Lake Erie bucket brigade ready (But are the walleye?)

John Hageman Jr. - a Lake Erie western basin ice fishing guide - is pumped up about this week’s cold weather.

And his hope is that sub-freezing temperatures will continue through the next week as well. Such conditions will bolster the lake’s ice-making duties.

“I heard that the western basin has a skim of ice and the Miller ferry ran until just after Christmas,” said Hageman who uses South Bass Island’s Put-in-Bay as his jumping-off point.

“It’s finally looking like it might happen, especially since we’re going to get cold,” Hageman said.

The big question is what will happen next week, weather wise. A warm up will delay ice production while continued cold will see good ice-making conditions, Hageman said.

Typically the western basin’s ice fishing season begins around mid-January, Hageman said.

Hageman said also that ice fishing for walleye should be “fair” this season but not much more.

“It won’t be outstanding because we’ve been taking out of that large 2003 class. But the fish are big and that will make a lot of fishermen happy. We also have fish from the 2007 hatch and many of these fish became legal size this past summer. I know a lot of guys don’t like them that small but if they are the only game in town that’s what you go for,” Hageman said.

As for yellow perch this fishing, this angling likewise should be fair. Which is due to a respectable - though not super-abundant - population of yellow perch, Hageman said.

“The perch have seemed to have done better due to more stable weather during this species’ spawn,” Hageman said.

Hageman said also that he’s received fewer inquiries about bookings though that could change with the formation of good ice.

“In my case I don’t need all that many people, just enough to replace the ones I lost due to the economy. There’s plenty of work to go around,” he said.

For information about ice fishing with Hageman, contact him at 419-285-2029.

A roster of licensed Ohio Lake Erie fishing guides is available by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Ice Fishing Guide, Outdoors, The News-Herald, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, Ohio 44094.

The self-addressed stamped envelope is required or the request cannot be processed.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Is it good-bye LORAN-C? (or hello enhanced LORAN?)

Once the mainstay for navigating on large bodies of water (like Lake Erie,) the "long range aid to navigation" - or LORAN-C - may be terminated as early as January 4.

The process - if the Secretary of Homeland Security certifies that existing infrastructure is not needed as a GPS backup - could take months to complete. The Coast Guard's commandant has all ready certified that LORAN-C is not needed for maritime safety.

Zachariah Conover, president and CEO of Windham, MA.-based CrossRate Technology, LLC, says there is "a mountain of evidence" that suggests that enhanced eLORAN-C should become the long-term backup for GPS and that the Homeland Security Department head is weighing this evidence.

First employed during World War II, LORAN-C was the only reliable electronic navigation system for several decades. But it began its decent due to the almost universal switch to the satellite-driven Global Positioning System (GPS).

It is unclear, the Ohio Division of Watercraft Division notes, how other nations who operate their own LORAN-C systems will react should the U.S. moth-ball its system.

For CrossRate Technology's take on the subject, visit the firm's web site at www.crossrate.com.

In other Watercraft Division news, the agency will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2010. At the same time it is looking for new watercraft officers.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Ohio deer kill update (On the rise, too)

The tally of deer legally taken during Ohio's various hunting seasons continues to climb. So much so that when all things are said and done the total all-seasons harvest for the year will likely exceed 250,000 animals.

Right now the figure is more than 227,748 deer as being shot. Broken down, that figure is made up of the 474 deer shot during the special early muzzle-loading season at three locations, the 53,959 deer killed during the first six weeks of the archery hunting season, the 9,331 deer taken during the youth-only gun season, the 114,633 animals harvested during the week-long gun season, the 19,900 deer shot during the bonus two-day gun season, and the 29,451 deer harvested during weeks seven through nine of the archery hunting season.

From 16,000 to 21,000 deer are typically killed during the four-day muzzle-loading season. This year's statewide muzzle-loading season is set for Jan. 9 through 12.

Ohio's deer archery hunting season continues through Feb. 7.

Last year, the all-seasons deer harvest totaled 252,017 animals.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Santa's coming to twon (Hey, I resemble that remark)

At least I got the part correct about the sleigh being red and all.

Of course my Hyundai Tucson is fueled by a V6 engine with a whale lot more horsepower than that provided by Santa's eight tiny reindeer (nine, if you count Rudolf).

