Jasper-Pulaski Fish and Wildlife Area is a hunting & fishing wildlife area administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resource's Division of Fish & Wildlife. The Division of Fish & Wildlife is dedicated to providing a quality hunting & fishing area while maintaining 8,179 acres of wetland, upland and woodland game habitat.
The property's suitable habitat also provides an ideal stopover for migratory birds, such as the more than 10,000 sandhill cranes that stop during fall migration.
The office for this property is located Medaryville, in northwestern Indiana. The property itself spans three counties: the majority of the land is in both northwestern Pulaski County & northeastern Jasper County, with a small area of land jutting into southwestern Starke County. The property is split by time zone lines both north/south and east/west at the county lines as Jasper County and Starke County utilize Central Time whereas Pulaski County utilizes Eastern Time. Approximately 55% of the property is in the Central Time Zone and the other 45% is in the Eastern Time Zone.
The widely used Jasper-Pulaski Shooting Range, is physically in Walker Township which is considered unincorporated Wheatfield, in Jasper County. The physical/911 address for the shooting range is 4106 E. 850 N. Wheatfield, IN. The shooting range sits in the Central Time Zone. The archery range is located on County Road 1650 W in Medaryville, just north of the Sandhill Crane Observation Area.
The time zone line which runs north and south along the Jasper-Pulaski County border splits the property nearly in half from east to west. The time zone line runs through the pasture where the cranes tend to gather. The western half of the property is in Jasper County, utilizing Central Time with much of the eastern portion of the property being in Pulaski County which uses Eastern Time. The time zone line that runs through the property from east to west separating the eastern portion of the property on the Pulaski & Starke County borders. The northeast portion of the property is in Starke County, IN. Starke County, like Jasper County, utilizes the Central Time Zone.
The shooting range and the archery range are both open to the public, each with no fees and each with their own check-in areas. While there are no fees for hunting, fishing, use of the shooting or archery ranges, or just stopping by to catch a glimpse of the sandhill cranes, all property users are required to sign in prior to using the property. The self-service sign-in for all activities other than the shooting range and archery range is located in the main parking lot and is open 24/7.
In addition to state fish and wildlife laws, this property is governed by posted regulations affecting the public use of lands and facilities owned, leased or licensed by the Department of Natural Resources. Parking is available throughout the property with signage designating appropriate parking throughout the property.
Pulaski County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. According to the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 12,514. The county seat is Winamac.
Jasper County is a county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 32,918. The county seat is Rensselaer.
Medaryville is a town in White Post Township, Pulaski County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 614 at the 2010 census.
San Pierre is a census-designated place (CDP) in Railroad Township, Starke County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 144 at the 2010 census.
The whooping crane is the tallest North American bird, named for its whooping sound. It is an endangered crane species. Along with the sandhill crane, it is one of only two crane species native to North America. The whooping crane's lifespan is estimated to be 22 to 24 years in the wild. After being pushed to the brink of extinction by unregulated hunting and loss of habitat to just 21 wild and two captive whooping cranes by 1941, conservation efforts have led to a partial recovery. The total number of cranes in the surviving migratory population, plus three reintroduced flocks and in captivity, exceeds 800 birds as of 2020.
The Kankakee River is a tributary of the Illinois River, approximately 133 miles (214 km) long, in the Central Corn Belt Plains of northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois in the United States. At one time, the river drained one of the largest wetlands in North America and furnished a significant portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Significantly altered from its original channel, it flows through a primarily rural farming region of reclaimed cropland, south of Lake Michigan.
Northwest Indiana, nicknamed The Region after the Calumet Region, comprises Lake, Porter, LaPorte, and Newton counties in Indiana. This region neighbors Lake Michigan and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. According to the 2020 Census, Northwest Indiana has a population of 831,080 and is the state's second largest urban area after the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area. It is also the home of the Indiana Dunes, parts of which have been preserved through conservation efforts. The town of Ogden Dunes houses the Hour Glass, a museum showcasing the ecological and conservation efforts of O. D. Frank.
The U.S. state of Indiana is divided into Eastern and Central time zones. The official dividing line has generally moved progressively west from its original location on the Indiana–Ohio border, to a position dividing Indiana down the middle, and finally to its current location along much of the Indiana–Illinois border. In April 2006, several southwestern and northwestern counties reverted to Central time, although by late 2007 all but two had returned to Eastern time.
Kankakee Township is one of thirteen townships in Jasper County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 988 and it contained 410 housing units.
Walker Township is one of thirteen townships in Jasper County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,663 and it contained 1,356 housing units.
White Post Township is one of twelve townships in Pulaski County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 1,075 and it contained 474 housing units. The township is an almost precise 6 mile by 6 mile square; 36.46 square miles and runs from the intersection of County Road 200N and County Road CR1700W southwards along CR1700W to CR400S thence east to CR 1100W thence north to CR200N and finally back west to the origin.
The Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge located 3 miles east of Seymour, Indiana, on U.S. Route 50. Established in 1966, it comprises 7,802 acres in its main area of eastern Jackson and western Jennings counties, and an additional 78 acres (32 ha) in northwestern Monroe County, near Bloomington, Indiana, known as the "Restle Unit". It was established thanks to the selling of Federal Migratory Waterfowl Stamps, commonly known as Duck Stamps, by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. It was Indiana's first National Wildlife Refuge. The name comes from the Muscatatuck River, which means "land of winding waters".
Willow Slough Fish and Wildlife Area is an area in Newton County, Indiana dedicated to providing hunting and fishing opportunities while maintaining 9,956 acres (40.29 km2), 1,800 of which are open water, marshes, and flooded crop land.
Charlie Elliot Wildlife Center is a nature preserve located near Mansfield, Georgia, United States. Named after Charles Newton Elliott (1906–2000), the nature preserve has 6,400 acres (26 km2) of forests, lakes, and fields, which are managed by Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The Wildlife Center includes Marben Public Fishing area, the Charlie Elliott Conference Center and Banquet Hall, Visitors' Center and Museum, and Clybel Wildlife Management Area.
Winamac Fish and Wildlife Area is a protected area dedicated to providing hunting and fishing opportunities while maintaining 4,770 acres (1,930 ha) of oak forest and upland fields. It is located on U.S. Route 35, north of Winamac, Indiana.
Kingsbury Fish and Wildlife Area is a protected area that covers 7,120 acres (2,880 ha) of grasslands, wetlands, and crop fields dedicated to providing hunting and fishing opportunities. It is located south on County Road 650W, near Kingsbury, Indiana.
Tri-County Fish and Wildlife Area is a protected area that covers 3,569 acres (1,444 ha) and is dedicated to providing hunting and fishing opportunities for the public. It is located between Indiana State Road 13 and State Route 5, northeast of Warsaw, IN.
Pigeon River Fish and Wildlife Area is a protected area that covers 12,134 acres (4,910 ha) and is dedicated to providing hunting and fishing opportunities. The area includes 529 acres (214 ha) of lakes and 17 miles (27 km) along the Pigeon River. It is located on Indiana State Road 3, near Mongo in Lagrange County, Indiana. The Fish and Wildlife Area contains Tamarack Bog Nature Preserve, a 150-acre (61 ha) wetland parcel that has been designated as a National Natural Landmark.
J.E. Roush Fish and Wildlife Area is an area dedicated to providing hunting and fishing opportunities while maintaining 8,217 acres (3,325 ha), 870 acres (350 ha) of which are water of J.E. Roush Lake. It is located along U.S. Route 224 east of Huntington, Indiana. Water levels of the flood control reservoir are maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
