1

Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of Fish and Wildlife

Summer 2001

Topics this issue...Taking kids waterfowl hunting

Amanda’s first deer

Exotic aquatics in our waters

Fish genetics

Hoosier ringneck pheasant adventures

I shot out of bed propelled by pheasant huntinganticipation. I had been chosen to hunt on a Division ofFish and Wildlife gamebird habitat area in northwesternIndiana. Rumor had it that these areas provide a pheasanthunting experience that most Hoosier bird hunters onlydream about, with wild pheasant hunting comparable tothe best of the western states.

As the sun peaked over the cold, snowy Decemberhorizon, my uncle, dad and I loaded up our Brittany andheaded toward Boswell, Ind. to pursue the beautiful andcunning ringneck pheasant.

I hoped to have the best pheasant hunt of my life withthe two people who started me pheasant hunting. I spent16 hunting seasons since running through briar patches,picking cockle burrs off dogs, playing bird dog, falling increeks, and missing shots at hard flying, loud cacklingcock pheasants.

The Brittany bounced with excitement as we pulled intothe game bird area and saw pheasants flying to cornfieldsto feed. As we let the dog out, we knew the key to makingthis a successful hunt was patience and a close workingdog. By December, all the dumb birds are gone.

Within 50 yards of walking, a cock pheasant shot up,just out of range, with sunlight glinting brightly off theiridescent feathers. Hen pheasants flushed all around us.Our strategy was to keep the birds away from neighboringland, which is harder than it sounds.

We spent almost all day on the 60-acre game birdhabitat area — stopping only to take a lunch break at thelocal restaurant where pheasant hunting stories wereserved with the sausage and gravy. We took one bird thatday, but saw quite a few long tail feathers. Wild cockpheasants quickly learn to run and not fly when shot at.

The trip home flowed with hunting memories from theday and yesteryear. This trip seemed to me a passing ofthe torch. The two people who got me started with uplandgame hunting and outdoor adventures, and steered metoward a career in wildlife management, would soon behanging up the old shotguns for good. The realizationthat the years of hunting together are winding down isrough, tougher even than finding good bird huntingpartners.

James Kershaw, operational planner, Division of Fish and Wildlife

The Division of Fish and Wildlife offers reserved pheasant hunting innorthwestern Indiana. Application cards for the hunts are in the Huntingand Trapping Guide, available wherever hunting and fishing licences aresold. The reserved pheasant hunt registration deadline is Oct. 1.

2

Focus on Fish & Wildlife is a quarterlypublication from the Indiana Departmentof Natural Resources Division of Fish andWildlife. Focus on Fish & Wildlife seeksto educate sportsmen and women, con-servationists, wildlife recreationists andall Hoosiers on topics related to the man-agement of Indiana’s fish and wildliferesources.

Larry D. MacklinDepartment of Natural Resources

Director

Gary DoxtaterDivision of Fish and Wildlife Director

Jon MarshallPublic Affairs Chief

Michael Ellis, EditorJohn Maxwell, Photographer

Focus on Fish & Wildlife is distributed freeof charge. To subscribe, send name, completeaddress, city, state and zip code. Sendaddress changes or subscription requests to:

Focus on Fish and Wildlife402 W. Washington St., Room W273

Indianapolis, IN 46204

If you have questions, please write tothe above address or call (317) 232-4080.

MissionTo manage fish and

wildlife for present

and future

generations,

balancing ecological, recreational and

economic benefits.

Director of

Fish & Wildlife

Printed on recycled paper

Visit the DNRDivision of Fish & Wildlife website:

wildlife.IN.gov

Gary Doxtater

Over the past few months I’ve been telling you aboutthe Conservation and Reinvestment Act (CARA). CARA

money would have provided a much needed financialboost to help our Hoosier wildlife. Unfortunately,CARA did not pass the U.S. Congress last year. Butattached to the Commerce, Justice and Stateappropriations bill, the Wildlife Conservation andRestoration Program (WCRP) did pass. $50 millionto fund wildlife restoration and publicstewardship education was set aside. Indiana iseligible for $851,000 of these federal funds. Thestate match for these funds will come from

donated tax check-off money. These donated nongame funds are moreimportant than ever for Indiana wildlife since they now can be matched bythis federal money.

WCRP funds must be committed for use in the next three years and thefollowing are potential projects being considered in three funded areas:conservation, education and recreation.

There are two osprey nests in Indiana. However, they have been very slowin re-colonizing and we could assist with a restoration project. Restorationefforts in the natural lakes region and our fish and wildlife areas with largelakes or impoundments are likely restoration sites.

The Indiana bat has not responded to efforts aimed at protection of theirwinter hibernacula. Research is needed to determine the mechanism of theircontinued decline.

