SHOOTING A MOSIN RIFLE - P.12
Drift for Winter Trout Story inside page 5
Ohio Valley
FR EE!
Outdoor Times
February 2015
pictures of him on their trail cameras,” The Malakia he says, “but I’d never encountered the buck in the woods before first day of gun I didn’t even have any pictures Hilton 20-pointer season. of it.”
OV Outdoor Times
Born and raised in Columbiana County, OH, Malakia Hilton, 24, has been hunting since he was 10years-old. His dad introduced him to the outdoors, often taking Hilton and By Ralph Scherder his two brothers Hunting Editor rabbit and squirrel hunting. Hilton killed his first deer when he was only 12, and has since taken at least one deer every year. When he was 17, Hilton killed a dandy 18-point buck with a unique rack. What made it unique was a double row of tines on each main beam. For every typical point on the main beams, another nontypical point jutted at an outward angle, and the rack scored an impressive 172 inches. That wouldn’t be Hilton’s last non-typical buck, though – or his last monster buck. On December 1, 2014, he killed a 20-point non-typical that could challenge the current Columbiana County record. Although Hilton knew the 20-point was in the area, he’d never actually laid eyes on it himself. “The neighbors had
This is amazing considering that Hilton keeps five trail cameras in operation year-round on several nearby properties. “After I killed this buck, I pulled the SD card from a camera I had in the creek bottom where I got the deer and had a picture of a huge buck. But even looking at the picture, it’s hard to tell if it was the same deer or not. Until that day, the buck had been a total ghost all season long.” On opening day of gun season, Hilton set up in the creek bottom an hour before daylight. Typically, Hilton experiences the most success in that spot when the wind is coming from the west. That morning, however, the wind was coming from the north, which was less than ideal. The morning dawned clear and wet, moisture dripping from the foliage, as Hilton decided on where to reposition himself. He has always had success hunting from the ground, no treestand or blind, so moving locations wasn’t a big deal. He decided to slowly make his way through the creek bottom toward the other side, which would be more favorable considering the north wind. “I was sneaking down an old logging road and Turn To 20-pt. Page 5
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo courtesy of Malakia Hilton
The opening day of Ohio’s latest gun season proved very successful for Malakia Hilton. The 24-year-old harvested a monster 20-point non-typical buck in Columbiana County.
February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
INSIDE THIS MONTH
4 Innovations for
12
Shooting a Mosin Nagant Sniper Rifle
Selecting Your Modern Sporting Rifle
18
Travis R. Hunt
5 Get the Drift for 6
Jeff Knapp
8
Scott Albrecht
Bill Waugaman
Prepper’s Ball to Feature Celebrities Jack Kiser
19 WV Hunters Harvest
Winter Trout
Small Game Seasons Proposed for 2015-16 ODNR
7 Hot Ice Fishing Workout
WVDNR
104K Deer in 2014
Ohio Hunters Harvest 175K+ Deer ODNR
10 Whitetail Observations on a Winter’s Day OUTDOOR CALENDAR
Indoor Pistol Shooting - Feb. 20, 27; Mar. 6, 13, 20, 27 (every Fri. thru Apr. 24) 7-10 p.m. (open to public) at Columbiana County Fish & Game Association. New website: www.columbianacountyfishandgame.com. 3D Archery Shoots - Feb. 21, 22; Mar. 21, 22, 28, 29. (Schedule runs through Sept.) Lake Milton Fish & Game Club. Sat. 8 a.m.-3 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-1 p.m.. Cost $10, cubs $5. Breakfast and lunch served. Crossbows permitted, no rangefinders. Contact Dennis Dabney at 330-414-5795. National Bowhunter Education Certification Class - March 14 ( 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.) at Trumbull County Rod & Gun Club, located at 6575 Phillips Rice Road, Cortland (Mecca Township), OH 44410. Free class is open to the public; pre-registration is required. Contact Todd Shafer at 330883-4347 or email at toddshafer000@gmail.com. Ohio Deer and Turkey Expo - March 13-15 at Ohio Expo Center (state fairgrounds) in Columbus, OH. Admission $14. Save $3 with coupon in Ohio Valley Outdoors magazine, Spring issue. For info. check website: www.deerinfo.com. See more events listed on Page 13.
Ohio Valley
According to the ODNR’s final whitetail deer kill numbers this past season there were 15,710 less deer harvested than last year. Is that an earth-shattering difference? I don’t think so. Others do, so By Larry Claypool some have voiced their Editor opinion at five deer hunting summits held by the state last month. If the number of deer kills do not rise each year, hunters say “there’s something wrong”. Of the five summits — yes, hosted by the ODNR — I read news accounts from three of them. I don’t know who the respective reporters/writers were in those accounts but from what I read they posted the negative accounts from frustrated hunters who said they haven’t been seeing deer. That may be the case for some, but if I’m not seeing deer, seeing deer signs, I’m going to find another spot. A drop in 15,000 deer kills in one year (from 191,455 to 175, 745) is not a reason to demand the state to change it’s deer management program. In the most recent press release about the final deer numbers for 2014-15, the state explained their ‘sound’ plan. A sound plan that may not be agreed upon by everyone, but Ohio has had a pretty good track record for building its deer herd. Are we forgetting about all of the monster bucks we see taken each year? And I can’t help thinking about all of the problems Pennsylvania has had with its deer management program. Always, when we do sportsman’s shows in PA the most asked question we get from PA hunters is: “where can we go hunting in Ohio, be-
cause there’s no deer in PA?” That’s another story. Proof that there is deer hunting success in Ohio can be witnessed each year by visiting any key check-in station or outdoor shop that caters to hunters. One such location would be Runzo’s Sports Center, in Beloit, OH (Columbiana County). Our office is located about 20 miles from Runzo’s so we get several reports from this location. And we see a lot of nice buck photos they share on social media. For several reasons Runzo’s is a popular spot to take trophy bucks. With the state’s fairly new Internet based check-in system it’s not necessary to take your harvest to a check-in location. A good number of hunters now take advantage of the new system and check their deer or turkey in via the telephone or Internet. But, what the new system doesn’t allow is the chance to show off your trophy harvest to your peers. So, places like Runzo’s across the state are a fantastic place to let others view your trophy. And in addition to that they take your photograph, post it on the Internet — Facebook — and enter it in a Big Buck Contest, which Runzo’s sponsors through a local newspaper. Tifani Firestone, gun counter salesperson at Runzo’s Sports Center, says the outdoor shop is very busy during hunting season for several reasons. “We’re still busy (during hunting season). Sometimes there’s a mob of people at the counter, getting new deer tags, getting licenses and checking in deer,” said Firestone. “We have so many people coming in. Many of those to check in deer. Mostly bucks though. I think a lot of those come in for the contest and some for the photos (for their Facebook page).
