Indiana Deer News
 Deer season may extend May 19, 2013 Indiana, South Bend Tribune If a new regulations package is approved by the Natural Resources Commission this summer, Hoosier bow hunters will get an additional 15 days in the field.... The proposed changes will be discussed at public hearings held in Anderson and Mitchell, Ind., June 10... [make] suggestions online at nrc.IN.gov/2377.htm ... White-tailed deer is second-largest ever taken by a hunter May 13, 2013 Indiana, Pete Thomas Outdoor ... An Indiana hunter is now officially in the Boone and Crockett Club record books as having taken the second-largest white-tailed deer known... Deer feed recalled due to aflatoxin contamination May 6, 2013 Indiana, All about feed ... Deer Corn, packaged in camouflage printed bags ... analyzed in Indiana by the Office of Indiana State Chemist, based at Purdue University, following a customer request for information... not suitable as a feed for wildlife and could potentially be harmful to humans exposed to the aflotoxin dust... Harmful, Deadly Substances Plague 'Deer Corn' Feed May 1, 2013 Indiana, Indiana's NewsCenter ... The wildlife feed, Deer Corn, has been pulled from Rural King store shelves in seven states because some bags showed contamination from aflatoxins... Long: Fenced deer hunting bill dead for the session April 24, 2013 Indiana, The Statehouse File The Senate leader said Wednesday that a bill to legalize five fenced deer-hunting preserves is essentially dead for the session... he wants to let the courts decide whether the preserves – which the state has been trying to close since 2005 – can remain open... High-fence deer hunt bill passes in House April 16, 2013 Indiana, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette ... The House voted 52-39 on Senate Bill 487, which seeks to quash a long-standing lawsuit over the legality of the existing preserves... Preserves would qualify under the bill if they can prove they continuously operated from 2005 to the end of 2012... The Indiana Farm Bureau and National Federation of Independent Businesses supported the bill. A number of wildlife and hunting groups oppose the bill based on concerns of disease spread and unethical hunting practices... Fort Wayne republican keeps aim on high fence hunting April 12, 2013 Indiana, Indianapolis Star ... Indiana Senate Pro Tempore David Long ... made it abundantly clear that, even if the House passes a bill backed by Gov. Mike Pence that would allow the state’s five fenced deer preserves to stay in business, it would die a quick death upon reaching the Senate... Canned deer hunts controversy heats up in Indiana April 7, 2013 WSBT-TV ... A "canned hunt" is when marksmen take aim at deer enclosed in a fenced in area ... on Lee Fritz's property because the deer are fenced in, limited to roaming around 120 acres or so... Until the state makes a decision, Fritz will continue ... "Collared deer have been known to travel up to eight, ten miles during breeding time. 100 acres doesn't even touch that, so really you are limiting the natural environment of the deer itself which is why I wouldn't consider it hunting," said hunter Tylan Miller... History of the early development of game regulations in Indiana, HH Michaud - Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science, 2013 Opposition building to fenced-in deer hunts April 5, 2013 Indiana, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette ... Senate President Pro Tem David Long is wading again into the debate over high-fenced deer hunting in Indiana, saying the provision inserted into a Senate bill while in House committee will be removed... “You get deer who are basically raised, who are pretty docile, fenced in so somebody can get paid $20,000 to shoot a buck, sitting on a fence as the buck walks by casually and guns it down and they put the trophy on their wall,” ... Critics speak out against canned hunting April 4, 2013 Indiana, WISH “We believe fair chase involves pursuing a white tail deer in its natural habitat and that doesn't include a surrounding fence to restrict its movement,” said Tom James, president of the Indiana chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association ... Indiana has five deer preserves where you can hunt in a fenced in area. They've been operating since 1998. The DNR unsuccessfully tried to shut them down ... Why debate over fenced hunting is important to have April 3, 2013 Indiana, News Sentinel ... Some hunters like being able to shoot their prey in fenced-in deer preserves – enough to make such preserves profitable. But some hunters ally with environmental and animal advocacy groups in opposition to the practice... Is the “sport” of hunting merely the thrill of killing something, or is there something nobler involved? How close to “like shooting fish in a barrel” do we have to get before our sense of fair play kicks in? ... Pending legislation alert, High Fence Hunting in Indiana April 2, 2013 Journal Review ... This is not a 10,000 acre ranch in Texas - we have a pen in Indiana that is 40 acres in size. A few years ago a preserve was selling “hunts” on three acres. These organizations have expressed negative opinions about high fence or the shooting of pen-raised deer. Boone and Crockett Club, Pope and Young Club, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Quality Deer Management Association, Indiana Deer Hunters Association, Indiana Bowhunters