Spotted turtles and Blanding’s turtles are state endangered species thatcontinue to decline even in areas of suitable habitat. Intervention may berequired to bring populations back up.

The Eastern flock of the sandhill cranes that build up to such a spectacularsight at Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area during fall migration, nests inthe upper great lakes region and winters in Florida. A high-quality videodepicting the natural history of the cranes can be edited for educational usein a variety of ways.

The Pisgah Lake nongame area in Kosciusko County was purchased by thenongame program 15 years ago. The construction of a handicapped accessibleviewing deck will increase the ability of visitors to use this unique area toview waterfowl and other wildlife while protecting the sensitive nature of thearea.

The coalition for Teaming With Wildlife wants to ensure that many moreprojects like these can be accomplished in Indiana. Member groups arepushing hard for Congress to pass this year’s CARA, HR 701. The bill, withpermanent funding, was reintroduced and has more than 150 co-sponsors inthe House of Representatives. Indiana Representatives Mark Souder, JuliaCarson and Tim Roemer co-sponsor HR 701.

Some CARA money coming!

3

focus on

Taking your kids waterfowl huntingWhen you’re in a bind, take your kids to the blind

I was stuck. “You’re watching thekids tomorrow,” my wife said after Itold her I wanted to hunt geese in themorning. I had again made grandplans without consulting the masterfamily calendar.

There was no way out of mypaternal responsibility. So, I made thelogical-man decision and decided todrag my 5- and 7-year-old boys alongon an early-season September Canadagoose hunt.

A hunting buddy, James, and I hadfound a partially harvested corn fieldwith honkers galore, and since theearly goose season lasts only a coupleof fleeting weeks, I wanted to get outwhile the getting was good.

Poor planning is the mother ofmodern invention. I had neverconsidered taking my kids waterfowlhunting. But out of desperation, Ilearned kids and waterfowl huntinggo together.

You don’t have to be quiet and stillwhile hunting waterfowl. Noisemaking is even encouraged at times.Kids with goose calls are naturallygood at sounding like geese. You

don’t have to worry about ducks andgeese catching wind of you. You canhunt on dry land and don’t have tohike long distances or plow throughheavy cover to waterfowl hunt.

On hunt morning, Graham andScott jumped out of bed about 4:30a.m., threw on layers of camouflageclothes laid out the night before,mixed up thermoses of hot chocolateand sprinted to the car — ready for adoughnut stop.

We set up our blind in standingcorn. James and I sat one corn rowin. The kids made a nest in the nextrow behind us. They muncheddoughnuts and periodically honkedon the goose calls. Championwaterfowl callers may want toconsider the benefits of blowingdoughnut chunks through a call. Ithink it sounded better.

While we listened for geese, theboys ran around through the corn andblasted their calls. Occasionally, whenwe heard a distant honk, we wouldask them to keep the noise down.Before long, they settled down intheir nests. Graham fell asleep and

Scott peered through the corn tops,staying alert for signs of geese.

We heard the frenzied honking of adozen geese taking off from a pondabout half a mile away. With ourdecoys out in front of us, we startedcalling, pleading to the flock to flyour way. Behind us, Scott pulled hiscamo mask over his face and Grahamwent on snoozing.

Jim and I each picked a bird anddrew a bead on it as the flockapproached. It was clear they weren’tgoing to land in our decoys, but theywere going to fly low overhead. Wefired almost simultaneously.Suddenly, I heard a sound behind methat rivaled my excitement when thebirds flew over.

“Wooo, hooo! Way to go, Daddy!”Graham woke up with the shot and

exploded with excitement. Both boysleapt into action, running throughthe corn to find the downed bird.

Since that morning, my sons and Ihave gone waterfowl huntingtogether a number of timesand each experience has beenmemorable. Along with acouple of other goose-huntingdads, I’ve experienced boththe fun and the frustrationsof having as many as five kidsin the blind.

Early Canada goose and tealseasons are approaching.Since the weather is relativelywarm during these seasons,it’s a great time to get kidsout into a blind. Indiana alsohas youth waterfowl huntingdates set aside exclusively foryoung hunters.

Jon Marshall, public affairs chief, Di-vision of Fish and Wildlife

Don Mulligan, Graham Marshall and Emily Mulligan call to a passing flock of geese while hunting at Atter-bury Fish and Wildlife Area. Early Canada goose season typically runs Sept. 1-15.

4

focus on

$port licen$e dollar$ - working for youToday’s harvest from past visionaries

History is a reminder, our diary, abenchmark, that we can check to seehow things have changed.

Recently, I read a book about thehistory of Boone County in 1830. Onedescription indicated this area was an“unbroken wilderness with abundantgame such as deer, turkey, wolves,wildcats, and there was said to besome bear and panthers, though Inever saw any of the last two named.”Over time, our Hoosier wildernesschanged, and so did the wildlifepopulations.

