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.

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Adjustments Proposed to Ohio Deer Hunting Opportunities for 2013-2014 Season

 The Ohio Wildlife Council will consider white-tailed deer hunting proposals on Wednesday, May 15, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The following are adjustments to the proposals that were voted on and approved during the April 17 Ohio Wildlife Council meeting. These proposals address public input requesting an increase in recreational opportunities.

The Ohio Wildlife Council will consider rescheduling two days of deer-gun hunting on Jan. 3-4, 2014. Deer can be pursued with all legal hunting equipment, including shotgun, handgun, muzzleloader and bow from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset. The statewide muzzleloader season is Jan. 5-7, 2014.

“We are proposing to add a day to the existing muzzleloader season, for a total of five days of January gun hunting,” said ODNR Division of Wildlife Chief Scott Zody. “The first two days will be open to all legal firearms, while the last three days will be restricted to muzzleloaders.”

The Ohio Wildlife Council will also consider a proposal to adjust the bag limits in Hocking, Perry and Ross counties to four deer. The bag limit in these counties was initially proposed as three deer.

The council meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s District One office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215. This meeting is open to the public and comments on the proposed rules will be accepted.

Individuals who want to provide comments to the council must preregister at least two days prior by calling 614-265-6304. The deadline to preregister will be 5 p.m. on Monday, May 13. All comments are required to be three minutes or less. Emailed or written comments will not be presented at this meeting, but will continue to be an important mechanism for input in regularly scheduled wildlife open houses.

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

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Ohio Game Check Procedure Updated for 2013 Deer and Turkey Hunting

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) encourages hunters to educate themselves about Ohio’s new game tagging and checking procedure for the 2013-2014 hunting seasons. These changes provide a more consistent tagging process between exempt landowners and those using a

permit. The new game check process applies to spring turkey, fall turkey and white-tailed deer hunting seasons.

A new feature this year is that hunters will need to make their own game tag to attach to the turkey or deer. Game tags can be made of any material (cardboard, plastic, paper, etc.) as long as it contains the hunter’s name, date, time and county of kill. The ODNR Division of Wildlife has a blank game tag available at wildohio.com, which is suitable for the tagging and checking process.

Follow these steps when tagging wildlife during the upcoming spring hunting seasons:

1. Protect permits and game tags from the elements by placing them in a plastic bag or protective pouch before hunting.
2. Landowners and permit holders must complete a game tag immediately upon harvest and prior to moving the animal. The game tag must include the hunter’s full name, date, time and county of kill. Hunters need to make their own tag from any material they choose, and write legibly with an ink pen or permanent marker.
3. Attach the game tag to the animal immediately upon harvest and prior to moving it.
4. Permit holders must complete the spring turkey permit with the date, time and county of kill. Those exempt from purchasing a permit can ignore this step.
5. Complete the automated game check process and receive an 18-digit confirmation number. Permit holders must record this number on the permit.
6. The 18-digit confirmation number must also be attached to the animal. Hunters may also choose to write the number on the game tag.

All hunters must report their turkey harvest using the automated game check system. Hunters have three options to complete the game check:
• Online at wildohio.com or ohiogamecheck.com;
• By telephone at 877-TAG-ITOH (877-824-4864). This option is only available to those who are required to have a permit to hunt turkeys; and
• At all license agents. A list of these agents can be found at wildohio.com.

Game-check transactions will be available online and by telephone seven days a week including holidays. License agents’ locations will be available for turkey check-in during normal business hours. Hunters can call the license agent for specific hours of operation. All turkeys must be checked in by 11:30 p.m. the day of the kill.

Landowners exempt from purchasing a turkey permit, and any other person not required to purchase a turkey permit, cannot use the phone-in option.

More information, including a pamphlet explaining the process, is available at wildohio.com. Hunters with questions can also call 800-WILDLIFE (800-945-3543).

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Wildlife Officer in Ross County Named Ohio Bowhunters Association Officer of the Year

 Bob Nelson, State Wildlife Officer assigned to Ross County, has been named Wildlife Officer of the Year by the Ohio Bowhunters Association, according to the Ohio Department of Natural

Courtesy ODNR

Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

The Ohio Bowhunters Association honored Officer Nelson for his tireless work implementing the City of Chillicothe’s archery deer hunt, and for his overall dedication to the sportsmen of Ross County.  This is the second time that Nelson has been recognized by the group, as he was also named Wildlife Officer of the Year in 2009.

