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IDNR Report
Indiana’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) has opened its second public comment period for proposed changes to allow the limited, regulated trapping of bobcats in designated counties.
In March, the Indiana General Assembly passed legislation (SEA 241-2024) directing the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR), by July of 2025, to have rules in place for bobcat harvest.
This is the second of two comment periods to occur before the NRC votes on the proposed changes.
Proposed rule changes include:
- Establishing a bobcat trapping season in 40 southern Indiana counties, including a bag limit of one bobcat per trapper and a season quota of 250 bobcats.
- Allowing bobcats and their parts that are legally acquired to be sold.
- Allowing bobcats that are found dead to be kept by people with a permit.
- Adding bobcats to the list of species for which a game breeder’s license is required.
Research maintained by the DNR and Purdue University shows that the bobcat population in Indiana has expanded during the last two decades. This research can be reviewed at on.IN.gov/dfw-rule-changes.
Bobcats have well-established populations in the 40 proposed counties, and analysis shows that this high-quality habitat can continue to support a healthy, sustainable bobcat population that can withstand a regulated harvest.
Public comments can be submitted at IN.gov/nrc/rules/rulemaking-docket by clicking on “Submit Comments Here” under the Bobcat Amendments rule. Comments can also be mailed to:
Natural Resources Commission, Indiana Government Center, North100 North Senate Ave., Room N103, Indianapolis, IN 46204.
Please note that comments received during the first comment period (in person or online) will be included with comments received during this second comment period. Multiple comments given by the same person will only be counted as one comment by that person.
The deadline for submitting public comments is Jan. 16, 2025. A public hearing will also be held on Jan. 16, 2025, between 5:30-8 p.m. ET at the Johnson County Fairgrounds (Scott Hall), 250 Fairgrounds St., Franklin, IN 46131. Interested members of the public can attend in person or online anytime during that timeframe. The public hearing will also be webcast live at IN.gov/nrc/rules/rulemaking-docket during the time of the public hearing, and viewers will be able to comment during the webcast. Sign up for updates at on.IN.gov/dfw-rule-changes.
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IDNR Report
A new system that will enhance online customers’ ease of doing business with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Division of Fish & Wildlife (DFW) will launch Dec. 11.
Called the Activity Hub, it replaces the current licensing system and includes core functionalities such as fish and wildlife license sales, game check-in, HIP (Harvest Information Program) registration, donations, and gift certificates. Improved functions and new features of the hub include options for the auto-renewal of licenses and purchases of durable license cards, as well as enhanced support during times of high-volume traffic.
“I’m thrilled that we will be able to provide our customers with an improved purchasing experience alongside expanded functionalities,” said Amanda Wuestefeld, DFW director. “Transitioning to a new system that provides a better customer experience has been an incredible effort that our staff have been working toward for several years.”
The Hub will be accessible with an Access Indiana account. Those with existing accounts will be able to log in without any disruption. Customers with recent purchases, harvests, or existing licenses from January 2020 to the present will automatically be migrated into the new system and won’t need to take any additional steps to access their account.
Customers who want to retain license purchase information, information on past draws, or CheckIN Game data from before 2020 should take screenshots of their records before 11:59 p.m. Dec. 10. Customers who need help retaining older data or who have questions regarding their accounts should call the DNR Customer Service Center at 317-232-4200 or 877-463-6367, or email INHuntFish@dnr.IN.gov.
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IDNR Report
An investigation is underway in Dyer after a search warrant executed this morning led to the charges of multiple fish and wildlife criminal violations.
The investigation also found 23 dogs and five cats in poor conditions. The animals were removed by Lake County Animal Control, the Hobart Humane Society, and Humane Indiana.
As a result of the investigation, Cody Rowe, 28, of Dyer, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail.
Rowe is preliminarily being charged with –
- 31 counts of illegal possession and taking of whitetail deer,
- 23 counts of neglect of animals.
- Three counts of removing Eastern Box Turtles from the wild,
- One count of possession of an undersized snapping turtle,
- One count of failure to purchase a hunting license,
- One count of illegal possession of bobcat (tail),
- One count of hunting deer with the aid of bait,
- One count of false informing, and
- One count of hindering a Conservation Officer
The investigation is ongoing.
Agencies assisting Indiana Conservation Officers include the Lake County Sheriff’s Department Swat Team, Lake County Animal Control, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Unit, the Hobart Humane Society, and Humane Indiana, located in Munster.
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IDNR Report
The Indiana DNR will stock 157 locations with approximately 51,000 catfish this fall to expand angling opportunities across the state.
All stocked channel catfish will be stocked in publicly accessible waters after being raised by state biologists at Cikana Fish Hatchery in Morgan County, Driftwood Fish Hatchery in Jackson County, and East Fork Fish Hatchery in Daviess County. All stocking locations should receive catfish by early November, with quantities subject to change due to production variables.
These catfish range in size from 8-10 inches long.
“Once stocked, they acclimate to their new environment quickly, they shouldn’t take long to start biting,” said fisheries biologist Dave Kittaka.
Anglers are required to follow bag and size restrictions. In most lakes and reservoirs, the statewide regulation is 10 channel catfish per day with no more than one being longer than 28 inches. A few lakes have a different bag limit, and they are listed in the Fishing Guide, as well as at eregulations.com/indiana/fishing/basic-fishing-information under Special Regulations Waters.
All channel catfish stocking locations and estimated numbers are listed, subject to change, at on.IN.gov/fish-stocking.
To view all fishing regulations, check out our fishing guide at: on.IN.gov/fishingguide.
To learn more about catfishing, check out: dnr.IN.gov/fish-and-wildlife/fishing/catfish-fishing.
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IDNR Report
The Indiana DNR Division of Law Enforcement held graduation ceremonies today at the Indiana Government Center in Indianapolis. Twenty-three new Indiana Conservation Officers officially joined the division during the event.
Conservation Officer Matt Tholen, the 2023 James D. Pitzer Officer of the Year, administered the oath of office to the recruits, who will fill positions in various locations around the state.
The new officers represent the 41st recruit class of conservation officers, making them members of the oldest state law enforcement agency in Indiana.