Our respective missions, however, are similar in a number of respects. Santa delivers the stuff to good little boys and girls.

Meanwhile, I set about Wednesday - and several days earlier - delivering "thank-you" gifts to landowners who allow me to fish for steelhead on their properties as well as those landowners who permit to seek ducks, wild turkeys, deer and small-game on their farms and rural real estate.

For many years now I've used the week before Christmas to make my run; one being about 25 miles round-trip and the other about 120-miles round trip. This year everyone got a decorative decanter of home-made maple syrup; liquid gold that my wife and I produced last spring in our own backyard sugar-bush.

Some people might say this is all a bribe. If that's what you think, fine. How I view it is appreciation for allowing me the opportunity to trespass. This has earned me more than my share of fish and game for the freezer as well as the chance to work my dogs, forget about the pressures of work for a while and take my wife, grandchildren, grand-nephew, brothers, sister and friends for a few hour of hunting and fishing.

So what if I go overboard, spending around $200 or more for the gifts, their containers and baskets and similar goodies? These are all fine folk and it shows that they appreciate as much my thoughtfulness as I appreciate their thoughtfulness.

Surprisingly a lot of other hunters and anglers fail in this mission, maybe sending a greeting card or making a cheery telephone call around the holidays. But not much more, if at all.

But my older brother Terry and I believe that a token of appreciation is always well accepted. That's why Terry gives out more than one canned ham or frozen turkey every holiday season.

Besides, it's a lot of fun and I enjoy the smile on the faces of the recipients. In one case I had the homeowner come out of his house after i dropped off the syrup and tell me how much he and his wife love the sweet treat, looking forward to it every Christmas season. Another recipient even sent an e-mail to me saying how much they liked the gift, too.

No question this is a feel-good deal that runs up and down both sides of the street. But it also is something (I believe) that more hunters, anglers, sportsmen should think about doing.

And it's not too late to play Santa, either. After-Christmas sales will happen starting Saturday, and even if the gift is one of those ubiquitous cheese-sausage-cracker gift boxes it really is the thought that counts.

So buckle up, put on your best holiday face and blaze orange suit and greet the landowners who let YOU hunt and fish with the most hearty "Ho-ho-ho, Merry Christmas" that you can muster. They'll thank you and you'll feel downright pleased with yourself.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Hi-Ho, a camping we'll go (Along with everyone else)

Overnight stays at Ohio's state parks jumped this year in spite of a still-sour economy.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Parks and Recreation notes that overnight stays jumped nearly 10 percent this year.

This past year the parks division recorded 578,248 overnight camping stays, an increase from the 531,612 overnight camping stays in 2008.

"Helps" that aided in the increase included the voluntary services of no fewer than 54 local "friends" groups that assisted with individual park improvement projects.

Not surprising then, customer satisfaction increased by 1 1/2 percent to a sliding scale of 4.613 out of a possible 5.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Tons of venison donated (Tis' the hunting season)

With the second component of Ohio's firearms deer hunting season set for tomorrow and Sunday it's noteworthy to point out that the state's hunters have (so far) donated 95,500 pounds of venison from 1,910 deer. This figure represents 382,000 meals.

Last year at the same time, 671 deer were donated and collectively provided 33,550 pounds of venison.

The project is a cooperative venture between the Ohio Division of Wildlife and butchers. It is called Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry. A $100,000 subsidy grant was provided in two $50,000 installments by the Wildlife Division with the understanding that the funds would be matched by the FHFH.

Venison donated to food banks must be processed by a federal, state or locally inspected and insured meat processor that is participating with the FHFH. There are currently 65 participating meat processors in Ohio.

Locally in Lake County, Lake Metroparks has teamed up the Coast Guard's Station Fairport Harbor, the United Way of Lake County and Leroy Township butcher Joe O'Donnell in providing processed deer for several area food banks.

During the recently concluded first segment of the firearms deer hunting season O'Donnell had processed 200 pounds of venison.

For information about donating a deer, contact O'Donnell at 440-667-6907.

In other deer gun hunting related news, during the seven-day deer gun season the state recorded eight hunting accidents, called incidents. This figure was on the high average end. At least none of these accidents were fatal.

