Ohio's new concealed carry issuance numbers slip but rise in renewals

The number of Ohio concealed carry renewals is inching closer to the number of issued first-time permits.

Also, the number of Ohioans seeking their first-ever concealed carry permit has dramatically declined.

 

By law the Ohio Attorney General must submit quarterly and an annual report on the county-by-county breakdown of concealed carry permits. This tally includes first-time issuances, renewals, rejections, emergency-granted/non-renewable 90-day permits, and revocations.

The report is required to go to Ohio’s governor as well as the leaders in both chambers of Ohio’s state legislature.

In his recently issued report Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said that for 2014 the state’s 88 county sheriffs processed 58,060 new concealed carry permits as well as 52,146 renewals.

By comparison, for 2013 those figures were 96,972 and 48,370, respectively.
And for 2012 the numbers were 64,650 and 12,160, also respectively.

Begun in 2004 with the issuance of 45,497 concealed carry permits the number of Ohioans seeking such documents generally and steadily increased. Exceptions were the first couple of years when the program was just getting started and the number of permits declined.

The number of new permits applications processed peaked in 2013, though the number of five-year renewal permits being processed appears now to be on the rise.

Likewise rising is the number of revocations. In 2014 the state – through the various sheriff departments - revoked 1,412 permits. That figure is very nearly double the number of permits revoked in 2010: 720.

However, the number of denied permit applications dropped in 2014 (882) when compared to 2013 (1,142) and practically identical to the number in 2012 (889).

For 2014 among the counties with the highest number of new and renewal permits issued (respectively were: Lake –3,748 (the most new permits), and 1,853; Hamilton – 2,434 and 1,918; Butler 1,750 and 2,293; Montgomery – 2,798 and 2,258; Lucas – 907 and 1,127; Lorain – 1,228 and 1,116; Franklin – 3,696 and 2,770 (the most renewals); Clermont – 1,773 and 2,361; Summit – 1,353 and 1,973; Mahoning – 1,494 and 686.

Among Ohio’s 88 counties which either issued the least number of new or renewal concealed carry permits were: Coshocton – 87 and 33 (the least number of issuances in each category); Hardin – 153 and 105; Harrison – 132 and 70; Meigs – 98 and 97; Noble – 137 and 37; Paulding – 102 and 36; Henry – 140 and 84; Monroe – 112 and 75; Adams – 136 and 156; Defiance – 114 and 92.

In regards to permit application denials among the leaders were Hamilton – 113 (the greatest number of denials); Montgomery – 106; Lake – 92; Summit – 57; Stark – 45; Cuyahoga – 34.

Also, about 19 or so counties saw no denials in their application processing with a goodly number more counties experiencing fewer than 10 denials each.

As for revocations, Ohio recorded yanking 373 permits. Among the counties withdrawing the greatest number of concealed carry permits were: Montgomery – 40 (the county with the most revocations); Lake – 39; Franklin – 34; Cuyahoga – 33; Clermont and Hamilton – 30 each.

The largest ever number of concealed carry revocations was in 2012 with741 license retrievals by Ohio’s 88 county sheriffs.

Revocations are made for several reasons and not just because a permit holder may have been convicted of a crime worthy of having to give up a concealed carry permit

Among the other revocation possibilities are the holder dying or moving out of state, the holder being legally determined to be considered drug- or alcohol-dependent, the holder determined under Ohio law as being mentally ill, or the person simply no longer wanting a concealed carry permit.

DeWine’s extensive report further lists the number of states that have signed reciprocity agreements with Ohio. These compacts allow legally licensed concealed carry permit holders “… carry weapons in those jurisdictions and for those states’ citizens to carry weapons in Ohio.”

Importantly, notes DeWine as well, that such legal documented exchanges are required to include an analysis of those other state laws “to ensure they meet the requirements of Ohio’s concealed carry handgun law (ORC 109.69) and vice versa.”

 To date Ohio has official reciprocal agreements with Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

 

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

 

Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Wildlife Division Open Houses; or the agency's annual Dog and Pony Show

The cynic in us might very well ask whether it’s worth attending the up-coming concurrent Open Houses that will address the game law proposals for the 2015-2016 hunting seasons.