To Advertise CALL 330-385-2243 Publisher/Editor, Larry Claypool lclaypool@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Outdoor Times February 2015
Ohio’s Deer Herd: Is Something Wrong? OV Outdoor Times
2
Graphics Designer, Linda McKenzie lmckenzie@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
VOL. 7, NO. 02
is published by Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine
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February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Innovations for Selecting, Dressing, and Securing Your Modern Sporting Rifle OV Outdoor Times
Hands down, the AR-15 chambered in .223 Remington has robustly sold throughout the fruited plain. The .223 Remington cartridge is the civilian variant of the NATO 5.56 x 45 mm combat By Travis R. Hunt round that has effec- OVO Pro Staff tively been utilized in the M-16 since the early days of the Vietnam conflict. The AR-15 is often mistakenly referred to as an assault rifle when in reality the “AR” stands for ArmaLite rifle; after all, ArmaLite invented the AR-15 in the 1950s. The more accurate designation for this platform is the “Modern Sporting Rifle” (MSR). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives tracks the sale of firearms. The most recent data available for MSR sales are specific to 2009 and 2010 and is as follows: That’s a big number of MSR being manufactured, marketed, and distributed
ouflage pattern of their favorite MSR, all MSR owners delight in simply shooting their MSR. Good news — now that ammunition prices are slowly beginning to return to reality, recreational shooting is also returning as a reality. Inevitably, shooting yields stripping and cleaning and this is my least favorite part of my black gun hobby and was the catalyst for this article. I decided I desired an MSR that did not require intense routine cleaning. Better yet, while I was pondering the future, I had two more desires. The first being an iron sight to use in conjunction with my Trijicon ACOG and a safe in which to secure the MSR and other such associated treasures. The remainder of this article details my rationale for selecting the products I chose to meet the above three stated desires. Direct Impingement (DI) versus Gas Piston Operating Systems The majority of AR-15s utilize the traditional direct impingement (DI) operating system. The DI utilizes propellant gas that directly contacts or “impinges” the bolt carrier mechanism. During this action, gas is pushed to the rear of the rifle, cycling the carrier, stripping a round from the top of the magazine and loading it into the chamber of the barrel. A DI operating system results in a wave of heat flowing through the receiver and
Domestic AR-15s Sold in 2009 and 2010 Manufacturer 2009 2010 Armalite, Inc. 16,814 9,472 Bushmaster Firearms Int., LLC 81,290 40,568 Colt Defense, LLC 45,150 8.840 DPMS Firearms LLC 83,129 46,891 Olympic Arms 12,089 2,892 Rock River Arms 38,756 23,146 Smith & Wesson 108,879 98,379 Stag Arms 47,555 18,563 Sub-Total 433,662 248,751 Total 682,413
to Americans throughout the U.S. With this acknowledged, I am confident that many of those reading this article already own a MSR. Before I wrote this article, I owned a few but was in the market for just one more. Besides admiring the stealthy black hue, coyote brown, or dipped cam-
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Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Travis R. Hunt
Your AR-15, more accurate called a “Modern Sporting Rifle” (MSR), has a wide variety of accessories, gadgets and attachments available to help you fully utilize this special firearm.
depositing a layer of burnt gasses and carbon on the interior of the weapon. In my experience, owning and shooting both Bushmaster and Smith and Wesson AR-15s, with DI operating systems, I concur that these rifles foul and foul without regard for ammunition brand or configuration. I further acknowledge that I have experience a limited number of failures to eject discrepancies. The obvious question at this point is the maintenance of my guns. Do I strip, clean, and lube them thoroughly after every shooting session? My answer is yes, but not always as robustly as I would like. Granted, it gets done but so does life and five children. This line of reasoning directed me Turn To Rifle Page 14
February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Get the Drift for Winter Trout OV Outdoor Times
The conversation focused on fishing as my friend Shawn Iman and I made the drive east recently to fish Huntingdon County’s Little Juniata River. At one point an AC/DC song played in the By Jeff Knapp background at a Fishing Editor decibel level far lower than had I been by myself. Shawn recalled that back when he did a lot of steelhead fishing on Lake Erie tributaries he would often wear head phones that piped in the hard rock, a tactic kept him pumped up on days that commonly provided challenging weather and water conditions. Naturally, the drive home later that day — amidst some crazy sleet and hail squalls — was a critique of the day’s activities. During the conversation it occurred to me that appropriate music to accompany this kind of fishing could include Puddle of Mudd’s “Drift and Die,” 20-pt. From Page 1
got about a hundred yards from where I’d been sitting,” he says, “when I looked up and saw a giant buck moving through brush about 95 yards away.” Hilton didn’t hesitate. He shouldered the 12 gauge H&R Ultra Slugger and sent a Hornady SST into the deer’s vitals. Hilton killed the 18-point buck when he was 17 years old the same way. He’d simply been sneaking through the woods on a quiet, wet day, when he came upon that deer, too. Although the 20-point dropped in its tracks, Hilton finished it off with a second shot just to make sure it stayed down. “In the past,” he says, “I’ve seen them get up and run off after being hit and you have to trail them. I didn’t want that to happen with this one. I was on private property, but the border of some state-
Have a question for the OVO Pro Staff?
Please submit questions on a variety of topics to members of the Pro Staff via email at: prostaff@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com.
as the drift can be such a big part of the deal. “For me, getting the right drift is the biggest thing,” noted Iman, whose day had included multiple wild brown trout up to 15 inches as well as a thick rainbow that pushed 20. His fish came on a beadhead green caddis larva fly fished below a strike indicator. So what constitutes “the right drift?” According to Iman, it’s presenting the fly at the same pace at which natural food is washed downstream. Regardless of the season, trout tend to hold in places where they can duck out of the current yet still be close enough to pluck off an easy meal that drifts or swims by. One of Iman’s most productive spots during our outing was a run about three to four feet deep, 20 yards or so below an incoming riffle. The current was modest; the bottom covered with irregular rocks that furnished feeding lies for the trout. Standing in one spot Iman took three nice fish in short order. His attempts when working both Turn To Winter Trout Page 6
owned property was only about 60 yards away. I didn’t want him to make it there where there could be other hunters waiting.” After all, Hilton, his family, and his neighbors weren’t the only people who knew about the massive buck. Quite a few other hunters were also trying to pinpoint its whereabouts. Hilton ended the chase that morning. “As soon as I shot,” he says, “my neighbor texted me asking ‘who was making all that noise up there’. I said, “Me. I just shot the big guy!” Hilton’s first call, though, was to his brother-in-law who was hunting nearby. “I kinda freaked out,” Hilton says. “I told him to get over here quick before I passed out.” When his brother-in-law asked how big the buck was, Hilton replied that he didn’t know because he hadn’t really walked up close to it yet. All he knew was that it was huge. Upon seeing the buck, Hilton’s brotherin-law agreed and called the buck “gorgeous.” Editor’s Note: Read the rest of this story, and many other ‘big buck’ articles, in the Spring Issue of Ohio Valley Outdoors magazine, on newsstands March 1.
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Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Jeff Knapp
Shawn Iman caught and released this nice wild brown trout from the Little Juniata River last month.
