2012 reserved youth turkey hunt opportunities on DNR properties

From the Indiana Department of Natural Resources:

Youth hunters (under age 18 on the day of the hunt) may participate in reserved turkey hunts during the special youth wild turkey hunting season, April 21 and 22, on selected DNR properties and the Salamonie Reservoir.

Participating fish and wildlife areas also include Atterbury, Crosley, Deer Creek, Glendale, Goose Pond, Hovey Lake, Jasper-Pulaski, Sugar Ridge, Kankakee, Kingsbury, LaSalle, Pigeon River, Roush, Tri-County, Minnehaha, Fairbanks Landing, Hillenbrand, Chinook, Winamac and Willow Slough. Mississinewa is also participating.

A limit will be placed on the number of youth hunters allowed to hunt a respective property on each hunting day, in an attempt to provide quality hunts for participants. Each property will hold early registrations and drawings for the half-day hunts on site. Hunters wanting to sign up for Deer Creek, Fairbanks Landing, Chinook, Hillenbrand, or Minnehaha hunts may do so at Goose Pond FWA.

Hunts will run 30 minutes before sunrise until noon at properties in the Central Time Zone, and 30 minutes before sunrise until 1 p.m. on properties in the Eastern Time Zone.

A youth hunter may be drawn for either or both hunt days, depending on the number of applicants. Youth hunters, or an adult representing them, can register in person or by phone at the property they wish to hunt Monday through Friday from March 19–23 and March 26–30, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time. The drawing will be held April 2. All applicants will be notified of drawing results by mail. Applicants may sign up for only one property. Applicants must possess a valid 2012 youth consolidated hunting and trapping license, 2012 regular turkey license and game bird stamp, or lifetime comprehensive hunting license. Apprentice hunting licenses also may be used. To register a youth for one of the hunts, the following information is needed:

• Hunter’s name
• Type of license and license number
• Date or dates being applied for
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• Parent or guardian’s name, address, and phone number

Youth hunters who are selected for the hunt may check in at any time each day until the end of legal hunting hours for that property. Properties that do not fill their quotas during early registration may fill remaining spots during regular office hours until the youth season opens, using a drawing each morning of the hunt, or first-come /first-served process each morning of the hunt. Properties will not have a daily “no-show” drawing because there is no time by which selected youth hunters must check in during the morning hunts. Hunters interested in possible unfilled quotas at a property should contact that property for more information before going to the property on the opening morning of the youth season.

During youth wild turkey season, hunters under age 18 on the day of the hunt can take a bearded or male wild turkey. The youth must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old.

The youth hunter may use any legal shotgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow. The adult accompanying the youth hunter must not possess a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow while in the field. The adult does not need to possess a turkey hunting license unless the youth is using an apprentice license. A youth hunter may take only one bearded or male wild turkey during both the special youth season and regular season combined. The youth must be properly licensed to take a wild turkey and comply with all tagging and check-in requirements.

Phone numbers for information or to register for a hunt at a specific property:

Atterbury 812-526-2051 Pigeon River 260-367-2164
Crosley 812-346-5596 Roush 260-468-2165
Glendale 812-644-7711 Sugar Ridge 812-789-2724
Goose Pond 812-659-9901 Tri-County 574-834-4461
Hovey Lake 812-838-2927 Winamac 574-946-4422
Jasper-Pulaski 219-843-4841 Willow Slough 219-285-2704
Kankakee 574-896-3522 Salamonie 260-468-2125
Kingsbury 219-393-3612 Mississinewa 765-473-6528
LaSalle 219-992-3019

For more information: Bill Bean, Fish and Wildlife, (765) 473-9324