SERVING HENDRICKS COUNTY SINCE 1847
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We offer Voices as a place to share a story, a memory, an idea, a comment, a criticism, or a solution. Contributors must include name, address & phone number.
Hunting Tips & Reflections By Mike E. Neilson Mike Neilson, longtime Danville High School teacher and longtime hunting enthusiast is sharing his hunting experience with our readers. He’s also shared his knowledge in book form with Class Dismissed: I’m Going Hunting! (2004); We’re Gonna Need More Arrows!: Hunting Adventurs Around the Country and Around the World (2009); and Pig Tails and Other Hunting Adventures (2014) ______________________________________________
The Republican
Voices Exploring Hendricks County
By Jackie Horn Jackie Horn and her husband, John, transplanted from Warsaw to Plainfield to be near family. An Advanced Indiana Master Naturalist, Jackie is a retired substitute teacher who continues to teach (and learn) about all things outdoors. John is a retired CNC programmer and the photographer on the team. The Horns enjoy traveling, walking, hiking, kayaking, and bicycling.
Squirrel Season
Note: With humble apologies to our friend “Archy”, this article references his wilder cousins out in the Indiana woods and NOT the local town celebrities. It’s August and that can only mean one thing for guys like me: squirrel season. Every August 15th for as long as I can remember has been the traditional opening day to hunting squirrels. Even in my advanced age, I still get a kick out of heading to the woods to try my hand at hunting these tree rats. Heck, I was out in the woods on opening day this year! Why hunt squirrels? Well first of all, they taste great. Secondly, those little buggers are the bane of deer hunters. I don’t know how many times I’ve looked behind me thinking a deer is slipping by only to be greeted by an obnoxious tree rat. Thirdly, squirrels are a great game animal to introduce new hunters to the sport. The weather is great, the game abundant, and a mentor can control the shooting situation so that it’s safe and ethical for a shot. Fourthly, you get a great yoga stretch constantly looking up, contorting your body to peak around tree trunks trying to spot a tree rat before they spot you. And I’m sure there are even more reasons that just don’t come to mind. Indiana has two species of squirrels that are huntable. The first, and most common around here, is the fox squirrel (Sciurus Niger for my friends that read Latin). These big bushytails love the Indiana hardwoods. In the early season I’ve had the most success near walnut trees, but oaks and hickory will attract squirrels as well. I listen to the tree rats either jumping from limb to limb or “cutting” a nut for a meal. Once I hone-in on a squirrel, I’ll slip through the woods and look for movement in the tree or nut debris falling. Early in the season, it can be difficult to pinpoint a squirrel due to the heavy leaf foliage. The other species in Indiana is the gray squirrel (Sciurus Carolinensis, again for my Latin reading friends). These litter buggers prefer the larger woods north, south and west of Hendricks County. I’m sure there are some around here, I’ve just never seen them. I’ve seen the black phase of the gray squirrel in the town of Auburn in northeast Indiana. I’ve never seen them in an area I can hunt but they sure our cool. Currently, flying squirrels are protected so Rocket J. Squirrel (Rocky from Rocky and Bullwinkle) is safe from hunters. Piney (red) squirrels are also around. The hunting regs only mention fox and grays as huntable species. The piney is so small they wouldn’t make a mouthful and not being mentioned in the regulations, I’d leave them alone and concentrate on their cousins, the fox and gray squirrels. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our unique town squirrels. A few years ago, there was a white fox squirrel that hung around the houses from the town library south to the government center. It was not a true albino because the eyes were not red. I have not seen that critter in a few years. I started my teaching career at Danville in the late 80’s, splitting my time between the old middle school in Hargrave Hall and the high school. Looking out the windows of my classroom in Hargrave, I was entertained by the golden tailed fox squirrels that called the trees around the building home. There were several around there and I was sure somebody had caught a family of squirrels and dipped their tails in bleach. Gear First and foremost, bug spray! Ticks, chiggers, no-seeums, mosquitos, and deer flies will drive you crazy if you don’t bring something to deter these beasts. Hunters take squirrels with either a .22 rifle or a shotgun. A few of us will even use bows and arrows on occasion. Some die-hard squirrel hunters will also use dogs to hunt the tree rats. I’ve never used dogs for squirrels, but I’d be game to give it a try. Heck, I even used a squirrel call back when I was a kid. Okay, it really didn’t sound that much like a barking squirrel but a guys gotta try. Whatever weapon of choice you use or style of hunting, be proficient, take responsible shots and know your effective range. Camouflage clothing isn’t necessary but since most hunters have a plethora of it in their hunting wardrobe, why not use it. However, be aware that during deer firearms season, squirrel hunters are required to wear hunter orange. Check out the rules and regulations to stay safe and legal. A great, sharp knife is a must for skinning and gutting squirrels. For a small critter, they have one of the toughest hides to take off. I’ve tried a lot of different ways and including an air hose but the best I’ve found is using a scalpel or a Havalon type knife. However you hunt them, whenever you hunt them, tree rats, I mean squirrels, are a great game animal to hunt either as a new hunter or a veteran. Enjoy the challenge, enjoy the outdoors and best of luck this season.
