Ohio's hunters chipping away at deer kill numbers but figures still lag behind the three-year averages

 

Some six weekends into Ohio’s 2021-2022 deer-hunting season and the to-date count of animals taken continues at a snail’s pace.

However, that snail has begun shifting into the next gear.

Yet for a number of Ohio’s deer hunters now is more of doing some window shopping rather than any actual buying. These participants are being selective – at least for the moment – of what they want in the way of a white-tail.

Data shows that as of November 2nd, 36,206 deer had been taken That figure represented an 11.2-percent drop over the three-year average.

Broken down further, the to-date antlered deer kill as of November 2nd was 17,241 animals. This figure represents a 7-percent drop from the same to-date three-year average of 18,548 animals.

Regarding antlerless deer, the November 2nd to-date deer kill was 18,965 animals, representing a 14.6-percent drop from the same to-date three-year average of 22,215 animals.

By way of comparison to show the narrowing of the deer-kill gap, for the period through October 17th, the statewide total archery-associated deer kill was down 16.8-percent verses the three-year average.

“Looks like hunters have started to chip away at the deficit a bit,” said Clint McCoy, the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s chief deer biologist.

The Wildlife Division prefers – and rightfully so – comparing one set of numbers against its three-year average. This makes for a better apples-to-apples look at numbers, McCoy has said.

Data supplied by McCoy also shows that only three of Ohio’s 88 counties were ahead of their respective three-year average as of the November 2nd report: Butler – up 3.3-percent; Crawford – up 1.2-percent; and Summit – up 1-percent.

Among the counties demonstrating steep declines were: Pickaway – down-38.4 percent; Ottawa – down – 30.2 percent; Lucas – down 29.2-percent; Clinton – down 25.9 percent; and Defiance – down 25.7 percent.

Even so, at least for a couple of hunters helping to erase any deficit will come, just not at the moment.

“I’ve been out perhaps six times and I’ve seen deer – including a nice buck the other evening – but so far they’ve all been out of range,” said outdoors writer Tom Cross of Adams County.

Cross also says he will pass on any doe for now in part because this is the rut and the females are being chased by the bucks. Consequently, Cross says he doesn’t want to “mess up the woods” by shooting a doe at the moment.

“That’ll change during the gun season and especially the muzzle-loader season,” Cross said.

Similarly, John Grantham of Geauga County has avoided shooting not only antlerless deer but even a 10-point buck during more than 20 sits thus far in his tree stand.

“I’ve probably seen deer two-thirds of those evening hunts. I’ll keep passing on the does until after the rut,” Grantham said.

Much of Ohio’s deer hunting lies ahead, of course. The state’s archery season extends through February 6th. The statewide firearms- season is set for November 29th through December 5th, with the two-day “bonus” firearms season being December 18th and 19th. Ohio’s statewide muzzle-loading season is January 8th through 11th.

- By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

JFrischk4@gmail.com

Eight Face Charges for Allegedly Stealing Deer Meat, Illegally Poaching Ohio White-tailed Deer

Direct from Ohio Attorney General:

 In the wake of a joint investigation by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, eight people have been indicted by a Gallia County grand jury on (allegedly) multiple felony charges of poaching white-tailed deer and stealing meat from hunters.

Investigators (allegedly) found that a deer-meat processing operation known as A&E Deer Processing and associates poached 30 Ohio white-tailed deer and skimmed more than 700 pounds of meat from deer that hunters paid to have processed by the business. A&E Deer Processing then sold the stolen meat for a profit.

“Deer hunting is a deep-rooted tradition in Ohio, with generations having been taught the values of conservation, responsibility and discipline,” Yost said. “This level of (alleged) corruption violates those tenets, and protecting and preserving this part of our heritage are important to all sportsmen and -women.”

Each of the past two years, more than 180,000 white-tailed deer were harvested in Ohio, according to ODNR.