After all, following the conclusion of the recently held Deer Summits the Ohio Division of Wildlife made a not-so-subtle end-run around that series’ attendees.

While agency officials stressed in no uncertain terms their unwavering support for the early antlerless-only/muzzle-loading deer-hunting season those empowered to override the field staff did just, many who attended the summits were chagrined to learn.

Added to the dismay that the Wildlife Division says one thing on a Saturday and then presents something else entirely several days later was the out-from-far-right-field proposal to add a two-day general firearms deer-hunting season the day after Christmas.

In the world of the British Commonwealth December 26^th is known as “Boxing Day.” And rightfully many Ohio’s deer hunters believed the Wildlife Division had unnecessarily and unfairly repackage the deer hunting comments (promises?) that called for holding the line for the 2015-2016 season.

And now the agency is calling for all good hunters to come to the aid of the annual so-named Ohio Houses, scattered across each of the Wildlife Division’s five districts.

Each of these district Open House meetings are set for noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, March 7.

Additionally, comments will be taken electronically through the following day, Sunday, March 8.

On the agenda are – in the words of the Ohio Division of Wildlife – “…opportunities for anyone interested in sharing input and participating in Ohio’s professional wildlife management process.”

To attend the meeting will be Wildlife Division biologists and law enforcement personnel who’ll explain the proposals as well as listen to the praises, gripes, concerns and opinions of the attendees.

Of course those goals were also the thrust behind the Deer Summits. Yet many of the hunters who attended them now understands why cynicism about what the Wildlife Division says at one point isn’t always what the Wildlife Division produces somewhere else down the line.

Still, if you have a hankering to attend - and still believe that your praise, gripes, concerns and opinions really do matter - by all means visit one of the five locations. A well-orchestrated dog-and-pony show is often good for a chuckle or two.

And it may not hurt though chances are it really won’t matter because as often as not (and increasingly so) the voice of Ohio’s sportsmen is falling on deaf ears.

 

The locations for the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s March 7 Open Houses:

·         Central Ohio: Wildlife District One office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus 43215; 614-644-3925;

·         Northwest Ohio: Wildlife District Two office, 952 Lima Avenue, Findlay 45840; 419-424-5000;

·         Northeast Ohio: Wildlife District Three office, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron 44319; 330-644-2293;

·         Southeast Ohio: Wildlife District Four office, 360 E. State Street, Athens 45701; 740-589-9930;

·         Southwest Ohio: Greene County Fish and Game, 1538 Union Road, Xenia 45385; 937-372-9261.

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·         By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

·         JFrischk@Ameritech.net

·         Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

 

Angler-shooter buying habits are detailed

If any surprise exists for the buying habits of American hunters and anglers it is that there are no surprises.

Or at least only a few surprises.

The highly respected and thoroughly performed summaries of buying trends performed by the co-joined AnglerSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com are go-to insights useful for their respective industries, state fish and game agencies and even sportsmen and sportswomen.

Pooled together under the banner Southwick and Associates, the latest compilations illustrate just how traditional-bound are the nation’s anglers, hunters, and shooters.

Among the most recent AnglerSurvey.com’s findings were that the vast majority of fishing rod and reel combinations were – on average – one-half the cost of purchasing rods and reels separately in order to make an assembly.

This trend is easily noticeable in any good fishing tackle or general purpose outdoors store where such “combos” are often more numerous than the racks of reels and the counter displays of fishing reels, each of which is looking for a suitable partner and a good home.

Also, spinnerbaits are much less popular fishing baits than are hardbaits and jigs. Meanwhile, more than a little bit are the sales of various terminal tackle (hooks, bobbers, sinkers) made at local bait and tackle stores.

In both of these cases every head ought to bow in recognizable understanding.

So too is what anglers seek with largemouth/spotted bass so far in the popularity lead (50 percent of fresh-water anglers) that the second place category – panfish – is way far back; less than 35 percent, in fact.

Sorry, Lake Erie walleye anglers, nationally AnglerSurvey found that only 14 percent of the surveyed anglers sought this species. It’s even less for steelhead; try 5.9 percent.

