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Topics this issue. . .Bobcats in Indiana

Bigger, better bass

Supershack Skamania steelhead

Antlerless deer limits

Squirrelishing with Bayou Bill Scifres

Indiana Division of Fish and WildlifeDepartment of Natural Resources

Summer 1999

Wild turkey restoration

➣pg 3

Gobbler range now extends across Indiana -growth of turkey population slows

Prior to settlement, the eastern wild turkey commonlyinhabited the eastern United States. Eastern wild turkeys,one of five subspecies, have always been forest birds, butpopulations once extended west of the Mississippi Riverinto prairie fringes along riparian corridors and oaksavannas. With increasing settlement, forest habitatswere cleared. As humans pushed westward, not only didhabitat for wild turkeys decline, it also made theremaining birds more vulnerable to unregulatedsubsistence hunting. Frequently, homesteading familiesrelied on game animals for food and more settlers meantthe need for more food. By 1900, wild turkeys wereeliminated from much of their historical range, includingIndiana. Remnant populations survived only in the mostinaccessible forested habitats of the Appalachian andOzark mountain ranges and the deep swamps of thesouthern states. Reforestation programs and protectivegame laws of the 1930s eventually provided the protectionthat made wild turkey reintroduction possible.

Initial attempts to reintroduce wild turkeys involvedthe use of pen-reared birds. At the time, remnant wildturkeys existed in very low numbers. They inhabited themost remote areas and there were no effective techniquesto trap and transplant these wild birds. Agencies raisedand released thousands of pen-reared birds at staggeringexpense with little or no success. The advent of thecannon net, followed by the more efficient rocket net,provided the tool to trap and transplant wild turkeys fromremaining wild populations to forest habitats. Successwas immediate. As turkeys were reestablished, theiravailability increased and soon trade agreementsdeveloped between state conservation agencies.

Turkeys trapped in otherstates, and released in thelarger public forests ofsouthern Indiana, provided theinitial stock for future trap-and-transplant efforts inIndiana. Between 1956 and1979, 212 wild turkeys weretransplanted to 17 sites. While theinitial restoration efforts weremeager, they were successful inestablishing populations sufficientenough to support the first modernspring hunting season in 1970. Thatyear, 62 hunters harvested six

focus on

Fish & Wildlife

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Focus on Fish & Wildlife is a quarterly publi-cation from the Indiana Department of NaturalResources Division of Fish and Wildlife. Focuson Fish & Wildlife seeks to educate sportsmenand women, conservationists, wildlife recreation-ists and all Hoosiers on topics related to the man-agement of Indiana’s fish and wildlife resources.

Larry D. Macklin, DirectorDepartment of Natural Resources

David Vice, Deputy DirectorBureau of Resource Management

Gary Doxtater, DirectorDivision of Fish and Wildlife

Clark McCreedy, EditorFocus on Fish & Wildlife

Focus on Fish & Wildlife is distributed freeof charge. To subscribe, send name, completeaddress, city, state and zip code. SEND addresschanges or subscription requests to the follow-ing:

Focus on Fish and Wildlife402 W. Washington St., Room W273

Indianapolis, IN 46204

If you have questions about the Division ofFish and Wildlife, please write to the aboveaddress or call 317/232-4080.

Visit the DNRDivision of Fish & Wildlife

website:www.state.in.us/dnr/fishwild/index.htm

DivisionMission

“To manage fishand wildlife forpresent and future

generations, balancing ecological,recreational and economic benefits.”

Printed on recycled paper

“the health and future ofour wildlife resourcedepends upon Indiana’sprivate landowners....Weowe them every courtesy,our respect, and ourassistance in order toachieve the stewardship ofour wildlife resource”

Director of

Fish & Wildlife

Gary DoxtaterDFW Director

Every so often we like to take a hard look atwhere the Division of Fish and Wildlife is going,what our priorities are, and what they ought tobe.

Many of you already know that only aboutthree percent of our Hoosier landscape ispublicly owned. And, only about one percentof Indiana lands are publicly maintained toprovide wildlife-related recreation for Hoosiersportsmen and women.What does this mean for the future of wildlife

management in Indiana? We believe that if hunters, anglers, wildlife-watchers, hikers, and the like, hope to be able to share wildlife-relatedrecreation with their families and friends in the years to come, then we mustform partnerships with our private landowners. We owe them every courtesy,our respect, and our assistance inorder to achieve the stewardship of ourwildlife resource. The restoration ofthe wild turkey in Indiana is oneexample of a successful partnershipbetween the Department of NaturalResources, conservation organizations,and our private landowners.