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
February 2015
Small Game Seasons Proposed for 2015-16
COLUMBUS, OH — The 2015-2016 small game hunting seasons were proposed to the Ohio Wildlife Council recently, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Hunting season date proposals are prepared by the ODNR Division of Wildlife and maintain many traditional opening dates. Proposals concerning Ohio’s white-tailed deer hunting season will be presented at the next Ohio Wildlife Council meeting. ODNR Division of Wildlife Proposed Hunting Season Dates: 2015 • Sept. 1 - Squirrel and dove hunting • Oct. 24-25 and Oct. 31-Nov.1 -Youth small game hunting seasons statewide • Nov. 6 - Cottontail rabbit, ring-necked pheasant and bobwhite quail — Note: Proposed open counties for quail hunting remain the same as last season: Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Highland, Jackson, Meigs, Montgomery, Pike, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Warren. • Nov. 10 - Fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum and weasel hunting and trapping • Oct. 12-Nov. 29 - Fall wild turkey 2016 • April 18-May 15 - Spring wild turkey • April 16-17 - Youth wild turkey
The Ohio Wildlife Council is an eightmember board that approves all of the ODNR Division of Wildlife proposed rules and regulations. The council will vote on the proposed rules and season dates after considering public input. Open houses to receive public comments about hunting, trapping and fishing regulations and wildlife issues will be held on March 7. Open houses will be held at the ODNR Division of Wildlife District One, District Two, District Three and District Four offices, as well as the Greene County Fish and Game Association clubhouse in Xenia. Open houses give the public an opportunity to view and discuss proposed fishing, hunting and trapping regulations with the ODNR Division of Wildlife officials. For Ohioans who are unable to attend an open house, comments will be accepted online at wildohio.gov. The online form will be available until March. Directions to the open houses can be found at wildohio.gov or by calling 800WILDLIFE (945-3543). A statewide hearing on all of the proposed rules will be held at the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s District One office on March 19, at 9 a.m. The office is located at 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215. Visit the ODNR at ohiodnr.gov.
Winter Trout From Page 5
passes perpendicular to his location. Keeping the fly close to the bottom is also a large part of the program, especially at this time of year when the water is cold. Trout feed, but usually won’t move too far off of the bottom to intercept a fly. Typically Iman fishes two flies. One is tied to the point of the leader tippet. He then uses a slider knot to tie a foot-long section of tippet material above the point fly, and secures a second fly to the end of this tippet. The slider knot jams against the point fly, but can be slid back up the leader if he chooses to change the point fly. Nymphs, caddis larva, scuds and egg patterns can all be effective now. Split shot — size and number adequate to get the flies down quickly — is pinched on a foot or so above the point fly. A strike indicator like the Float Master is fastened on the leader. The position of the Float Master is easy to adjust, which is important. You want the flies to occasionally tick bottom, but not so much that hang-ups are frequent.
upstream and downstream produced nothing. “When I first approach a pool I work the water closest to me first, making short upstream casts not much more than a rod length away,” he noted. “I position myself so that the spot I consider most likely to hold fish is pretty much straight out in front of me. That’s the place where I want to the fly to be drifting naturally as it passes by.” To attain this, his cast is made at about a 45 degree angle upstream. This way the fly (or flies when fishing with a dropper) have had a chance to sink by the time they reach the prime zone. He also makes any necessary line mends — typically a flip of the fly line upstream — so that the setup is drifting drag free when it flows through the sweet spot. After fishing the “close water” Iman makes progressively longer casts to reach more distant lies. He repositions himself, though, when working upstream or downstream, again aiming to achieve the perfect drift as the strike indicator
February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Hot Ice Fishing Workout
By Scott Albrecht
Here in Ohio, it’s mid-to-late season ice, which means deeper holes, longer walks, and already fatigued fishermen and women. While many don’t associate ice fishing with physicality or professional ice fisherman with pro athletes, I completely disagree. I just returned from a 10-day ice fishing tour of the ice belt, of which included a 1.5 mile walk out of Catawba State Park to fish Lake Erie, several 8+ hour days spent on my knees and hand drilling hundreds of holes. Being prepared is a crucial piece of what I call “ice fishing fitness” and in this article I will share some tips to avoid ice fishing fatigue in cold temperatures during the short amount of time we get to enjoy this sport. Ice Fishing is Hot! One key ingredient to comfort on the ice is temperature regulation and control. Most days start out with getting gear out of your vehicle and hauling it to your favorite spot, which is then proceeded by drilling out that spot with sev-
eral holes. You will generate more warmth during these early outing moments than the rest of the day. Dressing in layers and removing the outer layers is how I keep from sweating in the wee morning hours of setup. If you do venture out with more than just your base layers and begin to sweat, take a layer off. Sweating is the beginning to the end of your day because your body loses it’s ability to produce warmth at the skin level, which then gets trapped as warm air between your body and your base layer. Ice Fishing is so COOL! Once you do settle in, so does the cold, and as an avid ice angler I prepare my skin for the cold early in the year as temperatures begin to drop. Call me crazy, but one rule I live by is wearing tshirts in October. By exposing my skin to the 50-60 degree weather — most people bring out the hoodies — I begin to acclimate and become less shocked by cold weather. I continue this model as it gets colder and colder, always aware of how used to the cold my body
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is. One key element in keeping my body exposed to the cold is under dressing for morning runs. This not only keeps my skin used to the cold…but also provides real life training for physical excursion in extreme conditions. Mentally Fit for the Cold. It’s underestimated how much a cold, humid, hard blowing wind can chill you not only physically but also mentally. I can recall many days on the ice where my prep has helped me stay focused on the task at hand so I can fish through the cold vs. previous years where a stiff breeze shut my body and brain down. I would follow those non-prepared days up with a “well the fish just weren’t biting today…too cold”. My friends would correct me with a “the fish weren’t too cold, you were”. I started thinking about it and they were right...every decision I made changed for the worse in adverse conditions. My jigging styles became more aggressive (shaking uncontrollably vs. on purpose) I choose to move less, or move to locations that were more beneficial for me (like to my car to drive home). By training in these conditions I now can stand the cold longer and when it does start to affect my body, still make sound decisions, not shutting down
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Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Scott Albrecht
The auther with a nice crappie, taken with a jig while ice fishing in Ohio. Turn To Hot Ice Page 8
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Ohio Hunters Harvest 175K+ Deer in 2014-2015
COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio’s whitetailed deer archery season closed February 1, marking the end of Ohio’s 2014-2015 deer hunting season. Across the state, hunters checked a total of 175,745 deer during all 2014-2015 hunting seasons. In the last few years, through increased deer harvests, dramatic strides have been made in many counties to approach acceptable populations. The effectiveness of these management efforts are reflected in the decreased number of deer checked this season. During the 2013-2014 hunting season, Ohio hunters checked 191,455 deer. Bag limits were reduced in 46 counties prior to the 20142015 deer hunting season, and antlerless permits were eliminated in 29 counties. Deer population goals will be revised this summer through a random survey of hunters and farmers. Participants in the survey will have the opportunity to provide input about the future of deer management in Ohio. The Ohio counties that reported the most checked deer for all implements during the 2014-2015 season: Coshocton (5,727), Licking (5,281), Tuscarawas
(4,883), Muskingum (4,748), Ashtabula (4,418), Knox (4,191), Guernsey (4,181), Holmes (3,625), Harrison (3,448) and Carroll (3,406). Coshocton County also reported the most deer harvested in 2013-2014 (6,270). Ohio ranks fifth nationally in resident hunters and 11th in the number of jobs associated with hunting-related industries. Hunting has a more than $853 million economic impact in Ohio through the sale of equipment, fuel, food, lodging and more, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s Hunting in America: An Economic Force for Conservation publication. The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio’s deer populations through a combination of regulatory and programmatic changes. The goal of Ohio’s Deer Management Program is to provide a deer population that maximizes recreational opportunities, while minimizing conflicts with landowners and motorists. This ensures that Ohio’s deer herd is maintained at a level that is both acceptable to most, and biologically sound. Find more information about deer
hunting in the Ohio 2014-2015 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.gov. A detailed deer harvest report was posted online each Wednesday during the season, and a final report was posted on Feb. 2. Hunters continue to utilize various methods to report deer kills. Since the deer season began on Sept. 27, 2014, 46 percent of hunters phoned in their report, 29 percent reported online, 15 percent used the mobile-friendly website and 9 percent traveled to a license agent’s location. Ohio’s first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties, and hunters checked 168 deer. Deer hunting was allowed in all 88 counties in 1956, and hunters harvested 3,911 deer during the one-week season. ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov. A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during Ohio’s 2014-2015 hunting season is available online at. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2014-2015, and the 2013-2014 numbers are in parentheses.
