Volunteers needed at the DNR Fishin’ Pond
There are even more days for kids to fish at the DNR Fishin’ Pond at this year’s State Fair, which also means more volunteer opportunities!
From Aug. 1 through 17, volunteers will help kids fish on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons as well as on each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in both the morning and the afternoon. All shifts are four hours long (9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. and 3:30-7:30 p.m.). Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt, entrance to the fair, and parking on the day of their shift.
This popular event wouldn’t be possible without the amazing volunteers who offer their time and talent to make the Fishin’ Pond a success. On behalf of the young anglers who get to enjoy the pond, thank you.
Register for a shift at the DNR Fishin’ Pond and have a great time at the Indiana State Fair.
Report your observations to the 2025 Turkey Brood Count
You can help monitor the wild turkey population by participating in the Turkey Brood Count and reporting the turkey hens with poults (young turkeys) and hens without poults you see from July 1 - Aug. 31.
Poults began hatching out in May and will continue to do so for the next several months throughout Indiana. Reporting observations online takes only a few minutes, and no login is required.
Brood reports have been collected since 1993 to calculate the annual Wild Turkey Production Index, which informs biologists about the size of the population and informs wildlife management for the species. In 2024, DNR received more than 3,000 reports across all 92 counties, and the goal is to have even more this year. Thanks for your observations!
Updates on Franklin’s ground squirrel recovery project
Last year, we announced that the Indiana DNR, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and Purdue Fort Wayne had teamed up to help recover a state endangered mammal, the Franklin’s ground squirrel (Poliocitellus franklinii).
The recovery project aims to establish small populations of Franklin’s ground squirrels on TNC-managed properties and monitor their survival in the coming years. We’re happy to share that our biologists have recently begun monitoring the released ground squirrels.
In this phase of the project, biologists trap Franklin’s ground squirrels in live traps to collect data and track their progress. Once the data are collected, including reading their tags and taking body measurements, the squirrels are released back into the wild.
Goals for this year are to identify survival rates of the squirrels that were introduced last year and to monitor any successful breeding activity. Throughout the summer, we hope to collect data on more squirrels and any juveniles that were born this year.
This important work for Indiana’s rare and endangered species is made possible, in part, by donations to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund.
Scout for deer this summer
Are you already itching for deer season? If so, now is a great time to prepare for your hunts by scouting for deer. Scouting during the summer months offers a great opportunity to find deer in your hunting area and is an excellent way to get your whole family outdoors.
Summer scouting also offers a chance to explore new areas to hunt. Visit the DNR Where To Hunt map, then hit the road to check out these new areas before the season kicks off this fall.
You may also consider setting up trail cameras in the area, making sure to follow the relevant rules and regulations when placing cameras on public hunting areas.
Could you win Fish of the Year for 2025?
So far this year, Hoosier anglers have submitted 59 entries with 32 different species of fish to compete for the 2025 Fish of the Year title. There is still plenty of time to get out and catch a fish big enough to take the win. Some species that have not yet been submitted include brown trout, rainbow trout, saugeye, hybrid striped bass, and striped bass.
Entries must be received electronically by Dec. 15.
Photo: Bryan Odom holds the Fish of the Year for brown trout, measured at 30.5 inches
Make habitat management part of your hunting strategy
If you hunt your own land, consider creating a habitat improvement plan for your property. Not only will you improve your chances of a successful hunt, but you will also help a wide range of plant and animal species that make your land their home.
Examples of habitat improvement include prescribed burns, installing food plots, planting warm season grasses, and designing tree/shrub coverts. For additional information or assistance, contact your local district biologist with your questions.
Jasper-Pulaski FWA shooting range reopens with upgrades
The upgraded shooting range at Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area in northwestern Indiana awaits your visit!
The number of shooting positions has increased from 33 to 39, while the range’s footprint has decreased to allow for more efficient monitoring by the range safety officers. Electricity was added to all shooting locations, allowing for ceasefire lighting to be installed, and larger backstops with ricochet catchers were added to shooting lanes as another safety measure.
Additionally, rifle and pistol stations are now under a roof. The ground beneath the shooting benches, down to each target holder, was upgraded from loose gravel to concrete to improve access and provide easier cleanup and recycling of spent casings. Restroom facilities were also upgraded to vault toilets. This renovation was made possible thanks to Federal Wildlife Restoration Grant Program funding.
Visit the website for more information, including visiting hours.
Celebrate Independence Day with red, white, and blue blooms
Planting native wildflowers helps support pollinators, wildlife, and healthy ecosystems. But do you know which species you can plant to show your patriotic spirit? Save this list of colorful wildflowers that bloom in red, white, and blue, which will give you another way to get creative with your landscaping.
Red blooms:
Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis
Indian pink, Spigelia marilandica
White blooms:
Mountain mint, Pycnanthemum virginianum
White turtlehead, Chelone glabra
Wild quinine, Parthenium integrifolium
Blue blooms:
American bellflower, Campanulastrum americanum
Blue mist flower, Conoclinium coelestinum
Blue flag iris, Iris virginica shrevei
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Recent news releases
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Four teams graduate Indiana Conservation Officer K-9 School
- Conservation officers offer water safety tips
- Migratory bird hunting seasons announced
- Changes made to stream trout stockings
Upcoming events
- July 10: Full Moon Paddle, Hovey Lake FWA
- July 19: Project WET and Project WILD Workshop: Getting Outside the Box, Clarksville
- July 24: Crane Field Skills: Tracking and Banding, Goose Pond FWA
- Aug. 01: Fishin' for Kids ages 5-17, DNR Complex, Indiana State Fair
- Aug. 01: Ask a Fisheries Biologist, DNR Building, Indiana State Fair
- Aug. 02: Fishin' for Kids ages 5-17, DNR Complex, Indiana State Fair
- Aug. 02: Planting Native in your Community, DNR Building, Indiana State Fair
- Aug. 02: Learn to Plant Native Tour, DNR Building, Indiana State Fair
- Aug. 02: Ask a Fisheries Biologist, DNR Building, Indiana State Fair
More
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- Hunting information
- Where to Hunt
- Fishing information
- Where to Fish
- Fish & Wildlife properties
About Fish and Wildlife Management in Indiana
Fish and wildlife management and public access are funded by fishing and hunting license revenue and also through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Programs administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. These programs collect excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition, archery equipment, fishing equipment, and motorboat fuels. The money is distributed among state fish and wildlife agencies based on land size and the number of licensed anglers and hunters in each state. Find out more information about fish and wildlife management in Indiana at wildlife.IN.gov.