Association and Indiana Wildlife Association... High-fence deer hunting amendment passes Indiana House committee April 1, 2013 Indiana, Indianapolis Star ... Representatives from the Humane Society of the United States and the Indiana Deer Hunters Association testified in opposition of the amendment. Erin Huang, of the Humane Society, testified that surveys show that Hoosiers are overwhelmingly opposed ... Rep. Matt Ubelhor, R-Bloomfield ... amendment would set rules for the preserves that include setting sizes of at least 100 acres ... Hunters using the preserves would be required to pay a $50 state fee per deer and have a hunting license... Canned hunting bill should be canned for good March 29, 2013 Indiana, Indianapolis Star ... along with the Indiana Wildlife Federation, organizations opposed to fenced hunting include the Indiana Deer Hunters Association, Indiana Bow Hunter Association, Indiana Conservation Alliance, Indiana Sportsmen’s Round Table, Indiana Division of the Izaak Walton League and Boone and Crocket Club... Indiana Deer & Elk Farmers 2013 Annual Meeting & Fundraiser March 28, 2013 Deer Forums ... The Indiana Deer & Elk Farmers Association’s Annual Membership Meeting & Fundraiser will be held April 27th at Chupp’s Auction Center in Shipshewana... call Shelly at 260-444-6400 today if you are interested ... Lawmakers debate fenced hunts March 26, 2013 Indiana, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette ... Those in opposition focused on two major areas. The first is the idea of fair chase and that deer can’t escape the fence to get away from hunters. And they pointed out that the deer are raised by humans and don’t have the same wild instincts against humans. Many, though, were worried that higher concentrations of deer in farms and preserves could cause the spread of chronic wasting disease ... Lawmakers consider bill to legalize fenced deer hunting preserves March 25, 2013 Indiana, The Statehouse File ... The House Natural Resources Committee plans to amend Senate Bill 487 to make it legal for four or five existing fenced preserves – which let hunters pay for an opportunity to shoot deer – to continue operations. The proposal would not allow new preserves to open. Its author, Rep. Matt Ubelhor, R-Bloomfield ... Barbara Simpson, an executive director of the Indiana Wildlife Federation, said that the proposal would not do enough to protect the state’s wild deer population from the wasting disease... Panel considers Indiana fenced deer hunting sites March 25, 2013 Indiana, The Herald Bulletin ... Rep. Matt Ubelhor, R-Bloomfield, said the proposal would protect hundreds of thousands of dollars of investments by the preserve owners who started opening the sites in 1999. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources ruled in 2005 that fenced hunting was illegal.... Deer hunters join fight against "hunting preserves" March 22, 2013 Indiana, WTHR.com ... The Indiana Deer Hunters Association would like to see hunting preserves shut down and banned completely. Former Governor Mitch Daniels and the Department of Natural Resources banned them in 2006, leading some hunting farms to close. Others sued to stay open, leaving four hunting preserves open in the state, along with hundreds of deer farms. ... It's more than just killing and it's more than paying a large sum of money for just the antlers," said Doug Allman with the Indiana Deer Hunters Association... Indiana must say no to canned hunting March 22, 2013 Indianapolis Star ...as reported by The Star, Gov. Pence says that he is open to the idea of captive or “canned” deer hunting in Indiana. This is a reverse of previous Gov. Mitch Daniels’ position. ... Twenty-three states have Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a fatal deer disease present in either their wild or captive herds, or both. It is believed movement of deer to and from captive facilities is the primary reason the disease is spreading across this country... Captive deer hunts may be added to Senate bill March 22, 2013 Indiana, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette ... rumors have circulated that Rep. Matt Ubelhor, R-Worthington, will offer an amendment to Senate Bill 487 involving so-called canned or captive hunts. Ubelhor authored House Bill 1194 this year to allow the establishment of hunting preserves, in which deer are killed behind fences. But it did not receive a hearing in the House and died. That bill was supported by the Indiana Deer and Elk Farmers’ Association. About 400 deer and elk farms are in Indiana... Lawmaker advocates fenced deer hunting March 19, 2013 Indiana, Indianapolis Star ... Rep. Matt Ubelhor, R-Bloomfield, said today that he believes more high-fence hunting clubs would lead to job growth... Currently, most of Indiana's deer farmers sell their bucks to out-of-state hunting clubs, where clients pay up to $25,000 for a chance to kill a buck bred to have abnormally large antlers ... In 2005, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources passed rules banning high-fence hunting ... Hoosier buck harvest drops March 17, 2013 Indiana, South Bend Tribune ... “We started down the path to strategically reduce the deer herd in order to balance the ecological, recreational and economic needs of Indiana citizens,” said Mitch Marcus, wildlife chief for the DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife ... The state harvest