“Bob does an outstanding job in Ross County,” said Bud James, representative of the Ross County Bowhunters Club who nominated Officer Nelson.  “He attends meetings throughout the county and provides information to everyone.  He always returns phone calls, and we just think he goes above and beyond what is expected of him as an officer.”

Nelson has been a State Wildlife Officer for eight years, and prior to that, he worked at the Division of Wildlife’s Woodbury Wildlife Area at the shooting range.  He is a native of New Lexington and a graduate of Hocking College with an associate’s degree in fish and wildlife management.

“Officer Nelson is a dedicated officer, a team player, and an asset to Ross County and the Division of Wildlife,” said Lee Van Allen, Field Supervisor in the Division of Wildlife’s southeast Ohio district.  “He goes the extra mile to investigate a poaching case, and follows through to the end.  He is always willing and available to help a fellow officer, wildlife or fish management, or another law enforcement officer in Ross County.”

The purpose of the Ohio Bowhunters Association is to foster, expand, and improve bowhunting in the state of Ohio by creating a spirit of fellowship within the bowhunting community, educating youths in proper archery methods, and working with resource agencies and conservation organizations to conserve wildlife and its habitat.

Officer Nelson resides in Ross County with his wife Beverly and daughter Briana.  He is an avid turkey hunter and angler, with a special passion for bowhunting.

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Hunters Harvest Nearly 219,000 White-Tailed Deer in Ohio in 2012-2013

Deer-archery season ended Feb. 3, bringing the white-tailed deer season to a close. Hunters harvested 218,910 white-tailed deer during Ohio’s 2012-2013 hunting seasons for all implements, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Hunters checked 219,748 deer in 2011-2012, a difference of less than 1,000 deer this season.

“Ohio has become one of the nation’s top destinations for hunting white-tailed deer,” said ODNR Director James Zehringer. “We would like to thank the nearly 500,000 outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen that participated during this hunting season. It is their efforts in the field that help us provide some of the best outdoor recreational opportunities in the country.”

The Ohio counties that reported the most checked deer for all implements during the 2012-2013 season: Coshocton (7,413), Licking (6,928), Tuscarawas (6,813), Muskingum (6,457), Guernsey (6,151), Harrison (5,365), Knox (5,288), Ashtabula (4,974), Carroll (4,825) and Belmont (4,731). The top seven counties remained unchanged from last season.

Hunters continue to support alternate methods to report deer kills. Since the deer season began on Sept. 29, 2012, 44 percent of hunters phoned in their report, 40 percent reported online and 16 percent traveled to a license agent’s location.

Ohio's first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties, and hunters checked 168 deer. Deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties in 1956, and hunters harvested 3,911 deer during the 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. For more information on deer and deer hunting, visit 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 ohiodnr.com.

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Editor’s Note: A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during the 2012-2013 hunting season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2013, and the 2012 numbers are in parentheses.

