SPORTSMAN’S NIGHT OUT - P.8 Last Bass Story inside page 6
Why Bucks Leave …and Return
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Outdoor Times February 2017
OV Outdoor Times
At a birthday party in January, a friend showed me trail camera pictures of several nice bucks from the week before. Some of the bucks he hadn’t seen since October. Others he had never seen at all. “Where do they go?” he asked. “And where do they come from?” By Ralph Scherder Hunters have been asking Hunting Editor these questions for years. Big bucks are mysteries, even with today’s technology. We can use transmitters and tracking devices, and we can load down our favorite area with trail cameras, but we still can’t explain with 100% accuracy why whitetails do what they do – or why they disappear during hunting season. Or, perhaps more puzzling, why they show up again once hunting season is over. However, take a closer look and you can come pretty close to figuring out what makes them tick. Whitetails don’t magically disappear. They’re not ghosts. Even the biggest bucks are flesh and blood, and just like any other living creature, they have needs. When those needs aren’t being met, they seek other places. Security is the biggest reason whitetails stay in or leave an area. If a deer doesn’t feel secure, it will leave, plain and simple. Hunting pressure can play a huge role. Too much pressure can cause a deer to take up residence elsewhere. Lack of bedding cover
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Turn To Why Bucks Page 4
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Ralph Scherder
Security is the biggest reason whitetails stay in or leave an area. If a deer doesn’t feel secure, it will leave, plain and simple. Trail camera photos, like this one, can help determine what bucks are available in your area.
INSIDE THIS MONTH
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
6 Last Bass of the 8
Jeff Knapp
12
ODNR
14
2016 Season
Learn Fly Fishing Classes Set in ELO
15
Sportsman’s Night Out in PA
11
Col. (Ret.) Grey D. Berrier
PA Trout Stocking Schedule is Set
18 Calendar of Events
Cuffs & Collars
PAGC
OVT Staff
Local Student Angler League Holds 1st Meeting
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OVT Staff
Larry Claypool
Ohio Hunters Harvest 182K+ Deer ODNR
15 Concealed Carry Fashion Show Set OUTDOOR CALENDAR
Trap Shoots - 10-Bird Meat Shoots on Sunday Feb. 19. Regular trap shoots (open to public) held each Weds. and Sun. Sporting clays on 4th Sunday of month at Columbiana County Fish and Game Assoc. at 45716 Middle Beaver Road, Lisbon, OH 44432. For info. contact Mike Giambroni at 330383-2552 or visit www.columbianacountyfishandgame.com. Spring Turkey Shoots - Each Sunday (10 a.m.) from February 5 at Chester-Newell Sportsmen’s Club. Signups start at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $3, $30 for pack of 10 shoots. $5 for money shoots. Stock & factory guns and tubes only. Paying 1st & 2nd place, cash prizes. Kids & ladies welcome. Located on Gas Valley Rd., behind Green Valley Dairy, between WV Route 8 and PA Route 18. For info. call 330-383-1886, or 304-374-5587. Indoor Pistol/Rifle Events - Each Tuesday/Friday until April 2017 at Col. Cty Fish and Game Assoc. For info. email: ccfishgame@gmail.com or visit: www.columbianacountyfishandgame.com. Old Fashion Style Turkey Shoots - Each Sunday until further notice at Beaver Creek Sportsman Club, 14480 Washingtonville Road, Washingtonville, OH.
Ohio Valley
OK, there’s is not an ice fishing story or reference in this month’s edition! It is still winter, right? Again, blame the strange weather we’ve been experiencing. No ice, that I know of in the Ohio Valley region By Larry Claypool this year. Runzo’s Out- Editor door Sports owner Mike Runzo said he knows of ice anglers who fished for 3-4 days last month in a few lakes north of his shop in Beloit, Ohio. That’s been it. So what happens to all of the ice fishing equipment and supplies that shop owners can’t sell when there’s simply NO ICE? Runzo said he must sit on it. “You get stuck with products,” admitted Runzo. “It’s really hard to plan for. The longest I’ve carried an item has been five years. Now I date everything, so I know.” Runzo said he usually waits to see how the weather is going to stack up, as far as cold weather days to form ice on area waters. It helps that one of his key distributors has stock on hand and can deliver quickly to fit his needs. Runzo also noted that his live bait wholesaler, Eddie’s Live Bait, of Clinton, Ohio, keeps his shop stocked up on live bait when there is a demand. Runzo said he’s one of a few bait shops that sell live bait all year round. Recently though, with local waters open, anglers are buying minnows for creek fishing, ponds, streams and even the Ohio River. “For this time of year, when there’s open water, I get customers that drive up here for bait for the (Ohio) river,” added Runzo. So, the way the weather has been looking in early February, most anglers realize
there will be no more ice this winter. It’s time to clean up our regular fishing gear and get ready for spring and summer fishing. Spring and March 20 can not come soon enough. Is it Jealousy? We’ve all heard stories for years about someone harvesting a HUGE deer from an area only a few people have access to. Not because they can’t get to the honey hole, but because they don’t have permission to hunt such a property. That’s hunting. That’s life. So why does it enrage some people that others pull a big buck from a restricted area? Why do they care? Is it jealousy? I’ve received two notes recently from the same individual (I assume, there’s no name attached) about a huge deer being harvested from a northeast Ohio landfill area. The writer admits in one note that jealousy is part of the his/her motivation for sending such notes. Beyond that, I’m not sure. The letter goes on to tell me the hunter’s name and where the deer of interest was harvested. They also asked to have a photograph of the deer published in our publication. We do not operate like that. Hunters, or their relatives, send us photos, giving us permission, to publish their trophy photographs in our publications, and we gladly do that, but only if we have permission. And we DO NOT take photos from the Internet! I’m missing the motivation for someone wanting us to print a photo of this particular deer. The writer said “a few people have seen a pic but I and many others haven’t”. Although attached to the second note was a Zerox copy of a young man holding a very nice deer, and I assume it’s the one the writer speaks of. So, what am I missing? Your thoughts?