Last year during the two-day extended gun season the Wildlife Division recorded four hunting accidents, two of which were fatal.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Second best (Bear went over P-As' mountain)

Pennsylvania's black bear hunters scored their second-best-ever harvest this past season.

In all, the state saw a black bear kill of 3,499 bears. The record was set in 2005 with a take of 4,164 bear.

Some of the top counties - and very familiar with many Northeast Ohio sportsmen - included (with 2008 figures in parentheses): Warren - 101 (59), Crawford - 8 (31), Venango - 33 (64), Tioga - 215 (236), Potter - 181 (294), and McKean - 142 (141).
Super kills were recorded in Clinton - 294 (139), and Lycoming - 280 (251).

Some of the biggest, baddest bears were a 655-pound brute taken in Carbon County, a 654-pound male shot also in Carbon County, and a likewise 654-pound bear harvested in Carbon County as well.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Farmers not coming aboard (Dismal hunt match)

Ohio's efforts to link deer hunters with property owners in four deer-rich, southeast Ohio counties are much less than stellar.

This program combines backing by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the Ohio Farm Bureau and is designed to link via the Internet farmers with hunters.

However, the ratio is only about 100 hunter applicants to every farmer who signs up. Only 75 of the latter have signed on with several thousand eager hunters having filled out a profile in the hopes they'd be selected. Very few were, though.

Luke Miller, the Wildlife Division official in charge of the new program, says the Farm Bureau will conduct a survey to see how many farmers actually made contact with any on-line hunter or simply stayed with the tried-and-true method of a knock on the door.

The goal - should further study indicate - might include expanding the project, Miller said also.

In other outdoors-related news, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., has introduced legislation that will prevent the further importation and interstate sale of nine species of constrictor snakes.

This proposal comes as Florida is being overrun with constrictor snakes, some of which have escaped from the owners while other people simply abandoned the reptiles once they became too large to be cared for.

But the constrictors have found an inviting home in Florida and are beginning to cause environmental problem in the Everglades. Sankes in excess of 400 pounds have been captured.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Weather takes bite out of hunt (Oh, and Al Lindner, too)

With today's really crummy cold, windy, snowy weather the end to this year's waterfowl hunting season is almost assured.

Wednesday I managed to take both Berry and Jenny Lynn - my two Labrador retrievers - out for a goose hunt on a small lake I have access to.

I had to turn around and face away from the lake, the wind coming so strong with large droplets of rain that pelted me. The dogs weren't happy, either, and 12-year-old Jenny Lynn frequently came into the blind to get out of the nasty brew.

We didn't see a single goose and heard only one bird way off in the distance.

With well below freezing temperatures expected for the next several days I suspect the pond's waters will freeze solid and put an end to the goose season even though it just started up again Monday.

I might be able to do some land hunting, largely pass shooting for geese but I dunno'. It's pretty iffy and up in the air right now.

I did seed my deer stand/ground blind area today with 100 pounds of shelled corn and a half-peck of apples. What was placed there two days ago was gone and I suspect the deer will be looking for food during this cold snap.

Oh, well, I do have the up-coming ice-fishing season to look forward to.

On another note, famed fishing brothers Al and Ron Lindner are celebrating their 40th year on television as fishing show hosts.

It all started in 1970, three years after Al had returned from Viet Nam. They began with sponsors Rapala, MinnKota, Lund and Mercury - all of whom continue their relationship with the Lindners.

Creators of the In-Fisherman TV show and magazine, the brothers have branched out in other directions but still maintain their main goal of in-depth fishing education. The Lindner's latest remaking of themselves can be seen starting at 10 a.m., Jan. 2 on the Vs cable network.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Sad day (Grand Rivet Tackle begins close-out)

There we were this morning, anglers gathered together like a flock of greedy vultures picking over the remains of a dead deer.

But it would be difficult to blame us for wanting to snatch up deals on fly-tying equipment and supplies, fishing line, reels, St. Croix rods, hooks, bobbers and virtually everything else inside Grand River Tackle's Fairport Harbor emporium.

