State park unveils 7 Vista Challenge

Brown County State Park, in partnership with the Brown County Visitors Bureau and the Friends of Brown County State Park group, as created the 7 Vista Challenge. It takes visitors on a quest to find the most beautiful view in the park by visiting seven different vistas, or overlooks.

Those who complete the challenge will get a free 7 Vista Challenge sticker and can purchase a challenge T-shirt at Abe Martin Lodge and the Nature Center in the park and at the Brown County Visitors Center in Nashville.

The 7 Vista Challenge begins at the West Lookout Tower and ends at Hohen Point. All seven vistas can be accessed by driving or riding on park roads. Details about each stop, as well as a map of the challenge, can be found at 7vistachallenge.com.

The challenge takes about an hour by car and two hours by bicycle. To prove they completed the challenge, visitors must take seven photos, one at each vista, and show them to the staff at the Nature Center, Abe Martin Lodge, or Brown County Visitors Center. At each of the selected vistas, there will be a sign attached to a picture frame. Participants should take a picture of the view through each frame or of themselves in each frame to get credit. The seven vistas are

• West Lookout Tower
• Hesitation Point
• Friends Trail Vista
• Weedpatch Vista
• Nature Center Vista
• Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Vista
• Hohen Point Vista

Brown County State Park’s challenge joins challenges at seven other state parks: the 3 Dunes Challenge at Indiana Dunes, 4 Falls Challenge at Clifty Falls, 5 Mile Challenge at Turkey Run, 6 Ravine Challenge at Shades, 9 Lake Challenge at Chain O’Lakes, 10 Mile Challenge at Spring Mill and Hell’s Point Challenge at Pokagon. For more information about each of these challenges, visit dnr.IN.gov/healthy.

DNR confirms bear near Clark County

CLARK COUNTY — A black bear has been confirmed by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife to be wandering north of Prospect, Kentucky, near Clark County in Indiana.

Because bears are strong swimmers, Indiana Department of Natural Resources is warning Indiana residents the bear may cross the Ohio River into the Hoosier state. According to DNR nongame mammalogist Brad Westrich, the sighting is not a cause for alarm but a time to prepare so negative interactions with the bear can be avoided.

“We are fortunate that a confirmed sighting was made just across our state line,” Westrich said. “This sighting provides an opportunity for Hoosiers in the area to secure outdoor grills, trashcans, or pet and bird food. Black bears prefer to avoid humans, and removing potential food sources goes a long way to prevent negative interactions.”

Report any sightings of a bear using the DNR’s large mammal report form, on.IN.gov/largemammal, or by calling DNR Law Enforcement at 812-837-9536. Observations with evidence such as photos, video, tracks or scat may require a follow-up visit by a DNR biologist for confirmation.

State tree nursery will pay for collected seeds

Indiana’s state tree nursery in Vallonia will pay people to collect certain tree seed throughout the state if the seeds meet Indiana Department of Natural Resources specifications.

Each year, the nurseries, part of the DNR Division of Forestry, plant millions of seeds to produce tree and shrub seedlings for conservation planting within the state. Much of the seed the nurseries use is supplied by collectors from all over the state.

DNR Forestry pays seed collectors on the basis of “pure live seed.” That means the seeds must be from the required tree species, and cannot be infected with disease or infested with insects.

Pay ranges from about 1 to 3 cents per seed.

Seed collection dates are as follows:

• Tulip tree: Sept. 7 through Oct. 25
• Persimmon: Sept. 15 through Sept. 28
• Shagbark hickory: Sept. 17 through Nov. 10
• Chinkapin oak: Sept. 20 through Nov. 12
• Red oak: Sept. 20 through Nov. 24
• White oak: Sept. 23 through Nov. 10
• Shellbark hickory: Sept. 27 through Nov. 10
• Swamp white oak: Sept. 27 through Nov. 12
• Black oak: Sept. 28 through Nov. 11
• Swamp chestnut oak: Sept. 30 through Nov. 3
• Black walnut: Oct. 1 through Oct. 14
• Bur oak: Oct. 1 through Nov. 29
• Pin oak: Oct. 4 through Nov. 11

Some pointers for collecting:

• Always call first to see if the seeds you plan to collect are still needed.
• Collect only seeds and fruit — no leaves, sticks or trash.
• Keep species separate. If you’re not certain that two (or more) trees are the same species, keep them in separate containers.
• If you are not certain if you have the proper species, email a photo of the seed/fruit, leaves, bark and twigs to the address below for identification.
• Most of the listed species are ripe and ready to collect when they fall off the tree.
• Healthy acorns (with the exception of bur oak) will fall free of the cap. Keep the seeds/fruit cool until you can deliver it to the office. An air-conditioned basement is good for a short period of time.

Contact the Vallonia Nursery at 812-358-3621 or [email protected] for more information.

Report sick or dead wildlife on new site

Indiana DNR has launched a new website for public reporting of sick or dead wildlife.

The new online tool is designed to collect information about Indiana wildlife that appears sick or has died without an apparent cause. Reports are added to an active database that helps DNR track wildlife health over time and detect disease outbreaks. The form can be found at on.IN.gov/sickwildlife.

Residents are encouraged to report fish or wildlife displaying odd behavior or signs of disease. The information gathered from this website allows biologists to monitor diseases that may be affecting fish or wildlife in the state, including epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), avian cholera and white-nose syndrome, among others. A biologist may contact the reporter if a sample for disease testing is needed.

The DNR is especially interested in:

• Incidents involving the death of five or more animals.
• Recurring deaths of animals in the same location over a period of time.
• Deer with signs that may indicate chronic wasting disease (CWD) such as emaciation, staggering or standing with poor posture, salivating excessively, or carrying their head and ears lower than normal. More information about CWD can be found at IN.gov/cwd.
• Deer with signs that may indicate EHD such as death in or near water, loss of appetite and wariness, swelling around the head and neck, increased respiration rate, excessive salivation, rosy or bluish color of mouth and tongue. Learn more about EHD at IN.gov/8541.htm.
• Incidents involving threatened or endangered species, regardless of the cause of death or the number of animals involved.