ION March '12

TURKEY HUNTINGPAGE 12

BASS FISHINGPAGE 16

ION ONLINEPAGE 2

BARBOUR BUCKPAGE 5

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PETITION TO BAN LEAD FISHING TACKLE REJECTED

ASA Report

ALEXANDRIA, VA --The American Sportfishing Association (ASA)

commends the February 14, 2012, decision by theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) and EPAAdministrator Lisa Jackson to reject a second sweep-ing petition to ban lead in all fishing tackle. The peti-tion, which was submitted on November 16, 2011, bythe Center for Biological Diversity and two othergroups, requested that the EPA study and ultimatelyban lead in fishing tackle on all U.S. waters under theToxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

This most recent attempt to federally ban leadfishing tackle came on the heels of the EPA’sNovember 2010 decision to dismiss a similar petitionsubmitted by the same groups. That decision is cur-rently being challenged in court by the petitioners.Sweeping regulation of lead fishing tackle would havea significant, negative impact on recreational anglersand the sportfishing industry with minimal benefit tothe environment.

In dismissing this most recent petition, the EPAstated that the petitioners did not “provide a basis forfinding that the risk presented is an unreasonable riskfor which federal action under section 6(a) of TSCA isnecessary.” The EPA also cited state-specific actionsand the increasing education and outreach activitiesbeing undertaken. The EPA’s decision falls in line withsound fish and wildlife management practices and sev-eral scientific studies which demonstrate that water-fowl populations are not negatively impacted by theuse of lead fishing tackle.

“The sportfishing industry applauds the EPA’s dis-missal of this most recent petition,” said ASA VicePresident Gordon Robertson. “Such an extensive banis not only unwarranted, but is wildly unpopular.Sweeping regulations on lead fishing tackle wouldhave a tremendous impact on the sportfishing industryand change the face, and cost, of recreational fishingfor the angling public. Thousands of anglers submittedcomments in opposition to this petition and I am gladto see that their voices were heard. Unjustified banswill only serve to harm the economy and reduce partic-ipation in traditional outdoor sports.”

“The EPA’s decision reaffirms that lead fishingtackle is not harming waterfowl populations,”

Robertson further noted. “America’s anglers are theoriginal conservationists, committed to taking reason-able steps to protect the environment. Through fishinglicense fees and the federal excise tax on fishing equip-ment, anglers and the sportfishing industry provide thebulk of the funding to help ensure that there are healthyand abundant fisheries to enjoy. The EPA recognizedthis fact with its dismissal of this second petition.”

“Unfortunately, this does not mean the end forthese unwarranted attempts to ban lead fishing tackle,”concluded Robertson. “With anti-fishing organizationstrying to stop recreational fishing using whatevermeans they can, legislation is necessary to protect oursport from overregulation. Legislation currently pend-ing before congress, the Hunting, Fishing andRecreational Shooting Sports Protection Act, will put astop to these onerous petitions and protect these cher-ished pastimes.”

The Hunting, Fishing and Recreational ShootingSports Protection Act (S. 838/H.R. 1558) seeks to pre-vent a federal ban on lead in recreational fishing tack-le and ammunition and helps to ensure that any futureregulations on fishing tackle are established based onscientific fact instead of unjustified petitions. Thisbipartisan legislation was introduced by the co-chairsof the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus.

YOUNG ANGLERS CLAIM SIX “FISH OF THE YEAR” IN 2011DNR Report

INDIANAPOLIS --Indiana’s 2011 Fish of the Year

contest proves the art of anglinghas not been lost on our youth.

Fish of the Year recognizes theangler who catches the longest fishof each species tracked. In 2011,anglers submitted entries for 25species.

Four anglers younger than 18years old accounted for six wins.

Among the youth winners, 10-year-old Rylan Crockett scored thelongest fish, a 33.3-inch channelcatfish he caught in Cagles MillReservoir in Owen County on cutshad. Rylan caught the channel catwhile competing in an IndianaCatfish Association Tournamentwith his father and grandfather,Brian and Jim Crockett.

Nine-year-old Evan Loganfrom Columbus was the youngestangler to win 2011 Fish of the Yearhonors. He tied for first in thebluegill category with an 11-inch

... were taken during last month’slate Canada goose zone season --including this three man limit shotby Dan Haneline (left), Jim Ligda(right) & Jay Anglin in LaPorteCounty. Anglin Outdoors photo.

A steelhead angler probes the pocket water in PorterCounty’s Salt Creek, no doubt with a lead split shot ortwo pinched on his leader. Chris Young photo.

Remembering Eric Corey - Pg. 10

COMPLIMENTS OF:

Continued on Page 13

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Indiana’s Choice for Outdoor News & Information • Since 1994Indiana’s Choice for Outdoor News & Information • Since 1994

www.IndianaOutdoorNews.net

Inside:

VOL. 2012 • NO. 3 MARCH, 2012

limits of

GEESE. . .

specimen from a private pond inJohnson County that he caughtusing a worm and bobber.

Teenage brothers Danny andMichael Kotfer of Munster teamedup for four wins. Danny, 17, wonfor a 31.5-inch coho salmon, caughtin the Little Calumet River inPorter County on a spinner; a 13-inch bullhead, caught at a privatelake in Fountain County on a nightcrawler; and tied for first in thegreen sunfish category with an 8.5-inch specimen pulled from a privatelake in Fountain County on atwistertail. Michael, 14, won for a29-inch brown trout, caught in theLake County waters of LakeMichigan using a spoon.

Danny and Michael’s father,Ron Kotfer, also earned wins inthree categories. Ron Kotfer caughtthe largest chinook salmon at 35inches, from the Lake Countywaters of Lake Michigan using aglow spoon; the largest rock bass at10.3 inches, from the LittleCalumet River in Porter County

using a spinner; and the largestwalleye at 22.5 inches, from WolfLake in Lake County using acrankbait.

The longest winning fishamong all the 2011 Fish of the Yearspecies was a 55.5-inch flatheadcatfish. Tim Kaiser, an angler fromElnora, caught the flathead in theOhio River in Perry County using alive bluegill as bait.

Other notable winners included:

• In the steelhead category,Gene Ray of Paris, Ill., and GregDini, of Avilla, tied for first placewith fish that measured 35 inches.Ray caught his in the St. JosephRiver in St. Joseph County on anegg fly. Dini caught his in the

POSTMASTER: Please deliver by March 5

Page 2 INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ® 2012© March, 2012 Edition

Indiana Outdoor News and Wild Indiana team up to provide Indiana’s premier outdoor news site

Raghorn, Inc. CEO, Brian Smith, announced lastmonth that Indiana Outdoor News (ION) andWildIndiana.com have teamed up to launch Indiana'snumber one online resource for state-wide outdoornews.

The redesigned IndianaOutdoorNews.net web-site went live at 11:59 p.m. on February 16, 2012.Leveraging the resources of Indiana Outdoor Newsmagazine with the content of WildIndiana.com, thenew website promises to keep Hoosier outdoorsenthusiasts informed about what is happening in thewoods, fields and waters of the state.

“I'm really excited about the redesign and ourpartnership with WildIndiana.com,” said IONPublisher Brian Smith. “This website is going to bethe primary online destination for people looking forinformation and news about hunting, fishing, camp-ing and every other outdoor activity across theHoosier state.”

WildIndiana.com creator, longtime Hoosier outdoor journalist and ION Webmaster, Brent T. Wheat, is alsoexcited about the new project. “This partnership will bring the two most in-depth Indiana-focused internetresources together. I think this project marks a new era of electronic outdoor journalism in our state.”

Raghorn, Inc. founded in 1994 by brothers Mark and Brian Smith, is the parent company to Indiana OutdoorNews and Adventure Media Productions.

The new ION website can be visited at www.indianaoutdoornews.net.

Fish of the Year -- Continued from CoverLaPorte County waters of Lake Michigan on a spoon.

• Joshua Gansman of Tennyson won in both the sauger and saugeyecategories. Gansman caught a 19-inch sauger from a private pond inWarrick County on a redeye shad and a 24-inch saugeye from HuntingburgLake in Dubois County, also on a redeye shad.

• William Taylor of Crown Point won bragging rights for a 39-inchNorthern pike from the Kankakee River in Lake County. He caught thefish on a double spinner.

As previously announced last summer, one angler caught a fish ofstate-record weight in 2011. Nine-year-old Noah Smith of Delaware,Ohio, established the first state record for a spotted gar. He caught the29.2-inch, 3.2-pound fish from Crooked Lake in Steuben County using alive minnow.

New for 2012 in the contest, the Indiana Record Fish Program andFish of the Year will recognize the lake whitefish species. In Indiana, lakewhitefish are primarily caught in Lake Michigan in early spring and latefall.

For information about the State Record Fish or Fish of the Year pro-grams, go to Fishing.IN.gov/3577.htm. To find out where to fish, go toFishing.IN.gov and click on the interactive “Where to Fish Finder” link.To purchase an Indiana fishing license online, see IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov.

Indiana shooter named to USA Shooting 2012 Junior Olympic Shotgun Team

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO -- While the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team for shotgun will be decided in the coming months, the future of the

program continues to unfold each year with the naming of the Junior Olympic Shotgun Team. This year,22 shooters were selected for the team for which they will receive the support, assistance and coaching need-ed to advance through the ranks of competitive shotgun shooting. James Keldsen of Walkerto was one ofthe 22 shooters named to this year’s team

The Junior Olympic program for USA shooting can often be the beginning of the Olympic journey formany shooters.The Junior Olympic Shotgun Team is the gateway into the USA Shooting Team’s Olympicpath. National Shotgun Coach Bret Erickson and the Junior Olympic Shotgun Team committee reviewed80-plus applications this year—a record number that indicates growth in the shooting sports.

“The talent pool has strengthened over the past year and the competition was steep,” said Erickson, afour-time Olympian. “We’re happy to acknowledge this group of young kids in hopes that they’ll gain theconfidence and maturity necessary to be elite-level shooters in our program down the road.”

The team is comprised of nine trap, nine skeet and four double trap shooters. Keldsen was named tothe skeet team.

Blue Grass Pit bass fishing improves under new rules

DNR REPORT --Special bass fishing regulations at Blue Grass Pit are paying off

for anglers.The 195-acre Blue Grass Pit at Blue Grass Fish & Wildlife Area

in Warrick County has become one of the best largemouth bass fish-eries in southwest Indiana. DNR fisheries biologists credit the pit’ssuccess to regulations enacted in 2003, including a two-bass bag limitand an 18-inch minimum size limit

The latest fisheries survey at Blue Grass Pit was conducted in2011. The bass electrofishing catch rate was near the pit’s record highat 150 fish per hour. Also, the number of mature bass caught was sig-nificantly higher than prior years. Twenty-four percent of the bass sam-pled were at least 14 inches and 4 percent were at least 18 inches. Thelargest bass sampled was nearly 23 inches. Currently, bass take sevenyears to grow to 18 inches, so it is important for anglers to practicecatch and release to help preserve the fishery.

The first noticeable increase of larger bass at Blue Grass Pitoccurred in 2008. Better fishing was also documented in the 2009angler creel survey. The angler creel survey documented an explosionof big bass being caught and released as the number of bass at least 18inches long increased from 66 in 2006 to 713 in 2009. The total num-ber of bass caught of all sizes also increased over that same time peri-od from 6,282 to 17,905.

