16 foot Burmese Python killed in Everglades, has WHOLE 76 lb deer inside of it! Read more here!
Category : News
Early Ohio hunting seasons kick off Sept. 1
Columbus – The Ohio Wildlife Council has approved the state's early migratory bird hunting seasons for this fall with Sept. 1 kicking off the state's hunting seasons with the opening of dove, Canada goose, rail, moorhen and snipe, according to the DNR Division of Wildlife.
Ohio's dove hunting season runs Sept. 1 through Oct. 24 and Dec. 6-21, with a daily limit of 15 birds and a possession limit of 30 birds.
Dove populations in the state are good, said Dave Scott, wildlife management administrator for the Division of Wildlife.
"We continue to see a long-term stable trend (in population)," Scott told the Ohio Wildlife Council on July 14.
Controlled dove hunts will be offered at Fallsville, Rush Run, Spring Valley, Indian Creek and Bott state wildlife areas. These controlled hunts will take place Wednesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 2; hunting hours will be noon to sunset. Controlled dove hunts will also be offered at St. Marys Fish Hatchery on Sept. 1, 4, 7, 11, 14 and 18. Youth will be given priority on Sept. 1, 4 and 7.
Opening day drawings for all of these hunts will take place at noon, Saturday, Aug. 28, at the respective public area headquarters. Drawings for the other hunts will be held the day of the hunt at noon. Maps and details are available at wildohio.com. Questions about any of these hunts should be directed to the Division of Wildlife's Southwest District office at (937) 372-9261.
Canada geese may be hunted statewide Sept. 1-15, during the special early season, with a daily limit of four birds and possession limit of eight birds after the first day. The Mercer Goose Zone will not be open during the early Canada goose season.
Ohio realized a three percent increase this year in its resident breeding goose population, said Scott. That is slightly above the increase seen last year, he said.
The early teal hunting season will open Sept. 4 and end Sept. 19, with a daily bag limit of four birds and possession limit of eight after the first day.
Waterfowl hunters must have a valid hunting license in addition to a state wetlands habitat stamp endorsement, a federal duck stamp and a Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification. Anyone who intends to hunt migratory game birds must obtain a new HIP certification each year.
Sora rails, Virginia rails, and moorhens can be hunted Sept. 1 through Nov. 9, with a daily limit of 25 rails and 15 moorhens. Hunting season for snipe will be Sept. 1 through Nov. 28 and Dec. 6-23, with a daily bag limit of eight. The woodcock hunting season is open Oct. 9 through Nov. 22, with a daily bag limit of three birds and a possession limit of six birds.
Hunting hours during the seasons for rails, moorhens, snipe, woodcock, teal, doves and Canada geese are sunrise to sunset. The only exceptions will be on wildlife areas that have specially posted hunting times for doves.
The 2010-11 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations and the 2010 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons brochure can be found online at wildohio.com. The 2010 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons brochure will be available by late August at license outlets, Division of Wildlife district offices, or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.
Longer spring hours didn’t mean more dead turkeys
Athens, Ohio – Even though the spring turkey harvest was up this year over last, the increase can't be attributed to extended hunting hours over the final two weeks of the season, DNR Division of Wildlife biologists said.
Hunters checked 21,909 wild turkeys during Ohio's four-week, statewide season that ended May 16. The total represents nearly a 16 percent increase over last year's harvest number of 18,936, and this year's harvest was the second best on record. Only 2001 was a better season, one in which Ohio hunters killed more than 26,000 birds.
This was the first year in which hunters were permitted to hunt all day during the final two weeks of the season.
Yet, the harvest was evenly distributed over the entire season rather than being more heavily weighted toward the last two weeks, said Dave Scott, wildlife management administrator for the Division of Wildlife.
Yet, this year's experiment did suggest some hunter characteristics are at work.
"It showed there's a willingness to hunt in the afternoon," Scott said. "Our hunters are taking advantage of it to some degree."
The fact that hunters are willing to hunt later in the day, though, did not translate into more birds on the ground, said Mike Reynolds, a turkey biologist for the Division of Wildlife in Athens.
