Showing posts with label Columbus Ohio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Columbus Ohio. Show all posts

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Ohio Deer Hunting Regulations Proposals Amended

COLUMBUS, OH – After considering public input and reviewing data, modifications were made to the 2014-2015 hunting regulations proposals that the Ohio Wildlife Council will vote
on at their next meeting, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

The amended proposal states that shotguns and pistol cartridge rifles used for white-tailed deer hunting be loaded with no more than three shells in the magazine and chamber combined. The current hunting regulation states a shotgun must be plugged if it is capable of holding more than three shells. The initial proposal required a magazine plug or inert ammunition to limit capacity for pistol cartridge rifles.

Deer bag limit adjustments were proposed in five counties. The updated bag limit proposal would lower limits in Trumbull County to three deer and Mercer County to two deer. The antlerless permit was proposed to be removed from Hardin, Knox and Lawrence counties, where the bag limit remains three deer. Hunters may harvest only one antlered deer in Ohio, regardless of method of take or location.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio’s deer populations through a combination of regulatory and programmatic changes.

Proposals to reduce many county deer bag limits and allow pistol cartridge rifles for deer hunting were presented at the Ohio Wildlife Council meeting in February.

The Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on proposals at its next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, April 9. Go to wildohio.com for more information about deer and deer hunting.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Ohio's Controlled Deer and Waterfowl Hunts Coming Soon - Apply Now!

A duck hunter with three mallards. A Labrador ...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters wanting to participate in Ohio's fall controlled deer and waterfowl hunts have until July 31 to submit permit applications for a random drawing. These special hunts are held on selected public areas to provide additional hunting opportunities for Ohio’s hunting enthusiasts.
All applicants, youth and adult, must possess a current hunting license and meet the age requirements in order to apply for a controlled hunt.

Hunters can apply for the controlled hunts by completing the application process online using the Wild Ohio Customer Center at www.wildohio.com or by calling 800-WILDLIFE (945-5433) and requesting a mail-in application. There is a non-refundable application fee of $3 per hunt.
Hunters will be randomly drawn from submitted applications. Successful applicants will be notified and provided additional hunt information by U.S. mail and email. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Wild Ohio Customer Center at www.wildohio.com to view the status of their application and if selected, print their controlled hunt permit.
More specific information about hunt dates and locations, including opportunities dedicated to youth, women and mobility-impaired hunters, can be found at www.wildohio.com.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Ohio: Fishing, Hunting and Trapping Licenses will be available March 1

COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio’s 2012-13 fishing, hunting and trapping licenses and permits will be on sale starting March 1, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

“Ohio’s new license sales system performed very well in its inaugural year,” said Scott Zody, chief of the Division of Wildlife. “Customer identification (ID) numbers should be used whenever possible to help streamline the license purchasing process. People can find the number at the top of last year’s license.”

License sales for the 2012-13 license year will be from March 1, 2012 through February 28, 2013. The start date for licenses will no longer be February 15 as it past years.

Licenses purchased online or at retail outlets will be printed on paper that can be folded down to credit card size, but will not be waterproof and must be protected. Licenses and permits will be printed along with additional information relevant to the license or permit purchased.

Each license buyer must have a Social Security Number (SSN) recorded in the system. People who purchased licenses last year can now use their customer ID number and will not have to supply their SSN again.

SSNs are required to purchase a recreational license, regardless of age, for the purpose of child support collection enforcement under Federal Statute 42. As a recreational license provider, the Division of Wildlife is obligated to comply with this law and cannot issue a license or permit without the SSN of the purchaser. The division will see that a proper security system is in place to protect SSNs and any databases that contain them.

