Article published November 21, 2009
Ohio kids head afield for youth deer-gun season
More than 40,000 young hunters, ages 17 and under, will be afield in Ohio this weekend with dads, uncles, grandfathers, and other adult mentors - including some moms and aunts - for the special youth deer-gun hunting season.
If all goes as planned, as many as one in four of the youths will succeed in bagging a deer today or tomorrow.
"The youth deer-gun hunting season provides young hunters the chance to experience the challenge of hunting and enjoy the outdoors with their families," said Dave Graham, chief of the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
Young hunters killed 9,852 deer during last year's two-day season, so a weekend statewide bag of 10,000 deer is not out of the question, weather and straight shooting permitting.
The youth deer-gun season is open statewide to hunters 17 years old and younger. The bag limit is one deer of either sex during this season, in accordance with existing bag and deer-zone limits. Plugged shotguns, muzzleloaders, handguns and bows are legal.
All participants must wear hunter orange, possess a valid Ohio hunting license and a $12 youth-deer permit, and must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult in the field. Individuals going afield this weekend should note that other regularly scheduled hunting seasons will continue but all hunters, including deer-archery hunters, are required to wear hunter orange for the two days.The special youth season precedes the statewide deer-gun season by a week. It will run Nov. 30 through Dec. 6, and the weekend of Dec. 19 and 20. Details on the various hunting seasons, including those exclusively for young hunters, can be found in the digest, 2009-10 Ohio Hunting Regulations, or by visiting wildohio.com.
Youth hunters who want to donate venison to the needy can do so at no cost. The wildlife is division collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry to help pay for the processing of donated venison. Hunters who donate deer to a food bank are not required to pay the processing cost as long as funding for the effort lasts. More information about this program can be found online at fhfh.org.
Hunters should note that the 2009-2010 licenses are not printed on weatherproof paper, so protect licenses and permits by carrying them in a protective pouch or wallet.
Hunters can share photos of their success in the field online by visiting wildohio.com and clicking on Photo Gallery. The photo submission process is easy and posted photos may be e-mailed to a friend.
In related news, all trails at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge will be closed for managed deer hunts today and tomorrow, and Nov. 30 through Dec. 3. The closure is to accommodate special deer hunts being conducted in conjunction with the statewide youth and general deer-gun seasons.
The refuge's Visitor Center will be open on those days. For details call Ottawa at 419-898-0014.
•
Ohio bow hunters killed a record 53,959 deer during the first six weeks of the state's archery season, according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
This year's early archery season harvest is four percent higher than last year's kill of 51,976 deer, the prior record. Upwards of two-thirds of the total annual bow-kill occurs in the first six weeks of the season, and the tally is a strong indicator of how the overall season will fare.
Bow hunters harvested a record total of 85,856 deer during last year's four-month Ohio archery season.
The statewide deer population was estimated at 650,000 in early October, down as planned from 700,000 a year prior. Approximately 345,000 bow hunters are expected to participate in the statewide deer-archery hunting season. Hunting deer with a bow continues to grow in popularity among Ohio hunters, especially given a season that this year started Sept. 26 and which carries on through Feb. 7.
Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to check stations in the first six weeks of bowhunting include Licking 2,334, Holmes 1,969, Tuscarawas 1,770, Coshocton 1,451, Ashtabula 1,348, Harrison 1,278, Trumbull 1,251, Stark 1,204, Knox 1,175, and Fairfield 1,142.
Following is a summary of selected counties and the bowkill, with 2008 figures in parentheses. A full list is available on-line at wildohio.com:
Allen 463 (356); Crawford 490 (375); Defiance 383 (299); Erie 359 (394); Fulton 208 (228); Hancock 294 (205); Hardin 197 (112); Henry 124 (114); Huron 598 (550); Lucas 412 (400); Mercer 191 (154); Ottawa 60 (47); Paulding 223 (222); Putnam 386 (338); Richland 814 (735); Sandusky 216 (206); Seneca 547 (393); Van Wert 158 (153); Williams 492 (476); Wood 311 (272); Wyandot 265 (265).
•
On the weekend - Annual turkey shoot, Fostoria United Sportsmen, tomorrow, 10 a.m. opening, club grounds, 115 North U.S. 23, Fostoria; four traps, 10-bird or still shoots; call 419-435-4953.
Contact Steve Pollick at:
spollick@theblade.com
or 419-724-6068.
Permanent Link
|
|
 |
|
Search
advertisement