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Outdoor Times February 2017
February 2017
It is Still Winter, Right? OV Outdoor Times
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VOL. 9, NO. 2
Ohio Valley Outdoor Times
is published by Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine©
Offices located at
210 E. 4th Street, East Liverpool, OH 43920 Phone 330-385-2243, Fax 330-385-7114 ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Publisher/Editor, Larry Claypool lclaypool@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Graphics Designer, Linda McKenzie lmckenzie@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com Sales Consultant, Tracy Bissell tbissell@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com advertising@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Contributing Editors
Ralph Scherder, Hunting Editor Jeff Knapp, Fishing Editor Brian Miller, Field Editor
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS
Ohio Valley Outdoor Times is all about its readers. We’d love to hear from you. Send us something at ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
February 2017
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Why Bucks From Page 1
and poor habitat can also make them feel insecure. This offseason, ask yourself this: “Is my property whitetail friendly?” The answer to this question could provide a lot of insight into why whitetails are staying on your land year round or only during certain parts of the season. Late winter and early spring are great times to start taking inventory of your property as well as the deer that are using it. Ground cover is most sparse this time of year, which makes it easy to determine if your trees have matured beyond usefulness or if some logging should take place to create quality bedding habitat. Logging is and always will be a whitetail’s friend. During the first year, a timbered area will provide many berries, succulent greens, and various new growth that draw deer like magnets. By years three and four, deer will already feel safe enough to use those timbered areas as primary bedding locations. It’s never a good idea to have all of your property timbered at once. It’s best to cut in stages, small sections at a time. Even a few acres can be enough to create somewhat of a whitetail sanctuary. And once deer get used to bedding there,
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
make every effort to stay out of it and only hunt the edges. The safer they feel in that sanctuary, the more likely they’ll be to stick around all season. The major problem with my friend’s land is that it is in the reclaiming stage after being deep-mined a few years ago. They have one thick area that was timbered prior to mining, and that section is definitely a deer haven. In fact, every year they seem to kill a nice buck in that area, but my suspicion is that many other bucks leave as soon as they start feeling the hunting pressure because, quite frankly, that one thick area is all they’ve got. It’s not big enough to make the deer feel at ease once they start hunting it. As the reclamation process takes effect, and the thousands of trees planted by the mining company begin to grow, they’ll no doubt start seeing more bucks using the property year round, especially since there’s a good supply of fruit and nut trees in those seedlings, which is something the property lacked prior to mining anyway. Also, now that the ground has basically been stripped down to its bones, there are several places that have been left open for food plots and other plantings. Food sources alone, though, aren’t Turn To Why Bucks Page 5
February 2017
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Ralph Scherder
Logging is and always will be a whitetail’s friend. During the first year, a timbered area will provide many berries, greens, and new growth that draw deer like magnets.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
February 2017
PA Bear Harvest Ranks Fifth
HARRISBURG, PA — This is the golden age of bear hunting. Since the Pennsylvania Game Commission began keeping records of statewide bear harvests in 1915, there has never been a more prolific period for Commonwealth black bear hunters. Pennsylvania hunters harvested 3,529 bears in 2016, the fifth-highest tally in state history. To top it off, 60 of those bears weighed 500 pounds or more — 17 exceeded 600 pounds. The 2016 overall bear harvest was similar to 2015, when 3,748 bears, including 68 weighing 500 pounds or more, were taken. The all-time bear harvest high was recorded in 2011, when 4,350 bears were harvested. Hunters harvested 4,164 in 2005. Hunters in 2016 harvested bears in 58 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, an increase of one county compared to 2015. Bears again were taken in 20 of the state’s 23 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs). The largest bear taken in the harvest weighed an estimated 740 pounds. It was taken in Rayne Township, Indiana
County, on Nov. 18 during the archery bear season by Dustin R. Learn, of Home, Pa. It was one of three bears taken by a hunters that exceeded 700 pounds in the 2016 seasons. The three bears were the first to exceed 700 pounds since 2013. In 2011, Pennsylvania’s record harvest year, an amazing eight bears exceeding 700 pounds were taken by hunters. David Price, of Cresco, Pa., harvested the largest bear ever taken in the state in 2010. Harvested with a bow and arrow, the bear weighed an estimated 876 pounds; it was taken in Middle Smithfield Township, Monroe County on Nov. 15, the archery bear season opener. The second largest bear taken in the 2016 bear season was a 722-pound male taken Dec. 2 in Lehman Township, Pike County by Bryan R. Diehl, Northampton, Pa. 7
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Why Bucks From Page 4
enough to keep deer on your property. They may visit your apple trees and food plots, especially under the cover of darkness, but the majority of their time will still be spent wherever they find the best bedding cover. Therefore, the answer to “where do they go?” could very well be “wherever they feel safe.” If you find a big buck has mysteriously disappeared, more often than not you can locate him again by finding the thickest, nastiest cover available near that area. Aerial maps and programs such as Google Earth can help you pinpoint likely locations. An important thing to remember when trying to relocate a “lost” buck is that each deer is an individual. Each will have its own level of tolerance to hunting pressure as well as what makes it feel secure. Once bumped out of its home range, one buck might take up residence within a mile or two while another buck might not stop for three or four. Considering all of this, why they come back should be fairly obvious. Hunting season is over, or almost over, and pressure has reduced enough to make them feel secure again on your property. There are many x-factors, of course, with the rut being the biggest one. A rut-
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ting buck’s travel patterns are unpredictable at best, and a doe in heat can lead him off your property, or onto it. But in this case we’re not just talking about huntable bucks – we’re talking about keeping that one buck — the biggest one — on your property until you have the opportunity to harvest him. If you want to harvest that big one next hunting season, now is a good time to find out whether he’s still alive. Even if it disappeared during hunting doesn’t necessarily mean it was killed by another hunter. It could have easily just relocated to a quieter, safer place to wait out the pressure. If you want to find out if a buck has returned or survived the season, start making mineral licks around your property and hang up trail cameras nearby. Even a mature whitetail that has been bumped from its home range will usually return after a period of time, even if it’s months later. After all, there’s a reason it was there in the first place. And if you find that he has returned, now is a good time to start making improvements to your property so that buck never leaves again. The more secure you can make that deer feel on your property, the more time it will spend there, and the more likely you’ll be to have a shot at it this fall.
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Last Bass of the Season OV Outdoor Times
The leadhead jig dropped into the 15 foot depths off the edge of the weedline. A distinctive tap took me somewhat off guard. Happily, I recovered in time to manage a hookset. Not surprisingly By Jeff Knapp given Keystone Fishing Editor Lake’s 37-degree water temperature, the bass didn’t put up too long of a struggle. Still, its 19-inch length and able girth implied a quality fish was on the end of the line. The sun sank below the rim of the horizon about the same time the bass slipped over the rim of the net. A nice way to end the 2016 fishing season. When the air temperature hovers around the freezing mark I prefer to take my fishing in smaller doses these days, no longer abiding by a philosophy that states no day’s weather is too tough, not when there’s still open water available. Accordingly, it was early afternoon before I dropped the boat in the water, relieved the launch area was still ice-free. Deep lakes
like Keystone take a while to cool down, especially their lower/deeper ends. But that doesn’t always mean you can get to the open water, not if the ramp areas, which are in semi-protected bays, freeze over. It was around a year ago that I’d made a late season trip to Keystone, the afternoon of Christmas Day if fact. During a balmy, windless afternoon I ended up catching several nice smallmouth bass, fish that were schooled up in 30-some feet of water along a rocky drop-off. Thanks to the mild winter of 2015-16 – which provided intermittent periods of open water — I made a couple more trips, always getting some quality-sized deepwater blade bait bass. I was anxious for another repeat. A preconceived notion, even one based on past success, sometimes doesn’t always convert into reality. And it didn’t here. Two-and-a-half hours of working the depths from 30 to over 60 feet didn’t produce a touch. In some spots, per the sonar screen, thick bands of baitfish were hovered in the bottom band of the depths, bumping up my expectations, but all for Turn To Last Bass Page 7
February 2017
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Jeff Knapp
The author displays a three-pound Keystone Lake largemouth bass, taken Dec.29 — his last bass of 2016.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
February 2017
Ohio State Park Improvements Announced
COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) recently announced that Ohio State Parks will be receiving improvements through funding approved by the Ohio Controlling Board. Using capital budget funding: Preconstruction design services that pave the way for renovations of 34 cabins: eight cabins at Buck Creek State Park in Clark County; eight cabins in Cowan Lake State Park in Clinton County; eight cabins at Pymatuning State Park in Ashtabula County; five cabins at Pike Lake State Park in Pike County; and five cabins at Dillon State Park in Muskingum County. Three new restrooms will also be built at both Beaver Creek State Park in Columbiana County and Jefferson Lake State Park in Jefferson County. “Visitors today want to enjoy more modern amenities, such as updated cabins and restrooms,” ODNR Director James Zehringer said. The Ohio State Parks capital improvement projects, and others like them around the state, are made possible through the support of Governor John Kasich and the Ohio General Assembly.
