Ohio's deer harvest closing in on 180,000 animals, but 60 counties still short

With just two reporting periods left in Ohio’s 2016-2017 deer-hunting calendar the state will unquestionably see a take exceeding 180,000 animals: A somewhat ambiguous projection by officials with the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

However, it is conversely likely that Ohio deer hunters will neither equal nor best last year’s all-seasons’ total take of 188,335 animals.

The current to-date deer harvest stands at 178,117 animals, as of January 24th. The comparable 2015-2016 deer season to-date kill as of January 26^th, 2016 was 184,791 animals.

Simple math shows that for this current Ohio deer-hunting season hunters have killed 6,694 fewer animals than at the same point of the 2015-2016 season.

And the arithmetic indicates that last season hunters killed just 3,544 deer during the final two-week leg of the deer-hunting season. Thus, tack on another 3,500 to 4,000 deer to this season’s theoretical total and hunters will top the 180,000 mark – but barely; perhaps 182,000 to 182,500 animals.

Looking at the statistics from another angle and the all-important take of antlerless deer has fallen, a point the Wildlife Division has stressed is one of its deer management goals.

The 2015-2016 to-date total harvest figure for antlerless deer was 108,987 animals. This season’s to-date antlerless deer kill is 103,461 animals; and though many of these deer no doubt are button bucks it is safe to say that fewer does are being killed under the Division of Wildlife’s current deer management protocols.

Interestingly as well , and in spite of Ohio’s lengthy archery deer-hunting season  (one of the nation’s longest, by the way), parity exists between the number of antlerless deer shot and the number of antlered deer taken by archerers: 39,745 for antlered deer and 39,588 for antlerless deer for a difference of only 157 animals. Such a notation demonstrates once again archery hunters’ selectivity.

Of Ohio’s 88 counties, 28 have to-date posted deer kill gains while the remaining 60 have recorded to-date deer harvest declines when compared to their respective 2015-2016 to-date numbers.

Obviously some counties have seen significant deer harvest declines – Adams County being a prime example( a drop of 884 animals) – while some to-date declines are statistically miniscule – Hancock County as an example (a to-date drop of only eight animals).

At the other end of the harvest spectrum, gains were seen, though generally not as dramatic as are the observed declines. Trumbull County, for instance, has a to-date harvest increase of 351 deer while Fayette County has seen a to-date harvest jump of just four deer.

A snapshot of select counties with their to-date 2016-2017 all-inclusive deer hunting seasons harvest numbers (and their respective 2015-2016 figures in parantheneses) are: Adams – 3,214 (4,098): Ashland – 2,894 (2,979); Ashtabula – 4,941 (4,764); Athens – 3,587 (3,925): Auglaize 747 (814) Belmont – 3,189 (3,169); Brown – 2,383 (2,702); Carroll – 3,505 (3,497); Clark – 641 (733); Clermont – 2,243 (2,716); Columbiana – 3,147 (3,249); Coshocton – 5,796 (5,603); Defiance – 1,662 (1,745); Erie – 809 (734); Fayette – 309 (305); Franklin – 799 (772); Gallia – 2,693 (2,890); Geauga – 1,799 (1,824); Greene – 787 (814); Guernsey – 4,494 (4,348); Hamilton – 1,477 (1,907); Hancock -1,159 (1,167); Harrison – 3,711 (3,740); Henry – 700 (678); Highland – 2,545 (2,882); Hocking – 3,192 (3,669); Holmes – 3,638 (also 3,669); Huron – 2,254 (2,179); Jefferson – 2,752 (2,622); Knox – 4,426 (4,395); Lake – 915 (875); Licking – 4,815 (5,204); Lorain – 2,432 (2,364); Lucas – 727 (728); Madison – 473 (485); Mahoning – 1,895 (1,794); Medina – 2,034 (1,825); Meigs – 3,399 (3,538); Mercer – 653 (598); Monroe – 2,542 (2,561); Morgan – 2,958 (3,062); Muskingum – 5,031 (4,895); Noble – 2,808 (2,928); Ottawa – 439 (396); Perry – 2,752 (2,828); Pickaway – 710 (787); Pike – 2,047 (2,347); Portage – 2,138 (2,128); Richland – 3,172 (3,128); Ross – 2,967 (3,362); Scioto – 2,431 (2,988); Seneca – 1,818 (1,758); Stark – 2,689 (2,703); Summit – 1,468 (1,401); Trumbull – 3,609 (3,258); Tuscarawas – 4,914 (4,835); Union – 825 (919); Van Wert – 457 (489); Vinton – 2,636 (3,032); Washington – 3,351 (3,475); Wayne – 1,995 (1,943); Williams – 1,653 (1,820); Wood – 846 (822); Wyandot – 1,451 (1,496).