And almost as many anglers seek carp (2.2 percent) as do those who seek white bass (2.9 percent).

If any eyebrow-raising was seen in the AnglerSurvey.com findings it is that fly fishers are far more likely to utilize the Internet than are anglers who utilize other types of fishing gear.

AnglerSurvey.com found that while fly fishers made 32 percent of their purchases in specialty angling stores,\ some 33 percent went on-line an made buys via fly-fishing websites.

Then again – and certainly predictable – is that flies were the Number One purchase made by fly fishers, though a “huh?” is credible regarding the AnglerSurvey.com finding that of the flies purchased more than one-half were nymph patterns, and not dry flies, streamers, and wet flies.

Too, of the fishers profiled in the latest survey, 65 percent of the respondents fished in freshwater only, 20 percent in saltwater only, and 15 percent fished in both mediums.

(As a personal aside, during several fishing trips I’ve made to Florida I’ve always been amazed as to how many saltwater anglers and freshwater anglers fished only their own respective turf, and even acted astonished when asked whether they’ve ever crossed over to the other side.)

Anyway, a couple of other surprising/not-so-surprising numbers is that more freshwater anglers fished from powerboats (65 percent) than those who fished from shore (39 percent).

On the okay-we’ve-got-something-new-to-report-here side, more anglers fished from kayaks (12) than either from bass boats (7 percent), from canoes (2 percent), or from float-tubes (also 2 percent.)

That fishing from kayaks has grown so rapidly is also likely being noted in the growing presence such vessels are having in larger outdoors retail stores.

Moving on to hunting, HunterSurvey.com hardly shatters the world with the news that 9mm and .45 Auto – in that order – remain the most popular handgun cartridges.

Hardly surprising either is that the vast majority of handguns purchases were for self-defense (45 percent).

A figure I’m not sure how to interpret other than to note the continued supply shortage of .22 long rifle cartridges, is that for every box of rimfire ammunition sold, shooters bought three boxes of center-fire rifle ammunition.

Not even worth a wrinkled brow in surprise is that purchases of lead shot shotshells are twice as popular as those containing non-lead shot.

Oh, and in spite of inroads made by such firms as Mossberg, Winchester, Weatherby and Beretta, the making, marketing and selling of affordable shotguns, far and away Remington remains the Number One preferred.

Something of a personal eyebrow twitch-raiser was how Pyrodex still holds the top spot in sales for black-powder substitutes and not Triple Seven or any of the other current stable of black-powder exchange materials.

In terms of why people bought hunting/firearm-related products during the survey period for November-December, for the use in hunting was most at 36.2 percent. Meanwhile, purchases for general shooting were 31.5 percent, self-defense at 14.9 percent, and gift at 9.5 percent.

Again when thinking about no-brainer firearms/hunting-related, ammunition accounted for 63.7 percent of sales while the purchases of firearms ranked fifth at 40.9 percent.

Purchases of shooting equipment, hunting equipment and even hunting apparel ranked higher than did the buying of firearms.

Maybe an “oh, boy” surprise is the statistic whereby more air rifles were bought during the survey period (4 percent) than were crossbows (3.5 percent.)

Okay, since this story is also about no surprises here’s one: Of the types of shotguns purchased during the survey period it wasn’t even close. Pump-action models accounted for 40.7 percent of such buys. Trailing behind were semi-autos at 30.8 percent.

Hardly a blip were the sales of over/unders (13.9 percent), side-by-sides (9.9 percent), and single shot shotguns (2.8 percent).

Anyone startled by these numbers? Didn’t think so.

In the arena of archery tackle sales, I was taken aback somewhat by the fact that many more purchasers said they bought longbows (19.8 percent) than did those people saying they purchase crossbows (10.1 percent).

So there you have it. Pump-action shots remain king of the hill as does 9mm ammunition, the Internet sale of fishing flies, and  fishing for largemouth bass.

On the other hand, a bit of noteworthiness is how in spite of more states liberalizing the allowance of crossbows for hunting, longbow sales still rank supreme.