Ohio State Parks received an unprecedented $88.5 million for capital improvements to strengthen the infrastructure and modernize facilities in the previous capital budget. An additional $38 million from the current capital budget was awarded to Ohio State Parks, and that funding will continue to be invested in park improvements. More capital projects are scheduled or nearing completion across the state. Ohioans are encouraged to offer suggestions about where they would like to see improvements by filling out the capital project survey on the ODNR website at parks.ohiodnr.gov/improvements. Ohio has 74 state parks, 56 with campgrounds and nine with lodge and conference centers. The Buckeye State is one of only seven states in the nation where admission and parking at state parks are free. Many Ohio families and out-ofstate residents turn to Ohio State Parks for hiking, fishing, swimming, boating, camping, biking, disc golf, horseback riding and much more. Last year, there were a total of 2.5 million overnight stays in Ohio’s state park campgrounds, cabins and lodges.
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Last Bass From Page 6
not. If there were bass hanging around these schools of bait I couldn’t catch them. The run back toward the boat launch was a pleasant one, especially for a late December day. The afternoon had turned sunny; the lake nearly pancake flat. There are times when I see the wind as a good thing, a spark to activate the fish, but not a week into winter. Not when you expect the fish to be deeper than a telephone pole is tall. Just enough daylight to check one last spot on the way in, a long bar that tops off at about 10 to 12 feet when the lake is full, something was still a yard shy of. One side of the bar sharply plunges down into 30-plus-foot depths. It can be a good spot, especially late in the year. The result of 15 minutes of deep jigging along the base of the drop-off mirrored that of the earlier effort. When the boat drifted up on top the bar, though, I noticed thick bands of weeds on the sonar. As those of you that fish Keystone know, the lake was low this summer and early fall, about 12 feet low, perhaps a tad more. That left its submerged weeds, which grow out to depths of around 15 feet, in quite shallow water. Too shallow
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to provide much fish-holding power in the clear water of Keystone. But the level had risen significantly since my last visit, and the remaining green weeds now stood in a nice depth. Not planning to fish anything other than blade baits and jigging spoons, I didn’t have much extra tackle. But a look in the rod locker produced a spinning rod with a short-shank live bait jig. And I had a jar of Berkley Gulp Alive minnows. It took about 10 casts with the jig-fake minnow combination to produce the fish described at the outset. I’d like to report I went on to catch several more bass. But the day was now short. The following one brought snow and wind, thwarting hopes of a turnaround visit, this time armed with a better supply of baits. The long-range forecast of the new year, however, suggest mild temperatures. I have a feeling where my first attempts for a 2017 bass will be.
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Sportsman’s Night Out:
February 2017
A Great Way to Support Our Youth and Cure Your Cabin Fever OV Outdoor Times
Here’s an idea. Check your schedule. If you don’t have something planned for February 24, please allow me to make a suggestion. That’s when the 32nd Annual Sportsman’s By Col.(Ret.)Grey D. Berrier II Night Out is schedFIN Pro Staff uled at Laurel High School in New Castle, PA. Not familiar with Sportsman’s Night Out? It is the largest outdoor exposition held each year in Lawrence County, PA and what makes it a very special event, it is the largest student-run outdoor show in all of Pennsylvania. You heard me right. Sportsman’s Night Out is planned and executed by the 7th to 12th graders of the Laurel Conservation Club. Laurel School District is comprised of Scott, Hickory, and Slippery Rock Townships to the east of New Castle, PA
and the rather rural school district has a long and proud outdoor heritage, where hunting and fishing is passed from generation to generation, and “Drive Your Tractor to School Day” is eagerly anticipated each year. Sportsman’s Night Out or SNO (pronounced “snow”) as the involved students and their advisors call it, was the brain-child of now-retired teacher, Robert (Bob) Miles, who started the Laurel Conservation Club. The Laurel Conservation club is now headed by Ryan Shevitz, one of Miles’ former students, who returned home after college to teach math, and assistant advisor, Heath Fabean, a parent. Both Shevitz and Fabean were very active in the Laurel Conservation Club during their school years and now see it as their turn to “pay it forward” as their own children and their peers are highly involved. Becoming an active club member is highly anticipated by elementary school students as they approach 7th grade and today the Laurel Conservation
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Melissa Caughey
The Laurel High School gym is a hub of activity during Sportsman’s Night Out. The cork gun shooting gallery is always popular and the many vendors’ tables and outdoor displays have something to capture everyone’s interest.
Club has 120 active members, approximately 1/5 of the Spartans’ student body from grades 7 through 12. Traditionally scheduled for the last Friday in February each year, Sportsman’s Night Out is a tremendous opportunity for sportsmen, women, youths, and children to get out of the house in mid-winter and focus on the great outdoors with like-minded individuals. This year’s 32nd annual rendition is scheduled for February 24, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. (Believe me, some eager attendees usually start lining up as early as 5 p.m. to get into the event.) The price of admission is a modest $3.00 with senior citizens and kids under 7 admitted free. SNO runs from 5:30 to 10
p.m., but the challenge is always getting around to see as much as possible and to attend as many seminars as practical within the allotted time. Each year, outdoorsmen and women with their children make the drive on that February evening from up to two hours away to attend Sportsman’s Night Out, since there is something for the entire family. If you draw a two-hour driving radius around New Castle, PA; you’ll see it includes a significant portion of western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, and even northern West Virginia. This geographic area interestingly coincides with the monthly distribution area of the Ohio Valley Outdoor Times. (Hint: If you’re Turn To Night Out Page 9
February 2017
Night Out From Page 8
reading this, chances are pretty good you’re within that 2-hour radius and should consider attending on February 24.) If you’re coming a significant distance, or even if it’s a rather short drive, I recommend you make an entire evening out of it and get there close to opening at 5:30 p.m. Head first to the cafeteria to have dinner from a wide variety of food items and beverages offered by the Laurel Family & Consumer Science Program at very reasonable prices. Abundant food will be available in the cafeteria throughout the evening, but eating early allows you to avoid a restaurant stop beforehand and to not miss any informative seminars throughout the evening. However, you’re always welcome to stop in the cafeteria and pick up a snack at any time. The featured presentations are always conducted in the auditorium with satellite seminars conducted concurrently in the many classrooms. As if there aren’t already enough reasons to attend, this year’s Sportsman’s Night Out will be highlighted by our own Ohio Valley Outdoor Times and Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine hunting editor, Ralph Scherder. Ralph is an award-winning outdoor writer and photographer from Herman, PA, who just published his second book, Boat ‘Line Bandits, with Rich Faler, which features photographs taken by our OVOT and OVOM Publisher/Editor, Larry Claypool. Ralph will be covering “Early Whitetail Strategies” in depth from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m., so you won’t want to miss it. The second featured presentation from 8-9:00 p.m. will be offered by Nick Pinizzotto, president & CEO of the National Deer Alliance. Nick will be sharing “Hunting Tips and Tricks” to advance your higher education when it comes to pursuing whitetails. If those two featured presentations aren’t enough, there are typically at least a dozen or more satellite seminars offered at various times throughout the evening, some in multiple iterations. As of publication, the scheduled informative sessions include: “Ask the Deer Lady” presented by Rusty Snyder from the Double Diamond Deer Ranch; “Alaskan Hunting Guide” offered by Tyler Kuhn; “Muzzleloaders” with Vicky Shaffer; “Making Snapping Turtle Soup” shared by Wayne Anderson; “Waterfowl” presented by the staff members of Specialty Outdoors; and “Beaver Skinning” demonstrated by trapper Paul Edeburn. The programs handed out upon entry into the building will provide the times
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Ryan Shevitz
A portion of the 120 students in the Laurel Conservation Club pose during their field trip to Cabela’s in Wheeling, WV. The students are bound by their love of the outdoors and their desire to give back to the outdoor community.