We have made it our goal to turnour attention to assisting Indiana’sprivate landowners. Opportunitiesabound to make positive strides inimproving wildlife habitat. Our uplandgamebirds, the bobwhite quail and thering-necked pheasant, and other farm game animals such as the cottontailrabbit, are excellent examples. Conservation provisions of the farm billpresent real opportunities to make conservation efforts feasible for Indiana’sfarmland owners. By sharing our expertise, the buffer strips we plant toconserve topsoil can be made to provide habitat for quail, pheasants, andcottontails while improving water quality in Indiana streams at the sametime. Opportunities do abound. We have the experience. Now we mustdirect our attention to where it is needed most - Indiana’s private lands.

We will continue our goal of increasing the availability of wildlife-relatedrecreation on public lands. Our public lands are an Indiana treasure. But,we know we cannot neglect the contribution of our private landowners towildlife conservation. The landowner that is a conservationist deserves notjust our assistance, but our thanks as well.

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gobblers in the three counties open tohunting. In 1979, 19 counties wereopen to spring turkey hunting and 48birds were harvested by 860 huntersduring a 12-day season. The seed ofinterest in turkey hunting had beenplanted and it would soon grow pastits novelty stage.

The success of releases in theagricultural Midwest, especially inlandscapes connected by foresteddrainages, pointed to newopportunities to reestablish turkeys.Habitat criteria were soon developedto shape restoration priorities. Birdswere first established in the besthabitats. As flocks developed, birdswere trapped and transplanted intounoccupied habitats. Turkeyrestoration programs throughout thecountry snow-balled forward withmore and more birds available forrestoration. During the 1980s,Indiana’s restoration program kickedinto high gear with 1,718 turkeysreleased at 112 sites. During the1989 hunt season the spring harvestfinally broke the 1,000 mark; over6,000 hunters, in 39 counties,harvested 1,359 birds during a 15-dayhunt.

During the 1990s, releases weredirected at marginal habitats

containing less interconnected forestcover. Population growth in many ofthese marginal areas was slower thanareas previously restocked. Biologistsmonitored the growth of thesemarginal populations to identifyhabitat gaps that needed to beconsidered for restoration.

With the best habitats restocked,the era of successful turkeyrestoration is approaching closure. Todate, 2,618 wild turkeys have beenreleased at 175 sites. Wild turkeysnow exist in 80 of 92 counties inIndiana. A little over a generationago, there were no wild turkeys to befound in Indiana. Now, Hoosiers canview or hunt wild turkeys throughoutthe state. In 1999, Indiana turkeyhunters harvested 6,482 birds with alittle over 40,000 hunters taking tothe woods in a 19-day hunt that nowoccurs in 74 counties.

In recent years, hunter success haswaned due to the sudden increase inhunter numbers and several years ofsubpar brood survival during cool andwet Junes. Soon, hunter interest willprobably begin to level off.Eventually, additional hunting rangein six counties will provide newopportunities to hunt wild turkeys.However, lesser quality habitats will

not produce the substantial jumps inharvests observed in previous years.

While the 1999 turkey season isprojected to be the 17th consecutiverecord harvest, there are signs thatturkey population growth is startingto level off across the state. Indiana’sturkey program is in the transition ofmaturing from the restoration era tothat of turkey population monitoringand long term management ofharvests and habitat.

Rapid population growth and highsurvival, such as we have seen duringthe restoration of turkeys in Indiana,are characteristics of a wildlifepopulation as it colonizes newhabitats. As habitats are filled, thegrowth of most wildlife populationsslows. In most Midwestern states,biologists have found that the bulk ofturkey population growth generallyoccurs within 12-15 years after theinitial release of wild turkeys. Growthof some populations slows in half thattime while others struggle initially,taking up to 20 years to reach theirfull potential.

While several factors influenceturkey population growth, theamount and quality of habitat will bethe final factor that determinespopulation growth, populationdensity, and the extent of the birds’distribution across our landscape.Human development and areas ofintense agriculture can either retardor effectively block turkey populationgrowth and expansion of their range.Future land use changes, such asincreased human development of rurallands, will reduce turkey habitats.Turkey populations will eventuallydecline or disappear again in someareas of the state.

Indiana has a fairly liberal permitand season structure with aconservative bag limit. This hasallowed our turkey population togrow while maintaining satisfactoryhunting success. Frequent jumps inhunter numbers have coincided withperiodic increases in hunting range.Season structure has evolved overtime to provide opportunities forIndiana hunters within theconstraints needed to protect our wildturkeys. Anyone who wants to canpurchase a turkey hunting permit.

Hunt Year

Num

ber

of T

urke

ys H

arve

sted

1970 1999

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Hunters make the choice as to whenthey want to hunt within a 19-dayseason. This flexibility allows huntersto avoid high hunter use periods,such as during the first five days andweekends of the hunt season. Thelength of our season also allowshunters to adjust their hunting daysdue to inclement weather or changingfamily and work schedules. As theseason progresses, there is a generalattrition of successful hunters, orhunters who have grown weary ofcontinual early mornings, allowingmore ardent turkey hunters tohave the woods to themselves.