Both Blue Grass Pit and Loon Pit, which is also at Blue GrassFWA, were identified as having the potential to produce big bass basedon their habitats and forage base. The special regulations were enactedat both pits. The number of larger bass has also improved at Loon Pit,but not to the same degree as at Blue Grass Pit.

Much of Blue Grass and Loon pits is open to bank fishing, andthere is an ADA accessible concrete ramp and a gravel boat ramp ateach pit. Outboard motors must be operated at idle speed. The pits alsooffer crappie fishing and are two of the few lakes where the Divisionof Fish & Wildlife stocks muskie. A map of the property and otherinformation can be viewed at fishing.IN.gov/3099.htm.

DNR offers online ATV safety course

The Indiana DepartmentNatural Resources LawEnforcement and OutdoorRecreation divisions are partneringto offer an online All-TerrainVehicle (ATV) safety course.

ATVs and other off-road vehi-cles have increased in popularityover the past decade, but so haveaccidents. Indiana ConservationOfficer Maj. Michael Portteusreports that ATV accidents are haveincreased nearly 40 percent overthe past four years from 153 in2008 to 214 last year.

“The online safety course willeducate people on the safety rulesof riding, using and operating anATV,” said Lt. Larry Morrison,head of DNR Law Enforcement’soutdoor education program.

The online course presents awide variety of information on thebasics of ATVs, safe operation ofATVs, responsibilities of riders toothers and the environment, andgeneral information on preparingfor the unexpected.

The online course can be

found at offroad-ed.com/in/index.htm and can bestudied at a personal pace. A $30fee is assessed prior to beginningthe certification test. Individualswho successfully complete the testare issued a lifetime certificationcard.

“This certification ensures thatthe operator is well educated andhas learned how to safely operatean ATV, which is the first step inreducing the number of ATV acci-dents in Indiana,” said Dale Brier,chief of DNR Outdoor Recreation’sstreams and trails section.

Spring turkey season and hunter-ed.com offer a perfect combination for mentoring new hunters

Spring turkey seasons will be opening soon, offering experienced hunters a great chance to introduce familyand friends to hunting. Those who must pass a hunter safety course before they can purchase a hunting license forturkey season can get started on their training at www.hunter-ed.com.

"Milder spring temperatures make it an ideal time to mentor new hunters on the finer points of calling in abig gobbler," said Kurt Kalkomey, president of Kalkomey Enterprises, Inc. "Hunter-ed.com will give students ahead start on learning how to safely handle firearms and hunt defensively."

Online hunter safety education courses are available in participating states. Students here in Indiana shouldvisit hunter-ed.com and click on the Indiana DNR button to use the course materials approved by the IndianaDNR.

Features such as detailed illustrations and interactive animations at hunter-ed.com make it easy for studentsto learn how to be safe and responsible hunters. Plus, an optional narration feature allows students to listen, reador both.

Students can study for free at hunter-ed.com. Those who must receive their hunter education certification toobtain a hunting license pay a one-time fee, which is due only if they pass the test. Students can take the test asmany times as they need to pass it.

To take the online course, visit www.hunter-ed.com.

DNR launches “Talk to an Expert” on Facebook

Facebook followers of the Indiana DNR can “talk” online with different people from the Department ofNatural Resources once a month, during a new program launched on Feb. 9.

The “Talk to an Expert” series features DNR experts on scheduled topics for one hour a month on theDNR Facebook page. Topics and experts will change every 3-4 weeks. The series is an opportunity to askDNR personnel questions. Those who don’t have a specific question will have the chance to learn from oth-ers or clear up misconceptions.

The first program on Feb. 9, from 2 to 3 p.m., featured two conservation officers: Lt.William Browne(public relations) and Lt. Larry Morrison (outdoor education). These conservation officers answered questionsabout DNR conservation laws.

This month’s Talk to an Expert session is March 14 from 11AM-noon, and will cover birding topics withIndiana DNR’s nongame birdbiologist, John Castrale.

To join in the chats, go to theIndiana Department of NaturalResources Facebook wall, face-book.com/INdnr, and click“like” (if you are not already a“friend”). You may begin typingin questions during the hour andthe DNR experts will answerquestions as time allows.

Future topics, instructionson how to join a conversation onFacebook and commentingguidelines are posted atdnr.IN.gov/7315.htm.

ION STAFF REPORT --After pasing the House last month, HB 1265 has been assigned to

the Senate Rules Committee and, sources say, will not make it to theSenate floor during this legislative session.

Authored by Representatives Matt Ubelhor (Linton), Bob Heaton(Terre Haute), and Bob Morris (Fort Wayne), the proposed bill wouldhave legitimized at least four existing high-fenced hunting operationsin the state of Indiana and opened the practice to additional, new oper-ations as long as certain conditions were met. The bill sought to reverseIndiana’s 2005 legislative action which shut down all hunting andshooting of privately-raised cirvids (deer, elk and similar animals)inside fenced enclosures and spurred ongoing legal action.

High fenced hunting bill dead

March, 2012 Edition INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS ® 2012© Page 3

JOSHLANTZ

I’ve never considered myselfone of those hard-hitting, gotcha-type journalists, nor have I everinspired to be one. I do, however,recognize and appreciate my role asa conduit for good information.Sometimes, this is as simple aspassing along fact-checked outdoornews items prepared by otherorganizations, or editing and pub-lishing interesting or inspiring sto-ries prepared by one of our colum-nists or some other talented outdoorwriter.

Occasionally, however, I amcontacted by a person or groupwanting our readers -- Indiana’soutdoor enthusiasts -- to be madeaware of certain information affect-ing them which others in positionsof power or influence may not be aseager to have released. Sometimesthese people ask to remain anony-mous in order to protect their jobs

Such an instance happenedlate last month.

Since then, I’ve heard morethan a few concerns from severalIndiana Conservation Officers(ICOs) -- the brave men andwomen charged with investigatingcrimes and enforcing laws that pro-tect our state’s wildlife and othernatural and cultural resources --regarding their day-to-day jobduties. The chief concern beingvoiced is that new and increasingemphasis is being placed by agencysupervisors on non-wildlife lawenforcement and crime preventionactivities.

Specifically, officers aretelling Indiana Outdoor News thattheir primary job duties are suffer-ing because they are being expectedto make a specified number of traf-fic stops and other non-conserva-tion-related arrests or face what isknown as progressive discipline. Ihear that drug investigations arealso commanding an increasingamount of our ICOs’ time, furtherremoving them from their core mis-sion of preventing natural resource

violations. “Quotas are in fullswing”, one officer recently relayedto me. “Traffic stops, vehiclesearches for drugs and alcohol andsubsequent arrests are expected oryou aren't doing your job and willpay the consequences”, the officercontinued.

Additional sources frominside the agency tell me that everyLieutenant has been instructed tohave their officers start stoppingmore cars and doing more trafficenforcement. I’m also told that arecent letter sent to all districts sug-gests that progressive disciplinewill be used to increase arrests forofficers not meeting their trafficquotas, although I have not beenprovided with a copy of such a let-ter. According to ION sources, pro-gressive discipline includes timeoff without pay.

I can understand how encour-aging ICO’s to make a couple oftraffic stops per month could beperceived as good practice for theofficers. Makes sense to me. Butsome of the officers I spoke withbelieve revenue issues are at play. Iwas told the DNR Division of LawEnforcement (DLE) gets $3 foreach ticket issued to spend on train-ing. If this revenue is driving howour ICO’s are being directed tospend their time, that’s a problem.

But these reports are troublingfor a larger reason.

The officers I’ve heard fromare concerned that the DLE is con-tinuing to move away from its coremission of investigating crimes andenforcing laws that protect ourstate’s natural resources -- thosetraditional activities collectivelyreferred to as conservation law.Those are their words, not mine.

The Indiana DNR’s overallmission statement is to “Preserve,protect and promote Indiana’s cul-tural, historical and naturalresources”. So what then is themission of the DNR’s DLE? Ialways assumed it was conserva-tion law, but when I looked, Icouldn’t find a specific missionstatement on their website.Assuming conservation law is stillthe DLE’s mission, why then havetraffic citations, non-boating drug,alcohol and other types of criminalarrests allegedly become an officerevaluation requirement and now apriority? I’d like to know because,personally, I can’t think of a goodreason as to why our ICO’s shouldbe routinely providing services that

are already being provided by otherstate, county and municipal lawenforcement agencies.

We need to remember that theDLE’s mision is broader than fishand wildlife, so they can’t spend alltheir time busting poachers. Theirwork also encompasses importantservices like environmental andcultural resource protection, publicsafety and public outreach -- again,all manner of law enforcement andcrime prevention with respect toour natural, cultural and historicresources. Our ICO’s can’t catchcave vandals or assist in rescuingsomeone who fell through the ice ifthey are busy doing activitiesalready provided by traditional lawenforcement agencies.

All of that said, sportsmen dopay for the majority of the work theDLE is doing. Well over half of theDLE’s annual budget comes fromdedicated Fish and Wildlife fundspaid directly by hunters, fishermenand boaters. So from the sports-man’s perspective, an ICO pullingover speeders on the highway is anICO that isn’t crawling through theweeds busting poachers, patrollingboat ramps and waterways to curbthe spread of invasive species, orinvestigating illegal wildlife trade.

On page 8 of this issue, you’llfind an unedited interview IONcolumnist Alan Garbers conductedwith IDNR’s Dept. of LawEnforcement Director, ColonelScotty Wilson. It’s a good read,and Col. Wilson shares some inter-esting insights to specific changesand recent advancements madeinside the DLE. What you won’tsee, however, is any discussion onan increased focus by the DLE ontraffic stops and other non-conser-vation law enforcement activity asalleged and reported to us by manyactive ICOs. To the contrary, Col.Wilson simply states that the ICO’srole “has not changed” and “willnot change”. These statementsstand in stark contrast to thosereported to us by active duty ICO’s.More detailed information is obvi-ously needed.

Indiana Outdoor News wouldike to hear from more active dutyICOs about the emphasis of theircurrent training, what (if any) spe-cific quotas exist, and the details oftheir assigned day-to-day activities.Of course, we also welcome addi-tional information, clarification and

Another side to the story

Volume 2012 • Number 3

Publisher: Brian E. SmithAssistant Publisher: Mark C. Smith

Editor-in-Chief: Joshua D. LantzSportsmen’s Rights Editor: Rick Story

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Mailing Address: P.O. Box 69, Granger, Indiana 46530Phone: (877) 251-2112 • Fax: (800) 496-8075

INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS® is the official publication of Raghorn Incorporated, and is pub-lished monthly at the address listed above. For home delivery and subscription rates, look for thesubscription card in this publication. Editorial contributions may be submitted to the aboveaddress. No material can be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self addressed envelope.Photographs are accepted and greatly appreciated. All materials submitted become the propertyof Raghorn Incorporated and are subject to editing to meet the objectives of this publication. Theviews and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the individual authors, not the edi-tors, staff or any other representative of RAGHORN’S INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS orRaghorn, Inc. “Raghorn’s Indiana Outdoor News” is a registered Trademark of RaghornIncorporated. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this publication may be used or copiedwithout prior written consent of Raghorn Inc. Violation of copyright laws will be prosecuted.POSTMASTER: Send address changes to RAGHORN’S INDIANA OUTDOOR NEWS, P.O.Box 69, Granger, Indiana 46530.