"The harvest was distributed throughout the four weeks of the season just the same as it has every other year in the past five seasons," he said. "What that indicates to me is that we didn't kill any extra birds during those last two weeks. We didn't change the distribution of the harvest."
What the change over the final two weeks did do, Reynolds said, is simply shift the harvest from the morning to the afternoon.
"When we looked specifically at those last two weeks we saw that about 25 percent of the birds in both the third and fourth weeks were killed in the afternoon," Reynolds said. "What that tells me is that hunters were more than willing to take advantage of afternoon hunting. But, in the grand scheme of things, it probably didn't result in any extra dead turkeys."
The time slot between 6 and 7 p.m. over the final two weeks showed that was the time when more turkeys were harvested, Reynolds said.
"So, it was right after you got off work," he said. "It wasn't right there in front of roost time, which was interesting to me. Sunset over those last two weeks was as late as 8:40 on some nights. Most of the harvest was right after work and then that roost period maybe guys decided we're going to leave them alone or it just wasn't a successful time to hunt."
Reynolds said he expects the regulation to stay the same over the next couple of years at least, allowing hunters to hunt all day over the last two weeks of the season. Expanding those hours over the full season isn't likely at least in the near future.
"I don't think anytime soon if ever that we're going to want to open it up any earlier than that based on nesting ecology of the hens," he said.
Poult production this year, meanwhile is looking better than last year, which was largely a failed hatch. The June poult production number showed two poults per hen, according to Reynolds. For the month of July, it was running about 2.4 poults per hen.
"We're ahead of last year," Reynolds said. "I'm not sure if it's the greatest hatch, but it looks better."
The long-term average over the past 10 years 2.5 to 3 poults per hen.
"Hopefully, we're going to see some carryover and there's still a good number of 2008 birds out there," Reynolds said. "So, there should be some good numbers of 3-year-old gobblers next spring in certain parts of southern Ohio. It should be another good kill next (spring)."
Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations Approved for 2010-11
COLUMBUS, OH – The proposal to eliminate requirement that hunters must first purchase a regular deer permit before purchasing antlerless deer permits was passed by the Ohio Wildlife Council at the April 7 meeting, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.
Also, hunters in nine northwest Ohio counties will be given a higher deer bag limit.
The change to the deer zones includes moving nine northwest Ohio counties from Deer Zone A to Zone B. The counties are Allen, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Lucas, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Williams.
Hunters can again buy antlerless deer permits at reduced prices for hunting in an urban zone, participating in a Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunt or hunting during the September 25 to November 28 portion of the deer season. The sale of reduced priced antlerless permits will cease after November 28, so hunters need to commit early to buying and using the extra reduced-cost permits to take full advantage of this opportunity. The deadline for using the antlerless permit will be extended to December 5 for those hunting in Deer Zone C. Cost of the antlerless deer permit remains $15.
The maximum number of deer that a hunter may take in Deer Zone A is two. Prior to November 29, hunters may take up to two deer in Zone A, one of which may be on a $15 antlerless deer permit. Beginning November 29, hunters may take only one deer in Zone A and antlerless permits may not be used.
The maximum number of deer that a hunter may take in Deer Zone B is four. Prior to November 29, hunters may take up to four deer in Zone B, two of which may be on $15 antlerless deer permits. Beginning November 29, hunters may take only two deer in Zone B and antlerless permits may not be used.
The maximum number of deer that a hunter may take in Deer Zone C is six. Prior to December 6, hunters may take up to six deer in Zone C, three of which may be on $15 antlerless deer permits. Beginning December 6, hunters may take only three deer in Zone C and antlerless permits may not be used.
Those hunting in urban zones and at Division of Wildlife-authorized controlled hunts will again have a six-deer bag limit, and those deer will not count against the hunter's zone bag limit.
Either a $15 antlerless deer permit and a valid hunting license or $24 deer permit and a valid hunting license are required to hunt deer in Ohio. A hunter may take only one antlered deer in Ohio, regardless of zone, hunting method or season.