Similarly, on the trends-to-watch categories is the growth of fishing from kayaks as well as the one for sales of fishing reel-fishing rod combinations.

Take all of this to the bank, if you will; and I suspect that is exactly what the shooting/hunting/fishing industries are doing with such reports as those under the banner of AnglingSurvey.com and ShooterSurvey.com.

-         By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

-         JFrischk@Ameritech.net

     Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

 

Arctic cold not putting chill on Great Backyard Bird Count

Half-way through the annual Great Backyard Bird Count and event participants are demonstrating their stubborn streak in defying the cold.

Nationally and to date, 42,862 Americans have chalked up seeing 620 bird species.

And having gone international a few years ago the project (a joint venture of the Cornell Ornithological Laboratory and the National Audubon Society) electronically recorded tallies are now coming in from 116 countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, India and even Serbia.

So far the GBBC has recorded nearly 74,00 checklists, observed almost 3,900 bird species and checked off an astonishing nearly nine million individual birds.

A growing interest in the program has led to the establishment of various categories that – alas – are more complex in deciphering and ferreting out the details than in the past.

That said, the to-date tally for Ohio features 1,912 checklists with 120 bird species being listed.

In the lead is California with 3,835 checklists and 346 bird species. Other southern migration states like Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and Florida also understandably are faring well in the bird species seen and the number of birding participants.

For Ohio the (so far, anyway) top five counties for bird species counted are Hamilton (80), Franklin (68), Delaware 965), Butler (60), and Montgomery (59).

Closer to home here in Northeast Ohio, Geauga County’s to-date roster feature 44 species tallied by 55 participants, Lake County to-date score card includes 45 species and seen by 69 participants, Cuyahoga County’s current up-to-date data is built on 50 species as seen by a mind-warping 230 participants, Ashtabula County’s figures are a more modest 31 species an just 17 participants.

Ohio also has – thus far, anyway – eight counties with neither any recorded bird species sightings or counters. Among them are Adams, Meigs, Noble and Van Wert.

As for species being featured thus far for Ohio Canada geese easily stand on the upper rung with 3,000 individuals counted thus far, common grackle and ring-billed gulls, each with 1,000 individuals counted, and American crows with 538 individuals thus far counted.

Among the species on the not-so-many-counted side of the ledger are the northern bobwhite quail (two), American woodcock (one), killdeer (one), and American bald eagle (seven).

The strictly volunteer-based Great Backyard Bird Count continues through Monday, February 16 though participants can continue to update or add their lists for a while longer, though the official web site doesn’t make finding this piece of vital information all that easy to locate. (Like I said at the top, the GBBC has gotten pretty complex over the years).

Anyway, for further information and to register to participate, visting the program’s web site at www.gbbc.birdcount.org.

And good luck at finding what you need. In spite of its electronic complexity the count really is a good and fun birding project.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

 

Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

Ohio's Deer Summit concerns tallied and quantified by the numbers

Some three weeks after five concurrent Deer Summits were held the Ohio Division of Wildlife has released a tabulation of attendee preferences.

Given that only 160 people total took the time January 24 to hear what the Wildlife Division had to say on the subject and then voice their opinions and concerns, the figures may or may not be a true representation of the state’s deer hunters.

Yet those interested persons who did take the time to tune into one of the five concurrently held sessions believed strongly enough about Ohio’s deer management to give up a Saturday morning.

Based on the replies collected by the Wildlife Division during the question and answer period, six subjects were of paramount importance for the attendees. These points included:

·        Concerns over the new deer check-in system and possible related increased instances of poaching.

·        Concerns and understanding of chronic wasting disease.

·        Licensing fees for out-of-state hunters and the widely held belief these fees are too low.

·        The impact of coyote predation on deer, particularly fawns.

·        The overall impact on Ohio’s deer herd as it relates to the issuance of deer damage permits.

·        Concern over the widely held belief that bag limits on deer as they exist now are too high/liberal.

For some specific areas and as assembled from all five summits in each of the Wildlife Division’s districts, the agency tabulated responses for and against the several questions.

