READER CONTEST WINNER ANNOUNCED - P.4 Rabbit Hunters Story inside page 5
Ice Fishing Finally Heats up in Ohio
Ohio Valley
FR EE!
Outdoor Times February 2016
By ODNR
Here are a few other pointers to keep in mind. Try to fish around other ice anglers so if you do fall through, someone might be there to help you get out. Remember to dress appropriately to prevent hypothermia and wear a life jacket or flotation suit when walking around on ice. Many anglers also bring along an extra change of dry clothes just in case of an emergency. Keep your cell phone available, but protected from the elements. One of the great things about ice fishing is that tackle can be very simple and inexpensive. Short rods, light gear, light line, and small baits are the ticket. Some anglers also like to use small bobbers as strike indicators since strikes can be subtle. Tip-ups are a common addition to many ice anglers’ tackle, too. They come in a variety of designs, but essentially involve a spool of line hanging in the water with bait attached. Most store-bought versions feature a signaling device, such as a flag, that pops up when a fish takes the bait. In Ohio, anglers can have up to six tip-ups going at one time, and each must be labeled with the owner’s name and address. Because fish don’t strike as aggressively in the winter, you’ll want to use lighter tackle – 10 pound test or less – and smaller baits. You can increase your odds by tipping artificial lures with live bait. Sluggish fish are much more likely to hit on a minnow-tipped jig as opposed to one with a plastic worm. Tip-ups are another common method of ice fishing and come in a wide variety of designs. Essentially, they involve a spool of line hanging in the water with bait attached. Most store bought versions feature a signaling device, such as a flag, that pops up when a fish takes the bait. In Ohio, anglers can have up to six tip-ups going at one time. What’s biting down below? You can catch the same species when ice fishing as you hooked during the summer months, including crappie, bluegill, bass and catfish, as well as perch, walleye and saugeye. In fact, some of the most sought after ice fish are saugeyes (a cross
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Chris Creed
Local outdoorsman Chris Creed and his family have had much success this winter ice fishing at Mosquito Lake. Shown are three nice keeper walleye, and a handy Baracuta filet knife, made by Havalon Knives.
between the sauger and a walleye), because they are so active in the winter. Two of the best places for saugeye – and ice fishing in general – are Buckeye Lake in Fairfield and Licking counties, and Indian Lake in Logan County, which generally freeze quickly due to their shallowness. At these lakes, consider using a jig or spoon tipped with minnows. Drop your line through an ice hole on a farm pond and you’ll likely be pulling up some tasty panfish, such as bluegill and crappie. For bait, use a tiny ice jig or fly and tipping it with wax worms. Turn To Ice Fishing Page 4
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Be Safe, Let Someone Know Where You Go
Grey Berrier II
Jump Some Rabbits
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Ralph Scherder
Shed Hunting Tips
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Grey Berrier II
Offering Additional Motivation to Pursue Coyotes
PA Approves 201617 Hunting Seasons PAGC
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WV Hunters Harvest 138K Deer
Falconry Hunting with Mick Brown
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Greg Berrier II
Pre-season Boat Trailer Maintenance Jeff Knapp
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Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show
OUTDOOR CALENDAR
Old Fashion Style Turkey Shoot - Each Sunday thru March 2016 at Beaver Creek Sportsman Club, 14480 Washingtonville Road, Washingtonville, OH. $3 per round, 1 p.m. start time. For info. contact Tom Brunner 330-692-6577 or email:tbrunner1020@gmail.com. Gun Show by Mahoning Valley Gun Collectors - April 16-17; (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) at Lowellville Rod and Gun Club. Admission $4. GPS address 6225 Quarry Road, Lowellville, OH. Call Bill at 330-506-9194. 3D Archery Shoots - Mar. 26-27; Apr. 23-24; May 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. Crossbows permitted, no rangefinders. Contact Dennis Dabney at 330-414-5795. Trader’s Day Swap Meet & Gun Show - May 14 at Trumbull County Rod & Gun Club. Buy, sell, trade your hunting and fishing equipment, firearms, other outdoor sports gear, and more. 50/50 & Gun Raffles. Tables (indoor or outdoor) – $15. Food and Drink will be available. For information contact: Jason Chamberlain at 330-307-0522.
Ohio Valley
Mick Brown has been around birds of prey for a long time. As a Master Falconer he’s seen and experienced just about everything while raising, caring for and hunting with wild hawks. In over 1,000 falconry hunts — By Larry Claypool spanning over 30 years Editor — Brown has not experienced major problems with larger eagles flying close to his birds of prey. That was until a recent rabbit hunt in Columbiana County, OH. It was early afternoon in late January, Brown had flown two of his three Harris’s hawks before lunch. His third bird, Purdy, a sharp female, was eager to fly after Brown and his crew had taken a lunch break. It was a clear day, temperatures were unusually warm (low 50s) for January. “Purdy was ready to go. She was (getting) high on her perch and seemed real gamey, I’d told Mike (Krock another falconer who’d made the trip). She always gives us her best,” said Brown. “We had gone past a house on the tree farm and headed for a nearby field where we knew rabbits would be. We got halfway up the field and she (Purdy) started acting weird. Someone with us noticed two eagles flying above. One landed about 300 yards away, the other must have flown off. Purdy had noticed the eagles before we did. She quickly went to the ground and went under a pine tree,” added Brown. “I called her to my glove and gave her a tidbit (snack), but she headed back to under the pine tree. She would not hunt! We were done for the day. She was afraid of that eagle, so I got her back and we headed toward the car.” Brown said eagles are very territorial but he’d never experienced anything like that. His hawk would not fly.
Windy Hill Tree Farm (where the hunt took place) owner Gregg Ludwig said several eagles had been courting the area for the last year or so, looking for a nesting area. In fact Ludwig and a crew of locals had placed a sixfoot wide platform in a large tree at the edge of his farm near Calcutta, OH. “We have a young pair of eagles that have been scouting the area, flying around the platform, and we hope they nest there soon,” said Ludwig. If that does take place Brown said he will no longer be able to hunt his hawks near the tree farm. “I told Gregg that I hope he gets the eagles to nest there but I can’t hunt there if that happens. Eagles are too territorial and that would be too close for us to be there,” said Brown. After three winter-time hunts in the last few years at Windy Hill, Brown said Ludwig has a few other properties in the region that could offer quality falconry hunts for Brown. “We’ll see what happens. We like coming up here,” said Brown, who lives in Martins Ferry, OH. The recent hunt did net one rabbit, thanks to the persistence of Pippa, Brown's first Harris's hawk to fly that day. It was the third bunny kicked up by Brown's miniature daschhounds. The rather large rabbit had circled around Brown's position in a main field after getting chased a second time by the hounds, which led Pippa to spot the speedy rabbit. That led to an interesting chase. Pippa had pounced on the rabbit twice before Brown was able to assist after the rabbit darted under a downed tree. See photos from the Windy Hill Tree Farm hunt on Page 10 and the Ohio Valley Outdoors Facebook page. For information about the Ohio Falconry Association, contact them at: Ohio Falconry Association, P.O Box 103, Gail Ave., Bethesda, OH 43719 or email secretary@ohiofalconry.org. Contact Mick Brown at: mickeyboy9@comcast.net.
