June’s Free Fishing Weekend is near!
Indiana offers four Free Fishing Days each year to provide Indiana residents with opportunities to fish without a fishing license. June 4 and 5 are two of them. Take the weekend to spend time by the water with family or friends. Not sure where to go? Visit our Where to Fish page to view free, public access fishing spots throughout Indiana.
2022-2023 Migratory Bird Hunting Seasons Announced
Indiana’s migratory bird hunting seasons for 2022-2023 have been submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. These seasons include those for mourning doves, waterfowl (ducks, coots, mergansers, and geese), woodcock, snipe, and sora rails.
For information on daily limits, shooting hours, and other regulations, as well as dates for falconry, click here.
Help the DNR by reporting a mammal
Do you like to report wildlife you see while enjoying nature? Did you get something unusual on a trail camera and want to share it to help wildlife in Indiana? DFW has launched a new Report a Mammal form that may be for you. It includes a variety of species; some are elusive or are rare visitors to the state, and some we need more information about. Additions include armadillos, badgers, gray foxes, flying squirrels, star-nosed moles, ground squirrels, and weasels, among others. See the full list of species, learn how to identify them, and report sightings here.
Sign up for an Indiana Hunter Education Course
Safe use and handling of firearms is an essential part of being a responsible hunter. Indiana Hunter Education Courses provide instruction and information about firearm safety, hunter ethics and responsibility, animal identification, and conservation management. Anyone born after December 31, 1986 needs to be certified in Hunter Education before they can purchase a hunting license.
Canada geese molting season is near
Peak molting times for Canada geese in Indiana are the last two weeks of June through the first two weeks of July. During molting, adult Canada geese are grounded while they grow new flight feathers. During this same period of time goslings have not had the chance to grow their first set of flight feathers, which is why you may observe an increase in Canada geese and their young walking across roads this summer.
Canada geese that are causing problematic interactions with humans during this time cannot move far due to the absence of flight feathers. Because of this, normal harassment techniques are neither appropriate nor effective. Instead of harassing molting geese, consider installing a fencing barrier prior to goose nesting.
For more information about living with Canada geese, visit our website.
Fishin' Pond volunteers needed
We are currently seeking volunteers to help youth fish at the Indiana State Fair Fishin’ Pond! You can help families register on-site, help kids fish with cane poles, or tie fishing knots and untangle lines. The Fishin’ Pond will be open on Opening Day (July 29), Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Volunteer shifts last four hours and volunteers receive free parking, a free ticket, and a free T-shirt. There’s an opportunity for everyone to help us introduce fishing to more people.
If you are interested in volunteering, please email DNRstatefairfishingpond@dnr.in.gov and provide your name, email address, and phone number and we will follow up with you to get you signed up.
Halfway through 2022 with the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund
June marks the halfway point for the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund’s 40th anniversary! Each month in 2022, we are featuring stories made possible by the Nongame Wildlife Fund and its donors, partners, and volunteers. June features the amazing technology biologists use to conserve and protect Indiana’s wildlife. To see videos about this topic, visit the Nongame Wildlife Fund 40 Stories story map!
Right: State Herpetologist Nate Engbrecht with a Songmeter SM4 Acoustic Recording Unit
The turkey brood survey is coming soon
Turkeys throughout Indiana are leading their poults (turkey chicks) through the woods in search of food. Beginning in July, Indiana DNR needs your help to count turkey broods (hens with poults) and hens without poults. These reports help biologists to determine the annual Wild Turkey Production Index, which is used to estimate populations in the state and guide future wildlife management decisions. In 2021, more than 5,100 observations were submitted and 68 of Indiana’s 92 counties had more than 25 observations per county!
Sunrise fishing leads to dinner time finger licking
Fishing is an often-favored sport this time of year, but if you have been using your favorite post-harvest recipes all spring, you may be ready to serve up something new. Check out this episode of CookIN’ Gone Wild for a yummy fish taco recipe! In this video, our chef uses freshly harvested bluegill, but you can substitute that with many other Indiana fish.
Visit the DNR building at the Indiana State Fair
The 2022 Indiana State Fair begins July 29 and runs through August 21 (closed on Mondays and Tuesdays). This year’s indoor theme for the DNR building highlights automobiles, machines, and more – the tools we use to conserve Indiana’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats. Look for some interesting equipment on display from the Division of Fish & Wildlife! Beginning Aug.10, fish from Cikana Fish Hatchery will be on display in the indoor tanks and outdoor ponds.
Don’t forget to plan around our Fishin’ Pond schedule to let the kids learn to fish alongside trained volunteers! The Fishin’ Pond will be open every Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. The Pond will also be open on the fair’s opening day, Friday, July 29, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Plant native for pollinators!
Spring and summer are an exciting time of year for Indiana residents who enjoy spending time outside planting. With so many options for plants, it can be difficult to decide what goes in the ground and what stays at the store or nursery. This year, consider filling your pots and beds with native Indiana flowers, shrubs, trees, and grasses.
Habitat loss is the biggest threat to wildlife diversity, and planting native plants is one of the best ways you can help. In addition to providing food to wildlife and attracting pollinators such as bees and butterflies, many species of birds and small mammals use native plants for nesting material. Planting native can also help keep Indiana’s water clean as many native plants have deep roots, drawing water down and keeping pollution away from our lakes and streams.
Watch this webinar about creating native habitat in your backyard and consider reaching out to your district biologist for recommendations. View a list of seed suppliers here.
DNR bands barn owls
On May 24 DNR biologists banded four young barn owls, a state-endangered species. The leg bands feature a unique number and allow biologists to identify the birds if they are recaptured at a later date. This information allows biologists to understand their range, longevity, and habits. These newly banded barn owls have been observed by wildlife enthusiasts through the Barn Owl Nest Webcam. The DNR-built nesting box featured in the webcam has been used by barn owls since 2009. You can help barn owls by building safe and effecting nesting boxes or by donating to the Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund.
Want to get involved? We have opportunities!
The Division of Fish & Wildlife offers many events and volunteer opportunities on our properties across the state, throughout the year. Visit our events calendar to see what is coming up near you! Remember to check back in regularly to view newly added events and follow us on Facebook to see postings about upcoming activities!
Recent news releases
- Johnson Receives Osborn lifetime achievement award
- Foundation donates $59K for Cedar Swamp WCA habitat work
- Make water safety a priority
- Next Level Conservation Trust
- Teams from four states and Zambia graduate Indiana Conservation Officer K-9 School
Upcoming events
- June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 - Urban Conservation Series at Unity Garden, South Bend
- June 4 – Free Fishing Day, Winamac FWA and Tippecanoe River State Park
- June 11 - Guided Hike, Pisgah Marsh Nature Preserve
- June 17 – Frog Gig, Goose Pond FWA
- June 21 – Open House, Hovey Lake FWA and Twin Swamps Nature Preserve
- June 24 – Bats and Brownies, Goose Pond FWA
- July 31 – Veterans’ Range Day, Roush FWA Shooting Range
More
- Buy a license
- Hunting information
- Where to Hunt
- Fishing information
- Where to Fish
- Fish & Wildlife properties
The Indiana Natural Resources Foundation celebrates and preserves Indiana’s natural legacy by raising funds to support the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and its programs. Together, we have helped expand public lands, restore wildlife habitat, and create outdoor educational and recreational opportunities for Hoosiers.
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 motor boat 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.