For the question of whether to allow the use of legal firearms during all or part of the January statewide muzzle-loading season only 17 summit attendees expressed support while 65 attendees were opposed and eight persons had no opinion.

As for the question of ending all deer hunting – including archery deer hunting – following the conclusion of the statewide muzzle-loading deer-hunting season, more than twice the number of respondents said “no” as compared to those who said “yes.” Exact  numbers were 22 attendees in support and 47 attendees opposed. Another 18 attendees had no opinion.

However, the number of people who expressed “no opinion” greatly exceeded proponents or opponents on the subject of moving the youth-only general firearms deer-hunting season to another weekend. The tabulation numbers were 19 attendees in support of such a move, 26 in opposition, but 43 attendees expressed no opinion.

Support was greatest for limiting the killing/harvesting of antlerless deer on public lands. Here, fully 45 respondents were in the affirmative. Meanwhile only 15 attendees were opposed and a significantly large number - 28 attendees - had no opinion.

As the debate intensifies over Ohio’s deer management policies and practices ride the second rail and the subject of regulatory changes rides the first rail these and other related subjects will be taking center stage in the weeks ahead.

That said, on a topic of keen interest to hundreds of thousands of Ohio sportsmen and sportswomen it would be a pity that change will come – or not come - about because of hunter apathy.

 - Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

 

Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

 

 

 

Ohio's Wildlife Division employs too many explosives in its deer management profile

It was a classic line in a classic movie but speaks volumes regarding Ohio’s start-stop-redo deer-management program.

In the 1969 blockbuster “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” the duo had just robbed a train, using a significant amount of pyrotechnics to accomplish their nefarious ends.

As the two men get up and dust themselves off, the Sundance Kid (portrayed by actor Robert Redford) looks to Butch Cassidy (played by actor Paul Newman) and rhetorically asks: “Think ‘ya used enough dynamite there, Butch?”

The obvious answer is an unqualified “yes.” It’s also the same rhetorical Q&A response that more than a handful of Ohio deer hunters are cynically applying to the Ohio Division of Wildlife and its deer-management strategies, goals, rules, bag limits and other such accompanying truck.

For good reason, too, since the Wildlife Division just doesn’t get it. Instead, the agency has jumped into the cold waters of rejuvenating the state’s deer herd via revamped (but still proposed) 2015-2016 deer-hunting regulations, any number of which defy common sense.

Startling in oh-so-many ways, the Wildlife Division doesn’t even think the look of the proposed 2015-2016 deer regulation are all that different from the ones Ohio’s hunters dealt with during the 2014-2015 season.

That the Ohio Division of Wildlife abandoned – at least for now and almost assuredly forever if truth be told – the early two-day antlerless-only/muzzle-loading-only season and substituted it with the calendar-relocated youth-only/general firearms deer-hunting season is a sure sign of how agency officials are groping in the dark in an effort to make (most) everyone happy.

Likewise, for the agency’s chief to say that a five-day gap between the proposed two-day so-named “holiday” gun season and the start of a four-day muzzle-loading season is ample time for deer to calm down is pretty much proof positive the Wildlife Division is out of touch with reality.

After all, one of the reasons cited for the reshuffling of the deer season deck that (among other things) would move the youth-only season further back in the calendar, was to keep it at long-arm’s length from the general firearms deer-hunting season.

Ignored as well is that a tacked-on two-day late season falls immediately after Christmas Day properly leaves deer hunters scratching their heads in wonderment.

The day after Christmas: Really and seriously, Wildlife Division? Perhaps such a season makes sense for those hunters who have the good fortune to be able to walk out their back doors.

However, for any hunter who wants to head out for deer camp late on Christmas Day, the best advice would be to have on retainer a good divorce attorney. Surely one will be needed on returning to the home front and a family that was abandoned on this all-important and family themed holiday.

Then too there comes to mind the words of the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s deer-management administrator Mike Tonkovich.

At the Wildlife Division’s recently held Deer Summit  at the agency’s Akron office, Tonkovich more than implied how little different the 2015-2016 deer-hunting regulatory framework would look when stacked next to the just concluded 2014-2015 regulatory (supposed) twin.