The license will be valid March 1 through Feb. 28, 2013. The 2011-12 licenses will expire on Feb. 29. Licenses and permits can be purchased online at wildohio.com and at hundreds of agent outlets throughout the state. A complete list of participating license sales agents can be found at wildohio.com.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com

Monday, February 20, 2012

Ohio: Public Comment Welcome on Wildlife Issues


Open houses will be held on the first Saturday in March
COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is holding open house meetings in all five districts to discuss season dates and bag limits of game species, which will include Ohio’s most popular game animal, the white-tailed deer. The meetings will be Saturday, March 3, from 12 – 3 p.m. and are open to the public.
“Anyone interested in providing input and participating in Ohio's professional wildlife management process is welcome to attend,” said Scott Zody, chief of the Division of Wildlife. “Each open house location will have a fish and wildlife biologist as well as law enforcement officers available to answer questions.”
Public input gathered at these open houses will be forwarded to the division's central office and considered during the formulation of regulations.
For more information or directions to the open houses, visit the Division of Wildlife’s website at wildohio.com or call 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).
Open House Location Information for March 3:
•Central Ohio - Wildlife District One Office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, 614- 644-3925
•Northwest Ohio - Wildlife District Two Office, 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, 419-424-5000
•Northeast Ohio - Wildlife District Three Office, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron, 330-644-2293
•Southeast Ohio - Wildlife District Four Office, 360 E. State Street, Athens, 740-589-9930
•Southwest Ohio - Greene County Fish and Game Club, 1538 Union Road, Xenia, 937-372-9261
A statewide hearing on all proposed rules will be held on Thursday, March 8, at 9 a.m. at the Division of Wildlife’s District One office, located at 1500 Dublin Road in Columbus. This hearing is open to the public and input is permitted.
After considering public input, the Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on the proposed rules during the April 4 meeting.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com

Monday, February 6, 2012

Final Numbers are in for Ohio's 2011-12 White-tailed Deer Season


COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife announced that 219,698 deer were taken during Ohio's 2011-12 hunting season, compared to 239,379 in the 2010-11 season. The top three counties with the highest number of deer taken this season were: Coshocton, Licking and Tuscarawas.
Hunters showed support for the two new methods of game-reporting that were made available this year. Since deer season began on Sept. 24, 2011, 44 percent of hunters called in their numbers, 36 percent reported their numbers online and 20 percent traveled to a license agent’s location to report their game.
Ohio's first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties, and hunters reported 168 deer. In 1956, deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties, and hunters harvested 3,911 deer during a one-week season.
The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio and is frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks eighth nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has an $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com.
- 30 -
[Editor’s Note: The following is a list of deer checked by hunters during the 2011-12 four-month deer hunting season. Deer season dates for 2011-2012: Sept. 24, 2011, through Feb. 5, 2012. Numbers for 2010-11 are listed in parentheses.]
Adams – 4,208 (3,914)Licking – 7,275 (7,818)
Allen – 1,037 (1,291) Logan – 2,283 (2,315) 
Ashland – 2,894 (3,334)Lorain – 2,422 (2,742) 
Ashtabula – 4,645 (5,331)Lucas – 705 (678) 
Athens – 4,385 (4,256)Madison – 548 (591) 
Auglaize – 731 (737) Mahoning – 1,889 (1,930)
Belmont – 4,785 (5,245)Marion – 830 (964) 
Brown – 3,068 (3,377) Medina – 2,030 (2,121)
Butler – 1,583 (1,650) Meigs – 4,000 (3,974) 
Carroll – 4,751 (5,721) Mercer – 625 (652) 
Champaign – 1,613 (1,703)Miami – 827 (865) 
Clark – 930 (967) Monroe – 3,727 (3,991)
Clermont – 3,301 (3,721)Montgomery – 676 (663)
Clinton – 1,015 (1,101)Morgan – 3,513 (3,742)
Columbiana – 3,843 (4,627) Morrow – 1,898 (2,143)
Coshocton – 7,969 (8,837)Muskingum – 6,630 (7,129)
Crawford – 1,110 (1,234)Noble – 3,936 (4,222) 
Cuyahoga – 691 (625) Ottawa – 416 (404) 
Darke – 819 (842) Paulding – 1,126 (1,440)
Defiance – 1,757 (2,042)Perry – 3,552 (3,877) 
Delaware – 1,943 (2,121)Pickaway – 1,049 (1,201)
Erie – 688 (916) Pike – 2,367 (2,304) 
Fairfield – 2,741 (3,058)Portage – 2,701 (2,726)
Fayette – 282 (333) Preble – 999 (940) 
Franklin – 846 (827) Putnam – 732 (917) 
Fulton – 844 (1,029) Richland – 4,038 (4,690)
Gallia – 3,435 (3,553) Ross – 3,741 (3,864) 
Geauga – 2,421 (2,458)Sandusky – 766 (799) 
Greene – 1,073 (1,073)Scioto – 2,882 (2,809) 
Guernsey – 6,430 (6,989)Seneca – 1,609 (1,988)
Hamilton – 2,255 (2,139)Shelby – 1,008 (1,111) 
Hancock – 1,189 (1,465)Stark – 2,180 (2,343) 
Hardin – 1,145 (1,374) Summit – 1,492 (1,343)
Harrison – 5,716 (6,965)Trumbull – 3,310 (3,647)
Henry – 723 (939) Tuscarawas – 6,950 (8,158)
Highland – 3,304 (3,434)Union – 996 (967) 
Hocking – 4,348 (4,221)Van Wert – 646 (835) 
Holmes – 4,745 (5,633)Vinton – 3,177 (3,047) 
Huron – 2,200 (2,315) Warren – 1,632 (1,691)
Jackson – 3,233 (3,489)Washington – 4,223 (4,594)
Jefferson – 4,118 (4,880)Wayne – 1,948 (2,353) 
Knox – 5,373 (6,336) Williams – 2,099 (2,315)
Lake –836 (782) Wood – 705 (917) 
Lawrence – 2,959 (2,843)Wyandot – 1,540 (1,832)
      