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JIMBIDDLE

Well, read on. This month is goingto be a lot better.

Lake MichiganEd Avenatti from Mik-Lurch

Tackle in Hammond says the perchare hitting in the river by Cal Parkat the state line. Ed says youshould use fathead minnows forthe best action. There has alsobeen some decent coho actionaround Michigan City, where thefolks are using spoons, little cleosand night crawlers with goodresults. Look for coho action toreally pick up along Indiana’scoastline towards the end of themonth. Of course, the steelheadand brown trout will be in the mixtoo. Ed thinks the whitefish aremaking pretty good comebackespecially around Michigan City,so give it a try using a small pieceof crawler or a single shrimp eggfished on the bottom. Burns Ditchis a good spot to take a coho orbrown and Wolf Lake is the placefor walleye or crappies.

Saint Joseph RiverDick Parker of Parker’s

Central Bait & Tackle inMishawaka tells me the steelheadfishing is good down from theTwin Branch Dam. Dick expectsan early spring run this year, andsuggests you use plugs, shrimp orwax worms.

Northwest IndianaPenny Boisvert at Greenwood

Bait Shop in English Lake will be

nows you should get some crap-pies. Dave expects the bluegillaction to pick up this month sostock up with wigglers and beemoths. There has been some earlymuskie action with Rattle Trapsand the bass are hitting on crankbaits.

West Central IndianaTerry Raines from Twin Lakes

Fish & Game reports good walleyeaction below Norway Dam. Thebest action seems to be with deer-hair jigs tipped with minnows.Looking ahead, Terry expectssome nice crappie and catfishaction later this month.

Southwest IndianaBarbara Shedd from the

Fishin Shedd in Bloomington says

she has been selling a lot of crap-pie minnows and we all knowwhat that means. Barbara expectsthe walleye action to take off thismonth, so head down to Monroeand get your share.

Well, since I’ve finished thisreport I think I’ll get back to figur-ing out how yoga can improve myfishing. I think I’ll try some bal-ance poses with my fly rod as it islonger and might make balancingon one leg a little easier! I shouldsay to all of you, “don’t try this athome”. Keep in mind I’ve hadyoga lessons! Hey, good luck andremember what OL’ JB alwayssays, “You can’t catch a fish sittingin your recliner, unless you own areally fancy boat, so get up and getout there.” See you next month.

opening for the season on March1st and will have everything youneed to help you catch your limit.Penny says they’re taking somenortherns at the point in EnglishLake.

East Central IndianaEd Gipson at Peacepipe Bait

& Tackle at Andrews reports goodcrappie action around the 105bridge. The bass action is slowlypicking in the area and most of thefellows are using plugs and sus-pending jerkbaits. Try landing awalleye below the spillway using abig, juicy night crawler. Catfishaction is slow but getting better asthe weather continues to warm up.If catfish are your target, use shadguts or chicken livers. Severalfriends of mine say Berkely’sGulp! corn always get them a messof catfish, so give it a try.

Central IndianaJunior McCalla from the Bait

Barn in Indianapolis tells me thatyou can get some nice crappies inmoving water using minnows,spikes or pinkies fished beneath afloat. Junior expects catfish andbluegill action to really pick up thismonth. If you want to try forlargemouth or smallmouth, fishdeep with night crawlers or try aJPS lure.

North Central IndianaDave Garber at Ye Old Tackle

Box in North Webster says if youfish the local channels with min-

You won’t believe it. Duringthe month of February I spent mostmornings practicing yoga on thebeach in Nokomis, Florida. Iguess you are never to old to learnsomething new. I can’t believehow much flexibility my body haslost over the years! I have heardthat yoga will help lower yourblood pressure, reduce stress andlead to all around better health. Ithink it will improve my castingability, so watch for me along theshoreline or in the boat. I will bethe guy standing on one leg, likethe karate kid, making a deadlycast to the only open spot amongthe lily pads. I will either catch alot of fish or entertain a lot of fish.One thing for sure, I’ll be the mostinteresting fisherman in the area.Enough about my activities. Let’ssee what the prospects are for yourfishing activities this month.

My contacts all agree fishingshould really start picking up thismonth. I know it has been a lousyseason for ice fishing. When wedid get ice it wasn’t thick enoughfor fishing and it also preventedgood open water fishing. I guessit has been a lose-lose situation.

Gary Nichols of Syracuse caught this beautiful steelhead on the St. JoeRiver system fishing with World Class Fly Fishing last April.

World Class Fly Fishingwith Josh Lantz

219-728-8996WWW.GOFISHN.COM/JOSHLANTZ

Less than 3 hours fromIndianapolis, 2 hours from FortWayne & Chicago, 30 minutesfrom South Bend.All equipment provided. Catch &release only, please. Fly fishingspecialist, but all forms of lighttackle welcome. I have twelveyears experience as a profes-sional, licensed fishing guide toensure you enjoy your day!

Multi-Boat Trips Available

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Come out and talk with Josh atthe Outdoor Sports, Lake & Cabin ShowMarch 16-18 at the Allen County Memorial

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Trophy LargemouthPrivate water / All tackle

Spring is the best fishing of theyear! Book now!

SalmonSt. Joseph River System

October

TroutSt. Joseph River System

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March- April / Book now!

Northern Indiana &Southwest Michigan

MuskieNorth-Central Indiana

April - November

Smallmouth BassApril - October / All tackle


Don Barbour had been think-ing about the trophy buck almostdaily since late December, 2010when he saw the brute in hot pur-suit of does.

“That told me he made itthrough the hunting season,” saidBarbour, who spotted the deer ear-lier that year but couldn't get off theshot. “I could only hope he'd makeit into the 2011 season.”

It did - until opening day ofgun season.

Barbour dropped the 24-pointbuck in southeastern St. JosephCounty with a single shot from hisMarlin .44 Mag rifle from 80 yardsout.

John Bogucki, deer scorer forBoone and Crockett and HoosierRecord Buck Program (HRBP),announced in mid-January thatBarbour's deer not only made bothrecord books, but becomes thehighest scoring non-typical white-tail ever taken in St. JosephCounty.

Bogucki pegged Barbour'sdeer as a 22-point buck with a netscore of 208 4/8. The gross score,before deductions, was 213 7/8. It

erased the previous record (2077/8) set in 2002 by James L. Stoneof Bremen.

Despite the 24 visible prongs,the Barbour buck scored officiallywith 22 points, had 24 1/2-inchmain beam lengths and 8-inchtines.

It wasn't a big-bodied animal,field dressing at 168 pounds. Andwhile the rack wasn't massive, itwas definitely impressive.

“It looked like a picket fence,”noted Bogucki. “It's an outstandingdeer, and when you consider no onehas ever shot one like it in thiscounty during the 60 years thatrecords have been kept, that's pret-ty remarkable.”

So remarkable, in fact, thatBogucki ranks it the third largestnon-typical ever taken in northernIndiana. Larger ones were killedfrom Marshall and LaPorte coun-ties in previous years.

Antlers are scored as typicaland non-typical based upon theoverall appearance. Typical antlersare considered “normal” when theyhave an equal number of points oneach side and points grow in thesame direction. Barbour's deer had12 on one side and 10 on the other.

“To give you an idea howunusual this is, there have onlybeen two non-typical HoosierRecord Book bucks recorded fromthis county during the past 60years,” said Bogucki. “Andstatewide, only about 12 non-typi-

Barbour buck beats all

LOUIESTOUT

cal racks make it into the Booneand Crockett record book eachyear, out of some 120,000 deerkilled annually.”

The rare feat is not lost on the62-year old Barbour who has beendeer hunting for 40 years. He hunt-ed 13 years before he killed his firstbuck - a 13 pointer - one of 14 tro-phies that grace the wall in hishome.

The owner of Toolmasters,Inc. in Mishawaka got a glimpse ofthe newest trophy two years ago,and in 2010, spotted the animalstanding on the other side of afence as he was leaving the woods.

He saw the deer again the daybefore the 2011 gun season openedand knew his chances were good.At 8:15 the next morning, the buckemerged in hot pursuit of a doe.

“I grunted, the doe heard meand started working in my directionand that brought him in,” Barboursaid. “He was coming straight atme, but kinda turned his shoulderand I put the crosshairs on the heartarea and squeezed off the shot. Thedeer dropped on the spot.”

Barbour, an avid bow hunter,recalled an earlier encounter duringarchery season when a nice 8 point-er stepped into range.

“I started to draw on him, but Ihad that big (24 pointer) in mind,”he said, noting he would have usedup his one-and-only Indiana buckpermit on the 8 pointer. “I'm glad Iwaited.”

Don Barbour shows off his record-shattering buck taken with a gun in St.Joseph County. (Photo provided)

LakeMaster ProMap Hi-Definition Maps Exclusively for Humminbird

LakeMaster® ProMap Hi-Definition Lakes cartography packages arenow available for Humminbird® Combo units in the 700, 800, 900 and 1100Series™.

Seven complete coverage packages are currently available, including:Dakotas/Nebraska, Iowa/Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas/Oklahoma,Wisconsin and Woods/Rainy (Ontario, CA). An Indiana/Ohio package willbe released later this spring, along with Florida/Georgia/Alabama.

An exclusive Water Level Offset feature allows users to synchronize thedepth contours and shorelines of their LakeMaster charts with the actualwater levels of lakes, reservoirs and rivers at the time they are fishing for unmatched accuracy. An addition-al Highlight Depth feature allows users to select and highlight a particular depth range to more easily targetproductive water and stay in the bite zone. Other unique features include Shallow Water Highlight, an easy-to-see shading which highlights shallow water areas on a user-adjustable range from 0-15'.

Lakemaster ProMap Hi-Definition mapping is available exclusively to Humminbird Color Combo Unitsin their 700, 800, 900 and 1100 Series. Fore moreinformation, go to www.lakemap.com/hummin-birddigitalgpsfishingmapcards.aspx.

Hawke Red-Dot Sights

Hawke® Red-Dot sights offer many features as standard, including4 or 5 M.O.A. red dot with eleven brightness settings, fully coatedoptics and a wide field of view to provide extra light gathering. Othergoodies include positive windage and elevation adjustment turrets, 5” at50 yards, unlimited eye relief and fixed focus, which enables use on pis-tols, shotguns and bows.

5 models are available ranging in price from about $45 - $50. Werecommend the Red Dot 30 (Weaver Rail) model HK3206 for mostturkey hunting aplications. Go to www.hawkeoptics.com.


One of Elvis Presley's favoritesayings was “TCB,” which standsfor “Taking care of business.”While we're not exactly sure whatThe King meant, we do know thatfor a shooter, taking care of busi-ness means taking care of yourfirearm.

Now that the hunting seasonsare over, most firearms are safelytucked away in the gun cabinet forthat long off-season nap.Unfortunately, many of thoseweapons were put to bed needing abath worse than your five-year-oldafter he discovered the joys of adeep mud puddle.