February 2015
Hot Ice From Page 7
mentally out on the ice. For more information on the types of ice fishing apparel I use to stay warm or to see my early season workout regiment visit my page at: www.iceprofromohio.com. Ice fishing tip: Grabber Hot Hands (www.warmers.com) sell adhesive toe warmers that I stick onto the handles of my ice fishing rods versus my socks, and they serve as a great functional hand warmer while holding the rod!
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Scott Albrecht
Sunfish can fill up a nice stringer during ice fishing season in Ohio.
February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Whitetail Observations on a Winter’s Day
if it might topple any minute. It could only run about 50 yards before it had to stop and rest. That was six weeks ago. Time has been good to this young doe. Now, in February, the leg has almost healed, and the doe no longer favors it so much. She meanders around the yard, eating corn, and shows no signs of ever having an injury at all. Animals have always amazed me with how fast they can heal. With any luck, this doe will make it to fall, breed, and birth fawns next spring, and by the looks of her right now, she probably will. Years ago I hunted an area where a doe had survived a collision with a car. Its front left leg was practically ruined. Over time, the muscles in that leg atrophied and scar tissue formed. When I saw the deer that fall, its leg was half the normal size and curled up to its chest. However, that hadn’t stopped it from giving birth to two perfectly healthy fawns. I felt bad for the deer, even
HARRISBURG, PA — There still is no minimum age to participate in Pennsylvania’s Mentored Youth Hunting Program. And there is no minimum age for Mentored Youth to hunt deer and turkey. However, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners recently gave preliminary approval to a measure that would require any antlered deer or turkey harvested by a Mentored Youth hunter younger than 7 to be taken with valid harvest tags provided by his or her adult mentor. Antlered deer and spring harvest tags would be issued only as part of the Mentored Youth Hunting Permits issued to Mentored Youth ages 7 through 11. The transfer of an adult mentor’s tag to a Mentored Youth hunter is not new to the Mentored Youth Hunting Program. Under existing regulations, any harvests of antlerless deer or fall turkeys by Mentored Youth hunters must be taken with valid harvest tags provided by an adult mentor. The proposal moved forward by the commissioners is an extension of those rules. In voting to preliminarily approve the measure, the commissioners noted their con-
tinuing concerns over purported harvests by extremely young Mentored Youth that, in actuality, are unlawful harvests by their adult mentors. The proposal addresses that concern, while continuing to give parents the opportunity to introduce their children to hunting at ages they consider appropriate. The Mentored Youth Hunting Program was established in 2009 to give children 11 and younger the opportunity to experience hunting in a tightly controlled setting. At present, Mentored Youth may only hunt deer, turkeys, squirrels, woodchucks and coyotes. And the Mentored Youth and adult mentor, together, may only possess one sporting arm between them while hunting. The adult mentor also must carry the sporting arm at all times while moving. All Mentored Youth hunters must obtain a $2.70 permit that is valid during the license year in which they hunt. If the proposal that passed preliminarily gains final approval, deer and spring turkey harvest tags would continue to be issued for Mentored Youth ages 7 and older.
OV Outdoor Times
As the snow falls on a Sunday morning, I’m looking out the window watching six deer pick at a scattering of corn in the yard. They look extra furry to me, their coats fully maxed out to keep By Ralph Scherder their bodies warm. Hunting Editor One deer in particular has returned to the corn on a daily basis. This deer, a yearling doe, was wounded sometime after Christmas, and when it first began visiting the site, it had a severe limp. It could’ve been injured by a hunter or clipped by a car, but there’s no way to tell for sure. The wound was to its front right leg. During its first visits, the deer held its leg tucked up against its chest as it hobbled around the yard, yet on the several occasions when I went outside and interrupted its meal, it bounded off. Even as it bounded, though, it looked hurt, as
Turn To Whitetail Page 10
No Minimum Age Placed on Mentored Youth Hunters in PA
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Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of PGC/Jake Dingel
Observing deer, even in your neighborhood, can help you learn more about their behavior and possibly help you during hunting season.
10 Whitetail From Page 9
though it showed no signs of pain or struggle. To prove its strength and cunning, the deer made it through that fall and winter, and the next summer I saw it again – and again it had given birth to two more fawns. Observing the deer in the yard, I’ve noticed a couple of interesting things. First of all, the injured doe seems to be on constant alert compared to all of the others. She takes a bite, looks around, checks the wind, and then finally lowers her head to take another bite before repeating the process. Meanwhile, her partners chow down without a care in the world, their noses rooting for the corn kernels under the snow. I’m not sure what to make of the injured deer’s suspiciousness. Something tells me that because she knows she’s injured, she has to keep her guard up at all times for possible danger, including predators. So instinct tells her to be extra cautious of her surroundings. That’s just my hunch, anyway. The second interesting thing I’ve noticed is that the other deer in the group seem to want to have nothing to do with her. When she gets too close to them, they chase her off, sometimes kicking at
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
her with their front hooves. It was really bad six weeks ago, when the doe was struggling to stand, let alone walk. It got to the point where the injured doe would come to the corn by itself, and when the rest of them arrived, they kicked her out. Maybe that was their way of being cautious, too, knowing that a weak deer in their group makes the group more susceptible to predators. As time has gone by, the injured doe has steadily been welcomed back into the group, although not completely. She still feeds alone, away from the group. And when the other five leave, she always waits a few extra minutes before finally trailing along after them, but always keeps her distance. Today marked a big improvement in social relations among the group of deer in the yard. One of the matriarch does – a very old, very big deer – slowly fed its way closer to the injured deer. Instead of kicking at her, though, the matriarch sniffed her ears and then licked her face. In response, the yearling doe lifted its head and closed its eyes as if appreciating the gesture. The other deer in the group took notice as well, all of them watching as the matriarch groomed the yearling. To see the yearling doe now, you’d
February 2015
Hunters Voice Frustration over Low Deer Harvest
AKRON, OH (AP) — Ohio hunters say they're frustrated by a drop in the number of deer being bagged this hunting season. About 90 people in northeast Ohio took their complaints to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources over the weekend at one of five deer hunting summits held around the state, the Akron Beacon Journal reported. State estimates say Ohio hunters will bag about 180,000 deer during the 20142015 season. That's nearly 11,500 fewer deer than last year's season. Hunters at the meeting said they haven't been able to kill deer because they aren't seeing any to shoot.
never know that it had been injured so badly not too long ago. From what I can see, there are no noticeable scars or marks on its front right leg. It puts full weight on that leg when it feeds, and on the occasions when I’ve walked outside and spooked it, the doe bounds off and doesn’t stop until it’s out of sight. Slowly she has worked her way back to
Taxidermist Fritz Birkheimer, of Cortland, OH, said he usually handles more than 150 deer each season, but expects he will handle less than 100 dear this year. Ohio's deer herd is about 700,000, up about 300,000 from a decade ago. But a number of the population is in urban areas where hunting is not permitted. The number of deer killed by hunters has gone down under the state's deer management plans, the newspaper reports. The overall condition of Ohio's deer herd is suffering from population increases and loss of habitat, said state biologist Mike Tonkovich.
health, and slowly she has been accepted back into the herd. When the deer in the yard finally had their fill of corn today, one by one they left and went back into the woods. The yearling doe, almost fully recovered now, was right behind them – but not too close. I guess even she knows when not to push it too much.
