Planning a spring break trip?
Indiana State Parks provide wonderful getaways where you can enjoy nature, good company, and have fun while making memories naturally.
Reserve today for inns and lodges at IndianaInns.comor call 1-877-LODGES-1. For camping and family cabins, reserve at camp.IN.gov or call 1-866-6CAMP-IN.
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman registration opens March 1
Registration for the annual Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW) workshop, which is open to women ages 18 and older, opens March 1 at 7 a.m. ET.
This year’s BOW workshop will be held May 1-3 at Ross Camp in West Lafayette.
BOW is designed for women to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed, low-pressure environment. Participants will choose four activities from more than two dozen offerings, including fishing, archery, geocaching, wildlife tracking, shooting muzzleloader firearms, and outdoor cooking.Learn more
Spring special with State Park Inns
March 1 – May 21, 2026
Stay two or more consecutive nights, and get 25% off the best available rate. Some restrictions may apply. Not valid with any other offer or with group bookings. Blackout dates and restrictions may apply. Not valid on holidays or special events.
Find out more
DNR hiring for Indiana Conservation Officer positions
The Division of Law Enforcement is looking for highly motivated, outdoor-centered individuals to fill Conservation Officer positions across the state.
Anyone interested should first read “Become a Conservation Officer” at on.IN.gov/ico-hiring and complete the pre-screening test under the “Apply” link. Successful completion of the pre-screening test will automatically enter you into the hiring process. Find out more
Spring shore fishing for walleye
The walleye spawn in early spring is an ideal time to catch these elusive fish. During this period, walleye will move out of their usual lake sanctuaries and journey up feeder streams to the shallows to lay eggs. Shore fishing can be a fun and simple way to catch them during this time.
To effectively catch walleye, try crankbaits in chartreuse or baitfish color patterns along the shoreline during low-light conditions and evening-to-nighttime hours. Other helpful tactics include jigging with a ball head jig and a plastic body.
There are many lakes in Indiana where you can target these amazing fish, including Brookville, Patoka, and Monroe. These fish are known for their delicious filets, so head out this spring and give walleye fishing a try. Learn more
Operation Stay Afloat
The DNR and Homeland Security are partnering for the 11th biennial Operation Stay Afloat. The event will take place on Thursday, March 12, in Indianapolis.
This event brings together all-hazard and floodplain management specialists from across the state to share the tools, skills, and information that help them manage hazard preparedness, mitigation, and floodplain management in Indiana.
You’re encouraged to attend if you are a floodplain administrator, emergency management official, building official, representative from a regional planning group or river basin commission, engineer, consultant, member of a volunteer group, local CEO, state legislator, or just someone with a passion for community resilience and disaster mitigation. Learn more and register
Make an impact by adopting a public access site
With about 400 public access sites throughout the state, the Adopt-A-Ramp program is a great opportunity for individuals and groups looking to give back to nature through volunteering.
Adopt-A-Ramp is a flexible volunteer opportunity for families, individuals, corporate workgroups, or organizations to contribute to healthy waterways, wildlife, and recreation at DNR-managed public access sites.
Collecting trash, removing debris from ramps, cutting back vegetation, and reporting site issues to public access staff are all ways Adopt-A-Ramp volunteers help leave Indiana’s waterways a healthier resource for people and wildlife.
Email DNRPublicAccess@dnr.IN.gov with any questions.
We look forward to teaming up with you!Find out more
Natural Resources Foundation and TC Energy Partnership fund new forest resources
Oak and hickory species are lacking in the understory of southern Indiana’s forests, according to the Continuous Forest Inventory (CFI). Thanks to the continued support of TC Energy, a longtime INRF partner, staff at Ferdinand State Forest have new resources to help restore the important species.
Learn more about the project and how powerful partnerships are making a difference for Indiana’s outdoors in the Foundation’s latest impact story.Learn more
Link your child’s account in the license system
It’s time to plan for youth turkey season, which is April 18-19. If you need your child’s account linked to yours, log in to the license system now to make any updates. For instructions, including a video and step-by-step guide, visit the help section of the license system.
The instructions describe how to:
• Link a youth under 13 years of age with an existing account to your own account
• Create an account for a youth under 13 years of age and then link that account to your own
• Link an account for someone 13 years and older to your account so that you can purchase on their behalfFind out how
Outdoor Indiana features morels
Outdoor Indiana magazine’s Spring issue features a cover story about morel mushrooms and the Hoosier spring ritual of hunting them. The issue also includes features on the family of fish collectively known as suckers, school archery programs, and more.
The issue will soon be available at Indiana State Park Inns across the state for $4. Save money by subscribing for $15 for one year or $28 for two years at ShopINStateParks.com or by calling 317-233-3046.
To read article excerpts, go to OutdoorIndiana.org.
………………………………………………………….