2010-11 White-tailed Deer Seasons and Dates
Archery season – September 25 through February 6, 2011
Special area muzzleloader hunts – October 18-23
Youth deer-gun season – November 20-21
Statewide deer-gun season – November 29 through December 5 and December 18-19
Statewide muzzleloader season – January 8-11, 2011
During the December 18-19 portion of the deer-gun season, hunters will be allowed to hunt other legal game species in season as long as hunters meet specified requirements, such as the hunter orange requirement for deer-gun season.
During the 2009-2010 season hunters killed a total of 261,314 deer. Approximately 475,000 people hunt white-tailed deer in Ohio.
Hunting seasons for rabbit, pheasant, quail, squirrel, crow, and wild turkey were approved as proposed. So were trapping seasons for beaver, mink, muskrat, and river otter, along with the hunting and trapping seasons for beaver, fox, raccoon, skunk, and weasel.
2010-11 Hunting and /or Trapping Seasons and Dates
Squirrel – September 1 through January 31, 2011
Ruffed grouse – October 9 through January 31, 2011
Fall Wild Turkey – October 9 – November 28, in specified counties
Youth upland season – October 23 – 24 and October 30 – 31
Cottontail rabbit – November 5 through February 28, 2011
Ring-necked Pheasant – November 5 through January 9, 2011
Bobwhite Quail – November 5 – 28, in specified counties
Fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum, and weasel – November 10 through January 31, 2011
Mink and muskrat – November 10 through February 28, 2011
Mink, muskrat, raccoon, skunk, opossum, and weasel (Lake Erie Marsh area) – November 10 through March 15, 2011
Beaver – December 26 through February 28, 2011
River Otter – December 26 through February 28, 2011
Youth Spring Wild Turkey Season – April 16 and 17, 2011
Spring Wild Turkey – April 18, 2011 through May 15, 2011
Crow (Fri, Sat, Sun only) – June 4, 2010 through March 13, 2011 and June 3, 2011 through March 12, 2012
Coyote and woodchuck – No closed season
Rules and season dates for migratory birds including mourning dove, Canada goose, rail, moorhen, snipe, woodcock, and waterfowl hunting will be set in August, in compliance with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's 2010-11 framework.
All hunting and trapping season dates and rules can be found at wildohio.com.
Upcoming 2011 License Sales and Game Check System
Wild Ohio Customer Relationship Management System (WOCRMS)
Introduction
In 1999, the Ohio Division of Wildlife automated its hunting and fishing license sales system, known as “point-of-sale” or “P.O.S.” It was the Division’s first step into the world of electronic products and services delivery.
In 2004, the Division of Wildlife began offering licenses on the Internet, and followed up in 2005 by offering online controlled hunt submissions.
The Wild Ohio Customer Relationship Management System (WOCRMS) is the next step in the evolution of product and service delivery. WOCRMS will replace our existing point-of-sale license system once the new system in March 2011.
What is WOCRMS?
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) entails all aspects of interaction a company has with its customer, whether it be sales or service related.
WOCRMS will be the Division of Wildlife’s new CRM and will include Web-based license and game-check system. The Division is taking advantage of available technology in its continuing effort to better serve sportsmen and women. The new system will be convenient, cost-efficient, and user-friendly. Transactions will occur in real time, unlike our current point-of-sale system. As such, the Division would be better able to enforce laws and business rules. The Division of Wildlife is looking forward to, and is confident in, the successful implementation of this system.
Hunters and anglers will be able to purchase and print licenses and permits instantly via the Internet from home or at a license agent.
Deer and turkey hunters will be able to easily and conveniently check game on the Internet, over the phone, or at any license agent.
For the Division of Wildlife, WOCRMS is much more than a license system. WOCRMS will incorporate better management and integration of all aspects of interaction the Division has with each customer, whether it be sales or service related, into a single customer account. Customers will have the ability to manage their own account on the Internet using secured access to WOCRMS (see figure 1).
This licensing and game-check system will strengthen and enhance the Division’s fish and wildlife management practices. Sound wildlife management ensures healthy, sustainable wildlife populations for the benefit of hunters, anglers and trappers.
Benefits of the New System
* License sales and game-check transactions will be performed in real time and be available on the Web during holidays and before or after license agent business hours.