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Outdoor Times February 2016
Birds of Prey Don’t Play OV Outdoor Times
INSIDE THIS MONTH
5 There’s Still Time to
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February 2016
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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VOL. 8, NO. 2
is published by Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine©
Offices located at
Ohio Valley Outdoor Times
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February 2016
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Reader Contest Winner
February 2016
Ohio Decoy Carvers to Host Show
STRONGSVILLE, OH — The Ohio Decoy Carving and Collecting Association Show & Sale will be held March 1213 in Strongsville (Cuyahoga County), OH. The event will be hosted by ODCCA and Holiday Inn in Strongsville. The hotel complex is located at 15471 Royalton Rd., Strongsville, OH 44136. The event is open to public on Sunday (13th), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information visit: www.ocssa.net. Ice Fishing From Page 1
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry Claypool
Paul Swartzentruber (center), of Millersburg, OH, won a Parker Bushwacker X-305 MR Crossbow Package in Ohio Valley Outdoor Magazine’s Reader Contest recently. Swartzentruber signed up for the contest at Kidron Sports Center in Berlin, OH. He’s shown with Kidron Sports employees Jolita Yoder (left) and Matthew Miller, who presented the crossbow during the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show in Dalton. OH. More than 1,200 entries were received for the contest. It was sponsored by Parker Bows; Brittain Chevrolet of East Palestine, OH; Mullets Footwear and Country Cedar of Middlefield, OH; John’s Outdoor and Military Store, of Deerfield, OH and Kidron Sports Center, of Kidron, OH and Berlin, OH. Kidron Sports Center also won the advertiser’s contest for another Parker Crossbow Package, which was presented recently by OVO Sales Consultant Tracy Bissell.
Lake Erie ice fishing is definitely a different “kettle of fish.” For a variety of reasons – including safety – many anglers hire a guide who sets them up in the protective shelter of a shanty and helps them locate the fish. The area between Green and Rattlesnake islands, just west of South Bass Island, usually offers some of the safest ice on the lake. For those targeting walleye, use minnows on jigging spoons, blade baits and jigging Rapalas. Yellow perch can be caught with a spreader or crappie rig tipped with shiners. Some anglers include a bobber as a strike indicator.
February 2016
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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There’s Still Time to Jump Some Rabbits OV Outdoor Times
“If you build it, they will come” is a phrase familiarized by the 1989 film: Field of Dreams. It is also a fundamental concept of wildlife management. BiBy Col.(Ret.)Grey D. Berrier II ologists, landownFIN Pro Staff ers, and hunters have learned habitat improvement projects modifying vegetation and land use can have long term benefits for an intended species, in addition to aiding other big game, small game, non-game species, and song birds. Deliberate efforts to enhance food sources, bedding/nesting areas, and cover can potentially increase local populations of some species. During my first month of military retirement three years ago, I made a concerted effort to manage the woods on our property for wildlife. With chainsaw in hand, I downed a major portion of the locust and elms (both early suc-
cessional species) that had colonized our property as it reverted from farm field to woodlands over the past 65 years. The locust were sawn into fence posts and the larger elm boles were cut for firewood, however the extensive toppings were left in a thick labyrinth with the primary intent of benefitting whitetailed deer. The subsequent opening of the forest canopy and corresponding increase in sunlight reaching the forest floor has permitted the remaining oaks, hickories, maples, and black cherries to flourish and in sections the dense understory is nearly impenetrable. My small woodlands now serve as a magnet for whitetails and wild turkeys, while providing ideal habitat for a flourishing rabbit population. This past early archery season, our local deer population seemed to be down. So I made a decision to not hunt behind our house in Lawrence County during the Pennsylvania A 2105 Firearms Season for the first time in over a decade. Instead, I planned on pursuing opening day whitetails up in Venango County where I always seem to
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Grey D. Berrier II
Focused rabbit hunters Ryan Lombardo and Matt Miller pose with Ryan’s beagles after a recent successful hunt with the author. Cottontails are in season in OH, PA, and WV until February 29.
see respectable bucks while bear hunting. Knowing that I wouldn’t be deer hunting on my own property in firearms season, I followed up on an earlier invitation with a friend from church, Ryan Lombardo, who has two beagles
and is passionate about pursuing cottontails. We arranged to run his dogs on my property for the first time the Saturday after Thanksgiving. November 28, 2015 arrived with a cool, damp drizzle; so Ryan and I exchanged text messages to Turn To Rabbits Page 6
6 Rabbit From Page 5
confirm that our hunt was still on regardless of the weather. Ryan arrived promptly at 7:45 a.m. with his friend, Matt Miller, and his two four-legged hunting machines, Arnie and Phantom. Both beagles started hunting as soon as they reached the wood line behind the house. Ryan, Matt, and I eagerly loaded our shotguns to officially begin hunting ourselves. Only 10 minutes into the hunt, I started working my way into a formidable tangle of head-high asters, multi-flora rose, and assorted saplings. While the beagles were working in front of their “Dad”, 30 yards to my left, I kicked a bunny out from some toppings almost directly under my foot. I called the dogs over and almost immediately the air was filled with the sound of baying beagles as the pursuit was on. That initial bunny was smart, staying within really thick cover and eventually giving the dogs the slip by heading down an abandoned groundhog hole. Less than 15 minutes later, I could have earned “the Golden Toe Award” by harvesting a rabbit I kicked out of another brush pile. But I was more interested in observing Arnie and Phantom work and listening to their accompany-
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
ing canine chorus, so I didn’t shoot and called the dogs over to put them on the fresh trail. This second rabbit went on a long jaunt off through the adjacent PA State Game Lands. Ryan had to call both dogs back after almost 10 minutes since the rabbit never circled back to where our chase had commenced. Over the course of the next two hours, we walked several miles on the PA State Game Lands with the dogs only bawling on one rabbit’s fresh trail for a brief period. With the rain and breeze picking up around 11:15 a.m., we decided to head back to my property and work through some prime thickets we bypassed earlier. We had just started on this second effort when things suddenly got very interesting. First, Matt missed a shot at a rabbit that seemed to materialize out of nowhere when the dogs got on its trail. Then the beagles jumped three rabbits hidden together in one brush pile. Ryan reacted as one darted south, another bolted southwest , and the third hit the afterburners heading north. Ryan got off one shot at the northbound bunny, shaving off a few tufts of white cottontail, but it didn’t seem to slow down his escaping quarry. In the midst of multiple rabbits going
February 2016
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Grey D. Berrier II
Arnie and Phantom hard at work on the trail of an elusive rabbit in thick cover. These dedicated hounds epitomize the maximum effort that beagles will put forth for their owners in search of bunnies throughout the season.
