When we think of mentored hunting, we often imagine a father and young son or daughter heading out into the woods for a first experience. That’s not always the case, though. Adults sometimes need men- tored, too. Gus Musisca of Starks County, OH, is a lifelong fisherman, but only recently did he start hunting. “I started hunting about 7 years ago,” says Musisca. “I’m 54 now. Usually any time my friends went hunting, I went fishing instead. Now I like getting out in the woods, too, be- cause it’s so peaceful and quiet.” The transition to hunting was influ- enced by several people in Musisca’s life, primarily his cousin David Craw- ford and friend Roger Pound. “He came to us thinking shotguns couldn’t shoot farther than 40 yards and bows couldn’t kill deer passed 20 yards,” says Pound. “Now he can shoot, track, and he’s a lean, mean killing machine. I’m so proud of him.” Of course, there’s reason to be proud. On October 19, 2015, Musisca killed his first Ohio buck, a 135-inch whitetail with a crossbow on Pound’s property in Columbiana County. It was only his sec- ond buck ever, the first taken on a hunt- ing trip in Tennessee a few years earlier. By far, though, this buck is his best and hard earned. That morning, Musisca was supposed to meet a friend at 4:30 a.m. to go hunt- ing, but the friend didn’t show up. For- tunately, Musisca didn’t let that stop him. It was a cold, crisp morning with temperatures hovering around 24 de- grees. Although several deer snorted at him on his way to the stand, Musisca took it slow and “walked like a deer” the way his friends had shown him. “I took three steps at a time and paused a lot,” says Musisca. “It took me 45 minutes to walk in to the blind about three quarters of a mile from the truck. There were deer all over the place that morning.” Prior to joining up with Crawford and Pound, Musisca says he never realized how much strategy actually goes into hunting. Fortunately he had friends who were also willing to mentor. “Up until three years ago he was hunt- ing the Ohio AEP lands in southern Ohio for deer without anyone showing him how to do it right,” says Pound. “He got into his treestand, got out, and that was about it for years.” Eventually Musisca would learn all about what it takes to be Outdoor Walleye Hatch Index Story inside page 13 November 2015 FREE! Ohio Valley PROMISING BEAR SEASON AWAITS - P.11 Hunters, Mentors, and Big Bucks Turn To Hunters Page 4 Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of Gus Musisca Gus Musisca is shown with his biggest buck to date, a nice 9-point, taken on a friends farm in Columbiana County, OH. Times By Ralph Scherder Hunting Editor OV Outdoor Times
Transcript
When we think ofmentored hunting,we often imagine afather and young sonor daughter headingout into the woodsfor a first experience.That’s not always thecase, though. Adultssometimes need men-tored, too.Gus Musisca ofStarks County, OH, is alifelong fisherman, but only recently didhe start hunting. “I started hunting about7 years ago,” says Musisca. “I’m 54now. Usually any time my friends wenthunting, I went fishing instead. Now Ilike getting out in the woods, too, be-cause it’s so peaceful and quiet.”The transition to hunting was influ-enced by several people in Musisca’slife, primarily his cousin David Craw-ford and friend Roger Pound. “He cameto us thinking shotguns couldn’t shootfarther than 40 yards and bows couldn’tkill deer passed 20 yards,” says Pound.“Now he can shoot, track, and he’s alean, mean killing machine. I’m so
proud of him.”Of course, there’s reason to be proud.On October 19, 2015, Musisca killed hisfirst Ohio buck, a 135-inch whitetailwith a crossbow on Pound’s property inColumbiana County. It was only his sec-ond buck ever, the first taken on a hunt-ing trip in Tennessee a few years earlier.By far, though, this buck is his best andhard earned.That morning, Musisca was supposedto meet a friend at 4:30 a.m. to go hunt-ing, but the friend didn’t show up. For-tunately, Musisca didn’t let that stophim. It was a cold, crisp morning withtemperatures hovering around 24 de-grees. Although several deer snorted athim on his way to the stand, Musiscatook it slow and “walked like a deer” theway his friends had shown him. “I tookthree steps at a time and paused a lot,”says Musisca. “It took me 45 minutes towalk in to the blind about three quartersof a mile from the truck. There weredeer all over the place that morning.”Prior to joining up with Crawford andPound, Musisca says he never realizedhow much strategy actually goes intohunting. Fortunately he had friends whowere also willing to mentor.“Up until three years ago he was hunt-ing the OhioAEP lands in southern Ohiofor deer without anyone showing himhow to do it right,” says Pound. “He gotinto his treestand, got out, and that wasabout it for years.” Eventually Musiscawould learn all about what it takes to be
OutdoorWalleyeHatch IndexStory inside page 13 November 2015
FREE!Ohio ValleyPROMISING BEAR SEASON AWAITS - P.11
Hunters,Mentors,and Big Bucks
Turn To Hunters Page 4Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of Gus Musisca
Gus Musisca is shown with his biggest buck to date, a nice 9-point,taken on a friends farm in Columbiana County, OH.
Times
By Ralph ScherderHunting Editor
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES2 November 2015
Chris Snoderly is adedicated bowhunter.He’s also a proud fa-ther. Recently hisyoungest daughter,Emily, made him veryproud. It was the 10-year-old’s first ‘offi-cial’ hunting trip andshe was able to comehome with two nice tro-phies — a pair of squirrels.As a proud father Chris Snoderly shared
a nice photograph of Emily’s squirrels. Thephoto appears in this edition, on Page 7. Itwill also make a future issue of Ohio Val-ley Outdoors magazine, in our TrophyShowcase pages.Those squirrels, and the hunt, apparently
was enough to ‘hook’ Emily into the sportof hunting. Chris said his daughter has al-ready asked him “when they can go hunt-ing again”.Chris said squirrel hunting is a great way
to introduce kids to the outdoors. His old-est daughter, Anna, also was introduced tohunting by plucking squirrels from treesnear their home in Brooke County, WestVirginia.Anna is 13-years-old and recentlyharvested a nice 22-lb turkey (photos tocome of that one).Chris said Emily claimed the two squir-
rels with a .410 shotgun. “She only weighs60 pounds,” he said.Chris also spends time in the summer
fishing with his daughters.Sportsmen’s Alliance, based in Colum-
bus, OH, recently ran a feature article in itsmonthly newsletter on the topic of takingkids hunting. The article is called, ‘10Commandments on Taking Kids Hunting’.The entire article, written by Sean Curran,
can be found on their website:www.sportsmensalliance.org.The article begins with a very good mes-
sage. One we should all try to live by, andfollow through with. It states, “Getting thenext generation of hunters into the fieldshould be a priority this season for eachand every sportsman… It’s an investmentin the future of our outdoor pursuits, andyou’ll find out it’s even more rewardingthat you can imagine.”Curran offers a pretty good list of things
you should consider when taking kidsafield.We may all not agree on the order inwhich he lists the “commandments”, butmost should agree, it’s a very good list.First off on the list; Curran mentions
“safety”. That’s a good place to start.Being safe in the woods must be stressedto everyone, especially kids. Kids are in-fluenced at an early age, so safety is a keyelement.Number two on the list is: “Make it
Fun”. Two key points here are — 1. Don’tpressure kids into situations because ofyour own drive. 2. Let them progress attheir own pace and they’ll take ownershipof the situation.Number three mentions “Weather”.