Here are the total inclusive/all-seasons' deer harvest figures for the past 11 years as provided by the Ohio Division of Wildlife:

Season           Total Harvest
2015-2016       188,335
2014-2015       175,801
2013-2014       191,503
2012-2013       218,910
2011-2012       219,748
2010-2011       239,475
2009-2010       260,261
2008-2009       252,017
2007-2008       232,854
2006-2007       237,316
2005-2006       209,513

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

CMP left scrambling for help after NRA bolts from Camp Perry

Camp Perry’s National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches are looking for a few good men – and women.

 

Each summer the matches – held at the Ohio National Guard’s nine-thousand-acre Camp Perry just west of Port Clinton – employs a cadre of volunteers to perform yeoman’s work for a variety of necessary chores.

 

This annual competitive shooting effort was for many years conducted jointly by the Civilian Marksmanship Program and the National Rifle Association and called simply enough “The National Rifle and Pistol Matches.”

 

However, after being a Camp Perry fixture for more than a century, the NRA unexpectedly withdrew its rifle phase from there last November. The organization has since moved that portion of the shoots to Camp Atterbury, a large multi-purpose and multi-sited Indiana National Guard complex located in southeast Indiana.

 

The move did catch the CMP by surprise, forcing the federal government-charted organization to develop the management strategies for its own set of competitions. Coupled then with this effort was the need to recruit the all-important company of worker bees to assist in conducting the revamped and new shooting platforms.

 

Civilian Marksmanship Program’s Program Chief Christy Sewell says that for the past 20 years her organization “has been a leader in the marksmanship community.”

 

“The CMP is committed to Camp Perry, the permanent home of the National Matches. In 2017, the CMP will run our matches at Camp Perry in partnership with the Ohio Army National Guard,” Sewell said.

 

Even so, says Sewell, many hands make for light work and the CMP could use a lot of muscle power.

 

“Though our staff members have worked hard to provide unparalleled service for our competitors and guests over the last two decades, we still need more hands to help us facilitate the National Trophy Pistol and Rifle Matches,” Sewell says.

 

Thus, Sewell says also, “this is where the volunteers come in,” a recruitment task here-to-for performed by the NRA.

 

Consequently, the CMP – as the entity is commonly referred to - is in search of willing volunteers to help support the organization’ 2017 National Match series of CMP-associated events. This year those shooting disciplines are scheduled for June and July on the world’s largest shooting range and which recently underwent extensive renovation.

 

In their respective roles, volunteers will assist in conducting CMP match events only, and will be picked from a selection process through all received volunteer applications.

 

Sewell says volunteer duties may include - but won’t be limited to - firing line work as range officers, assistance with statistics and scorecards, or other tasks to be assigned as needed.

  

Chosen individuals will receive a per diem stipend and based on amount of time worked along with “exclusive benefits” that are offered only to those “who graciously donate their time to helping us provide an exceptional experience for all of our guests,” Sewell said as well.

 

Similarly, housing and lunch will be provided for each volunteer, said Seawell.

 

And all chosen volunteers will attend a specialized Range Officer training course, provided by the CMP. This training regimen is typically offered for $75 per person, but is being waived for volunteers.

 

“That’s a possible $150 value for those who volunteer for both rifle and pistol match programs,” Sewell said.

 

While past volunteer experience is not needed, knowledge of firearms, firearms safety, and shooting range procedures is a plus, says Sewell.

 

Sewell quickly added that volunteers with an itch to compete are not just welcome to participate but are encouraged to do so when they aren’t assigned a task.

