Continuing drought still a heavy load for Ohio - in spite of August's rains

Ohio’s on-going drought could leave steelhead anglers high and dry.

Certainly, the data points to a decapitation of water resources throughout nearly the entire state, some locations more so than others. All of this comes in spite of a respite of sorts from the lack of sufficient rainfall during the month of August.

The little known and viewed - except for water management wonks – is called the “Monthly Water Inventory Report for Ohio,” developed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Water Resources. These reports are compiled toward the end of each month and include all of Ohio’s 10 designated districts with the current available one being for July.

This latest report notes that rainfall during July ranged from a low of 48 percent of normal for the West Central Ohio Region to 88 percent of normal for the Southwest Ohio unit. Only the state’s South Central unit recorded above average rainfall at 133 percent of normal.

By the report’s reckoning this was the 10th driest July on record for the Northwest Ohio Region in the past 122 years and 12^th driest for both the state’s West Central and Central Hills regions.

As always when viewing precipitation levels, nothing falls evenly. Rainfall measurements ranged from 0.80 inches at Bucyrus in Crawford County to 7.84 inches at Jackson in Jackson County.

Of course, one month’s excesses or deficits neither a drought nor a flood makes. For that the Report notes precipitation for the 2016 reporting year records deficits in all but three regions: Central Ohio, Southwestern Ohio, and South Central Ohio.

Of critical importance are the dynamics as stated in the report’s Palmer Drought Severity Index; a measuring yardstick used to determine just how dry, dry is. The Index is a tool employed by water managers, agricultural interests and others dependent upon having such figures at their fingertips.

In virtually every one of the 10 reporting districts exists a minus notation in their respective Palmer Drought Severity indexes, too. These range from a minus-1.9 (“Mild Drought”) in the Southwest District to minus-4.5 (“Extreme Drought”) in the Northeast Hills District.

Off as well were the stream flows as gauged for nine Ohio rivers. Among the shortfalls recorded was on the Grand River which flowed at only 24 percent of normal during July, the Maumee River which flowed at just 27 percent of normal (the same as for the Huron River), and 33 percent of normal for the Muskingum River.

In the best shape – relatively speaking - was the Scioto River as measured at Higby which was gauged at 70 percent of normal.

It struck the Report to note that the decreased flow coupled by evaporation – brought about at least in some measure by the heat and generally abundant sunshine – caused reductions in water storage in “most reservoirs throughout Ohio.”

“However, current surface water supplies remain adequate throughout the state,” the Report states.

What all of this may mean if the dry weather continues – and looking ahead the month of October is often the driest one of the year – then access to streams by steelhead anglers could be restricted.

Consequently, steelheaders such as Bob Ashley of Mentor say they’ll be focusing on the lower reaches of Northeast Ohio’s stocked steelhead streams. In Ashley’s case that generally means concentrating on both the Grand and Chagrin rivers instead of further upstream at his usual lure and spawn sack-casting haunts.

Even more probable, Ashley says, he’ll spend as much time working the shoreline at such points as the Grand River’s West Breakwater or trolling in front of the Chagrin River; always before the sun touches the water.

Then again, Ashley says as well, he’s made lemonade out of the drought lemons handed to anglers this summer. He’s used the low water conditions to his advantage by discovering here-to-for unknown new undercuts in stream shale slips, and other structure that the normal deeper waters have hidden from observation.

“I’ve found places to fish that I didn’t know were there before,” Ashley says. “I’ll use this information later.”

Or when the rains return and thus the creeks are no longer running low and dry, of course.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

Ohio Wildlife Division Lake Erie fisheries expert to take on all the Great Lakes

A leading Ohio Division of Wildlife Lake Erie fisheries expert is trading his state management hat for a quasi-federal larger size.

Jeff Tyson – current Lake Erie fisheries program administrator stationed at the Wildlife Division’s Sandusky office – will transfer his biological status flag to the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission office in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

There he’ll move out of administering people and shuffling papers to “facilitating” communication, priorities, plans, and activities between all of the Great Lakes’ state, provincial, tribal, and federal stakeholders. The commission is a joint venture between the United States and Canada and receives funds from these two respective federal entities.