* The system will offer one-stop shopping for licenses, stamps, and hunter education courses from the convenience of home via the Internet.
* No longer will hunters have to take their harvest to a check station for physical inspection.
* Will save hunters and anglers on fuel costs, time, and frustrations with closed license sales outlets/check stations, which equates to more time in the field.
* Helps to ensure customers are properly licensed.
* The system will not sell to those under license suspension or other restrictions.
* Will allow biologists and law enforcement to electronically gather data to manage wildlife and enforce Ohio’s hunting regulations.
Update
-On October 1, 2010, about 60 to 75 license agents will begin using the new license sales system as part of a pilot test. Some hunters and anglers will see that their licenses look and feel a bit different, but they function the same way a traditional license does. Get more information on the pilot project.
-A preview of the online license sales system appearance and function is available.
-The Division of Wildlife has entered into a contract with The Active Network, Inc. to build and implement a Web-based license sales and game check system. The new system will replace the existing hunting, fishing and trapping license/permit sales system on March 1, 2011.
The Active Network is the largest global provider of integrated technology solutions, marketing services and online media properties that encourage and enable participation in activities and events. The Active Network is either maintaining or developing automated hunting and fishing licenses systems for 26 states.
Controlled Trapping Opportunities for Beaver and River Otter on Publicly Managed Lands
Filed Under : News by bestdeer
Controlled Trapping Opportunities for Beaver and River Otter on Publicly Managed Lands
Controlled Trapping Opportunities for Beaver and River Otter
on Publicly Managed Lands
On-line application period will be open from September 15 to October 15
COLUMBUS, OH – Beaver and river otter trapping on public land will still require a special permit, but the method of acquiring the permit and permission to trap a particular public land area for beaver and river otters has changed, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.
For the 2010-11 trapping season, controlled beaver and/or river otter trapping opportunities on 73 wildlife areas, state parks and other publicly managed lands statewide will be awarded through a new system of computer-generated random drawings, similar to the system used currently for controlled waterfowl and deer hunts in Ohio.
The application period will be September 15 through October 15. Applications will be accepted online only; there is a $3 charge associated with applying for each public land area or group of areas as will be noted on the application form. In most areas, permits will allow beaver and river otter trapping (in counties currently open to otter trapping); however, some permits may be limited to beaver trapping only.
Drawing results will be available in late October at wildohio.com, with permits and instructions being mailed in November to successful applicants. All controlled trapping permits will be transferable; they will be issued to an adult trapper with instructions for use of the permit on a particular public land area.
This revised system for awarding controlled beaver and/or river otter trapping opportunities on select public lands in Ohio will allow area managers to set specific limits and restrictions based on the trapping opportunities and needs for their areas.
“Our mission is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats, while promoting their use and appreciation by the public,” said Suzie Prange, furbearer biologist for the Division of Wildlife. “We feel providing fewer trapping restrictions, where warranted, will allow us to better manage beaver populations and provide a more fair system for all trappers with an interest in these recreational opportunities.”
For the wildlife refuge portions of Killbuck Marsh and Mosquito Creek wildlife areas, the current system will not change – they are not part of the online lottery system – instead, sealed bids will be accepted in September for all furbearer trapping opportunities at these areas.
For official bid proposal forms and other information, contact the Division of Wildlife District 3 Office in early September at (330) 644-2293. Also, beaver trapping within American Electric Power’s recreation area, known as ReCreation Land, Avondale Wildlife Area, and Conesville Coal Lands will continue to require a special beaver trapping permit which is in addition to the normal user’s permit. This special beaver trapping permit is issued from the AEP Land Management office in McConnelsville, Ohio.