One hundred years later, Indianahad transformed from a wilderness toan agricultural state. The abundanceof fish and wildlife that peopleremembered was scarce or rapidlyvanishing. Economic depression anddrought had created heavy burdenson families, communities and thecountry. Times weren’t easy for peopleor wildlife. The money and skills toreverse this downward biologicaltrend were scarce too, but peopledecided to do something about it.

It wasn’t a good time to considernew taxes to launch a new fish andwildlife restoration program, but ithappened, and one of the most

successful of all government user feebased programs began. Born out ofhard times, two conservationprograms — the Pittman-RobertsonWildlife Restoration Program (1937)and Dingell-Johnson Sport FishRestoration Program (1950) —breathed life into a cooperativefederal-state program to restore fishand wildlife habitats and populationsthroughout the country. This uniquefunding plan included an excise tax,and when combined with fishing andhunting license dollars, funded theconservation programs.All federal tax money would comefrom the purchase of new fishingtackle, firearms, ammunition, andarchery equipment.

Seven decades later, the growth,wisdom, and success of thisremarkable program has not onlybenefitted users, but those who havenever purchased fishing or huntingequipment or licenses.

This modest beginning has fostereda vision for conservation in thiscountry for more than half a century.Often, this work is done in the silentwoods, fields and waters around you,or in research laboratories far from

headline stories.Hunting and fishing is big business

in Indiana. Anglers and hunters spendabout $2 billion a year in Indiana.These trip related expenses generatemillions of dollars every year to localeconomies. Only the special taxmoney placed on fishing and huntingequipment is earmarked for fish andwildlife restoration programs. Theother tax funds related to fishing andhunting trips go to Indiana’s generaltax fund for many other differenttypes of State programs. Today, thesale of fishing and hunting licensesand the special taxes for equipment,including ammunition and motor boatfuel, provide most of the fundingused for management of fish andwildlife resources in Indiana.

Thanks to the conservationmovement in this country, and thesocial and monetary support for fishand wildlife restoration programs,millions of people can still enjoy theheritage and experiences thatattracted settlers to Indiana nearlytwo hundred years ago.

Randy Lang, staff specialist, Division of Fishand Wildlife

Wildlife restoration programs and projects include: expanding hunting,fishing and trapping opportunities on public and private land; studies,research and management to evaluate the abundance and distributionof wildlife.

Sport fish restoration programs and projects include: fisheries surveys todetermine the abundance and distribution of fish; expanding fishing op-portunities; research to improve fish populations; boat ramps and publicaccess sites.

5

focus on

Amanda’s first deerHer determination and patience pays off

On a cool December morning,Amanda Wolsiefer got up at 5 a.m.with a decision to make. Some younggirls might make a decision to listento a Britney Spears or ‘N Sync CD, butnot Amanda. She wanted to go eitherduck or deer hunting with her dad. Itdidn’t take her long to decide thatshe wanted to go deer hunting.

She had never gone deer huntingbefore, but she had completed therequired hunter safety course.Amanda and her dad, Kim, had beenpracticing deer hunting techniquesfor some time.

They stopped and got somedoughnuts and milk for breakfast,and headed out for Jenny’s, a goodfriend who had given thempermission to hunt on her property. Itwas still dark when they arrived.

Amanda and her father got theirgear together and began theirjourney. “We climbed over fences andwalked through wet leaves and tinytrees,” said Amanda. After 15minutes, they reached the spot whereher dad had previously put up twotree stands. He let Amanda go first,just in case she needed help - shedidn’t.

They got themselves comfortablysituated, their safety belts were onand black-powder rifle loaded, withthe safety on, of course.Amanda was getting hungry and ateher breakfast. After eating, sheleaned back against the tree trunkand begin to notice the character ofthe morning. There was a refreshingcool softness to the moist, morningair. It was also getting lighter.

After sitting for 40 minutes, herdad noticed a big buck headed intheir direction, followed closely by asmaller buck. The first buck had ahuge rack, like the one her dad hadtaken on a previous hunting trip.

Amanda got her muzzleloaderready. Her father helped her steady it.As she tried to find the deer in the

scope, both deer began to move away.The big buck bolted off, and thesmaller one ran to her side of thetree, but it didn’t stop long enoughfor her to find it in the scope.

Amanda really wanted her firstdeer, but she was getting sleepy. Forsafety, they decided to move to theground. They located another spot onthe side of a hill, facing into thewoods. Amanda noticed how theirview had changed. Up in the treestand things had looked a lot clearer.On the ground the view seemed toblend together.

It wasn’t long before they heardsome small twigs break and leavescrackle. They spotted a doe about 150yards away. Amanda got her gunready and took the safety off. Herfather helped her steady themuzzleloader.