In effect, Tyson’s job will entail helping to keep these varied interests from pulling in opposite directions; in effect , ensuring that “we’re all working toward the same set of objectives;” those points  being what’s  best for the Great Lakes fishes and their respective end users including sport and commercial fishers.

“I wasn’t job hunting,” Tyson also said about making such a major career move after spending 23 years with the Wildlife Division.

“I’ve always been happy here but I’m going to be able to take what I’ve learned and accomplished and now do it on a larger Great Lakes regional scale. I guess what it will be is that I will remain engaged but in a different way.”

As the head of the Wildlife Division’s Lake Erie fisheries program, Tyson supervised some 14 full-time and 10 seasonal employees bivouac at the agency’s Sandusky and also Fairport Harbor research station offices. The annual budget for this combined state fisheries research arm is $2.5 million.

However, at the Great Lakes Fisheries Commission Tyson will no longer manage people but rather work to build consensus between stakeholders so that the right hand does know what the left hand is doing.

“The Commission really is a vital link in helping people and government understand what everyone is doing and also to help them understand what options are available,” he said.

Though Tyson has held his present Wildlife Division job for only four years his impending departure in a few days from now does not mean a bitter separation from the agency.

“Absolutely not,” Tyson said. “It was a difficult decision; I owe a lot to the Wildlife Division, the people here and also with the lake’s stakeholders, like the anglers.”

True enough, also says Rich Carter, the Wildlife Division’s executive administrator for fish management and research.

Carter added that while Tyson’s departure represents a loss for the Wildlife Division and Lake Erie specifically, his move to the Commission really represents a plus for the entire Great Lakes and its mammoth fisheries diversity.

“We were surprised, sure, about Jeff’s move but all of us certainly recognize that someone as capable as he is – with all of his talents and with a great resume – deserved to take the job when presented with such a tremendous opportunity,” Carter said.

Carter said also that replacing Tyson will encompass a search that will begin immediately; a task made more difficult by the fact that Tyson was a perfect fit as the Lake Erie fisheries project administrator.

Regardless of who eventually replaces Tyson, the work of managing Lake Erie’s fisheries will continue without missing a heartbeat, Carter says as well.

That effort will remain focused on properly managing Ohio’s share of Lake Erie’s walleye and yellow perch fisheries “because they are critically important for our anglers and the economic health of our region,” Carter says.

And the new, still-to-be-named administrator will likewise focus on helping the “viability” of Lake Erie’s smallmouth bass and largemouth bass populations along with the Wildlife Division’s goal of restoring the Lake’s once thriving sauger population, Carter said.

“We’re confident we’ll find someone to lead our Lake Erie fisheries program into the future,” Carter said.

- 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. Jeff is the recipient of more than 125 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

Physics works against Ohio Wildlife Division officer's pick-up

The Pauli Exclusion Principal to the contrary, Ohio Division of Wildlife officer Brad St. Clair saw firsthand on July 28^th the consequences of quantum mechanics as to how two bodies cannot occupy the same space at the same time.

While headed in a certain direction on one of Noble County’s ubiquitous narrow and serpentine backcountry road, St Clair’s state-owned, seven-foot-wide 2012 GMC pick-up truck met a seven-foot-nine-inch wide 2001 Dodge pick-up coming from the other direction.

However, the problem was that the point where the two vehicles met at the top of a blind crest is only 13 feet across and festooned on either side with Noble County hard rock.

Consequently, it was crunch time with both vehicles suffering the effects of physics; each in spite of the fact that St. Clair was piloting his Wildlife Division-issued truck at a creeping-along speed of just 15 miles per hour while the Dodge wasn’t inching forward much faster: Only 25 miles per hour.

No way, however, could either vehicle come close to the road’s legal allowance of 55 miles per hour, also says a Wildlife Division official.

St. Clair was on routine patrol when the accident occurred. He’s been the state wildlife officer assigned to Noble County for the past eight years and graduated from the agency’s wildlife officer cadet academy in 2003. Previously St. Clair had postings in both Van Wert and Fairfield counties; zones with much flatter terrain and often much straighter and wider country roads.