As a result of Indiana’saccelerated restoration program,turkey hunters have grownaccustomed to annual increases inspring turkey harvests over thelast 17 years. As the restorationprogram winds down and thegrowth of our turkey populationlevels off, hunters can expect tosee some up and downmodulations in the annualharvest. It is hoped that thesefluctuations will not be drastic.

This sort of periodic fluctuationis already evident in annualhunter success rates and in theannual harvests of some Indianacounties where turkey numbersare now in balance with availablehabitat. As turkey populationgrowth levels off in morecounties, the statewide annualspring harvest will begin to stabilize,signaling a balance between turkeynumbers and turkey habitat.

As Indiana’s turkey populationbegins to stabilize, our conservativespring bag limit may become anincreasingly important managementtool. We know that soon there will befewer new areas to add to Indiana’sturkey hunting range. While somenew hunting range will eventually beadded as a result of recent restorationwork, it will be limited in both itsquality and extent. At the same time,hunter numbers continue to increaseas new range opens. While there issome indication that hunter interestis beginning to slow, we do not yetknow where hunter numbers will leveloff. The conservative bag limitprovides a safety net to buffer these

factors as well as the frequent upsand downs in annual broodproduction, such as the last severalyears of subpar production.

In populations of hunted wildturkeys, hunting is the primarysource of mortality of adult gobblers.A more liberal spring bag limit couldreduce the carry-over of adultgobblers to future years with juvenile(jakes) gobblers making up a largerproportion of the harvest. During the

last decade, juveniles have composedonly about 30 percent of the annualspring harvest. If the proportion ofjuveniles in the harvest were tosubstantially increase after severalyears of high adult gobbler harvests,or several years of poor broodproduction, hunter success would beincreasingly dependent on theprevious year’s jake crop. Huntersatisfaction would then likelydecrease.

An objective of Indiana’s turkeyharvest management program is toattain an average spring huntersuccess of at least 20 percent on asustainable basis. In the future, thisobjective will be used to evaluateharvest strategies and to assess theopportunities provided to Indianahunters.

While wildlife managers cannotcontrol the weather and its potentialimpacts on turkey populations, theirexpertise can be used to enhancehabitat conditions to support andincrease the density of wild turkeys.Wildlife managers try to provide adiversity of habitats to support a widearray of species. On large tracts offorest, the amount of potential broodhabitat provided by early successionalfield openings and woodland meadows

may be limited. These forestopenings provide criticalprotective cover in which youngturkey poults can find adequateinsects and invertebrates for food.Protective cover and abundantfood greatly improve the chancesthat more poults will survivethose fragile first six weeks oflife. Maintaining a smallproportion of forest openings orwoodland meadows as potentialturkey brood habitat is often thecatalyst that allows an area tosupport a high turkey population.In agricultural areas, potentialbrood habitat may be found insome crop set-aside lands and idlefield borders that are allowed togrow into sufficient grassy cover.Wild turkeys are nearly restored

throughout much of theirhistorical range in Indiana.Occasionally, among hunters andnon-hunters alike, opinions differregarding turkey management.

Sound decisions need to be based ona thorough understanding of thepopulation biology of wild turkeysand an over-riding concern forsafeguarding our wild turkey resourcefrom over-utilization. Conservationof this resource, commitment towiseuse, and our managementdirection ought to be safeguardedwith the best science andmanagement technique available.This is the best way to make sure thatspringtime remains turkey-time inIndiana.òprepared by Steve Backs, grouse and turkeyresearch biologist

Turkey Hunter Success

Year Success%

1980 8.11982 10.51984 8.61986 17.81988 19.41990 19.11992 19.31994 20.11996 22.6

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focus on

Natural History

prepared by Scott Johnson, mammal researchbiologist.

Hidden among the forests, swampsand fields of Indiana is one the mostsecretive and elusive animals in theHoosier state: the bobcat. Becausebobcats are nocturnal and avoidcontact with humans, they can govirtually unnoticed. Most peoplewould be fortunate to catch a briefglimpse of one before it springs out ofview.

Bobcats are a medium-sized memberof the cat family but remain one of thelargest wild mammals in Indiana.Adults are about twice the size of adomestic cat and stand 20 inches highat the shoulder. Body weights rangefrom 15 to 25 pounds. Appropriatelynamed, bobcats sport a ‘bobbed’ tailabout 5 to 6 inches in length. Othercharacteristics include a spottedreddish brown coat, prominent earswith short black tufts, and facial ruffsalong the cheeks.

