Spaulding Outdoors by Jack Spaulding 

 

A couple years ago, I had a record cardinal count at the bird feeder, topping out at 16 males and an estimated equal number of females.

It was a record I thought would stand – and it did, until this year.

I noticed a continually heavier and heavier cardinal attendance at the feeder as the end of February approached. With the deluge of snow at the end of the month, my cardinal count went ballistic.

That Sunday, I counted 21 males on, under and around the feeder. The bushes, trees and shrubs looked like someone had gone on a spree of hanging red Christmas ornaments.

I recounted the male birds three times to make sure I wasn’t counting them as they moved from tree branches to the feeder. I can only assume there was an equal amount of females.

Cardinals weren’t the only species in plenty. The hordes of house finches, gold finches, chickadees, downy woodpeckers, tufted titmouses, nuthatches and blue jays were knocking down over two gallons of sunflower seeds in a matter of hours.

I was able to identify a new visitor to the feeder: A white-crowned sparrow. It is slightly larger than the “English” sparrow and has distinct head patches of white. Sparrows are always difficult for me to identify because the differences in many species are subtle.

Reserved youth turkey hunts

Youth hunters can apply for a reservation to hunt one of 21 Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) properties during the special youth wild turkey hunting season set for April 18-19.

The youth hunters must be younger than 18 on the day of the hunt.

The number of hunters allowed on each property will be limited. Interested hunters, or an adult representing them, must register in person or by phone, stating the property they wish to hunt. Hunters should register during normal office hours from March 16-27. Hunters may register for only one property.

Young hunters wanting to sign up for Chinook hunts may do so at Deer Creek Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA). Others wanting to sign up for Fairbanks Landing, Hillenbrand or Minnehaha hunts may do so at Goose Pond FWA.

At properties where the number of registered hunters exceeds the spots available, a drawing will be held March 30. A youth hunter may be drawn for either one or both hunt days, depending on the number of applicants. All applicants will be notified of drawing results by mail.

Applicants must possess a 2015 Youth Consolidated Hunting & Trapping License, a 2015 Non-Resident Youth Spring Turkey License with a game bird habitat stamp privilege or Lifetime Comprehensive Hunting License. Apprentice hunting licenses of the types named above may be used as well.

When registering a youth for one of the hunts, make sure to have the following information: youth hunter’s name; type of license and license number; date(s) in which applying; mailing address; phone number; and parent’s or guardian’s name, address and phone number.

Hunts will run one-half-hour before sunrise until noon at properties in the Central time zone, and one-half-hour before sunrise until 1 p.m. on properties in the Eastern time zone.

Youth hunters selected for the hunt may check in at any time each day until the end of legal hunting hours for the property. Properties will not have a daily “no-show” drawing. Hunters interested in possible unfilled quotas at a property should call the property for more information before showing up.

During youth wild turkey season, hunters younger than 18 on the day of the hunt may take a bearded or male wild turkey. The youth must be accompanied by someone 18 or older.

The youth hunter may use any legal shotgun, bow and arrow or crossbow. The adult accompanying the youth hunter must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow or crossbow while in the field. The adult does not need to possess a turkey hunting license unless the youth is using an apprentice license, or unless the adult is calling turkeys.

The reserved hunts are at the following FWAs: Atterbury 812-526-2051, Chinook 765-653-0453, Crosley 812-346-5596, Deer Creek 765-653-0453, Fairbanks Landing  812-659-9901, Glendale 812-644-7711, Hillenbrand  812-659-9901, Hovey Lake 812-838-2927, Jasper-Pulaski 219-843-4841, Kankakee 574-896-3522, Kingsbury 219-393-3612, LaSalle 219-992-3019, Minnehaha 812-659-9901, Pigeon River 260-367-2164, Roush Lake 260-468-2165, Sugar Ridge 812-789-2724, Tri-County 574-834-4461, Winamac 574-946-4422, Willow Slough 219-285-2704, Salamonie Lake 260-468-2125 and Mississinewa Lake 765-473-6528. To purchase a Youth Consolidated or Turkey license, go to www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5330.htm

Indiana Dunes snowmelt contest

The public may participate in a contest to guess when a snow pile at Indiana Dunes State Park will melt. The closest entry will earn a 2015 DNR Annual Entrance Permit and more. The pile is in the middle of the beach auxiliary parking lot, next to the main gate.

“An early-winter dry period gave way to a brief snowy period in the last few weeks,” said Brad Bumgardner, the park’s interpretive naturalist. “The park will maintain the pile should Mother Nature bring us more, but no other alterations will be done.”

The deadline is March 15.

Predictions may be submitted at the park office and nature center, or by emailing your name, address and date and time you think the pile will melt completely to dunesnc@dnr.IN.gov

The closest guess will win a 2015 DNR Annual Entrance Permit, $25 gift certificate for the Nature Center Gift Shop and a $25 gift card from Chesterton Feed and Garden Center. Hints and updates will be offered on the Indiana Dunes State Park Facebook page at www.facebook.com/INDUNES

For more information, call 219-926-1390. The contest is sponsored by Chesterton Feed and Garden Center, 400 Locust Street in Chesterton. Indiana Dunes State Park is located at 1600 North 25 E. Chesterton, IN 46304.

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.