Though the Dodge pick-up was up to be driven away under its own power, St. Clair’s GMC needed assistance from a tow truck, said Wildlife Division assistant chief Susan Vance.

Vance added that neither driver was cited by the Ohio Highway Patrol which investigated the incident. No word yet on the degree of damage to St. Clair's pick-up truck, Vance said.

“If you’ve ever been to Noble County and its curvy, narrow, steep, hilly roadways, it should come as no surprise that both drivers were travelling at reduced rates of speed in an effort to be safe,” Vance said. “State employees are people, and accidents do happen. Everyone here is really thankful that everybody is okay.”

Vance said that in addition to the accident being looked into by the Ohio Highway Patrol, Wildlife Division administrative protocols were followed as well.

These building blocks of procedures included input from various agency supervisors, the state’s Department of Administrative Services along with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Human Resources, Vance said.

And with a fleet consisting of some 377 registered vehicles, Vance says also, the Wildlife Division’s track record of avoiding traffic accidents is stellar in every respect. This safe driving regimen is particularly true given the wide array of drivers that includes commissioned officers, hatchery workers, maintenance crews, administrators, and educators – the whole lot of employees tasked with driving motor vehicles, Vance says.

So good is this attention to driving defensively that no one in the agency could recall any Wildlife Division employee ever being killed in a motor vehicle accident while on the clock, Vance said.

“We have vehicles travelling 365 days a year at all times of the day and night, on road, off road, hauling boats, trailers, and equipment; all across the state, and sometimes travelling out of state when needed,” Vance said. “All in all, our staff does a great job of focusing on safety – which in turn helps us manage state equipment, including vehicles.”

- Jeffrey L Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

Ohio Wildlife Division's "Operation North Coast" a massive law enforcement undertaking

After more than two years of tracking down leads and tips - as well as performing extensive investigative operations by 45 of its officers - the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife has seen charges brought to date against 28 Ohioans for various alleged illegal fish and game activity.

The charges stemming from the agency’s “Operation North Coast” range from such routine and mundane alleged misdemeanor violations as hunting without the permission of the landowner and one deer-check-in issue, to such alleged felonies as “engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity,” “tampering with records,” and “felony sale of wildlife.”

Several of the accused individuals have pled out to at least some of their charges, says officials with the Wildlife Division.

Also, at least one of the individuals currently charged with alleged fish or game law violations has encountered prior arrests for breaking the state’s fish and game laws.

Ohio’s Wildlife Division officials first made public its “Operation North Coast” back in early March and as reported in the March 29^th issue of “Ohio Outdoor News.”

At the time the agency reported that its “Operation North Coast” was still an on-going investigation that involved some 40 individuals in 10 of Ohio’s 88 counties, and that the Wildlife Division had received various courts’ permission to serve search warrants.

Counties where arrest warrants have thus far been obtained include Wood, Lucas, Henry, Lorain, and Richland.

Wildlife Division spokesman John Windau said in an interview with “Ohio Outdoor News” in March that the agency’s law enforcement agents’ work included at least two deer-hunting seasons plus last summer’s walleye-fishing season.

Some of the investigative work was done secretively by the Wildlife Division’s corps of undercover commissioned agents, added Ronald L. Ollis, supervisor of the agency’s special operations wing.

Ollis says too that the Wildlife Division continues to investigate other individuals who may have allegedly committed various state fish and game law violations. If the Wildlife Division determines that additional people have allegedly broken the state’s fish and game laws then likely more charges will be forthcoming, Ollis says.

As for the alleged crimes themselves, Ollis noted that more so than the alleged buyers of fish and game were the alleged sellers of such wildlife, calling the latter the operation’s “big fish.”

“I don’t know if ‘Operation North Coast’ is the largest investigation we’ve ever done or not,” Ollis said. “Certainly, if additional charges are brought against others then, yes, it could become the largest such operation in our history.”

Besides the state’s alleging that illegal selling of fish and game occurred there was evidence that suggests how “gross over-harvesting” of deer occurred in at least some instances, Windau said as well at the time.

Windau said too in March that the genesis of the investigation was in large part prompted by calls to the state’s Turn-In-A-Poacher (TIP) hotline; a toll-free telephone project that allows the public to call in with possible fish and game law violations. Tipsters are potentially eligible for monetary rewards.