She located the doe in her scope,but it didn’t stand still. The doe wasalso facing her — not a good shot.Amanda waited, and her shot lineimproved, but only slightly. Shewhispered to her dad, “Do I shootnow?” and just to remind herself,“Where do I shoot it?” Her dad gentlyshook his head no.

The minutes were passing and herarms were very tired from holding upthe weight of the muzzleloader. Manyyoung hunters might have beenexhausted and impatient by this timeand would have given up.

The doe moved to about 50 yardsaway, turned sideways and stopped.She quietly whispered to her father,“Now?” He whispered back, “Yes”.

Amanda squeezed the trigger. Shehad fired the muzzleloader before, butthis time the kick and the noisestartled her.

Amanda was excited, but was alsoaching. The stock had hit her chinwhen the muzzleloader recoiled.

They hurried over to investigate.She heard her dad say it was a“perfect place.” He also told Amanda

how very proud he was of her.Amanda had taken her first deer.

Now, all they had to do was fielddress it, and take it back to theirtruck. Amanda said, “Of course mydad was going to do both thesethings, because I didn’t know how tofield dress a deer yet, and I wasn’tstrong enough to drag it back to thetruck.”

Amanda helped her dad load it intothe back of the truck, and they droveto the deer check station.

Amanda’s story doesn’t end here.As you can imagine, her dad was veryhappy and proud. After they finishedat the check station, Amanda’s daddrove over to see a good friend whosedaughter had taken a deer two yearsearlier. After they talked and tradedstories for almost an hour, they leftfor home to show her mom andbrother. But they weren’t home yet.Amanda and her father decided to getthe deer out of the truck and takesome pictures.

Not only do they have photos tolook at, they also have a lifetime ofmemories to share.

Michael Ellis, program director, Division of Fishand Wildlife

First-time deer hunter Amanda Wolsiefer posesbeside her deer. Amanda completed Indiana’srequired hunter safety course before goinghunting.

6

focus on

Exotic fish in Indiana’s lakes and streamsJust when you thought it was safe to go into the water

A quick exotic fish quizFisheries biologists have confirmed

fish catches in Indiana of:A. PiranhaB. ArawanaC. Shark

Surprisingly, the answer is all ofthe above.

A piranha was caught in Flint Lakein Porter county. The 20-inch arawanawas caught in Lake George in Steubencounty, and a small shark was foundin Lake Monroe in Monroe County anumber of years ago. Where are theseexotic fish coming from and whateffects might they have on our nativefish?

Piranha and arawanaWhen you think of a piranha, you

probably envision a large, vicious fishwith razor-like teeth, attacking andstripping an animal of its flesh rightdown to the bone.

But what if you were in SouthAmerica, and came face-to-face with apiranha while swimming in a stream.More than likely the piranha wouldjust look at you and swim away. Notwhat you would expect, but that’sbeen the experience of scientists whohave waded, swam and snorkeled inthe waters where the piranha live.

Let’s face it, the movies havecreated a bad impression of thepiranha. The truth is, piranha preferto eat small fish, shrimp, tinycrustaceans, insects, the flesh of deadanimals, fruit, and pieces of plants.

The Chinese refer to the arawana asthe dragon fish because its slenderbody and distinct, reflective scales,resemble a small dragon.

The dragon is a representation ofgood luck, wealth and power inChinese culture because dragons aresaid to ward off evil and bring goodluck.

In the wild, arawana live inshallow, slow moving water near the

surface. It’s considered aggressive andis very defensive about its habitat.

Terror in the deepLarge toothy-fish scare people. Last

year, the DNR received reports ofsmall schools of strange-looking fishand rod-and-reel catches of piranhafrom several farm ponds, and in anorthern lake. It is highly unlikelythat these fish are in a large enoughschool so that you end up with thekind of dramatic results you see on a“When Exotic Fish Attack” special.Still, people are afraid to send theirpets or children into the water afterone of these fish has been caught.

Exotic fish scare biologists too, butfor different reasons. Even if the fishdon’t survive longer than a summer,that’s long enough to introduceforeign diseases or other hitch-hikingspecies into the water. Most speciesintroduced to a new environmentusually are not adapted to localconditions and may not survive forlong. The ones that do survive mayreproduce rapidly because they haveno natural predators or diseases inthe new habitat. Exotic fish cancompete with native fish for food,carry new diseases or parasites,

defend territories and exclude nativefish from resources needed to breedor raise young, hybridize with relatednative species, and alter water qualityby stirring the bottom or removingplants.

How can exotic fish survive inHoosier waters?