   Total – 219,698 (239,379)


Saturday, January 14, 2012

Ohio: Hunters Take 19,251 White-tailed Deer During Statewide Muzzleloader Season

English: Night shot of whitetail deer eating.
Image via Wikipedia

COLUMBUS, OH - Hunters took 19,251 deer during Ohio's muzzleloader season, January 7-10, with Coshocton County again leading the state with 722 deer checked.   In 2011, a preliminary total of 16,934 deer were taken during muzzleloader season.
Counties reporting the highest number of deer checked during the muzzleloader season included: Coshocton-722, Licking-639, Muskingum-638, Guernsey-612, Tuscarawas-581, Belmont-577, Harrison-569, Knox-470, Meigs-466, and Jefferson-465.
Hunters can enjoy deer hunting through February 5 as the archery season continues.  Hunters who wish to share their success may submit a photo of themselves and the deer taken at wildohio.com.
Hunters can still donate extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need.  The division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison.  Hunters who give their deer to a participating food bank are not required to pay the processing cost while funding for the effort is available.  Counties being served by this program can be found online atwww.fhfh.org

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Ohio Wildlife Council Hears 2012-2013 Hunting Regulations Proposals

English: A white-tailed deer
Image via Wikipedia

COLUMBUS, OH – The 2012-13 hunting and trapping regulation proposals were presented on January 4 to the Ohio Wildlife Council by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.
September 1 is the proposed kick-off date for the state's fall hunting season beginning with squirrel and dove hunting. Other proposed hunting and trapping rules will be similar to those now in effect, with only slight changes to fall and spring hunting dates.
Hunters age 17 and under are proposed access to hunt statewide for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, October 20-21 and 27-28. Spring youth turkey season is proposed for April 20-21, 2013.
The remainder of the proposals concerning Ohio's white-tailed deer hunting will be heard during a separate Wildlife Council meeting on February 8.
Open houses will be held on Saturday, March 3 in each of the state's five wildlife districts to provide the public an opportunity to view and discuss proposed hunting and trapping regulations with state wildlife officials. Directions to the open houses can be found at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.
A statewide hearing on all of the proposed rules will be held at the Division of Wildlife’s District One office on Thursday, March 8 at 9 a.m.. The office is located at 1500 Dublin Road in Columbus.
After considering public input, the Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on the proposed rules and season dates during its April 4 meeting.


