For success in the fall, Ohio's hunters need to take steps now
Summer marks a lull for hunters in Ohio, but the arrival of July sounds one potential call to action.
The sighting last weekend of a Holmes County buck with good-sized antlers covered in velvet offered a reminder that summer scouting can lead to trophy hunting come fall. The sighting also served as a reminder that, planted on private land, the buck is likely to be pursued by only a handful of select hunters, if that, this autumn.
Access to huntable terrain is a problem for most of those without property of their own, so slots for controlled hunts on public land draw considerable interest – especially considering there are a substantial number of deer and other game at some of the sites.
This month, the Ohio Division of Wildlife is accepting applications through Ohio’s wildlife licensing system at wildohio.gov for a range of 2022-23 hunts, involving not only deer but waterfowl, dove, pheasant, squirrel and quail.
Applications for a number of archery or gun hunts can be submitted through July 31 for a non-refundable $3 each. Applications can be submitted by phone at 800-703-1928 for an additional service fee.
Slots will then be determined by lottery in early August from the eligible applicants.
Applicants are required to have a valid hunting license and, in the case of whitetail hunts, a deer permit. There are additional site-specific rules.
Slots for archery deer hunts in or near central Ohio will be available at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area in Wyandot County and at Deer Creek State Park in Pickaway and Fayette counties. An adult and separate youth hunt are also listed at Deer Creek.
Deer firearms hunts are scheduled at Killdeer Plains, Urbana Wildlife Area in Champaign County and Hebron State Fish Hatchery in Licking County. Youth hunts will take place at Killdeer and Hebron. A mentor hunt and a hunt for the mobility impaired will be held at Killdeer.
Information is expected to be released later this summer about additional controlled hunts for deer.
Hebron will be one of the sites for controlled waterfowl hunts. Among the 42 scheduled statewide are those in September during teal and early goose seasons at Deer Creek State Park, Killdeer Plains and Indian Lake State Park in Logan County, and youth hunts at Hebron and Killdeer Plains.
Lotteries will be held for waterfowl blinds at 19 sites, including Alum Creek State Park, Buckeye Lake State Park, A.W. Marion State Park in Pickaway County, Deer Creek State Park, Delaware State Park and Indian Lake.
A total of 15 dove hunts will include ones at Indian Lake, Charles O. Trump Wildlife Area in Pickaway County, Delaware Wildlife Area, Big Island Wildlife Area in Marion County and Urbana Wildlife Area.
Pheasant hunts are scheduled at Killdeer Plains, Kokosing Wildlife Area in Knox County and Urbana.
Parting shots
Jade Heizer, a 2017 Ohio State graduate and a 2020 Wildlife Officer Academy grad, has replaced Tony Zerkle as the wildlife officer for Fairfield County. The slot opened when Zerkle was promoted to supervisor. … A total of 6,898 acres have been added to the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area in southeast Ohio, increasing the area’s size to 54,525 acres open to hunting, fishing, hiking and other outdoor activities. … The state has been waging an ongoing battle with choking aquatic vegetation at Indian Lake.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio hunters can enter lottery to hunt on public land in July
