New hunting licenses raise $6 million for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources By Joel Wilcox, THG Outdoors A mistake made by an Indiana Department of Natural Resources employee paid off big this fall as the agency collected an additional $6 million in hunting license fees. Last March, when hastily trying to meet his deadline for publishing this year’s hunting license fees, Indiana DNR publications director Edgar Marcum mistakenly made two new additions to the brochure: a $15 fee to obtain a license to hunt black bear and a similar fee for hunting mountain lions. It seems that Marcum, in a hurry to finish the publication, cut and pasted information from the Montana Department of Natural Resources website onto a Microsoft Word document to save time. He did not proofread the brochure before it went to print. Before the DNR noticed the error, the brochure was in sporting goods stores and taxidermists’ shops around the state. Since Indiana has no mountains and hasn’t had wild bears living in the state for generations, DNR officials decided not to recall the brochures. They thought that Hoosiers would realize that it was indeed an error and ignore those license fees. They had no idea how this mistake would be a tremendous windfall for the cash-strapped agency. When summer rolled around and Indiana hunters started buying their yearly licenses, most immediately noticed the additional black bear and mountain lion licenses that were available. Thousands of hunters purchased these so they could hunt new, more exciting species. “I just figured that bears and mountain lions had been taken off the endangered list or something so we could hunt them,” said Orangeville resident Doug Barnhill. “I was looking forward to bagging one. I already got a mess of deer heads hanging in my living room.” After seeing how much money the new fees were bringing in, the DNR decided to advertise and promote the sale of the licenses. TV and radio stations around the state played commercials touting them. By the time hunting season began, the Indiana DNR had sold a combined 400,000 black bear and mountain lion hunting licenses. It wasn’t until Marcum’s conscience got to him that he went public with the DNR’s secret; there really were no new species roaming the wilds of The Hoosier State. By this time the damage had been done. Hunters were out over $6 million dollars, money that went to the DNR’s general fund. Hunters statewide were outraged, and many threatened legal action. The DNR was undaunted. “We never said there were black bear or mountain lions in our ads,” said DNR director John Bacone, “All we said was that the licenses were available. We violated no laws.” To appease Indiana’s angry hunters, the Department of Natural Resources recently released some of the new species into the wild. Three elderly mountain lions from the Indianapolis Zoo and a dancing black bear named Fluffer from the Hadi Shrine Circus now make their homes in Hoosier National Forest.
This is a crime... Those people responsible for this should be put in Prison. These animals can't even survive in the wild, and what true hunter would want to shoot a pet. This is no mistake... You mistakenly "forget" to add something to a brochure or do a typo. It is impossible to accidently make up to new species and the associated fee's for hunting them. It is also hard to swallow that they "mistakenly" printed licenses and advertised there sale. Residents should boycott license purchases and tell there state representatives they want criminal action taken against the people responsible for the license sales and the release of tame animals that can't survive in the wild.
Tame "dancing" bear & elderly tame lions??? This is the kind of stuff that makes non-hunters turn to anti-hunters. WE GET THE BLACK EYE FOR THIS! Would it be OK for a guide in Iowa to sell elk hunts? If he did, wouldn't he get sued and probably brought up against charges?
Dan this is just crazy and for that Idiot to act like nothing is wrong don't make no sense. I sure hope the people of Indiana do not let this go. T
Though I don't agree with how the IDNR handled it....I kinda find it amusing. Seriously....400,000 licenses were sold for species that don't even exist within the state? Are people really that out of touch with the game species of their own state?
“We never said there were black bear or mountain lions in our ads,” said DNR director John Bacone, “All we said was that the licenses were available. We violated no laws.” PATHETIC excuse for a "director". He should be fired and the SOB that made that publication should be jailed. It is fraud. I am sorry Mr. Director, but tricking people or false advertising IS fraud. "To appease Indiana’s angry hunters, the Department of Natural Resources recently released some of the new species into the wild. Three elderly mountain lions from the Indianapolis Zoo and a dancing black bear named Fluffer from the Hadi Shrine Circus now make their homes in Hoosier National Forest. " Mr. Director....I like the move. I am baiting Fluffer so he leaves the National Forest...KILL
I really really doubt if this story is real. I live in Indiana and this is the first I have heard about it. I am calling bull**** on this story!
Actually the first thing I thought when I read it.....but Mr. Infalt posted it, so I thought maybe it had some legitimacy.
How can you tell when your dealing with a big Indiana Bear? When his head is as big as the wheel on the unicycle he is riding.
My first question to myself was if it was April 1 and I hadn't realized it... wait... when was this posted?
I hate to say it, but if this were true (which I know it is not) there would probably be people buying those licenses if they were made available. A few clicks on the internet and your license is in your hand and a lot of people just don't think things through until it is too late. I read this same story about a different state last year some time.
LMAO!! Logic tells me that this is a BS story. I can see a few hunters buying the tags but not a combined 400,000. Most hunters out that out of touch with the game that is in our states.
Hey Bukmastr, I do a little guiding on the side for Jackalope here in Iowa. Send me a PM and I'll get you set up for a private land trophy hunt. You wont even need to buy a tag! If that doesnt interest you, we have a couple of spots still available for this winters snowsnake roundup.
I think it's pathetic how the DNR handled it. But I think it's even more pathetic that they sold that many tags for Bears and Mountain Lions.