and classrooms for these seminars and other offerings to be held throughout the evening. In addition to the featured presentations and multiple seminars, there will be over 50 vendors and numerous outdoor displays set up in the gymnasium and throughout the hallways to visit while you are there. Vendors will offer a wide variety of hunting and fishing products, while multiple talented taxidermists will have their life-like mounts on display. Representatives of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission will be onhand to answer questions and share information from the field. Parents with younger children will want to allow plenty of time in the gym, where there will be numerous kids’ games available for active participation. Sophomore Billy McConahy is the Games Chairperson and he informed me the cork gun shooting gallery is the perpetual favorite among junior attendees. There will also be an obstacle course set up in the gym, which will enable younger participants to burn off some energy. Highly anticipated each year at Sportsman’s Night Out are the hundreds of door prizes given away at the end of Turn To Night Out Page 10
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Night Out From Page 9
the evening in the auditorium between 9 p.m. and closing at 10 p.m. Student members of the Laurel Conservation Club actively gather generous donations of outdoor-related products from local businesses, rod & gun clubs, and individuals well in advance to hand out that evening. Additionally, there will be the eagerly awaited annual gun raffle. This year’s offerings include: a Savage .17 HMR varmint rifle; Ruger American .243 youth rifle; Weatherby 20 gauge pump shotgun; Stoeger semi-auto 12 gauge camouflage turkey shotgun; Wicked Ridge Warrior crossbow; and their Gun-of-the-Year grand prize — a Winchester .270 XPR rifle. Sportsman’s Night Out is the Laurel Conservation Club’s primary funding source for the entire year. The students meet twice-a-month in the auditorium or cafeteria during their scheduled activity period and use the SNO generated funding to support a wide variety of activities that give back to the outdoor community. For decades, the Laurel Conservation Club has operated a trout hatchery on Miles’ property and each year they stock approximately 6,000 trout in local streams in Lawrence and Butler Coun-
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
ties. Sophomore Tucker Schevitz is Vice-President of the Laurel Conservation Club and heads their trout hatchery/trout stocking efforts. They also assist the PA Fish & Boat Commission in the annual stocking of thousands of trout in the Neshannock Creek at Volant, PA by canoe and on foot on the first weekend each March. Some students also raise ring-necked pheasants, chukars, or quail, which are stocked on local landowners’ properties to provide additional wing-shooting opportunities for sportsmen, women, and youths. Always looking for additional ways to be active outdoors, the Laurel Conservation Club assists several local rod & gun clubs in their annual clean-up days and has adopted various roads and trails in the local area to help keep them litter free for fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Additionally, numerous students participate in the Tri-County Greenways’ “Hard-to-Recycle Items” collection each September at the Lawrence County Fairgrounds as they help process hundreds of tires, electronic items, and appliances that otherwise might end up in landfills or illegally dumped. The Laurel Conservation Club is not all work and no play, with the students enjoying a day-trip to Cabela’s in Wheeling, WV back on November 2,
February 2017
2016 to experience a pilgrimage to “the mother-lode” of all things outdoor-related. The hard-working students in the Laurel Conservation Club learn cooperation, teamwork, making business contacts, leadership, time management skills, and responsibility as their roles in Sportsman’s Night Out increase as they progress from 7th through 12th grade. Remember, Sportsman’s Night Out is a student-run event and Shevitz and Fabean expect the students to do the planning, leg work, set-up, and execution each year with minimal adult supervision and guidance. Many Laurel students view their Sportsman’s Night Out experiences as a key component of their high school education, providing real-world hands-on learning. Senior Jonna Bevan is the current Laurel Conservation Club President and she is co-chairing the 32nd Annual Sportsman’s Night Out with sophomore Tyler Green. This is Jonna’s second year as co-chair and when I asked her why fellow outdoorsmen, women, youths, and children should attend Sportsman’s Night Out, she enthusiastically replied, “It’s a great event for all ages and it’s a great way to support a local student club.” SNO typically attracts anywhere
from 2,200 to 3,500 outdoor enthusiasts to the one-night event, primarily based on the weather conditions that evening and the name recognition/drawing power of the featured speakers. Be honest with yourself. Like most outdoor folks, with hunting season mostly over and the vast majority of fishing seasons, along with spring turkey; still well off on the horizon; late February can bring on the winter doldrums. If you’re looking for a sure-fire way to beat cabin fever this year (and in future years), make it a point to head over to Sportsman’s Night Out at Laurel High School in New Castle, PA. Located on PA State Route 108 across from the Lawrence County Fairgrounds, just four miles east of New Castle; your attendance will reinforce to the students of the Laurel Conservation Club that the outdoors matter and their efforts to bring together the outdoor-minded community in PA, OH, and WV are greatly appreciated. Hope to see you there!