“Take kids out in pleasant conditions,”says Curran. Good point. You want kids tobe comfortable. It will be easier to stay fo-cused.“Patience” is number four on the list.
“Don’t lose it,” says Curran. “Find ways toguide their energy while creating teachingmoments.” And maybe bring along a birdidentification book to ID birds you seewhile afield.Number five is “Snacks”. That’s always
a good one, in most situations. And don’t
5 PA Hunters Remindedto Report Harvest
PAGC
6 Fishing for RiverChannel Cats
Jeff Knapp
8 WVDNR OffersTreestand Safety Tips
WVDNR
8 Reporting HuntingViolations in WV
WVDNR
10 Early Fall ArcheryHarvest is Up in WV
WVDNR
11 Promising BearSeason Awaits in PA
PAGC
12 CWD Rules toExpand in PA
PAGC
13 Walleye Hatch Indexis Best in 12 Years
INSIDE THIS MONTH
15 Reaching Out to the Next Generation
Turkey Shoots - Each Sunday 10 a.m. Nov. 15-Dec. 13 at Chester-Newell Sportsmen Club on GasValley Road (behind Green Valley Dairy), Hookstown, PA. Reg. shoots $3, money shoots $5. Forinfo. call 304-383-1886 or 304-374-5587.Turkey Shoots - Each Sunday 1 p.m. Nov. 15 & Nov. 22 at Lake Milton Fish and Game Club4374 Bedell Rd., Berlin Center, OH 44401. Cost $2 round. Call Ron at 330-348-4020. Website:www.lakemiltonifishandgame.com.Public Trap Shoot - Nov. 15, 22, 29; 11 a.m. each Sunday at Columbiana County Fish and GameAssociation; 45716 Middle Beaver Rd, Lisbon, OH 44432. Visit website: columbianacountyfis-handgame.com.Indoor .22/Air Rifle Shooting - Range open to public each Weds, Nov. 18, 25. (6 p.m., Sun. 11am.) and Indoor Pistol Shooting - each Fri. (7-10 p.m.) Oct. 2-April 26, 2016. All calibers exceptmag loads. At Columbiana County Fish and Game Association; 45716 Middle Beaver Rd, Lisbon,OH 44432. Visit website: columbianacountyfishandgame.com.
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES4 November 2015
successful in the deer woods.“The first time I went hunting these
guys,” says Musisca, “I was freezing mytail off. Buddies gave me a shotgun andI was about ready to call it quits when abunch of does came over the hill and Ishot one. After that I went to Tennesseeand killed my first buck with a rifle.”And slowly but surely Musisca has im-proved his skills as a hunter.The blind Musisca climbed into the
morning of October 19 was positioned ina perfect location at the edge of a wheyfield and across from a soybean field.He’d hunted from the blind several timesalready and had seen a number of smallbucks but no shooters.A little after seven, Musisca spotted a
buck coming up a little hill to his rightabout 30 yards away. The buck waswalking in the same way Musisca had,but it never sensed any danger. After afew minutes of watching and waiting forthe deer to offer a shot, Musisca got hischance.“The buck was on his way to bed in a
patch of woods across the field wheresome does were bedding. He was about20 yards away when I shot and he neverknew what hit him,” Musisca says. “Thedeer ran toward the trees about 60 yardsaway and I lost sight of it. The arrowwent through so fast I didn’t even have ablood trail.”As it turned out, Musisca didn’t need
one. Even still, as Pound and Crawfordhad taught him, Musisca marked the di-rection the deer had gone and calledthem to come help him track.“We got up there about 45 minutes
later,” says Pound, “but there really was-n’t any need to track. The deer was rightthere at the treeline. It had fallen just outof sight of the blind.”The buck was a 9-point with a 17-inch
spread and 8½-inch G-2s. Prior to thatmorning, none of their crew had seenthis buck, which they estimated to be sixto seven years old. “Its teeth were prettyworn down,” says Pound. “Also, itsneck was already really swollen. Seemslike the rut started early this year. Threedays earlier there were no scrapes alongthat timbered area, but all of a sudden thearea was all torn up and Gus got thisdeer.”About hunting, Musisca says, “I’m a
lineman for a cable company. I deal withpeople all day long in their houses.Hunting is my escape, and even if youdon’t see anything, it’s still a good day.”Pound says it best, though. “I love it
when you take someone who loves tohunt, but they’ve never been shown theright way to do it, and you teach themand they excel. Gus has come a longway in three years. My button’s werejust popping I was so proud of him forgetting this buck. For the years he’s putin, he deserves every bit of it.”
Hunters From Page 1
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV —“The 2016 is now available for every-one to enjoy,” according to Paul R. Jo-hansen, chief of the Division of NaturalResources Wildlife Resources Section.The cover of this award-winning wall
calendar features a painting of two maleturkeys in the snow. Paintings by WestVirginia artists include a groundhog, abeagle with cottontail rabbit, a malebrook trout, a springer spaniel and ruffedgrouse, an opossum, a pair of coyotes,red fox kits and a green darner dragonfly.Additional wildlife species featured in-clude a Baltimore oriole, a mother blackbear with cubs, and a snowy owl.Accompanying each painting is a brief
description of the featured animal andthe artist’s contact information. Featurearticles in the back of the calendar high-light lichens and the new electronicgame check system, along with a com-pilation of nature quotes accompaniedby photos.“The calendar is full of interesting
daily facts, best fishing days andmonthly tips to help you fully enjoy theoutdoors,” Johansen said. “Its $10 pricetag makes it a terrific bargain and a greatholiday gift.”Proceeds from the calendar sales help
fund projects of the DNR Wildlife Di-versity Program such as monitoring birdpopulations, developing educationalwildlife trunks for use in schools, andprinting of publications about wildlifespecies which are not hunted, trapped orfished.The 2016 West Virginia Wildlife Cal-
endar is available at DNR district of-fices, card stores, convenience and drugstores throughout the state, or throughthe West Virginia DNR Wildlife Re-sources Section, P.O. Box 67, Elkins,WV 26241; phone: 304-637-0245.If buying the calendar through the
mail, make checks payable to in theamount of $16.50 for each calendar,which includes shipping and handling(West Virginia residents add $.60 tax.
2016 WV Wildlife Calendars are Available
HARRISBURG, PA— In Pennsylva-nia, each hunter who harvests a deer orturkey has a legal obligation to report itwithin 10 days.And hunters are advised they must
have a number printed only on the har-vest ear tag in order to completeantlered-deer harvest reports by phone.Reporting by phone is one of three op-
tions for successful deer and turkeyhunters. Deer and turkey harvests alsomay be reported online or by mail.The toll-free phone system, which can
be accessed by dialing 1-855-PAHUNT1 (1-855-724-8681), requireshunters to enter the “tag number” whenreporting antlered-deer harvests. Forantlered deer, the tag number is foundonly on the harvest ear tag, and nowhereelse on the general license.For all other deer and turkey licenses
the tag number appears on the carcasstag as well as the license panel itself.For hunters who process their own
deer, this likely poses no issue since thetag stays with the hunter. But for hunterswho drop a tagged antlered deer off at abutcher shop, it could be problematic,because the tag number is required by
the harvest-report phone system, andthat number appears only on the ear tag.Hunters who harvest bucks and intend
to report them by phone should writedown the tag number before taking anantlered deer to a processor or disposingof the head and hide.Along with this tag number, hunters
reporting by phone also should have onhand their licenses and other informa-tion about the animal, such as the num-ber of points on a buck’s rack or thelength of a turkey’s beard, when placingthe call.Hunters who are unable to complete
harvest reports by phone have other op-tions.To report harvests online, visit the
Game Commission’s website, and clickon the “Report Your Harvest” buttonfound near the top right side of thehomepage. Have your hunting licensenumber and harvest tags ready.Hunters with multiple tags also should
make certain they correctly report theharvest based on the tag that was used inthe field.This also is true for harvests reported
by mail.