Hunting – of deer and other game – is an economic boon for the state. A recent Ohio State University study found that roughly 9 million hunting trips are taken in Ohio every year, with hunters spending $800 million here annually.

AG Yost lauded the investigative efforts of ODNR and the work of Environmental Enforcement Section of his office that led to the indictments. 

The eight people charged face a (alleged) combined 91 criminal counts:

• Aaron L. Jones, 32, of Thurman: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F1), complicity to telecommunications fraud (F4), tampering with records (F3), theft (F5), receiving (disposing of) stolen property (F5), complicity to falsification (F5), money laundering (F3), illegal sale of wild animal parts (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), over bag limit of antlered deer taken in a season (M3), providing false data when game checking a deer (two counts, M3), jacklighting (M3)
• Brittney E. Marcum, 31, of Thurman: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F1), telecommunications fraud (F4), complicity to tampering with records (F3), complicity to theft (F5), complicity to receiving (disposing of) stolen property (F5),   falsification (F5), complicity to money laundering (F3), complicity to illegal sale of wild animal parts (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), providing false data when game checking a deer (M3)
• Randy L. Jones  Jr., 64, of Thurman: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F1), complicity to telecommunications fraud (F4), complicity to tampering with records (F3), complicity to theft (F5), complicity to receiving (disposing of) stolen property (F5), complicity to falsification (F5), complicity to money laundering (F3), complicity to illegal sale of wild animal parts (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), possession of untagged turkey parts (M4), receiving stolen property – firearm (F4), over bag limits of antlered deer taken in a season (M3), attached antlerless game check confirmation number to antlered deer (M3), providing false data when game checking a deer (M3)
• Charlotte F. Jones, 63, of Thurman: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F1), complicity to telecommunications fraud (F4), complicity to tampering with records (F3), complicity to theft (F5), complicity to receiving (disposing of) stolen property (F5), complicity to falsification (F5), complicity to money laundering (F3), complicity to illegal sale of wild animal parts (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), possession of untagged turkey parts (M4), receiving stolen property – firearm (F4), providing false data when game checking a deer (M3)
• James E. Copley, 58, of Thurman:  engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity (F1), complicity to theft (F5), complicity to money laundering (F3), complicity to illegal sale of wild animal parts (F5), tampering with records (F3), theft (F5), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), unlawful possession of a dangerous ordnance (F5), aiding a wildlife offender:  accepting deer without a game check (M3), providing false data when game checking a deer (M3), hunting deer with an illegal hunting implement (M3), providing false data when game checking a deer (three counts, M3), hunting deer with an illegal hunting implement (M3)
• Justin M. Wells, 36, of Thurman: theft (F5), failure to game check a deer (five counts, M3), over bag limit of deer taken in a season (M3), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged turkey parts (M4), jacklighting (M3)
• William C. Gilbert, 27, of Thurman: tampering with records (F3), grand theft (F4), possession of untagged deer parts (M3), possession of untagged deer meat (M3), jacklighting (M3), hunting deer with an illegal hunting implement (two counts, M3), failure to game check a deer (M3), jacklighting (M3), failure to game check a deer (M3)
• Justin F. Butterfield, 23, of Brice: theft (F5), failure to game check a deer (M3)

Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech

UPDATED 10/20/21 Ohio's to-date deer kill continues to slide; overall dropping 16.8% when compared to three-year average

 

Since Ohio’s archery deer-hunting season began September 25th, the unseasonably warm weather is largely being assigned the blame for a freezing of the initial deer kill.

For the period up through October 17th, the statewide total archery-associated deer kill was down 16.8 percent verses the three-year average. Just for antlered deer the decline figure was 10.3 percent, and for antlerless animals that percentage had fallen by 20.1 percent, says Clint McCoy, the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s deer management biologist.

In all, through October 17, Ohio’s archery deer hunters have killed 17,787 animals compared to the three-year average of 21,381 animals.