WT6/Walleye Madness Free Entry Promo
PENINSULA, OH — Walleye Madness Tournaments and their officially sanctioned Walleye Federation club WT6, have announced a free entry bonus opportunity for all competitive walleye anglers interested in competing for a berth to the Cabela’s National Team Championship in 2015. Until March 15, 2015, each and every new and renewal membership in WT6 will be eligible to win a free entry into the 2015 Walleye Madness Tournaments event of their choice ($150 value). As the first and largest official Walleye Federation club in Ohio, WT6 and Walleye Madness Tournaments are offering this exclusive WT6 bonus for all new and renewal members to promote and thank The Walleye Federation www.walleyefederation.com - for providing the ultimate grass roots national championship in walleye fishing; The Cabela’s National Team Championship. Often imitated, but never duplicated, Walleye Madness Tournaments and WT6 offer 100% guaranteed payouts, sponsor bonuses, no- fee-required big fish payouts, Cabela’s National Team Championship qualifying, and paid en-
tries and bonuses to the National Team Championship via their WT6 - NTC side pots held at every tournament. The title sponsors of Walleye Madness Tournaments include two of the most respected names in walleye fishing; Lund Boats and Mercury Marine, and are supported by Buckeye Sports Center; one of Ohio’s leading Lund Boats and Mercury Marine dealers. For more information on Walleye Madness Tournaments and WT6 visit www.walleyemadness.net or contact the tournament series via email at info@walleyemadness.net. WT6 is the officially sanctioned Walleye Federation club for Walleye Madness Tournaments (WMT). The Walleye Federation is the exclusive national organization for Cabela’s National Team Championship qualifying. Registration is now open for the 2015 WMT events. A 40 boat maximum field. The schedule includes: April 26 at Mosquito Lake (entry deadline April 20; May 17 at Berlin Lake (deadline May 11); June 6 at Lake Erie, Cleveland (June 1) and June 27 at Lake Erie, Geneva (June 22).
February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Shooting a Mosin Nagant Sniper Rifle – A Piece of Armament History OV Outdoor Times
Every summer, shooters from all over the Tri-State area travel to Hidden Valley Sportsmen’s Club in West Middlesex (PA) to compete in an event limited to military issued rifles. As the shooters walk By Bill Waugaman around and chat, the gun racks are a common gathering point as they admire the variety of rifles. However, none of the rifles are ARs, AKs, IWIs, M1s, FALs or HK416s. What you see are historic military rifles such as Springfields, Mausers, Enfields, Arisakas and Mosin Nagants, all of which are as-issued bolt action, open sight pre-1950 vintage. If you didn’t have one of these rifles and wanted to participate, you would need to purchase a bolt action military rifle that is over 60 years old. This is not like buying a used modern bolt action
hunting rifle. With old military rifles, you really need to know what to inspect and they’re almost always sold ‘as-is, where-is and with all faults; in other words, buyer beware. I contacted a trusted acquaintance with extensive knowledge and expertise in old military rifles at Mitchell’s Mausers. Within a week, I was holding an actual 1944 Mosin Nagant PU 7.62x54R Soviet Sniper rifle. The scope is a relic with its huge crosshairs, fixed magnification and leather lens covers. The wooden stock and forearm are nicked and scratched; the bluing is far from ideal; the bolt, receiver and scope mount have grinding and machining marks. It’s beautiful. This particular rifle was in a batch of rifles purchased July 2012 from a Russian police warehouse. The rifle came into the U.S. through proper channels and was taken to the Mitchell facility in California where it was inspected as part of their quality control procedure. Since many Russian Mosin rifles are still kept
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Bill Waugaman
The Mosin Sniper Package from Mitchell’s Mausers.
in ‘battle ready’ condition, most of these rifles only need to be checked for functionality and safety. If there are any problems, the rifle is disassembled for any needed maintenance or repair. Following BATFE guidelines, the rifles are stamped with a Mitchell serial number on the receiver within 15 days of clearing customs. In my research about Mosin sniper rifles, I found an excellent article by Denis Prisbrey that appeared in the Military Surplus Collectors Guide 2014 and
online at: http://www.tacticallife.com/exclusives/soviet-sniper/. After reading Prisbrey’s article and examining the rifle, I am confident the rifle received from Mitchell’s is the real-deal, not one pieced together from parts and sold under the guise of being a sniper rifle. Yes, there are individuals that will do this to an unsuspecting buyer. Using Prisbrey’s article for reference, I was able to match the scope serial number to the same serial number Turn To Mosin Page 13
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Pam Williams 1st deer, muzzleloader Jefferson County, OH
For our contests & Nikon Photo Showcase
April George, age 11 jake, 17lb, shotgun Columbiana County, OH
email to: ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com mail to: Photo Showcase 210 East Fourth St. East Liverpool, OH 43920
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February 2015
Mosin From Page 12
stamped on the barrel of the rifle. The scope is a genuine PU scope with the stamping of an ‘X’ in a box and the scope mount Cyrillic serial number matching the Cyrillic serial number stamped on the rifle. The scope mount and base have the rough grinding marks consistent with the article’s references. About the Rifle This rifle is hefty, weighing in at 9.3 lbs. with the scope base and 10.5 lbs. with scope/mount/lens covers. While standard issue Mosin 91/30 rifles have a straight bolt handle, sniper rifles have a bolt handle that is bent downward to allow for cycling of the bolt when the scope is attached. The barrel is approximately 28 1/2” and the overall length just under 49”. The wood foreend covers all but last 4 1/2” of the barrel. The trigger just dangles inside the trigger guard. There is about 1/3” of travel from the time the trigger mechanism is engaged until the sear releases, and it’s far from smooth. The sear breaks right at 6 lbs. which is an improvement done by the Russian armorers for the sniper rifles. The front sight is a hooded front post with alignment hash marks on the base
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
and the hood/post. Windage is adjusted by moving the front post/hood left or right. The notched rear sight is adjustable for elevation with hash marks from 1 to 20. Even with the scope mounted, the open sights can still be used. The scope base is attached to the left side of the receiver and require the wood stock to be notched out for clearance. When the scope mount was attached, the Russian armorers made coarse windage adjustments by filing the scope mount and coarse elevation adjustments by turning two adjustment screws on the base to raise or lower the rear of the mount. After these rough adjustments were made, the scope turrets were used to fine tune the point of impact. This set up was designed so the scope could be removed and put back on with very little, if any, change to the point of impact. The scope that came with this sniper rifle was manufactured in 1942. It is 3.5x and does not have a focal ring. The reticle crosshairs are thick. The horizontal crosshairs come off the sides and leave the center open. A vertical crosshair comes up from the bottom with a triangular point at the top. While they may look archaic, the crosshairs were designed to allow a sniper to use
Calendar of Events
3D Archery Shoots - Feb. 21, 22; Mar. 21, 22, 28, 29. (Schedule runs through Sept.) Lake Milton Fish & Game Club. Sat. 8 a.m.3 p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-1 p.m.. Cost $10, cubs $5. Breakfast and lunch served. Crossbows permitted, no rangefinders. Contact Dennis Dabney at 330-414-5795. Trap Shooting/Winter Jackpot - Feb. 22. Weds. 6-9 p.m., Sun. 11-4. Columbiana County Fish & Game Association, 45716 Middle Beaver Rd, Lisbon, OH. Open to public. 50 targets, $10 entry ($2 goes in jackpot). Website: www.columbianacountyfishandgame.com. Old Fashion Style Turkey Shoot - Dec. 7, 14, 21, 28 each Sunday thru March at Beaver Creek Sportsman Club, Washingtonville, OH. Field stock guns, .680 choke max., no scopes. For info. contact Tom Brunner 330692-6577 or email:tbrunner1020@gmail.com.