Cleaning your gun is a vitaltask if you want a properly per-forming and accurate firearmn.Without proper care, your firearmwill eventually fail, often at themost inopportune moment.

Just like 14-year-old boys dis-cussing women on a street corner,there is much disinformation, mythand misunderstanding about the actof cleaning firearms. Add in the

TCB, Baby

The Straight ShooterBRENTWHEAT

manufacturers hype about cleaningproducts and you end up with manyshooters who bewildered about thebest way to remove the crud andgrime from their blunderbuss.

First and foremost is safety.All ammunition should be account-ed for, stored away from yourworkbench and the gun triple-checked to make sure it isunloaded. There is absolutely noreason for the old “I didn't know thegun was loaded”-type accident. Weconsider all weapons alwaysloaded, all the time!

As a health precaution, I alsowear nitrile gloves while cleaningto prevent absorption of mercuryand all those other toxic substancesthat end up on your skin whilecleaning a firearm.

After your safety preparationsare complete, you can then disman-tle the gun. If you don't know prop-er field-stripping procedures foryour weapon, pull out that dustyowner's manual or visit the Internet.With a bit of research, you willundoubtedly find a description ofthe proper technique regardless ofweapon.

Once the gun is apart, we openthe festivities with solvent. Whilethere are literally hundreds of typeson the market, we are big fans ofthe traditional Hoppe's #9 for thispart of the service. When buying acleaner, be careful before purchas-ing any of the super-aggressivecleaners. I have seen rifle barrels

ruined by using strong copper-removing chemicals because thesolvent doesn't really know when itis done eating copper and will con-tinue onto the steel of the barrel,albeit at a slower rate. Abrasivecleaners and complete de-greasersshouldn't ever be used except inspecial situations and then onlyunder the direction of a licensedphysician or local religious leader.

The first order of business is torun a solvent-soaked patch into thebarrel to soak. The longer exposurewill help loosen the stubborn metal,plastic and powder fouling. Set thebarrel aside and begin work on theaction of the gun.

Be careful when it comes toslopping solvent around. Whilecopious amounts should be usedwhen scrubbing away dirt and foul-ing, you must use care to removeevery trace afterward. One of myfavorite cleaning accessories is abox of cotton swabs. They are per-fect for wiping and soaking upchemicals from every nook andcranny so long as you take care toremove any lint that gets caught onsharp corners.

Pay particular attention to railsand bearing surfaces. These are the

locations where even a bit of dirt ora stray metal shaving can slowthings down enough to cause a mal-function. Also wipe out magazinewells and tubes with a dry cloth.These frequently-neglected loca-tions collect dirt and often causefeeding malfunctions. Don't forgetto give the overall outside of theweapon a good wiping to removeinvisible skin oils and acids thatwill eventually cause rust, even to astainless steel or polymer-coatedgun.

Once the other parts aresparkling clean, turn your attentionto the barrel. It requires a scrubwith solvent-soaked patches, fol-lowed by a copper brush and thendry patches until they exit the bar-rel without any residue. Old-time

shooters frequently admonish youto make a cleaning pass for everyround fired. We don't necessarilysubscribe to this formula but we dofrequently see shooters who stopworking before the barrel is trulyclean. Take the time to make a fewmore passes.

Work from the breech whenev-er possible and protect the muzzleof the gun. Should you damage thecrown (the end of the barrel), yourweapon will never again shootaccurately. This is why steel clean-ing rod and brushes should be usedwith exceptional care as they caneasily damage this critical area ofthe gun.

The tools of the trade: solvent, cot-ton swabs, a scrub brush andcleaning rod are ready to makethis fine old double-barrel shotgunready for next hunting season.


The Smokin’ Gun Combo From Hunter’sSpecialties

Hunter’s Specialties® new Smokin’ Gun Combo comeswith three great new calls to help turkey hunters fill their tagthis spring. The Smoking Gun Combo includes the box call,glass friction call and diaphragm call.

The Smokin’ Gun box call is a true hand made customhybrid boat paddle style call that not only sounds great, butlooks great as well. The call is completely waterproof and isconstructed of walnut. It can easily produce all the sounds inthe turkey vocabulary including gobbler yelps. It comes withan attached elastic strap to quiet the call during transport.

The Smokin’ Gun friction call features a custom made wood pan with the latest in sounding board tech-nology for the most realistic yelps, clucks, cutts and purrs available. The larger friction surface allows huntersto easily use their striker in different locations on the call to change pitch and tone, sounding like several dif-ferent hens. The deep pan also provides plenty of volume when needed

The Premium Flex™ Smokin’ Gun diaphragm call is of three reed design with a middle cut for higherpitch. It features Infinity Latex®, the most durable and consistent latex available for diaphragm calls. TheInfinity Latex calls also usewater resistant tape, so hunterscan easily get a full season of useout of each call.

The Smokin’ Gun Combosells for a suggested retail priceof $49.99. For more informationabout other Hunter’s Specialtiesproducts, log onto the Hunter’sSpecialties website atwww.hunterspec.com.

G.Loomis PRO4xFly Rods

The industry leading roddesigners at G.Loomis took a pagefrom their breakthrough NRX blanktechnology to develop an all newseries of 4-piece fly rods they callthe PRO4x. An all new taperdesign along with a noticeableweight-reduction in the upper halfof the blank results in a rod that isincredibly light, recovers quicklyand casts with precision.

Eleven models are available inthe new PRO4x line, from an 8’ 3-wt. to a 9’ 12-wt. Indina’s steel-headers may be especilly fond ofthe 6, 7 and 8 wt. models offered in a 10’ length. We selected the 9’ 8 wt.for steelhead, salmon and largemouth crossover duty.

At a retail price of around $350, the PRO4x is the most affordablefly rod G.Loomis currently offers. But don’t be fooled into thinking thisrod is only for beginners or intermediates. Our 9’ 8-weight has power tospare and shoots a line farther and more accurately than other rods we’vecast at twice the price of the PRO4x. To us, the PRO4x seems to havealmost all the sophistication and power of the top-of-the-line NRX,minus the NRX’s expensive nano-resin.

We’re not alone in our affinity for the new PRO4x. It was namedBest Fly Rod at the 2011 ICAST show in LasVegas last summer -- theworld’s premier fishing tradeshow. For more information, go towww.gloomis.com.


D.L.SMITHCurves in Camo

Going North?

Growing up in LowerMichigan, it always fascinated mewhen my friends related storiesabout their vacations “up north”.The stories of fishing with theirfamilies and campfires on smallislands seemed exotic to me. Mymother was from down south sowhen family vacation time camewe always headed that direction.When we fished it was for bass andcrappie, never the exotic fish of thenorth, walleye.

I’ve had the opportunity to fishin many famous fisheries through-out the US and Canada, but there isstill a special mysticism aboutheading north for me. So when Ihad the opportunity to head toMinnesota’s Lake of the Woods, Iknew I would be embarking on atrue northern adventure.

It excited me that we would befishing in the northernmost countyin the United States. Sure, I’vefished Alaska -- that’s north, butsomehow not the north of my imag-ination. As I looked out from thedeck of the Border View Lodge, Iknew that this was the exotic North

that had fascinated me as a child.Here was the home of the exot-

ic walleye and the prehistoric lakesturgeon. Sure I’d fished for thembefore and caught more than myfair share, but this was somethingdifferent. This fishery was mind-boggling.

Lake of the Woods has 65,000miles of shoreline and some 14,000islands. With 950,400 acres ofwater, you could spend your wholelife fishing this lake and never fishthe same place twice. People hereare dedicated to year round fishingand truly using the naturalresources out their back doors. Theice doesn’t even stop them. Seeing

the hundred of icehouses lined upwaiting for the cold weather con-firmed what I had heard, Lake ofthe Woods is hard-core.

It seemed overwhelming -- allthat water, all of those fish. Whereshould we start?

Just in case I had my doubtsabout what type of fish we wouldbe going for, Willie the Walleye intown reminded me of what fish isking up here. For those who havenever visited Lake of the Woods,Willie the Walleye is a 40-foot long2.5-ton lunker that greets visitors tothe small and friendly Town ofBaudette, MN, reminding everyonethat Lake of the Woods is the wall-eye capital of the world. Willie isdefinitely outside the slot limit.

We motored out with our guideand began drift fishing for walleyeand sauger using crawler harnesseswith a variety of live baits. Thespinners also varied in color. Ourguide advised throwing a variety tosee what they were biting on. I hadon a white spinner with a minnow.My niece, Mya, was drifting withan attractive orange spinner with aleech. We drifted over the ledge andbegan being attacked by walleyes.

“Fish on!” rang out on theboat. We soon had a respectablenumber of walleyes in the cooler.My niece Mya and myself even hada double hookup. Nothing beatsthe excitement of having to waityour turn for the landing net. Yes,we are that good. Mya had herfishing mojo rocking and she nailedboth walleyes and saugers. Sheeven landed some fish in the slot

that had to be released.Shore lunch was a welcome

break, as my wrist was getting sorefrom all that reeling and fish wran-gling. I had worked up an appetite.We had an excellent shore lunch onGarden Island. Garden Island is apicturesque island that is conve-niently located near the most popu-lar fishing hot spots. Enjoying fishcaught an hour earlier is a real treat.Even the pelicans looked envious.

We went back out and drifted alittle more, mainly for fun. Myawas still hot, and the fish just keptjumping on her hook.

We were beat by the end of theday. It was great to head back andenjoy a beautiful Lake of theWoods evening. We had dinner outon the deck over looking the RainyRiver and were able to enjoy thecooling of the evening -- yet anoth-er joy of fishing up north.

It had been a long day. Thekind of day that generates fishingstories and sore muscles. I wasbone tired but ready to go again. Ihad found the exotic “up north”I’ve always dreamed about, and Iintend to follow my compass back-- the sooner the better.



ALANGARBERS

Q&A with IDNR’s Director of Law Enforcement

In January 2010 ColonelScotty Wilson became the newdirector of the Law EnforcementDivision of the INDR. After beingthe top Indiana ConservationOfficer for a year we thought itwould be interesting to catch upwith Col. Wilson and see howthings are going and what the futuremight hold under his direction.

ION: How has your first year asdirector been?

Col. Wilson: It's been a busy year!Due to a change in the retirementbenefits several Officers and staffmembers close to retiring decidedto retire early. As a result of thisand normal attrition we experi-enced thirty-four vacancies as ofMay 2011.

ION: What else has changed duringthis last year?

Col. Wilson: Each district used to

have a Commander and anAssistant Commander, with theAssistant Commander's positionbeing filled with a 1st Sergeant.Now when a 1st Sergeant retires wereplace the position with threeCorporal positions to get morefront-line supervisors out in thefield. This started prior to my direc-tion but with all the retirements,we've had more opportunities to putit into action.

ION: What's your history with theDNR?

Col. Wilson: In 1985 I wasassigned as a field officer in KnoxCounty. I worked in SW Indianaalong the Wabash for two years. Ithen transferred to Perry Countyand worked there until 2001, when Ireceived a promotion to the positionof District 7 Field Commander backin the SW portion of the state. In2006 I was promoted to theLogistics Major which is an execu-tive position here at headquarters.In 2009 I was promoted to the posi-tion of Executive Officer and heldthat position until being appointedas Director by Governor Daniels.

