Come visit DNR at the 71st Annual Ford Indianapolis Boat, Sport & Travel Show, Feb. 20-22 and Feb. 25 - March 1 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. The DNR’s main booth will be located in Tackle Town in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion, and the State Park Inns will have an informational booth in the Travel & Tourism area of the Champions Pavilion.
At the DNR booth in Tackle Town, you’ll find a convenient one-stop shop for purchasing licenses, state park passes, lake-use permits, and Outdoor Indiana magazine subscriptions.
Throughout the show, DNR biologists and conservation officers will be available to answer questions, share resources, and provide information about Indiana’s natural resources and outdoor activities.
Also, check out the Indiana Deer, Turkey & Waterfowl Expo, Feb. 27 to March 1. You'll be able to browse the latest hunting gear, speak to outfitters, and participate in archery demonstrations in the Archery Alley.
Winter special – 2 nights for 1 at State Park Inns
There’s still time to take advantage of this offer. Winter is a wonderful season to experience the parks. We have quiet trails, stunning scenery, and cozy savings at the inns. Our lodge rooms and cabins are tucked into some of the most beautiful places in Indiana, and we’re excited to welcome you.
Turkey Run, Abe Martin Lodge (in Brown County State Park), and Potawatomi Inn (in Pokagon State Park) offer cabins as well as lodge rooms.
Stay two nights for the price of one, Sunday-Wednesday only, now through Feb. 26, 2026.
Call to reserve at 1.877.LODGES1.
2025 altered photo winner taken by Michael Sears of Newburgh of the August Rosenberger Building in Evansville.
Historic Preservation Month photo contest is open
Get out your cameras and find your favorite historic destination because the DNR Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology’s (DHPA) annual historic preservation photo contest has begun.
All structures in photo entries must be at least 50 years old and in Indiana. They do not have to be fully restored. Photos of exclusively natural elements will not be accepted. In 2026, DHPA is recognizing the National Road in Indiana and the historic resources and communities found along it.
For complete rules and guidelines and for the required entry form, see on.IN.gov/preservationmonth. The contest deadline is April 3.
Fish of the Year record set in 2025
The DNR Fish of the Year program (FOTY) recognizes anglers who have caught the longest fish of each species DNR tracks in that year.
For 2025, Steven Kellett, a Linton dentist, set a new FOTY record with 17 FOTY winning catches, eclipsing the mark of 15 FOTY winning catches set by Liu He of West Lafayette in 2022. The Kellett name also appears five more times on the 2025 FOTY list, as Landon, Steven’s 9-year-old son, caught five winning fish.
The elder Kellett said fishing with his son makes him think back to his childhood and helps him shape his son’s future.
“Spending father/son time away from the everyday stresses of life means everything to me,” Steven Kellett said. “I have awesome memories fishing with my dad and grandfather, and I want Landon to have some of the same experiences that I did.
“A lot of kids these days do not get to experience the outdoors, living in our tech-driven culture. When I’m not working or at a sporting event, we make an effort to go fishing! These memories will last a lifetime!”
Steven’s FOTY catches for species that are most commonly pursued by anglers included a 25.5 inch channel catfish he caught at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area, a 22.25 inch saugeye from the Whitewater River in Franklin, and a 21.5 inch brown trout from a private pond in Greene County.
The largest of Landon’s catches were a 28 inch black buffalo from the Wabash River in Sullivan County and an 18.5 inch shorthead redhorse from the Tippecanoe River in White County.
Run for the Trees in the Happy Little 5K
The Happy Little 5K is back in 2026. Run, hike, walk, or roll to your finish line in the virtual 5K and help support tree plantings and other healthy forest initiatives in Indiana State Parks.
Since Indiana joined the event in 2023, generous participation has helped fund the planting of dozens of trees in Indiana State Park campgrounds and recently supported extensive invasive species removal at McCormick’s Creek State Park.
See you at Marsh Madness
Marsh Madness is a community-based birding festival held in Linton, Feb. 20-21. Celebrate the migration of sandhill cranes and waterfowl at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area.
Led by the Friends of Goose Pond, the festival features a variety of fun activities. Events include a kick-off banquet, craft fair, live birds of prey on display, informational and educational presentations, bus tours, self-guided tours, activities for children, and much more.
Winter fishing for steelhead and salmon
Fishing for winter steelhead and salmon is a great way to beat cabin fever and enjoy Indiana’s outdoors during the colder months. Lake Michigan and its tributaries offer excellent opportunities to target these hard-fighting fish well into winter, with multiple public access sites available to anglers of all experience levels.
For shoreline anglers, popular access points include the Michigan City Pier, Trail Creek Marina, and the Port of Indiana. Anglers who prefer fishing in moving water can find productive fishing on the East Branch of the Little Calumet River and Salt Creek. Public access to Salt Creek is available at Imagination Glen County Park and Haven Hollow Park, while Trail Creek also offers accessible fishing at Trail Creek Forks.
Once you’ve chosen a location, be sure to gather a variety of bait and lure options, such as nightcrawlers, spawn bags, smaller spoons, and spinners to match changing conditions. A heavier rod paired with 10- to 12-pound test line will help you handle strong winter fish and swift currents.
As always, dress in layers to stay warm, keep safety in mind around cold water and icy conditions, and take your time exploring the variety of Indiana fishing access sites with DNR’s interactive Where to Fish Map.
Adopt-a-Shrike to help an endangered species
Meet the loggerhead shrike we’ve lovingly named “dark green/red, silver/red.” Catchy, right?
This feisty female is unusual because she successfully raised two broods of young with two different males in Orange County last summer. Soon after her first brood of chicks fledged the nest, she left her mate in charge of caring for them while she moved to a nearby farm and nested a second time with a different male. This kind of behavior is called “mate desertion” and is rarely observed in shrikes. Nesting with two males in one season has benefits for a female bird, such as maximizing parental care for her young and increasing genetic diversity among her offspring.
Are you interested in “adopting” a shrike to increase habitat for this endangered species? Check out our Adopt-a-Shrike partnership with Indiana Audubon or donate to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund.
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