in divergent directions, Arnie and Phantom got back on the trail of the initial rabbit Matt had missed and followed it off to the west on the PA State Game Lands. From the bank top, looking down across an abandoned rail bed, we watched the dogs diligently working
through thick red brush. Matt began play-by-play calls, accurately describing what the rabbit was doing in front of the beagles. After a few minutes, I heard Matt holler from only 30 yards away that the rabbit was coming back up the Turn To Rabbits Page 7
February 2016
Rabbit From Page 6
bank and heading my way. Before I knew it the rabbit was behind me. Two quick shots from my vintage Winchester Model 59 semi-automatic revealed that I was just as proficient at missing an erratically hopping rabbit as Matt and Ryan. We decided one last push was in order through the final acre and a half patch we hadn’t covered up to that point. We were within 20 yards of finishing up for the day when the dogs bawled “bunny” over in front of Matt. Within seconds I saw the rabbit sneaking my way through the thigh-high raspberry tangle. When he paused only 15 yards away to look back, I took the shot. While Arnie and Phantom continued to work their way through the thicket deciphering the rabbit’s escape route, I had the rabbit in hand. Their snorting breaths of fresh cottontail essence and periodic guttural howls persisted until they reached me and saw their dispatched quarry firsthand. Ryan, Matt, and I were pleased we were able to able to finish up with one rabbit after an exciting morning’s hunt, filled with beagle crooning over eight different rabbit runs of various durations.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
While many hunters have already put away their firearms, clothing, and gear for the season, rabbits remain legal quarry in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia through the end of February. With 2016 being a leap year, cottontail enthusiasts have until February 29th to head afield. (2016 marks the first year the PA late season for rabbits will remain open throughout the entire month of February.) February marks a time of year when few hunters are willing to head outdoors, so you’ll often find you’ll have the fields and woods to yourself. It may also be the only time of the year when you’re willing to venture into your “limited access” deer coverts for bunnies, since whitetails and cottontails frequent the same impenetrable cover. When it comes to late season rabbits, there are many potential hunting tactics. Running bunnies with beagles remains a preferred option, and I hope to get out with Ryan Lombardo and his “boys”: Arnie and Phantom an additional time or two in February. However, it is not the only successful method since hunters can also push thickets, brush piles, and heavy cover to kick cottontails out without a dog. Another favorite technique is to still-hunt rabbits with a .22 rifle just
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Walleye Madness Tournament Slate Set
PENINSULA, OH — Walleye Madness Tournaments (WMT) have announced its 2016 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 2016 WMT schedule includes four Hot Bite events: April 24 at Mosquito Lake (South State Ramp); May 8 at Berlin Lake (Bonner Road Ramp); May 28 at Lake Erie, Lorain (Black River Ramp) blow day, May 29 and June 25 at Lake Erie, Geneva (Geneva State Ramp), blow day June 26. Inland events will have a 40-boat maximum limit and Lake Erie events will have 50-boat limit. Organizers expect all events to sell out.
after a snow fall in anticipation of catching them sitting motionless in concealed locations. Regardless of how you plan on hunting late season rabbits, it can be an exciting pursuit for hunters of all ages. Rabbits have been a cornerstone of our
Entry fee is $150. Visit their website: www.walleyemadness.net for entry deadlines and registration forms or contact WT6 at: info@walleyeteamsix.com or call club president Adam Momirov at: 330-904-6446. WT6 is the largest Walleye Federation Club in Ohio. Membership to the club is now open. Members get a lot of perks, including discounted tackle and gear. The title sponsors of Walleye Madness Tournaments are: Lund Boats, Mercury Marine and Buckeye Sports Center. Events will feature $700 in contingency bonuses: $200 No Pay Buckeye Sports Center Big Fish; $300 Lund Boats bonus and $200 Mercury Marine bonus. All WMT tournaments are National Team Championship Side Pot events. hunting heritage for generations and they continue to be prized as a hardearned quarry and excellent table fare by all who chase them. One last excursion for hopping cottontails can be a great way to spend a February day in leap year!
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Shed Hunting Tips OV Outdoor Times
I remember the first shed antler I ever found. I was fishing a brush-lined trout stream and came to an opening where a heavy deer trail crossed. There, sticking up out of the mud, was the “Y” of By Ralph Scherder a fork-horned antler. Hunting Editor I picked it up, scanned the area, and thought to myself, “Cool, there’s going to be a big buck around here next year.” Of course, back then, a “big buck” was anything with a rack, regardless of spread, but one thing still holds true – finding shed antlers still invokes hope for the future, and the bigger the shed, the bigger the hope. Late February and early March are great times to start looking for shed antlers. Although a few bucks may still be carrying their headgear, most of them will have shed by now. In fact, a buck can potentially shed its antlers any time after the conclusion of rutting activity. I’ve had trail cam photos of antler-less bucks in December, and I’ve also gotten
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
photos of bucks still carrying in March, so there is no definite answer as to when it begins or ends. Every year is different, and much of that, I think, has to do with the intensity of the rut. If it’s really intense and the bulk of it occurs in a short time span, bucks are more likely to shed earlier in the season than if the rut is sporadic over a longer period of time. It all comes down to testosterone levels. As soon as testosterone levels drop back to pre-rut levels, bucks start to lose their antlers. Once the snow is all gone is a great time to start searching – nothing can be more frustrating than trying to pick out a white bone among a white background. I don’t like to wait too long in the year to start looking for sheds, for three reasons. First, if it’s public land, there’s a good chance that other shed hunters may find them before me. Second, antler bone is very high in calcium and minerals, and squirrels, chipmunks, and other rodents love to chew on them. And third, shed hunting can be tedious, and it requires patience to cover an area thoroughly and methodically – remember, you’re hunting, not just out there walk-
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ing through the woods – and I like to have at least a month or so of “prime time” to look for sheds. The two main areas to start looking for shed antlers are food sources and bedding areas. Winter bedding cover can be timbered areas or anywhere with enough cover to provide safe harbor for whitetails this time of year. Those areas also have plenty of browse, which deer rely on as a food source in winter. If you plant food plots, make sure they’re planted with grasses or anything that will still attract whitetails all winter long. Food plots shouldn’t be solely about providing hunting opportunities. They should be part of a year-round management plan that benefits wildlife nutritionally as well. Supplemental feeding, where legal, should be viewed the same way. Don’t stop feeding just because hunting season is over. A benefit of the extra effort will be increased activity during shedding season. Mostly I walk trails that lead to and from bedding and feeding areas. I cover the area slowly, stopping along each trail every 20 or 30 yards and scanning the area before moving on. It’s a lot like still hunting. The techniques are very similar. Many guys don’t find sheds simply because they move too quickly or are too
February 2016
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Ralph Scherder
Once the snow is all gone is a great time to start searching – nothing can be more frustrating than trying to pick out a white bone among a white background. Turn To Shed Hunting Page 9