ION: How has an ICO's rolechanged since you started?

Col. Wilson: Our role hasn'tchanged but the application of it

has. One big change is going to bethe new 24-hour dispatch center.We've never had 24-hour dispatchcenter for this organization before.In the past if a person needed assis-tance they had to contact a regionaldispatcher between 8am and mid-night at one number, a local countysheriff at another number, or a dis-trict office from 8am to 4:30pm atanother number... Soon they will beable to call just one number 24hours a day, seven days a week tohave an ICO respond. It will bequite a milestone because not onlywill a citizen be able to contact thedispatcher 24/7, so will the ICO's,and the dispatchers will know whoneeds to be contacted for each situ-ation and how to get in touch withthem in the quickest manner. Alongwith this, ICO's will still maintaincontact and dispatch capabilitieswith local law enforcement in theirassigned areas.

ION: What about your role in thefuture?

Col. Wilson: Our role won't changebut we are making sure we remainfocused on it. To do our job proper-ly we must get our boots dirty,because our job starts where theblacktop stops or the water begins.And we must not allow tasks outsideof our primary area of responsibili-ty distract us from our mission.

Our role with Homeland Security issupporting the community and otherlaw enforcement agencies by focus-ing on what we do best with the spe-

cial training and resources we useevery day, not doing a job that

Colonel Scotty Wilson and K-9 partner, Judge. Photo provided.


Answers on page

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ACROSS

1 Sets of antlers5 Ants, gnats8 Material for bullet jacket10 Tasty mollusks11 Old wild pig or elephant bull12 Hunting and fishing equipment14 Tom’s weapon15 A station for still hunting16 Male turkeys19 Put deer lure on a scent ___21 A group of decoys23 No. of game, fish, fowl allowed24 Controlls spread of shot pellets26 A male dall27 Where you fish for the brookie30 A deer and squirrel food source33 Arboreal duck nickname34 Small, fast flying duck35 Parts of antlers38 Popular, tasty icefishing catch41 Brings a catch into the boat43 Fly pattern used for steelhead44 Outdoor activity regulation45 Inshore Florida gamefish46 Term for crack in a bow stave

DOWN

1 Jolt from a fired gun2 A brook trout or dolly varden3 pheasant, quail: _____ game4 Commercial fishing equipment5 The water wolf6 Large, true bass7 An aid to finding fish9 A buck mating period12 A Rocky Mountain game13 To closely follow a game15 Camo slip-ons for a bow17 A silvery minnow bait18 A wood used in arrow shafts20 The hunter’s quarry22 He hunts with a snare25 Rules for hunting and fishing28 A species of diving duck29 Sought by thr trapper31 Squirrels gather them32 Turkey egg eater33 Subsurface fly type36 A type of open sight37 Female dalls38 Deer food source39 Hog hunter’s reward40 Line grommets on a fishing rod41 A Gun Organization42 To construct a fly

Indiana Outdoor Calendar- March -

Upland Preserve Hunting Season Open All Month.

Mar 1: Last day of Late Crow Hunting SeasonMar 2-4: Marsh Madness Bird Festival at Goose Pond FWA

(more info at www.marchmadness.info)Mar 1-11: Bass Pro Shops Spring Fishing Classic (info at www.basspro.com) Mar 3: Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Dinner in Valparaiso (see ad on opposite page)Mar 3: Porter County DU Decoy Painting Greenwing Event (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 3: Decatur County DU Sportsman's Night Out (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 3: Youngs Creek DU Dinner (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 10: Indiana DU Volunteer Celebration Day (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 15: Last day of Coyote Hunting SeasonMar 16-18: Fort Wayne Outdoor Sports, Lake & Cabin Show

(www.sportsandcabinshow.com)Mar 16-18: Ohio Deer and Turkey Expo in Columbus (www.deerinfo.com)Mar 17: Mud Lake DU Greenwing Event (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 17: Adams County DU Dinner Banquet (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 23-25: Illinois Deer and Turkey Classic in Peoria (www.deerinfo.com)Mar 24: Wa-Nee DU Dinner Banquet (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 24: Kankakee Valley DU Dinner Banquet (www.ducks.org/indiana)Mar 30-Apr 1: Wisconsin Deer and Turkey Expo in Madison (www.deerinfo.com)Mar 31: Allens Creek SRA Spring Cleanup

(contact Jill Vance at (812) 837-9546 or [email protected])

• A variety of Hunter Education courses are offered around the state this month. For details,visit www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/4812.htm.• For current information about Ducks Unlimited banquets and events throughout Indiana thismonth, visit www.ducks.org/indiana.• For a list of National Wild Turkey Federation events in Indiana this month, go towww.nwtf.org/in_your_state/banquet.php.

2012 A.M. A.M P. M. P.M.March Minor Major Minor Major Sunrise Sunset Fishing Quality / Notes01 Thu ----- 5:53 12:06 6:18 07:17 06:36 Fair / Waxing Half Moon02 Fri 12:29 6:42 12:55 7:07 07:16 06:37 Fair03 Sat 1:16 7:29 1:42 7:55 07:14 06:38 Fair04 Sun 2:03 8:16 2:29 8:41 07:13 06:39 Poor05 Mon 2:48 9:01 3:14 9:27 07:11 06:40 Poor06 Tue 3:34 9:47 4:00 10:12 07:10 06:41 Fair07 Wed 4:21 10:34 4:46 10:59 07:08 06:42 Fair08 Thu 5:11 11:24 5:36 11:49 07:07 06:43 Fair / Full Moon09 Fri 6:04 ----- 6:31 12:17 07:05 06:44 Fair10 Sat 7:02 12:48 7:30 1:16 07:03 06:45 Fair11 Sun 9:04 2:50 9:33 3:18 08:02 07:46 Fair12 Mon 10:09 3:54 10:38 4:23 08:00 07:47 Fair13 Tue 11:13 4:59 11:43 5:28 07:59 07:48 Poor14 Wed ----- 6:01 12:16 6:31 07:57 07:49 Poor15 Thu 12:46 7:00 1:14 7:28 07:56 07:50 Fair / Waning Half Moon16 Fri 1:40 7:54 2:07 8:21 07:54 07:51 Fair17 Sat 2:30 8:42 2:55 9:08 07:52 07:52 Fair18 Sun 3:15 9:27 3:39 9:51 07:51 07:53 Fair19 Mon 3:57 10:08 4:19 10:31 07:49 07:54 Fair20 Tue 4:37 10:48 4:59 11:10 07:48 07:55 Fair21 Wed 5:17 11:28 5:39 11:49 07:46 07:56 Good22 Thu 5:59 ----- 6:20 12:31 07:44 07:57 Good / New Moon23 Fri 6:42 12:31 7:04 12:53 07:43 07:58 Good24 Sat 7:29 1:17 7:51 1:40 07:41 07:59 Good25 Sun 8:18 2:06 8:40 2:29 07:40 08:00 Good26 Mon 9:09 2:57 9:32 3:20 07:38 08:01 Fair27 Tue 10:01 3:49 10:25 4:13 07:36 08:02 Fair28 Wed 10:54 4:42 11:19 5:06 07:35 08:03 Fair29 Thu 11:47 5:34 ----- 5:59 07:33 08:04 Fair / Waxing Half Moon30 Fri 12:14 6:26 12:38 6:51 07:32 08:05 Poor31 Sat 1:03 7:15 1:28 7:41 07:30 08:06 Fair

This spinning reel you sold

me won’t stop spinning.


As is the case with many of us involved in the out-door industry, I wear many hats. While hunting and fishing

are my passions, they don’t always pay the light bill, so Ido have a day job. Besides this publication, filmingWild Adventures Television and Angling the Great LakesTelevision, I also own and operate a funeral home locat-ed in Knox, IN.

It was a Wednesday night and I was up on a scaf-fold working on a remodeling project in our living quarters

at the funeral home when my cell phone began to ring. BeforeI could climb down, it stop ringing and went to voicemail. Iwrestled the phone from my pocket and looked at the caller

ID. It read “Carol Corey”. Immediately, I thought tomyself, “well, it must be time to start working on

Turkey Tracks”, so I hit redial on my phone.About that time my wife, Lori, walked in the

room with the office phone in her hand,talking. She was upset. Almost simul-

taneously, Doug Corey answeredthe phone in my hand, and I couldtell from his voice that it was badnews. The words he said to me near-ly brought me to my knees. “Mark,we lost Eric, he just passed away alittle bit ago here at the house.”

Cleaned up and clotheschanged, I walked out into the coldnight air toward the garage to getthe funeral car. Immediately, mymind was flooded with the memo-ries of my first contact with theCorey family. The entire drive outinto the countryside to Eric’s houseI reminisced with Tony, an avidhunter and my right-hand at thefuneral home, about that first meet-ing.

Believe it or not, it was at afuneral luncheon at the Eagle CreekChurch fellowship hall, after afuneral service I had handled for afriend and neighbor of the Corey’s.Doug and Carol approached me andwanted to know if they could ask afavor. They knew I was an avid out-doorsman, and they knew of myinvolvement with this publication,the weekly radio show hosted bymy brother Brian and I on our localradio station, as well as, our first

attempt on television on our local PBS station. They told me about theirteenage son, Eric, and his love of hunting. They said he was absolutelyconsumed with the desire to hunt every waking moment -- so much so theyfelt it was affecting his grades in school. Their request was that maybe mybrother and I could take him to the set of the TV show, and maybe to theradio station, and even the lay-out room for this publication (which by theway, at that time was located in the basement of the funeral home). Theirhope was that by doing this Eric would see the importance of keepinggrades up in school, even if he wanted to make a career of the outdoors.Needless to say, I said yes.

Unfortunately, none of that ever happened. Several weeks after thatconversation, I was sitting on a bench at the local 4-H fair with Eric’suncle, Terry Corey, when Eric and a group of other young boys walked by.I noticed Eric seemed to have an awkward step to his stride. I asked Terryabout it and he filled me in that Eric had been diagnosed with ALS. At theyoung age of 15 he was one of the youngest people to be diagnosed withthe condition, which is also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Terry went onto tell me that Eric’s grandfather also had ALS and that it was fatal, typi-cally within 5 to 10 years. Needless to say, the yet undiagnosed ALS prob-ably had as much to do with the issues surrounding Eric’s grades as did hispreoccupation with hunting.

My wheels were immediately turning. To Terry’s knowledge, Eric hadnever been outside of our county to hunt. That same night I was on thephone with my brother Brian and we were trying to put together a huntingtrip that Eric would never forget.

The people in the outdoor industry are some of the most compassion-ate and generous people I know, and in no time flat, things started happen-ing. After a short conversation with the owner, we had a trip planned withSafari Nordik to northern Quebec for caribou. A quick conversation withmy friend, and pilot, Leigh Smith, and we had air transportation, in his pri-vate plane, from our local airport to Quebec. Next we made contact withTina Pattison at Hunt of a Lifetime and introduced her to the Corey fami-ly. Usually, Hunt of a Lifetime would have organized the entire endeavor,but since Brian and I had already secured the hunt and the transportation,Tina arranged for a shopping spree at Gander Mountain, that completelyoutfitted Eric, head to toe, clothing, guns and ammo, for the trip. Moreimportantly, it forged what will likely be a lifelong friendship betweenEric’s mom, Carol and Tina, who formed Hunt of a Lifetime after her ownterminally-ill son’s request for a hunt was rejected by a prominent wish-granting foundation.