consisted of 45,936 antlered deer and 90,312 antlerless deer. The proportion of antlered deer in the harvest (34 percent) was the lowest in Indiana history while the antlerless total was the highest... No sign of neurological disease in Ind. deer March 13, 2013 Indiana, Seattle Post Intelligencer ...Tests have not detected any sign of chronic wasting disease in more than 1,000 tissue samples taken from white-tailed deer bagged last year by hunters in Indiana... DNR thinks population smaller March 11, 2013 Indiana, Newsbug.info ... According to information gathered through deer check-in stations, and newly implemented online and phone reporting systems, hunters harvested 136,248 deer... Indiana Dunes, Deer kill begins at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore March 6, 2013, Chesterton Tribune ... in accordance with a deer management plan approved in July 2012 by the National Park Service (NPS). That plan provides, among other things, for the use of sharpshooters... “There is a preference for females, because that lowers the population more quickly,” but the sharpshooters “will take any deer in the cull areas.”... Bill on deer hunting benefits state, needy March 4, 2013 Indiana, Daily Journal ... A bill approved unanimously by the Indiana Senate last week would set aside more money for the state's Sportsmans Benevolence Fund, an account that has the ability to pay to process meat from hundreds of deer... State Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield, the bill’s author, said most hunters can use only one deer a year to feed their families... Deer hunters on rise according to new numbers February 27, 2013 Indiana, The Herald Bulletin “Despite the record harvest, trends within the harvest data showed that deer numbers were down this year,” biologist Chad Stewart said. “The number of antlered deer in the harvest was at its lowest point since 2000, an indicator of a reduced deer herd ... " ... Crossbow hunters took 8,452 deer, or 6 percent of the overall total. Hunters using archery equipment tagged more deer in 2012 (27,580) than they did in 2011 (26,715) or 2010 (27,186)... Indiana reports record deer February 25, 2013 South Bend Tribune ... Mitch Marcus, a spokesman for the DNR's Division of Fish and Wildlife, said the state made changes last year to make it easier to kill antlerless deer. ... the changes were designed to reduce the deer population to "balance the ecological, recreational and economic needs" of Indiana residents. He said the harvest numbers, which represent a 6 percent increase over 2011, indicate the new regulations are working. Indiana hunters set record deer harvest in 2012 seasons February 21, 2013 Elkhart Truth Hunters took advantage of new equipment regulations and extra hunting dates to harvest a record 136,248 deer during the 2012 season ... Key regulation changes implemented in 2012 included making crossbows legal equipment for all licensed hunters during archery season; adding a special late antlerless season in designated counties from Dec. 26 to Jan. 6; extending the urban zone season to run continuously from Sept. 15 to the end of January ... She's dear to them! Lakeville family rescues doe February 14, 2013 Indiana, WSBT-TV What would you do if you were driving down a rural road and you saw a deer playing with a family in their front yard? ... Ron and Sara found Daisy in a ditch across the street ... “And the farmer who owns the land across the street said there was a dead deer at the corner... She follows the dogs around when we let the dogs out and she goes to the neighbors’ houses.” ... Lakeville deer acts more like a dog February 13, 2013 Indiana, ABC 57 News A local Lakeville family has been paying close attention to the case of a Cornersville, Indiana couple who the DNR said was illegally taking care of a deer! ... [they] found a fawn on the side of the road who's mother was hit by a car and died. They raised the wild animal for the last 9 months. However on Wednesday an officer with the DNR paid the Lakeville family a visit! The DNR officer wanted to make sure the deer wasn't confined in a cage or fenced in area. After 10 to 15 minutes he left without taking action against the family... Charges against deer-rescuing couple officially dismissed February 8, 2013 Indiana, Fox 59 The charges brought against a Connersville couple who rescued an injured deer were officially dropped Friday. Jeff Counceller and his wife, Jennifer, had faced charges of illegally possessing a white-tailed deer ... Charges against a Connersville couple who took in an injured deer are expected to be dropped Thursday. Prosecutors in Decatur County have received the appropriate paperwork from the Department of Natural Resources and will file a motion to dismiss ... Nightmare's antlers put Indiana DNR in new deer dispute February 6, 2013 Indiana, Indianapolis Star Tom Miller said that Conservation Officer Jeff Wells originally promised Miller could keep Nightmare's antlers because he helped track down the suspect who shot the deer... now he and his attorney are demanding the Indiana Department of Natural Resources pony up the big buck's rack... 