Just how slow the start has been can be seen in the county-by-county to-date numbers. Of Ohio’s 88 counties through October 17^th, only four – Harrison, Jefferson, Adams, and Guernsey – showed increases in their respective to-date deer kill when compared to the three-year average.

Some counties have witnessed substantial to-date declines when compared to their respective three-year averages, too. Among the examples are Madison which was off 38.1 percent, Lucas was down 38.8 percent, Monroe was down 41.9 percent, and Clinton was down a whopping 48.8 percent.

However, not all is dim news. Nine Ohio counties have thus far experienced increases in their to-date antlered (buck) deer kill. Among them are Coshocton, up 10.5 percent; Noble, up 12.6 percent; Perry, up 13 percent; Guernsey up 14.7 percent; Muskingum, up 16.1 percent; Jefferson, up 16.9 percent; Adams, up 18.4 percent; Harrison, up 19 percent; and Summit, up 19.6 percent. Again, these numbers are for antlered deer only.

It is estimated that Ohio’s deer herd consists of around 600,000 to 800,000 animals. And projections are that between 185,000 and 1995,000 deer will be killed by all means when the last of Ohio’s deer seasons concludes February 6^th.

“Opening weekend the deer harvest was pretty solid with some nice weather to help but since then it’s been hot and that had to be a significant factor,” McCoy said.

The caveat being, says McCoy also, that such sticky-buggy-uncomfortable weather “likely has affected hunters more than it has the deer.”

“No one wants to walk to their blind or tree stand all sweaty and then try and take care of any animal that’s been shot and which might spoil without prompt attention,” McCoy said.

Still, says McCoy, the deer still have to eat though that dining is probably more oriented toward occurring after dark than during the legal hunting time of one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

McCoy says another plausible factor to the tranquil start of the statewide archery deer-hunting season is the expansion in the allowable use of antlerless deer tags. These tags are now legal tender in every county (minus nearly all public lands) up through November 28th.

Consequently, those archery deer hunters who are going out now may be focusing more of their attention on aiming to bag an antlered animal, McCoy speculates.

“In my mind these hunters may not be so willing to take a doe in the warm weather knowing they’ll have more opportunity to hunt an antlerless deer later on when it’s not so hot to track a deer and drag it out of the woods,” McCoy said.

Even so, says McCoy, a quick weather change to cooler temperatures and all could translate into a fast recovery in the deer kill.

“It’s just not been good deer-hunting weather,” McCoy said.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

JFrischk4@gmail.com

Questions remain and scramble begins by muzzle-loaders as country's only black powder maker closes plant

 

With the largely unexpected closure of the GOEX plant at Camp Minden, Louisiana the end of the line likely has come to black powder production in the United States.

The firm’s parent company, Hodgdon, announced September 27th the immediate cessation of operations at the site while the company evaluates its “...strategic options for the black powder business.”

In its press release announcing the closure, Hodgdon said “The business will wind down operations while an evaluation process of the business takes place. Strategic options for the GOEX and Olde Eynsford brands of black powder, along with the manufacturing capabilities, will include a potential sale of the business.

“All affected employees will be retained through December 31, 2021, to assist in an orderly closing of the site and will receive severance commensurate with their years of service to the company.”

GOEX black powder was first made in 1802 in Delaware by the fabled E.I. Du Pont de Nemours Company; a firm well acquainted with manufacturing powders for military ordinance. That extended through many of the nation’s conflicts.

“Today, GOEX manufactures black powder used for sporting applications such as civil war re-enactments and flint lock firearms, and is a vital component for industrial and military applications. It remains as the only U.S. manufacturer of black powder.

“GOEX has over a 200 year history of black powder manufacturing in the United States and GOEX Powder, Inc. intends to be a good steward of this company’s history and tradition,” the GOEX web site says.

Production of GOEX black powder shifted to the Louisiana site in 1997 with the product line being bought by the huge gun powder manufacturer Hodgdon Powder Company in 2009.