Thursday, January 5, 2012

Ohio's Statewide Muzzleloader Season Opens January 7-10

English: A white-tailed deer
Image via Wikipedia

Deer must be checked in by 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest
   
COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio's popular muzzleloader deer season is set to open statewide January 7-10 according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife.

The Division of Wildlife expects as many as 265,000 hunters will hunt deer during the muzzleloader season. Legal hunting hours this season are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Ohio deer hunters must possess the proper permits. Regardless of zone, method of taking, or season, hunters may take only one antlered deer during the 2011-2012 deer hunting season. Deer must be checked in by 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest.

Hunters must still report their deer harvest, but are no longer required to take their deer to a check station for physical inspection. Instead, hunters have three options to complete the new automated game check:
  • On the Internet at wildohio.com.
  • By telephone at 1-877-TAG-ITOH (1-877-824-4864). This option is only available to those who are required to have a deer permit to hunt deer.
  • At all license agents. A list of these agents can be found at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.
Ohio's small game, furbearer, and waterfowl seasons will also be open during the muzzleloader season. During those overlapping four days, small game hunters and deer hunters must wear a visible solid hunter orange or camouflage hunter orange coat, jacket, vest or coveralls.

The Division of Wildlife is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay the processing fees of donated venison. Donations of extra deer will be accepted throughout the entire deer season. Hunters who donate their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and while funding for the effort is available. Counties being served by this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks 8th nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has an $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

Additional hunting regulations and maps of deer zones are contained in the 2011-2012 Ohio Hunting Regulations.

The 2011-2012 licenses are not printed on weatherproof paper. Sportsmen and women need to protect their licenses and permits from the elements by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Ohio's Coshocton County Leads State in Weekend Deer-Gun Harvest Numbers

English: A white-tailed deer
Image via Wikipedia

80 percent of Ohio’s Deer Hunters Choose the Phone or Internet for Checking Game
COLUMBUS, OH- Hunters harvested an additional 16,766 deer during the extra weekend of gun hunting, December 17-18, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.
The extra weekend was first offered in 2006 in response to hunters' request for an increase in the amount of weekend days to pursue white-tailed deer, the state's number one big game animal. In 2010, hunters took 20,916 deer during the additional two days.
 Counties leading the state in deer killed over the weekend included: Coshocton – 593; Tuscarawas – 541; Muskingum – 499;  Licking – 483; Harrison – 477; Guernsey – 446; Carroll – 442; Belmont - 416; Ashtabula – 387; and Knox – 373.
 Hunters must still report their deer harvest, but are no longer required to take their deer to a check station for physical inspection. Instead, hunters have three options to complete the new automated game check:
  • On the Internet at wildohio.com.
  • By telephone at 1-877-TAG-ITOH (1-877-824-4864). This option is only available to those who are required to have a deer permit to hunt deer.
  • At all license agents. A list of these agents can be found at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

Hunters are showing support for all three game-check methods. Since the beginning of deer season, 44 percent of hunters have used the phone method, another 36 percent are reporting their harvests over the Internet, and the final 20 percent are traveling to a license agent’s location to check their game.
The Division of Wildlife is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay the processing fees of donated venison. Donations of extra deer will be accepted throughout the entire deer season. Hunters who donate their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and while funding for the effort is available. Counties being served by this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org.

Hunters who wish to share their success can submit a photo of themselves and the deer they killed this year to wildohio.com.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks 8th nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has an $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

A detailed listing of deer-hunting rules is contained in the 2011-2012 Ohio Hunting Regulations, available where licenses are sold. It may also be viewed online at wildohio.com

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Deer Hunters Helping Ohioans in Need

Venison Steaks 29,80 p/kg @ Baars Poelier, Mar...
Image via Wikipedia

Venison donations will be accepted through February 5, 2012

COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio deer hunters have donated more than 79,750 pounds of venison to local food banks since opening day of deer season on September 24, according to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

The 1,595 donated deer equal approximately 319,000 meals for needy Ohioans. Last year at this time, 2,082 deer had been donated representing 104,100 pounds of venison. The Division of Wildlife reminds hunter that there are plenty of opportunities to pursue deer in the 2011-12 season.