Unlike most predatory mammalsthat have disappeared from Indiana,the bobcat is a resilient survivor,well-adapted to a landscapemodified by man. They range overmuch of the United States,southern Canada, and Mexico, but areless common in the agriculturalMidwest. Bobcats inhabit a variety ofenvironments throughout NorthAmerica including deserts, forested

swamps, wooded uplands,high mountain ranges,and grasslands.Reasonable cover inwhich to hide, anadequate prey base, anddenning sites are the bobcat’s basicneeds. In Indiana, a mix of secondgrowth woodland, brushy areas withthick undergrowth, and oldfields thatsupport high rabbit and rodentpopulations provide ideal bobcathabitat. Brush piles, caves, androcky ledges are favorite daytimeresting sites. Bobcats areopportunistic predators thatrely on their camouflaged body,keen vision and hearing to ambushrabbits, squirrels, mice and birds.

Territorial and solitary, bobcats lead alimited social life. Mating generallyoccurs in late winter, and two to three

kittens are born in April or Mayfollowing a 62-day gestationperiod. The young remainwith their mother during thefirst year while they learnpredatory skills; they disperse

before the female entersanother reproductive cycle.

Bobcats once ranged throughoutIndiana prior to human settlement, butdeclined in number as the Hoosier statewas developed. Conversion of native

Bobcats are among themost secretive of nativeHoosiers

habitats to intensive agriculture use,urban areas, and other developments

rendered the bobcat a rarity in thestate. They were first listed asendangered in 1969 and granted legalprotection with the passage of theIndiana Nongame and EndangeredSpecies Conservation Act in 1973.Bobcats were rarely reported in thefollowing 20 years, but populations

appear to have rebounded recently,a trend observed in otherMidwestern states. Oncelimited to the southern

third of the state, bobcatshave now been found in

northeast and northcentralIndiana. Of the 28 confirmed

reports of bobcats in Indiana, 18have occurred since 1995. Acombination of factors is likelyresponsible for the sharp increase insightings. The long-term benefits ofprotected status, reduced trappingpressure, and the adaptable bobcat’sability to survive in a variety ofhabitats have probably all contributedto the return of bobcats to Indiana.Regardless of the reason, the return ofthis native cat to its former hauntsadds to the diversity of wildlife foundin the Hoosier state.ò

The tracks of bobcats can be distinguished from canines by their round shapeand lack of impressions left by claws. The tracks of canines appear somewhatoval in shape and impressions left by nails are almost always evident.

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Bigger, better bass are the focus of lakemanagement and research effort

prepared by ClarkMcCreedy, editor

of FOCUS on Fish& Wildlife

focus on

Fish and Wildlife Research

John Maxwell, an Indianapolisangler, boated this largemouththis spring while fishing TurtleCreek Reservoir in SullivanCounty. Minimum size limit forbass on Turtle Creek Reservoir is20” with a daily bag limit ofone. Anglers seem to consis-tently catch larger bass onthe reservoir. Photo by PaulEhret.

By just about any measure,Indiana’s largemouth fishing holds itsown when compared to that of ourneighbors. Indiana has just as many,or more, largemouth bass per acre ofsurface water as do Missouri or Ohiowaters. Not surprisingly, the fish thatmost frequently commands theattention of Indiana anglers,preferred over any other, is thelargemouth bass.

Several years ago fisheriesbiologists asked those questionsabout fishing preference and practicesof Indiana sportsmen and women.They decided to put the informationto use by improving largemouth bassfisheries in a selected group of lakes.They hoped to produce bigger, betterbass. Biologists set their mark at 18inches or bigger and made it theirgoal to increase the number of theselarge fish per acre of surface water.

The tools proposed to accomplishthe job were familiar ones:changes in bag limits andminimum size limits.Perhaps more importantthan the goal of improvingfishing for bass, though, wasthe decision of where toimprove bass fishing.Largemouth may lead theway in interest amonganglers, but panfish aren’tfar behind. It wouldn’tserve anyone’s interest to

grow bigger bass at the expense ofsomebody else’s panfish. The realquestion wasn’t so much the biologyof bass, as it was the biology of thelakes they live in. In other words,the goal became to produce betterbass in lakes where fisheriesbiologists could maintain a qualityfishery for panfish. Ball Lake inSteuben County, Robinson Lake inWhitley and Kosciusco counties, alllakes on the Tri-County Fish andWildlife Area in Noble and Kosciusco

counties, andDove Hollow

Lake on theGlendaleFish andWildlife

Area inDaviessCounty will

be the focusof the

researchproject.

Robinson, Ball, and the lakes of Tri-County FWA will be managed with an18-inch minimum size limit for basswith a daily bag limit of two. DoveHollow Lake became the state’s firstcatch and release largemouth fishery.

The projects are long-term, multi-year, and each started within the lasttwo to three years. Indiana’s fisheriesbiologists have used the first year oftheir studies to gather their baselineinformation before changes inmanagement. It’s far too early tocome to a solid conclusion, but itlooks like in certain lakes thisstrategy may be worth the effort.

Stu Shipman, north region fisheriesresearch biologist, oversees the Tri-County project and describes localbass anglers as “excited” about whatthey’ve seen. And, he says, “it lookslike our bluegill are holding theirown.”

