Field Notes: Deer hunting has long history in Ohio

Since I started working for the Division of Wildlife in 1983, Ohio's deer hunting seasons have changed dramatically. It might be interesting to take a look at those changes from a wildlife officer's viewpoint. This isn't a historical record in which I'll pull out all the data and dates, just some perspective. During my first years patrolling the area, hunters could harvest deer using smoothbore shotguns, archery equipment — including crossbows — and single-shot, muzzle-loading long guns. The limit was one deer per year. Bucks with antlers 3 inches or taller were legal game, but antlerless deer were off-limits except during the archery season. A new permit allowed antlerless deer to be taken during gun season if the hunter had a county-specific permit, often called a doe permit. There was discontent among some hunters and landowners about their issuance. Opposed to killing does, petitions were sent to the division's office threatening to disallow deer hunting on their farms. Others applied for permits then destroyed them. Ohio Deer Harvest: A Historical Summary Year Harvest 1901-1942 No season 1943 168 1953 Season closed 1963 2,074 1973 7,594 1983 59,812 1993 138,752 2003 197,790 2013 191,503 2022 196,988 Record Years Lowest: 1945 62 Highest: 2000 261,314 Few issues arose during bow seasons — other than the occasional "hunting without permission complaint." There were always some who cheated by shooting deer with a firearm then claiming it as a bow kill. Others purchased tags after the fact or had a friend or family member tag the deer illegally. Some got caught, some didn't. I was led to some by experience, others by tips from the public and a few by pure luck. Bow harvests were far less significant compared to gun season totals. The gun season, which began the Monday following Thanksgiving, lasted one week. This was a busy time, with calls being dispatched from county sheriffs' departments and division dispatchers. Days often began at dawn and stretched well into the night, with aircraft and spotlighting projects scheduled during the week. It was a time of running from call to call and contacting as many hunters as possible. It could also be dangerous. Poachers were interspersed among honest contacts, and officers seldom knew what type of person or situation they were approaching. There was also the risk of poor gun-handling skills and accidental discharges. Hunting without permission was the primary complaint. Of course, there were tricksters who would have others tag their deer or would purchase licenses after the kill. The Antlerless Permits were something that always drew officers' attention. Most hunters were absolutely honest in their use, but a few played those permits like a riverboat gambler. More than a few tried to get across county lines to change the "residency" of a dead deer. Issues developed around some of the large hunting groups that had manifested themselves in the western half of the state. My own thoughts are that this methodology of "group hunting" grew from the tradition of the old fox hunting clubs that were so popular in the 1940s through the 1970s, a time of scant deer populations. Without the experience, they used already familiar hunting techniques. As always, most played by the rules, but a few of the groups didn't bother reading the book. "Group tagging," trespassing, unsafe gun handling, loaded firearms in vehicles, untagged and unchecked deer and shooting from the road all became issues. These antics caused safety concerns and resulted in a great deal of land being shut down to deer hunting. A lot of wildlife officers' time was spent answering complaints and working projects directed at trying to curb that illegal activity. We wanted landowners to know that we had their back — that we were there to protect the integrity of honest sportsmen and women. I'm not sure some of our customers felt that way. The muzzle-loading seasons were something of a hybrid of the bow and gun seasons. Many hunters were no longer in the field because they'd "tagged out." The majority were honest, though there were a few trying to fill "family" tags or that were too desperate to harvest a deer. Sometimes finding a hunter could be difficult, while at others it could become amazingly busy. Handguns and rifled barreled shotguns were added to deer hunter's options. After discussions about inline muzzle-loading rifles, they were also given the okay. A few officers expressed apprehension about handgun hunting, although none of those worries materialized. Actually, very few hunters chose that option. Inline muzzle-loading rifles became very popular for use during the regular gun season. Their increased accuracy added to their usable range, making them very effective at harvesting venison. Rifled shotguns and their newly developed ammunition also proved reliable. As a wildlife officer, I began to see very few smooth-bore shotguns that were the norm just a few years prior. During the mid-1990s, the deer population had continued to grow and harvests numbers were setting new records