However, the Louisiana plant has seen its share of explosions; one in June, 2011 when one-thousand pounds of the product blew up. The latest incident occurred less than three months ago that required evacuating the employees for up to two days to ensure that no further incident would be encountered.

And the US EPA said in a November 13, 2012 release that “Today's blast is at least the seventh at (GOEX) since it moved to the (Camp Minden) site in mid-1997.”

Also, according to the Louisiana EPA, “Camp Minden is almost 15,000 acres in size and located mostly in Webster Parish, Louisiana. The facility was formerly known as the Louisiana Military Ammunition Plant, which is a National Priorities List Superfund site primarily because of problems caused by groundwater contamination, remediation is on-going.”

Muzzle-loader enthusiasts who prefer black powder over substitutes are concerned that the loss of GOEX will hurt their pursuits. Such users as Revolutionary War and Civil War re-eactors, muzzle-loading competitors, and some hunters will either have to scrounge around and horde what the can find or else find a substitute instead.

“I’m glad I bought enough a while back to last me for a few years,” said outdoors writer Tom Cross who typically uses a traditional flintlock rifle during Ohio’s muzzle-loading-only deer-hunting season. “I don’t shoot all that much.”

Cross said he also has an in-line muzzle-loader that he has used with Pyrodex – a black powder substitute also made by Hodgdon - but that he hasn’t tried it with his flintlock.

There are at least two foreign-made black powder products – Schuetzen/Swiss and Slovian-made KIK - but their availability has proven challenging for some interested buyers in the U.S..

It is likewise uncertain how the demise of GOEX will impact the manufacture of fireworks, though it is known that both that product and Olde Eynsford are used in fireworks production.

Also, several web sites do exist that provide “recipes” for the making of black powder by the hobbyist.

The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says this on the subject: “Black powder is an explosive material for purposes of federal explosives laws and regulations.

“However, the law exempts from regulation commercially manufactured black powder in quantities not exceeding 50 pounds (as well as percussion caps, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, quills, quick and slow matches, and friction primers) intended to be used solely for sporting, recreational, or cultural purposes in antique firearms as defined in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(16) or in antique devices exempted from the term "destructive device" in 18 U.S.C. 921(a)(4).

“Regardless, persons engaged in the business of importing, manufacturing, or dealing in black powder in any quantity must have a federal explosives license, and comply with record-keeping, storage and conduct of business requirements.”

By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

JFrischk4@gmail.com

Ohio's fall wild turkey hunting season may not greatly benefit from the 17-year cicada emergence after all

 

It appears the emergence this past summer of 17-year cicadas will likely minimally impact the take of birds during Ohio’s 2021 fall wild turkey-hunting season.

However, a slightly above average hatch of young turkeys – called poults – will still offer good hunting opportunity. Both for the small cadre of serious fall turkey hunters as well as for the believed-much larger opportunistic hunter.

This year’s fall wild turkey-hunting season runs Oct. 9 through Nov. 28 in 70 counties. Only one bird of either sex is allowed for those with a fall turkey-hunting tag. Spring tags are not legal tender, however. Hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until sunset, daily.

“Generally, we do see a spike in the fall turkey harvest when there’s been good poult production, and this year the statewide average was three poults per hen observed. The 10-year average is 2.7 poults per hen,” says Mark Wiley, the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s lead wild turkey biologist.

Wiley said broken down by the five wildlife districts, District 1, 4 and 5 showed the best gains though the other two districts “were also very close.”

As the up-coming season bears any correlation to this year’s Brood X emergence of 17-year cicadas, that phenomena was heavy – but not as being wall-to-wall throughout the area covered by the appearance, Wiley said.

And that lack of uniformity may have played in a role in a good – but not, spectacular – wild turkey hatch this past spring.

“In the poult data we don’t seem to have a clear picture of more cicadas resulting in more poults, but the emergence was still beneficial,” Wiley says.

