The Indiana DNR is a fine agency. They have good people in every position. There is only one at the DNR, I don’t like and it shows no emotion and has never been sorry for the way I’ve been treated. After being abused most of my adult life, the worm is beginning to turn, but is it too late for me?
For 40 years, I’ve applied for the private land wild pheasant hunts. I tried not to be greedy by picking later dates. My first draw was last year. The Deer Creek Fish & Wildlife Area has draw hunts for deer and rabbits. I’ve put in for archery and firearms hunts. Never have I been drawn. Conservancy areas, private property hunts regulated by the DNR; not a smell. I am drawn for a state park reserved hunt about every four years. I assumed it was my name. I went on the DNR website and added a Y to Rick and spelled out my middle name.
The cavalry has arrived. Finally, our DNR is adopting a point system similar to those used by some western states for elk. You get points for not getting drawn. The more points you accrue for a specific hunt, the better your odds. Once you get drawn for a hunt, your points go back to zero.
The big problem for me is that their computer systems are not compatible for transfer. My bad luck stays in the past and won’t begin helping me until about five years down the pike. By then, I’ll be 86 if I’m still around. I know of hunters who have been drawn for 11 of the aforementioned pheasant hunts. A point system is a fair way of doing things and many will benefit. I’m sure that I’m not the only one crying in the wilderness.The DNR fishery biologists completed their annual stocking of striped and hybrid striped bass. Shadyside Lake received 1,000 of the 1.5-inch fingerlings. The lake record is about 14 pounds.
Patoka received 44,000 hybrids. Friend Bob Porter lives within a mile of the lake. He catches wipers (hybrids) from three to 12 pounds and lots of them. Fishing really heats up in November. Will I miss a couple of days of deer hunting for some hot wiper action? You bet.
Bob does a good job on the wipers beginning in late winter until the crappie bite kicks in. Is he resting on his laurels and waiting for the fall cool down? Far from it. Porter is catching walleyes ranging from 17 to 22 inches on ¼ oz. jigs tipped with live nightcrawlers. He is fishing the main lake in from 14 to 18 feet of water. Three of Bob Porter’s friends caught 18 walleyes last Saturday morning and were off the lake at 8:30 am.
The reservoir is seven feet high and the thermocline is at 20 feet. Monroe received 53,750 wipers and also has a good population of walleyes.That reservoir is 13 feet above its summer pool level. Hoosier sportsmen pay their way and our DNR folks are taking measures to ensure we have a bright future.
As for my luck with their computer, we’ll see.
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