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More About INDIANA
HOUSE BILL 1194
Current
Chapter News Update
January 2008
I apologize for
being negligent in
updating current
events. Just too
many demands on
time.
The 2007 Horicon
Hunt was successful
with 60 goose
hunters taking to
the field with the
majority of the
hunters filling out
there allotted 6
tags. As is usually
the case some fields
are better producers
than others so it
was just a matter of
being in the right
field on the right
day. Next year we
have offered a
Horicon Hunt to the
Hunt of A Lifetime
Foundation where a
youth with a
terminal illness
will be fully
outfitted and take
to the field with
us.
Most Waterfowl USA
members are wrapping
up their waterfowl
seasons now with a
few stretching them
out be partaking in
conservation order
hunts for snow geese
in Arkansas and
Nebraska.
Are new calendar was
set which you can
view on this website
and hopefully many
can attend one of
our events during
the year.
Nesting is in full
force although ma
nature had set us
back a little with
no ice in the
wetlands the first
part of the year;
followed by
unseasonable rains;
and then we went
into the deep freeze
with temps at 0 and
wind chills below
zero. However, a
good group of
volunteers finally
got out this past
weekend where we
were able to
complete nesting on
the Jerry Allen and
Sporre wetlands and
a few private
wetlands. We will
attempt to wrap up
next weekend at the
Roberts Wetland and
could always use
volunteers to
assist. Again, see
the Events section
of this site for
details.
We are in full mode
for the April
banquet with ad
soliciting, ticket
sales, etc.. Don
Roberts and Steve
Roper have been
manning booths at
local gun and sport
shows. The next
month will also
bring spring burn
time on the wetlands
to help rejuvenate
the grasses.
So until the next
update….remember
spring is around the
corner!
Paul Mazerik
Board Member
INDIANA HOUSE BILL
1194 COULD
PROHIBIT WATERFOWL
HUNTING ALONG MANY
STRETCHES OF
INDIANA’S PUBLIC
WATERWAYS
Indiana State
Representative Craig
Fry (D) Mishawaka,
has a pending
resolution (House
Bill 1194) which
designates any
stretch of
Indiana’s river and
stream system
as “densely
populated” if the
stretch is in a
county of at least
250,000 persons, and
there happens to be
3 or more persons
living amongst a
census block that
borders or contains
a river or stream.
If this criterion is
met, a person may
NOT HUNT FOR
WATERFOWL on or
along any part of a
river or stream
that is within 750
feet of such high
population density
area.
This bill must pass
thru the House
Natural Resources
Committee, where it
will either die in
committee, or pass
and be voted upon by
the Indiana House of
Representative.
Waterfowl U.S.A.,
Northwest Indiana
Chapter opposes any
bill restricting our
right to safely hunt
ducks and geese
along “OUR”
rivers and streams.
Likewise, we ask
that you actively
oppose this
legislation.
To
read House Bill 1194
http://tinyurl.com/26ujrv
To
find your State
Representative
www.in.gov/apps/sos/legislator/search/
We thank the Central
Indiana Chapter of
Delta Waterfowl for
bringing this to our
attention.
Archived
Chapter News Update
Chapter News Update
February 27, 2007
On February 15, 2007, the organization participated in
Conservation Group
Night at the grand
opening of the new
BassPro store
located in Portage,
IN. A huge crowd
passed by the
various groups’
tables and we passed
out WUSA information
and sold pop and
raffle tickets for
fund raising. Don
Roberts, Steve
Roper, Jim Gilliam
and other members
man’d booths at the
Valpo Gun Show and
Northwest
Steelheaders shows
this month raising
funds via 10 gun;
Quad 4; and other
raffle tickets. With
the 20th annual
banquet fast
approaching March
31, 2007, there are
plenty of dinner
tickets and the
aforementioned
raffle tickets
available for sale
by the Chapter.
Contact us at the
number in this
website. Meeting
will be held every
Thursday of March up
to the dinner date
at the Sportsmens
Club in Crown Point.
Despite extremes in the weather dedicated members such
as John Jelinek,
Bill Husar,
Mark/Dick/Paul
Zurbriggen, Jim
Porter, Jerry
Schafer, Rich
Harris, Dale
Richter, Rick
Nelson, and others
got out and got the
waterfowl nesting
jobs done for 2007
on our various
properties. Just in
time too as the
Canada geese are
beginning to pair
off for breeding.
The annual Ice
Fishing Derby was
held February 18 on
a private lake owned
by member Rich
Harris. Some 40
fishermen, ladies,
and youths came out
for a fun day on the
ice. The event was
established by
Rich’s father as a
means of recruiting
memberships for the
Chapter and the
tradition has
successfully carried
on.
To date 6 Horicon hunters have signed up for this years
goose hunt in
Wisconsin. Look for
our ad in Midwest
Outdoors publication
April, May, and
June. Sign up
information can be
found in the
Events section
of this website.
As weather
conditions begin to
change into the
spring mode we will
have our
prescription burn on
the Jerry Allen
Marsh property which
has been postponed
several times due to
snow and wet
conditions.
In case you’re wondering who the excellent WebMaster is
that keeps this
website sharp it is
remote member Dave
Bires in Florida.
Thanks Dave.
Until our March
update thank you for
your interest in
Waterfowl USA NW
Indiana Chapter.
Recent Chapter
News
On Saturday 1/6/07 several WUSA members assembled at
the Jerry Allen
Marsh property in
hopes of performing
a burn to stimulate
new plant growth for
spring. However,
several days of rain
prior made it
possible to perform
the task. A
rescheduled date
will be set under
dryer conditions.
On Saturday 1/20/07 we began our nesting construction
at JohnJelinek’s
home. In attendance
were myself, John,
Jim Porter, Dick
Zurbriggen, Mark
Zurbriggen, and some
new faces in Al
Fritz and his son
Tyler. Al just
completed entering
acreage into WRP
across the Kankakee
River from the
Roberts Marsh. Him
and his son wanted
to see the details
in Woodduck house
and Mallard Cylinder
nest construction
and jumped right in
to assist.
We will continue our nest construction/installation
season and can
always use help with
the woodduck boxes,
mallard cylinder
nests, and goose
platforms. We
assemble, for the
most part, at John
Jelinek’s residence
in Valparaiso, IN
every Saturday at
8:30 AM.
If hands on is not your thing, we also use help at
spreading the word
at the various gun/sportshows
in the area. Refer
to our calendar for
locations and dates.
Spend an hour or two
and meet the
public and other
wetland/waterfowl
enthusiasts. We are
also one of the
conservation groups
that have been
invited to the big
Grand Opening of the
new Bass Pro Shops
store located in
Portage, IN on
February 14. A
great way to spend
Valentines Day!
If Mother Nature
cooperates, come out
on the ice at member
Rich Harris’ private
lake for some
panfishing in
February. Always a
fun day with no work
involved!
From now to late
spring we are busy
with many different
activities related
to our main purpose
in protecting the
vanishing wetlands
we currently have
and aiding directly
or indirectly to
restoration of
former ones or
construction of new
ones. So it would
be great to see and
meet members and
sons and/or
daughters at any of
our gatherings.
Paul
Mazerik
Board Member
