Catch up on latest in hunting, fishing. Or do one of these fun hikes.

Joseph Dits, South Bend Tribune
·3 min read

We've got some fun hikes around the area this weekend, plus a big expo for hunters and anglers in Shipshewana. And we'll update you here on Indiana's hunting seasons, plus some extra trout stocked in local waters.

This comes to you from this week's Outdoor Adventures column.

The main column:What do these early bird arrivals mean? That it's maple syrup season?

Bushwhacking

Learn how to do off-trail hiking at 2 p.m. Feb. 18 when the Harbor Country Hikers meet for a hike at the New Buffalo Area Schools Nature Trails. There will be an easy one-mile option and a rugged three-mile trek.

Meet in the parking lot at New Buffalo Elementary School, 12291 Lubke Road, New Buffalo. From U.S. 12 in New Buffalo, turn south on South Eagle Street, then right on West Detroit Street, which turns into Lubke.

Hike with headlamps

Clamp on a headlamp, explore the woods and streets of Winona Lake and have some hot cocoa at 7 p.m. Feb. 18. This event, organized by Grace Outdoors, will meet at the Gordon Health and Wellness Center, 100 Publishers Drive, Winona Lake. It’s free, but donations will be accepted to assist a local person or family in need. Find details or register in a link in this column online.

Camino walk

The local chapter of American Pilgrims On The Camino invites anyone to walk four miles with them at 3 p.m. Feb. 19 on the Mishawaka Riverwalk, starting in front of the new Ironworks Ice Rink, 410 N. Hill St., Mishawaka. Afterwards, the group will visit a nearby restaurant for refreshments.

Indiana next hunting seasons

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has posted hunting and trapping seasons for 2023-’24. Link to it in this column online. The DNR says dates for migratory bird and waterfowl seasons will be released this summer as they’re set by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with the state. Hunting and fishing licenses for the current season, linked here online, are good through March 31.

Light goose permits

Indiana is accepting applications for a free permit to hunt as part of its Light Goose Conservation Order now until March 31. Link to it in this story online.

This permit includes snow geese and Ross’ geese (white and blue phases of both species).

But the DNR also advises that federally endangered whooping cranes are often found in the same areas as snow geese in fall and winter, and killing them is a serious offense. Whooping cranes are white birds, standing up to five feet tall with black wing tips.

Brown trout
Brown trout

Trout stocking

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources reports that it stocked roughly 4,500 brown trout in northern Indiana streams in early January. Most of them were eight to 14 inches long. The season for harvesting trout ended Dec. 31, but they can still be caught as long as you release them back into the water immediately.

The trout were stocked in the Pigeon River (Steuben and LaGrange counties), Solomon Creek (Elkhart County), Little Elkhart River (LaGrange and Elkhart counties), Rowe Eden Ditch (LaGrange and Elkhart counties), Cobus Creek (Elkhart County) and Little Kankakee River (LaPorte County).

Anglers 18 and older must have a state fishing license and a trout/salmon stamp to fish for trout.

Midwest Sportsmen Classic

A handful of experts on hunting and fishing will give seminars at this expo that will include a used gun auction and a 5,000-gallon water tank to demonstrate fishing techniques Feb. 16-18 at the Michiana Event Center, 455 E. Farver St., Shipshewana.

There will be bow-hunting classes, too. Hours will be from 1 to 8 p.m. Feb. 16, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Feb. 17 and 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Feb. 18. Admission costs $15. Call 260-768-3300 or visit www.michianaevents.com/event/sportsmen-classic.

Find columnist Joseph Dits on Facebook at SBTOutdoorAdventures or 574-235-6158 or jdits@sbtinfo.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Hunting fishing and trout stocking in Indiana plus hiking