Kiger Named State Wildlife Officer of the Year
COLUMBUS, OH – Brad Kiger, State Wildlife Officer assigned to Franklin County, has been named Wildlife Officer of the Year by the Association of Midwest Fish and Game Law Enforcement (AMFGLEO), according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Officer Kiger started his career with ODNR in 1996 as a State Park Officer. In 2000 Kiger entered the wildlife officer training academy and has served as the Franklin County Wildlife Officer since 2001. Kiger is a 1995 graduate of The Ohio
State University with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry Management. AMFGLEO was chartered in 1944 in Lincoln, Nebraska, there are currently 23 member agencies from Canada and the United States. AMFGLEO is the lead group among wildlife enforcement organizations in the development and maintenance of field officer training. More information about becoming a State Wildlife Officer or the ODNR- Division of Wildlife can be found at wildohio.com. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
February 2016
Shed Hunting From Page 8
impatient. And to be honest, you’re probably not going to find a shed antler every time out – like actual whitetail hunting, though, you don’t have to have success every time for it to be an enjoyable experience. Binoculars really come in handy when hunting for shed antlers, mainly because they limit your field of view. Looking at the woods with a panoramic view can feel hopeless, like finding a needle in a haystack. So many places to look! It’s important to narrow down your search to small areas and work methodically throughout those areas. That’s why binoculars help so much. Scanning with the binoculars can get you accustomed to looking at things in micro rather than macro. One reason hunters don’t find more sheds is because their perspective is off. Whenever possible, I like to change my perspective by climbing up on a big rock or downed tree, anything that can get be a little higher so that I’m looking down on a larger area. The change in elevation is helpful when using binoculars. Also, change your perspective in terms of what you’re out there looking for. Many people are looking for racks and expect them to shine as if some mystical spotlight is pointing down on them from the heavens. That’s just not the case. A
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
buck sheds its antlers, and those antlers tumble off like some piece of forgotten jewelry. In the process of falling off, and over the course of time, they can get wedged in crevices, along logs, rocks, brush piles and covered by leaves and debris. In other words, unless they’re lying out in a wide open field of short grass, they’re not going to be easy to see. We’ve all seen huge bucks, in pictures or in person, and have been amazed by the size of their headgear. Now imagine taking one side of a 200-inch set of antlers and placing it in a brushy, wooded area. Next imagine that it has been faded by weather and rustled around in the leaves so that only the tips of a few points or the curve of the main beam is noticeable. Finally, imagine trying to spot that antler from a distance of 20 yards or more. Would be pretty difficult, wouldn’t it? And truth be told, most of the sheds you’re looking for aren’t even close in size to that of one side of a 200-inch buck. Meticulous is a word that sums up shed hunting the best. You have to be meticulous and cover areas thoroughly. But there’s also another word – fun. Like anything, shed hunting is a learning experience. The more you do it, the more you learn, and the more you’ll find. In the process, you’ll have fun. I guarantee it.
PA Approves 2016-17 Hunting Seasons
HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval recently to hunting and trapping seasons and bag limits for the 2016-17 license year. Modifications proposed for the 2016-17 seasons include: opening the squirrel and rabbit seasons on the same day; making the length of the snowshoe-hare season consistent statewide; decreasing the length of the fall-turkey season in Wildlife Management Units 1A, 1B, 2A and 4C; adding an extended, four-day season for black bears in WMU 1B; eliminating the extended season for black bears in WMU 3A; and doubling to 12 days the length of the fisher trapping season in the 13 WMUs with fisher seasons. The public may offer comments on all proposed 2016-17 seasons and bag limits, as well as other board actions, between now and the board’s next meeting, April 4 and 5, at which time the board is scheduled to finalize seasons and bag limits for 201617. Also, the board will receive at its April meeting staff recommendations for antlerless deer license allocations for each of the 23 WMUs. Deer harvest estimates for the
2015-16 seasons will be available in midMarch. Split Firearms Deer Seasons Need Final Approval The Board of Game Commissioners adopted a slate of deer seasons for 201617, proposing to retain a split, five-day antlered deer season (Nov. 28-Dec. 2) and seven-day concurrent season (Dec. 5-10) in 18 Wildlife Management Units. The list includes WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3D 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E. The package also retains the two-week (Nov. 28-Dec. 10) concurrent, antlered and antlerless deer season in WMUs 2B, 5A, 5B, 5C and 5D. The board retained antler restrictions in place for adult and senior license holders since the 2011-12 seasons. It remains the “three-up” on one side, not counting a brow tine, provision for the western Wildlife Management Units of 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 2D, and the three points on one side in all other WMUs. Those exempt from these antler restrictions are mentored youth hunters, junior license holders, disabled hunters with a permit to use a vehicle as a blind and resident active-duty military on leave.
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February 2016
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry Claypool
Master falconer Mick Brown (top left photo) readies for his Harris’s hawk Zippy to land on his gauntlet (glove) while hunting in East Liverpool, OH in late January. At right is Pippa (another Harris’s hawk) getting a well deserved meal (rabbit) she harvested at the Windy Hill Tree Farm in East Liverpool, OH.
WV Hunters Set Black Bear Harvest Mark in 2015
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — West Virginia hunters harvested 3,195 black bears during the combined 2015 archery and firearms seasons, according to Colin Carpenter, Black Bear Project Leader for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The preliminary harvest data for the combined 2015 seasons were 17 percent higher than the previous record set in 2012 (2,735 bears). The black bear harvest of 2015 marks the sixth time in six years that the harvest has topped 2,000. “In the 2015 Mast Survey and Hunting Outlook brochure, we predicted an increased archery harvest and a decreased December firearms harvest compared to the levels in 2014. Our prediction held true; however, the archery harvest increased a whopping 92 percent, a record, and the December harvest only decreased by 18 percent,” Carpenter said. “When looking at all mast species combined, 2015 was slightly above the long-term average. However, the oak mast index for 2015 decreased 50 percent over 2014,” said Carpenter. “Historically, a scarcity of oak mast makes bears easier
to target for archery hunters. Conversely, decreased oak mast typically means a lower December firearms harvest because many bears have entered their dens as the season progresses.” Hunters killed 1,140 bears during the 2015 archery season, including 710 with vertical bows and 430 with crossbows. The top five counties were Nicholas (90), Fayette (86), Wyoming (78), Randolph (74) and Webster (65). Firearms hunters harvested 2,055 bears during 2015. Hunters took 694 bears in September and October, 490 during the concurrent buck-gun bear season, and 871 during the traditional December season. The top five counties were Randolph (193), Nicholas (176), Pocahontas (171), Greenbrier (168) and Pendleton (160). The large increase in archery harvest was bolstered by a very successful early firearms season in Logan, McDowell, Mingo and Wyoming counties, according to Carpenter. In addition, the record mild temperatures in December likely kept many bruins active throughout the season and available for hunters.