Also, said Windau in March, that while the investigation did not have a deliberate “connect-the-dots” scenario about it, “Operation North Coast” investigators were able to channel their energies and work at alleged similar illegal activity elsewhere; thereby evolving a cascade effect.

Similarly, Windau said in March, the Wildlife Division was working closely with various county prosecutors who are the persons legally empowered to file charges though with extensive input from the agency.

Wildlife Division officials maintained a collective bell of silence covering its agents’ investigations through the remainder of the spring and into the summer.

As the process has unfolded, the Wildlife Division said in a statement that on August 4th its agents served an arrest warrant on Robert Mandon Freeworth (age 36), Grand Rapids, Ohio.

Freeworth was indicted by a Wood County grand jury earlier in the week. He was indicted on various felony and misdemeanor counts for alleged fish and game law-related misdeeds. The alleged felonies include: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, sales of wildlife, having weapons under disability, improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle (three counts), tampering with records (two counts), and aggravated possession of drugs.

Freeworth’s alleged misdemeanors include: using weapons while intoxicated (2 counts), jacklighting, hunting without permission of the landowner, and wildlife violations (3 counts).

If convicted, Freeworth faces incarceration, fines, wildlife restitution, community control sanctions, suspension or revocation of any fishing and hunting licenses, the re-imbursement for investigative cost, and the forfeiture of firearms and a vehicle.

Further, the Wildlife Division says, Wood County’s Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gwen Howe-Gebers has been working with state wildlife investigators on the case.

“The investigation was well executed and prepared which is a testament to the ODNR investigative unit in making sure rules and regulations are followed by all,” Howe-Gebers said in a prepared statement. “The cases demonstrate that those who hunt illegally need to be held accountable for their actions.”

As for the Wildlife Division, the agency’s law enforcement administrator Ken Fitz said “The indictment demonstrates the seriousness of wildlife crimes and commercialization that was taking place in the Wood County area.”

Besides charges being filed against Robert Mandon Freeworth (age 36), Grand Rapids, Ohio, others who’ve thus far been charged with alleged fish and game law violations include (Note that some of the defendants have all ready appeared in court and received judicially applied punishment):

Dawn Large (age 42), Grand Rapids, Ohio:

• No hunting license - (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court, M-4).
• Hunting without permission  (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court, M-3).
• hunting deer with aid of motor vehicle – (Henry County, Napoleon Municipal Court, M-3).
• shooting from or across a roadway (Henry County, Napoleon Municipal Court., M-3).
• possessing a firearm while under the influence of alcohol or drugs (Henry County, Napoleon Municipal Court, M-1).
  Robert V. Freeworth (age 59), Grand Rapids, Ohio:
• Two counts aiding another in a wildlife violation - Aiding in Henry County, Napoleon Municipal Court, M-1 Second Offense Deer Violation, $500.00 fine plus $156.00 CC, 3 years hunting and fishing license suspension). Wood County charge not finished.
  Ronnie L. Borders (age 34), Weston, Ohio:
• Deer check-in violation (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court. M-1, Second Offense Deer Violation).
  Jo L. Sears (age 62), Bowling, Green, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof  (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court., M-3).
  Robert Parker Jr. (age 64), Portage, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court, M-3).
  Shawn Matthews (age 34), Grand Rapids, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court, M-3).
  William Seyfried (age 70), Gibsonburg, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court., M-3).
  Rodney Hall (age 44), Bowling Green, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court., M-3).
  Jarod Sinning (age 39), Bowling Green, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (2 counts) (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court, M-3).
  Albert Tift Jr. (age 63), Toledo, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Lucas County, Sylvania Municipal Court., M-3.)
  Matthew Langlois (age 40), Waterville, Ohio:
• Theft by deception (Lucas County, Maumee Municipal Court., M-1).
  Samuel Young (age 65), Liberty Center, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Henry County, Napoleon Municipal Court. M-3).
  Lawrence Turner (age 39), Toledo, Ohio:
• Theft by deception (Lucas County, Maumee Municipal Court., M-1, but as part of plea agreement amended to  a M-4 unauthorized use of property, $250 plus $180 court costs. Also Turner was ordered to pay Maumee Bait and Tackle back his half of prize money totaling $187.50. Turner likewise is prohibited to have any contact with Maumee Bait and Tackle, and is further prohibited from entering into any fishing tournaments on the Maumee River for a period of three years).
  Rick Bruielly (age 66), Weston, Ohio:
• Failure to keep and maintain proper taxidermy records (Wood County, Bowling Green Municipal Court, M-4, paid $100.00 fine and $145.00 court costs).
  Louis Takas (age 49), Toledo, Ohio:
• Failure to keep and maintain proper processor records (Lucas County, Toledo Municipal Court.  M-4, No fine, assessed $99 in court costs).
  Beth Blaze (age 46), Swanton, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof – (Lucas County, Maumee Municipal Court, M-3. Paid $75 fine, assessed $130 in court costs).
  Jason Szczublewski (age 40,) Maumee, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Lucas County, Maumee Municipal Court, M-3. Paid $100 fine, assessed $105 in court costs).
  Cyndal Waldvogel (age 30), Grand Rapids, Ohio:
• Purchase wild animal or part thereof (Lucas County, Maumee Municipal Court. Court, M-3. Paid $35.00 fine, assessed $130 in court costs).
  Roger Havens (age 70), Port Clinton, Ohio:
• Felony sale of wildlife (two counts) - (Ottawa County, Ottawa County Municipal Court, F-5)
  Steven Rider (age 57), Port Clinton, OH:
• Three counts sale of wildlife (sport fish)- (Ottawa County, Ottawa County Municipal Court, M-4)
  Carl Taylor Jr. (age 57,) Lorain, Ohio:
• Felony sale of wildlife (Four counts), illegal use of supplemental nutrition assistance program (Seven counts) - In conjunction with Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Investigative Unit. (Lorain County, Lorain County Common Pleas Court, F-5).
  Melissa Taylor (age 36), Lorain, Ohio:
• Illegal use of supplemental nutrition assistance program - In conjunction with Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Investigative Unit- (Lorain County, Lorain County Common Pleas Court, F-5).
  Victor Velez (age 35),Cleveland, Ohio:
• Sale of wildlife (sport fish) - (One felony and Two misdemeanor counts), receiving stolen property- In conjunction with Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Investigative Unit.- (Lorain County, Lorain County Common Pleas Court, F-5 and Two M-4s, receiving stolen property, M-1).
  Carmillo Gonzales (age 57), Lorain, Ohio:
• Sale of wildlife (sport fish) - In conjunction with Ohio Department of Public Safety, Ohio Investigative Unit.- (Lorain County, Lorain Municipal Court, M-4).
  Dennis Urig (age 64), Sheffield Lake, Ohio:
• Felony sale of wildlife (deer), deer hunting violations (Two counts) - (Lorain County, Lorain County Common Pleas Court, F-5 on sale, M-3 on deer violations).
  Anthony Lenz (age 31), Grafton, Ohio:
• Felony sale of wildlife (sport fish)- (Lorain County, Lorain County Common Pleas Court, F-5).
  Ronald Gasparac (age 60), Mansfield, Ohio:
• Felony sale of wildlife (sport fish) (Three counts) (Richland County, Richland County Common Pleas Court, F-5).
   
  Degrees of penalty under the Ohio Revised Code. Here is a list of the maximum penalties that can be applied:
   Fourth Degree Misdemeanor (M-4 -  no more than 30 days jail and/or up to $250 fine.
  Third Degree Misdemeanor (M-3) -  no more than 60 days jail and/or up to $500 fine.
  Second Degree Misdemeanor (M-2) - no more than 90 days jail and/or up to $750 fine.
  First Degree Misdemeanor (M-1)  - no more than 180 days jail and/or up to $1000 fine.
   Fifth Degree Felony (F-5) – up to1 year imprisonment and/or up to $2,500 fine.
  “The other alleged crimes have specific penalties, depending upon the paragraph which they are convicted,” said Ronald L. Ollis, the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Special Operations Supervisor. “I would say the penalties include the possibility of significant jail sentences and fines along with what other community control sanctions the court wishes to apply.”  
   A license revocation and restitution could be applied to all the defendants with wildlife violations (including sales and purchases). The Wildlife Division typically requests for that for those who are selling, based on the facts of the case.
  Three of the charged individuals with known prior fish and game law arrest history are:
   Robert Mandon Freeworth  - (Two) priors; one on 10/8/2015 for taking yellow perch over the limit, and the second on 11/14/1997 for trapping muskrats during the closed season.
  Robert V. Freeworth – (One) prior on 12/5/2000 for hunt/take/shoot deer from roadway or motor vehicle.
  Ronald Borders – (One) prior for deer-tagging violation.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net

