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State wildlife officials seek input on small game, fowl
KEITH ARNOLD
Special to the Legal News
Published: January 27, 2020
The Ohio Wildlife Council last week received proposals for upcoming hunting seasons for small game and migratory birds here in the Buckeye State.
The council seeks comment from Ohioans through the first week of March, officials from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife said.
Included among the proposals are several changes recommended to increase hunting opportunities statewide.
"The proposed hunting season recommendations are developed by Division of Wildlife biologists and combine public input with the best species population science available," division Chief Kendra Wecker said in a prepared statement. "Population safeguards are designed to support the important activities of hunting and trapping while sustaining Ohio's wildlife.
"We are proud to continue serving all Ohioans and look forward to another bountiful year for sportsmen and women."
A change from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to provide additional waterfowl hunting days to members of the U.S. Armed Forces. It has been proposed to permit active military and veterans to hunt during the two-day youth waterfowl season, Oct. 3-4.
The opening date for waterfowl hunting in the north zone was proposed to start a week later, Oct. 24, allowing for more November hunting days later in the season, wildlife officials said.
It also was proposed to reduce the daily bag limit for scaup to one bird during the first 15 days of the season and two birds during the last 45 days of the season in the south zone, north zone, and Lake Erie marsh zone, as required in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service season framework.
New proposals include opening the 2021 spring turkey season on Saturday rather than Monday in both the south zone and northeast zone. The proposal was designed to provide two additional weekend days for wild turkey hunters. The south zone opening date was proposed for April 24, 2021, and the northeast zone opening date was proposed for May 1, 2021. The 2021 youth turkey hunting season dates were proposed for April 17 and 18, statewide.
New proposals also include requiring a fur taker permit for coyote hunting and trapping and adding coyote to the furbearer trapping season.
Officials said the proposal was made to better align with other furbearer hunting and trapping regulations and is expected to ensure proper training will be completed prior to trapping coyote by requiring the fulfillment of a trapper education course.
Ohio resident landowners are not required to have a hunting license or fur taker permit when hunting or trapping on land they own, a press release noted.
It was further proposed to close quail hunting on all state-owned or controlled public hunting areas, except for Tri-Valley Wildlife Area and controlled hunts on Crown City Wildlife Area. The quail bag limit was proposed to be reduced to two birds. Ruffed grouse hunting dates were proposed to be shortened from Oct. 10 to Nov. 29 on state-owned or controlled public hunting areas, and from Oct. 10 to Jan. 1, 2021, on private land. The ruffed grouse bag limit was proposed to be reduced to one bird.
Quail and ruffed grouse regulations were proposed to better conserve the current population of birds that have been in decline for several years.
Proposals concerning Ohio's white-tailed deer hunting seasons are to be presented at the next Ohio Wildlife Council meeting, scheduled next month.
A complete list of proposed hunting season dates for 2020-2021 are available at wildohio.gov, natural resources officials said.
Wildlife officials encourage Ohioans to provide comments on the proposed rule changes, inviting them to do in person or online.
In-person comments may be submitted during the weeklong open house period from March 2-6 at any Division of Wildlife district office, while online submissions can be made at wildohio.gov beginning Feb. 21.
A statewide hearing on all proposed rules will be held 9 a.m. March 25 at the division's District 1 office, located at 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus.
The Ohio Wildlife Council is an eight-member board that approves all Ohio Division of Wildlife proposed rules and regulations. Meetings are open to the public.
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