By Indiana Department of Natural Resources

As summer sun brings you outdoors, you may run into unwanted company in the form of ticks. Ticks can transmit diseases, such as Lyme disease, alpha-gal syndrome, and tularemia, that are harmful to humans and pets. Don’t let ticks “bug” you. When hiking outdoors, follow these simple steps to help stay safe from ticks: Wear light-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs. Use a repellant that contains DEET or another EPA-approved product. Walk near the center of trails and avoid walking through high grass and brush. After enjoying the outdoors, carefully check yourself, small children, and your pets for ticks. The best way to prevent tick-borne illnesses is to prevent the bites of infected ticks. You can do this by avoiding tick habitats, using personal protection methods, and changing the environment to reduce the presence of ticks. CDC Tick Prevention Resources. Before you go outside Know where to expect ticks. Spending time in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas could expose you to ticks. This could include walking your dog, gardening, playing outside, hiking, camping, hunting, or other outdoor activities. Many people get tick bites in their own backyards or neighborhoods. Treat your clothes and outdoor gear with 0.5% permethrin. Permethrin can be used to treat boots, clothing, and camping gear and remains protective through several washings. Permethrin should never be applied directly to the skin. Wear EPA-registered insect repellents. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, para-menthane-diol, or 2-undecanone. Not all repellents are effective against both mosquitoes and ticks. EPA’s helpful search tool can help you find the product that is best for you. Always follow product instructions. Do not use insect repellent on babies younger than 2 months old. Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol on children younger than 3 years old. Reduce the amount of exposed skin. Wearing long sleeves, long pants, hats, socks, and shoes that cover the entire foot will reduce the chance that a tick will be able to attach. Tucking in your shirt and stuffing your pant legs inside the tops of your socks is also recommended. Wearing light-colored clothing may make ticks easier to see and remove. Photo: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While you are outside Reapply insect repellent according to the product instructions. Avoid grassy, brushy, or wooded areas when possible. Walk in the center of marked trails in order to avoid brushing against tall grass and plants. Check clothing and skin frequently for ticks. Tick habitat. Photo: Lee Green, Indiana State Department of Health. After you come inside Dry your clothing to kill ticks. Unattached ticks may be carried into the house on clothing. Immediately disrobing and tumbling dry clothes in a dryer on high heat for 20 minutes is recommended to kill ticks. If the clothes are damp, additional time may be needed. When washing, hot water is recommended because cold or warm water will not kill ticks. Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of coming indoors has been shown to reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tickborne diseases. Showering may help wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check. Check your body for ticks soon after being outdoors. Conduct a full body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas, including your own backyard. Immature ticks are much smaller than adults and can be no larger than a poppy seed. Use a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body. Check these parts of your body and your child’s body for ticks: In and around the hair In and around the ears Under the arms Around the waist Inside belly button Between the legs Back of the knees Examine gear and pets for ticks. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and daypacks. Graphic: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. How to remove an attached tick DO NOT use remedies such as “painting” the tick with nail polish or petroleum jelly or using heat to make the tick detach from the skin. Your goal is to remove the tick as quickly as possible–not wait for it to detach. Here’s how to safely and quickly remove a tick: Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick removal tool to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove mouth parts easily with clean tweezers, leave the area alone and let the skin heal. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water. Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag/container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet. Graphic: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What to do if you feel sick Not everyone who develops a tick-borne illness remembers having a tick bite. If you develop a rash or fever within several weeks of outdoor activity, see your health care provider. Be sure to tell him or her about the nature of your outdoor exposures at home and during travel. How to reduce ticks in your yard While it is not possible to eliminate ticks from grassy, brushy, or woody areas, there are steps you can take to reduce the number of ticks in your yard, including: Promptly remove dead leaves. Clear tall grasses and brush around homes and at the edge of lawns. Place a three-foot wide barrier of wood chips or gravel between lawns and wooded areas to restrict tick migration into recreational areas. Mow the lawn frequently. Stack wood neatly and in a dry area to discourage rodents. Keep playground equipment, decks, and patios away from yard edges and trees. Construct fences to discourage unwelcome animals (such as deer, raccoons, and stray dogs) from entering your yard. Remove old furniture, mattresses, or trash from the yard that may give ticks a place to hide. In severe cases, a single application of insecticide can be effective in reducing ticks on the lawn or in other outdoor areas.  Consult with a licensed pesticide applicator before taking this step. How to prevent ticks on pets Dogs are susceptible to tick bites and tick-borne diseases. Dogs and cats can also bring unattached ticks into your home, placing you at risk for tick bites even if you have not spent any time outdoors. For these reasons, it’s important to use a tick prevention product on your pets. Talk to your veterinarian about: How tick-borne illnesses could affect your pets’ health The best tick prevention products for your pets To further reduce the chances that a tick bite will make your pet sick: Check your pets for ticks daily, especially after they spend time outdoors. If you find a tick on your pet, remove it right away. Reduce tick habitats in your yard. Note: Cats are extremely sensitive to a variety of chemicals. Do not apply tick prevention products to your cats without first consulting with your veterinarian. Graphic: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