Thursday, August 19, 2021
All the Buzz Lately, there’s been a lot of “buzz” about protecting pollinators. Plants in garden center sport labels announcing “Attracts pollinators.” Roadside signs warn against spraying in the area as it’s a pollinator protection zone. So what’s a Pollinator and why is it important? Pollinators are animals that move pollen from plant to plant allowing for fertilization. Fertilization is required to produce fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. Without pollinators, approximately one-third of the foods we enjoy would be eliminated. Poof! Insects are the most important pollinators with bees earning the title “Most Important.”. In fact, almost 100% of almonds are fertilized by honey bees. Butterflies and hummingbirds are two favorite pollinators because of their beauty but beetles, flies, bats, and even lemurs are also necessary to various plants’ survival and reproduction. Pollinators became a concern over the last several years as bee populations were threatened by Colony Collapse Disorder. Monarch butterflies qualified as an Endangered Species. Hummingbird populations have been declining since the late 1990s. How can a concerned person help protect and encourage pollinators?
Plant a garden. It’s too late this year, but never too early to start planning for next year. Most people think they need to plant only flowers to attract pollinators but vegetables work too. Swallowtail butterflies love carrots, dill, and fennel. Bees are drawn to squash blossoms, peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, and most fruit trees and berry bushes.
A Note From Bee I have seen several produce stands offering tomatoes for canning and corn for freezing. That reminds me of my canning and freezing days probably forty years ago. Those days at most lasted five years. For lack of a better phrase I was a token canner. I greatly admired people who canned enough food for the whole year. I canned green beans (maybe 18 quarts in a summer, bread and butter pickles and 1 canner of hot pepper mix. Oh I almost forgot , I tried making jelly a couple of times. I could never make it jell. I froze corn (got 5 or six bags a summer). It was a very messy job. I think I got the idea to can when I belonged to a Homemakers group and there was a lesson on canning. My grandmother canned before I was born. My mother never canned. The first thing I bought was the Ball Canning Book (the Bible for canners). From the book I learned all the other things I needed to can, pressure cooker, water bath, jars. I was ready to CAN. The first time I canned green beans. I finished at 2 a.m. but I was so proud. I left it on the counter for a week for everyone to admire. The reason I only made the hot pepper mix once was because I did not pay attention to the warning, WEAR GLOVES WHEN CUTTING UP BANANA PEPPERS. I started cutting up the peppers and didn’t notice any burning. A few hours later I felt like my hands were on fire. I was so desperate to stop the pain. I almost went to the ER. I was so desperate to stop the pain. I almost went to the ER. I decided to call Poison Control first. They said there was an oil on the peppers and I needed to break it down. I should start washing my hands with detergent that did the trick. I decided because of that incident and other reasons, I would stop canning. Bee Jones _____________________________________________
Just add water. Much like songbirds, insects need water. I put a clean sponge in a shallow dish or saucer of water for the butterflies and bees. Consider adding a rock to your birdbath so the critters can “rest” while getting a drink. We don’t want to drown them. A little bit goes a long way. Think about limiting the use of pesticides. Butterflies and bees are insects so it would make sense that insecticides can kill them. If there’s controversy about the danger to humans about the use of RoundUp and other herbicides, how much would it take to make a tiny hummingbird sick? Just sayin’. Shelter from the storm. Hedges, shrubs, trees, an old log, a wood or compost pile are all potential home sites for pollinators.
Less lawn work. Do you REALLY enjoy mowing the yard? Instead of a perfectly manicured lawn, maybe let some of it “go wild”. Letting the grass grow a bit longer between cuttings allows pollinating insects more opportunity to do their work. And those dandelions, think of them as wildflowers, not weeds. Caught your attention and you want to learn more? There are LOADS of websites dealing with attracting and protecting pollinators. Google it. If something more Hands-On is what you’re looking for, Hendricks County Parks has just the thing! McCloud Park’s Bee Fest is Saturday, August 28th from 1-4 p.m. Local beekeepers will be there to teach beekeeping basics and answer questions. The Bee House will be open for viewing an active hive. Kids will enjoy the games and crafts. It promises to be fun and educational for the entire family. Best of all, it’s FREE. Buzz on over and Bee Happy!
A Squirrel About Town By Archy “Anchors,” the squirrel said. Archy unilaterally decided to arrange our discussion topics alphabetically. It usually takes me a few seconds to adapt to his train of thought. “Literal, figurative or combination?” I asked. “All of the above,” he said, trying not to giggle. “It seems humans tend to use the word in multiple ways.” “You mean ‘anchor’ can be something that ties you down or something that gives you limits.” “Precisely,” Archy said. “It can mean danger or safety. The way some people see religion as an anchor in a world they see as evil. But an anchor can keep you from finding other things that can lead to good.” I asked what kind of anchors he observed in humanity. “Anchors can be people, your family or your friends, when they give you a feeling of consistency at times when the world doesn’t make sense,” the squirrel said. “They can also be something that holds you back, from reaching your potential. You’ve heard husbands talk about their wives as “the old ball-and-chain.” They convince themselves that another person is keeping them from doing what they want, when they really use that as an excuse for not having good sense.” I looked at the court house behind us. “That’s an anchor, too, isn’t it?” Archy nodded. “Yes, it’s a community anchor, one that keeps the town centered, even as it slowly spreads in all directions. Some towns are trying to create a new center in the midst of sprawl, but it doesn’t work as well as building from the center, with roots that grow over time.” I asked Archy what his anchor was. “Reason,” he said. And as always, the squirrel was right. ______________________________________________