Each hunter, at the time he or she pur-chases a license, is issued the currentedition of the Pennsylvania Hunting &Trapping Digest. The digest containspostage-paid postcards to report deerand turkey harvests, and these can befilled out by hand and mailed in.While licensed hunters have 10 days
to report deer and turkey harvests, men-tored youth and mentored adult huntersmust report their harvests within fivedays.In addition to deer and turkey har-
vests, harvests of fishers and bobcatsmust be reported to the Game Commis-sion within 48 hours, and otter harvestsmust be reported within 24 hours.Bear and elk harvests must be re-
ported at a Game Commission checkstation.By reporting their harvests, Pennsyl-
vania’s hunters help to provide the bestinformation possible to aid the GameCommission in managing the state’swildlife, said Game Commission Exec-utive Director R. Matthew Hough.“Deer and turkey harvests are among
those that are required by law to be re-ported,” Hough said. “But huntersshould know that, by reporting harvests,they’re not only fulfilling their legal ob-ligation, they’re also providing valuable
information that will aid the Game Com-mission in making future managementdecisions.“Every time a hunter or trapper reports
a harvest, wildlife management in Penn-sylvania improves,” Hough said. “And Ithank them all for their effort.”
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 5November 2015
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XENIA, OH – Outdoors enthusiastsinterested in learning the basics of pres-sure canning venison are encouraged toattend a free informational workshopprovided by the Ohio Department ofNatural Resources (ODNR) Division ofWildlife on November 24, 2015.Trained professionals will cover topicsincluding venison preparation, pressurecanning and canning equipment.The workshop will be held from 6-9
p.m. All venison and equipment will besupplied. The workshop is free ofcharge by pre-registration is required asspace is limited to 15 participants. Nowalk-ins will be admitted. Register bycalling at 937-372-9261, or email [email protected]. Visit theODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
We hadn’t beenanchored for morethan a couple min-utes when the tip ofone of the rods sta-tioned at the back ofRod Bates’ boatbegan to dance. Isomewhat clumsilyremoved the rodfrom its holder andset the hook. A shorttime later a citation-sized channel catwas securely in the net.I was fishing the lower Susquehanna
River, not far downstream of Three MileIsland, with Rod Bates, owner ofKoinonia Guide Service. A few falls agoI’d joined Bates for a fantastic morningof flathead catfish action, when we’dboated several fish in excess of 30pounds. So when the opportunity pre-sented itself to join him for an outing di-rected toward channel cats I jumped onit.“Channel cats are a great resource,”
Bate noted. “They bite when it’s hot out
and when it’s cold. When the river ishigh and muddy, when it’s low andclear.”As a guide, Bates has found channel
cats to be a reliable species, particularlysince the Susquehanna’s world classsmallmouth bass fishery has been de-clining during the past decade. Channelcats not only give anglers plenty of ac-tion, since they are abundant clients cango home with fish for the pan.In addition to being plentiful and rel-
atively easy to catch, Bates appreciatesthe simplicity with which they can betaken.“You don’t need a lot of specialized
gear,” he stated. “The same gear thatworks for bass is ideal for channel cats.And you don’t need to collect live bait,as you do for flathead catfish.”During my time on the water with
Bates, the clinic he provided reinforcedhis claims. In terms of bait, all we usedwas Team Catfish Sudden Impact FiberBait. It’s a relatively viscous concoctionthat’s packed in a pail. Baiting up waseasy – simply use a spatula-like device to place a gob of the stuff within a treble
hook. And though it might be best not to
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES6 November 2015
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353 Smokey Lane Rd. NWSugarcreek, Ohio 44681CALL FOR A FREE CATALOGMon-Fri 8-5, Sat 9-12
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Jeff KnappRod Bates displays a nice Susquehanna River channel cat during a recent fishing trip.
By Jeff KnappFishing Editor
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Turn To Fall Fishing Page 7
Fall Fishing for River Channel Cats
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — AsWest Virginia’s hunters take to the field,they gain more than just an enjoyableday with family and friends. Many willsuccessfully harvest a deer and fill theirfreezer with an ample amount of “heart-healthy” venison (deer meat).“Venison is an excellent alternative to
beef for those concerned with healthierchoices in their diet,” said Paul Jo-hansen, chief of the West Virginia Divi-sion of Natural Resources WildlifeResources Section (DNR). “Venison is agood source of protein for many WestVirginia families and has fewer caloriesand less fat than an equivalent serving ofbeef.”After the harvest, hunters can ensure
their selected venison cuts will be thebest quality and flavor if they take a fewsimple steps in caring for their game.Meat should not be exposed to excessivedirt or moisture and should be cooled asquickly as possible to avoid spoilage.Hunters are not the only West Virgini-
ans who benefit from deer harvested inthe state. Over the past two decades, theDNR has sponsored the Hunters Helpingthe Hungry (HHH) program. Since its
inception in 1992,generous huntersand financial con-tributors have en-abled theprocessing of thishighly nutritiousmeat which hasprovided morethan 1.1 millionmeals for needyWest Virginia fam-ilies. Visit for in-formation aboutHunters Helpingthe Hungry.
For more information about the HHHprogram or West Virginia’s various deerhunting seasons and regulations, consultthe available at all DNR offices and li-cense agents or visit the DNR website at.Reminder: Hunters should get their
permanent DNR ID number prior to thehunting seasons at wvhunt.com, a DNRoffice or at any license agent, so theywill be ready to check in their animalwith the new electronic game checkingsystem.
Venison is Excellent Low-fat Alternative to Beef
Ohio Valley Outdoors -Photo courtesy of
WV Dept. of CommerceOver the past two
decades, theWVDNR has spon-sored the Hunters
Helping the Hungry(HHH) program.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 7November 2015
How to Contact US
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR• E-mail: [email protected]• Write: “Dear OVTimes” at Ohio Valley Outdoor Times: 210 E. 4th Street,East Liverpool, Ohio 43920
• Please include your full name, address and phone number. Letters may beedited for clarity and space.
