Raptor Days at Hardy Lake

Raptor Days at Hardy Lake is a one-day community and family event held on September 27, 2025, at Hardy Lake State Park near Austin, Indiana. The event celebrates and educates the public about raptors—birds of prey such as eagles, falcons, hawks, owls, and osprey. Activities include educational presentations at the Raptor Center, special boat tours to view osprey nests around Hardy Lake, and multiple family-friendly activities to engage visitors of all ages. Admission is charged, and the event is wheelchair accessible.

Hardy Lake State Park itself is a 2,449-acre facility featuring a 741-acre lake, located about four miles east of Austin in Scott County, southeastern Indiana. The park was established in 1973 and features the smallest state-operated reservoir in Indiana. The lake is notable for having a stable water level year-round since it was created not for flood control but for recreation and habitat preservation. The surroundings offer limestone bluffs, caves, fossils, and extensive hiking and boating opportunities.

The vibe at Raptor Days is educational, engaging, and family-oriented, promoting wildlife appreciation and conservation. The event centers around the Raptor Center at Hardy Lake, one of three such centers managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that cares for injured birds of prey while providing outreach and interpretation about Indiana raptors.

Typical activities at Raptor Days include:

• Guided educational sessions with live raptors to learn about their biology and conservation.
• Special boat tours around Hardy Lake to observe osprey nests in their natural lakeside habitat.
• Hands-on family activities and crafts related to wildlife and raptor species.
• Interpretive talks and displays about local ecosystem and bird species.
• Opportunities to visit Hardy Lake State Park’s nature trails and enjoy hiking or picnicking.

A rough schedule likely involves a morning start with welcome and introductory presentations at the Raptor Center, followed by multiple boat tours throughout the day timed to viewing windows for osprey activity. Between tours, families can participate in arts, crafts, and other interactive wildlife education activities. The event would be located primarily at the Raptor Center area and around the marina or boat launch points at Hardy Lake.

Hardy Lake State Park has rich natural surroundings offering hiking trails such as Outward Bound and Cemetery Trail, campgrounds, swimming areas, picnic shelters, archery ranges, and fishing piers. The park’s stable lake waters provide an excellent setting for boating and waterskiing, adding to the recreational appeal during the event.

The Raptor Center’s history within Hardy Lake is tied to Indiana DNR’s mission of wildlife preservation and public education. The center houses injured birds that cannot be returned to the wild and uses them as ambassadors to teach about raptor ecology and conservation efforts in the region.

Overall, Raptor Days at Hardy Lake combines outdoor recreation with wildlife education in a beautiful natural setting, aimed at fostering appreciation for raptors and Indiana’s ecosystems among visitors of all ages.