Ohio Valley Outdoors-Magazine
COLUMBUS, OH — Starting to gather receipts and deductions to file your taxes before the deadline in April? For people who enjoy the great outdoors, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is asking Ohioans to support their love of nature by donating a portion or all of their state income tax refund to support Ohio’s state nature preserves and wildlife. “The tax refund donations Ohioans give to ‘State Nature Preserves’ and the ‘Wildlife Diversity Fund’ have greatly furthered the protection of the state’s most endangered and threatened species and natural landscapes,” ODNR Director James Zehringer said. The ODNR Division of Natural Areas and Preserves oversees the state’s 136 nature preserves across Ohio. These beautiful natural areas are open yearround for people to visit and explore nature. The tax refund donation program directly supports facility improvements, invasive species management, land purchases, education programming and scientific research. Ohio State Nature Preserves provide habitat for endangered species and enhance the quality of life
within Ohio’s communities. Donations to the “State Nature Preserves” fund help protect Ohio’s prairies, old growth forests, wetlands, rare geologic formations and the biodiversity of those habitats. Hiking, birdwatching and photography are but a few of the activities that can be enjoyed at Ohio State Nature Preserves. Ohioans may also be interested in making donations to the “Wildlife Diversity Fund.” For some background, the ODNR Division of Wildlife was created during a time when wildlife populations were vanishing at an alarming rate across Ohio. The mission of the division was and still is to manage, protect and restore wildlife populations to improve quality of life for Ohioans. The ODNR Division of Wildlife does not receive taxpayer dollars. Nearly all wildlife conservation in Ohio is funded by people who hunt, fish and trap. The tax donation program is an important way that all wildlife enthusiasts can help restore and manage endangered and threatened wildlife and other species of special interest. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
Ohioans Help Support Nature Preserves, Wildlife
February 2017
Cuffs & Collars
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Field reports from ODNR Division of Wildlife officers
Central Ohio – Wildlife District One While on patrol Thanksgiving morning, State Wildlife Officer Josh Elster, assigned to Pickaway County, observed a group of individuals hunting waterfowl. Pickaway County is in the south waterfowl zone, and only Canada geese could legally be hunted at the time. Officer Elster observed the group from a distance and could see a spread of goose decoys. As Officer Elster approached the group to check hunting licenses and waterfowl stamps, he could see a dead hen mallard lying next to one subject’s blind. While the subjects were retrieving their licenses and stamps, Officer Elster asked if they had shot any other ducks that morning. One of the subjects stated they had only been able to shoot the hen mallard and a black duck, which the subject pulled out from inside his blind to show to Officer Elster. Officer Elster reviewed the waterfowl zones with the hunters, and advised the subjects to pay closer attention to the dates in the future. Two of the subjects were issued a summons for taking ducks during the closed season. The ducks were collected as evidence and logged in to an evidence facility. In March 2016, State Wildlife Officer Adam Smith, assigned to Logan County, received a call from a concerned sportsperson who had found a dead deer with a snare around its neck. The caller was unable to find a tag bearing the trapper’s contact information. Further investigation by Officer Smith revealed two subjects had committed numerous wildlife violations. One subject was cited for not having a valid hunting license and was ordered to pay $250.50 in fines and court costs, and 10 days in jail, which was suspended as long as the subject showed proof of obtaining a valid hunting license. The other subject was cited for failing to check his traps each day and was ordered to pay $250.50 in fines and court costs, and 30 days in jail, which was suspended as long as the subject showed proof of completing a trapper education course and has no wildlife violations in the next three years. The caller in this case received $50 from Ohio’s Turn-In-A-Poacher (TIP) program. Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District Two During the 2016 youth deer hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Matthew Leibengood, assigned to Sandusky
County, encountered two back-to-back situations where youth hunters were not accompanied by adults. In the first situation, the officer made contact with the accompanying adult who had left the youth alone to get coffee from his vehicle. In the second situation, the adult was pushing deer for his son when Officer Leibengood encountered them. Each adult was charged for failing to accompany the youth hunters. Both pleaded guilty and paid $125 in fines and court costs. State Wildlife Officer Austin Dickinson, assigned to Seneca County, received a call while on patrol during the two-day deer gun season from a landowner concerning people who had been hunting on the property without permission earlier that day. The caller also believed a deer had been shot on the property. Officer Dickinson responded to the scene and found evidence confirming the hunters had shot a deer on the property. Further investigation by Officer Dickinson revealed the deer harvested illegally on the landowner’s property was a seven-point buck that been checked in as a doe, and was reported as harvested in a different county. The deer was seized as evidence and the person responsible was charged with hunting without permission, falsifying information for county of harvest, and falsifying information for type of deer harvested. The suspect was found guilty of all three charges and ordered to pay more than $1,100 in fines, court costs and restitution. Northeast Ohio – Wildlife District Three During the 2016 deer archery season State Wildlife Officer Craig Porter, assigned to Jefferson County, received information that a West Virginia resident had harvested an antlered deer in Ohio and failed to game check the animal. Officer Porter contacted West Virginia DNR Officer Steve Haines for help locating the suspect. Several days later, State Wildlife Officer Craig Porter and State Wildlife Officer Nick Turner, assigned to Harrison County, traveled to West Virginia and met Officer Haines at the suspect’s home. Further investigation revealed that the man harvested an eightpoint white-tailed deer in Jefferson County, Ohio, and failed to check it in. The investigation also revealed that the man had failed to game check a 10-point antlered deer he harvested in 2015. Officer Porter issued the man three sum-
monses and West Virginia DNR Officer Steve Haines issued two summonses and seized the man’s cellphone. The suspect appeared in Jefferson County Court and was convicted. He paid $835 in fines and court costs, spent three days in jail, received six months supervised probation and was ordered to complete 25 hours of community service. The man’s hunting privileges were also suspended until he paid $1,840 in restitution for the deer. The antlers were forfeited to the ODNR Division of Wildlife. Southeast Ohio – Wildlife District Four While working the deer gun season in Perry County, a state wildlife investigator came across hunters conducting a deer drive early one afternoon. While waiting for the hunters to conclude the drive, the investigator spotted a buck in the bed of a pickup truck. The investigator performed a license check on the individual listed on the temporary tag which revealed the hunter had only purchased one deer permit. With the harvest of the buck, the individual was now hunting without a valid deer permit. The investigator entered the woods to locate the suspect. While searching for the suspect, a different hunter came back to the vehicle. State Wildlife Officer Eric Lane,
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assigned to Perry County, arrived on scene and contacted the second hunter. Officer Lane advised the hunter of the situation. The hunter called the suspect and asked him to come to the vehicle. The suspect subsequently arrived at the vehicles. Further investigation revealed the suspect had purchased a new deer permit while making his way back to the vehicle from the woods. The suspect was issued a summons for hunting deer without a deer permit, and issued two verbal warnings. One warning for failing to invalidate his first deer permit (upon the harvest of the buck), and a second warning for failing to carry and exhibit the second deer permit he purchased on his phone. The suspect was convicted and paid $175 in fines and court costs. During the 2016 two-day extended deer gun season, State Wildlife Officer Jeff Berry, assigned to Muskingum County, was on patrol when he noticed a hunter located down a long lane. Officer Berry drove down the lane and made contact with a group of five deer hunters. Officer Berry checked the five hunters’ licenses and deer permits. While checking one individual’s license and deer permit, Officer Berry was handed the individual’s cellphone. Officer Berry Turn To Cuffs & Collars Page 16
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Local Student Angler League Holds First Meeting OV Outdoor Times
EAST LIVERPOOL, OH — Jeff Grope of the Youngstown State University Club Fishing Team and Mike Blake, Costa FLW Series pro angler of Carrollton, Ohio were guest speakers re- By Larry Claypool cently at the first Editor meeting of the 2107 Upper Ohio Valley Student Angler League. The meeting was hosted by UOVSAL director Harry Emmerling and fellow coach Wayne Wells at Wayne Wells Flooring in East Liverpool, Ohio. UOVSAL junior high and high school members, their parents and coaches were present. The UOVSAL, in its third season, will begin fishing in May with three tournaments to highlight the season. Emmerling said several regional bod-
ies of water are being considered for their events. The schedule will be confirmed later this month. Sponsors are lined up for the 2017 season. Grope, a fifth-year senior at YSU, offered advice for the novice tournament fishermen, and one young female angler. He explained how the college tournament club team and schedule works, how to get sponsors and network with other fishermen and sponsors and simple technique ideas when fishing. Grope, 22, is an Exercise Science major and has only fished on the YSU team for a few years. He explained that the club organization has 20 members and are not a sanctioned Penguins team. They get no university funding. As a club team they do, however, receive some student government funds. Club members pay their own FLW - College Series membership dues ($50) and are required to pay for all equipment and boats. “The big problem is getting boats,” said Grope. “We have three boats now,
February 2017
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Larry Claypool
Jeff Grope, a senior angler with the Youngstown State University Club Fishing Team, speaks to members of the Upper Ohio Valley Student Angler League recently at their first meeting. Pro angler Mike Blake also was a featured speaker.