We assume that many of thetropical fish won’t survive ourwinters. Even if a single individualsurvives, it would need others of itskind to reproduce. Many tropicalspecies like Tilapia (cichlids) die inwater temperatures below 50 degrees.However, evidence suggests that asgenerations of fish and plants arekept in aquaria, some of them canbecome more adapted to theconditions of northern waters.

Strains of various tropical speciesare being developed for aquacultureso that they will survive lowertemperatures or saltier water. Speciesthat normally wouldn’t survive incolder waters have becomedomesticated and have a betterchance of survival.

Indiana has more than 40 speciesof introduced fish. Established exoticfish in Florida number more than 120

Arawana can be found in central and northern South America in the Amazondrainage of Peru and Brazil. They live in marginal lagoons and small tributar-ies of large rivers during the dry season. They move to flooded backwaters

during the high-water seasonpurchased in the fish marketweigh almost 10 pounds.

7

species. Nationwide, about one in fournew species originates from theaquarium trade.

The problem is getting worseSeveral decades ago, the only fish

available were the few species carriedby the local dime store, usuallygoldfish or guppies. With globalcommerce and the internet, it’s nowpossible to order a fish and have itshipped to you from anywhere in theworld. Fish shipped for aquariumpurposes are exempt from stateimportation laws, so the DNR has noway of tracking which species arecoming into Indiana and which onesmight be problematic if released intothe wild.

Aquaria historyKeeping aquaria in homes is a

relatively recent venture. The earliestkeepers of captive fish were theSumerians, who kept fish in artificialponds more than 4,500 years ago. Thecircus entrepreneur P.T. Barnumopened the first display aquarium onthis continent in 1856 at theAmerican Museum in New York City.

Be a responsible pet ownerThere’s nothing wrong with

keeping a big tropical fish, as long asyou know what you’re getting into.

However, if you can’t trade or give

a small fish that has grown too largeto another responsible pet owner, ordispose of it properly, don’t buy it.Many exotic fish start out very small— the size of a quarter — in the petstore, but can get as big as a dinnerplate within a year or two.

Fish that require extra care andgrow to large sizes are: pacu, piranha,arawana and some tropical catfish.

While the scientific names of fishdon’t change, the common names bywhich a fish is sold may vary. Thereare at least 15 species of piranha(genus Serrasalmus) sold in aquariumstores. Do some research on thespecies you are thinking of buying orbuy the fish from a store where thesales people can tell you how large itwill get and what you will need toproperly care for it.

You are the best defenseControlling exotic species once

they become established in a newarea is difficult, if not impossible.

The most cost-effective, and oftenthe only defense against introducedspecies is prevention. While laws canbe passed that affect ownership orrelease of species, they can bedifficult to enforce. We rely mostly onthe ethics of dealers and aquariumowners to properly care for theseexotics to keep our native fish andwildlife populations safe and healthy.It is up to the aquarium owner anddealers to be the first line of defense.

Gwen White, fisheries program specialist, Divi-sion of Fish and Wildlife

Can I keep native fish in anaquarium or in my backyardpond?

As long as they are caughtlegally, according to gearrestrictions and proper sizes andnumbers, native fish can be keptin an aquarium or taken home toan isolated backyard pond.Anglers sometimes think it wouldhelp the wild population to growthese fish out and release theminto a local river or lake.

Moving fish from one waterbody to another is stocking fish.This includes fish taken fromyour aquarium, backyard pond,and live fish from your baitbucket. It is illegal to stock fishwithout a permit.

Most native fish don’t need aboost from stocking. Fish likebass, bluegill, and catfish willgenerally reproduce and thrive inareas where the water qualityand habitat are available tosustain them. Fisheries biologistscarefully survey lakes and riversbefore determining wherestocking might help.

Moving fish around can causeserious problems for the residentfish. The difficulty withdetecting and tracking fishdiseases makes it hard to predictthe impacts of transferring sickfish. Fish may be carryingdiseases or parasites withoutlooking or acting sick. Bacteria,viruses, parasites, and themicroscopic young of otherspecies may be contained in thewater that you dump along withthe fish. A largemouth bass virus,previously thought to be only insouthern lakes and rivers, wasrecently discovered in LakeGeorge along the Indiana-Michigan border and may be inother lakes or rivers. The impactsof this new disease are notcompletely understood, but it hasbeen implicated in fish kills insouthern states.

If you catch an unusual fish:• measure its length• take a close-up photograph• preserve it by freezing• report it to a district fisheries

biologist. Available at:fishing.IN.gov

By tracking exotic fish, we maybe able to identify potentialproblems before they develop.n. Arawana are netted commercially for food and can be

s of Brazil. The arawana grow to 2 feet in length and

8

focus on

Those genes sure look good - on fishThe science of population genetics is complex

Paul Ehret from Carmel, Ind. with his catch from TurtleCreek Reservoir. Indiana’s largemouth bass brood stockare managed to maximize genetic diversity and mini-mize inbreeding.

