OUTDOOR NOTES | Ohio hunters check nearly 16,000 deer during muzzleloader season

OHIO HUNTERS HARVEST NEARLY 16,000 DEER DURING OHIO'S MUZZLELOADER SEASON - Hunters checked 15,843 white-tailed deer during Ohio’s muzzleloader season, Jan. 7-10, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). During last year’s muzzleloader season, 12,503 white-tailed deer were checked.

Hunters still have opportunities to pursue deer this winter, as archery season remains open through Feb. 5.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio’s deer populations. The goal of Ohio’s Deer Management Program is to provide a deer population that maximizes recreational opportunities, while minimizing conflicts with landowners and motorists.

Ohio ranks fifth nationally in resident hunters and 11th in the number of jobs associated with hunting-related industries. Hunting has a more than $853 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation publication.

A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters using muzzleloaders during the four-day deer-muzzleloader season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for this year’s season, and last year’s numbers are in parentheses.

Adams: 308 (274); Allen: 50 (45); Ashland: 239 (224); Ashtabula: 463 (270); Athens: 442 (357); Auglaize: 48 (49); Belmont: 391 (283); Brown: 230 (221); Butler: 75 (72); Carroll: 427 (277); Champaign: 72 (72); Clark: 42 (41); Clermont: 168 (173); Clinton: 59 (64); Columbiana: 293 (222); Coshocton: 591 (425); Crawford: 52 (50); Cuyahoga: 2 (3); Darke: 37 (34); Defiance: 84 (92); Delaware: 71 (81); Erie: 30 (18); Fairfield: 138 (111); Fayette: 14 (11); Franklin: 27 (23); Fulton: 33 (21); Gallia: 338 (204); Geauga: 132 (83); Greene: 47 (49); Guernsey: 490 (343); Hamilton: 39 (42); Hancock: 51 (49); Hardin: 111 (87); Harrison: 499 (293); Henry: 32 (19); Highland: 216 (214); Hocking: 366 (319); Holmes: 289 (259); Huron: 133 (127); Jackson: 324 (274); Jefferson: 359 (211); Knox: 340 (309); Lake: 48 (28); Lawrence: 194 (129); Licking: 440 (322); Logan: 136 (144); Lorain: 142 (104); Lucas: 14 (24); Madison: 32 (27); Mahoning: 135 (109); Marion: 57 (54); Medina: 126 (107); Meigs: 420 (355); Mercer: 29 (17); Miami: 41 (29); Monroe: 344 (256); Montgomery: 29 (29); Morgan: 429 (273); Morrow: 96 (88); Muskingum: 602 (384); Noble: 310 (270); Ottawa: 25 (28); Paulding: 42 (47); Perry: 301 (201); Pickaway: 60 (44); Pike: 172 (173); Portage: 129 (94); Preble: 63 (62); Putnam: 20 (17); Richland: 230 (204); Ross: 287 (284); Sandusky: 52 (56); Scioto: 229 (195); Seneca: 100 (77); Shelby: 67 (63); Stark: 215 (174); Summit: 36 (28); Trumbull: 256 (147); Tuscarawas: 514 (410); Union: 42 (43); Van Wert: 24 (20); Vinton: 305 (268); Warren: 63 (74); Washington: 472 (290); Wayne: 150 (119); Williams: 85 (95); Wood: 32 (31); Wyandot: 96 (115). Total: 15,843 (12,503).

2017-2018 SMALL GAME, MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING SEASONS PROPOSED TO OHIO WILDLIFE COUNCIL - The 2017-2018 small game and migratory bird hunting seasons and the trapping seasons were proposed to the Ohio Wildlife Council Jan. 11, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

The hunting season date proposals prepared by the ODNR Division of Wildlife maintain many traditional opening dates. Proposals concerning Ohio's white-tailed deer hunting seasons will be presented at the next Ohio Wildlife Council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service oversees all migratory bird regulations, including Ohio’s hunting seasons. A recent change in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s process allows Ohio to now propose fall waterfowl regulations in January, more than six months earlier than in past years.

Notable changes among the proposals included adding 11 counties to the 2017 fall turkey season; modifying waterfowl bag limits by increasing the canvasback daily bag limit from one to two and decreasing the pintail daily bag limit from two to one; and allowing any straight-walled cartridge rifle with a caliber between .357 and .50 to be used for deer hunting.

Additional proposed rule changes include changing the age requirements for those participating in youth waterfowl season from age 15 and younger to 17 and younger; modifying Pymatuning Lake fishing regulations for striped, hybrid-striped and white bass to be consistent with Pennsylvania regulations; and moving sandhill cranes from the list of state endangered species to the list of state threatened species.

A complete list of proposed rules changes can be found at wildohio.gov.

The Ohio Wildlife Council is an eight-member board that approves all of the ODNR Division of Wildlife proposed rules and regulations. The council will vote on the proposed rules and season dates after considering public input.

Open houses to receive public comments about hunting, trapping and fishing regulations and wildlife issues will be held on Saturday, March 4. Open houses will be held at the ODNR Division of Wildlife District One, District Two, District Three and District Four offices, as well as the Greene County Fish and Game Association clubhouse in Xenia.

Open houses give the public an opportunity to view and discuss proposed fishing, hunting and trapping regulations with ODNR Division of Wildlife officials. For Ohioans who are unable to attend an open house, comments will be accepted online at wildohio.gov beginning on Thursday, Feb. 9. Directions to the open houses can be found at wildohio.gov or by calling 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).

A statewide hearing on all of the proposed rules will be held at the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s District One office on Thursday, March 16, at 9 a.m. The office is located at 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, 43215.

Council meetings are open to the public. Individuals who want to provide comments on a topic that is currently being considered by council are asked to register at least two days before the meeting by calling 614-265-6304. All comments are required to be three minutes or less.