ADVERTISING• E-mail: [email protected]• Phone: 330-385-2243• Fax: 330-385-7114• Write: advertising at Ohio Valley Outdoor Times:210 E. 4th Street, East Liverpool, Ohio 43920
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of Chris SnoderlyEmily Snoderly, age 10 of Brooke County, WV harvested two nice squirrels recently.
know what it’s made of – and I suspectthe maker wouldn’t be anxious to giveaway the formula – it wasn’t overlysmelly or nasty.In terms of terminal rigging a short
(one to three foot) leader was con-structed of the same 17 pound test BassPro Shops XPS fluorocarbon line he usesas his regular running line. A barrelswivel was used to connect the leaderand line. Above the leader an egg sinkerwas slid up the line, and then a “sinkerbumper” that protected the knot from thesinker. The pool we fished was fairlyshallow – three to four feet deep. So weused a light egg sinker, about a quarterounce. Deeper water and/or strongercurrent would have required a heaviersinker. On the business end of the leaderwent a size 4 or 6 treble hook.On the back of Bates’ boat was an alu-
minum rod rack that spanned the widthof the boat. The rack held multiple rodholders, so several rods could be fishedout the back with minimal tangling. Weused four rods – Bass Pro Shops JohnnyMorris 7-foot medium heavy castingrods – coupled with appropriate low pro-file casting reels.During the oh-too-short evening that I
fished with Bates the action was consis-tent. Every few minutes a rod would getactive, and he would help coach me onthe proper way to test to see if the fork-tail was still there, a method somewhatdifferent from my bass/walleye fishingbackground. Despite my missing a fewopportunities we boated at least 10 chan-nel cats up to 25 inches. Most were inthe 16 to 18 inch range.All the action came from one pool.
When we initially pulled up to the spotwe anchored at the head of the pool inwater around a foot deep. Casts weremade directly downstream, spaced at theproper intervals to keep lines separated.When the action would cool down Bateswould pay out more anchor line so we’dbe working new water. After each movethere would be another flurry of action.Though this adventure took place on
the Susquehanna River, our area hasmany fine channel cat fisheries that arelargely ignored by anglers. ShenangoRiver Lake and Pymatuning Lake aretwo of them.More information on Rod Bates Guide
Service can be obtained by visitingwww.koinoniafishingguides.com; formore on channel cat baits and riggingitems visit www.teamcatfish.com.
Fall Fishing From Page 6
SOUTH CHARLESTON,WV—No-vember is a big month for hunters, andthe Division of Natural Resources(DNR) reminds hunters that safety is themost important part of a successful sea-son. This especially applies to the use oftreestands.Treestands can be dangerous if they
are used incorrectly or carelessly. Na-tionally, one in three hunting injuries in-volves a treestand. Falls from treestandscan be caused by a variety of factors, in-cluding a weakness in the stand’s struc-ture and incorrect installation. Huntersalso may fall asleep while on theirstands. Treestands also can be a factor inother hunting incidents, including injuryfrom accidental firing of a loaded firearmwhile the hunter is climbing to the stand.“Because treestand incidents have be-
come the most common cause of hunterinjuries, DNR has been emphasizingtreestand safety in the mandatory huntereducation courses we schedule aroundthe state,” said Col. Jerry Jenkins, chiefof the DNR Law Enforcement Section.To help prevent accidents, DNR rec-
ommends that hunters follow thesesafety precautions:
• Never carry equipment with youwhile climbing. Use a haul line to raiseor lower your gear. Make sure guns areunloaded and broad heads are coveredbefore raising or lowering firearms orbows with a haul line.• Since most accidents occur when
hunters are climbing up or down a tree,always use a climbing belt. Always usea safety belt or harness when huntingfrom elevated treestands. Study manu-facturer’s recommendations before usingany equipment. Never use a rope to re-place a safety belt.• Check permanent treestands every
year before hunting from them, and re-place any worn or weak lumber.• Read, understand and follow the fac-
tory recommended practices and proce-dures when installing commercial stands.Inspect portable stands for loose nuts andbolts each time they are used.• Choose only healthy, living trees
when using climbing devices. Rough-barked trees such as oak are best. Do notuse a tree that is rotten or has deadlimbs.• Never put all your weight on a single
branch. Keep at least one hand and one
foot on a secure place when reaching forthe next hold.• Climb higher than the stand and step
down onto it. Climbing up onto it candislodge it.• Wear boots with non-skid soles, be-
cause steps or platforms can be slippery
in rain, sleet or snow.• Tell a dependable person where
you’re hunting and when you plan on re-turning. Map your whereabouts andleave a note at camp, at home or in yourcar so that you can be found.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES8 November 2015
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo courtesy of WVDNRTreestand safety is a major part of the West Virginia DNR’s Hunter Education course.
WVDNR Offers Treestand Safety Tips
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — It’seasy to report hunting or fishing law vio-lations inWest Virginia, and those reportsare helpful in protecting the state’swildlife.“Anyone who witnesses or is aware of
hunting and fishing law violations cancall the closest DNR district office, 911or provide information on the DNR web-site,” said Col Jerry Jenkins, chief of theDNR Law Enforcement Section.“We are doing this to ensure a quicker
response to the violations reported by thepublic.”For non-emergency calls or questions,
or to report questionable hunting or fish-ing activity, telephone calls should bemade directly to the closest of six DNRdistrict offices during working hours.Violations also may be reported on the
DNR website atwww.wvdnr.gov/LEnforce/Poachers.shtm.For emergencies or to report game law
violations in progress, calls should go tolocal 911 centers.When calling, provide the following
information, if known, to aWest Virginia
Natural Resources Police Officer:• the nature of the violation;• the location of the violation;• the name and/or description of the vi-
olator;• a description of any vehicle and li-
cense number or boat involved in the vi-olation;• any other important information
which will assist in apprehending the vi-olator.Reminder: Hunters should get their
permanent DNR ID number before thehunting seasons at wvhunt.com, a DNRoffice or at any license agent, so they willbe ready to check in their harvest with thenew electronic game checking system.
2015 PA Trapping OpenerOn Shenango River Lake in western PA
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photos by Larry ClaypoolVeteran PA trappers Rich Faler (left in far right
photo) and Ralph Scherder (right) took a differentapproach for the 2015 season opener by setting
traps, from a boat and near the shorelines, on theShenango River Lake in western Pennsylvania.See more photos and trapping stories in the Win-ter Issue of Ohio Valley Outdoors magazine, on
newsstands December 4.
By ODNRObjective:
The bi-weekly aerial waterfowl surveyis used to monitor waterfowl abundanceduring fall/winter migration throughoutthe northern portion of Ohio. This sur-vey also helps identify habitat types crit-ical to waterfowl and helps documentwaterfowl use of restored wetland proj-ects over time.
Procedure:The survey is flown weekly during
September and bi-weekly from Octoberthrough January. The survey is flownover selected water areas distributed inthe Lake Erie marsh region in northwest-ern Ohio, and will once again includeWildlifeAreas throughout northern Ohioincluding Big Island, Killdeer Plains,Grand Lake St. Mary’s/Mercer, KillbuckMarsh, Funk Bottoms, and MosquitoCreek. This survey is conducted on or
near the 1st and 15th of each month,weather permitting. The survey crewidentifies and estimates the number ofeach species of waterfowl encounteredon the survey sites. Survey transects areflown at an altitude and route to optimizewaterfowl identification and minimizedisturbance.Survey Sites: Sandusky Bay Marshes,
Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area, ToussaintMarsh Area, Magee Marsh WildlifeArea, Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area,Maumee Bay, OttawaWildlife Area Na-tional Wildlife Refuge, Cedar Point Na-tional Wildlife Refuge, Navarre MarshNational Wildlife Refuge, Darby Na-tional Wildlife Refuge, Grand Lake StMary’s, Big Island Wildlife Area,Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area, MosquitoCreek Wildlife Area, Killbuck MarshWildlife Area and Funk BottomsWildlife Area.