Lake Metroparks sets rules, application time frame for its annual controlled archery deer hunts

Lake Metroparks is reminding hunters that it’s not too early to begin planning and preparation.

Then again, that’s true for other government bodies that host controlled deer hunts. Including the Ohio Division of Wildlife, which on Tuesday, August 9^th, will release the results of its annual controlled deer and waterfowl hunts.

And on September 6^th and 7^th the Kirtland-based Holden Arboretum will conduct its meetings with selected hunters regarding the organization’s annual controlled deer hunts, chiefly by archery tackle means. A few changes have occurred here with Holden having pared back on those hunters who either had not been participating or else had failed to achieve the degree of success necessary to stay in the program.

For Lake Metroparks the agency is accepting on-line applications for its series of controlled archery-only deer hunts at four locations. These hunts, however, are open only for Lake County residents or owners of businesses anchored to Lake County.

Also, Lake Metroparks is maintaining controlled archery deer hunts at two other locations for veterans with service-related injuries. These hunts are not resident-restricted, though.

“Our hunt program will run pretty much as it did last year with the lottery accepting applications through August 30^th,” said Tom Koritansky, Lake Metroparks’ natural resources manager.

Last year, said Koritansky, the parks system received 337 applications for the 147 available slots and issuing 208 permits. That latter figure incorporated partner hunters, or those persons who can sub for the original applicant should that person not be available on a particular drawn day.

In all, the locations where the controlled hunts will commence include River Road Reservation in Madison Township (eight hunt sites), Indian Point Park-Lower in Leroy Township (three sites), Blair Road-South in Perry Township (two sites), and Lake Erie Bluffs Park in Perry Township (three sites).

For the veterans the locations include Indian Point Park –Upper in Leroy Township (two ground blinds), and Big Creek-Williams Road in Concord Township (one ground blind and two tree ladder stands).

Lake Metroparks’ controlled deer hunt program began in 2011 at just the River Road location, Koritansky said.

Since the inaugural series of hunts the agency has seen 77 deer shot by hunters. Among them were the 15 deer taken last year, one of which was a female sika deer along with five antlered white-tails. A small but thriving population of sika deer lives in eastern Lake County, the offspring of a group that escaped from a-once private estate in Leroy Township.

“Other hunters said they passed on shooting sika deer, too, and for various reasons,” Koritansky said also.

As for the best location, that would be River Road Park, with the only property not seeing any deer being taken was Indian Point Park-Upper.

Koritansky said he doubts that the construction of the Vrooman Road Bridge and all of the associated hubbub was the chief factor in the lack of deer being taken there last year.

The rules linked with the hunts have not changed. Among them include completing the application on-line with the exception being for the veteran hunts, which are handled by applications being dropped off at the parks system’s headquarters at Concord Woods Park in Concord Township.

Selected hunters also must attend a mandatory orientation meeting, successfully complete a qualification test with their archery tackle at one of two Lake County sporting goods stores with a suitable target range, and follow all applicable Ohio hunting rules and laws.

As for the hunting itself, Koritansky says that the first group of hunters will be given two-week slots at the start of the season, followed by five, three-week segments. Assignment to a particular hunting time and location is dependent upon the order in which an applicant’s number is drawn in the lottery.

“That is so we can accommodate more hunters and give each one a reasonable opportunity to kill a deer through the rut,” he said.

For all hunters except for the handicapped veterans individuals, are responsible for bringing their own ground blinds, tree ladder stands and bait, if they desire to use such products, Koritansky says..

Handicapped hunters can be accommodated as well at some of the locations though here, too, lottery-winning hunters must bring their own bait, Koritansky says.