'Dani the Deer' case could change Indiana law on caring for injured wild animals February 4, 2013 Indiana, WRTV Indianapolis Some state leaders are talking about altering a law that almost got a Connersville couple thrown in jail for taking in an injured fawn... Rep. Sean Eberhart, R-Shelbyville, had similar thoughts. "Under emergency type situations like what we had here, there may be room to where we can make it OK for them to take in the animal at that time, until a property rehabilitation or rescue organization can be found," ... Couple Will Likely Not be Prosecuted in Indiana Deer Debacle February 3, 2013 Indiana, DMNewsI.com Indiana Governor Mike Pence has passed his first big test with flying colors. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said Friday that it will ask that charges be dismissed against a Connersville couple charged with the illegal possession of a deer. Jeff and Jennifer Counceller were each charged with the crime, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, after they rescued a wounded deer fawn ... Was DNR right in saved deer case? February 3, 2013 Indiana, IndyStar.com [see related story below] ... I consulted my licensed veterinary friend ... He said there could have been some discretion by the officer to go easy on the Councellers, who found the deer when it was a fawn and nursed it back to health, or to drop charges altogether... He referred me to Henry David Thoreau's essay on "civil disobedience." To quote Thoreau: "Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience then? ... 'Bambigate': Indiana pair rescue deer, get snarled in legal woes February 2, 2013 Indiana, Los Angeles Times That's right: Bambigate -- the unofficial moniker for the case of an eastern Indiana couple who face misdemeanor “illegal possession of a whitetail deer” charges for keeping a fawn they rescued without a permit. In 2010 ... Republican Gov. Mike Pence ... the state laws need to be "fairly and impartially enforced," by Friday, the state's natural resources department announced that Pence had asked them to reevaluate the case. After their examination, officials asked prosecutors to drop the charges... [see video below] Internet outrage grows over Indiana officer charged after saving deer January 31, 2013 Indiana, Yahoo! News An Indiana police officer said he does not know how Dani the deer slipped into the wild before the state could execute her, but he does not think he should be prosecuted in the case. Neither do 60,000 other people who are demanding online that charges be dropped. [see the website] Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma wants Gov. Mike Pence to pardon couple in deer rescue case January 31, 2013 Indiana, WRTV Indianapolis ... "Laws are imperfect and people are imperfect, so occasionally, a commutation of sentence or a pardon might be in order," Bosma said. "It seems to me that (the decision to prosecute) may not be the right direction." ... Indiana couple fights charges over rescuing injured baby deer January 30, 2013 Fox News ... Jeff Counceller says a dying fawn he found on someone's porch three years ago ... Counceller said they plan to fight the charges, even though it might be cheaper and easier to just pay the fine. Support grows for couple facing jail for deer rescue January 29, 2013 Indiana, USA TODAY The Councellers first found the deer, which they named Dani, curled up in a corner of a porch. They cleaned and dressed its wounds and nursed it back to health — all with the intention of turning it out into the wild once it was big enough and strong ...A Facebook page set up four days ago to show support for Jeff and Jennifer Counceller now has more than 9,000 "likes" from people around the world... The charge — illegal possession of a white-tailed deer — is a just a misdemeanor ... Connersville, Indiana Cop, Wife, Face Jail Time For Saving A Deer January 26, 2013 The Inquisitr ... Jeff rescued an injured deer two years ago when he found it on a porch during a police call. He and his wife, a nurse, took care of the little deer ... After a confrontation with the Department of Natural Resources, they were told that Dani was too humanized and would need to be put down.... I guess the moral of the story is: Don’t help deer because the government doesn’t like it. Special antlerless deer season starts next week December 21, 2012 Indiana, Indiana hunters will be able to take advantage of an extra deer hunting season this year. The 12-day antlerless deer season begins Wednesday in counties with high densities of deer. That includes most of the state's 92 counties. Beloved little albino deer killed by poachers December 20, 2012 Indiana, Examiner The neighbors in this Warrick County, Ind. community loved watching Ebley, a delightful albino button buck. ... A neighbor ... saw a truck pull up and use spot lighting to find and shoot the young buck ... when he returned later that night, looking for his prey. The group of neighbors was ready for him. They circled his pickup, blocking it with their vehicles until the authorities arrived ... A petition called “Be the Voice for Ebley” was started, asking Indiana legislature for stronger laws against poaching... Click here to sign petition. Ogden Dunes, Indiana official won't block deer cull December 18, 2012 NBCNews.com ...Administrative Law Judge Steve Lucas said Monday the town of Ogden Dunes has a valid special purpose deer control permit ... Newly Opened I-69 Sees An Increase In Deer Related Collisions December 13, 2012 Indiana, Tristatehomepage.com ... The highway has not been open a month, and Indiana State Police say they've responded to two dozen deer-car collisions along the 67 mile stretch... "Part