Ohio Aerial Waterfowl Survey in Place
TAKE A KID HUNTING OR FISHING
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES10
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV —West Virginia archery hunters are hav-ing a successful year so far in 2015,showing a 53 percent increase in theirharvest of white-tailed deer comparedto this time last year. The Division ofNatural Resources reports that, as ofOct. 26, bow and crossbow huntershave taken 11,798 deer compared to7,729 deer taken up to the same date in2014, a 53 percent increase. Thearchery season began Sept. 26 and runsthrough Dec. 31, 2015.The total for all seasons up to this
date, including archery, urban hunts,youth/Class Q/XS and the early antler-less deer gun season (Oct. 22-24), is17,776 deer. That compares to 15,216taken at this time in 2014, a 17 percentincrease. For the early antlerless gunseason alone, including the one-dayyouth season, the 2015 harvest 5,373compared to 6,974 by this date lastyear, a 23 percent decrease.“The count is available this early in
the season thanks to DNR’s new elec-tronic licensing and game checkingsystem that went into effect this year,”according to Chris Ryan, supervisor ofgame management services for DNR.“Previously, game tags had to be col-lected from check-in stations across thestate at the end of the hunting seasonand counted by hand, which took a longtime. With electronic licensing andgame checking, that information isavailable almost instantly.”Beginning this year, hunters are re-
quired to get a permanent DNR identi-fication number which allows them tocheck in their game from their phonesat 1-844-WVCHECK, their computersat wvhunt.com, or at one of more than170 official license agent/checking sta-tions across the state.“Hunters are showing us that they
have easily adopted the new systemand like using it to check in theirgame,” Ryan said. “It’s fast and easyfor them, and it makes important infor-mation available to DNR on a muchtimelier basis. Hunters are reminded toget their DNR ID numbers before theygo hunting so they can use the newelectronic check system right away.This includes lifetime license holders,resident youth under the age of 15 whodon’t need a license, and residentlandowners who normally do not haveto purchase a license to hunt on theirown property.”Hunters can call or visit a license
agent or DNR district office or log on
to wvhunt.com to obtain their DNR IDnumber, which is valid for the hunter’slifetime. That number will be printedon the top of the license for those whobuy a license each year. Lifetime li-cense holders may call a DNR districtoffice or the Elkins or South Charlestonoffices between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30p.m. to obtain their DNR ID number,which has already been assigned.“Although hunters no longer have to
bring the animal in with them to bechecked, what doesn’t change is thathunters and trappers still have to followthe time, field tagging and transporta-tion restrictions as listed in the regula-tions,” according to Ryan.
Early Fall Archery Harvest Up in WV
Ohio Valley Outdoors -Photo courtesy ofWV Dept. of Commerce
forget drinks.Number six is “More Than Once”.
That’s obviously a good way to keepkids interested in the outdoors, keeptaking them out there. “Take them intothe woods to hang treestands, movetrail cameras or look through the trailcamera pictures,” advises Curran.Number seven is: “It’s Not for
Everyone”. That makes sense. “Don’tput pressure on a kid,” says Curran.“Let them come along at their ownpace.” You want to leave a favorableimpression of hunting, he adds.The final three items on Curran’s list
are: “Discuss”, “Participate” and“Timing”. All three are very goodpoints to make when trying to get andkeep kids outdoors. Talk through thehighlights of your hunts with kids; letthem play a key role in the experience,keep the hunts short in duration and tryto finish on a “high note”.Chris Snoderly has definitely done
that with both of his daughters. Con-gratulations to the Snoderly family!
Father From Page 2
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 11
HARRISBURG, PA — Asizable black-bear populationawaits hunters in the state’supcoming bear seasons, whichduring recent years have beensome of the best on record forPennsylvania bear hunting.The annual seasons will
kick off with the statewidearchery bear season, whichopens November 16. Andafter that five-day seasoncomes to a close on Nov. 20,properly licensed hunters whostill are in pursuit of a bearcan participate in the four-daygeneral season that opensNov. 21, then runs from Nov.23 to Nov. 25.Extended opportunities to
hunt bears during all or a por-tion of the deer-hunting sea-sons also exist in much of thestate.There’s been plenty of rea-
son to get excited about bearhunting in recent years.The 2014 statewide harvest
of 3,366 bears represents theseventh-largest in state his-tory, and continues a string ofrecent bear seasons takingtheir place in the recordbooks. Bears were taken in 56of Pennsylvania’s 67 countiesin 2014.Nine of Pennsylvania’s
largest black-bear harvestshave occurred in the past 10years. In fact, since 2005,more than 34,000 bears havebeen taken by hunters here.Mark Ternent, the Pennsyl-
vania Game Commission’sbear biologist, said many ofthe elements required for an-other exceptional bear harvestin 2015 already are in place.Statewide black-bear popu-
lations remain stable at recordlevels, Ternent said, with anestimated 18,000 bears livingwithin the Keystone State.Hunter participation also is
expected to be high. Last year,a record number of hunterspurchased a bear license, andupwards of 175,000 huntersare likely to be licensed againthis year if that trend contin-ues.New this year, bear licenses
can now be purchased at anytime before the last seasoncloses, replacing the previousrequirement that bear licenseshad to be purchased beforeopening day of the statewidegeneral or extended seasons.Ternent said that increased
ditions can influence success.“Abundant acorn crops typ-
ically lead to better huntersuccess,” Ternent said. “Whenfood is plentiful in the fall,bears tend to stay more activeduring hunting seasons, ratherthan entering their dens early.They also tend to be more pre-dictable and travel less, whichmeans that bears discoveredduring preseason scoutingtypically still can be found inthe same area come huntingseason.“Preliminary results from
ongoing fall-foods surveyssuggest that acorn crops areaverage or better in much ofthe bear range this year, al-though conditions are spotty,”Ternent said. “In many areas,fall apple crops and late sum-mer berry crops also were ex-cellent. However, scoutingprospective areas before hunt-ing season to assess foodavailability is really the bestadvice.”Game Commission Execu-
tive Director R. MatthewHough said perhaps no otherhunting season in Pennsylva-nia is as rich with tradition asthe annual statewide bear sea-son.Hough said the fact that a
record number of bear li-censes likely will be sold thisyear reinforces that point, andshows it’s no longer a secretthat Pennsylvania providessome of the best bear-huntingopportunities out there.“The pieces are all in place
for yet another banner year ofbear hunting in Pennsylva-
Turn To Bear Page 12
Promising Bear SeasonAwaits in PA
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES12 November 2015
nia,” Hough said. “Only time will tell ifa record number of hunters will bringabout a record harvest.“But I can guarantee all who celebrate
our hunting heritage in this special sea-son have a chance to harvest an excep-tional animal.”
Trophy BruinsTernent agrees that some very large
bears await hunters in Penn’s Woods. Infact, the number of large bears takenduring 2014 is one of the things thatmade that seventh-highest harvest yearstand out.There were 41 bears that weighed 500
pounds or more in the 2014 harvest.Three reached more than 600 pounds.The largest, a 677-pounder, was takenby James M. Hultberg, of Pittsfield, inWarren County during the bear archeryseason. The bear is not listed yet inPennsylvania’s Big Game Recordsbook.Bob D’Angelo, who coordinates the
state’s Big Game Records program, said22 bears – two taken with archery equip-ment – were added to the state recordbook in 2015. Sixteen also qualified forthe Boone & Crockett Club record book,he said.