On September 20, 2002, Eric, his father Doug, myself, and pilot LeighSmith departed in the pre-dawn darkness from the Starke County Airportand Eric was off on his first adventure. We spent a glorious week in thewild tundra of northern Quebec, where I had the privilege of filming Ericand his father filling their first ever caribou tags. The adventure didn’t stop

Eric Corey: Ju


there, the guides adopted Eric as one of their own, and he actually shackedup with them every night in the guides quarters and hung out in the skin-ning room. About midweek, Nicolas Loren, the owner of Safari Nordik,arrived by floatplane in camp, and took Eric lake hopping, fishing and sightseeing along the way. By the end of the week, all tags were filled and Ericcouldn’t wait to get home and tell his stories. Even though that trip was tenyears ago, Doug, Carol and Eric have remained in contact with the campmanagers and guides.

Shortly after arriving home, the film I had shot on that trip was pro-duced and we aired the show on the Sportsman Channel. Our headlinesponsor at that time was Rangemaster Outfitters in Chesterton. What hap-pened next was yet another example of the extraordinary generosity amongthe brotherhood of hunters. The owner of Rangemaster Outfitters, BrianBusch, was an avid hunter who loved hunting in Africa. Shortly after theairing of Eric’s caribou hunt on TV, Busch contacted me and asked if Ericwas still capable of travel and asked me if I thought that Eric’s parentswould let him take Eric to Africa to hunt. Before long, Eric and his dadwere off to Zimbabwe for their next adventure.

After those first two trips, Eric was fortunate enough to have appliedfor and been granted numerous other hunting trips around the United Sates.In a display of maturity not found in some people twice his age, Eric toldhis mom and dad that he felt he had been so blessed to have had so manyopportunities to do things he never imagined he would have been able to,that he wanted to start a program to help other hunters with terminal illnessand disabilities go hunting. He wanted a way to give something back.

In April of 2009 Eric hosted an event called “Turkey Tracks”. Tenhunters attended that event, with nearly as many disabilities, ranging fromcancer to cerebral palsy to MS. For months the Corey’s spent countlesshours every day getting permission from landowners to hunt, finding localhunters to act as guides, arranging for hunting equipment, food and accom-modations for the hunters. The event ran from Friday to Sunday and endedwith six of the ten getting turkeys. More importantly, it had mobilized asmall army of volunteers who were now as dedicated as Eric to keep itgoing. The 2010 and 2011 events were equally as successful, gainingsteam, and gaining more hunters every year. Somewhere along the way,they joined forces with the Community Foundation and formed the EricCorey Turkey Tracks Foundation.

I wrote an article about Turkey Tracks about a year ago, these wordsare from that article: “Eric has accomplished something that few ever will.He has created something special. Something that has really changed thelives of all of those involved, the hunters, the guides, and the volunteers.Listen to the quiver in their voices when re-telling the tales from hunt.Watch them swallow hard and fight back a tear. And watch them line up atthe door to participate in the next event.” I also told the story about one ofthe guides, a local taxidermist and close friend of mine, Harry Rust, when

he was interviewed by Ted Hayes from WKVI Radio, he said “I don’t careif I personally ever shoot another turkey as long as I can continue to takethese kids hunting.”

Those words were ringing in my head as I watched person after per-son step up to the podium at Eric’s funeral service and say that their expe-rience with Eric and Turkey Tracks had truly changed their lives. Carolwent on to say that Eric had recently made herself and Doug promise thatTurkey Tracks would continue on after he was gone.

And then his services ended just as memorably as Eric himself. Thehundreds of people in attendance at his funeral service sat in silence as thelights were turned out in the great hall at the Knox Community Center.Several beams of light pierced the darkness from the lobby across theroom, as six of Eric’s close hunting buddies walked into the room. Cladfrom head to toe in their coon hunting attire, they proceeded up the centeraisle, formed rank on each side of Eric’s casket and carried him from theroom, guided only by the narrow shafts of light from their headlamps.

The hunting world lost a great man the day Eric died. A person thatwhen faced with limitations that would have kept most at home, went onto create a legacy that will live on to allow others to experience the verythings that Eric loved so much. Eric left our midst the day of the funeraljust exactly as he would have wanted to, surrounded by his hunting bud-dies, headed off to his next great adventure.

Monetary contributions cam be made the Eric Corey Turkey TracksFoundation c/o Northern Indiana Community Foundation, PO Box 807,Rochester, IN 46975. This is a not for profit foundation and your contribu-tions are tax deductible.

uly 9, 1986 - January 18, 2012


Turkey hunting is one of thefastest growing facets of huntingwith new hunters discovering thechallenges of the sport each springand fall.

The first lesson of turkey hunt-ing is proper target acquisition.Unlike other sporting birds that areshot while flying, turkeys are takenmost often as they feed on the for-est floor. The favored target is thehead and neck area as the turkeysticks its head up to investigate hissurroundings. Good luck, as Ol’Tom’s head typically bobs andweaves like that of a drunken prizefighter.

As forgiving as a shotgun canbe, a miss is still a miss. So howcan we be assured that our shot willbe perfect each and every time?Two obvious answers are getting toknow the weapon and practice,practice, practice. The third andmost important answer is choosingthe correct sight, something thatwill get us on target fast and accu-rately with little or no error.

Standard shotguns come withjust a bead near the muzzle andpossibly another bead in the middleof the sight plane. It couldn't besimpler. Line the beads up with thetarget and pull the trigger. Done.With all things being perfect, itwould be that simple. However noteveryone sights down the barrel thesame way. In the excitement of thehunt, the shooter might not evenline the barrel up with the bead. Inother types of shooting where anopen choke is used, the shootermight be okay, but with tight turkeychokes and ranges out past fortyyards the margin for error increasesexponentially.

Other hunters go to the oppo-site extreme. Their guns sport low-

TURKEY HUNTING

power turkey scopes. Like otherscopes it often magnifies the targetallowing for better shot placement.The special bull's-eye reticle alsohelps get the shot group dead cen-ter. While scopes seem like anideal cure for all of a turkeyhunter's woes, it can bring up awhole different set of issues. Thefirst being proper eye placement.Anyone that has used a scopeknows what happens if your eyeisn't in the right plane, too far back,or worse yet, too close. The bestyou can hope for is a foggy simula-tion of cataracts; the worst is abloody eye socket. Another issue istunnel vision. Most folks closetheir off eye when peering througha scope. Doing so makes the shoot-er oblivious to everything elsearound him or her. And, if theshooter somehow spooks the birdand it starts to run or fly, good luckgoing for a wing shot with a scopein your way.

The most common sight is theopen sight. Sold by the millionsacross the USA, the glowing fiberoptic versions seem like the perfectcompromise. Simply line the greenand red dots up with the turkey'shead, bang, dead turkey. If theturkey starts flying, no problem,just fall back on wing shootingskills and down he goes. Whatcould go wrong? Nothing, if you'rean experienced shooter and seldommake mistakes. Most guides andexperienced hunters I spoke withprefer those simple sights.

But, what if you're not anexperienced turkey hunter? Here'swhat happens. Those same experi-enced guides told me the mostcommon mistake with open sightsis the shooter raising their cheekoff the stock because that big black

barrel kept them from seeing thetarget! With the way a turkey'shead bobs around as they move it isno wonder why a hunter has a goodsight picture one moment and noth-ing but air the next. Even experi-enced turkey hunters can get excit-ed and forget the basics.

So what is the best choice forturkey hunters? Many experts feela red dot scope is the answer.

Turkey hunting guide andMossy Oak Pro Staff manager,Darrin Campbell agrees. “The reddot scope is the absolute easiest.Put the red dot on the turkey's redhead and let the lead fly.”

I like easy. Turkey hunting ischallenging enough without puttinghandicaps in my way. There aremany different brands and styles ofred dot scopes out there. For myturkey gun, I went with the 42mmdiameter red dot scope fromHawke Optics. The scope comeswith Weaver rail scope mounts, hasunlimited eye relief, and elevenbrightness settings. With such alarge aperture to sight through tar-get acquisition is fast. Plus, there'sno need to close the off eye. Thehunter can stay focused on the tar-get; see all of the target, plus itssurroundings.

It couldn't be easier. To prove it, I had my daughter,

who had never fired a shotgunbefore, try my setup on a turkeytarget at thirty yards. The very firstshot ever, the paper turkey targetwas perforated with ten B-Bs in thebrain and spine area. That's a deadbird on the first try!

Since both eyes can be open,wing or running shots can also eas-ily score. Some turkey hunterseven leave the red dot on for goosehunting and have good success.

Setting Your Sights on Spring Turkey By Alan Garbers

That's not to say a red dot is allsunshine and roses. There are twoproblems that hunters use in thisdebate. The first is dead batteries.Some shooters forget to turn thered dot off. While the batterieshave long life, they can't be expect-ed to last day after day, week afterweek of being on twenty-four/seven.

The second problem isinclement weather. Rain drops onthe glass can make the sight pictureblurry, which is why scope coverswere invented. Both of these prob-lems can be overcome with a littleforethought.

This season, set your sights onthe best sight for you and have oneless thing to worry about when thatbig tom starts heading your way.

Patterning your turkey gun

It doesn't matter how expen-sive or simple your turkey rig is. Ifyou don't know where the patterndensity is, you're shooting in thedark.

Once you have chosen yoursighting system, take your shotgunto the range. Set a target up attwenty yards and zero-in the sights

using lighter and less expensivetarget loads. (Your shoulder andwallet will thank you)

Once the densest part of theshot pattern is hitting your point ofaim, which should be the neck andhead area, move the target back toforty yards and switch to yourturkey hunting loads. You mayalso want to use a turkey target.They can be purchased at manysporting goods stores or you candownload a free target at http://tar-gets.s3.amazonaws.com/PDF/TurkeyTarget.pdf

Once you have fired one shot,inspect the target and count theholes in the kill zone. Eight to tenholes or more in the brain and spineareas is what you are shooting for,literally. If you don't achieve thatdensity you have a few options:Limit you hunting range to shorterdistances, change to a tighterchoke, or try a different brand ofshotgun shell.

For more information onsighting in your turkey gun checkout this free video by the NationalShooting Sports Foundation(NSSF).http://nssf.org/video/index.cfm?vidID=17cushion

TCB, Baby -- Continued from Page 6


another agency is already doing. A good example is our emergency response expertise in a waterborne environ-ment, like the flooding we had in 2008.

ION: What will be your biggest challenge?

Col. Wilson: Technology and budgeting our funds. Both continue to change the way we do business. Cyber crimesin wildlife trafficking is common and you can even find people on Craigslist selling animal parts. We monitor theInternet for wildlife crimes and sometimes concerned citizens or other agencies bring illegal activity to our atten-tion. We don't monitor Facebook, but if probable cause is brought to us, we can find some pretty incriminating evi-dence. Our other challenge is stretching the money we receive to do our jobs. Our department budget is eighteenpercent less than it was three years ago but we still need to buy bullets, boots, and gas. We used to rotate our vehi-cles out of service at 75,000 miles. Now we've extended that to 140,000 miles, and many of those miles are spenttowing boats or other gear. Steps like that help make the most of the money we receive to do the job the publicexpects from us.