of the highway is grown up or more of a brushy thick area ... A lot of deer have the same path they go down all the time. Generation to generation, they follow that same area,"... Experts say I-69 should reduce car-deer crashes December 12, 2012 Indiana, Evansville Courier & Press ... C. Larry Rhodes, an independent State Farm agent in Newburgh, said ..."I-69 has a lot more visibility than Indiana 57 does. You can see deer approaching a lot farther out, and you can take precautions to slow down to try to avoid them in anticipation of the crossing the highway," ... It's a prediction Cher Elliott, a spokeswoman for the Indiana Department of Transportation, also envisions coming true. "Instead of two-lane narrow road you have a four lane interstate that has a wider clear zone, even on each side of the shoulder.... Bloomington, City Approves Proposal To Solve Deer Problem December 9, 2012 Indiana, WBIW.com ... Because the document was advisory, no city official nor the council is bound to any action. The 12-member task force's report distinguishes two problem areas regarding the deer: Griffy Woods and southeast Bloomington. The task force recommended deer at Griffy be culled by teams of sharpshooters and the Bloomington deer be reduced by urban hunting and trap-and-kill methods.... [read the reports: Joint City of Bloomington-Monroe County Deer Task Force] Odgen Dunes, Hearing set on Ogden Dunes deer cull December 8, 2012 Indiana, nwitimes.com ... An Indiana Natural Resources Commission official has set a Dec. 21 hearing date on a request to stay a deer cull in town. However, the town likely will begin culling deer next week, said Ogden Dunes Town Council President Allen Johnson... Let common sense decide late season deer harvest December 6, 2012 Indiana, KPCnews.com ... The notion that a third shotgun season into January will only have minimal effect on deer and deer hunting in the future is, for lack of a better word, uninformed. Stewart’s [Chad Stewart] additional assertion that, “It’s a lot easier to grow a deer herd than to shrink it,” also tells us that his allegiance lies in rationalizing unprecedented rules and not in evidence-based science... Deer were restocked in Indiana after they were nearly exterminated. Guns did that at a time when there were a lot less people ... Bloomington Council Still Far From Passing Deer Legislation December 6, 2012 Indiana, Indiana Public Media Bloomington City Council members say despite accepting a report from the city's deer task force which recommends killing deer to help control their numbers, it could be hard to pass legislation which loosens restrictions on hunting within city limits... “I dare say that there will be no increased hunting of any kind within the built-up part of Bloomington ... I mean, that’s just not safe. I don’t think people will want that.” ... Councilmen Marty Spechler ... Ogden Dunes, Judge continues stay against Ogden Dunes deer cull; town may continue anyway December 6, 2012 Indiana, Post-Tribune Representatives from Ogden Dunes and those opposing a planned deer cull attended a prehearing conference convened by Indiana Department of Natural Resources administrative law judge Stephen Lucas. The special use deer control permit allowed the cull to start Nov. 26, until a petition was filed by 22 residents and the judge stayed the cull until Dec. 11. Ogden Dunes, Deer cull discussion still inflames Ogden Dunes residents December 6, 2012 Indiana, Post-Tribune ... the permit for sharpshooters to reduce the deer population, which was schedules to begin Nov. 26, is delayed until Dec. 11, pending a Natural Resources Commission pre-hearing conference on Dec. 6 in Michigan City. The hearing’s in regard to a petition filed by residents Nov. 28.... Hunter's 'deer of lifetime' leads to charges December 5, 2012 Indiana, San Francisco Chronicle An Indiana hunter who killed what wildlife experts say is the "deer of a lifetime" could be denied a spot in the record books because authorities say he took the buck illegally. Austin Spain, 21, of Lynn ... Indiana law allows hunters to take just one buck each year... Odgen Dunes, DNR schedules conference on Ogden Dunes deer cull permit December 3, 2012 Indiana, nwitimes.com ... The residents contend that the permit "was issued based on erroneous statements of fact regarding the existence of certain conditions to the presence of deer" within the town... The conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday at the DNR's Lake Michigan headquarters in Michigan City... Bloomington, Deer Task Force's Lethal Options Get Mixed Reception November 29, 2012 Indiana Public Media ... The methods of population control proposed by the Deer Task Force include sharp-shooting, trap-and-kill, and bow hunting. The guidance also included non-lethal methods such as public education and raising the allowable fence height in the city... The city council will vote Dec. 5 whether to adopt the Deer Task Force’s recommendations. Man charged after shooting, killing rare albino deer in neighborhood November 28, 2012 Indiana, WLKY Louisville ...someone drove down Elbe Road in Warrick County near Evansville and shot a white deer between houses after dark. Neighbors tracked the poacher down and held him until officials arrived. Wildlife officers say killing a white deer is legal in Indiana, but it's illegal to shoot the deer from a public roadway... Hunter accused of poaching