Public hearings scheduled for proposed fish & wildlife rule changes

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission will host two hearings in June to seek public comment on proposed changes to a number of fish and wildlife rules.

The hearings will be Monday, June 10, at Mounds State Park in Anderson and Thursday, June 13, at Spring Mill Inn in Spring Mill State Park in Mitchell. Both hearings will start at 6 p.m. EDT.

Proposed rule changes for discussion include:

— Requiring hunter orange on ground blinds used during the day when hunting any species for which the hunter is required to wear hunter orange.

— Allowing the use of the draw-loc device when deer hunting.

— Adding a new primitive muzzleloader season.

— Adding 15 days to the deer archery season without crossbows.

— Changing the north and south zones and season dates for quail hunting.

— Changing the rabbit season to one statewide season for public and private land.

— Changing the pheasant season dates.

— Removing the peregrine falcon from the state’s endangered species list.

— Changing the limits on taking black bass on several lakes in Indiana.

— Limiting the number of lake whitefish that can be taken per day.

— Adding the round hickorynut to the list of endangered species of mussels.

The complete list is at dnr.IN.gov/fishwild/2362.htm

Those who are unable to attend the hearings can view the proposed new rule language and submit comments online at nrc.IN.gov/2377.htm. Look for the rule package titled “Fish and Wildlife Miscellaneous Rule Amendments.”

Comments can also be mailed to:

Natural Resources Commission
Indiana Government Center North
100 North Senate Ave., Room N501
Indianapolis, IN 46204

All comments must be submitted by Thursday, June 13. provided to commission members and Department of Natural Resources staff, and will be publicly disclosed and searchable on the Internet and in a paper docket as part of the final report.

The final report is expected to be presented to the NRC to request final adoption of the rule changes at its meeting on July 16.

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