 The importance of mental health is recognized today more than ever. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an important time set aside to spotlight mental health issues, combat stigmas surrounding mental health conditions and to assess the status of one’s own mental health.

“Paying attention to our mental health is a practice we all need to develop,” said Sheriff Brent Miller. “The fact is, mental health is every bit as important to our well-being as physical health.”

Mental Health Awareness Month began as a national observance in 1949 with the goal of raising awareness of the importance of mental well-being. 

While great strides have been made regarding attitudes toward mental health, the truth is many Americans don’t have access to the care they need. Here are some sobering statistics regarding mental health in America from the National Council for Mental Wellbeing:

• 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year.

• Only 47.2% of adults with mental illness received treatment in 2021.

• 1 in 20 adults experience serious mental illness each year.

• Only 65.4% of adults with serious mental illness received treatment in 2021.

• 1 in 6 U.S. youth have a mental health condition, but only half receive treatment.

• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14 and 75% by age 24.

“Millions of Americans struggle with mental health issues each year,” said Sheriff Miller. “It’s important to foster dialogues and approach the issue with empathy and understanding. There should be no guilt or shame associated with mental health conditions which are common, manageable, and treatable.”

The 2024 theme for Mental Health Awareness Month is “Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World.”

Mental Health America notes that the world is constantly changing, and it can be overwhelming to deal with everything going on around you.

MHA stresses that it is never too soon to seek treatment for your mental health. Getting help early saves lives.

The following are important mental health resources:

• SAMHSA’s National Helpline is a 24/7 treatment referral and information service

• Mental Health America Screenings provide a free, anonymous way to determine if someone is experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. Take the test at mhascreening.org

Indiana State Park Inn summer lodging savings

Stay two or more consecutive nights, and receive 25% off your stay May 27 through Aug. 29, 2024. Certain property specific restrictions may apply. Reserve today by calling 1.877.LODGES1 or reserve at IndianaInns.com.

Wearing a life jacket could save your loved one's life

Wearing a life jacket could prevent most loss-of-life tragedies that happen in the water.

A large percentage of drowning victims are over the age of 20. Life jackets are for everyone.

DNR encourages everyone to learn to swim, but a life jacket is still the best option to prevent drowning.

Altered winner: Frog Baby Fountain on campus of Ball State University by Tim Underhill of Muncie

DNR announces winners of historic photo contest

The DNR Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology has announced the winners of its annual Historic Preservation Month photo contest.

Gov. Holcomb cuts ribbon on 100th mile of Next Level Trails

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb on April 30 joined the DNR, the town of Merrillville, and the Lake County Parks and Recreation Department to celebrate the official opening of the recently completed C&O Trail. The new trail marks the 100th mile of trail built under the Next Level Trails program (NLT).

To date, NLT has awarded $180 million to 89 projects across the state. Of these NLT projects, 34 are already completed, contributing 100 miles of trail since the program's inception. Several projects are under construction, with many more scheduled to break ground later this year.