rare albino deer in southwestern Indiana November 27, 2012 Indiana, Indianapolis Star For months, Chuck and Ginger Wilcox and their Warrick County neighbors watched a rare albino deer and its mother tromp through their wooded rural southwestern Indiana neighborhood. Their joy turned to sorrow — and anger — on the evening of Nov. 17 when an alleged poacher shot the tiny, snow-white yearling buck in the glare of a pickup’s headlights. Ogden Dunes, Protesters take aim against Ogden Dunes deer cull November 18, 2012 Indiana, Post-Tribune ... The deer cull has been a contentious topic since the town first applied for a permit from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in 2011. The town cited a high number of Lyme disease cases in the 2011 permit application [deer density not related to Lyme], but the 2012 application also cites the destruction of residents’ landscaping as reason for the special use permit. In 2011, 17 deer were killed in the cull. In August, the DNR rejected the town’s application for two options — deer contraception, and the trap and transfer of deer — while requesting more information on the four-poster insecticide method. Indiana offers 3 options for hunters to check-in deer November 17, 2012 Evansville Courier & Press ... deer hunters now have the options of using Indiana's online CheckIN Game system, taking deer to regular game check stations or telephone check-in at 800-419-1326 ... a $3 dollar fee will be charged for each CheckIN Game telephone transaction ... Deer outlook uncertain as season looms November 15, 2012 Indiana, Post-Tribune ... Epizootic hemorrhagic disease outbreaks this summer and fall will have an impact, although EHD was not noticeable in northwest counties... “Overall, I would suspect that our harvest still ends up amongst the highest ever ... With the addition of crossbows in the early archery season, our new bundle license that gets hunters out in more seasons, the expansion of the urban deer zones, and the additional late antlerless firearms season ... deer management biologist Chad Stewart ... Be alert to deer hunting rules changes in Indiana November 11, 2012 Evansville Courier & Press ... the starting date this year... Saturday (Nov. 17)... rules changes include a special antlerless firearms season in late December, the use of a crossbow during a now continuous archery season and a deer license bundle... Bloomington, City Growth Causes Increasing Urban Deer Population November 11, 2012 Indiana, WBIW.com ... IU biologist Angie Shelton said ... "I think the developments in southeast Bloomington have definitely affected the movement of deer ... It wasn't until those Renwick wood lots were developed that those deer moved into urban areas." ... the task force suggests wildlife should be part of an analysis when a developer inspects an area... The task force recommended property developers better manage the edges construction creates so deer are less likely to inhabit urban areas. Deer live near the edge of wooded areas because the trees provide shelter. Yards and gardens provide food supply... Ogden Dunes citizens don't want another deer cull November 11, 2012 Indiana, nwitimes.com The people of Ogden Dunes do not want firearms and crossbows fired in our densely populated, tightly packed town for five months of the year to kill deer for eating flowers ...Many residents are not aware that the council is moving forward with another deer cull this fall... Deer culls need to be stopped out of compassion November 11, 2012 Indiana, nwitimes.com ... The deer culls scheduled for Indiana state parks Nov. 13-14 and 26-27 need to be stopped. Fewer state parks are participating in this operation this year. We did our best last season to protest.... The real bottom line is that this is a great money-maker for this state... Deer hunts will close Indiana state parks November 5, 2012 Palladium-Item ... to allow for controlled deer reduction hunts ... Whitewater Memorial, Chain O’Lakes, Charlestown, Fort Harrison, Harmonie, Ouabache, Prophetstown, Shades, Shakamak, Spring Mill, Tippecanoe River, Turkey Run and Versailles state parks ... Deer hunters face possible charges November 5, 2012 Indiana, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Conservation officers were investigating two incidents of illegal deer hunting in DeKalb and LaGrange counties this weekend ... The hunters now face possible criminal charges, because it is illegal to spotlight deer while in possession of a firearm ... Deer-vehicle season approaches November 3, 2012 Indiana, Muncie Star Press Deer-vehicle collisions are three times more likely to occur in November than anytime throughout the year, according to information compiled by State Farm through the Federal Highway Administration. More than 18 percent of these accidents occur in November, while October and December trail as second and third ... “A lot of drivers’ initial reaction may be to try and avoid the deer, but by swerving they risk hitting another vehicle or a tree ... Call To End Captive Deer Hunts October 31, 2012 Indiana, 93.1 WIBC Indianapolis Anne Sterling, Midwest regional director for The Humane Society of the United States, says these captive hunt locations are breeding grounds for diseases such as chronic wasting disease-- a neurological disease that is fatal to deer, elk and moose ... The Indiana Department of Natural Resources tried to shut down captive hunts, but