Focus, rather, on the 2016-2017 season, Deer Summit attendees were told. That is when the Wildlife Division will roll out a totally redesigned deer-hunting model, complete with a zone/unit, Tonkovich noted.

In attempting to explain it all away, the Wildlife Division’s chief Scott Zody said during a teleconference with outdoors writers yesterday (Thursday, February 12) the agency’s proposals were tweaked a short while after after the deer summits.

Don’t want to incorporate too many changes all at once, was the way Zody put it.

Ho-boy, tweaking is a word of vast understatement. Especially since Zody’s take on the subject is polar opposite of what hunters were exposed to at the several concurrently held deer summits only a few weeks earlier.

And demonstrating further a believability disconnect is the notion of how the Wildlife Division all too often says one thing only to retract it later under the guise of fine-tuning.

A source in Columbus says the revisions really weren’t the Wildlife Division’s design anyway. Instead, the agency is being overly manipulated by politically hired and politically motivated minions within the parent Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

Who –in turn, it’s being said – are seeing their puppet strings livened by state legislators and a governor hell-bent on dismantling as many Natural Resources divisions as possible.

All of which falls under the spreadsheet of speculation, more or less.

Still, where there is smoke there has to be at least a spark of some fire. And few people inside the Wildlife Division - coupled with some who have retired or left the agency as well as more than a few deer-hunting sportsmen and sportswomen - believe this is not the same agency it was a generation or even a decade ago.

Far from it, they’ll note, saying the Wildlife Division used way too much dynamite is its previous efforts to reduce the state’s deer herd with better management and with fewer deer-damage complaints in mind.

Even so and for whatever reasons and for whomever in political power is helping to call the shots, the Wildlife Division’s 2015-2016 deer-hunting proposals are no less an extravagant overuse of regulatory explosives.

This has all got to come to a screaming halt if the Wildlife Division is ever again to regain the respect of its constituency base and the trust of its hard-working grunts in the field.

 

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

 

 

Ohio's wildlife officials go to the mat in support of their deer-hunting proposals

Ohio’s wildlife officials are standing firm that piggy-backing a two-day so-named “holiday” general firearms deer-hunting season only five days before the statewide four-day muzzle-loading deer-hunting season is good deer hunter management.

Similarly the Ohio Division of Wildlife says the reconfiguration of how many deer can be shot in which county is a planned effort in order to break trail for even more anticipated regulatory changes for the various 2016-2017 deer-hunting seasons.

These and other related deer-hunting topics were addressed during a teleconference conducted today, February 12,  by several Wildlife Division officials and various Ohio outdoors writers.

At hand are some sweeping alterations and course corrections in the regulations; much more so than at least one agency official noted a few weeks back at the Wildlife Division’s concurrent series of deer summits.

Among the significant proposed changes are:

·        Reduced bag limits in the majority of Ohio’s 88 counties.

·        Antlerless permits to be valid in only 10 of Ohio’s 88 counties and all of which are considered as being urban counties.

·        A statewide maximum limit on the number of deer that a person can shoot at six animals, down from the previous nine animals.

·        A suspension of the early, mid-October antlerless-only/muzzle-loader-only deer hunting season.

·        Moving the youth-only general firearms deer-hunting season to the mid-October weekend slot previously enrolled in the antlerless-only/muzzle-loading-only deer-hunting season.

·        The addition of a two-day general firearms deer-hunting season for December 26 and 27.

Standing firm that a five-day break between the proposed two-day holiday gun hunt and the muzzle-loading-only season is a right fine and capital idea is Scott Zody, the Wildlife Division’s chief.

“We want to provide two unique (deer) hunting opportunities,” Zody said during the teleconference. “We wanted to create as much time as possible between the two seasons.”

Of general importance, Zody and his staff said as well, is that the proposed revamped regulations will help assure a smoother and less complicated transition to a more intense zone/unit management system.

By prepping and pruning this year’s regulations the Wildlife Division also can better establish a goal of stabilizing the state’s deer herd rather than working toward rebuilding deer numbers.

At least not until a refined zone/unit management plan is established, said Zody.