For 25 years Bruce Dickerson has dispensed with sound fishing advice along with tackle and gear not generally found in most other tackle shops. It was the area's go-to place for fly-tying supplies, emerald shiners, ice-fishing maggots and a whole lot more.

This morning the shop was being overseen by Bruce's daughter, Kelly, along with Jon Ondo. The sale will continue either until the end of the month or when all the merchandise has been sold, which may come first, based on the number of buying customers visiting the store this morning.

While the 50-percent-off deals were too much to pass up it still was a sad occasion. I will miss the shop; its fishing reports, the opportunity to buy hooks for making sucker spawns and woolly buggers and just a neat place to wool gather fishing opinions.

Here's to whatever is in store for Bruce and Kelly. May all their future dreams be fulfilled.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Deer season starts quiet, ends even more quiet (There's always the two-day hunt))

The muzzle-loader hunter strolled up and out along the trail, past where I was sitting and toward the small parking lot that held our respective vehicles.

We both had permission to hunt this corner of Geauga County, a parcel with deeply steep ravines, benches and open woods.

He was dejected. Today was the close of Ohio's seven-day firearms deer hunting season and it ended with a whimper. No make that no noise at all. In four hours of hunting today the muzzle-loader hadn't seen a single deer - and he had ventured far into the large piece of private property.

For me I snatched another hour or so, situated myself at the pointed edge of a ridge overlooking a bench and seeing one further below. The last thing I wanted to do was move forward to overlook the next step, however. What goes down must come up and if I shot a doe down yonder it would have been one heck of a drag up the hill.

I had hunted nearly all of two days and parts of three others. In that time I had seen but two deer, a buck and one doe. Not very promising.

But the word throughout Northeast Ohio was how empty the fields and forests seemed to be both of deer and deer hunters this gun season. It's been a puzzle but maybe the muzzle-loader had accidentally hit on something.

Today - Sunday - was the first opportunity he had during the entire seven-day season to seek a deer with his side-lock percussion rifle. He's been busy. So busy that he apologised to no one in particular that he and his friends were not able to even get together and assemble typically successful drives on various holdings in west-central Geauga County.

That could very well be the case with many other hunters as well. In this tight economy trying to take time off to go and chase deer might bring down the wrath of an employer. So perhaps hunters are holding back, dreaming of the day when the economy turns around and they can take vacation time to pursue game.

Then again - and like the muzzle-loader - they're just waiting (and hopeful) the weather will cooperate, the deer will cooperate and the boss will cooperate and then they'll be able to take in the bonus two-day gun hunt or even early January's muzzle-loading season.

No use pining over what was. Now's the time to look ahead and keep the spark of hope alive.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Day Six of Gun Season (Hey, where did all the deer go?)

Today is Day Six of Ohio's firearms deer hunting season and it turned out largely to fire blanks.

For eight eager hunters who shared breakfast together along with hopeful anticipation the plot of ground along the Grand River in Ashtabula County fueled our communal desire to score on some more venison.

Yet even before we started our first drive of the morning we sensed that something was amiss. We had seen few other hunters as we left the Rock Creek diner and headed south to our destination.

Worse, absent was the sound of much distant gunfire, a foreboding that would toss an anchor line around our efforts as well.

Drives that normally squirted out multiple numbers of deer yielded nothing, though the cover was still excellent and the history of the place spoke of success.

The best we could do today would be to bump a trio of does; the animals and us play hop-scotch from one wooden draw to the next logged-off ravine as they snaked along the Grand River.

Clearly we were growing frustrated and disappointed. Last year this chunk of Ashtabula County real estate held an abundance of deer. And even though we didn't kill them all we sure did help keep the ammunition companies in business.

Today we could have gone gun-less and done just as well. Only one of our party of eight even came close to killing a deer - and that was unloading three rounds in a Hail Mary attempt at a fleeing doe.

After a short lunch break we were all primed for the best of the day. It was here last year where our same party had bagged three deer and missed a bunch more. Deer were squirting out everywhere.

Not this time. Only a lone, rather pale-looking red fox was pushed out ahead of the walkers and toward the four standers.

It was a very disappointing end to a frustrating week of gun hunting. In four days of effort (either the whole day or a partial day) I had seen just one buck and one doe.