West Virginia Trappers Association Spring Rendezvous and Fur Auction March 6-8, 2015 at Glimer County Recreation Center, Glenville, WV. Several vendors. For info. call Scott Schimmel at 304-462-7270, email Janet Hodge at
hawkmtn@hawkmtn.com or visit website at: www.wvtrappers.com.
Ohio State Trappers Association Fur Auction - March 14 at West Muskingum Booster Hall, 2170 Highland Rd., Zanesville, OH 43701. Starts at 9 a.m. Call-ins for lot numbers (for all three auctions) will be taken on Jan. 2 only from noon - 9 p.m. Call Steve Hiller at 937-206-1934. For info. contact Hiller, OSTA Fur Auction Coordinator via email: SH10@outdrs.net. Visit the OSTA website at: www.ohiostatetrapper.org
Gun Show by Mahoning Valley Gun Collector’s - April 18, 19 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) at Lowellville Rod & Gun Club. Admission $4, vendor tables $25. Buy, sell, trade. Free appraisals, free parking. GPS address, 6225 Quarry Road, Lowellville, OH. For info. call Bill at 330-506-9194. PA Trappers Association Rendezvous June 18-20,2015 at Schuylkill County Fairgrounds, 2270 Fair Road, Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972. Demos, dealers, contests, auction, kid’s activities. $5 admission, $10 for three days. Contact Karen Mohn at 610-562-1790. www.patrappers.com.
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Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Bill Waugaman
The range test is shown for the Mosin Nagant; 45 consecutive shots, 3 different brands of ammunition.
them for estimating distances. The elevation dial is adjustable for distances from 0 to 1300 meters and the windage dial adjustable from +10 to -10. When the turret dials are turned, the crosshairs actually move. Believe it or not, this made my preliminary zeroing super easy (I shot a grouping, kept the point of aim; moved the crosshairs to the point of impact; done). At the Range Mosin 91/30 rifles were mostly produced at the Tula or Izhevsk arsenals. Only the best ones were converted to
sniper rifles. These rifles had to be capable of shooting a 10-shot group of no more than 3.5 cm (1.38”) at 100 meters (109 yards) with service ammunition. For this review, non-corrosive ammunition was used as recommended by my contact at Mitchell’s Mausers — Hornady Vintage Match (174 gr. BTHP), Winchester Target (180 gr. FMJ) and Wolf Polyformance (174 gr. FMJ). Due to weather conditions (dark, overcast, windy, cold, snowing) and other factors, range testing was limited to 50 yards in Turn To Mosin Page 14
14 Rifle From Page 4
down the path of AR-15s utilizing gas piston operating systems and to the electronic door steps of Adams Arms (www.adamsarms.net ). This Odessa Florida based company manufacturers multiple lines of piston-driven ARs as well as conversion kits. I initiated contact with Adams Arms and they explained to me that the Adams Arms gas piston system used in their complete rifles feature a short stroke and a free floating piston that is self-cleaning. The self-cleaning is accomplished simply because the heat and escaping gasses that power the piston are expelled forward and out the front of the rifle. This act prohibits the heat and gasses from entering the receiver area and reduces both heat and fouling. The result is keeping the AR15 running cleaner, more efficient, and reduces maintenance time. I was sold, burned the credit card, and soon retrieved a dark black Adams Arms Mid Tactical EVO rifle from my local FFL. As soon as I arrived home, I opened the package, confirmed an empty chamber, and removed the piston from the exterior housing running down the barrel. The piston came out and I examined the simplistic design. Enough
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
was enough, so I set a magazine, actuated a round, acquired a target, and squeezed the trigger. This was the easy part, and the EVO sprang to life. I immediately noticed that reacquiring the target was almost too easy because the barrel did not drift off target as with an AR operating a DI operating system. The physics of the gas piston is easy to appreciate in that the act of expelling heat and fouling forward simultaneously results in the rife driving forward as opposed to drifting. I proceeded to shoot three 30 round magazines in a period of about 10 minutes and after every few shots began to appreciate the gas piston system a bit more. However, the true anticipation mounted as I began to prepare to check the cleanliness of the chamber. I removed the last magazine, opened the chamber, and ran my finger along the innards. Clean….. I was pleasantly surprised, not that I did not believe the hype, but I am a fan of the Ronald Reagan school of trust but verify. I definitely verified a clean chamber. Diamondhead I dressed the Adams Arms EVO with my trusty Trijicon 4x32, red chevron ACOG. These devices are truly an engineering marvel and worth every penny.
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ACOGs are great, but if I need to get close and personal with a target, a magnified optic is not my first choice. In fact, under these circumstances, I prefer the classic iron sight. The joint combination of iron sights and optics usually involve a co-witness effect. I do not want a co-witness and actually demand the ability to efficiently engage point targets in a CQC (close quarters combat) scenario and have a backup plan if my optic goes down. After research, I discovered the Diamondhead D-45 Integrated Sighting System (D-45) and this flip sight appeared to meet my need. I soon found myself on the electronic door step of Diamondhead USA (diamondhead-usa.com), located in Springfield, MA. A few days later I mounted the D-45 on my EVO. This is the point that the ingenuity of the D-45 becomes apparent. The D-45 design is cutting edge as I had never experienced a flip out integrated sighting system. The ingenuity of the D-45 is that when attached to the weapon, they sit directly on the top rail, mirroring a traditional folding sight. However, when the operator chooses to deploy the sights, they swing out with the simple push of a button. The D-45, as the name suggests, swings out at a 45
February 2015
Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Travis R. Hunt
A few nice additions to the author’s AR include: the Diamondhead D-45 Integrated Sighting System (D-45) and Adams Arms gas piston operating system. Turn To Rifle Page 15
scope mount worked loose during this string of shots causing the .7” group. After tightening the thumb screw, the last group shrank to .5”. Winchester – the most consistent 3-shot group measurements of the three. Hornady – the most accurate of the three (the .1” group was one Muzzle Velocity Wolf Winchester Hornady ragged hole .4” in diameter). 10-Shot Average 2661 2609 2670 Mitchell’s Mausers put Maximum 2697 2629 2699 together a nice package with Minimum 2635 2574 2640 the Mosin 91/30 PU Sniper rifle that includes: a DVD Max/Min Spread 62 55 59 movie (Enemy at the Gates), a book (Notes of a Sniper by All three cartridges shot surprisingly Vassili Zaitsev), a display stand, accesconsistent with comparable muzzle vesories (2 ammo pouches, sling, tools, oil locities. I will attribute this to ammunition being made to very specific can), an Owner’s Manual and a Letter of tolerances by these manufacturers and Provenance. This Mosin rifle also comes the long barrel of the sniper rifle. The with Mitchell’s Mausers Satisfaction slightly heavier bullet in the Winchester Guarantee. Visit their website at ammunition would account for the www.mausers.org or call 800-274-4124. Recent actions of Vladmir Putin have slightly slower muzzle velocities. resulted in sanctions by the U.S. and • Five 3-shot groups (15 consecutive many other countries against Russia, shots). Wolf – the thumb screw on the Russian businesses and key influential people in Russia. 3-Shot Groups* Wolf Winchester Hornady These sanctions have afLargest .7” .5” .5” fected the importing of Russian firearms and ammunition Smallest .3” .3” .1” which, in turn, drives supply Average .50” .42” .36” down and prices up. Mosin From Page 13
order to have a reasonably good sight picture. When I left the range that morning, I was absolutely impressed with both the rifle and the ammunition.