each year. Landowners and hunters now accepted the idea of harvesting antlerless deer as part of good herd management. The antlerless tags yielded to "either-or" choices, and additional deer harvests were being permitted. Still, only one buck was allowed. In the 2000s, the deer herd had continued to increase. A majority of Ohio hunters now focused on deer as their primary quarry. Straight-walled cartridge rifles would soon become legal, offering nearly identical ballistics to inline muzzleloaders. Easier to load and shoot, it was hoped that they might help recruit or repatriate hunters who were skipping the gun season. Compound bow and crossbow technology was advancing quickly. Hunters found that the long and unhurried bow season offered relaxing and solitary opportunities. Permission to hunt was also easier to obtain. Additionally, the interest in archery was growing. Dedicated bowhunting clubs, such as Field and Stream Bowhunters, and projects like the "Archery in the Schools Program" were certainly influencing aspiring hunters. The Division of Wildlife was also adding archery ranges around the state, including one behind the district office on Lima Avenue in Findlay. This rising archery interest was beginning to lighten the number of hunters participating during Ohio's traditional gun seasons. With rising deer numbers, crop damage complaints helped open more land to hunters. In-season harvest permits were given to farmers as well as closed season kill permits. Parks and urbanized areas began offering permits for controlled hunts to help manage local deer populations. Bowhunters seemed to especially benefit from these situations. Today, deer — once looked upon as something of a sacred cow — are now seen as the renewable resource, which it is. Last year, the archery harvest surpassed the gun season's, something once thought to be impossible — or at least improbable. Increasing deer numbers, increasing opportunities and increasing interest in archery have all played their role. Season limits vary this year, depending upon the county you choose to hunt. The statewide limit is six deer, with only one buck allowed per hunter. Take the time to read the regulations before heading into the field. The statewide archery season opens Sept. 24. Ohio's wildlife officers are still busy but, unlike those "old days," the deer hunting workload is spread over months. Of course, the cheaters are still out there, and officers need to work differently to catch them. They have computerized harvest and licensing programs, surveillance equipment, and new investigative tricks up their sleeve. They also need your help. If you have any information or suspicions regarding wildlife violations, call 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437) or report it online at wildohio.gov. You can remain anonymous. "Go afield with a good attitude, with respect for the wildlife you hunt and for the forest and fields in which you walk." - Fred Bear Along the way FishUSA has announced its sponsorship of The Lake Erie Fishery initiative, a 12-month campaign supported by the Ohio Division of Wildlife (DOW) and the Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC). As part of the campaign, Sovereign Sportsman Solutions (S3), in cooperation with the DOW and GLFC, is producing a short film promoting Lake Erie's walleye fishery. Filmed near Port Clinton, it features Paul and Nicholas Zart, a father and son Charter Captain duo native to Ohio. Beginning Wednesday, view it at www.Powderhook.com Based in Pennsylvania, FishUSA grew from a garage business into an industry-leading global fishing tackle retailer (www.FishUSA.com). The company carries 20,000 walleye-related products in their "Walleye Specialty Store." Visit www.fishusa.com/Specialty-Stores/Walleye-Fishing Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Sovereign Sportsman Solutions (S3) was founded by experts in wildlife, conservation, marketing and technology. S3 built a team to solve one of the biggest problems in the outdoor industry: How can we sell more licenses/permits, not only now but into the future? Visit https://s3gov.com Step outside • Tomorrow: Whitetail warmup 3D archery match; Field and Stream Bowhunters, 11400 Township Road 109. Registration opens at 8 a.m. Contact Harold Spence, 419-423-9861. • Wednesday: Release of an informative short film promoting Lake Erie's walleye fishery. Available for viewing at www.Powderhook.com on and after Wednesday. • Thursday and Friday: Trap and skeet; open to the public; 5 p.m.; UCOA, 6943 Township Road 243. • Sept. 24: Ohio's Statewide Deer Archery Season begins. • Sept. 25: Nostalgia 50-bird trap shoot for vintage shotguns; traps open at noon, program at 1 p.m.; Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Township Road 186. Eligible shotguns include Winchester models 12, 97, 101, Super X1; Remington models 10, 11, 17, 31, 32, 3200, 870, 1100; Browning Superposed, A-5, Double Automatic, B-2000; Ithaca single barrel trap, 37, Parker and LC Smith single barrel trap and any side-by-side. Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com