“That looks like a fishy spot overthere,” you mutter to yourself as youease the boat to within castingdistance. A deft flick of the wristcasts your lure straight into thecenter of a small hole in the lily pads.The lure lies motionless for a fewseconds — the ripples fade and thewater returns to a glass-likesmoothness. Then, a twitch, anothertwitch, a dark shadow appears, thewater erupts and the fish explodesskyward like a missile. The battlebegins. It’s intense, but brief.

You’re not at all surprised by thestrain put on your arm as you lift thefish from the water. Your catch, a

largemouth bass and a real “wallhanger” to boot — seven pounds andchange, according to the scales. Youpause to admire your catch — darkolive green back fading to cream onthe belly, lateral line stripe as blackas midnight, body like a football, andmouth like a small cave. You smile,bend down, and then gently releasethe big bass back into the cool water.

This scene is replayed hundreds oftimes annually on Indiana’s publicwaters, thanks in part to Indiana’sstate fish hatcheries. Since 1970,more than 3 million largemouth bass,ranging in size from 1.5-inch shortfingerlings to 16-inch adults, have

been stocked into Indiana’swaters.

Adult largemouth bass aremaintained at Driftwood StateFish Hatchery in southeasternIndiana to provide bassfingerlings for managementprograms directed by fisheriesbiologists. Although, the broodstock is considered “captive,”the fish are not domesticated.They are not maintained in acontrolled environment andmust compete for availableforage while avoidingpredation.

Maintaining a captive broodpopulation provides us withmore reliable fry productionthan collecting brood fish fromthe wild. However, maintainingcaptive brood stocks also hassome pitfalls. Due to limitedhatchery space, our captivebrood populations are small,compared to wild populations.

Small breeding populationstend to increase inbreeding —the mating of closely relatedgenetic relatives — eitherrandomly or intentionally. Inand of itself, inbreeding isneither good nor bad. KentuckyDerby winners and American

Field Trial champions are often theproduct of mating an individual withdesirable qualities to its descendantsin order to retain and enhance thosequalities. Inbreeding is also used togenerate true-breeding lines, whichare hybridized to produce crops, suchas corn and wheat, with increasedyield or disease resistance. But,inbreeding can have a down side. Thecloser the genetic relationship, thegreater the percentage of abnormaloffspring.

Indiana’s largemouth bass captivebrood stock program was developed tominimize the detrimental effects ofinbreeding and maintain the geneticdiversity for stocking in publicwaters. Founder stock was selectedfrom multiple lakes from the north,south, and central regions of thestate. Testing on the brood fish fromeach region was done to determine ifmultiple brood stocks were needed. Atleast 300 adults are spawned annuallyto yield an estimated inbreeding rateof only 0.17 percent per generation,well below the threshold of concernrecommended by leading geneticists.The brood fish spawn without humanassistance in ponds, so pairings don’tselect for particular characteristics.

The broodstock for the nextgeneration are selected from a pool ofall fry produced that year to minimizesiblings in the future broodpopulations. Brood stock areevaluated at 15 year intervals todetermine when the small populationis beginning to affect diversity andnew genetic material is needed.

Efforts by our fishery biologistscontinue to provide top qualitylargemouth bass for fish managementprograms. The science of populationgenetics is complex, but essential tothe management of Indiana’s naturalresources.

Jim Luttrell, Driftwood Fish Hatchery manager,Division of Fish and Wildlife

9

Helping restore Indiana’s wetland heritageThis year is the 10th anniversary of

American Wetlands Month. Eachsummer, numerous groups andthousands of individuals join togetherto celebrate the uniqueness, beauty,and importance of wetlands.

A wetland can be as tiny as a smallwet spot or puddle or as large as theFlorida Everglades, and they are foundin every state in the nation.

To help restore their wetlands,many Hoosier landowners turn to theNatural Resources ConservationService’s Wetlands Reserve Program(WRP). WRP provides financial andtechnical resources to landowners torestore wetlands on private lands.

Since 1994, WRP in Indiana hasrestored more than 25,000 acres ofwetland habitat. In addition torestoration, WRP provides financialsupport to agricultural producers bypurchasing wetland easements onhigh-risk, high-cost agricultural landsthat frequently flood.

Indiana has one of the nation’slargest WRP easements on a 7,068-acre site in Greene County. Thelandowner of the Wilder WetlandsRestoration, in areas known as GoosePond and Beehunters Marsh, turnedto WRP because of increasing

focus on

Indiana is all wet, and that’s a good thing

Major Indiana WRP wetland sites include:

• Kankakee Sands2,780 acres in NewtonCounty are currently undera 30-year easement in WRPwhere warm season grassesand native plants will restorevegetation.