ION: With all of the recent retirements, how are you filling the vacancies?

Col. Wilson: We are in the process of filling the positions. We have eleven people in the law enforcement acade-my now but it has been a challenge to find qualified people for the other vacancies. We are law enforcement offi-cers that have the authority to enforce all state statutes, as well as federal fish and wildlife laws, but if they want torun RADAR on the interstate or become a member of a SWAT team, they've applied to the wrong agency. They needto understand the issues involved in our natural resources.

ION: Lastly, what new technology will help the new officers?

Col. Wilson: One of the biggest advances is the use of side-scan SONAR. Back when I first started I was sent outto find a missing vehicle in the Ohio River. I was given a large magnet on a 100-foot rope and was told not to loseit because it was the only one we had… Now, with side-scan SONAR we can see a very detailed picture of the bot-tom. It is especially useful when recovering drowning victims. It used to take five to six days of black-water div-ing probing for a body. Now we canscan the bottom with such detailthat when a diver is sent down therecovery takes just minutes. Theshortened search times are mercifulfor the searchers as well as the fam-ily members. We always want togive closure to the victim's family assoon as we can.

ION would like to thank Col.Scotty Wilson for taking time fromhis busy schedule to talk with us. Ifyou feel you have what it takes tobe an Indiana Conservation Officergo to http://www.in.gov/dnr/lawen-for/2760.htm.

After everything is clean, you need to lubricate before reassembly.This is a topic of considerable debate among shooters but experiencehas proven that “less is more.” Unless your weapon requires copiouslubrication (such as the bolt carrier assembly on AR-platform rifles),you are better off to gently lube with a very thin film of product.Trigger assembles, unless directed otherwise by the owner's manual,should be gently cleaned but not lubricated.

Don't use WD-40 or “3-in-1 oil”. These are good products but notin guns; use oil specifically designed for the service requirements offirearms.

Another frequently misused product is “CLP” (“Clean-Lube-Protect”) or such similar one-shot items. While hosing out the gunwith these wonder potions will indeed work, it is frequently an invita-tion to malfunction. No amount of squirting will ever replace goodold-fashioned scrubbing.

When cleaning your weapon, take the time to properly Take Careof Business.

Another Side -- Continued from Page 3

Spring Checklist:March brings the spring Equinox and winter begins to melt

away. Animal life begins to stir. Keep the checklist below to see howmany signs of spring you see and hear!

CCrree aa tt uu rr ee FFee aa tt uu rr ee ::The red-winged blackbird, a sign of spring!

Four and twenty blackbirds… That's how the nursery rhymebegins. Signs of spring often begin with the arrival of red-wingedblackbirds in large numbers from the south. If you have backyard birdfeeders, watch and listen for them. Males arrive first, then the females.

Red-wings have many vocalizations. The males shout a loud,raspy, “Conk-la-REE,” call in spring, but other sounds include whistlesand "chuck" notes.

A male red-winged blackbird works hard to show off. From highperches he belts out his song flaring his bright red shoulder patches(called epaulets) which give thisbird its name. As he sings, hehunches his shoulders forward (thebetter to see those epaulets) andspreads his tail. The song and dis-play serve to notify other malesthey are trespassing in his territoryand to impress female red-wings.Females are brown and heavilystreaked, perfectly camouflaged fornesting in cattails.

Older males have the bright-est shoulder patches, and theirblack feathers are shinier and moredeeply black than young males.Because displaying their red feath-ers is a sign of aggression, whenred-winged blackbird flocks gatherto feed, males often hide theirepaulets, usually showing just athin line of yellow. This allows agroup of males to “get along” whiledining at your feeders.

Red-winged blackbirds areusually found in marshy areas or near water. Females often weave theirnests in cattails. These birds have strong, flexible leg muscles designed tostretch when perched on two different cattails at once. For protectionagainst stiff, rough cattail leaves, their feathers are sturdy to prevent wearand tear.

Listen for red-winged blackbirds and watch for them at your feedersfor one of the earliest signs of spring!

Nature’s Almanac

MARCHWoodfrogs begin calling whenday and night temperaturesfirst reach 50 degrees.

Check out the evening sky onMarch 14. Venus and Jupiterwill be very close to eachother. On March 24 and 25,the crescent moon will be nearthe two planets, creating asparkling spectacle.

Red fox pups are born thismonth.

Spring arrives on March 20.

On damp evenings, salaman-ders move to vernal pools tomate and lay eggs.

Did you know?

To demonstrate how impor-tant feather color is to a red-winged blackbird male, sci-entists have experimented byblackening the shoulderpatches. The male usuallyloses his territory.

Ban Petition Defeated -- Continued from Cover

The sportfishing community’s objection to the petitioned ban wasbased on:

• The data does not support a federal ban on lead in fishing equip-ment. In general, bird populations, including loons and other waterfowlspecies, are subject to many more substantial threats such as habitat lossthrough shoreline development, waste and other pollutants. Any leadrestrictions on fishing tackle need to be based on sound science that sup-ports the appropriate action for a particular water body or species.

• A federal ban on the use of lead in fishing tackle will have a sig-nificant negative impact on recreational anglers and fisheries resources,but a negligible impact on waterfowl populations - the most cited reasonfor the ban.

• Depending on the alternative metal and current prevailing rawmaterial costs, non-lead fishing tackle products can cost from nine to twen-ty times more than lead products. Non-lead products may not be as avail-able and most do not perform as well. Mandatory transitioning to non-leadfishing tackle would require significant and costly changes from both theindustry and anglers.

• A federal ban of lead fishing tackle oversteps the EPA’s authori-ty. Any impact of lead on waterbird populations is a localized issue which,when scientifically documented and determined to be a population threat,should be addressed by state fish and wildlife agencies through local fish-ing regulations.

• America’s 60 million anglers generate more than $45 billion inretail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation’s economy, creatingemployment for more than one million people.

To learn more about this issue and to support Hunting, Fishing andRecreational Shooting Sports Protection Act, visitwww.KeepAmericaFishing.org.

Col. Wilson Interview -- Continued from Page 8

explanation from DNR decision-makers and DLE supervisors.Specifically, ION is interested in learning if there is emphasis beingplaced in training or officer instruction on traffic stops and other non-conservation law enforcement? Is an ICO disciplined if they fail tomake a specified number of automobile traffic stops or non-boatingdrug or alcohol arrests? Also, what percentage of an ICO’s time isactually spent on wildlife conservation patrol and investigation? Is thispercentage shrinking or is it remaining consistent? Finally, how is thisinformation reported to the feds for the reimbursement/distribution ofthe dedicated fish and wildlife funding which comprise a significantportion of the DLE’s annual budget?

I’d like to know both sides of the story, wouldn’t you?

As always, reader comments and opinions are welcomed via e-mail [email protected].


Show Features & AttractionsIn addition to unique and inter-

esting exhibitors, this year’sOutdoor Sports, Lake and CabinShow offers an entertaining lineupof features and attractions that willbe appreciated by the entire family.

Pre-built Midwest Solid Oak LogCabin – Walk through this cabinbuilt by Gastineau Log Homes thatcan quickly & easily be deliveredand placed on your homesite! Youdon’t have to imagine what itwould be like any more. This one’sfinished and furnished!

Great exhibitors are the heartof any great outdoor show or expo,and this year’s Outdoor Sports, lakeand cabin Show boasts over 150unique exhibitors, a number ofwhich are brand new to the show.A complete list of exhibitors isavailable at www.sportsandcabin-show.com, but the following givesyou an idea of what will be repre-sented, plus much more!

• ATVs• Bicycles• Boats, canoes & kayaks• Camping gear• Fishing gear & tackle• Fishing guides & trips• Hiking and climbing gear• Hunting gear• Hunting guides & trips• Lodges & Resorts• Log & timber-frame homes• Motorcycles• Personal watercraft• RVs & trucks• Unique cottage furnishings

and décor• Vacation ideas and outfitters• Water sports gear• Wood treatments & finishes

MARCH EVENTS Unique, outdoor lifestyle show returns to Fort Wayne By Lance Davidson

Our days are getting longerand warmer. All remnants of iceand snow will soon disappear;replaced by fresh, green shootsalong the ground and the telltalebuds of springtime overhead. Thesounds and smells of the outdoorsare changing too. The finestmonths for outdoor recreation andoutdoor living will be here soon.Are you ready to make the most ofthem?

The Outdoor Sports, Lake &Cabin Show will return to FortWayne’s Allen County MemorialColiseum March 16-18, and anyoutdoor enthusiast within a reason-able drive should make plans toattend.

This is a total-lifestyle expofor all manner of active, outdoorenthusiasts --as well as for peoplewho are interested in log or timber-frame homes, rustic cabins or thelake-living lifestyle. Visitors willfind exhibitors, attractions, semi-nars and clinics that speak to thethings they love to do, the placesthey love to go and the way theywant to live, plus a ton of fun forthe entire family.

Archery Demo – Stop by our andtry out the latest bows fromMathews on our archery range.

Duck Calling Contest -- Participatein the Duck Calling Contest!

Hunter Education -- The IndianaDNR will hold a Free HunterEducation Class

Reclaimed Barnwood – Enjoy atrue ‘old school’ mortise and tenontimber frame home built withreclaimed barnwood floors by TheBeamery.

Display Your Deer Mount – Bringin your deer mount for a weekenddisplay and receive one free showadmission and automatically beentered in a drawing for a free muz-zle loading rifle given away byOsborn Polaris, Ft Wayne, IN. Thedrawing will be on Sunday after-noon at 2:00pm.

JAKES Take Aim Program – Kidslove this free indoor inflatableshooting range and gun safetycourse provided by the National

Wild Turkey Federation.

Catch a Lunker -- Bring your rod ortry one of ours. We’ve got the bait!catch a big one from one of twostocked indoor ponds!

Try Before You Buy Boat Pond --Take a brand new kayak or canoefor a test spin in our giant 25,000gallon “lagoon.”

RV & Boat Blowout Sale! -- Checkout dozens of makes and modelsfrom Indiana’s top dealers and thendrive yourself a sweet bargain!

Gear Up for Camping and Save!Whether you’re a backpacker, carcamper or RVer, this year you’llfind great deals on a huge invento-ry of gear and accessories.

Adventure of a Lifetime – Bookyour dream vacation directly with aCanadian or Alaskan hunting/fish-ing lodge and save!

Climb The Coliseum Free! -- Testyour skills on a giant indoor climb-ing wall, courtesy of the US Army.

Hunting Dog Demo Area -- Watchas expert handlers put these amaz-ing canines through their paces andshare their training secrets!

NASCAR Speedway -- You’re inthe “driver’s seat” as you race these1/10th scale remote control replicasof real NASCAR vehicles at scalespeeds up to 200 MPH on the JAMRC Speedway!

Indoor “Beach” -- and sand castlebuilding sponsored by NorthernIndiana LAKES Magazine.

Free Hunting & Fishing VideoGames -- and more in a 40-footlong video arcade.

