Looking for a great place to socially distance and avoid crowds on Black Friday? Give yourself some space and #OptOutside at a DNR property this year.
“Opt Outside” on Nov. 26 and get free admission to any DNR property that charges a gate fee on that day.
You also can be entered in drawings for DNR annual passes, lake permits, Outdoor Indiana subscriptions, Smokey Bear materials, gift cards and DNR staff-led outdoor experiences, among other items, just by choosing to #optoutside at a DNR property.
Click here to learn more.
Deer hunting continues into January
Multiple deer hunting seasons are ongoing or will be starting soon. Firearms season ends on Nov. 28, and archery season lasts until Jan. 2, 2022. Muzzleloader season for deer hunting is open Dec. 4-19 and deer reduction zone season runs through Jan. 31, 2022. Remember to stay aware of your surroundings and wear hunter orange if you plan to enter areas where hunters may be present.
Questions about deer seasons and regulations can be directed to the Deer Hotline by email at INDeerHotline@dnr.IN.gov or by phone at (812) 334-3795, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
Coyote activity increases in wintertime
Coyotes are on the move, but sightings are no cause for alarm. Indiana residents are more likely to see them during wintertime. Coyotes become more active during winter as the young leave their families to find a new home and begin breeding. Coyotes may look larger than they are due to their thick winter coats. The average coyote weighs only 20-30 pounds.
Click here to learn more.
Give a gift to Indiana’s wildlife
The Indiana Nongame Wildlife Fund supports habitat management and conservation efforts for more than 160 species of greatest conservation need. Donations have helped in the recovery of the bald eagle and river otters, and increased the numbers of osprey, barn owls, and Eastern hellbenders. Depending on the amount, your donation could be equivalent to:
- $10 buys a band for a peregrine falcon so biologists can learn where they live and how long they survive.
- $50 buys a handcrafted least tern decoy to use to attract these rare birds to safe nesting islands.
- $100 buys a radio collar biologists use to follow the success of a released Allegheny woodrat.
- $150 buys a barn owl nest box to replace lost nesting habitat.
- $200 buys a lake sturgeon transmitter biologists use to find and protect their spawning habitat.
Click here to donate.