I know the Ohio Division of Wildlife is trying to reduce the state's deer herd but I am hoping their objectives are being too liberal.

We will know by Monday afternoon whether the rest of Ohio's corps of 425,000 or so gun hunters were similarly perplexed at the lack of deer.

But our party will try again during the up-coming two-day bonus season along with the four-day muzzle-loading season.

Hopefully what we saw today was just a fluke.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

End of an era (Grand River Tackle to close)

A Northeast Ohio fishing institution for a generation, Grand River Tackle in Fairport Harbor is set to close, likely by the end of December.

The tackle shop's owner, Bruce Dickerson, and his daughter, Kelly, tried to keep the shop open and profitable.

However, the continuing sour economy has taken its toll on many industries, not the least of which is the sport fishing industry. That includes such operations as Grand River Tackle.

The store became more than just a place to buy emerald shiners, fly-tying equipment to self-make woolly buggers and sucker spawns, but also a go-to destination for local fishing advice, whether it be for Lake Erie walleye and yellow perch or for stream steelhead.

What started out in Grand River Village the shop eventually moved to Fairport Harbor at the crossroads where anglers wanting to launch their boats at the public ramp or head right and fish the Uniroyal Hole of the Grand River pretty much had to pass by.

Dickerson was always more than willing to give his advice for free and also run a first-class annual steelhead fishing derby. His skills at tying flies and instructing beginners (myself included as well as my wife, Bev) were (are still) as rock-solid. He's first-class act all the way.

But a tackle shop needs to do more than just sell Sticky Eggs for spawn sack making or maggots for farm pond fishing. It also has to sell higher-end items like rods, reels and such. That is tough enough for big sporting goods chain stores let alone a small, family run business.

The shop will conduct a 50-percent off sale starting at 8 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 8. And depending upon remaining inventory and volume of traffic, the store will remain open through the end of the month.

No question, however, the anglers of Northeast Ohio have lost more than just a dependable place to buy neccessities not typically found elsewhere. They're also out an old-fashioned angling hang-out and centralized location for local fishing lore.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Castalia trout fishing & deer hunting accidents (Good and better)

You can bet that I'll be applying for one of the slots to fish the Ohio Division of Wildlife's Castalia Trout Hatchery near Sandusky.

The fishing can be that could. Correction. The fishing IS that good with virtually everyone who gets drawn and goes there being able to creel a five-fish limit, sometimes too quickly.

Other rules include allowing a successful applicant to bring two adult guests and three youth guests under the age of 16.

Fishing sessions run from 7 a.m. to noon.

This year the agency is accepting applications through Jan. 31 for the available fishing slots that will run from April through October 2010.

Online applications cost $3 while mail-in applications cost $5. Only one applicant per person is permitted.

To apply online, visit the Wildlife Division's web site at www.wildohio.com or call 800-WILDLIFE for a paper application.

Ohio's more than 400,000 deer hunters successfully completed Monday's opener without a single hunting accident, called incidents by the Wildlife Division.

But by today - Thursday - that number stood at three, none of which were fatal but all of which were two-party incidents, reports Matt Ortman, the agency's official in charge of monitoring such matters.

Though one incident is still one too many, the fact is that during the course of the week-long firearms deer hunting season the state typically records 10 to 12 such hunting incidents, Ortman says.

As for an incident-free deer gun season opener, Ortman was impressed.

"I've been sitting here wondering how long it's been since that has happened and it has to go at least as far back as 2001. It was a pleasant surprise," Ortman said.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Ohio's fall turkey harvest results (Gobble 'em up)

It was a good fall turkey season for Ohio, particularly in the northeast corner of the state.

The fall season ran from Oct. 10 through Nov. 29 and was allowed in 48 of the state's 88 counties. This year's harvest saw a kill of 2,180 birds, both males and females. That figure is up from the 2,012 turkeys taken during the fall, 2008 season.

Dropping from first place to second place, however, was Ashtabula County with 127 birds killed. This compares to the 130 turkeys shot in Ashtabula County during the fall, 2008 season.

A big gainer was Geauga County. Here, hunters killed 58 turkeys compared to just 22 birds shot there during last year's fall season.

Lake County also saw a gain: To 23 turkeys from the 17 shot in 2008.

