Month: March 2015

2015 Spring Conservation Conference & Annual Meeting

We had a terrific turnout on March 21st for our 2015 Conservation Conference & Annual Meeting. We were fortunate to have a number of guest speakers present on important conservation issues in Indiana. Travis Stoelting, property manager at Goose Pond Fish & Wildlife Area, described the success of restoration work at Goose Pond and reminded us of the many year-round activities available to Hoosiers who visit the property from kayaking to hunting to

 

photography and more. Suzie Ronk, co-founder of Miner Monarchs and 6th grade student at Linton Stockton Middle School, impressed the audience with her in-depth presentation on monarch butterflies and fundraising activities to support new butterfly habitats. Travis Buckel, Wildlife Biologist with APHIS, spoke about multi-agency efforts to control feral pig populations in southern Indiana.

It was also our privilege to present the 2015 conservation awards to individuals and organizations who worked tirelessly on behalf of Indiana’s natural resources. This year’s recipients were:

Paul Bunner Conservationist of the Year
David Craig

Conservation Organization of the Year
Clay Township Regional Waste District

Conservation Education Award
Purdue University – West Lafayette

Wildlife Conservationists of the Year
Suzie Ronk and Emma Brinson

Conservation Affiliate of the Year
Indiana Catfish Conservation Association

President’s Award
Jon Laramore
Brent Taylor
Stephanie Boxell
Sarah Sharp
Faegre Baker Daniels LLP

To learn more about these awards, please visit: http://www.indianawildlife.org/about/conservation-awards/.

Thank you to the IWF board, members, and guests for joining us to support common sense conservation in Indiana, and congratulations to the award winners.  If you were unable to attend the Spring Conservation Conference, we hope you will be able to join us for the fall conference in September (date TBD).

IWF Action Alert – Here it comes again!

Canned Hunting Bill HB1453 has passed out of the Senate Natural Resources Committee and is headed to the floor

The bill may be heard as early as April 1st, 2015. Please call or write your Senator and give your opinion. To find your senator click here.

To read our fact sheet, click here.

IWF and the vast majority of hunters and conservationists OPPOSE canned hunting.

  • Captive deer shooting preserves violate ethical standards.
    • Not fair chase, not ethical hunting.
    • Wildlife are owned by the public for the benefit of all.
  • Captive deer shooting preserves threaten wildlife health.
    • Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) is a contagious neurological disease similar to mad cow disease that quickly spreads among captive herds and is transmitted by animal to animal contact or animal to soil contact.  There is no live animal test for CWD, no cure for CWD, and death is always the result.
    • Bovine tuberculosis outbreaks would jeopardize the Indiana beef producer industry.
    • The interstate transportation of deer to hunting preserves contributes to spread of disease.  Importation of captive raised deer should be banned.
  • Captive deer shooting preserves threaten Indiana’s economy and put taxpayers at risk.
    • Wild deer hunting in Indiana contributes over $300 million annually and supports >1600 jobs.
    • Taxpayers are liable for captive deer herds condemned due to disease and the cleanup of property.  Hunters and anglers license fees are spent to fund State monitoring and management of CWD.

With your help, this bill can be stopped.  It’s bad for wildlife and bad for Hoosiers.

Please share this information with others who are concerned about wildlife.