The largest, taken in Potter County in2013, ties for 28th place all-time in thefirearms category, with a skull measure-ment of 22-3/16 inches.D’Angelo reminds bear hunters who
are interesting in getting bear skullsscored for the records to ensure that theirbutchers or taxidermists do not saw offthe back of the skull during processing.Before getting a skull scored, all flesh
and membrane must be removed prior tomeasuring, and official measurementscannot be taken until a minimum of 60days of drying has elapsed. This 60-daydrying period begins the day after theskull is completely cleaned.Hunters also must remember to not
glue the lower jaw to the skull, becausethe two required measurements aretaken on the top part of the skull.
Additional OpportunitiesTo suppress conflicts that might arise
from bear populations expanding intomore inhabited parts of the state, an ex-tended bear season exists in a handful ofWildlife Management Units.In WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D, bear
season is open concurrent to the archery,early muzzleloader and firearms deerseasons. And hunters in other WMUsalso have a limited opportunity to har-vest a bear during portions of the up-
coming firearms deer season. Thoseareas includeWMUs 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D(Nov. 30 through Dec. 5), and WMUs2C, 4B, 4C, 4D, and 4E (Dec. 2 throughDec. 5).A complete list of opening and clos-
ing days can be found on Page 44 of the2015-16 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trap-ping Digest issued to hunters when theypurchase their licenses, or at the GameCommission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us.All bear harvests must be reported to
the Game Commission and checked.Hunters who harvest a bear during the
four-day general season must take it toone of the Game Commission’s checkstations within 24 hours. Taking bears toa check station also might be required inWMUs where bear hunting is permittedduring all or a portion of the firearmsdeer season.A complete list of requirements, check
stations and their dates and hours of op-eration can be found on pages 45 and 46of the 2015-16 Pennsylvania Hunting &Trapping Digest.
What’s Required?To participate in bear hunting in Penn-
sylvania, a hunter needs a general hunt-ing license, as well as a bear license.Bear hunters also must follow fluores-
cent orange requirements. In the beararchery season, hunters are required atall times while moving to wear a hatcontaining a minimum of 100 squareinches of solid fluorescent orange mate-rial if hunting in an area also open tofall-turkey hunting. The hat may be re-moved once the archer has settled in astationary position.During any bear firearms seasons,
hunters must wear a minimum of 250square inches of fluorescent orange ma-terial on the head, chest and back com-bined. The orange must be visible from360 degrees and worn at all times whilehunting.Hunting licenses can be purchased on-
line from The Outdoor Shop at theGame Commission’s website, but buy-ers should be advised that because bearlicenses contain harvest ear tags, theyare sent by mail rather than printed athome.Buyers waiting until the last minute to
purchase a bear license might be betteroff making a trip to an authorized licens-ing agent and picking up a license there.Licensing agents can be searched by
county at the Game Commission’s web-site, www.pgc.state.pa.us, under the“Hunt/Trap” tab.
Bear From Page 11
HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvani-ans who hunt deer, elk or other cervidsout-of-state might be affected by newlyupdated rules that prohibit the importa-tion of specific high-risk cervid partsinto Pennsylvania from states andprovinces where chronic wasting diseasehas been detected.Ohio has been added to the list of
states from which high-risk cervid parts– including the head and backbone –cannot be imported into Pennsylvania.The addition is in response to chronicwasting disease (CWD) being detectedin Ohio for the first time in 2014.Additionally, the import of high-risk
cervid parts into Pennsylvania from theentire states of Maryland, New York,Virginia and West Virginia is now pro-hibited.Previously, the prohibition applied
only to portions of those states in whichCWD had been identified in captive orwild cervids.
Pennsylvania Game Commission Ex-ecutive Director R. Matthew Hough saidthe updated rules better protect Pennsyl-vania from high-risk parts that mightcome from out-of-state harvests.Managing CWD to protect Pennsylva-
nia’s deer and elk requires changesbased on changing circumstances,Hough said. The boundaries of DiseaseManagementAreas within Pennsylvaniaare adjusted in response to new cases ofCWD.And the prohibition on importinghigh-risk cervid parts is extended toother states as cases are identified thereHough said applying the importation
ban to all of Maryland, New York, Vir-ginia and West Virginia is a necessarychange, explaining the partial bans pre-viously in place were difficult to en-force.“The ban on the importation of high-
risk cervid parts exists to provide thebest protection possible to Pennsylva-nia’s deer and elk, and hunters can helpus prevent CWD from spreading,”Hough said. “We understand that Penn-sylvania hunters, and especially those
who live near the state’s borders, fre-quently travel across state lines to huntdeer or other cervids. This expanded banwill inconvenience them, just as suc-cessful hunters traveling out of Pennsyl-vania’s Disease Management Areas areinconvenienced.“The introduction and spread of CWD
in our wild-deer population is a seriousissue,” Hough said. “The consequencesof spreading CWD has potential to jeop-ardize the future of deer hunting inPennsylvania. We need your help tominimize the impacts of CWD in ourstate.”Now that the updated order has taken
effect, there are a total of 22 states andtwo Canadian provinces from whichhigh-risk cervid parts cannot be im-ported into Pennsylvania.The parts ban affects hunters who har-
vest deer, elk, moose, mule deer andother cervids in: Colorado, Illinois,Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan,Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ne-braska, New Mexico, New York, NorthDakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota,
Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia,Wisconsin and Wyoming; as well as theCanadian provinces of Alberta andSaskatchewan.Those harvesting cervids in the identi-
fied states and provinces must leave be-hind the carcass parts that have thehighest risk for transmitting CWD.Those parts are: the head (includingbrain, tonsils, eyes and any lymphnodes); spinal cord/backbone; spleen;skull plate with attached antlers, if visi-ble brain or spinal cord tissue is present;cape, if visible brain or spinal cord tissueis present; upper canine teeth, if rootstructure or other soft tissue is present;any object or article containing visiblebrain or spinal cord tissue; unfinishedtaxide.Hunters who are successful in those
states and provinces from which the im-portation of high-risk parts into Pennsyl-vania is banned are allowed to importmeat from any deer, elk, moose, muledeer or caribou, so long as the backboneis not present.