February 2016
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
NE Ohio Sportsman Show Kicks Off Season
DALTON, OH — The Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show, in Dalton, OH, kicked off another outdoor show season in the region. Adding a third day (from January 21-23) to the show’s schedule proved to be a good move, according to event promoter Jody Witzky. “By adding Thursday to the show this year we were able to kick things off a day earlier, and everyone benefitted. We had 1,000 people on Thursday and that’s good for a first day. Friday was down from last year, but Saturday was great and made up for it,” said Witzky. The sportsman’s show has been held for the last five years at the Buckeye Event Center in Dalton. It’s located next to P. Graham Dunn, an art, gift and home decor manufacturing facility along state Route 30, in the heart of cen-
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tral Ohio’s Amish country. This was the last year for the NEO Sportsman Show to be held at the event center. Witzky said he is looking for another location to host the event as P. Graham Dunn will move its shipping department to the huge facility. Witzky added that he hopes to announce another location for the sports show in the near future. Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine announced its Reader Contest winner during the NEO Sportsman Show on January 23. Paul Swartzentruber of Millersburg, OH was the winner of OVO’s Parker Crossbow Package. See Page 4 for more information about the contest. — Larry Claypool
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry Claypool
Randy Pepper of the Buckeye Big Buck Club was one of several deer scorers who were kept very busy during the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show. Several very large antlers from the region were scored.
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry Claypool
One vendor booth that drew much attention at the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show in Dalton, OH was Frey’s Hunting Innovations.
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry Claypool
Brandon Lambes of Massillon, OH holds a nice 10-point deer that was killed last fall by his father Lee Nickels.
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry Claypool
Glenn Hershberger (right), owner of Hershberger Wildlife Taxidermy, Leetonia, OH, is one of the long-time vendors at the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show in Dalton, OH. Hershberger is an award-winning taxidermist with more than 26 years of experience.
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry Claypool
Grumpy Ash offers a great collection, and information, about vintage fishing lures. Many prominent lure companies got their start in Ohio.
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Pre-season Boat Trailer Maintenance OV Outdoor Times
With fishing seasons nearing, now’s the time to give some thought to the most common boat trailer related problems: lights and wheel bearings. LIGHTS – The Jeff Knapp most common By Fishing Editor headache with boat trailers is the struggle of keeping the lighting system in working order. Corrosion and oxidation attack the weak links of the system – plugs, bulb terminals, splices – robbing them of solid connections. Take preventative measures by keeping the four-flat plug and receptacle clean by giving them an occasional spray with penetrating oil to clean them, and then spray them with battery terminal spray (available at auto parts stores). Another option is a thin coating of dielectric grease. While this grease is non-conductive, a thin coat will not prevent a good connection between
clean metal. It’s commonly used for marine-related applications. Many tow vehicles used today feature a round blade-terminal receptacle, meaning an adapter is needed, creating more contacts. Be sure to service these as well. Any splices are vulnerable to corrosion. They are most common where the plug pigtail joins the main wiring, and in hookups between individual lights and the wires that feed them. Typically crimp-on butt connectors are used to make these connections. These have a nasty habit of pulling apart as well as corroding. When replacing butt connectors buy the good ones from an electrical supply store, as opposed to the cheap ones that come in a kit (along with a cheap crimping tool) that are available from the big box stores. Butt connectors that feature a heat-shrink insulating sleeve are available, too. I’ve used these with success. Light bulb filaments break from vibration or they simply burn out. Typically it’s a simple matter to disassemble a light to get at the bulb(s). Since there
are a lot of similar bulbs take the bad one to the auto parts store and have the employee help with the replacement. When you’re sure it’s the right one buy some spares. Dab the connectors with dielectric grease when you replace them. The lights on many modern trailers feature sealed modules rather than bulbs. They are a bit pricier to replace, but (in my experience) hold up better. Similarly, side clearance lights often come as a complete unit (bulb and lens). WHEEL BEARINGS – A bad wheel bearing can cause a major dilemma, especially when it’s not discovered until its causes damage to the axle spindle, the part the bearings ride on. Bearings rely on grease to prevent failure. Boat trailers present a challenge, since the wheels are regularly subjected to water during the launching process. There are two common means of maintaining proper grease loads in wheel hubs. Some axles feature a grease fitting on the end of the spindle. To access the grease fitting you remove the neoprene dust cap. Grease pumped into this fitting reaches the inside of the hub via holes drilled in the spindle, ones located to lubricate both the front and rear bearings. The other system is of the “bearing buddy” design, where the dust
February 2016
Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Jeff Knapp
The tools to safely change a flat tire should be part of a trailer maintenance kit.
cap is replaced with a spring-loaded cartridge into which grease is pumped. The cartridge acts as a reservoir, with the spring providing the force to load grease into the hub as needed. Devices of this type do a good job of greasing the front bearing, but not so much the back one. I’ve only had three bearing breakdowns, and I’d say all were the result of water getting into the hub, which breaks down the grease. For that reason I now keep two extra hubs for each of my two boat trailers. The hubs already have the Turn To Boat Page 13
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February 2016
Be Safe,
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Let Someone Know Where You Go
After going to Google Maps, I simply typed in basic entries for our home address and the road I planned on parking along in Venango County, and almost instantaneously, Google Maps provided me the turn-by-turn directions, along with accompanying maps. I printed out the two page directions, along with an expanded map of where I would be parking. On that map I annotated both my parking spot and where I would be hunting about 1 1/2 miles back in the woods. Before leaving the house, I spoke to my wife (she was still in bed) to let her know the directions were down on the kitchen counter to the right of the stove and to expect me home around 6:15 PM. You may be asking, why did you go to all the trouble to print out directions and maps of where you were going to be hunting? Well, Murphy has his way of raising his ugly head, sometimes when we go hunting. You know Murphy’s Law, which states: “Anything that possi-
West Virginia Trappers Association Spring Rendezvous and Fur Auction March 4-6, 2016 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.
Auction House, 965 N. Wooster Ave., Strasburg, OH, 44680. 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.
Boat From Page 12
from getting in from the outside. Make a habitat of inspecting your trailer wheels after you’ve launched your boat. Once you’ve dropped your boat and parked the rig, give the trailer a shove with your foot to check for any side play. Watch your tires in the mirror as you back down the ramp for any wobble. Keep your ears tuned for funky sounds back there. Catch things early and it’s a simple matter of replacing the hub on site with a channel lock, punch and hammer. Wait too long and the axle spindle will be toast, resulting in a tiltbed service tow, a trip to the weld shop to have the spindle replaced, or even a new axle.
OV Outdoor Times
Opening day at 4 AM, I found myself sitting down and turning on our home computer and printer. I wasn’t there to check out the latest weather forecast or review By Col.(Ret.)Grey D. Berrier II legal shooting hours FIN Pro Staff on the PA Game Commission’s website. No, I was carrying out a promise to my wife to let her know where I would be hunting. For the first time in 17 years, I decided to hunt whitetails somewhere other than our own property on opening day. After seeing several nice bucks over the past few years where I bear hunt in Venango County, I decided to make the early morning drive up there, instead of taking the normal walk back to my permanent stand in our woods that overlooks the adjacent PA State Game Lands.
