By Jack Spaulding

Last week, I was traveling down State Road 244 when I saw a large bird on the ground near a road killed ‘possum. With temperatures far below freezing, I knew the bird in question was surly not a buzzard. Buzzards lack the heavy beak and claws necessary to eat frozen roadkill, and they will stay south until the weather warms and carcasses thaw.

As I closed the distance, I saw the bird was a mature red-tail hawk. It looked as if the red-tail hawk was ready for a hearty meal of roadside ‘possum.

The red-tail hawk is in good company, as even our majestic bald eagle is not above taking advantage of an inviting carcass. Bald eagles will often feed on deer carcasses found along roads or in adjoining fields.

I’m sure hunting is hard for the predatory birds. There are few areas of mature pasture or large areas of standing weeds in unfarmed fields for the birds to hunt rodents. This is the reason you see so many hawks perched on power lines and intently watching the grassy side ditches.

There are far more hawks and predatory birds now than when I was a young man. Populations of predatory birds and songbirds were devastated by the presence of DDT. It took a long time for biologists to draw a conclusion and connection between DDT contamination and the decline of predatory birds. It was finally concluded the high levels of DDT accumulated from their prey was causing the birds to lay thin-shelled eggs unable to survive incubation.

In 1972, DDT was banned from most uses in the United States. In the years following the ban, bald eagle and other bird-of-prey populations have slowly recovered. The recovery of bird populations after the use of DDT was banned is very strong evidence the use of DDT was the true cause of bald eagle and other bird-of-prey population declines.

Reserved spring turkey hunts applications

Indiana DNR is accepting applications for reserved spring turkey hunts from Feb. 14-March 14. Hunters can apply online at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt by clicking “Apply for a reserved hunt” and entering their Customer ID. The online method is the only way to apply. Late entries will not be accepted.

Applicants must possess a valid hunting license for the species they wish to hunt. A valid spring turkey hunting license and game bird habitat stamp privilege, a comprehensive lifetime hunting license, comprehensive lifetime hunting and fishing license, or a resident youth hunt/trap combo license is required to hunt or call in wild turkeys in the spring season. Non-hunting partners who plan to call in wild turkeys must be properly licensed.

The application process is consolidated into the online services website, on.IN.gov/INHuntFish, along with licenses, CheckIN Game, and HIP registration. You do not need to have an online account to apply, so there is no need to log in.

Even though there is no fee to apply, you must still add the registration to the cart, “Proceed to Checkout,” and “Place Order” to complete the application process.

Hunters will be selected through a computerized random drawing. Draw results will be available within two weeks of the application closing. You can see draw results at on.IN.gov/reservedhunt by clicking the “View hunt draw results” link. You can also check if you were drawn by logging in to on.IN.gov/INHuntFish, where you can see the full history of your past hunt registrations. An email will be sent to applicants when results are available.

Applications will be accepted for the following properties:

Fish & Wildlife Areas (FWAs)

The following properties are holding reserved turkey draws for April 27-29, April 30-May 1, and May 2-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, 14-15: Aukiki Wetland Conservation Area; Jasper-Pulaski FWA; J.E. Roush Lake FWA; Kingsbury FWA; LaSalle FWA; Pigeon River, FWA; Tri-County FWA; Willow Slough FWA and Winamac FWA.

The following properties are holding reserved turkey draws for April 27-29 and April 30-May 1: Atterbury FWA; Crosley FWA; Deer Creek FWA; Fairbanks Landing FWA; Glendale FWA; Goose Pond FWA; Hillenbrand FWA; Hovey Lake FWA and Sugar Ridge FWA.

State Reservoirs

Mississinewa Lake is holding reserved draws for April 27-29, April 30-May 1, and May 2-4, 5-7, 8-10, 11-13, and 14-15. Salamonie Lake is holding reserved draws for April 27-29, April 30-May 2, and May 3-5, 6-8, 9-11, 12-13, and 14-15.

Private Lands Access

Indiana Private Lands Access (IPLA) is offering limited turkey hunts on private property. Turkey hunt reserved draws will be for April 27-May 1 and May 2-8. More information on the IPLA program is available online at https://bit.ly/3tO037F. Youth hunters may apply for IPLA draws for April 23-24. Youth hunt applicants must be 17 or younger to apply. Parents may enter the youth’s information into the system for them. Youth hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult who is at least 18 years of age. There may only be one firearm or set of archery equipment in the field, and only the drawn hunter may harvest a turkey.

National Wildlife Refuges (NWR)

Big Oaks NWR is holding reserved draws for April 27-29 and April 30-May 2. Muscatatuck NWR is holding reserved draws for April 27-28 and 29-30, and May 1-2. Muscatatuck NWR is also holding a youth draw for April 23-24.

For all reserved hunts, only one application is allowed per license holder. Hunters may apply for only one of the above opportunities listed. No changes may be made once the application is submitted.

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication, or e-mail at jackspaulding@hughes.net. Spaulding’s books, “The Best Of Spaulding Outdoors” and “The Coon Hunter And The Kid,” are available from Amazon.com as a paperback or Kindle download.