operators filed a lawsuit in response that is still pending... Deer disease worries Ind. officials, Chronic Wasting October 30, 2012 Indiana, WISH ... a deadly disease that is devastating deer populations across the country could also spread here... the DNR, is asking hunters who harvest yellow ear-tagged deer, to call them immediately at (812) 837-9536. They’re asking anyone who may strike a deer with their vehicle to do the same. The DNR says the deer may have been exposed to chronic wasting disease at a captive facility in another state before being transferred to Indiana... If your deer has a yellow ear tag, contact the IDNR October 28, 2012 Indiana, Evansville Courier & Press ... Of all the worse case scenarios ... On Oct.19, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources put out a memo to look for and kill any free roaming, ear-tagged deer in Jackson County.... five deer wearing yellow ear tags that escaped from a captive deer enclosure. Unfortunately, they may have been exposed to Chronic Wasting Disease when they were stationed in an out-of-state captive deer farm before being transported into Indiana... Indiana enlists hunters to help quell disease fears, Chronic Wasting Disease October 27, 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Indiana wildlife officials are asking deer hunters in four counties to kill any deer with a yellow tag in its ear The deer being targeted are among 20 that escaped this spring from a Jackson County farm where trophy bucks with huge antlers are bred and sold to private hunting preserves Poaching common problem in fall October 22, 2012 Indiana, WTHI Indiana Conservation Officers found deer carcasses right outside of Terre Haute ... Poaching is the illegal killing, possession or destruction of habitat of Indiana's fish, game or non-game wildlife... You can report a poahcer at 1-800-TIP--IDNR. See information on the IDNR website. Olin Lake Preserve, Hunt planned to thin deer in LaGrange County October 22, 2012, WANE The Department of Natural Resources is planning a management deer hunt at Olin Lake Nature Preserve during the special antlerless deer firearm season from Dec. 26 through Jan. 6... Deer feeding has been especially damaging to white trilliums and other spring wildflowers. Escaped deer pose risk of spreading disease in Indiana October 19, 2012 Indianapolis Star Twenty deer escaped this spring from a Jackson County farm where trophy bucks with huge antlers are bred and sold to fenced-in, private hunting preserves... The deer, say Department of Natural Resources officials, may be infected with chronic wasting disease... DNR spokesman Phil Bloom said the escape highlights a larger issue. "This case," he said, "underscores the concern many have about how the commercialization of wildlife and interstate trafficking in wildlife presents a Pandora's box, with the potential spread of a deadly disease that does have some wide-ranging consequences." EHD outbreak is blamed on drought October 14, 2012 Indiana, WLFI.com ... Thousands of the state's deer are dying. Biologists believe the deer are infected with a virus that causes Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, or EHD. "It's a virus, and it's spread by a small biting insect called a midge," Department of Natural Resource's District Biologist, Dean Zimmerman, said... EHD has been seen in deer since the 1990's, but this year's outbreak is more extreme, and it can be blamed on the drought... the dry weather is perfect for midge reproduction. Large pile of deer carcasses found in western Indiana; investigators suspect poachers October 11, 2012 Indiana, The Republic Wildlife officials are investigating ... piled in a wooded area near Prairieton about 10 miles south of Terre Haute ... anyone with information about the case to call conservation officers at 800-847-4367. Deer facing battles with devastating diseases October 7, 2012 Indiana, Evansville Courier & Press ... Concentrated swarms of EHD contaminated midge flies have infected available water sources during the drought... While EHD struck Indiana, most of the devastation occurred in the north central section of the state. In Illinois, the Rend Lake area got heavily clipped while most of Kentucky somehow escaped ... Indiana group opposes killing of urban deer October 7, 2012 Iindiana, The Courier-Journal ... Bloomington United for Common-Sense Urban Planning, or BUCK UP, has launched an online petition opposing the plan. Spokeswoman Alyce Miller told The Herald-Times that managing the deer herd this way will lead to “a never-ending cycle of hunting and killing deer, with no attainable big-picture goal.” ... The number of deer killed in Monroe County has been relatively stable in the past dozen years, with 1,368 killed in 2000 and 1,480 in 2009... Bloomington, Group Opposes Deer Task Force's Lethal Recommendations October 4, 2012 Indiana, Indiana Public Media ... Alyce Miller says deer have visited her east side home for several years. She put up a wall around her garden, and changed the types of plants she grows. She says the lethal recommendations from the task force don’t make sense. “The problem with the lethal solution, I mean in the most practical sense, regardless in how one feels about the deer, is that it is not a onetime solution, it would mean doing this over and over,” she says. Miller is part of ‘BUCK UP’, which stands for Bloomington United for Common-Sense Urban