Regional Trapping Events
Ohio State Trappers Association Fur Auction - March 12, 2016 at Wallicks
bearings (hand-packed with grease) installed. Each spring it’s a simple matter of popping off the tire, removing the hub, and then replacing it with the spare. The “old” hub then becomes the spare, after it’s had new bearings installed. While the dust cap (or bearing buddy) keeps water from entering the hub from the outside, a grease seal is used on the inside of the hub. When you are purchasing components to service the hub, make sure you get a double-lipped grease seal, which is designed to seal from both inside and out. Standard grease seals are only made to keep the grease in the hub, not to prevent water
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bly can go wrong, will go wrong!” When we head afield, we are entering the realm where things do happen at times outside of our control. There are vehicle breakdowns, tree stand falls, slips, trips, & falls, significant cuts and bruises, broken bones, medical emergencies, and the possibility of getting mis-oriented (a kinder way of saying lost). Providing my wife with a map and directions to where I plan on deer hunting Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Grey D. Berrier II and letting her know when I intend on It’s a good idea to offer detailed directions on returning is a better starting point for her where you will be hunting. In this case the author offers a photo of the State Game to call for assistance in the event someLands parking space and gate to where he thing happens, than if I would have just will be hunting. told her, “I’ll be hunting up in Venango County.” Where I hunt in Venango County, cell phone reception is fre- the end of the day, when I arrive back at quently nonexistent in many of the steep my vehicle. This typically means I have hollows and ravines, and having the no idea what other vehicles came and peace of mind that someone knows went where I parked during the course where I’m at and where to start looking of the day. Opening day 2015 was a little differin the event something bad happens is well worth the five minutes I spent on ent, since I was blessed to harvest a nice the computer on opening day before 8-point at 11:13 a.m. Over the next 3 1/2 hours, I made the 1 1/2 mile trek sevleaving the house at 5 a.m. I tend to have a “First In, Last Out” eral times. First, to take out my extra mentality, when it comes to hunting. So, clothing, gear, and rifle. Then to head I normally am the first one to park at a back in with my deer cart to bring out spot when I head into the woods and fre- my buck; and finally, an unplanned addiquently, I’m also the last one to leave at Turn To Be Safe Page 16
Send us your t rophy photos
Eric Mehalko largemouth bass using green pumpkin java tubes
Also for our Photo Showcase
Connor Mayle turkey Trumbull County, OH
email to: ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com mail to: Photo Showcase 210 East 4th Street East Liverpool, OH 43920
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Offering Additional Motivation to Pursue Coyotes OV Outdoor Times
“The white-tailed deer has two primary predators in Pennsylvania: bullets and bumpers”. I vividly recall that quote from the professor in one of my wildlife science By Col.(Ret.)Grey D. Berrier II courses at Penn FIN Pro Staff State in 1983. He went on to support his hypothesis by giving statistics reflecting the largest causes of whitetail mortality are hunting and roadkill. The remainder of the lecture we proceeded to discuss the science and art of wildlife management through which wildlife officials attempt to prudently set seasons and bag limits, so hunters can harvest enough deer to keep populations within acceptable limits when it comes to deervehicle collisions, crop damage, and other potential impacts. An analysis of all the stakeholders in the deer population equation revealed the complexity of the matter in terms of recreational, environmental, economic, societal, and safety issues. Looking back, I can recall natural predators, such as coyotes and black bears, were briefly mentioned as having an overall statistically insignificant influence on the overall PA deer population equation. Maybe it was fateful foreshadowing of things to come or possibly just sheer coincidence, but I saw my first PA coyote that same Fall of 1983. I was deer hunting in Mifflin County, where my maternal grandparents lived, only a 30minute drive south of State College. Opening day found me hunting the north side of Shade Mountain between Lewistown and McClure. A 1 p.m. forestry class back at Penn State meant I had to leave my stand around 11 a.m. As I still-hunted down the logging trail, I could see through the woods that something was moving out in the hayfield approximately 150 yards below. At first, I thought it was one of the farmer’s dogs out mousing in the field. After watching the behavior of the darkcolored, mid-sized canine for a few minutes and seeing it didn’t have any collar on it, I realized I was watching a coyote. My strict requirement to be back for class and the fact the farmhouse and barn were in a straight-line only 200
yards beyond the coyote meant I could only observe the cagy predator that day. When I got back to campus, I discussed my coyote observation with many of my friends and classmates who were fellow hunters and not surprisingly at the time, most had never see a coyote in Penn’s Woods. My 1983 Mifflin County encounter planted the seed that coyote hunting was a viable option in Pennsylvania. Fast-forward almost 20 years, I’m a Major serving full-time in the PA Army National Guard, sitting in my office at Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 107th Field Artillery in New Castle, PA. I’ll never forget that morning on July 2, 2002 when CPT Brad Mifsud, a Corporal in the PA State Police and our Battalion Fire Direction Officer, stopped by to see me. He was there to talk about our ceremonial artillery shoot the following evening at Westminster College when we would accompany the Pittsburgh River City Brass Band on Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture. However, he opened our conversation with a very interesting question that immediately grabbed my attention, “Hey, sir, you’re the wildlife science major from Penn State, how many fawns do you think a pair of coyotes will take in a year?” While CPT Mifsud, I, and numerous other officers, NCOS, and enlisted members frequently talked hunting during our downtime while in the field or in garrison, his question came without any reference, so I gave it some quick thought and replied, “Maybe five or six, I would estimate.” CPT Mifsud lived between Harrisville and Barkeyville in Mercer County and proceeded to pull out an envelope containing photos he had just printed off. He explained his neighbor had discovered a coyote den on his property and had positioned a trail camera outside it to track their activities. There in vivid color, CPT Mifsud laid down the photos, one after another, of the coyotes bringing back fawns to their den to feed their pups. Each photograph contained a date/time stamp recording when it was taken. Starting on May 17th and continuing through July 1st, just the day before we were having our conversation that single pair of coyotes had killed and brought back to their den: 28 fawns. I was almost in disbelief, but I saw the ev-
February 2016
Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Grey D. Berrier II
The author found this dead fawn close to his home. It was killed by a coyote. A gaping wound is shown where a predator had eaten the heart and lungs.