Or in Zody’s words this year’s proposals will help make for a “soft landing” come 2016-2017 when the zone/unit management concept is cemented.

Zody did say the Wildlife Division “tweaked” its proposals following a recent and concurrent series of deer summits.

Consequently,  any comments related to an expectation of few changes - and made by Wildlife Division staff - were not attempts to misguide hunters.

“We’d rather tweak them now instead of later,” Zody said.

As for mothballing the mid-October antlerless-only/muzzle-loading-only season, Zody said shrink-wrapping this season doesn’t mean it is now confined to Ohio’s deer management history books.

“We’re just putting it back into the tool box and we can pull it back out if we need to,” Zody said.

In defending substituting the early muzzle-loading/antlerless-only deer-hunting season with a rescheduled youth-only/general firearms season Zody and his staff believe archery hunters won’t mind too much.

Especially since now they’ll have the option of shooting either bucks or does.  During the prior two-day antlerless-only/muzzle-loading-only season even archers were limited to shooting does and button bucks.

“Everyone will still have to wear blaze orange, of course,” Zody said.

As for antlerless tags in the 11 counties where they will be legal, the permits will continue to expire the day before the general firearms deer-hunting season. Their cost of $15 each remains, too, Zody says.

And deer hunting license costs – specifically those paid by non-resident deer hunters - was another issue that cropped up during the teleconference even though that subject is on the periphery of the deer management proposals.

Zody said increases to what non-resident deer hunters must pay to hunt in Ohio are components contained within Gov. John Kasich’s just-introduced biennium budget. This budget will be reviewed by and then acted upon by the state legislature.

If the package is approved a non-resident hunter would see his (or her) general hunting license cost $129, up from the present $120. Meanwhile, a newly created non-resident either-sex deer tag would cost $99.

Under current law, non-residents pay the same as do Ohio residents for an either-sex tag, or $24.

And, yes, says Zody, the Wildlife Division can administratively create a non-resident antlerless-only deer tag, good for any of the proposed 11 counties where such a license would be permitted.

Zody did emphasize that hunters need to voice their concerns, support and opposition to the Wildlife Division’s deer-hunting proposals.

"Apathy is the greatest enemy of sportsmen," Zody said.

Interested persons have several venues including visiting one of the game hearing open houses scheduled for noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, March 7. Each of the agency’s five wildlife district offices will host an open house.

Petitioners also can contact the Wildlife Division via telephone (800-WILDLIFE) or via e-mail at wildinfo@dnr.state.oh.us.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
- JFrischk@Ameritech.net

Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

Major shift with Ohio's proposed 2015-2016 deer-hunting regulations

For an agency which said the 2015-2016 deer-hunting regulations would closely mirror those employed during the 2014-2015 deer-hunting season, the Ohio Division of Wildlife proposed shot is actually pretty wide of the mark.

Maybe even off the target entirely.

Proposed are some substantial shifts that come before the expected major overhaul of deer management/regulations that everyone anticipates for the 2016-2017 deer-hunting session.

As set forth Wednesday (February 11) before the eight-member Ohio Wildlife Council, there are no fewer than six substantial changes and as proposed by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

These proposals are:

·        Reduced bag limits in the majority of Ohio’s 88 counties.

·        Antlerless permits to be valid in only 10 of Ohio’s 88 counties and all of which are considered as being urban counties.

·        A statewide maximum limit on the number of deer that a person can shoot at six animals, down from the previous nine animals.

·        A suspension of the early, mid-October antlerless-only/muzzle-loader-only deer hunting season.

·        Moving the youth-only general firearms deer-hunting season to the mid-October weekend slot previously enrolled in the antlerless-only/muzzle-loading-only deer-hunting season.

·        The addition of a two-day general firearms deer-hunting season for December 26 and 27.

The major shift in the bag limits for counties will mean – if approved by the Wildlife Council – that four deer can be killed in only each of the following counties: Cuyahoga, Summit, Lucas, Hamilton, Franklin and Delaware.

Reductions to three deer per county (but where the use of one antlerless tag is permissible) envelope just four Northeast Ohio counties: Lake, Lorain, Stark, and Portage.