• Muscatatuck River Basin1,300 acres of marginalcropland are being restoredas wetlands.

• Cane Ridge WildlifeManagement Area ProjectA unique partnershipcooperating to move andimprove the local nestinghabitat for the federallyendangered interior leasttern and to restore 463 acresof bottomland forest wetlandfrom cropland.

difficulties raising crops in wet soilconditions. The restored site willprovide a significant resting andnesting site for a variety of migratorywaterfowl, shorebirds, and otherwetland dependent species.

For more information about wildlifehabitat cost share programs contactyour district wildlife biologist.Available at:wildlife.IN.gov

Michael Ellis, program director, Division of Fishand Wildlife

Wetlands are a valuable natural resource. Wetlands help regulate water levels within watersheds;improve water quality; reduce flood and storm damages; provide important fish and wildlife habi-tat; and support hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities.

More than one-third of the United States' threatened and endangered species live only in wet-lands, and nearly half use wetlands at some point in their lives. Many species of birds and mam-mals rely on wetlands for food, water, and shelter, especially during migration and breeding.

10

focus on

Ginseng - is it really lightning in a bottle?

Ginseng is considered by many tobe lighting in a bottle, a silver bullet,the genie in a lamp, the holy grail ofplants. It’s an amazing plant, butmost people probably wouldn’trecognize it if they stumbled over it.But for ginseng hunters, what a plantto stumble over.

Ginseng grows in most of Indiana,and in several surrounding states. I’vefound it in small patches, and as alonely old solitary plant. Shadyhardwood forests, with moist, rich,well-drained soil are the places itprefers to grow.

My introduction to ginsengThe first time I went ginseng

hunting was with my step-dad, Eddie.It was a hot autumn day. The sky wasthe color of the old faded jeans I waswearing.

Around noon we stepped off of thenarrow deer trail we had beenfollowing and sat in the shade of abig old maple tree. We ate the twoapples and hard cheese he had packedfor lunch and washed it all down witha canteen of warm water.

After lunch, I asked him why wewere looking for ginseng. He smiledand said, “It’s all about balance. You’llfind that people look for lots ofthings in life: money, health, goodlooks, a big home. But folks often failto appreciate the little things in theirlives. Ginseng is one of those littlethings.”

He pulled out one of theginseng roots we had dug upearlier and said, “Any plant thatlooks like a human figure or ahuman body part, is called asign or signature plant. It’sthought of by some

The joys and frustrations of hunting ginsengcultures as a divine sign letting youknow it was good for helping thebody part it resembled.

Hepatica leaves are lobed-shapedlike the liver, so some people believeit’s good to treat liver ailments. Sincethe root of the ginseng plant looksamazingly like the human body, witharms and legs, it’s a sign that it wasgood for the whole body.”

A brief history of ginsengThe legend and lore of ginseng

goes far back in history. Chinesetraditions are deeply involved in theconcept of Yin and Yang, representingthe balance of the universe. To helpprevent or to cure some disease, thissame balance was necessary in thebody. They relied on ginseng root torestore and maintain that balance.Growing ginseng

Today, many “sangers” grow theirown ginseng. Those who have beensuccessful will usually share with youwhat works for them. But don’t askthem where they find their ginseng.They would sooner tell you wherethey find morel mushrooms in thespring, than to reveal their ginsenglocations.

Try these tips for growing you ownginseng. The location should have nomore than 70 percent shadethroughout the day. Ginseng plantsneed about four hours of sunlight,

preferably morning light. If yousee the ground is covered by alot of vegetation, there is toomuch sunlight. If you see littleground cover, there is not

enough sunlight. The soil pHshould be between 5.5 to 6.5, butsome growers feel that pH between5.5 and 6.0 is ideal.

You can buy ginseng seed to plant.The general recommended applicationof seed is forty pounds per acre. Somegrowers also use a broadcast of bonemeal, potassium and nitrogen as asoil supplement.

A few growers drive metal surveyorrods in the ground, about 12 feetapart, to help attract staticelectricity, which they say promotesmore growth.

Collection of ginseng has been sointense over the years that it hasbecome much harder to find. To helpginseng make a comeback, and stillprovide outdoor enthusiasts arecreational and financial benefit,Indiana has enacted a program forharvesting and selling ginseng. Thepurpose of Indiana’s ginseng programis to ensure a healthy population forthe future — it’s about balance.

Harvesting is not allowed on stateproperty. Just like fishing, hunting,or trapping, you need to obtainlandowner permission before diggingginseng on private property.