Planning ... Deer Hunting Season in Indiana October 1, 2012 WISH The biggest changes included extending the archery season and allowing crossbows throughout the archery season, creating a deer license bundle and implementing the so-called “earn-a-buck” rule in the urban zones, including the Fort Wayne urban zone... Deer hunter fatally shot in northern Indiana October 1, 2012 Indiana, San Francisco Chronicle Authorities say a deer hunter was fatally shot in northern Indiana during a special youth hunting session ... it was an adult that fired the shot... DNR confirms cases of EHD September 26, 2012 Indiana, The Banner-Graphic ... DNRndeer management biologist Chad Stewart said recently that laboratory tests have identified a deadly virus as the culprit ... EHD, or epizootic hemorrhagic disease, was confirmed in samples collected from dead deer in LaGrange, Miami, Morgan and Sullivan counties. In addition, the State Board of Animal Health has identified EHD at captive cervid facilities in Putnam, Adams, Marshall and Vanderburgh counties and in cattle in Ripley County... Virus is killing deer in Indiana and Kentucky September 23, 2012 Indiana, The Courier-Journal Biologists at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources recently received lab-test results confirming their suspicions that the state's deer have increasingly been dying from epizootic hemorrhagic disease ... One case was confirmed in Franklin County in July and a second case was confirmed on Friday in McCreary County. Unconfirmed cases have also included Oldham and Bullitt counties ... EHD hits northern Indiana deer September 23, 2012 South Bend Tribune ... , the fatal EHD virus has spread into northern Indiana while southern Michigan’s infected deer numbers continue to climb. ... The virus was confirmed in Indiana samples collected from dead deer in LaGrange, Miami, Morgan and Sullivan counties. In addition, Hoosier officials have verified EHD in captive cervid facilities in Adams, Marshall, Putnam and Vanderburgh counties and in cattle in Ripley County. Lab Tests Tie Deer Deaths to EHD in Four Indiana Counties September 20, 2012 By Indiana Department of Natural Resources Amid widespread reports of dead deer being found around the state, DNR deer management biologist Chad Stewart said today that laboratory tests have identified a deadly virus as the culprit in four counties. EHD, or epizootic hemorrhagic disease, was confirmed in samples collected from dead deer in LaGrange, Miami, Morgan and Sullivan counties. In addition, the State Board of Animal Health has identified EHD at captive cervid facilities in Adams, Marshall, Putnam and Vanderburgh counties and in cattle in Ripley County. “Our list is over 40 counties now where it has been reported or suspected in deer,” Stewart said. Although citizen reports to the DNR of dead deer were consistent with EHD episodes of past years, Stewart was cautious until lab tests were complete in order to rule out the possibility of bluetongue, a disease similar to EHD that affects mainly sheep but also cattle, goats, deer and other ruminants. The final lab report was received this week from the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study at the University of Georgia. Other samples were tested at Purdue University. The tests confirmed two strains of the virus – EHD V-2 and EHD V-6. “Basically, 10 years ago we didn’t have the EHD V-6 strain in Indiana,” Stewart said. “It’s just recently been documented, so it’s still relatively new on the landscape. It may be an explanation for some of these harder hit pockets.” In addition to the counties where EHD is confirmed, Stewart said the virus is suspected in reports of dead deer in Adams, Bartholomew, Brown, Cass, Carroll, Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Dubois, Elkhart, Fayette, Franklin, Gibson, Hendricks, Henry, Jay, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Lawrence, Marion, Monroe, Ohio, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Porter, Posey, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Shelby, Spencer, Steuben, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Union, Vermillion and Warrick counties. Lab tests show deer dying from virus September 20, 2012 Indiana, WSBT-TV Outbreaks of the disease appear to be widespread ... “Our list is over 40 counties (in Indiana) now where it has been reported or suspected in deer,” said Indiana Department of Natural Resources biologist Chad Stewart... tests confirmed two strains of the virus – EHD V-2 and EHD V-6... “10 years ago, we didn’t have the EHD V-6 strain in Indiana,” | Search for news and information by keyword above or find links to state news stories organized by topic. Indiana data: In 2011 the Department of Natural Resources estimates anywhere from 500,000 to 1,000,000 deer in the state. Other useful links: - Indiana Department of Natural Resources - Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife - Report poachers at 1-800-TIP-IDNR. More information on the IDNR website. - Automated Reporting Information Exchange System, has information on deer-vehicle collisions Deer Management and Deer Hunting in Indiana: This study was conducted for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to determine deer hunters’ participation in deer hunting seasons, their harvest of deer, and their opinions on deer management.  |
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