Chain O'Lakes State Park

Get your summer passes and permits

To visit state parks properties frequently or to launch your boat in DNR waters, get your yearly passes and permits now. Available for purchase online:

• Annual state park entrance pass
• Golden Hoosier entrance pass
• Motorized lake permit
• Non-motorized lake permit
• Annual horse tag
• Off-road cycling permit

2024-25 Migratory bird hunting seasons announced

Indiana’s migratory bird hunting seasons for 2024-25 have been submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The hunting seasons include those for mourning dove, waterfowl (i.e., ducks, coots, mergansers, and geese), woodcock, snipe, and sora rails.

New this year, the white-fronted goose season and bag limit are separate from other geese. The white-fronted goose season is closed during the Canada goose season segment in September, but it is open at the same time as for the other geese later in the season. The daily bag limit is two white-fronted geese.

Hike Pisgah Marsh Nature Preserve on June 15

An Indiana birdwatcher’s hidden treasure, Pisgah Marsh includes grassland, marsh, lake, and upland habitat. Pisgah Marsh, just east of Warsaw, is an ecologically sensitive, geologically significant, and biologically diverse area accessible via a boardwalk. 

Two state-endangered species are found there, the massasauga rattlesnake and Blanding’s turtle. The wetland and upland areas also provide habitat for migratory waterfowl, sandhill cranes, beavers, rails, squirrels, raccoons, and deer. 

The Pisgah Marsh boardwalk and golden eagle viewing deck were constructed to provide guests the opportunity to experience and understand the natural habitat and diversity of the marsh while protecting the habitat.

National Fishing and Boating Week and Free Fishing Days

Celebrate National Fishing and Boating Week, June 1-9, with a fishing trip. What better way to celebrate than taking your family, friends, and neighbors out on the water? Indiana residents who fish on June 1-2 don’t need a fishing license or trout/salmon stamp to fish on state waters, as these days are Free Fishing Days.

Keep in mind that all other rules such as seasons, bag, and size limits still apply on Free Fishing Days. Explore the outdoors today.

DNR seeks State Fair Fishin’ Pond volunteers

DNR is seeking volunteers to help ensure the Fishin’ Pond runs smoothly. With four different volunteer positions available, we have the perfect opportunity for you. Volunteers receive free admission to the fair on the day of their shift, a free T-shirt, and the opportunity to fish with kids for a few hours at the pond.

Several more McCormick’s Creek State Park trails reopen Friday 

Several trails at McCormick’s Creek State Park will reopen Friday, May 24 after being closed for clearing of downed trees after last year’s March 31 tornado.

Through the efforts of DNR staff and volunteers from Team Rubicon, trail access has increased from 3.6 miles to 7.1 miles since the fall of 2023. Team Rubicon is a veteran-led humanitarian organization that serves global communities before, during, and after disasters.

The reopened hiking trails are trails 2 and 3, and the Bridle Trail is reopened for hiking only, as the saddle barn will be closed during the 2024 season for pasture restoration and barn maintenance.

Turtle traffic: Saving turtles from roads

This summer, you may see turtles crossing roadways to find places to nest. Here’s how you can safely lend a helping hand:

• Do not remove turtles from the area, as they will seek to return to their home range, even if it means spending the rest of their life trying. If it is safe to do so, you can move turtles off the roadway in the same direction in which they were already heading. Move them by grasping the back of the top shell.
  
  
• If you see a snapping turtle trying to cross the road, be aware that grabbing a snapping turtle’s tail can damage its spine. To keep yourself and the snapping turtle safe, hold it by the top back of its shell and leverage it upward.

One million trees planted

Gov. Eric J. Holcomb celebrated the historic milestone of the DNR planting one million trees throughout Indiana in five years by planting a tree on the Statehouse lawn on April 26. 

The tree Gov. Holcomb planted, a cucumber magnolia, is native to southern Indiana. The 12-foot tree was grown on Clark State Forest. A plaque next to the tree recognizes the achievement of planting one million trees over five years.

Today, the state is home to 4.8 million acres of forestland, including 160,000 acres across Indiana State Forests.

Enhanced fishing opportunities at Griffy Lake 

After a year of planning, Bloomington Parks and Recreation has collaborated with DNR to plan, fund, obtain permits, and install fish habitat structures in Griffy Lake in Bloomington. 

Structures were installed near the five fishing bump outs on the accessible walkway that extends a quarter mile across the causeway. The location of the Griffy Lake habitat placement can be found online on DNR’s statewide fish habitat map.