On Turtle Creek Reservoir, where a20-inch minimum size limit has beenin effect, anglers frequently crosspaths with larger fish, bass andbluegill. For the most part, bassanglers seem to have responded by

pitching in, that is, by returningwhat most wouldregard as a trophyfish, back to thewater. In lakes that

support a diversity offorage fish, it looks likeanglers might well beable to have theirbass, bigger bass,and bluegill too.ò

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Priority placed on safety: preference in drawfor State Park deer hunts to be given toapplicants with hunter education

focus on

State Park White-tailed Deer

Future deer herd reductions inIndiana state parks will emphasizesafety by requiring hunter educationcertification for participants.

“Hunters who have participated instate park deer herd reductions haveestablished an extraordinary safetyrecord over the years. It is my sincerehope that our hunter educationprogram will helpus to continue thatfine record,” DNRDirector LarryMacklin said.

Since 1993, morethan 8,500 huntershave helped theDNR to restore ahealthy balance topark ecosystemsdamaged byoverabundant deer.It has not yet beendetermined whichparks will need toreduce deer herdsthis year.Vegetation studiesare currently underway within stateparks. Decisions to conduct huntswill be made later this summer or inearly autumn based upon analysis ofthe research.

Participants in state park deer herdreductions are selected in randomdrawings. This year, hunters who donot have a hunter educationcertificate will only be eligible to fillopen hunt positions after all huntereducation certificate holders havebeen selected. In 2000, hunters willbe required to have completed ahunter education course in order toparticipate in state park firearmshunts. Participants in state park deerherd reductions must be Indianaresidents age 18 and older and

possess a valid deer hunting license.One year ago, hunters who

participated in the archery-only huntat Clifty Falls were required tocomplete the InternationalBowhunter education course. DNRstaff and representatives from theIndiana Deer Hunters Association andIndiana Bowhunters Association were

so impressed withthe process thatemphasizing huntereducation for allpark huntparticipants was anatural. “We at the DNRsupport the effortsof these groups toincrease huntereducation andsafety,” Macklinsaid. About 12,000people take huntereducation classes inIndiana each year.The 10-hour class

provides basic instruction on ethicsand responsibilities of hunters,wildlife management, firearms safety,identification of wildlife, and firstaid.

If you have not yet completed ahunter education course, there is stilltime to sign up. You can find detailsabout hunter education classes on theInternet at www.state.in.us/dnr/lawenfor/hunt-edu.htm or bycontacting the DNR Law Enforcementoffice nearest you. Check the 1999-2000 Hunting and Trapping Guide,available free at sporting goodsretailers, for local phone numbers, orcall 317/232-4010.ò

Upcoming HunterEducation Courses

Bartholomew CountySeptember 11 & 18

Contact: 812/988-9761

Cass CountyAugust 27 & 28

Contact: 219/664-9952

Huntington CountySeptember 18 & 19

Contact: 219/468-2165

Lake CountyAugust 13 & 14

Contact: 219/793-1700

Lake CountySeptember 3 & 4

Contact: 219/793-1700

Monroe CountyAugust 7 & 8

Contact: 812/988-9761

Noble CountySeptember 18 & 19

Contact: 219/347-1223

Porter CountyNovember 6

Contact: 219/996-2697

Wayne CountyAugust 7

Contact: 765/962-4463

Lawrence CountyAugust 29

Contact: ghelton@smithville.net

Putnam CountyJuly 31

Contact: dallas1894@aol.com

Upcoming BowhunterEducation Courses

For 1999: Firearm hunterswith Indiana Hunter Educa-tion certification will begiven preference in selection.Bowhunters will need Interna-tional Bowhunter Educationcertification to participate.

For 2000 & after: Firearmhunters will have to becertified through the IndianaHunter Education program toparticipate. Bow hunters willneed International BowhunterEducation certification toparticipate.

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focus on

Fish & Wildlife Management

Indiana’s steelhead programlaunched from the ‘Supershack’

surplus missiletransport container

salvagedplywood

groovyartwork

fire extinguisher, fullyloaded and operational

Indiana’s start in the business ofsteelhead began in 1969 whenbiologists from the Indiana DNRDivision of Fish and Wildlife made acall to the State of Washington.Biologists were interested inWashougal River steelhead thatnaturally began their spawning run inearly summer. From among these fish,Washington biologists hadsuccessfully bred a genetic strain ofthese fish known for early eggdevelopment. These traits made theman excellent candidate for a hatcheryrearing program. The next year, eggsfrom Washington’s west coastSkamania hatchery were on their wayto the Hoosier state.

