“I have read many definitions of what is a conservationist, and written not a few myself, but I suspect that the best one is written not with a pen, but with an axe. It is a matter of what a man thinks about while chopping, or while deciding what to chop. A conservationist is one who is humbly aware that with each stroke he is writing his signature on the face of his land.” (Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac) In the past, we have written about the importance of science-based forest ...

New Public Land Acquisition a Win for Us All! As you’ve probably already heard, Indiana DNR recently acquired 4,000 acres in Sullivan County. In a world where so much conservation news is about the loss of habitat, access, and opportunity, this is fantastic news! The new conservation area, Busseron Creek Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA), will be familiar to some Hoosier hunters and anglers. The property, once leased by the DNR, used to be known at Minnehaha FWA. In 2016, the leasing arrangement ...

A Brief History of White-tailed Deer in Indiana “It’s hard to treat natural resources casually when you know that generations have fought for them” (Jim Posewitz) Introduction In November 2021, Indiana resident Dustin Huff shot a 212 inch buck on a 185-acre Indiana farm, destroying the previous state record, and sitting comfortably in position as the second biggest typical whitetail of all time. As many a Hoosier hunter can attest, this behemoth is not necessarily representative of the deer ...

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District has teamed up with the Wabash Riverfront Planning Partnership to develop an updated riverfront master plan for Terre Haute, IN. This master plan "will set goals and objectives, identify problems and opportunities, and make recommendations for land use improvements along sections of the Wabash River in downtown Terre Haute." They are currently seeking community feedback and recommendations, and your input would help! Continue ready for ...

On Saturday, June 15th, we hosted Michael Spalding of Sentinel Landscape at our Pint Night at Heartwork Brewing Co. in Bloomington, Indiana. The event was an essential educational opportunity for those living in the Bloomington area. This is an important part of the state for our chapter as Bloomington sits on the edge of the Hoosier National Forest, the largest body of public land in Indiana. It has also been the site of a battle over forest management. Many environmental groups call ...