Lake Michigan angler catches state record yellow perch

Blas Lara was fishing Lake Michigan in Lake County during the Mayor’s Fishing Derby in Hammond on April 21 when he landed a 3-pound, 2-ounce yellow perch, shattering a 43-year-old Indiana state record. 

Yellow perch are native to Lake Michigan and popular with anglers due to the relative ease of catching them and their high quality as table fare. 

To learn more about the Indiana Record Fish program, see on.IN.gov/recordfish.

Indiana Conservation Officer K-9 School graduation

Four K-9 teams were recognized for completing the DNR Division of Law Enforcement’s nine-week K-9 Resource Protection program during a graduation ceremony held May 23. The teams came from Indiana and Arkansas.

K-9 teams provide conservation officers an essential tool to help stop poaching, to find concealed game and firearms, and to find shell casings in road hunting and hunting-with-a-spotlight cases. K-9 teams are used to find lost hunters as well as poachers who have tried to hide from officers. 

Because of their unique abilities, K-9 units are often requested by other state and local law enforcement agencies for help in locating evidence, missing persons, or fleeing felons.

At least one K-9 unit serves in each of the 10 Indiana DNR Law Enforcement districts. 

Many pools and beaches to open this weekend

Get ready to cool off, Hoosiers. DNR public swimming pools in Indiana State Parks will open soon, as will DNR swimming beaches.

Beaches generally remain open through Labor Day. Public pools generally are open through early to mid-August, depending on the availability of lifeguards as they return to school. 

For public pool or beach hours at the property you plan to visit, contact the property directly since these vary by location. Directory information is at stateparks.IN.gov.

Participate in research for chronic wasting disease management

Researchers at Purdue are studying the willingness of hunters and non-hunters to reduce the spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in white-tailed deer.

Information collected may help inform DNR’s response to CWD. Participants will answer online survey questions and use a web app that shows how CWD may spread. The activity and survey questions take about 30 minutes to complete. The study is open to everyone 18 years or older. Participate in the study online.

For questions about this study, please email the research team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Please reference the following in the email: Study title - Web App Use and Intention to Reduce Chronic Wasting Disease Spread; Principal Investigator – Dr. Patrick Zollner; IRB Number – IRB-2023-1039.

Attention Father’s Day Shoppers

Dad wants Outdoor Indiana magazine. Buy him a gift subscription or get one for yourself at shopINstateparks.com. View excerpts of the May-June issue at OutdoorIndiana.org.  

 

Resources For Indiana Artists

How to Talk About Your Art in a Grant Application
Are you an artist applying for a grant? It can be challenging to capture the emotional depth of your work in a grant application, especially with limited space. Learn how to navigate the world of grant applications with these tips from fellow creatives! Read recommendations on how to frame your work to resonate with potential funders in a blog post from Fractured Atlas.

Free Legal Assistance for Artists and Small Arts Organizations
Pro Bono Indiana’s (IndianaLegalHelp.org) Lawyers for the Arts project provides legal assistance at no cost to artists and small arts organizations. To obtain help, please call 812.402.6303. Calls from artists and small arts organizations are taken on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. (Central Time). Support for this service is provided by the Indiana Bar Foundation.

Accessibility in the Arts
Are you an artist with a project, program, or event accessible to the public? Physical and programmatic accessibility is an integral part of the planning and budgeting processes. Ensure that persons with disabilities will be able to participate in your offerings! Learn more about making the arts accessible to all.

Dates and opportunities to keep an eye on:

• (May 23) Midwest Award for Artists with Disabilities Application Deadline
• (May 29) Zionsville Cultural District RFP for Muralist
• (May 31) "I" Am Allen Bicentennial Legacy Sculpture Project
• (May 31) Carmel International Arts Festival Entry Deadline
• (June 1) Jazz Road Tours Grant Application Deadline
• (June 1) Indiana Soybean Alliance Art Competition Entry Deadline
• (June 14) New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art Exhibition Proposals
• (June 28) SAMHSA Art of Recovery Submission Deadline
• (July 16) Brown County Playhouse Mural Call for Entry