Lorain County likewise was up in the harvest. Here, 39 turkeys were shot this season while 34 were taken during the 2008 fall season.

Down, however, was Cuyahoga County. Way down, in fact. During this year's fall season just one turkey was reported as being killed. Last season that figure was 12 turkeys.

The Top 10 counties were, with the fall, 2008 figures in parentheses: Tuscarawas - 135 (112), Ashtabula - 127 (130), Jackson - 91 (52), Trumbull - 73 (82), Guernsey - 72 (60), Coshocton - 70 (83), Hocking - 68 (23), Medina - 67 (33), Ross - 65 (47), and Knox - 63 (57).

It was estimated by the Ohio Division of Wildlife that about 20,000 people participated in this year's fall turkey season hunt. Division biologists further believe that many of these participants were opportunistic hunters, or those sports who bought a license in the hope they'd shoot a turkey while pursuing other game such as deer.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Opening day deer season results (Cold NEO start)

Statewide, a preliminary 33,607 deer were shot by Ohio hunters Monday. This represents a modest increase from last year’s gun season opener kill which was a preliminary 33,034 deer.

Many Ohio Division of Wildlife officers - at least those in Northeast Ohio - reported a quiet deer gun season opener.

“It had to have been the quietest deer gun opener I’ve ever seen here. My voice mail never recorded a single complaint, not even for trespassing or anything else,” said Tom Rowan, state wildlife officer assigned to Lake County.

Here are the local preliminary opening day deer season results with the 2008 preliminary opening day results in parentheses: Lake County - 63 (113), Geauga County - 188 (326), Ashtabula County - 836 (1,089), Cuyahoga County - 25 (32), Trumbull County - 572 (657), Lorain County - 210 (165), Medina County - 146 (158), Huron County - 367 (288), Erie County - 112 (82).

Ohio’s all-seasons pre-hunt deer population stood at around 650,000 deer. The state also estimates there are 420,000 deer gun hunters.

The seven-day deer gun season continues through Sunday, Dec. 6. A bonus two-day statewide deer firearms hunt is scheduled for Dec. 19 and 20. The statewide muzzle-loading deer season is set for Jan. 9 through 12.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com

Youthful deer hunters (Good, but not great)

As we await the results of Monday's Ohio firearms deer hunting season opener the tally of the recent youth-only deer gun hunt may prove revealing.

In that Nov. 21 and 22 hunt, youthful gunners age 17 and under killed 9,331 deer. That compares to the 9,852 deer taken during the special youth-only 2008 hunt.

Ohio's deer biologists believe that hunters will ultimately kill fewer deer, which is the goal of the agency. That is because the Ohio Division of Wildlife is trying to manage the state's herd of about 650,000 animals in such a ways as to reduce conflicts with humans and their activities.

Those efforts may be paying off. This year's herd is a projected 50,000 fewer animals than for the 2008 herd estimate.

Consequently the various hunts may be experiencing reductions in total harvests.

Locally, this is how youth hunters fared with 2008 kills in parentheses:

Lake County - 14 (20), Geauga County - 38 (48), Ashtabula County - 117 (147), Trumbull County - 96 (115), Cuyahoga County - 6 (5), Lorain County - 61 (89), Huron County - 105 (132), Medina County - 72 (65), Sandusky County - 18 (26).

The three alleged deer poachers who were believed responsible for the Oct. 30 shooting at an occupied state Wildlife Division vehicle were charged with various felony and misdemeanor violations.

Those charged included 34-year-old Tood M. Noel of Urbana, 37-year-old Jesse W. Coffey of Paris, Ohio and 18-year-old Jacob E. Shephard of Somerset, KY.

Among the charges all three face are hunting without permission (a misdemeanor of the third degree).

Among some of the other charges were prohibiting jacklighting (a misdemeanor of the third degree and faced by Noel and Coffey), as well as complicity to prohibiting jacklighting (a misdemeanor of the third degree and faced by Shepherd).

The most serious charges include improperly discharging a firearm in a motor vehicle (a felony of the forth degree and faced by Noel), and complicity to improperly discharge a firearm in a motor vehicle and faced by Coffey and Shepherd).

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischkorn@News-Herald.com