CWD RulesExpand in PA
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 13November 2015
COLUMBUS, OH — The Lake Eriewalleye hatch is one of the largest in re-cent history according to fisheries biol-ogists with the Ohio Department ofNatural Resources (ODNR). Resultsfrom combined Ontario and Ohio sur-veys show that the 2015 hatch index isthe highest since 2003. The excellenthatch should start to show up as catch-able fish in the next three years.“With these hatch index results, we
are expecting the walleye fishing inLake Erie in the next three to five yearsto be exceptional,” said ODNR DirectorJames Zehringer. “This is outstandingnews for Ohio anglers and out-of-stateanglers who enjoy fishing on Lake Erie,the Walleye Capital of the World.”To estimate the basin-wide hatch of
walleye, ODNR and the Ontario Min-istry of Natural Resources and Forestrycombine their bottom trawl survey data.The resulting basin-wide average catchfor 2015 is 84 walleye from the springhatch per hectare (about 2.5 acres),which is well above the long-term aver-age of 32 per hectare.The 2015 yellow perch hatch also ap-
pears to have been successful in bothOhio and Ontario waters of the western.This is the fifth-best yellow perch hatchin the western basin since the intera-gency survey began in 1987.“Three good yellow perch hatches in a
row should help the perch population inthe western basin rebuild and lead toquality yellow perch fishing over thenext couple of years,” said Jeff Tyson,head of Lake Erie Fisheries Program forthe ODNR Division of Wildlife.Each year inAugust, wildlife agencies
from around the western basin of LakeErie sample the waters using bottomtrawls in search of young of the yearwalleye and yellow perch. Data fromthese bottom trawls are combined into abasin-wide index and compared to pre-vious years to estimate the success of thewalleye and yellow perch hatches. Thisprovides biologists with an estimate onhowmany young fish will enter the fish-able population two years later.Information on the ODNRDivision of
Wildlife’s Lake Erie research and man-agement programs, fisheries resources,fishing reports, and maps and links to
other Lake ErieWeb resources are avail-able at wildohio.gov.ODNR ensures a balance between
wise use and protection of our naturalresources for the benefit of all. Visit theODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
Walleye Hatch Index is Best in 12 Years
COLUMBUS, OH— Even as coolernights lead to falling water temperaturesacross the state, the days can still be per-fect for paddling and boating on Ohio’slakes, rivers and streams. In an effort toreduce late season boating accidentsfrom exposure to cold water, the OhioDepartment of Natural Resources(ODNR) is prompting boaters statewideto enjoy fall color while boating, but tobe aware of the dangers associated withcold water and to always wear a lifejacket when on the water.“Properly loading your boat, dressing
for the air and water temperature andwearing a life jacket are especially im-portant in the late fall when waters arevery cold,” said Mike Miller, chief ofthe ODNR Division of Watercraft.Late season boaters and anglers tend
to dress according to air temperatures,but it can be easy to forget that watertemperatures in Ohio’s lakes andstreams may have dropped due to coolerfall nights.Information regarding boating safety
and tips for avoiding hypothermia areavailable at water-
craft.ohiodnr.gov/safetytips.More than one-third of Ohio’s boat-
ing-related fatalities from 2010-2014 re-sulted from people falling overboardand boats capsizing or swamping. Op-eration Overboard is a statewide boat-ing safety campaign that emphasizes thedangers associated with overloaded andimproperly loaded boats that can be-come swamped and capsize in frigidwaters. It also reminds boaters to alwaysproperly wear a U.S. Coast Guard-ap-proved life jacket when on the water.Ohio boaters are encouraged to get
outside and take advantage of thebeauty of this season. The brilliance offall color adds to the enjoyment of boat-ing. Powerboating and paddling provideexcellent opportunities for people totake in the wonderful colors of fall froma unique viewpoint from their boats.The ODNR Division of Watercraft is
responsible for boating safety, educationand law enforcement on all waters ofthe state. This statewide area includesthe nearshore area along 451 miles ofthe Ohio River, half of Lake Erie, morethan 605 inland lakes and more.
ODNR Reminds Fall BoatersHow to Stay Safe
HARRISBURG, PA— If you harvesta deer, you’re required to tag it.And if you harvest it from a tree stand
that was left on state game lands or otherproperties controlled by the Pennsylva-nia Game Commission, that stand, too,must be tagged.With hunting season underway,
hunters are reminded a regulation thatbecame effective earlier this year re-quires all tree stands and portableground blinds left on lands under theGame Commission’s control be markedto identify their owners.The regulation applies on game lands,
as well as on private lands enrolled inthe Hunter Access program.All of theseproperties can be found on the StateGame Lands Mapping Center at theGame Commission’s website,www.pgc.state.pa.us.Here is a look at how the regulation
applies to hunters.Does my stand or blind need to betagged?Hunters are permitted to place
portable tree stands and blinds on stategame lands and Hunter Access proper-ties and leave them there temporarily.Stands and blinds may be placed no
earlier than two weeks before the firstdeer season in the wildlife managementunit (WMU) being hunted, and theymust be removed no later than twoweeks after the close of the last deer sea-son in that WMU.Overnight placement of portable hunt-
ing blinds additionally is permitted dur-ing the spring turkey season within theWMU being hunted.Regulations now require any tree
stand or blind left overnight or longer onstate game lands or HunterAccess prop-erties be marked with a durable tag bear-ing information that identifies its owner.Tagging stands or blindsStands or blinds left temporarily on
state game lands and Hunter Accessproperties must be conspicuouslymarked with a durable and legible iden-tification tag that includes either theowner’s first and last name and legalhome address, the CID number appear-ing on the owner’s hunting license, or anumber issued by the Game Commis-sion to the stand or blind owner.Any of the three methods of identify-
ing the owner is acceptable.Unique numbers identifying the stand
or blind owner can be obtained at The
Outdoor Shop on the Game Commis-sion’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us.Once at The Outdoor Shop, click on“Permits,” select “Tree Stand Identifica-tion Number” and fill out the electronicform. There is no cost to obtain a num-ber.Hunters can tag stands or blinds in any
manner that meets the requirements thetags be durable, legible and conspicu-ously marked. A hunter could engravehis or her CID number onto a metal tagand wire it to the stand or ladder, or dothe same with a painted plastic tag.Many methods will meet requirements.Why are stands and blinds now requiredto be tagged?The regulation to require tree stands
and blinds to be marked with informa-tion identifying their owners serves toaddress the problem of the stands toooften becoming permanent fixtures onsome of these properties.When stands are placed out earlier
than allowed on state game lands andHunter Access properties, or are not re-moved as required following the closeof the final deer season, the stands maybe taken down by Game Commissionpersonnel.But without a way to contact the
owner, the stands typically must be
stored and, eventually, disposed of if theowner does not come forward.Requiring all stands and blinds left on
state game lands and Hunter Accessproperties be tagged provides the GameCommission with a mechanism to con-tact the owners if stands are placed tooearly or left out too long.Violating the requirement to tag tree
stands and blinds left on Game Commis-sion-controlled property is punishableby a fine up to $200.Game Commission-controlled propertyThe requirement for hunters to tag tree
stands and blinds left overnight applieson state game lands and private landsenrolled in the Game Commission’sHunter Access program.Lands enrolled in the Hunter Access
program might be known as ForestGame, Farm Game or Safety Zone ac-cess properties.All of these tracts appear on maps
available through the State Game LandsMapping Center at the Game Commis-sion’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us.The State Game Lands Mapping Cen-
ter can be accessed by clicking on the“State Game Lands Mapping Center”button at the top of the home page at theGame Commission’s website.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES14 November 2015
Treestands, Blinds Need to be Tagged in PA
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 15November 2015
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Over 30 Years of Doing Things Right
WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than60,000 high school and college FutureFarmers ofAmerica (FFA) members andalumni gathered in Louisville, Ky., onOctober 28-31 to celebrate youth lead-ership in agriculture.For the fourth consecutive year, Ducks
Unlimited and other supporting organi-zations had a big presence at the 88th an-nual Future Farmers of America (FFA)National Convention and Expo to spreadthe word about DU’s wetlands and wa-terfowl conservation mission to the nextgeneration of conservationists.“Interacting with thousands of young
people who share our core values - stew-ardship of the land, conservation of nat-ural resources and a love ofwaterfowling - is truly inspiring,” saidMark Horobetz, Manager of Youth andEducation Programs for Ducks Unlim-ited. “Every year, this event excites meabout the future of conservation. Engag-ing with these youth leaders continues tobe an important part of Ducks Unlim-ited’s youth program.” DU staff and
volunteers traveled from around thecountry to connect with the FFA stu-dents. They shared knowledge aboutwetlands conservation, DU projects andinformation regarding DU’s Varsity(high school) and University programs.Along with informational material, in-cluding internship opportunities, DUdistributed backpacks, decals and othermerchandise for the students to takehome.“I want to thank Ducks Unlimited for
being here and sharing their conserva-tion mission with our students,” saidArneAnderson, Ag-Science teacher andFFA advisor at Centennial High Schoolin Utica, Nebraska. “I try and instillthose same principles in my students andwelcome opportunities, like the FFAConvention, for them to appreciate thehabitat and get involved in taking careof it.”This year, DU partnered with corpo-
rate supporter Purina Pro Plan to providea one-of-a-kind experience at the con-vention.Attendees took photos in a duck
blind replica and posed for photos with aPurina Pro Plan dog, Fin, a 3-year-oldyellow lab.As a way to connect with thestudents and spread the conservationmessage, DU encouraged attendees toshare their photos on social media plat-forms using various hashtags including#duckdog #proplandog #speakag and#ducksunlimited. Photos from the eventwere also shared on DU’s official twitterand instagram accounts.For more information, visit
www.ducks.org.Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s
largest non-profit organization dedicatedto conserving North America’s continu-ally disappearing waterfowl habitats. Es-tablished in 1937, Ducks Unlimited hasconserved more than 13 million acresthanks to contributions frommore than amillion supporters across the continent.Guided by science and dedicated to pro-gram efficiency, DU works toward thevision of wetlands sufficient to fill theskies with waterfowl today, tomorrowand forever. Connect with us on ourFacebook page atwww.facebook.com/DucksUnlimited,follow our tweets atwww.twitter.com/DucksUnlimited andwatch DU videos atwww.youtube.com/DucksUnlimitedInc.