Adams: 4,111 (4,208); Allen: 1,110 (1,037); Ashland: 3,149 (2,894); Ashtabula: 4,974 (4,645); Athens: 4,387 (4,385); Auglaize: 986 (731); Belmont: 4,731 (4,785); Brown: 2,933 (3,086); Butler: 1,498 (1,583); Carroll: 4,825 (4,751); Champaign: 1,453 (1,614); Clark: 862 (930); Clermont: 3,141 (3,304); Clinton: 1,007 (1,015); Columbiana: 3,893 (3,843); Coshocton: 7,413 (7,972); Crawford: 1,236 (1,110); Cuyahoga: 713 (692); Darke: 1,004 (819); Defiance: 1,911 (1,757); Delaware: 1,901 (1,943); Erie: 719 (689); Fairfield: 2,608 (2,741); Fayette: 302 (282); Franklin: 879 (846); Fulton: 980 (846); Gallia: 3,370 (3,435); Geauga: 2,131 (2,422); Greene: 1,105 (1,073); Guernsey: 6,151 (6,432); Hamilton: 2,175 (2,256); Hancock: 1,338 (1,189); Hardin: 1,306 (1,145); Harrison: 5,365 (5,717); Henry: 750 (723); Highland: 3,250 (3,304); Hocking: 4,206 (4,348); Holmes: 4,565 (4,747); Huron: 2,298 (2,200); Jackson: 3,440 (3,233); Jefferson: 4,161 (4,119); Knox: 5,288 (5,374); Lake: 1,004 (836); Lawrence: 2,672 (2,959); Licking: 6,928 (7,276); Logan: 2,094 (2,284); Lorain: 2,460 (2,424); Lucas: 677 (707); Madison: 452 (550); Mahoning: 2,034 (1,890); Marion: 901 (830); Medina: 1,978 (2,031); Meigs: 3,832 (4,000); Mercer: 804 (625); Miami: 961 (827); Monroe: 3,478 (3,727); Montgomery: 804 (676); Morgan: 3,597 (3,513); Morrow: 1,936 (1,898); Muskingum: 6,457 (6,631); Noble: 3,513 (3,936); Ottawa: 379 (416); Paulding: 1,194 (1,127); Perry: 3,477 (3,553); Pickaway: 1,044 (1,049); Pike: 2,262 (2,367); Portage: 2,280 (2,702); Preble: 1,205 (999); Putnam: 786 (733); Richland: 3,878 (4,038); Ross: 3,559 (3,742); Sandusky: 794 (766); Scioto: 2,821 (2,887); Seneca: 1,923 (1,609); Shelby: 1,294 (1,009); Stark: 2,597 (2,181); Summit: 1,417 (1,494); Trumbull: 3,553 (3,310); Tuscarawas: 6,813 (6,953); Union: 961 (996); Van Wert: 638 (646); Vinton: 3,395 (3,177); Warren: 1,605 (1,634); Washington: 4,091 (4,223); Wayne: 2,108 (1,948); Williams: 2,096 (2,099); Wood: 863 (705) and Wyandot: 1,670 (1540). Total: 218,910 (219,748).

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Public Invited to Comment on 2013-2014 Hunting Season Proposals

Input also accepted online at wildohio.com 

COLUMBUS, OH – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) will seek public comments regarding the 2013-2014 hunting seasons. During these sessions, which will be held Saturday, March 2, from 12-3 p.m., input concerning proposed hunting season dates, bag limits and rule changes will be accepted. Comments dealing with white-tailed deer and wild turkey seasons will also be welcomed.

These events are open to the public. Anyone interested in providing input and participating in Ohio’s professional wildlife management process is welcome. ODNR Division of Wildlife biologists and law enforcement officers will be available to answer questions and receive comments.

People who are not able to attend an open house at one of the seven locations can provide input online. Comments are accepted through March 2 at wildohio.com. Click on Open House Comments to submit a response.

Public input gathered at these open houses and through the online form will be considered during the formulation of regulations. For more information or directions to the open houses, visit wildohio.com or call 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).

Open house location information for March 2:
• Central Ohio: Wildlife District One office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus 43215; 614-644-3925;
• Northwest Ohio: Wildlife District Two office, 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay 45840; 419-424-5000;
• Northeast Ohio: Wildlife District Three office, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron 44319; 330-644-2293;
• Southeast Ohio: Wildlife District Four office, 360 E. State Street, Athens 45701; 740-589-9930;
• Southwest Ohio: Greene County Fish and Game, 1538 Union Road, Xenia 45385; 937-372-9261;
• Lake Erie (east): Fairport Fisheries office, 1190 High Street, Fairport Harbor 44077; 440-352-4199; and
• Lake Erie (west): Old Woman Creek office, 2514 Cleveland Road E., Huron 44839; 419-433-7599.

A statewide hearing on proposed rules will be held on Thursday, March 7, at 9 a.m. at the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s District One office. This hearing is open to the public, and comments on the proposed rules will be accepted.

After considering public input, the Ohio Wildlife Council will vote on the proposed rules during its April 17 meeting. Council meetings are open to the public, but there is no opportunity on the agenda for public comment. Questions will be allowed and responded to once the meeting adjourns.

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