The air-freight arrival of 156,000steelhead eggs accelerated a scramble

among Indiana’s fisheries biologists tocome up with a cold-water fishhatchery. The days-old eggs foundtheir first home within the fisheriesdisplay tanks at the Indiana StateFair. Weeks later, the newly hatchedsteelhead were transferred to theCurtis Creek Trout Rearing Station inHowe, Ind. where they were grownuntil stocked. With no more in handthan the success of their first effort,Indiana’s fisheries biologists began tobuild their own Skamania hatchery onthe grounds of the Kingsbury Fishand Wildlife Area in LaPorte County.Soon thereafter, the ‘Supershack’ wasin full steelhead-producing operation.

Ed Braun, now one of Indiana’sdistrict fisheries biologists, was thefirst full-time manager, and part-time

construction worker, assigned to theSupershack. Ed quickly became knownas ‘Mr. Gadget’ by his colleagues forhis ability to manufacture theworking machinery of a fish hatcheryfrom little more than orphanedmaterials rescued from a salvage yard.

The Supershack, birthplace of whatmany consider Indiana’s most strikingsportfish, began its service as thelowliest of utilities: the camp pittoilet. It was the plywood from two-holers constructed for a campingjamboree at the Atterbury Fish andWildlife Area that formed the roof andwalls of Indiana’s first steelheadhatchery. With a roof overhead, thenext challenge was to deliver aconstant water supply. TheSupershack needed a super tank.

It is no exaggeration to say thatIndiana’s first steelhead werelaunched into Trail Creek and theLittle Calumet River. Once plumbedand fitted, a surplus missile transportcontainer became the recirculatingtank for the Supershack.

Supershack Skamania began toappear in Indiana’s two Lake Michigantributaries by 1973. These fish havealways lived up to their Supershackheritage. They explode from the waterwhen hooked and can peel line from areel with bullet-like speed.

The Supershack was retired in 1975when the Mixsawbah hatchery nearWalkerton came on line. In 1983, theBodine hatchery started operations inMishawaka to provide steelhead andsalmon for the St. Joseph River.Management has since become amulti-state effort in order to protectthe health of a Lake Michigansalmonid fishery now enjoyed bythousands.

Though hatchery managers andfisheries biologists appreciate theirbetter facilities, every worthwhileachievement still requires the samesurplus-salvage-yard-ingenuity andrefuse-to-fail effort that cobbledtogether the Supershack. And, if thewhole truth were known, there isprobably a roll of duct tapesomewhere in that photo as well.ò

The Supershack

prepared by Clark McCreedy, Editor of FOCUSon Fish & Wildlife

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focus on

Outreach in Fish & Wildlife

Volunteers take the lead in maintaining fishingaccess through the Adopt-an-Access program

The Division ofFish and Wildlife hasdeveloped more than330 public accesssites to provide a wayfor Hoosiers to findtheir way to ourstate’s waters. Everyyear about eight newaccess sites are added

to the inventory ofplaces where Indiana sportsmen

and women can find a place to fish, boat, orotherwise enjoy Indiana’s waters. It might comeas no surprise that the task of maintainingthese access sites is above and beyond theresources of the Division of Fish and Wildlife.However, an exceptional group of outdoorenthusiasts has taken on the task of ensuringthat some of these sites are maintained throughthe Adopt-an-Access program.

The more use our access sites receive, themore they require attention and clean up.Individuals, families, youth groups, conservationclubs, civic organizations - anyone willing tohelp protect Indiana’s natural resources - canlend a hand by adopting an access site at one oftwo levels of maintenance. Site sponsorsmaintain public access by either removing trashor by volunteering to remove trash and tomaintain grassways by mowing. Thosevolunteering to adopt an access site are asked tomaintain their adopted site for one year.

Volunteers receive special recognition fortheir work. The name of the site’s “sponsoringcaretaker” is posted at the site.

Youth groups, such as scouts and 4-H, cantake advantage of the educational and serviceopportunities available through the sitemaintenance program. Young participants canlearn first-hand about Indiana’s naturalresources and man’s impact on the environmentthrough their Adopt-an-Access experience.

Michiana Steelheaders Leo Frawley, Joe Kamor, and Bill Bauer at workmaintaining the Frank Zappia Public Access Site in Mishawaka.

DNR public access sites are listed in the 1999Indiana Fishing Guide, which is available whereversporting licenses are sold. If you or your group isinterested in adopting one of Indiana’s public accesssites, write to The Adopt-an-Access Program, IndianaDivision of Fish and Wildlife, R.R. 2, Box 477,Mitchell, IN 47446, or call 812/849-4586.òprepared by Clark McCreedy, Editor FOCUS on Fish & Wildlife

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focus on

People in Fish & Wildlife

“Bayou” Bill Scifres is king ofthe combo.

Bill’s outdoor-oriented articles,published for 45 years in theIndianapolis Star under the headingof Lines and Shots, often describedways to combine outdoor activities toachieve maximum enjoyment nomatter what the season. Among thethousands of articles that Billpublished, he wrote aboutcombination opportunities forsmallmouth fishing/mushroomhunting, chopping wood/dovehunting, and catfishing/blackberrypicking.