idence for myself. Looking the trail camera photos over several times, I quickly noticed that there was never a period when the pair went more than three days between kills and there was one June day when they brought back two fawns within 7 hours. I couldn’t get over that one pair of coyotes would take 28 fawns and I started doing the calculations in my mind regarding how significant of an impact coyotes are potentially having on our overall deer herd in PA. This eye-opening experience, courtesy of CPT Mifsud sharing those 28 trail cam photos, steeled my resolve to make coyote hunting a priority during my time afield. This past year, the need to harvest coyotes hit very close to home. After dinner on June 1, 2015, my wife and I were walking the trails on our property discussing the rapid green-up that had occurred over the past few weeks with the arrival of warm weather. As we came down one path, we both noticed something lying low to the ground about 60 yards ahead that looked out of place. It appeared to be an animal, but it was too light-colored to be a groundhog and clearly wasn’t a rabbit or squirrel. As we approached, we realized we were looking at a fawn lying with its back toward us. Closer inspection revealed it
was dead, recently killed by a coyote, based on the beginning onset of rigor mortis, and having a very visible gaping wound in its chest where the predator had eaten the heart and lungs. My wildlife CSI determined the young doe was probably less than a week old and she had been killed around 6:30 p.m. in broad daylight, less than 200 yards from our backdoor and only 100 yards from the playground of the neighboring elementary school. I moved the fawn’s carcass a couple hundred yards to the back of our property, so my wife wouldn’t have to see it on our walks, and placed a trail camera on the trail overlooking the spot where we found the dead fawn. Within a few days, I captured a photo of the culprit and received my wife’s encouragement and blessing to take out as many coyotes as I possibly can. Maybe you are new to coyote hunting and haven’t given much thought to the impact coyotes are potentially having on our deer herds. As my own experience has shown, 30 years ago they really weren’t considered part of the equation. Today, the PA Game Commission and other state wildlife agencies are actively studying fawn mortality rates through telemetry tracking devices to determine Turn To Coyotes Page 15
February 2016
Coyotes From Page 14
how significant the issue is when it comes to coyotes preying on fawns each spring/summer. My own experience has also validated coyotes, frequently working as packs, can take down adult deer when given the opportunity and ongoing wildlife research projects are also looking into that whitetail mortality factor. Spring and summer are often times when coyotes are primarily taken as incidental harvests by hunters out spring turkey hunting (coyotes occasionally respond to turkey calling and sneak in on turkey decoys) or groundhog hunting (coyotes are sometimes caught mousing or traveling out in the fields during daylight). Those opportunities do arise, so hunters need to remain vigilant while turkey or groundhog hunting to take a random coyote. Based on their aggressive search for whitetail fawns, late spring and early summer can be excellent times to employ fawn in distress calls using either mouth calls or electronic callers; while visual appeal can be concurrently enhanced by a fawn decoy. Some hunters prefer to stake out coyote dens, which can be located in former groundhog burrows, caves, rocky crevices, hollow logs, and abandoned
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
buildings. One additional coyote den site I have been finding recently that many hunters overlook is discarded round bales. Most farms have a few old weathered round bales scattered in hedgerows, sitting just inside a wood line, or lying along the edge of a field; and coyotes will unsuspectingly hollow out the interior to make a warm, dry, comfortable, concealed den for themselves. It’s worth checking out when you are trying to locate where your local coyotes call home. Over the years, I have personally employed the “bullets and bumpers” logic to help explain to non-hunters why we harvest whitetails to help manage their populations. Now we need to include coyotes as a significant contributor in that conversation. Think about that one pair of coyotes that took 28 fawns and you can understand how the deer population in a given area and your future potential for harvesting a buck or doe can be impacted in the long term. If you haven’t tried it already, coyote hunting is challenging, rewarding, and allows you to play a significant roles in the bigger picture when it comes to wildlife management and boosting our treasured white-tailed deer herds.
Basinger Named NWTF Wildlife Officer of the Year
AKRON, OH – Stark County Wildlife NWTF’s National Wildlife Officer of the Officer Mark Basinger has been named Year award which will be presented dur“Wildlife Officer of the Year” by the Na- ing the NWTF’s awards banquet in tional Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Nashville, Tennessee. according to the Ohio Basinger attended Department of Natural Hocking College and Resources (ODNR). graduated in 1989 with A large part of the an Associate Degree in nomination is based on Recreation and Wildlife Basinger’s close working Management. He also atrelationship with NWTF tended West Virginia and with other, local conUniversity in Morganservation clubs. “Officer town for wildlife studies. Basinger is an active Serving in a seasonal powildlife officer who is sition at Killbuck Marsh very willing to step up to Wildlife Area not long the plate for conservation after college graduation, and for sportsmen and Photo courtesy of ODNR Basinger gained signifiwomen,” said Scott Ancant knowledge about Mark Basinger has been gelo, wildlife officer su- named “Wildlife Officer of the the Killbuck Marsh and Year” by the National Wild pervisor in northeast Funk Bottoms wildlife Turkey Federation. Ohio for the ODNR Diareas. After 12 years of vision of Wildlife. “I am working in the private proud to supervise somesector, Basinger returned one who puts on the uniform every day to the ODNR Division of Wildlife and and sets the bar high to protect our natu- graduated from the Ohio Wildlife Officer ral resources.” Academy in 2007. By earning the award, Basinger and Visit the ODNR website at other state winners are eligible for the ohiodnr.gov.
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Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Grey D. Berrier II
Most farms have a few old weathered round bales scattered. Coyotes have been known to make a den from these discarded hay bales.
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tional in/out march to retrieve my hunting knife I inadvertently left laying where I had gutted my deer. Each time that I came back to my vehicle, I met several other hunters and I quickly realized that though I’m in my early 50’s, I’m still well below the median age of most PA deer hunters. I talked with one gentleman, who was 85 years young and asked if he could take a picture of my buck with his cell phone camera. Statistically speaking, negative things are more apt to happen in the woods as hunters age and achieve senior citizen status. This provides even more incentive to let someone know where you will be hunting. As an example, when I called my dad in Eastern PA to let him know about my opening day buck, I found out he had fallen while out-in-thewoods and unfortunately wrenched his back, bruised his ribs, and lacerated his pinky finger to the point it required stitches. Dad’s fall could have been much worse, if he had been alone, further back in the woods, and unable to walk out under his own power. I don’t want to be a purveyor of gloom and doom that hangs over your head whenever you head afield, but take a few
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
minutes to follow the Boy Scouts motto of “Be Prepared,” and always let someone know where you will be hunting in sufficient detail, so someone can find you in a timely manner in the event something happens. Your communication can be computer printed maps and directions, a hand written note with a sketch, or a thorough text message. Anyway you do it, you’ll be glad you did in the event something happens, and your friends and/or loved ones will have the necessary information to summon help should the need ever arise.
February 2016
Your Squirrel Tails are Wanted
ANTIGO, WI — Squirrels are a plenti- of them than anyone else in the world. “We’ve tried hundreds of other natural ful natural resource. Plus, squirrel is some of the best wild meat and their skins are and synthetic materials; bear hair, fox, used for caps, coats, glove linings and coyote, badger, skunk, deer, even Angus many other items, but the tail is usually cow, but nothing works as well as squirrel tail hair,” explains Mepps thrown away. Communications DirecMepps (the fishing tor, Kurt Mazurek. lure company) is The fact is squirrel tails asking you to help are all hair-no fur. Practithem recycle this cally all other animals valuable resource, have fur tails with just a and they’re offering few guard hairs. Fur doesto reward you for n’t have the rippling, pulyour efforts. sating movement of Mepps buys fox, squirrel hair in the water. black, grey and red Mazurek wants to resquirrel tails and will pay up to 26 Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of Mepps mind everyone, “We do Mepps fishing lures uses squirrel tails advocate harvesting of Ohio Valley Outdoors-Magazine cents each for tails, to create many of their hand-tied not squirrels solely for their depending on quality dressed hooks and lures. tails.” and quantity. Plus, the For all the details on the cash value is doubled Squirrel Tail Program, either visit their if the tails are traded for Mepps lures. Mepps needs squirrel tails to create website, www.mepps.com, or call 800hand-tied, dressed hooks for their world- 713-3474. Mepps, 626 Center St., Antigo, famous, fish-catching lures. They’ve been WI 54409-2496. Please note: Squirrel tails cannot be recycling squirrel tails for over half-acentury. In fact, they have recycled nearly sold in California, Idaho or Oregon. @OVOutdoors 8 million tails since the mid-1960s, more
Trumbull County Rod and Gun Club to Host “Spring Thaw”
Tickets are $30 each and includes the buffet meal, refreshments and door prize entry. A block of eight tickets will qualify you for special “table captains” drawings. The deadline for reservations is March 6. For more information contact: Ted Brown at 330-652-4588; Jeff Murray at: 330-442-1314 or email: tcrgspringthaw@yahoo.com. “The event has grown and expanded so much each year that we now have a limited number of seats available,” said TCRG president Jeff Murray. “Early advance reservations are recommended.”