Geauga County will join a significant number of other counties in northwest, southeast and southwest Ohio where just two deer may be taken and where antlerless tags are not acceptable.

Significantly is the placement of such here-to-fore “deer rich” counties into the maximum two-animal bag limit. Among them are Guernsey, Coshocton and Muskingum.

Such heavyweight trophy deer counties as Adams and Brown in southwest Ohio are three deer maximum counties but where antlerless tags are not acceptable.

Proposed deer-hunting dates are:

·        Archery deer-hunting season - September 26 to February 7.

·        Youth-only/general firearms deer-hunting season – October 10 and 11.

·        General firearms deer-hunting season – November 30 to December 6.

·        “Bonus” general firearms deer-hunting season – December 26 and 27.

·        Statewide muzzle-loader-only deer hunting season – January 2 to 5.

The Wildlife Division will conduct a teleconference with outdoors writers this afternoon (February 12) beginning at 2:30 p.m. As detailed in an electronic message to the journalists, the agency intends to explain the proposals and what was involved in establishing them.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

 Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.

Ohio Division of Wildlife no longer will do business with supporter of HSUS

With little fanfare but with some nudging by concerned hunters and anglers the Ohio Division of Wildlife is dropping a survey-gathering business due to its support on the nation’s leading anti-everything organization.

Wildlife Division chief Scott Zody says the agency is reeling in its use of SurveyMonkey.com as the portal for collecting data used by fish and wildlife managers.

What SurveyMonkey.com has in its portfolio is a mechanism in which participating clients can voluntarily contribute a portion of their due bill to the Humane Society of the United States, among other (and less threatening) charitable organizations.

Yet while the Wildlife Division said it would never allow so much as a nickel to fall into the coffers of the HSUS the simple fact that SurveyMonkey.com supports the anti-everything organization is still too much for many Ohio anglers, fishers, and trappers.

So much so that the Zody says the Wildlife Division is dropping SurveyMonkey.com and instead will buy survey-collecting software that will entirely bypass the business.

Here is Zody’s electronic response to those who’ve expressed disappointment (even outrage) that the WQildlife Division would work with a business that supports an organization whose sole purpose for existence is the elimination of sport hunting, angling and trapping.:

“We have used SurveyMonkey to send surveys to hunters, anglers and participants in our education programs for the past several years. Online surveys have helped to save thousands of dollars related to design, printing, mailing, return mail and data entry of printed surveys.

“Our initial goal was to find an inexpensive, easy to use method to get feedback from a wide range of customers. After considering several options, we selected SurveyMonkey based on several criteria including survey creation, analysis and administration of the survey, help and support, and ease of use.

“The basic use of SurveyMonkey is free, as opposed to purchasing survey software subscriptions that cost thousands of dollars annually. Because of the ease of use and low cost, SurveyMonkey is the standard survey tool used by state agencies throughout Ohio and by fish and wildlife agencies across the U.S.

“At the end of any SurveyMonkey survey, there is an option for those taking a survey to donate or support a suite of charities ranging from the American Red Cross to the Boys and Girls Club of America (Complete list here: https://contribute.surveymonkey.com/choose-your-charity#more ).

“Participation in donating to any of the charities is at the discretion of the survey-taker. We did receive feedback from our survey takers that they did not appreciate the option to donate to HSUS.

“We researched these concerns, and made the decision to purchase an enhanced account with SurveyMonkey ($300) to direct our survey users back to our homepage (www.wildohio.gov) instead of the charity page.

“Based on the recent feedback from our customers regarding the use of SurveyMonkey we are currently working to halt the use of that service.

“We are now bringing all open surveys to a close and researching new survey software options. Once we purchase new software, we will resume gathering important input from our customers.

“Thanks for asking about this.”

-         Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

-         JFrischk@Ameritech.net

-         Jeff is the retired News-Herald reporter who  covered the earth sciences, the area's three county park systems and the outdoors for the newspaper. During his 30 years with The News-Herald Jeff was the recipient of more than 100 state, regional and national journalism awards. He also is a columnist and features writer for the Ohio Outdoor News, which is published every other week and details the outdoors happenings in the state.