Last September, Bill and hisyounger brother Jack introduced JohnMaxwell and me to squirrelishing -the quintessential outdoor combosport. We fished and hunted alongthe Muscatatuck River where Bill andJack stomped around as kids.

If you are like most hunter/anglers, every now and then yourstringer comes up empty on dayswhen hordes of bushytails havebounded from limb to limb andbarked their disapproval from theleaves above. Later, with .22 in hand,the trees are frustratingly silent.

Bayou Bill makes sure he isprepared for any outdoor opportunity,so he conceived and refined the sportof squirrelishing. Bill first tried tocarry along a .22 rifle while wadingstreams, but found it awkward pullinghis gun into position to get off a shot

at a loafing gray.The act usually

resulted in a reel

plummeting to the river bottom, agreat deal of splashing, and a squirrelrunning safely to cover. Bill solvedthe wet-reel problem by creating astance in which he balances the reel-end of the fishing pole on hisshoulder, extends the rod out ontohis hand, and steadies the barrel ofthe gun along with the rod. Billexecutes the move from casting toshooting with amazing grace andspeed.

If you decide to try squirrelishing,keep your gun unloaded with thesafety on while fishing. Safe gunhandling is important whilescrambling along wet banks andwading through holes. Check thebarrel for mud before firing and beprepared to give your gun a goodcleaning when you are done. My .22was covered with Muscatatuck muckat the end of the day.

When we hit the river last fall, thefishing was slow and the squirrelswere nonexistent, but I enjoyed theday more than the times when I havecome home with a full bag.

Bill is truly a naturalist. Hisknowledge, understanding andenjoyment of the outdoors extendsfar beyond hunting and fishing. Hisenthusiasm is invigorating. Hespeaks to the outdoors – literally –and it seems to speak back to him.

“Come here beautiful. Let me lookat you. Come sit on my arm,” Billcoaxed to a blue admiral butterflythat sat on the wet sand along theriverside while he took a break fromfishing. I have never been with

someonewhoenjoyedtheoutdoors

as much as Bill seems to. When hehooked a small “red belly” he laughedas he reeled it in saying, “come herelittle guy.” After landing the 3-ouncefish, he admired it for a few secondsbefore gently returning it to thewater. I didn’t expect this fascination

from someone who has caughthundreds of thousands of fish in his70-something years.

Bill caught the finest fish of any ofus on that day. John Maxwell and hehooked a few crappie and a halfdozen bass just under keeper size.Bill prophetically recognized what hecalled “bassy lookin’ spots” thatproduced the best catches. Bill useda wooden minnow called a “TinyAshley.” He had acquired a dozen ofthese 1 1/4-inch sunfish-like lures acouple of decades ago, but was downto his last one.

“If this thing gets snagged, I’mgoing to have to strip down to mySkivvies to get it,” said Bill. All of uswere thankful that he avoided anyserious snags that day.

Bayou Bill resigned his position asoutdoor columnist with theIndianapolis Star/News earlier thisyear. Though the Indianapolis paperno longer publishes his work twiceeach week, Bill’s column is still widelypublished. At last count his weeklycolumn was syndicated in 15 papersthroughout the state.

If your local paper doesn’t offer aregular source of outdoorinformation, you might suggest theeditor contact Bayou Bill Scifres(bayou@gte.net or 317-849-6016).ò

“Bayou” Bill Scifres

prepared by Jon Marshall, natural sciencemanager - public affairs.

11

Antlerless deer bag limits setAntlerless deer bag limits for the coming season

will change in 17 Indiana counties. Bag limits havedecreased in Clinton, Crawford, Hancock, Perry,Posey, Spencer, Starke, Switzerland, Union, andWarrick counties. Bag limits have increased inDekalb, Delaware, Greene, Jefferson, Marshall,Monroe, and Owen counties. All other county baglimits will remain the same as last season.

Hunters will be allowed to harvest up to fourantlerless deer, either does or immature bucks,statewide. A bonus deer license is required for eachharvested deer and hunters must honor county baglimits. For example, hunters that harvest anantlerless deer in a county with a bag limit of onemay harvest up to three additional deer in othercounties as long as they do not exceed individualcounty bag limits. Hunters may take one antlerlessdeer during a restricted season in counties thatreceive an ‘A’ designation. Harvest of antlerless deerin ‘A’ counties will be allowed from Nov. 25 to 28during the muzzleloader season and during the latearchery season from Dec. 4 to Jan. 2.

For additional information on bonus antlerlessdeer harvest, call the DNR’s Deer Hotline at 812/334-3795 or visit the Division of Fish and Wildlifeweb page at www.state.in.us/dnr/fishwild/index.htm.