 

“Becoming a CMP volunteer is a worthwhile opportunity for any competition-goer,” Sewell says. “Not only will volunteers earn behind-the-scenes access to the CMP competitions process, they're also destined to create unforgettable memories with staff members and participants along the way.”

 

To learn more or to sign up, prospect volunteers can visit the CMP’s web site at at  http://thecmp.org/competitions/competition-volunteers/ or contact Vera Snyder, volunteer specialist, at 419-635-2141 ext. 782 or volunteer@thecmp.org.

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

Good muzzleloading hunt helps - but does not entirely erase - Ohio's deer kill deficit

Nasty weather once again stalked Ohio’s deer-hunting community, though the state’s muzzle-loading sportsmen and sportswomen were more than up to the challenging conditions.

In all, during the four-day season January 7^th through 10^th the state’s muzzle-loading hunters killed 15,843 deer; up 3,338 animals from the 2016 muzzle-loading season total deer kill of 12,505 animals. That 15,843 figure is the most since the 2014 muzzle-loading season, by the way.

In some cases the muzzle-loading season harvest increases were substantial. Ashtabula County saw a harvest increase of 193 deer (463 animals this past season verses 270 animals for the 2016 season); Belmont County saw a 108 animal increase (391 deer verses 283 deer); Coshocton County recorded a 166 deer harvest gain (591 animals verses 425 animals); Guernsey County noted a 147 animal harvest jump (490 deer verses 343 deer); Harrison County saw a harvest rise of 206 deer (499 animals verses 293 animals); Morgan County recorded a jump of 156 animals (429 deer verses 273 deer); Muskingum County reported a 218 deer kill increase (602 animals verses 384 animals); and Washington County saw a deer kill rise of 182 animals (472 deer verses 290 deer).

Of Ohio’s 88 counties, only 18 recorded muzzle-loading season-to-season declines while two - Champaign and Montgomery - posted identical muzzle-loading season-to-season kill figures.

“Out the gate, I am somewhat surprised, and I wouldn’t have guessed that but sometimes we over-think things,” said Geoffrey Westerfield, a wildlife biologist for the Wildlife Division’s Northeast Ohio office in Akron.

Westerfield did say that he’d like to examine the numbers more closely, especially looking at the daily figures. He suspects that perhaps the good weather on the Monday of the season enticed more hunters into the field since both the season’s Saturday and Sunday saw universally blustery conditions statewide.

“Maybe it’s just that stars all aligned just right,” Westerfield said. “We’ll know better when we have the opportunity to examine the data more closely.”

Even so, the current to-date total deer kill is still off by some 5,085 animals when the numbers are laid alongside the comparable 2016 to-date figures (175,832 deer currently to-date verses 180,917 deer to-date as of January 12, 2016).

And with only a few weeks left in Ohio’s archery deer-hunting season this deficit probably will not be made up. Last year between the January 12^th weekly deer kill report and the end of the season Ohio hunters killed an additional 7,412 animals. Thus, hunters would need to shoot 12,497 deer just to match the 2015-2016 all-deer-hunting seasons total of 188,329 deer.

That being said, if any hunter wants to complain to the Ohio Division of Wildlife about the status of the state’s deer herd they won’t be able to voice their thoughts at any agency-sponsored “Deer Summit.” The reason is that the Wildlife Division has shelved the popular hunter-agency get-together for this year as officials map out the details of a 10-year deer management plan.

Sportsmen will have to “wait until 2018 when more information is available to share,” said John Windau, the Wildlife Division’s communications manager.

For now the focus on the current to-date deer kill, or “harvest” in the parlance of the Wildlife Division’s biologists and talking heads. That attention is especially directed at the recently concluded statewide muzzle-loading deer hunting season.

As for how muzzle-loading hunters have fared over the past several years, last year Ohio’s four-day muzzle-loading deer-hunting season produced a kill of 12,505 animals. Other previous and recent muzzle-loading season deer kills were: 2015 – 13,726 animals; 2014 – 16,464 animals; 2013 – 21,555 animals; 2012 – 19,251 animals; and 2011 – 17,375 animals.