Lake Metroparks will again go the extra mile for veterans with service-related injuries and make additional effort to help ensure their safety, comfort and opportunity to take a deer, Koritansky.

Asked if the hunts have helped reduce the respective deer herds at the individual parks, Koritansky says “it’s still a little early to tell.”

“But we do know that controlled deer hunts are a good deer-management too,l which is why we’re continuing with the program,” he said.

Lottery results will be posted September 1^st.

For further – and full - information and to apply, visit Lake Metroparks’ web site at www.lakemetroparks.com, then go to “2016-2017 Wildlife Management Program” and then follow the appropriate prompts.


- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

Hillary Clinton's Anti-Hunting Remarks Could Give Sportsmen Pause

That Mrs. Clinton has consistently shown her anti-Second Amendment cards is now further revealed that she doesn’t much care for hunting, either.

During a campaign whistle stop in Las Vegas, Nevada, today (August 4^th) Mrs. Clinton’s stump speech was interrupted by a small band of animal rights activists who media outlets say rushed the stage.

When the Secret Service took the proper security precautions one agent was overheard on an open microphone that all was okay and that Mrs. Clinton could continue with her speech.

That did not entirely satisfy Mrs. Clinton who took the bait and noted that: "We’ll keep talking and apparently these people are here to protest Trump because Trump and his kids have killed a lot of animals, so thank you for making that point."

Thing was Mrs. Clinton was totally wrong and consequently she deserves Four Pinocchios for her serious breach of honesty.

Donald Trump does not hunt and has stated he has never hunted. However, his two boys – Donald Jr. and Eric - do, and were taught so by their maternal grandfather.

The question is whether the two sons are fair game for such criticism. Maybe, yes, since they are out stumping for their father. Maybe, no, since what they do in their personal lives is their business and not subject to political rhetoric and opinion.

Of course, Donald Jr. Trump and Eric Trump can be thumped for comments regarding policy and positions taken by the father, the presidential candidate. Yet it would be just as ethically disagreeable to drag up the fact that both Mrs. Clinton’s husband – former President Bill Clinton – and their daughter, Chelsea Clinton – are vegans and thus might not be inclined to agree with sport hunting, let alone the concept of the “American Model” of wildlife management.

What her outburst does do is make all-ready nervous American sportsmen and sportswomen more worried.

After all, it was during an interview conducted earlier this summer by “Field & Stream” magazine editor Mike Toth of representatives to both Mr. Trump and Mrs. Clinton that the latter said his candidate “…will listen to sportsmen and sportswomen…”

The interview took place at a two-day Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership meeting in Fort Collins, Colorado. The short interviews appeared in the on-line edition of “Outdoor Life” magazine, “Field & Stream’s” sibling publication.

Speaking for Mrs. Clinton was U.S. Representative Mike Thompson while Trump’s eldest son, Donald Jr., spoke on behalf of his father.

I

n his published remarks, Thompson is quoted as saying about Mrs. Clinton lending an ear to hunters and anglers:

“I think the fact that she asked me to come and meet with you is an indication that she cares what the hook and bullet community wants and needs,” the published interview with Representative Thompson says.

Representative Thompson’s statement to the outdoors magazine continues with: “She will listen to sportsmen and women and I anticipate that I will have an ear in the White House and I’ll be a good bridge. I know the folks who you all represent, I’ve worked with you and I’ve worked with these organizations, I’ve lived this life my entire life. She’ll know what’s going on, she gets it and she will be operational to our advantage.”

As for Donald Trump Jr’s remarks, the short magazine narrative goes: “For us, it’s a real issue. Preservation of habitat, conservation of species, the ability to access these lands, the Second Amendment… those issues are the big sportsmen issues.

“Hunting and fishing is my lifestyle, it’s how I choose to live my life and it’s how my brother chooses to live his life, and it’s how we are going to raise our families. To me these issues are as important as many other things that people probably view of much greater importance, and I will be a loud voice in my father’s ear on all of these issues.”

Based on Mrs. Clinton’s impromptu remarks, it would seem that the kid’s pro-hunting arguments trump those of Mrs. Clinton and her surrogate.


- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net