hikes are free, but advance registration is required. Vance recommends the hikes for ages 12 and older.

Because of parking restrictions, the March and April hikes are capped at 10 participants. Details and registration information for each hike are at www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/2954.htm

For more information, contact Jill Vance at jvance@dnr.IN.gov or 812-837-9967. Monroe Lake is located at 4850 South State Road 446, Bloomington, IN 47401.

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.