The reason being, says Wiley, the additional protein provided by the cicadas may have led to faster growth of the poults that were hatched. In turn, that might mean the birds will be in better shape to survive this winter. And possibly mean birds taken this fall may prove to be chunkier, Wiley says.

Just how well hunters do this fall will largely depend upon how many persons actually participate, obviously, says Wiley.

In 2020, the total reported turkey kill was 1,063 birds, a statistically insignificant 1-percent increase from the 2019 fall season, but still 18 percent below the 5-year average of 1,294 birds, Wiley said.

“Notable upticks in the fall harvest were evident in years with high reproductive indices; e.g., 1999, 2008, 2016,” Wiley said.

The top Ohio counties for the fall turkey kill were Ashtabula (52), Coshocton (37), Trumbull (36), Guernsey (28), and Licking (28).

Thus, says Wiley, a kill of 1,000 to 1,500 birds is a good predictable range for the 2021 fall season, Wiley says.

Of some curiosity perhaps, the number of birds shot in the fall by all archery tackle combined (47.8 percent) almost equals that of birds killed with a shotgun (52.2 percent). And since 2016, the percentage of fall birds killed with a shotgun has dropped from 62.9 percent to the 52.2 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of fall birds killed by all archery tackle combined has grown from 37.1 percent to the 47.8 percent.

This is a point Wiley has previously noted that may indicate how many fall birds are being taken opportunistically by archery deer hunters.

Interesting also, the 2020 fall season saw 467 adult female turkey shot, 106 juvenile female turkeys taken, 408 adult male turkeys shot, 70 juvenile males taken, with the rest being described as “unknown.”

Thus, 573 female turkeys were killed verses 478 males, for a difference of 95 more female turkeys than male turkeys having been killed during Ohio’s 2020 fall season .

Which might prove significant. Pressure is mounting to apply the brakes to the fall season’s kill, particularly as it relate to the taking of hens. Such a reduction in the cropping of the species’s females could lead to a rebounding over time of the wild turkey’s total Ohio population, its is being argued by more than a few hunters.

A tail-end shortening of the season is one hen-reduction idea being floated about. And that is a point the Wildlife Division is keenly aware of, says Wiley.

“It’s all still be discussed, and generally we begin preparing our hunting proposals in the fall and winter for the net series of regulations,” Wiley said. “But nothing has been decided yet.”

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

JFrischk4@gmail.com

Ohio DNR to spend $3.5 million in federal funds to outfit officers with body-worn cameras

 

Likely sooner rather than later a person being approached by an Ohio Department of Natural Resources officer might want to straighten the shirt collar.

And perhaps display a less intolerant posture.

The Department is readying the process of outfitting at least 227 of its law enforcement commissioned officers with body-worn cameras of the type being used by many other enforcement officers.

Body-worn cameras for law enforcement officers are not mandated in Ohio. And it is estimated that up to two-thirds of all law enforcement agencies in the state do not outfit their officers with body-worn cameras due to equipment and video storage costs.

Even so, the ODNR is moving to remove itself from the no-body-worn camera list. On August 30th, says ODNR chief of communications, Sarah Wickham, the agency received approval from the State Controlling Board to use $3.5 million in federal funds just for that purpose.

These monies are coming from the Federal Coronavirus Relief Fund under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and which can be used to purchase body cameras, Wickham says.

“The CARES Act allows states to use funding from the Fund for necessary expenditures (obtained) by the state due to the public health emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic incurred after March 1, 2020 that were not authorized as part of the state budget,” Wickham said in her statement.

Therefore, such a request will allow the ODNR to purchase 350 body-worn cameras, “including the necessary hardware, software, and support during implementation,” Wickham says.

Whickham noted, too, that DNR officers “have been on the front-line of the pandemic with record visitation to parks, wildlife areas, forests, and nature preserves over the last year, ensuring safe recreation and adherence to new protocols.”