which are team members personal boats. We’d like to get a YSU boat. We’re working on it.” Two other YSU team members, Jared Latone and Cody Luknis, accompanied Grope last night. Latone is president of the club team and Luknis is vice president. Blake also offered fishing and safety advice to the young anglers. He’s a fourtime Ohio Bass Federation Ohio State Champion. “I’ve always had a passion for fishing. All I can tell you is to keep working at it, and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it,” Blake told the group. “I was jumping from job to job, always getting laid off. I had nothing stable until I started my own company, Seven Springs Fencing. Now I’m fortunate to do what I want and do something that I love.” The second meeting for UOVSAL in 2017 was held February 12 at Wayne Wells Flooring. For information about the league contact Emmerling at 330-3831194 or visit the group’s Facebook page. Based in East Liverpool, Emmerling started the UOVSAL in 2015. Eight young anglers took part, on four teams from three different high schools. The organization operates like a club but the students represent their high schools by school colored jerseys, and by name, but the school districts themselves are not sanctioning the members. They are affiliation with the Fishing League Worldwide (FLW). Last season there were four high school teams and one junior high team in the UOVSAL. Emmerling’s goal is for the group to grow slowly so each angler has the opportunity to compete, as bass boats are needed for the anglers to fish from.
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Larry Claypool
Some of the junior and senior high school UOVSAL members are shown with the special guests at the first 2017 league meeting in East Liverpool recently.
For the first two seasons local adult tournament anglers have stepped up to provide boats for the students. Contact Grope via email at: jeff2324@att.net or YSU’s Facebook page (Youngstown State University Bass Fishing Club). Get information about Blake on his Facebook page or the Ohio Bass Federation Facebook page. The OBF website is: www.ohiobassfederation.com.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
February 2017
Ohio Hunters Harvest 182K+ Deer
COLUMBUS, OH — Hunters checked 182,169 white-tailed deer throughout Ohio’s 2016-2017 deer season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Last year, 188,329 deer were checked during the 2015-2016 season. The ODNR Division of Wildlife remains committed to properly managing Ohio’s deer populations. 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. Deer hunting regulations over the past two seasons have been designed to allow for moderate herd growth throughout most of the state. Herd growth is achieved by reducing harvest and protecting female deer. Hunting Popularity 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. Find more information about deer hunting in the Ohio 2016-2017 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or at wildohio.gov. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov. A list of all white-tailed deer checked by hunters during the 2016-2017 deer season is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest number for the 2016-2017 season, and the 2015-2016 season number is in parentheses: Adams: 3,272 (4,157); Allen: 1,039 (1,102); Ashland: 2,954 (3,026); Ashtabula: 5,040 (4,844); Athens: 3,646 (3,979); Auglaize: 751 (828); Belmont: 3,236 (3,205); Brown: 2,448 (2,754); Butler: 1,231 (1,382); Carroll: 3,586 (3,557); Champaign: 1,118 (1,242); Clark: 661 (759); Clermont: 2,343 (2,821); Clinton: 719 (789); Columbiana: 3,189 (3,299); Coshocton: 5,929 (5,700); Crawford: 1,113 (1,165); Cuyahoga: 1,124 (814); Darke: 679 (738); Defiance: 1,675 (1,767); Delaware: 1,527 (1,684); Erie: 868 (750); Fairfield: 1,800 (1,955); Fayette: 312 (310); Franklin: 837 (817); Fulton:
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826 (802); Gallia: 2,720 (2,914); Geauga: 1,871 (1,886); Greene: 816 (835); Guernsey: 4,565 (4,435); Hamilton: 1,589 (2,007); Hancock: 1,179 (1,185); Hardin: 1,220 (1,270); Harrison: 3,763 (3,787); Henry: 708 (684); Highland: 2,587 (2,919); Hocking: 3,275 (3,727); Holmes: 3,731 (3,717); Huron: 2,279 (2,204); Jackson: 2,870 (3,194); Jefferson: 2,800 (2,663); Knox: 4,495 (4,465); Lake: 961 (908); Lawrence: 1,942 (2,113); Licking: 4,971 (5,364); Logan: 1,919 (2,071); Lorain: 2,511 (2,458); Lucas: 755 (759); Madison: 482 (497); Mahoning: 1,933 (1,835); Marion: 886 (892); Medina: 2,109 (1,872); Meigs: 3,476 (3,592); Mercer: 661 (603); Miami: 774 (833); Monroe: 2,571 (2,598); Montgomery: 591 (684); Morgan: 2,992 (3,096); Morrow: 1,486 (1,437); Muskingum: 5,118 (4,966); Noble: 2,855 (2,970); Ottawa: 450 (424); Paulding: 954 (1,064); Perry: 2,787 (2,867); Pickaway: 724 (803); Pike: 2,083 (2,382); Portage: 2,211 (2,178); Preble: 847 (965); Putnam: 709 (704); Richland: 3,246 (3,189); Ross: 3,029 (3,425); Sandusky: 862 (874); Scioto: 2,479 (3,034); Seneca: 1,842 (1,785); Shelby: 961 (1,050); Stark: 2,778 (2,760); Summit: 1,572 (1,487); Trumbull: 3,699 (3,293); Tuscarawas:
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Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo courtesy of Luke Sprouse
Hunters in Ohio checked in more than 182,000 deer during the 2016-17 season. One of those was a nice 13-point buck, taken with a bow by Luke Sprouse in Columbiana County.
5,039 (4,921); Union: 842 (932); Van Wert: 458 (492); Vinton: 2,668 (3,059); Warren: 1,095 (1,266); Washington: 3,402 (3,526); Wayne: 2,020 (1,971); Williams: 1,687 (1,836); Wood: 857 (841); Wyandot: 1,484 (1,515). Total: 182,169 (188,329).
Send us your trophy photos
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Connor Mayle turkey Trumbull County, OH
email to: ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com mail to: Photo Showcase 210 East 4th Street East Liverpool, OH 43920
www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
‘Learn Fly Fishing’ Classes Set in East Liverpool OV Outdoor Times
A series of ‘Learn Fly Fishing’ classes will be offered to anyone interested from the Tri-State area. Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine and local fly fisherman Craig Wetzel will present basic fly By Larry Claypool fishing instruction, in Editor three sessions, on March 28, April 4 and 11 in East Liverpool, Ohio. Wetzel, a master fly fisher and well-known artist from East Liverpool, will instruct the classes. The classes will be held from 7-9 p.m. on three consecutive Tuesdays at the East Liverpool Area Community and Learning Center (located at the Trinity Presbyterian Church at 110 Maine Boulevard in East Liverpool). The facility is located near East Liverpool Junior/Senior High School.