Regarding the annual Ohio Deer Summits, Windau says that “since the plan is still in the early stages and stakeholder input has not been incorporated yet,” the division has decided not to hold deer summits in 2017, but will wait until 2018 when more information is available to share.

“Based on input and discussions with attendees from past deer summits, the ODNR Division of Wildlife is taking steps to develop a comprehensive white-tailed deer management plan,” Windau said.

 

“The purpose of the plan is to provide a 10-year framework for how Ohio’s huntable deer populations will be managed based on historical perspectives, stakeholder interests, and science-based management.  “

 

Windau did say that anyone who has an interest in expressing his or her opinion on the state’s deer management objectives, goals, protocols – either currently or long-term -  can still do so at the agency’s yet-to-set district open houses, online at www.wildohio.gov, or directly by email to Wildinfo@dnr.state.oh.us.

 

Regarding the current to-date numbers, 34 of Ohio’s 88 counties have posted deer kill increases while one – Putnam County – has posted an identical 2016 and 2017 deer kill to-date figure of 994 animals.

 

On the tally board, select counties with their current to-date kill figures, followed by their respective 2016 to-date numbers in parentheses, are: Adams – 3,186 (4,033); Ashtabula – 4,880 (4,638); Athens – 3,538 (3,854); Belmont – 3,150 (3,119); Brown – 2,347 (2,652); Carroll  – 3,469 (3,431); Clermont – 2,169 (2,596); Columbiana – 3,120 (3,190); Coshocton – 5,729 (5,504); Crawford – 1,101 (1,142); Cuyahoga – 940 (669); Defiance 1,624 (1,723); Delaware – 1,438 (1,570); Fayette - 306 (301); Franklin – 780 (736); Gallia – 2,679 (2,863); Geauga – 1,761 (1,714); Guernsey – 4,454 (4,274); Hamilton – 1,427 (1,801); Hancock – 1,147 (1,141); Harrison – 3,674 (3,686); Henry – 696 (675); Highland – 2,519 (2,837); Hocking – 3,153 (3,611); Holmes – 3,602 (3,621); Jackson – 2,772 (3,096); Jefferson – 2,725 (2,562); Knox – 4,370 (4,322); Lake – 886 (818); Licking – 4,739 (5,050); Lorain – 2,390 (2,267); Miami – 739 (800); Madison – 470 (473); Meigs – 3,361 (3,496); Mercer – 592); Monroe – 2,522 (2,533); Morgan – 2,929 (3,035); Muskingum – 4,982 (4,807); Noble – 2,781 (2,889); Perry – 2,722 (2,799); Portage – 2,105 (2,066); Richland – 3,138 (3,072); Ross – 2,941 (3,281); Scioto – 2,409 (2,930); Stark – 2,652 (2,626); Trumbull – 3,543 (3,172); Tuscarawas – 4,865 (4,722); Van Wert – 457 (487); Vinton – 2,619 (2,995); Washington – 3,320 (3,434); Wayne – 1,976 (1,906); Williams – 1,638 (1,792); Wyandot – 1,422 (1,459).

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

- By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net

 

Don't look to Ohio's upcoming blackpowder deer hunt to improve kill numbers

To use a baseball analogy, Ohio’s deer hunting harvest is rounding third and is headed for home.

Thing is, it appears that the catcher has the ball and is ready to tag the runner out at home plate, especially given the steady decline in the number of deer being checked in during the statewide four-day muzzle-loading deer-hunting season.

On the eve of this black-powder deer-hunting season – set for January 7th through 10^th - the total to-date deer kill stands at 158,949 animals, including 89,050 antlerless deer. These statistics are good for the period through January 3^rd and with the figures being supplied on a weekly basis by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

For the comparable 2015-2016 to-date period ending January 5^th, 2016, the total deer kill was 167,541 animals, among which included 96,332 antlerless deer.

Thus, we see that the current to-date deer kill has fallen by some 8,592 animals while the harvest on does has shrunk by 7,282 animals; both when laid side-by-side to their respective to-date 2016 numbers. The antlerless figures are given because of the intense debate among Ohio’s deer hunters that the Wildlife Division is being too liberal in allowing participants to kill does.