Michael Ellis, program director, Division ofFish and Wildlife

Harvest season is from Sept. 1 to Dec. 31.Planting ginseng seeds near where the root hasbeen dug rather than scattering them on thesurface, will greatly increase the chance of newplants replacing those you harvest. Contact adealer for advice on digging and drying gin-seng. The best way to find a dealer is to checkwith the fur buyers in your area.

For administrative questions about ginsengcontact: Division of Nature Preserves317-232-4052 • fax 317-233-0133For law and enforcement questions aboutginseng contact: Law Enforcement Division317-232-4010 • fax 317-232-8035

11

focus onDNR programs at the 2001 Indiana State Fair

See snakes, bobcats, bird dogs and falcons at this year’s DNR Backyard Theater. The theater is located behind theState Fair DNR building. The programs showcase Indiana fish, wildlife and recreation resources.

DNR BACKYARD THEATER SCHEDULEWednesday, Aug. 86 p.m. The fox show, Jim and

Nancy Mahoney7 p.m. Resource protection dogs,

Indiana ConservationOfficers

Thursday, Aug. 96 p.m. Animal tracks for kids,

Fort Harrison State Parkinterpreters

7 p.m. Owls of Indiana, HardyLake interpreters

Friday, Aug. 105 p.m. Bobcats of Indiana,

Darrel Smith and KathyQuimbach

6 p.m. Bobcats of Indiana II

Saturday, Aug. 1111 a.m. Taste of the wild cookout -

Indiana’s wild fish & game

9 a.m. Hoosier Muskie Hunters forum, to with seminars throughout9 p.m. the day

Sunday, Aug. 121 p.m. Smokey Bear party,

Lieber State RecreationArea staff

11 a.m. Taxidermy demonstrations and Hoosier Trapper Supply2 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 135 p.m. Bird dog demonstration,

Scott Pet Products6 p.m. Fly casting and fly tying,

Fly Masters of Indianapolis

Tuesday, Aug. 145 p.m. Trapping nuisance wildlife

A Best Wildlife Removal6 p.m. Turtle fun for everyone,

Patoka Lake interpreters

Wednesday, Aug. 155 p.m. Frog music, Mounds S.P.

interperters6 p.m. The art of falconry,

Indiana Falconry Association

Thursday, Aug. 163 p.m. Butterfly gardening, DNR

Division of Entomology(Butterfly garden at thesouthwest corner of theNatural Resources Bldg.)

6 p.m. Fly fishing demonstration,The Royal River Company

Friday, Aug. 177 p.m. Snakes Alive!, Hardy

Lake interpreters

Saturday, Aug. 189 a.m. Hoosier Muskie Hunters

forum, Muskie seminars9 p.m. throughout the day

2001-02 HoosierOutdoor Calendar

Full-color calendar features Fishing hot spots, Indiana season dates, full-color wildlife paintings, nature facts

. . . and much more!

Calendar dates run from Sept. 2001 to Aug. 2002

Calendars are available August 1, for $8 each. Allow 3to 4 weeks for delivery.

Proceeds from the calendar go to Indiana’s Fish andWildlife Fund, which is used to protect and manage fishand wildlife resources in Indiana.

2001-02 Hoosier Outdoor CalendarPlease send me ______ calendars. Enclosed is a check/moneyorder/credit card for $ ________ ($8 per calendar)VISA MASTERCARD Exp. date /Credit card # / / /

Signature

Name_____________________________________________

Address ___________________________________________

City ______________ State Zip ______________Send form with a check, money order or credit card information to:DNR Calendar Sales , 402 W. Washington St., Room W-160,Indianapolis, IN 46204

12

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDINDIANAPOLIS, IN

PERMIT #7429

Division of Fish and WildlifeDepartment of Natural Resources402 W. Washington St., Room W273Indianapolis, IN 46204317/232-4080

Address Service Requested

FREE SERVICE!

1234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234123456789012345678901234567890121234567890123456789012345678901212341234567890123456789012345678901212345678901234567890123456789012123412345678901234567890123456789012123456789012345678901234567890121234

Find out where the fish are biting,how to spot rare wild birds, and how thisyear’s hunting season is shaping up – allthrough Wild Bulletin, a FREE e-mailinformation service offered by the DNRDivision of Fish and Wildlife. Wild Bulletin provides frequentupdates about Indiana’s natural resourcesand recreation through e-mail. Sign on toreceive information about hunting andfishing season dates, regulation updates, wildlifeand fisheries research status reports, tips onwildlife watching and reminders aboutIMPORTANT DATES for Hoosier outdoorenthusiasts. You’ll also get updates about newinformation available on the DNR web page. To subscribe to Wild Bulletin, sendan e-mail to: major domo@ai.org with themessage body: subscribe wildbulletin<your e-mail address> Leave the subject ofthe message blank. To subscribe to Wild Bulletin on theDNR web site, go to:wildlife.IN.gov