PORTER

LA PORTE

NEWTON

LAKE

JASPER

STARKE

PULASKI

MARSHALL

ST. JOSEPH ELKHART

KOSCIUSKO

FULTON

LAGRANGE STEUBEN

DEKALBNOBLE

WHITLEY ALLEN

ADAMSWELLS

HUNTING- TON

WABASHMIAMI

CASS

CARROLL

WHITE

BENTON

WARRENTIPPECANOE

FOUNTAIN MONT- GOMERY

CLINTON

BOONE

HOWARD

TIPTON

HAMILTON

GRANT

MADISON

BLACK- FORD JAY

DELAWARE

RANDOLPH

WAYNE

HENRY

UNIONFAYETTERUSH

HANCOCK

SHELBY

MARION

JOHNSONMORGAN

HENDRICKSPUTNAM

PARKE

CLAYVIGO

V E R M I L L I O N

SULLIVANGREENE

OWEN

KNOXDAVIESS MARTIN

MONROE

LAWRENCE

ORANGE

BROWN

JACKSON

WASHINGTON

BARTHOLO- MEW

DECATUR

JENNINGS

RIPLEY

SCOTT

JEFFERSONSWITZERLAND

OHIO

DEARBORN

FRANKLIN

CLARK

FLOYD

HARRISON

CRAWFORD

PERRY

DUBOISPIKE

GIBSON

POSEY VANDER- BURGH

WARRICKSPENCER

A

A

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11

1

Turn your radio on and tune in tothe best of Indiana Outdoors

Hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation take to the airevery Saturday morning when Bryan Poynter broadcastsIndiana Outdoors throughout the state. The new radioshow, which premiered June 12, features a full hour ofconservation related discussion, tips, tactics, how-to andwhere-to-go information for everyone interested inenjoying life out-of-doors in the Hoosier state.

"We want to take listeners where the action is," saidPoynter, Indiana Outdoors host. "We have reports comingin from across the state about where the fish are bitingand where the hunting is hot."

Before you head out this Saturday, tune in to hearwhat's happening outdoors in Indiana – or call the showto talk about your outdoor experiences.

Indiana Outdoors is broadcast every Saturday from 5 to6 a.m. on these stations:

WBIW-AM 1340 BedfordWZBD-FM 92.7 BerneWGCT-FM 105.1 BloomingtonWCSI-AM 1010 ColumbusWTRC-AM 1340 ElkhartWHWD-AM 1380 Fort WayneWREB-FM 94.3 GreencastleWIBC-AM 1070 IndianapolisWIOU-AM 1350 KokomoWNVI-AM 1460 North VernonWRIN-AM 1560 RensselaerWKVB-AM 1490 RichmondWSKT-FM 92.7 SpencerWAOV-AM 1450 Vincennes

If you plan to bowhunt in the early archery season,wildlife researchers want to borrow your eyes and ears.Division of Fish and Wildlife biologists are looking for1,500 deer archery hunters to record the wildlife they seewhile hunting from Oct. 1 through Nov. 13. Biologists usesightings by bowhunters of wildlife such as red fox,rabbits, coyotes, squirrels, quail, and ruffed grouse tomonitor wildlife population trends from year to year.

If you would like to be considered to participate, sendyour name and address no later than Sept. 15, 1999 to:

Participants will be selected for the 1999 season basedon county of residence and will be uniformly distributedthroughout the state.

Early season bowhunters neededto participate in wildlife survey

Bryan Poynter, host of the week-ly radio show Indiana Outdoors

Archer SurveyDivision of Fish and WildlifeR.R. 2 Box 477Mitchell, IN 47446

12

BULK RATEU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDINDIANAPOLIS, IN

PERMIT #7429

Division of Fish and WildlifeDepartment of Natural Resources402 W. Washington St., Room W273Indianapolis, IN 46204317/232-4080

Address Service Requested

Over 550 species of Indiana birds,mammals, fishes, molluscs, reptiles andamphibians do not receive the benefit ofresearch and management due to lack offunding; 138 of these species are classifiedas endangered, threatened, or of specialconcern. Title III of the Conservation andReinvestment Act, now pending beforeCongress, would provide $6 to $8 millionannually for conservation and education inIndiana.

Funds for the Conservation andReinvestment Act will come from offshoreoil and gas revenues. Not since thePittman-Robertson Act, or the Dingell-Johnson Act, has there been legislationwith greater potential to protect andconserve wildlife and wildlife habitats. Formore information, contact the Division ofFish and Wildlife at 317/232-4080.

Smoky shrewSmoky shrewSmoky shrewSmoky shrewSmoky shrew

Orange-footpimpleback

Lake Sturgeon

Wavy-rayed lampmussel

Tippecanoe darter

Hellbender

Blue-spotted salamanderBlue-spotted salamanderBlue-spotted salamanderBlue-spotted salamanderBlue-spotted salamander

Blanding’s turtle

Smooth green snake

Golden-winged warbler

Black-crownednight heron

Swamp rabbitSwamp rabbitSwamp rabbitSwamp rabbitSwamp rabbit