For what it’s worth, too, the gap between the December 27^th to-date deer kill and the latest deer kill figure (that 8,592 number) has widen in the past week. For the December 27^th reporting period, the total to-date kill number was some 8,004 animals smaller than its 2016 counterpart.

In any event, we are witnessing what may prove a watershed moment in Ohio’s deer harvest make-up. The long-touted reputation of southwest Ohio being the state’s go-to destination for trophy bucks continues to show signs of wear.

In Adams County the gap between the to-date 2016 and the current to-date 2017 numbers are staggering. For 2016 the total to-date deer kill was 3,742 while the current to-date number is 2,858. That’s a drop of 884 animals.

Declines are noted in other heralded go-to Ohio trophy deer counties as well. In Scioto County the to-date separation stands at 558 deer (2,723 animals to-date in 2016 compared to 2,165 animals to-date currently); Brown County – 314 deer (2,418 animals to-date in 2016 compared to 2,104 animals to-date currently);  Clermont County – 423 deer (2,394 animals to-date in 2016 compared to 1,971 animals to-date currently); Highland County – 318 deer (2,613 animals to-date in 2016 compared to 2,295 animals to-date currently);  and Ross County – 343 deer (2,978 animals to-date in 2016 compared to 2,635 animals to-date currently).

Not all is doom and gloom, of course. There is that marked decline in the number of does being shot, which might help quell talk by hunters of applying tar and feathers to the Wildlife Division’s deer management biologists.

There is also any number of counties where the deer kill (or “harvest” in wildlife biologist-speak) has increased. In fact, of Ohio’s 88 counties some 30 have posted to-date gains when placed alongside their respective 2016 to-date counterparts. Modest gains to be sure, but gains just the same.

That being said, the several counties in extreme Northeast Ohio are perhaps faring the best in posting to-date increases. These counties include (with their 2017 to-date numbers first and their respective 2016 to-date numbers in parenthesis): Ashtabula County – 4,394 (4,347, a harvest increase of 47 deer); Lake County – 821 (780, a harvest gain of 41 animals); Geauga County – 1,618 (1,609, a harvest increase of nine deer); Cuyahoga County – 905 (653, a harvest gain of 252 deer with the notation that several communities here saw recent voter-approved allowances of archery-only deer hunting); Trumbull County – 3,270 (3,005, a harvest gain of 265 deer); Lorain County – 2,233 (2,141, a harvest gain of 92 deer); and Medina County – 1,838 (1,636, a harvest gain of 202 deer).

Random to-date tallies in the rest of Ohio (with their respective 2016 to-date numbers in parentheses) are:  Carroll County – 3,028 (3,141); Coshocton County – 5,110 (5,065); Fayette County – 286 (288); Franklin County – 740 (699); Gallia County – 2,331 (2,653); Guernsey County – 3,945 (3,909); Harrison County – 3,160 (3,389); Knox County – 4,007 (4,004); Licking County – 4,264 (4,697); Meigs County – 2,916 (3,133); Muskingum County – 4,355 (4,414); Putnam County – 673 (identical 673); Tuscarawas County 4,326 (4,293); Van Wert County – 431 (467); Vinton County – 2,303 (2,719); Washington County – 2,831 (3,128); Williams County – 1,551 (1,694); and Wyandot County – 1,321 (1,337).

As for the up-coming four-day muzzle-loading season, the weather forecast is anything but inviting anywhere in the state for a stump-sitting morning. Bitterly cold weather with well below average temperatures are in the works along with the likelihood of snow showers pretty much everywhere.

Not until Monday, January 9,^th is the weather expected to break with the temperature on Tuesday, January 10,^th forecast to rise to comfortable – even above average – levels.

As for how muzzle-loading hunters have fared over the past several years, a general decline in the deer kill has appeared. Last year Ohio’s four-day muzzle-loading deer-hunting season produced a kill of 12,505 animals. Other previous and recent muzzle-loading season deer kills were: 2015 – 13,726 animals; 2014 – 16,464 animals; 2013 – 21,555 animals; 2012 – 19,251 animals; and 2011 – 17,375 animals.

 

- Jeffrey L. Frischkorn

JFrischk@Ameritech.net