The cost is $45 per person and must be paid in advance. The six hours (minimum) of instruction will cover; needed equipment, fly casting instruction, flies, different techniques, finding fish and more. There will be prize drawings from local sponsors at the end of the three sessions for everyone who completes the series. A portion of the fee will be donated to the East Liverpool Area Community and Learning Center (ELACLC) so they may continue to offer their facilities, programs and opportunities to area residents. “This series will be great for someone wanting to learn basic fly fishing techniques, ‘fly fishing 101’ if you will, or practice new techniques with someone who’s very experienced in fishing local streams,” said OVO Publisher/Editor Larry Claypool. “One of the best fly fishing streams in this region is Middle Turn To Fishing Class Page 15
February 2017
Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Larry Claypool
Local master fly fisherman Craig Wetzel (shown at Middle Beaver Creek) will present basic fly fishing instruction, ‘Learn Fly Fishing’, in three sessions on March 28, April 4 and 11 in East Liverpool, Ohio.
February 2017
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Concealed Carry Fashion Show Set Near Cleveland
INDEPENDENCE, OH — The REALIZE Firearms Awareness Coalition will host its Second Annual Concealed Carry Fashion Show on February 19 at the Holiday Inn Cleveland-S Independence, in Independence, OH. The Unisex Fashion Show will demonstrate — on real models — in ‘true to us’ sizes, the many ways to carry concealed — for men and women. The event (2-4 p.m.) is held in advance of the Greater Cleveland Friends of NRA Banquet. The Holiday Inn is located at: 6001 Rockside Road, Independence, OH 44131. Only advance tickets will be sold. The cost is $25 for the fashion show and $100 for the fashion show and Friends of NRA Banquet. No tickets will be sold at the door. The show will feature many vendors and raffles. Visit the www.REALIZEfac.com website for ticket information. REALIZE Firearms Awareness Coalition director Amanda Suffecool said the event is growing quickly and will offer a wide selection of products and information. “You will see the different ways to carry, with real styles that represent today,” said Suffecool. “You will have a chance to see the items on the models, and units on the table. There will be holsters, purses, clothing and a high mix of ways to carry concealed.”
An added feature to the fashion show this year will be the presents of the Viceland cable television documentary crew of “States of Undress”, who will be filming a full hour documentary about the fashion show. The “States of Undress” show features host and model Hailey Gates. Her global travel series on the new cable channel explores the societal impact of fashion in various countries. The first season, 2016, just ended and the Concealed Carry Fashion Show is being taped for their second season. It will be the first taping within the United States. For information about the show or Viceland, visit www.viceland.com. Some of last season’s shows can be viewed on iTunes or YouTube. Suffecool, along with her brother, Rob Campbell, co-host and produce two weekly radio shows, ‘Eye on the Target Radio’ on KRMA Internet Radio and WNIR 100.1 in the Kent/Akron area. The shows are done live each Sunday (WNIR) and Monday (KRMA) at 7 p.m. Visit their website at: www.eyeonthetargetradio.com. The ‘Eye on the Target Radio’ show was started in 2010. Topics include: guns, collecting, reloading, concealed carry, educational programs, safety, 2nd Amendment and firearms information. A Q & A format is featured each week.
WV Has New DNR Director
CHARLESTON, WV — Gov. Jim Justice today announced the appointment of Stephen McDaniel to serve as the director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The appointment became effective Feb. 6. McDaniel replaces Bob Fala, who served as director in 2015 and 2016. “I’m excited to have Steve be a part of our team at the Department of Commerce,” said West Virginia Department of Commerce Secretary H. Wood Thrasher. “I know he has big plans for the Division of Natural Resources, and I look forward to working with him in this new role.” McDaniel, a native of Bridgeport, attended West Virginia University and Fairmont State College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree while helping his family establish and grow Total Health Services of WV, a medical supply company. “Through my family’s business, I visited nearly every county once a week. It’s how I fell in love with West Virginia,” McDaniel said. McDaniel established the Mozark Mountain Tree Farm in Tucker County. He is also a member of Trout Unlimited and lifetime member of the National Rifle Association. Fishing Class From Page 14
Beaver Creek, and Craig knows those waters as well as anyone.” The class size is limited, so register soon. Call the Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine office at 330-385-2243 to register. The ELACLC is the operating wing of
The HHH Foundation, and is a 501c3 non-profit charitable corporation. The Center offers several events, programs and opportunities to promote and encourage public interest in education, entertainment, recreation and socialization to benefit residents. For additional information about the Center, call 330-3032110.
Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of Silver State Apparel
One of the vendors to showcase their conceal carry fashions at the Concealed Carry Fashion Show on February 19 in Independence, OH is Silver State Apparel of Reno, Nevada. One of their top designs is shown.
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
PA Trout Stocking Schedules Set
HARRISBURG, PA (AP) — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) recently announced that the 2017 adult trout stocking schedules are now available online and on the PFBC’s “FishBoatPA” mobile app. Anglers can easily search the trout stocking schedules for locations and dates of interest. To view the list, simply go to www.fishandboat.com, click on the link “Fish” in the upper right corner, then select Trout Stocking Scheduleshttp://fbweb.pa.gov/stocking/TroutS tockingDetails_GIS.aspx. From there, select a county and enter start and end dates from the calendars at the top of the page. Then press “Go.” For anglers with smartphones, an even easier way to view the schedules is through the FishBoatPA app, which is available for free from the Apple App and Google Play stores. Included in this year’s stocking lists are the Keystone Select Stocked Trout Waters, a program where 14 waters across the state will be stocked with large 14” - 20” trout. Approximately 4,500 large trout will be distributed among the 14 waters at a rate of 175 to 225 per mile, which is comparable to the
numbers of similarly sized fish in Pennsylvania’s best wild trout waters. The program was launched last year with eight waters. This year six new waters are being added. The 2017 season will open March 25 for the Mentored Youth Trout Day program in 18 southeastern counties, including: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill and York. The following weekend - April 1 kicks off the Regional Opening Day of Trout Season in the same 18 southeastern counties. A second Mentored Youth Day will be held on April 8, the Saturday before the April 15 regular opening day of trout season. Both are available at www.GoneFishingPA.com or at any of the more than 900 licensing agents across the state. The PFBC annually stocks approximately 3.15 million adult trout in more than 720 streams and 120 lakes open to public angling. These figures include approximately 2 million rainbow trout; 640,000 brown trout; and 500,000 brook
trout. As with past practice, the average size of the trout produced for stocking is 11 inches in length. In addition to these fish, the PFBC
February 2017
plans to stock about 8,700 trophy golden rainbow trout that weigh an average of 1.5 pounds and measure at least 14 inches long.
Montana Hunters Could be Wearing Pink
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Big game hunters in Montana may be able to start wearing pink next season under a bill being considered by state lawmakers. The Independent Record reports (http://bit.ly/2l1B36U ) that Senate Fish and Game Committee voted 9-2 February 2 to introduce the bill that gives hunters the option to wear fluorescent pink instead of the orange they are required to wear now for safety reasons. Republican Sen. Jennifer Fielder says legislators want to add a color option that’s “more attractive to the female hunters or guys who like pink.” The bill faced opposition from Sen. Chas Vincent, another Republican who says hunters shouldn’t be required to wear safety colors. A measure to make hunter orange optional failed during the 2015 Legislature. Wisconsin passed a bill allowing hunters to wear pink last year.