Expert Archery & Fishing Demospresented by Gander Mountainchamps and pros.

Free Seminars & Clinics -- featur-ing leading experts on all kinds ofoutdoor sports, travel, log and tim-ber-frame home building anddesign and much more. Go towww.sportsandcabinshow.com foran up-to-date listing of seminars.

Hourly Prizes & Giveaways –including a Hobie Mirage DriveKayak, a variety of guided fishingadventures and more! Go towww.sportsandcabinshow.com foran up-to-date listing of door prizesand giveaways.

Regardless of your particularoutdoor interests, you’ll find some-thing for everyone in the family atthis year’s Outdoor Sports, Lakeand Cabin Show, March 16-18 atFort Wayne’s Allen CountyMemorial Coliseum. Admission is$10. Kids 12 and under are free!For complete show information andto check for special deals on admis-sion, go to www.sportsandcabin-show.com.



I'm sure everyone reading thishas had this happen: you're in aboat fishing with someone else andthe other guy is killing the basswhile you can't buy a bite. So youswitch to the exact same lure as thehot shot. You fish the same weightline, cast to the same exact spots,but can't seem to get bit. Whatgives?

More often than not, theanswer lies in the retrieve. Theangler catching all the fish just hap-pens to be imparting the exact pace,hop, hesitation, or whatever to thelure and is giving the fish what theywant to see. And because the"magic" retrieve can be so subtle inits uniqueness, it's sometimes verydifficult for others to duplicate.

Leading professional bassanglers prove this week in andweek out. At many tournaments,every fisherman in the field knowsexactly what the "bite" is on thewater they're fishing. Every com-petitor out there might be throwingvirtually the same exact thing. Butguys like Kevin Van Dam willcome to the weigh-in with a nicebag while the rest of the fieldscratch their collective heads and

wonder 'how in the heck did he dothat?' The world's best fishermenknow how to dial in the perfectretrieve and bait presentation. Theyjust know how to feed fish.

Like anything worth workingfor, perfecting effective retrievesmeans you have to practice andexperiment. Here's a great exam-ple. While filming a pike show inOntario, I came into a shallow baythat was literally loaded with hugepike. They looked like sunken logsstrewn all about. I figured I was inhog heaven and started throwing afive-of-diamonds spoon... a go-tobait for pike. On a steady retrieve,they wouldn't budge for it. So Ibegan to pause and flutter thespoon. That got them to make a fewhalf-hearted charges, but no bites.Clearly slower was better, andnothing beats a jig for a slow-motion retrieve. So I switched to abig Banjo Minnow and swam itback slowly in a gentle up-and-down way. Still no takers. It wasn'tuntil I let the bait fall to the bottomand just sit there that I got the pikeexcited. They'd rush in, poiseabove the motionless bait, andwait. Then, after a good 20 secondsof doing nothing to the lure, Iwould give it the slightest twitchand WHAM! They would hammerit! I read the fish and dialed in theright lure and retrieve they wanted.And that's what it takes to masterthe perfect retrieve.

There are so many lures in theworld and so many ways to bringthem back to the boat. Covering thegamut would fill an entire bible-

sized book and then some. Soinstead, I'll cover the four most-used bass baits and their fundamen-tal retrieves. From the surface tothe bottom of the water column,they are topwater plugs, spinner-baits, crankbaits and jigs/soft plas-tics. I'll present the most effectiveretrieves that I've experienced foreach lure, and encourage you to tryvariations of those when you findthat fish simply aren't responding.

For topwater baits, I start outwith a long cast to fishy structure.With an exposed-hook popper ordog-walking plug, it's just a regularcast. With weedless topwaters inheavy cover, I'll often "skip" thebait in so that when it lands at itsfinal destination it comes to restquietly instead of "plopping" down.This can decrease the likelihood ofspooking bass in shallow cover.

After the bait lands, I let it sitfor several seconds (typically theamount of time it takes the ripplesto subside) before I begin theretrieve. Sometimes bass see theinitial landing and come close toinvestigate... waiting. Then, whenthat initial twitch happens, theypounce. As I begin fishing the plug,I'll start with a slow tempo first andif I don't get any strikes after sever-al casts, then I'll up the tempo.When the first fish hits, I make thepreliminary assumption that that'sthe speed they're looking for.

The same applies to spinner-bait and crankbait retrieves. I startby slow-rolling the baits and if thebites don't come, I keep speedingup until I'm really ripping the lure

BABEWINKELMAN

Dial in lure retrieval for bass

in. High-speed retrieves are mosteffective with single-blade spinner-baits (versus tandem blade) andtight-wobble lipless crankbaits(versus wide-wobble lipped baits).Again, experimentation is keywhen determining the ideal speedfor a particular day, the weatherconditions or the time of year.

Finally, with jigs and soft plas-tics, the art of retrieval gets evenmore tricky. That's because thesebaits can be fished vertically,dragged on long lines, snap-jigged,swum in at any depth, hopped offthe bottom, flipped into coverpockets... the list goes on and on.But when push comes to shove, jigsand soft plastics arethe bass-catchingestbaits on the planet.So all I can do isinspire you to getout there and tryevery conceivablejig/soft plasticretrieve imaginable.Make it a personalchallenge to experi-ment and developjigging and finesseskills that you'venever tried before.While you do it, payclose attention tofeel and watch yourfishing line for thattelltale "hop" thatcan happen when a

bass bites. I promise you, it willhelp you catch more fish and honeangling skills that will make youthe guy in the boat who's getting bitinstead of wishing you were.

Good Fishing!

Babe Winkelman is a nationally-known outdoorsman who hastaught people to fish and hunt formore than 25 years. Watch theaward-winning "Good Fishing"and "Outdoor Secrets" televisionshows on Versus, Fox Sports, TexasChannel and many local networks.Visit www.winkelman.com for airtimes where you live and be sure tocheck us out on Facebook.

How do you know you are using the right lure with the right retrieve? Whenyou catch two bass on the same bait! Josh Lantz photo.


Gone Afield monthly photo contest. . .It’s EASY! It’s FUN! Fill out this form and send it in with your favorite outdoor photograph.

A winner will be randomly selected each month to win a great outdoor prize!

Entry Information:

Person submitting the photo:

Name(s) of person(s) pictured:

Other information describing the photo:

If I’m selected as this month’s random winner, please send my prize to:

Send your photos to:Gone AfieldP.O. Box 69

Granger, IN 46530E-mail submissions welcome at: [email protected].

If mailing photos, please include a SASE if you’d like us to return them to you

CONTEST RULES: Raghorn, Inc. shall retain the right to publish or not publish any images submitted in anyof it’s media outlets. Winners chosen at random. Prizes are subject to change and contest may cease withoutnotice.

This months answers From

Puzzle on Page 9

THIS MONTH’S WINNER!THIS MONTH’S WINNER!

1

23

4

5

6

Clockwise from below. . . 1) ION reader BerdetteZastrow can hunt turkeys through January 31 in her homestate of South Dakota. She took these two great toms inJanuary. 2) Mark Rotering of Knox took this nice StarkeCounty buck with his bow in 2010; 3) Larry Kriss ofPlymouth took his first turkey last spring. The big tomweighed 27-lbs.; 4) Susan Baert took her first buck this pastseason with her muzzleloader in Fulton County; 5) JoeBoisvert took this big buck last firearms season. The bruiserhad a 21” inside spread and weighed 260-lbs; 6) ChristopherRodriguez of Hammond took this great Porter County bucklast season near Chesterton. It dressed out at 206-lbs.


“What kind of fish is thatone?” my fishing partner for themorning, Beverly, asked guide,Ray Williamson.

“This one is a hybrid striper,”he told her. “White bass don’t getthis big and see how the stripes arebroken along the side? “

Bev looked and then whileRay added the fish to the cooler,she told me, “To me, they are allfish with stripes!”

There are actually two speciesof “striped fish” in NorthAmerica’s true bass family that arevery popular with anglers, as wellas one “man-made” species. I say“true bass” because largemouth

Fish with Stripes

and smallmouth bass are actuallylarge members of the sunfish clan.

White bass are native to muchof the eastern two thirds of theUnited States, from the GreatLakes south. In most places,whites can grow to well over apound.

Striped bass, often calledrockfish, are a popular saltwatergamester along both coasts but theycan live in and are widely stockedin deep, clear reservoirs -- includ-ing Raccoon and Patoka Lakseright here in Indiana. Then there’sthe hybrids.

In the 1960s biologists learnedto hybridize white and striped bass.In Indiana they are called “wipers”.Other places call them sunshinebass or just hybrids. Regardless oftheir name, these stripe-sided fishproved perfect for shad-filled reser-voirs to which pure bred striperswouldn’t adapt. Hybrids normallytop out around 10 pounds insteadof the 20 and 30-pounds to whichtheir pure-bred parent might grow.Here in Indiana, Lake Monroe andLakes Shafer and Freeman are

three of the more popular wiperfisheries.

Very few lakes have popula-tions of white, stripers and hybrids.Texas’ Lake Buchanan is an excep-tion.

“Can we catch all three in thesame trip?” I asked Williamson aswe stowed our gear and readied forthe run down the lake.

“Absolutely!” Williamsonsaid. “All three species prey uponthreadfin shad. The threadfin stayin tight schools and the pure-breds,hybrids and whites all shadow theshad schools.”

Williamson gunned his BostonWhaler a few miles down the laketo a large flats area. “I’m going toanchor up here and we’ll see whatcomes to us.” He pointed south tothe open lake. “There’s water 40 or50 feet deep just over there and thissouth wind has been pushing uphere since it started blowing yester-day. That’s making just enoughcurrent to concentrate the baitschools and attract the predators.”

He handed each of us a lightspinning outfit with a white,Bomber Slab Spoon tied to 8 poundmonofilament. “Drop these downto the bottom. It’s only 15 feet or sodeep. Flip the bail closed and windin about a foot of line. Then just lift

The Last ThoughtMIKESCHOONVELD

the spoon up a couple of feet andlet it fall back towards the bottom,”he coached. “I‚ll get some livebait rigs ready.”

The jigging spoons were dead-ly on the white bass, most of theman inch or two over the 10-inchminimum size limit. The live baitrigs attracted the bigger predators.

The first to bite was a pure-bred striper an inch short of the 18-inch keeper size so back it went.Almost instantly another of the livebait rods arched down and this onewas one of the lake’s hybrids. Andso went the morning with a steadyparade of whites, stripers andwipers hitting our lures and bait.

We didn‚t latch onto any of the30-pound pure-breds Buchanon

The author and his fishing partnersshared a morning of great jig fishingfor fish of all stripes on Texas’Buchanon Lake. Photos provided.

Lake can serve up, but I met mygoal of catching all three species ofthese line-siders in one trip.

There are several places tostay at Lake Buchanan, nearBurnet, Texas. I highly recommendthe Canyon of the Eagles with anon-site restaurant and other ameni-ties as well as being located onover 900 acres of Texas HillCountry land, managed as a naturepreserve. Go to www.canyonoftheeagles.com, or phone800-977-0081.

There are several guides whospecialize fishing for LakeBuchanan’s striped fish. RayWilliamson, www.raysstriper-guideservice.com, phone 512-825-8746, is one of the best.


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