February 2015
Rifle From Page 14
degree angle from the axis of the gun. This enables the operator to avoid the co-witness effect of having to deal with a fixed sight when it is not needed. In my applications, I mainly shoot down range. However, in a CQC situation or even with a coyote presenting at 20 yards, a fixed sight is preferable over a magnified optic. A deployed Diamondhead D-45 allows me to engage a target via my Trijicon ACOG and then simply rotate the weapon and bring my integrated sighting system to bear. A this point, I have options and options are good. The combination of a Trijicon ACOG and a Diamondhead D-45 integrated sighting system enables an operator or, for that matter, a father clearing a hallway after the bump in the night, to have the confidence to engage a target point blank or at a distance. Liberty Safes Obviously, a safe is a better place to secure your weapon than under your bed, in your closet, or on your fireplace mantle. Definitely, children in my home were the catalyst that propelled me to purchase my first safe. My first safe was an off the floor safe from a big box sporting goods store. The safe was nice
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
but I immediately knew that it was likely not the sturdiest construction and wondered if it would survive a fire or a pry bar. However, the safe settled into life in the basement just fine and I decided to leave well enough alone. The safe served me well for years but began to rapidly fill with weapons and ammunition. As the months fell from the calendar and years progressed, life continued to happen. As such, my collection of documents exponentially grew from birth certificates and Social Security cards to everything else from data backup disks to car titles to a myriad of accumulated critical documents. I first heard about Liberty Safe products on a national radio talk show program. What the pundit was professing was a bold combination of American engineering and construction backed by a lifetime warranty to repair or replace your safe if it is damaged as the result of a fire or attempted break-in. These claims led me to the Liberty Safe Internet site (www.libertysafe.com) and, a few clicks later, to Flag Floors of Barnesville, located in Barnesville, OH (www.flagfloors) as my local premier dealer. Not that I am that fat, but I liked the name and the features; so I settled on the FatBoy Jr. Liberty Safe even before
I placed my first call to the dealer. I spoke with the dealer on multiple occasions. My FatBoy Jr. is engineered to withstand a 1200 degree Fahrenheit fire for 60 minutes. This is equally impressive as the safe’s 760 pound weight, four-number combination/key lock, and 12 / 1” chrome security bolts. The safe arrived and the hydraulic dolly navigated the 60.5” x 42” x 25” Fatboy Jr. in position. I configured the customizable inside to hold 24 of the 48 possible long guns. I plugged in the standard dehumidifier and added an optional interior light. To me, my Liberty Safe is a work of art on the outside and a model of efficiency on the inside. The textured black exterior metal is seamless and oozes quality. The interior is cavernous and customizable. Liberty Safe has an available line of accessories and I indulged. My favorite accessories are the rifle rods. These are plastic rods with a flat top about the size of a quarter. The rod slips into the barrel of the gun and the Velcro on the flat top sticks to the top of the safe, thus enabling long and short barreled weapons to maintain an upright position in the safe. The rifle rods are conveniently available in six, 10, and 20 packs. As for handguns, these fit nicely
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into to the integrated door pockets or hang under a shelf via the hand gun hangers. The Fatboy Jr. has been under roof for a few months and I am most grateful for the “peace of mind” that it affords me. To me, this is priceless because I cannot put a price tag on peace of mind. AR-15 operators, are fortunate people, we are blessed with a virtual playground of accessories, gadgets and attachments, which assist us with fully utilizing our inalienable right to pursue happiness. As for me and mine, we choose to pursue happiness one arrow at a time, one bullet at a time and one fall sunset at a time. I will be in the woods of Ohio, sometimes with a MSR hunting coyote and sometime looking at a steel plate and throwing lead down range. I encourage you to enjoy your MRS, better yet show it some love and dress it with a nice optic. Then when you are done pursuing happiness you better clean it well, if it is not a piston driven weapon, and then be sure to tuck it in bed nice and neat inside a well-deserved Liberty Safe.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Brandon Grub 17-lbs. turkey Columbiana County, OH
Cassy Wilson 19-lbs. turkey Carroll County, OH
Dylan Tasker 8-pt., 23-3/5" spread, crossbow Columbiana County, OH
Wilson Patterson 20-lbs. turkey Mahoning County, OH
Dillon Edwards & Chase Edwards cackler goose Berlin Reservoir, OH
February 2015
Bradley Dustman 22-lbs. turkey Mahoning County, OH
Mike Estock 8-pt., crossbow Stark County, OH
Send Us Your Photos
Jim Caserta 10-pt., 21-1/16" spread, Carroll County, OH
Olivia Myers 8-pt. buck, compound Mahoning County, OH
David Godseys Jr. 8-pt. Carroll County, OH
We’ll print your hunting, fishing or trapping photos in the next issue of OV Times or Ohio Valley Outdoors magazine. Send photos via mail, email or Facebook. Email to: ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com Mail to: Photo Showcase 210 East Fourth St., East Liverpool, OH 43920
February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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John Hinchcliff coyote Coumbiana County, OH
Alexis Highman Canada goose Senecaville, OH
Joe Blazer greater prairie chicken w/Rex Ft. Pierre Grasslands, SD
John Hinchliffe Sheep Head Mushrooms Columbiana County, OH
Logan Hunt 30" Axis deer Bradford, FL
Tyler Souder 8-pt., 17 1/16" spread Columbiana County, OH
Dylan Hedrick doe Mahoning County, OH
Clint Gibboney 11 pt., bow Hardin County, OH
David Miller 22-lbs. turkey Columbiana County, OH
Kelly Runzo 1st turkey, 18-lbs. Mahoning County, OH
Mike Sabol 23-lbs. turkey Mahoning County
Marc Beckett 22-lbs. turkey Mahoning County, OH
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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February 2015
www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Ohio Valley Outdoors
You need more customers! YOUR CARD HERE
Contact Sales Consultant Tracy Bissell at 330-385-2243
Prepper’s Ball to Feature Area Celebrities, Education & Entertainment
By Jack Kiser
TALLMADGE, OH — Not so very long ago, mention of being in any way in a state of being prepared for any catastrophe conjured up images of manic survivalists and psychotic anarchists sharing one another’s paranoia from underground caves and rural militia encampments. My generation will readily relate to other’s tales of climbing into lockers and under rows of desks during the regular school air-raid drills of the late 50s/early 60s era. Some may recall specific neighbors who dug and stocked surprisingly sophisticated bomb shelters in more than a couple area back yards. Things have certainly evolved in the legions of the preparedness movement since those days of essentially one overriding specter of villainy. Those pioneering days of yore morphed initially into
real and imagined responses to perceived enemies both domestic and abroad, while attaching a negative stigma to it in any way advancing the idea of personal and familiar awareness and preparation for a variety of threats to personal comfort and safety. Today’s “preppers” may indeed have political and social concerns, but are just as likely to be wary of environmental disasters that even now regularly impact people around the world. Earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, civil unrest, and other large scope intrusions on our safety understandably garner the majority of attention, but on a more local level loom the alarmingly regular occurrences of floods, fires, crime, and landslides. All and any of these intrusions can severely impact our safety, and that of our loved ones. It is no longer automatically assumed that those interested in pre-
