I wish someone from the Deartment of Natural Resources would explain the logic behind this law, because I sure don't understand it:
A northern Indiana man who allegedly shot a 42-inch-long muskie with a bow and arrow could face formal charges for killing the fish.
Cory Barnett, 23, of Elkhart, was cited by State Conservation officers with taking a game fish by an illegal method. The Elkhart County prosecutor's office is considering whether to formally charge Barnett in the incident.
[. . .]
Bow fishing is a legal fishing method in Indiana, but the only fish that may be kept while bow fishing are suckers, carp, gar, bowfin, buffalo or shad.
I can understand the reason for making some methods of fishing illegal -- wouldn't want to be on a boat when somebody starts hurling dynamite into the river, for example. But there doesn't seem to be anything especially cruel or more dangerous to the environment or other people about catching a fish on the point of an arrow instead of yanking it out of the water with a hook in its mouth. And since fisherman are allowed to bow fish but it's only allowed to keep some kinds, I think the burden of proof is definitely with the state here.
