I’ve had a deer hunter and reader who is pretty passionate about Ohio Division of Wildlife officials establishing an early Senior Hunt as a way to encourage more participation in helping to reduce the ever-burgeoning white-tail population.
Larry Vasko, of Swanton, a retired deputy health commissioner for the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, suggests it could even be the same weekend as the youth hunt and be called the Youth and Senior Hunt.
The next youth deer gun hunt has been proposed this year for Nov. 22 and Nov. 23. Personally, I was thinking in mid-September but not too close to the archery opener, which has been proposed for Sept. 27. And have it be for does only.
“I wouldn’t want to put the ODNR wildlife officers on a whole bunch of extra work,” Vasko wrote in an email. “If it had its own date that would be fine too. Since most guys 65 plus are retired ... dates selected could easily be Monday through Friday and not conflict with any youth seasons nor many work schedules.”
He also thinks it would be as best a side-lock muzzleloader hunt.
“Muzzleloaders have gotten so good they often perform very similar to shotguns using rifled slugs or sabots ... they perform amazingly,” Vasko said. “I thought perhaps maybe so well, that once a deer was in sight, it would be too easy. The side-locks still shoot quite well, take quite a bit more effort and you really want to be in quite a bit closer.”
“The older guy is not trying to take some guy’s trophy buck but rather enjoys a few more successful hunts in the woods. He gets out, has a great time bags a doe. ... This helps meet the desire to trim down the does and the deer herd.”
But Clint McCoy, deer biologist for Ohio Division of Wildlife, was curious if the intent is to lower deer numbers then why limit it to seniors only?
“An early [or mid-October], antlerless-only firearms season has been one of our suggestions that has failed to gain traction,” he wrote to me in email this week. “However, we didn’t offer any restrictions to participation in our recommendation.”
It’s not unheard of, in fact, Kansas has an early muzzleloader season for residents and nonresidents from Sept. 15 to Sept. 28. Our neighbor to the north — Michigan — also holds one for two days the third weekend in September. I haven’t participated the last couple of years but I am thinking of doing so this upcoming season because my son and I have been consuming a lot of deer meat lately. We might run out by the end of this summer. Yikes!
THE CITY of Maumee’s parking restrictions and camping rules for the Lucas County Fairgrounds have caused quite a stir for the annual pilgrimage to the city for the walleye spawning run.
It has been said anglers come to this area from all over the country, even the world, to this part of Ohio to fish here along the Maumee River.
Since I’ve been making this gig the past three or four years, I’ve always felt blessed to only have to make a 15-minute trip or so to gain access to these bountiful waters. It’s easily one of the most simple and more relaxing commutes to a hunting or fishing location. Some of my deer and turkey spots can take two hours or more.
But I’m pretty sure I also saw some previous areas back then that had signage up saying, “No parking.” Seems now I’m gathering there is perception that there has been expansion to that because of NIMBY’s — not in my backyard — with the support of city administration.
In addition, there was a post from the Lucas County Fairgrounds saying the fairgrounds wouldn’t be able to allow fishermen to camp there after letting them do so in previous years. Then it said it would be refunding what was paid for camping to those who made reservations.
It is pitting a potential showdown of a growing number of people from anglers to regular citizens who are expected to address the parking restrictions at 6 p.m. at the Maumee municipal building on Monday. There are other factors in this flap, according to previous reports, such as a recall effort of some Maumee officials. Until then, stay tuned.
All of this complicates, what is really a great outdoors event, and as Matt Faust, fisheries biologist of the Ohio Division of Wildlife, predicted last week, fish would begin to show up on stringers in the Facebook group posts. And not only fish on stringers, but now I’m seeing many anglers who are getting their six-fish limits.
While some are complaining about what is really a workable situation, in fact, I’m even seeing where the Wood County Fairgrounds has stepped up to allow camping, other top dogs on these pages are saying what I will say: “Shut up and fish!”
IF THERE is too much drama for you on the walleye spawning rivers, the Ohio Division of Wildlife announced last week the scheduled release of 85,000 rainbow trout will take place across the state at 90 locations, according a ODNR news release. The first one was Wednesday.
The releases will go through April and into May.
And a couple of the drops will include new locations at Stoner Pond and Starr Lake, both in Lucas County, as well as Wingfoot Wildlife Area in Portage County. Other northwest Ohio waters are East Harbor State Park Pond, Giertz Lake, Pearson Metropark ponds, and Sleepy Hollow Park Pond.
For a list of release dates and locations, go to ohiodnr.gov/troutstockings. Just be aware, weather might force changes in dates, and also other releases might be for youth-only fishing.
Be sure you have your fishing license. Anglers 16 and older are required to have an Ohio fishing license to fish on state public waters, which for an annual one is $25, with a daily being $14. They can be purchased at wildohio.gov, through the HuntFish OH app, and at participating license sales agents.
First Published March 15, 2025, 12:51 p.m.