paredness must somehow be exhibiting some level of psychosis. Indeed, an increasing number of Americans are becoming concerned about not only the possible impact of the loss of utilities and transportation, but also of the possibility of an ongoing crisis necessitating an abrupt lifestyle adjustment. To that end, the REALIZE Firearms Awareness Coalition will present the “Prepper’s Ball Charity Raffle” on February 21 at the Arena Complex on the Summit County Fairgrounds, located at 229 Howe Road in Tallmadge, OH. This event will feature a variety of local celebrities, seminars, and educators in the overall field of study. Included among this list will be former Cleveland Browns player, actor, and WNIR talk show personality Bob Golic, and his wife Karen. Bob will assume emcee duties. The director of the show
will be Amanda Suffecool, WNIR talk show host and gun rights activist. Over $10,000 in gifts and prizes are already assured, including a Big Green Egg Grill, a Green House seeds starter, a wine party at Grape & Granary, generators and backup power supplies, and “prepper buckets”, among other items. Twelve different guest speakers will cover relevant topics, including cheese making, bowhunting, ham radios, food storage, and cooking without power. My Fox Sports “Destination: Outdoors” radio co-host Steve Jones and I will be manning a booth at the event and invite all of our listeners to stop by, and participate in this event. Drawings for prizes will take place every 10 minutes. Throw in guns, ammo, great food, silver, tools and information, and you’ve got a great mix for all attendees. The ticket price of $30 includes din-
February 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
WV Hunters Harvest 104,223 Deer in 2014
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — Preliminary counts of game checking tags indicate West Virginia hunters harvested 104,223 white-tailed deer during the recently completed bucks-only, antlerless, muzzleloader, archery and youth/Class Q/Class XS deer seasons, according to Division of Natural Resources Director Bob Fala. This year’s total harvest was 31 percent less than the 2013 deer harvest of 150,877 and 23 percent below the five-year average of 136,168. The 2014 harvest is very similar to the 2010 harvest of 106,499, the last time acorns were exceptionally abundant. Successful buck hunters this year had an excellent chance to harvest an older-age buck as the preliminary analysis of deer age data indicates that 25 percent of the antlered bucks brought to the game checking stations during the first three days of traditional buck firearm season were 3.5 years of age or older. A breakdown of the combined 2014 deer seasons reveals hunters harvested 37,766 bucks during the traditional buck firearm season, 39,514 antlerless deer during all antlerless firearm hunting opportunities, 21,653 deer during archery season, and
NH Considers Ban on Drones
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — While several states have already outlawed the use of drones in hunting, New Hampshire may go further and ban so-called “smart rifles” and live-action game cameras as well. The state Fish and Game Department recently held a public hearing on proposed rules involving hunting with the use of emerging technologies. The rules would ban the taking of wildlife using an unmanned aerial vehicle — bringing New Hampshire in line with several states that have outlawed the use of drones in hunting. The rules also would Prepper’s From Page 18
ner and beer sales. Hours are from 6:309:30 p.m. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with the event officially beginning with the first drawing. Though it’s indeed a ball, dress is decidedly informal with no dancing, just fun and education. The show will support the REALIZE Firearms Awareness Coalition, a (501(c)3-non-profit organization. Their website is: www.REALIZEfac.com. Some vendor table opportunities still re-
5,290 deer during muzzleloader season.
Antlerless Deer Season The 2014 antlerless deer season harvest, which includes the youth/Class Q/Class XS deer season, was 30 percent less than in 2013 and 14 percent below the five-year average of 46,204. “It is important to note that the antlerless harvest is the key component to any deer management strategy, as it controls the future deer population,” said Director Fala. In 2014, all or portions of 50 of the 55 counties were open to antlerless firearms season for hunters to harvest one to three antlerless deer, depending on the county. Next year’s antlerless deer hunting opportunity will depend on the need to increase, decrease or stabilize deer populations in each of the 51 counties where firearms deer hunting is permitted. The top 10 counties are: Preston (1,859), Mason (1,446), Lewis (1,421), Upshur (1,365), Jackson (1,296), Ritchie (1,291), Randolph (1,285), Braxton (1,254), Harrison (1,253) and Monroe (1,214). ban the use of rifles that contain computers that lock in a target, adjust for wind and animal movement and automatically fire. And hunters would not be allowed to locate wildlife using cameras. The traditions of hunting dictate that game be taken in the spirit of fair chase, said Martin Garabedian. “We need to establish rules regarding these fast-changing technologies to make sure that people understand that their use for hunting is not appropriate or ethical,” he said. A number of states — including Alaska, Colorado, Montana and New Mexico — already have outlawed the use of drones in hunting. main at www.EyeOnTheTargetRadio.com, or by calling 440-548-2442. Jack Kiser is the host of TV’S “ Buckeye Angler” and co-host of Fox Sports “ Destination : Outdoors”, heard locally every Monday evening from 6-7 and every Saturday morning from 6-7 on WARF- 1350. You may reach him at the Facebook page for either program.
Muzzleloader Deer Season The 2014 muzzleloader harvest of 5,290 was 32 percent less than the 2013 harvest of 7,739, and 28 percent below the five-year average of 7,341. However, this year’s harvest was within 95 deer of the 2012 recorded harvest of 5,385. The top 10 counties are: Randolph (295), Preston (265), Nicholas (251), Braxton (195), Lewis (193), Harrison (182), Fayette (164), Barbour (156), Mason (149) and Jackson (143). Archery Deer Season The bowhunter take of 21,653 deer was 28 percent less than the 2013 harvest of 29,979, 19 percent below the five-year average harvest of 26,721 and is very similar to the 2010 harvest of 21,962. Archery harvests are correlated to hard mast crops, and the above average acorn crop in 2014, like that of 2010, was a significant factor for the lower harvest in 2014. The top 10 counties are: Preston (968), Randolph (759), Kanawha (757), Mason (710), Wyoming (683), Nicholas (673) Fayette (647), Raleigh (635), Wood (602) and Logan (601).
19 WV Deer Kill Down 31%
CHARLESTON, WV (AP) — The number of deer killed during West Virginia’s various seasons fell 31 percent last year compared with 2013. The Division of Natural Resources says hunters killed 104,223 deer during the bucks-only, antlerless, muzzleloader, archery and youth/Class Q and Class XS deer seasons. That’s down from 150,268 in 2013 and 23 percent below the five-year average of 136,168. Last year’s deer total includes 37,766 killed during the buck firearm season, 39,514 during all antlerless firearm hunting opportunities, 21,653 deer during archery season and 5,290 deer during muzzleloader season. Preston County had the most kills at 4,625, followed by Randolph County at 3,640, Mason County at 3,310, Lewis County at 3,147 and Upshur County at 2,959.
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