Years ago, my good friend, the late Steve Owen, and I were taking a three-day trip by canoe from Moscow to Columbus, Ind.

Wanting to cover some distance our first day out, we had paddled until the sun had gone down and the river was gently lit by only the moon and stars. Running late, we were looking for an island suitable as a good campsite, so… we slowly paddled on.

It was a beautiful night. Only the sound of a distant owl, the croak of frogs along the river bank and the slow rhythmic strokes of our canoe paddles.

As our paddles were lifted from the water on each stroke, it would leave a slight swirl in the water.

I mentioned to Steve… years back when rowing a boat when the water was dark and muddy from heavy rains, I would occasionally have a smallmouth bass strike at the swirl from the oar and jump in the boat.

Let’s just say my attempt at light conversation was not well received.

Steve blurted out, “Who are you trying to bamboozle with that tall tale?

“Do you think I rolled into town on a turnip truck?

“I was born on a Tuesday but it wasn’t last Tuesday!

“As long as we have been friends and you’re trying to unload this kind of hogwash on me?

“I swear! What a truth stretchin’!”

Not having a reply to Steve’s good-natured verbal onslaught condemning my honesty, I simply continued paddling in the dark.

A few minutes went by…stroke…swirl…stroke…swirl!

Then there was the sound of a large splash alongside the canoe followed by a heavy thump as something hit the aluminum floor of the canoe. The sounds were followed by a rapid slapping of a tail fin on the floor of the canoe.

Placing my paddle across the gunnels of the canoe, I carefully lipped and lifted a pound and a half smallmouth bass from the floor of the canoe.

Having Steve’s full attention, I asked, “Now what Tuesday did you say you were born?”

8 Indiana Conservation Officers certified as dive rescue specialists

Eight Indiana Conservation Officers have joined the ranks of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Law Enforcement’s team of certified dive rescue specialists who serve the entire state. They participated in a graduation ceremony Sept. 16 at the Indiana Statehouse.

To become certified dive rescue specialists, the officers graduated from the six-week Public Safety Dive Rescue Specialist School. The new divers, with the county in which each is based, are Kenton Crews (Spencer), Nina Freund (Marshall), Caden Graber (Daviess), Nicholas Hartman (Putnam), Claire Jenkins (Scott), Charles Martin (Vigo), Dylan Mast (Noble) and Michael Montgomery (Parke).

During the school, students were trained to meet Dive Rescue International requirements, which include being able to do fully encapsulated diving with full face mask, dry suits, redundant air supply and underwater hard-line communications.

The students were drilled on basic scuba skills, physical fitness, black-water diving, boat-based and shore-based operations/search patterns, drowning victim/body recovery, evidence recovery, light salvage operations, lift bag operations, vehicle recovery, deep diving and swift water diving.

The school was based in Terre Haute. Training took place at the Vigo County Aquatics Center and in various bodies of water throughout Vigo County and the surrounding area.

Indiana Conservation Officers respond to and investigate drowning incidents and all other types of water-related investigations, including evidence recovery, vehicle recovery, swift-water rescues and boat accidents.

Friends Full Moon Hike

Join members of the Clifty Falls Friends Group on a Full Moon Hike on Oct. 6 at 9 p.m. The 1 ½ hour moderate hike begins at the pool and is limited to 40 participants. The cost is $5 per person, cash only. Please call 812-273-0609 to register. Good hiking shoes and a red lens flashlight are recommended, as we will be venturing off trail. No pets please.

Learn more about the Friends of Clifty Falls State Park by visiting friendsofclifty.org/home.

2025-2026 Arbor Day Poster Contest

The 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest is returning for the 2025-26 school year. Thanks to the Indiana 529 program, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prize winners will receive an Indiana 529 scholarship plus a tree planting at the school of the 1st place prize winner.

All 5th grade students and teachers across the state are invited to submit original artwork for this year’s contest. The theme for the 2025-2026 school year is Trees and Pollinators Make Perfect Partners.

Students participating in this year’s contest can learn about how trees interact with pollinators, including but not limited to:

- How tree species have distinct flowers designed to attract specific pollinators, including bees, moths, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, flies and gnats.

- How trees support pollinators throughout the seasons by providing habitat and food in the winter months and nectar in flowers throughout the growing season.

- How orchards can support wild bee populations.

Participating teachers are encouraged to engage with the contest theme in their classrooms to help inspire their students’ artwork. Teaching resources and standard alignments are provided on the contest webpage, along with full submission instructions and contest rules can be found at: https://www.in.gov/dnr/forestry/programs/community-and-urban-forestry/arbor-day-poster-contest/.

Submissions are due April 1, 2026.

‘till next time,  

Jack

Readers can contact the author by writing to this publication or e-mail Jack at jackspaulding1971@outlook.com 

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.