Walleye Madness Tournament Slate Set
PENINSULA, OH — Walleye Madness Tournaments (WMT) have announced its 2017 tournament schedule with four Ohio events scheduled. Registration for the events are now open. WMT is operated by their officially sanctioned Walleye Federation club - Walleye Team 6 (WT6). The 2017 WMT schedule includes four events: May 7 at Salt Fork Lake; May 21 at Mosquito Lake; June 24 at Lake Erie-Geneva and August 19 at Lake Erie-Conneaut. All events in 2017 are 100% payback, no membership fees. Low entry of $150 each tournament with lots of sponsor give-a-ways. The title sponsors of Walleye Madness Tournaments are: Lund Boats, Mercury Marine and Buckeye Sports Center. Events will feature $700 in contingency bonuses — $200 Buckeye Sports Center Big Fish; $300 Lund Boats bonus and $200 Mercury Marine bonus. New this year, Team of the Year Points Race, based on all four tournaments; $50 entry, 100% payback, winner take all. Open to all anglers. The Walleye Federation WT6 will also feature an early entry award (by March 31) for a chance to win a Canyon Cooler Outfitter 35, valued at $250. Organizers expect all events to sell out. Entry fee is $150. Visit their website: www.walleyemadness.net for entry deadlines and registration forms. Sign-up by calling TWF at 580-765-2319 (tell them you would like to sign-up for Club #6000031) or go to WT6 sign-up page for mail-in form. (All 2017 NTC Qualifiers must be 2017 Members to fish NTC.) Cuffs & Collars From Page 11
verified his electronic hunting license on the cellphone and asked the individual for his deer permit, which the individual did not have on his person. Officer Berry explained to the hunter that it is required to carry a printed deer permit. The individual was convinced in court of failure to carry and exhibit a deer permit, and paid $175 in fines and court costs. Southwest Ohio – Wildlife District Five In late October, State Wildlife Officer Jason Keller, assigned to Warren County, received a call from a local waterfowl hunter about individuals shooting wood ducks at Spring Valley Marsh after sunset. Officer Keller responded to the marsh and observed two individuals in a canoe coming toward the parking lot. Officer Keller contacted the individuals,
who stated they were duck hunting. Officer Keller observed no harvested ducks in the canoe, but numerous empty hulls. Both hunters stated that they would still be hunting, except that they ran out of shells. Neither individual was aware of regulations regarding legal shooting hours. After some extensive conversation about waterfowl hunting and the regulations, Officer Keller cited both individuals for hunting after legal hours. Both individuals subsequently pleaded guilty in Warren County Court and each paid $275 in fines and court costs. Several weeks later, Officer Keller contacted both individuals again. This time both individuals were in compliance with all waterfowl hunting laws, and were very happy to show Officer Keller their first harvested mallards.
February 2017
Blaine Markey 8-pt. Holmes County, OH
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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PHOTO SHOWCASE SPONSORED BY
Jeff Pauli 2016 gun season Stark County, OH
Tuffy Oyer 9-pt, Pike County, OH
Rob Walls 16-pt. Hancock County, WV
Cody Stickley, age 11 7-pt., Mentored Hunt Allegheny County, PA
Send Us Your Photos
Laurie Ellis 10-pt., 1st buck, .44 mag Harrison County, OH
Tim Baker 8-pt., Mathews Halon 6 bow Mahoning County, OH
Jason Stickley 10-pt., rifle Allegheny County, PA
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
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Calendar of Events
Indoor Pistol/Rifle Events - Each Tuesday/Friday until April 2017 at Columbiana County Fish and Game Association, 45716 Middle Beaver Road, Lisbon, OH 44432. For additional information email: ccfishgame@gmail.com or visit their website at: www.columbia nacountyfishandgame.com. Spring Turkey Shoots - Each Sunday (10 a.m.) from February 5 at ChesterNewell Sportsmen’s Club. Signups start at 9:30 a.m. Cost is $3, $30 for pack of 10 shoots. $5 for money shoots. Stock & factory guns and tubes only. Paying 1st & 2nd place, cash prizes. Kids & ladies welcome. Located on Gas Valley Rd., behind Green Valley Dairy, between WV Route 8 and PA Route 18. For info. call 330-383-1886, or 304-374-5587. Trap Shoots - 10-Bird Meat Shoots will be held on Sundays; Feb. 19. Regular trap shoots (open to public) held each Weds. and Sun. Sporting clays held fourth Sunday of the month at Columbiana County Fish and Game Assoc. at 45716 Middle Beaver Road, Lisbon, OH 44432. For info. contact Mike Giambroni at 330-383-2552 or visit www.columbianacountyfishandga me.com.
Old Fashion Style Turkey Shoot Each Sunday until further notice at Beaver Creek Sportsman Club, 14480 Washingtonville Road, Washingtonville, OH. Field stock guns, .680 choke max., scopes permitted, meat and money rounds, shooting 60’. $3 per round, 1 p.m. start time. For info. contact Tom Brunner 330-692-6577 or email: tbrunner1020@gmail.com. 32nd Allegheny Outdoor Sport & Travel Show - Feb. 17-19 at Monroeville (PA) Convention Center, 209 Mall Blvd., Monroeville, PA 1514. Phone: 412-373-7300. Admission $12 ($9 with Subway coupon). Free parking. Promoter is: Expositions, Inc. Website: www.sportandtravel.com. West Virginia Trappers Association Spring Rendezvous and Fur Auction March 3-5, 2017 at Gilmer 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 11, 2017 at Kidron, Ohio. Starts at 9 a.m. Call Brian Sprague at 419-305-4869. Visit the OSTA website at: www.ohiostatetrapp er.org.
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February 2017
Field & Stream/Outdoor Life Ohio Deer & Turkey Expo - March 17-19 at Bricker Building Ohio Expo Center (State Fairgrounds), 717 E. 17th Ave., Columbus, OH 43211. Admission $14 ($11 with coupon). Vendors, seminars, deer contest. Website: www.deerinfo .com/ohio. For information, call 800324-3337. Spring Thaw Fundraiser by Trumbull County Rod & Gun Club - March 25 (4-11 p.m.) at Tiffany’s Banquet Center, 601 Bedford Rd. Southeast, Brookfield, OH. Guns, games, prizes. Banquet style meal. Tickets $30. For info. call Ted Brown at 330-652-4588 or Jeff Murray at 330-442-1314 or email: tcrgspringthaw@yahoo.com. ‘ Learn Fly Fishing’ Classes - March 28, April 4 and 11 (7-9 p.m.) in East Liverpool, Ohio at East Liverpool Area Community and Learning Center (located at the Trinity Presbyterian Church at 110 Maine Boulevard in East Liverpool). Sponsored by Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine. Cost is $45 for all three Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Larry Claypool classes. Instructed by Craig Wetzel. InThe 32nd Allegheny Outdoor Sport & Travel struction will cover; needed equipment, Show will be held February 17-19 at Monfly casting instruction, flies, different roeville (PA) Convention Center in Montechniques, finding fish and more. Class roeville, PA. The show features many size is limited. Call the OVO office at seminars, vendors, boat displays, taxider330-385-2243 to register. mists, dog trainers, and more.