Reaching Outto the Next Generation
WV Trappers MustUse New System
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — Alltrappers in West Virginia are remindedthey must now obtain a WVDNR identi-fication number and use the new elec-tronic game checking system to recordtheir catches (beaver, bobcat, fisher andotter) within 30 days after the close of therespective season. DNR ID numbers canbe obtained from DNR district offices ora hunting and trapping license agent.When trappers check in their game
using the new system, they will be givena 13-digit game check confirmation num-ber for each animal. That number shallbe recorded on a field tag or sheet ofpaper along with the trapper’s name andaddress, and shall remain attached toeach pelt or whole animal until sold,tanned or processed into commercial furor mounted.Information provided by hunters and
trappers when checking game is used tomonitor harvests and to assist in the fu-ture management of these differentspecies in West Virginia.The DNR advises trappers to obtain a
CITES seal for each bobcat and otter peltfrom animals harvested inWest Virginia.
NEW YORK, NY —The NationalAudubon Society has released an up-dated Audubon Birds Pro mobile appavailable via iTunes, Google Play andAmazon at no cost. The app includes an821-species checklist from theAmericanOrnithologists Union (AOU) and is thefirst time a complete field guide to NorthAmerican birds is available for free mo-bile download.With the Audubon Bird Guide, one
can:• Identify 821 species with in-depth
descriptions including information onappearance, habitat, behavior and more.• Explore a gallery of more than 3,200
images from the world-renown VIREO,Academy of Natural Sciences of DrexelUniversity’s world-wide collection ofbird photography.• Listen to up to eight hours of bird
calls, differentiated by region and sea-son.• Access robust seasonal and migra-
tory range maps.• Browse species in a gallery view and
filter by shape, region and color, aidingquick identification.
• Use “Find Birds with eBird” to lo-cate birds seen recently in the vicinity,drawing on the continuously updateddatabase from the Cornell Laboratory ofOrnithology and eBird.• Post, keep lists and share sightings
with friends and followers withAudubonNatureShare’s easy and user-friendly interface.To learn more about how to use this
complete and free bird guide, pleasevisit www.audubon.org/apps.The National Audubon Society saves
birds and their habitats throughout theAmericas using science, advocacy, edu-cation and on-the-ground conservation.Audubon’s state programs, nature cen-ters, chapters and partners have an un-paralleled wingspan that reachesmillions of people each year to inform,inspire and unite diverse communities inconservation action. Since 1905,Audubon’s vision has been a world inwhich people and wildlife thrive.Audubon is a nonprofit conservation or-ganization. Learn moreat www.audubon.org and@audubonsociety.
Audubon Society Now Offers Free Mobile App
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES16 November 2015
Tommy Chaffin9pt. buck, crossbow
Columbiana County, OH
Tom Chaffin11pt. buck, crossbow
Columbiana County, OH
Alayna Sutherin, age 91st deer
Jefferson County, OH
Rod MaylePA gobblerChampion
Cameron Nemcikgobbler 2" spurs
Trumbull County, OH
Jessie French, age 131st. rabbit
Wauseon, OH
Conner Ogden10" beard, 1-1/4" spurs
Washington County, OH
Send Us Your PhotosWe’ll print your hunting, fishing or trap-
ping photos in the next issue of OV Times orOhio Valley Outdoors magazine. Send pho-tos via mail, email or Facebook.Email to: [email protected] to: Photo Showcase210 East Fourth St., East Liverpool, OH 43920
Colton Malone, age 5bluegill, Highlandtown Lake,Columbiana County, OH
Isabella Sahli, age 715" crappie
Pine Lake, Mahoning County, OH
Dave Scarsella Jr.coyote
Columbiana, County, OH
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES18 November 2015
Ohio Valley Outdoorswww.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 19November 2015
By Audubon.orgHalloween, harvest festivals, and gen-
eral autumnal celebrations lead to anabundance of everyone’s fall favorite:pumpkins.While you partake in pumpkinspice lattes and jack-o-lantern carvings,why not share some gourd indulgenceswith the birds? This bird feeder is the per-fect use of an extra or post-trick-or-treatpumpkin.Materials:• Small to medium sized pumpkin, up
to 10 pounds• Small sticks• Twine or rope• BirdseedSteps:1. Cut the pumpkin in half.2. Scoop out the seeds, leaving a hol-
low inside with 1/2-inch thick shell wall.3. Insert two sticks across the open
pumpkin to create perches for the birds.4. Knot two lengths of rope together at
the center and tack the knot to the bottomof the pumpkin feeder. Hang the otherends of the rope in your chosen feeder lo-cation.5. Fill with birdseed.
Pumpkin Bird Feeder;A Great Idea
Send us your trophy photos
For ourPhoto Showcase
Connor Mayleturkey
Trumbull County, OH
email to:[email protected] to: Photo Showcase210 East Fourth St.East Liverpool, OH 43920
www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Brian Woods10-pt. buck
Shelby County, OH
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo courtesy of Bill ShetlerThis hawk is working hard to eliminate the coyote population near Calcutta, OH. A trail
camera, owned by Bill Shetler, caught this image of the hawk attacking a coyote pup betweenSprucevale Road and Beaver Creek State Park in August of this year.
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo courtesy of Audubon SocietyLeftover pumpkins can be made into a clever bird feeder for your back yard.