Consequently, such body-worn cameras “will provide critical documentation of interaction with the public to ensure the safety of both DNR officers and the visitors of state properties,” says Wickham.

“We expect that each officer would wear one, which today would be 227 officers between the (Wildlife and Parks and Watercraft) divisions. We are still working through some policy decisions that could increase that number,” Wickman said.

Related to a degree that such body-worn cameras which may be used by Natural Resources Department officers is how the DeWine Administration also has earmarked $5 million in grants funding “to help local law enforcement agencies invest in body camera equipment and pay for associated expenses,” Governor Mike DeWine’s office said.

"Body cameras are beneficial for peace officers and the public because they act as impartial eyes on events as they transpire, but most law enforcement agencies in Ohio don't have them because they can't afford them," said Governor DeWine. In his prepared remarks.

"One of my top priorities has always been ensuring that our law enforcement officers have the tools they need to best serve the public, and this new grant program will help eliminate the cost barriers associated with body-worn cameras and will contribute to a safer Ohio.”

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

JFrischk4@gmail.com

The state's 2021 Fish Ohio program will feature for the first time on its collectable pin the Longnose Gar

 

The Ohio Division of Wildlife is breaking the mold regarding which species will enjoy the honor of being displayed on the 2021 Fish Ohio pin.

After rotating through the usual cycle of Walleye, Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass, Steelhead, Crappie, Muskie, Yellow Perch – even the Freshwater Drum and Rock Bass – the Wildlife Division went bold. It has selected the Longnose Gar as the 2021 Fish Ohio pin beauty queen.

The agency’s Fish Ohio program currently recognizes 25 different species, each requiring a minimum length to be eligible for a collectible pin. The program’s species eligibility list does change from time to time.

Gar are hardly the program’s most popular species for entry, however. As of early September only 40 entries for the species were received. The most were coming from the Ohio River with 13 entries. The longest fish was a 50-inch specimen caught from the Scioto River and another 50-inch fish taken from the Ohio River.

The Fish Ohio program’s minimum length requirement for a Longnose (note: not “Longnosed”) Gar is 34 inches. Only the Flathead Catfish and the Blue Catfish (each being 35 inches), and the Muskellunge (40 inches) require longer qualifying lengths.

And to put the 40 gar caught-to-date figure into perspective, the also to-date tally by the end of August of all Fish Ohio applications stood at 7,436 entries. The figure for the same period last year was 7,921 entries.

No matter, as the Wildlife Division tossed the Walleye and the White Bass to the wind, so to speak, going for a new kid on the Fish Ohio pin block.

“We have our regular cast of characters we go to, but we certainly want to spread the ‘love’ around from time to time and include other Ohio game fish species that are a part of the Fish Ohio program,” said Brian Banbury, the Wildlife Division’s executive administrator for information and education.

As for the pins themselves, Banbury says the same supply problems that plagued the delivery of the 2020 Fish Ohio pins continue through to this year. That being, access due to slow shipping and delivery issues as a result of the on-going COVID-19 crisis.

Also Banbury says, the Wildlife Division cannot simply pluck a vendor of its own choosing. The agency must send out bids and wait for various prospective pin makers to return their respective bid packages.

“The bid went out but has not been awarded yet, so we don’t know of any production details, as of yet,” Banbury said.

For way of additional, related, information, the current Ohio hook-and-line state record Longnose Gar measures 49 inches, weighs 25 pounds, and was caught August 31, 1966 from the Ohio River.

The current Ohio bowfishing record for the Longnose Gar measures 53.1 inches, weighs 19.21 Pounds, and was taken May 12, 2011 from Turkeyfoot Lake.

Ohio’s state record fish program is maintained by the Outdoor Writers of Ohio, which works closely with the Ohio Division of Wildlife in proper species identification.

- By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@ameritech.net

JFrischk4@gmail.com