PETITION FOR LESS RESTRICTIVE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT PLAN

We, the undersigned, petition the Salamonie Property Manager, Indiana Department of Natural Resources, State Fish & Game Biologists, and any parties responsible for the implementation of the Small Game Management Areas on Areas 3 and 30 of the Salamonie Reservior to suspend said actions and to consider alternative methods of reaching their goals for Area 3 and 30.
We feel that the restrictions place on the actual users of the affected areas are too restrictive and penalize those who are, by way of taxes, paying for the areas and the DNRs efforts. We would like the opportunity to have input into any changes and free access to the areas.

Mr. Tyson Edwards, the property manager at SALAMONIE RESERVOIR, is attempting to make extremely restricive rules for use of areas 3 and 30 on the SALAMONIE RESERVOIR in Wabash, County, INDIANA.

He is attempting to implement what he calls a SMALL GAME MANAGEMENT AREA. It consists of 840 acres known as areas 3 and 30 -- located on the SOUTHWEST corner of the SALAMONIE RESERVOIR, from the DORA BOAT RAMP to a mile south.  His intended actions include the following restrictions on the public.

**Running dogs, training, and all hunting on these areas will OUTLAWED for 11 months of the year.

**Those activities will not be permitted during any time other than only 30 days of the open season.

**Those30 days of hunting use are to be Nov. 15 to Dec. 15, only -- all hunting/dog training use will be closed by Dec. 15.

**Interested hunters/dog trainers must go to the Property Manager's office twice per week to register for a drawing to see if they can use the land at all. If drawn for a different day than the one you registered for, you must come back on the day you were drawn for.

**No more than three hunting parties of four hunters per day on the entire 840 acres.

**Everyone must be off the areas by 5PM each day.

We feel that these restrictions are so severe that they effectively shut area 3 and 30 off to hunters.  DNR had a newspaper article written telling what they felt was the plus side of this action -- they DID NOT inform the public of the negative points.

We are convinced that the actual results of this action will ultimately lead to a downward spirall of less access by the public on the land we pay to support. Tyson Edwards, the property manager at SALAMONIE, has a track record of trying to impede the hunter's use of State grounds. We are attempting to force DNR to look at alternatives to their activities in this regard so that free and open access is maintained on SALAMONIE and ALL STATE GROUND -- for all citizens.

Our Heritage is at stake and we would sincerely appreciate your support
in keeping the Salamonie open to the public!

Thank you for your time.