“I’m proud of Ohio’s deer hunters who continue to show their generosity despite overall lower harvest numbers this year as compared to last,” said Scott Zody, chief ODNR Division of Wildlife. “I encourage hunters to get out in the field, enjoy the rest of the season and to consider donating any extra deer they are fortunate enough to harvest.”

FHFH collected 125,150 pounds of venison from 2,503 deer during all of last year’s season, which ran from September 25, 2010 to February 6, 2011.

The Division of Wildlife collaborated with FHFH to assist with the processing costs associated with donating venison to a food bank. The program allows for subsidy grants to be provided in allotments that are matched with funds generated or collected by local Ohio FHFH chapters. The division subsidized this year's FHFH operation as an additional deer management tool, helping wildlife managers encourage hunters to harvest more does.

Venison that is donated to participating food banks must be processed by a federal, state or locally inspected and insured meat processor. Hunters wishing to donate their deer are not required to pay for the processing of the venison as long as the program has funds available to cover the cost.

Currently, there are 78 participating meat processors across the state and 34 FHFH local chapters. Anyone interested in becoming a local program coordinator or a participating meat processor should visit the "Local FHFH" page at www.fhfh.org. The Web page includes a list of coordinators, program names and the counties they serve.

The ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR Web site at www.ohiodnr.com.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Deer-gun Hunting Continues December 17-18

English: Field Dressing of a White-tailed Deer...
Image via Wikipedia
COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio's popular deer-gun season will run an additional weekend, Saturday and Sunday, December 17-18, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

The extra weekend days were added in 2006 in response to requests from hunters for more weekend time to hunt. Hunters can use a legal muzzleloader, handgun or shotgun from one half-hour before sunrise until sunset on December 17-18. Ohio’s pre-hunting season population was estimated to be 750,000 white-tailed deer.

The white-tailed deer is the most popular game animal in Ohio, frequently pursued by generations of hunters. Ohio ranks 8th nationally in annual hunting-related sales and 10th in the number of jobs associated with the hunting-related industry. Each year, hunting has an $859 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more.

Ohio is divided into three deer hunting zones. After November 27, a limit of one deer may be taken in Zone A (12 counties) and two deer in Zone B (38 counties). Beginning December 5, the bag limit is three deer in Zone C and antlerless deer permits are no longer valid. Anytime a hunter takes more than one deer, an additional permit must be purchased.

Those hunting in urban units and at Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts will have a six-deer bag limit, those deer will not count against the hunter's zone bag limit. Antlerless deer permits may be used for the entire season in urban deer units or Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts. Antlerless deer permits must have been purchased prior to November 27 and are no longer available. Antlerless tags are not valid in Zones A and B after November 27.
 
Hunters may take only one antlered deer, regardless of zone, hunting method or season. A deer permit is required in addition to a valid Ohio hunting license and hunter orange is required to be worn except for waterfowl hunters.

Donations of extra deer will be accepted through the entire deer season which ends on February 5, 2012. Hunters who give their deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as the deer are taken to a participating processor and funding for the effort lasts. Counties being served by this program can be found online at www.fhfh.org.

Additional hunting regulations and maps of the state's deer zones are listed in the 2011-2012 Ohio Hunting Regulations. This free publication is available wherever hunting licenses are sold, online at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

Ohio hunters and birdwatchers are reminded that they should be aware of one another as they pursue deer and birds on this shared weekend. Hunters need to remember that there may be other people—both hunters and non-hunters— in the woods. Birders are also reminded that hunters are allowed to hunt wherever they have written permission. While hunters are required to wear hunter orange in the field, birders should consider wearing a hunter orange vest or hat during the deer-gun weekend.

The 2011-2012 licenses will not be printed on weatherproof paper. Sportsmen and women should protect their licenses and permits from the elements by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.