By Jack Spaulding

Almost every year someone calls or emails me saying they have hit and disturbed a bunch of baby rabbits or they have found an “abandoned” fawn. My advice is always, put the baby bunnies back in the nest and leave the so-called abandoned fawn alone.

The DNR will tell you, adult animals rarely abandon their young. What may seem like an abandoned animal is normal care for most animals. The animal may not benefit from your help.

The adult may be out of sight gathering food, and removing young from their nests can disrupt the reproductive cycle of the animal. Female rabbits typically only visit the nest periodically to nurse the young rabbits.

Wildlife may carry diseases and parasites transmittable to humans and pets. And, human scent can alert predators to the presence of young animals.

Truly orphaned and injured wildlife can be given to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator for care.

Before acting, ask yourself: Has sufficient time passed without an adult animal nearby? The adult animal will not return with a person nearby. Does the animal really need help? Most young animals appearing to be abandoned do NOT need help.

Did I witness the adult animal get killed? Or, does the animal have obvious signs of disease or injury? Will I help or harm the animal?

Remember, the best care and chance of survival is always with the young animal’s mother.

Before you decide to take young wildlife or injured wildlife into your home consider it is unlawful for an individual to possess a wild animal without a proper permit. Good intentions can still harm wildlife. If an animal does need assistance, it is important a properly licensed professional is contacted. Professionals have training, facilities and resources to properly assist wildlife and ensure the animal is capable of fending for itself when released.

Most animals found in the wild are regulated by the DNR. If an animal is injured, you may call a permitted rehabilitator for assistance. Never compromise personal safety to help wildlife. You can find a list of permitted rehabilitators on the website at https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/orphaned-and-injured-animals/wildlife-rehabilitators/. Wild animal rehabilitation permits are issued to qualified individuals who take in sick, injured or orphaned wild animals with the intent of releasing them back into the wild.

The Department of Natural Resources does not provide services for orphaned or injured wildlife. If necessary, you can reach out to a permitted wildlife rehabilitator or allow nature to take its course. Permitted wildlife rehabilitators make the final decision on their ability to provide assistance. The goal of wildlife rehabilitation is to release wildlife back into the wild.

For more information, contact the Division of Fish & Wildlife at 317-232-4200 or dfw@dnr.IN.gov. If you need a wild animal control permit, please contact the DNR Permit Coordinator at 317-232-4102 or find permit information at: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/licenses-and-permits/permits-commercial-licenses/.

National volunteer week

Every year more than 10,000 volunteers across the state contribute countless hours on Indiana Department of Natural Resources properties.

During National Volunteer Week, April 17-23, the DNR will thank and recognize volunteers for caring for Indiana’s natural and cultural resources, and salute their accomplishments on the Facebook pages of the divisions of State Parks, Fish & Wildlife, Forestry, and Nature Preserves.

Hoosiers can connect with Indiana’s natural and cultural heritage and the DNR volunteer community by donating their time and talents at their favorite DNR property.

To find out how you can help DNR properties and become part of DNR’s volunteer family, see on.IN.gov/dnrvolunteer or contact your local DNR property to learn more.

A complete list of programs for April 17-23 can be found at calendar.dnr.IN.gov.

Indiana anglers to receive survey request

The Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife is soliciting the help of anglers to best manage fish populations around the state. For the purpose, we will invite licensed anglers to take the 2021-2022 Licensed Angler Survey. You will be receiving the survey because you are part of the Division of Fish & Wildlife customer database, and we are interested in the input of all licensed anglers in Indiana.

The survey will ask about your fishing experiences from April 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022, specifically what you fished for and where, perceptions of the Indiana DNR and relevant fish management topics, and basic information about you. Through collaboration with the Indiana Department of Health and Indiana Department of Environmental Management questions will also focus on your consumption of fish.

In the invitation to join the survey, you will receive a link unique to you and can only be used once, so do not forward it.

The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete but could be shorter or longer depending on if you are an active angler or if you voluntarily opt into sections to provide us with more information. You may skip any questions you do not wish to answer.

The survey will close on Monday April 25, 2022, at 11:59 p.m., so please be sure to complete your survey by then.

Please know your privacy is important to us. Your contact information will never be connected to your answers in any way, and we will make every attempt to keep your data secure. If you have questions about participation in the survey, please contact AnglerSurvey@dnr.IN.gov.

The information you will provide is a vital part of fish management within the state. Your participation helps us better understand the citizens we serve. To learn more about the project and see results, please visit our website: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/fishing/licensed-angler-survey/. Indiana’s DNR thanks you for your participation.

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.