For more specific information, please visit wildohio.com or call your nearest Wildlife district office.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Suzie Prange, ODNR Division of Wildlife
740. 589. 9930
Gary Ludwig, ODNR Division of Wildlife, Central Ohio
614. 644. 3925
Scott Butterworth, ODNR Division of Wildlife, Northwest Ohio
419. 424. 5000
Dan Kramer, ODNR Division of Wildlife, Northeast Ohio
330. 644. 2293
Jim Hill, ODNR Division of Wildlife, Southeast Ohio
740. 589. 9930
Dave Kohler, ODNR Division of Wildlife, Southwest Ohio
937. 372. 9261
Brought to you by www.bestdeerhuntohio.com Brought to you by www.bestdeerhuntohio.com
|
Hunters Bag Rare Two-Headed Deer
Bill and Steve were putting up a deer blind in a new location on their ranch near Rock Springs, Texas. They were in a draw coming out of a dry washout. The white tail deer were right in the middle of rutting season and the bucks were running, trailing does and fighting everywhere.
While standing up the blind, they heard a loud racket coming down the side of a small mountain. They watched in amazement as what appeared to be two deer coming down the hill fighting and sliding downward. They were busting up the cedars and started a small rock slide as they were locked in a right circle looking like a brown tornado.
The men could not believe what they were seeing. At first they thought it was two bucks fighting each other as they came through the brush. The deer finally stopped to rest and stuck their heads out, one on each side of the cedar.
Bill had his 7mm magnum with him, saw it was at least a 10 point buck, and took a shot at it. Meanwhile, Steve Jr. shot the 8 point looking out of the other side of the cedar with his .270. The bucks ran about 20 yards and collapsed into a mesquite tree.
The men walked up and could not believe what they were looking at. For the first time these two experienced hunters were speechless.
What they saw was a two headed deer. The deer has 11 points on one head and 8 points on the other head, at the opposite end o the deer. They took the unusual deer to the game wardens and they too were dumbfounded by what they saw. Biologists were notified and they too were astounded by this strange animal. The state experts finally announced that the scientific name of this animal is Odocoileus virginianus with the condition o bicephaly.
They said a two headed deer is born once in every 1.2 million, but is usually dead at birth. For one to live two or three days is one in every 230 million. There have been only 6 deer ever recorded to have survived to maturity – including this one. This two headed deer was taken to Del Rio, Texas for further testing.
As the biologists examined the deer carcass, they discovered that the intestinal tract came out below the head of the 8 point with the sex organs below that. Both heads had a brain, but the brain in the 11 point was in conrol. The 8 point head was where the tail was supposed to be. It was connected directly to the spinal cord with no neck. It did not feed or drink rom that end, but the buck's eyes on both ends appeared to be working. The mouth of the 8 point did not work and had only 2 teeth and no tongue. The deer was estimated to be 5 1/2 years old. It had been actively trying to breed as there were broken tines and signs of fighting, missing hair and scars all over the body. The 11 point "thinking side" had a swollen neck consistent with a rutting buck. The biologists said after a preliminary examination that the buck apparently had the capability of breeding. All of his sexual organs were intact and in working order.
The game wardens said under the current Texas rules that these two men should have put a deer tag on each set of antlers. But, as this has never occurred before in their lifetime, they agreed to reduce the fine by one-hal.
The 8 point end of the buck had been shot twice beore behind the front shoulder, but as there were no vitals behind the shoulders, the holes had healed up maybe as much as two years earlier.
A rancher in that area said that last year one of his ranch hands came and told him that he saw a 2 headed deer about 3 miles from where Bill shot this one. The rancher said the ranch hand was known as something of a drinker and "pot head", so the rancher ignored him even though the ranch hand swore it was true.
He said the ranch hand has continued to tell the same story for the last two years with no variation.
State wildlife biologists will have the deer until may or JUne when they will return it to Bill so he can make a full body mount of this animal. bill intends to put it on display so everyone can see it.
Bill and Steve do not wish to give their last name and they do not want to be bothered until they get their deer back.
|
The snow storm blanketing northeast Ohio had many vehicles sliding off the roadways on Friday. But in central Pennsylvania they do not need a tow truck to help get cars or trucks out of the snow.
The snow storm blanketing northeast Ohio had many vehicles sliding off the roadways on Friday. But in central Pennsylvania they do not need a tow truck to help get cars or trucks out of the snow.
Fox 8 viewer Joel Appleman shared this video of a team of Amish horses pulling a semi-milk truck out of a ditch.
-
-
Website maintained and hosted by
Golden Star Hosting
© 2011 All rights reserved.