Free “Steelheading Basics” Seminar in Akron
inar from 7-9 p.m. The location of the seminar is Wildlife District Three headquarters, 912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron. While the seminar is free, pre-registration is required as spaces are limited. Please call Joe Ferrara at the ODNR Division of Wildlife at 330-245-3030 to pre-register. Read more about Ohio’s steelhead program at www.wildohio.gov. 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.
BROOKFIELD, OH — The Trumbull County Rod and Gun Club will hold its annual “Spring Thaw” on March 19 at Tiffany’s Banquet Center in Brookfield, Ohio. The fund-raising banquet helps fund the club’s youth and outdoor educational programs. Doors open at 4 p.m. with dinner served at 6:30 p.m. The event will feature games, raffles, drawings and prizes; including outdoor equipment and firearms.
AKRON, OH — A free seminar featuring basic steelhead angling in northeast Ohio’s tributaries will be offered on February 24, 2016 according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). Phil Hillman from the ODNR Division of Wildlife will cover Ohio’s steelhead program and discuss basic steelhead fishing techniques in a February 24 sem-
February 2016
Dominique Valley 8-pt. Portage County, OH
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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PHOTO SHOWCASE SPONSORED BY
Abby Hazenstab, age 14 14 pt., crossbow Hancock County, WV
Ryan Minder walleye Lake Erie
Connor Mayle, age 10 1st deer Columbiana County, OH
Ryan Glinn walleye Lake Erie
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John Petrello 11-pt., shotgun Mahoning County, OH
Tom McIntyre 10-pt., Wood County, WV
Wayne Andrews 11-pt., bow Columbiana 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 2016
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February 2016
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
WV Hunters Harvest 138K+ Deer in 2015
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — Preliminary counts of deer registered with the new electronic game checking process indicate West Virginia hunters harvested 138,493 white-tailed deer during the recently completed bucks-only, antlerless, muzzleloader, archery, crossbow and youth/Class Q/Class XS deer seasons, according to Division of Natural Resources Director Bob Fala. This year’s harvest was 32 percent higher than the 2014 deer harvest of 104,707 and 10 percent above the 5-year average of 126,067. A breakdown of the combined 2015 deer seasons reveals 60,814 bucks harvested during the traditional buck firearm season, 39,853 antlerless deer taken during all antlerless firearm hunting opportunities, 32,540 deer harvested by bows and crossbows, 5,179 deer taken by muzzleloader hunters, and 107 deer taken but with an unknown season assignment. Antlerless Deer Season The 2015 antlerless deer season harvest of 39,853, which includes the
youth/Class Q/Class XS deer season, was 1 percent more than in 2014 and 8 percent below the 5-year average of 43,188. “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 2015, all or portions of 47 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, 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: Lewis (1,753), Ritchie (1,622), Mason (1,593), Jackson (1,521), Roane (1,514), Preston (1,437), Wood (1,436), Upshur (1,271), Hampshire (1,240) and Harrison (1,228). Muzzleloader Deer Season The 2015 muzzleloader harvest of
MINT SPRING, VA — Parker Bows, a leading manufacturer of compound bows and crossbows, as well as Red Hot crossbow accessories has introduced the Ambusher Crossbow. The Ambusher sets a new standard for crossbows by being the lightest, most compact, high performance crossbow in the industry. The Ambusher incorporates a revolutionary front-end that features Parker’s proprietary Advanced Split Limb Technology with integrated Micro-Lite Limb Pocket System, making it ultra-compact while sending arrows downrange at over 315 feet per second (FPS). The Ambusher also feature an adjustable draw weight of 135 to 160 lbs, allowing it to be customized to fit the hunter with no special tools, no bowpress or additional parts required. With the ergonomic contoured pistol grip and forearm, the Ambusher is easy to maneuver in a treestand or ground blind. At 6.5 lbs, the Ambusher is extremely lightweight and optimally balanced for a steadier aim on the target. The soft rubber stock spacer on the butt stock of the Ambusher delivers an additional 1” of overall length and provides non-slip comfort and
optimal eye position for the scope. For smaller hunters, the stock spacer is easily removable for a more custom fit. The factory installed and tuned anti-vibration and shock (AVS) system comes equipped to reduce noise and vibration for ultimate concealment. The Ambusher is engineered with Parker’s Exclusive Synergy Cams that deliver greater performance and diminish the cocking effort by over 50% when paired with the Red Hot EZ Roller Rope Cocker; making Parker crossbows the easiest to cock in the industry. The Ambusher comes decorated in either G1 Vista or Pink Muddy Girl Camo. It includes a four arrow quick detach quiver, four arrows with field points, and is available in two optics packages: (1) multi-reticle scope or (2) 3X32 illuminated multi-reticle scope. The Ambusher is made in the U.S.A., is backed by lifetime warranty, and has a retail beginning at $499.95. For more information on the Ambusher, visit the Parker website at www.parkerbows.com or call 540-3375426.s
Parker Bows Launches “The Ambusher”
5,179 was 6.5 percent less than the 2014 harvest of 5,543, and 21.5 percent below the 5-year average of 6,603. The top 10 counties are: Nicholas (265), Randolph (203), Braxton (189), Fayette (183), Jackson (183), Preston (182), Ritchie (167), Lewis (165), Lincoln (159) and Upshur (155). Archery and Crossbow Deer Seasons The bow and crossbow hunters’ take of 32,540 deer was 46 percent more than the 2014 archery season harvest of 22,281, 28 percent above the 5-year average archery season harvest of 25,481. Archery harvests are correlated to hard mast crops. The above-average acorn crop in 2014, followed by a below-average acorn crop in 2015, likely contributed to the higher 2015 harvest and played a factor in the low harvest in 2014. “Although there were no additions to a hunter’s bag limit with the addition of the crossbow season, undoubtingly the rise in harvest reflected the use of crossbows, which probably increased hunter participation and success in some counties,” Fala said. Crossbows accounted for 37 percent of the total harvest for the archery and crossbow seasons combined. The top 10
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Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of Abby Hazenstab
Abby Hazenstab took this impressive 14-point buck with a crossbow in Hancock County, WV.
counties are: Preston (1,415), Kanawha (1,069), Wyoming (1,039), Raleigh (1,032), Logan (924), Randolph (921), Wood (909), Upshur (906), Mercer (817) and Fayette (801).
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