Ohio Valley Outdoor Times 1-2015

HARRISBURG, PA — The hunterswho top Pennsylvania’s all-time list forlargest bucks harvested will remain therea while longer. The Pennsylvania GameCommission recently took official meas-urements on an exceptionally large rackfrom a whitetail buck taken inAlleghenyCounty in October 2014, during thestatewide archery season.Many believed the buck held the po-

tential to be a new state record, but thefinal score fell short of the leaders.The typical 10-point buck taken with

a crossbow Oct. 10 by Fayette Countyhunter Jeff Lenzi netted a score of 166inches, based on Boone & Crockett Clubstandards for scoring big-game animals.The score places the buck at No. 13 in

the typical archery category in the Penn-sylvania Big Game Records book.The top buck in that category, taken in

Allegheny County in 2004 by MichaelNicola Sr., of Waterford, scores 178 2/8inches. The largest typical buck onrecord in Pennsylvania, taken in Brad-ford County by Fritz Janowsky, ofWells-burg, N.Y, way back in 1943, scores 189inches. That buck tops the typicalfirearms category.Bob D’Angelo, an official Boone &

Crockett Club scorer who heads Penn-sylvania’s Big Game Records Program,

measured the rack of Lenzi’s buck.D’Angelo explained the scoring sys-

tem rewards symmetrical racks and callsfor deductions when a rack’s points areabnormal or points on one side of a rackthat don’t exactly match the other side.Racks also will typically shrink overtime.A rack classified as typical cannot

have many abnormal points. Lenzi’sbuck had a gross score of 175 1/8 inches.Game Commission Executive Direc-

tor R. Matthew Hough congratulatedLenzi on his record-book buck, which islarge enough to qualify for entry into theBoone & Crockett Club, as well as thestate records program. While it doesn’ttop the all-time list, the huge buck still isthe trophy of a lifetime and a fine exam-ple of the caliber of deer Pennsylvania iscapable of producing.“Each year, we have hundreds of

whitetail hunters enter the state recordbooks, and many of the top bucks onrecord were taken in the last 10 years,”Hough said. “And any hunter is hard-pressed to match Jeff Lenzi’s feat.“Lenzi’s buck is an extraordinary ani-

mal, and I’d like to congratulate him onhis living out every Pennsylvania deerhunter’s dream,” Hough said.Big-game scoring session scheduledSuccessful hunters who are looking to

have their trophies officially scored cando so at a public, big-game scoring ses-sion to be held on February 14, 2015,from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Pennsylva-nia Game Commission’s headquarters in

Harrisburg.Deer, bear and elk that have been har-

vested in Pennsylvania are eligible forentry into the Pennsylvania Big GameRecords book.Deer and elk racks cannot be measured

until after a 60-day drying period fromwhen the skull plate was removed from

the animal. For bears, the 60-day dryingperiod begins after the skull is thor-oughly cleaned by boiling or from theuse of beetles.Deer racks to be scored should have at

least eight measurable points, andhunters need to register by Feb. 9, 2015.

OutdoorHardJerkbaitsStory inside page 05 January 2015

FREE!Ohio ValleyMY THREE HOUR SEASON - P.12

PA Buck EntersRecord Books

Turn To Record Books Page 4

Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo courtesy of PAGCJeff Lenzi of Fayette County, PA, holds the 10-point rackof the buck he harvested Oct. 11 in Allegheny County.

The buck is the 13th-largest taken with archery equipment in Pennsylvania.

Times

OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES2 January 2015

It’s that time of year.It’s Show Time!!

Each winter, after theholidays and huntingseasons have closed,outdoorsmen look for-ward to attending sev-eral outdoor sportsshows. There are manyto choose from.

The big Shot Show, inLas Vegas, NV, andArchery Trade Association (ATA) Show(Indianapolis, IN) kick off the show sched-ule. Although those two (January) showsare not open to the general public, themajor manufacturers kick off their newproducts and lines during these shows.

The largest sports show in the easternUnited States continues to be the GreatAmerican Outdoor Show in Harrisburg,PA (February 7-15). The nine-day eventwas formerly called the Eastern Sports andOutdoor Show, which the NRA snatchedup after organizers, Reed Exhibitions (ofEngland, by the way), decided to excludecertain firearms from the show after thetragic school shooting in Connecticut inDecember of 2012. Big mistake. The NRAstepped in, basically ran the show in 2013,and found corporate sponsors the last twoyears to keep the show moving forward.

Not only did Reed Exhibitions lose thecontract to host the Eastern Sports andOutdoor Show, they also lost control of theShot Show. Talk about a twin-killing.

This year, again, OV Times writer BillWaugaman will attend the show and filereports for us. The top celebrities sched-uled to appear at the GAOS event includeLarry Weishuhn, Hank Parker and Ralphand Vicki Cianciarulo. Previously therewere many more popular celebs at thisevent and I’m not sure why that has

changed. My guess is, it involves money.If you’re going, admission is $13 for

adults. The website is:www.greatamericanoutdoorshow.org.

More locally the Northeast Ohio Sports-man Show, in Dalton, OH, is slated for Jan.16-17. The event will be staged at theBuckeye Event Center, located along stateRoute 30 near Massillon.Admission is $10for adults. Visit their website at:www.ohiosportsmanshow.com.

The Mid-American Boat Show, inCleveland, is slated for the same weekend(Jan. 15-19). That event will be held at theI-X Convention Center, near the ClevelandAirport. Admission is $12. Visit their web-site: www.clevelandboatshow.com.

During the same weekend, and at thesame location, (Jan. 16-18 at the I-X Cen-ter) the Cleveland Outdoor AdventureShow will feature archery trick artistByron Ferguson, the Dock Dogs and Patand Nicole Reeve of Driven TV. That showwill set you back $10 for adults. See theirwebsite at: www.eriepromotions.com.

February’s big show in western Pennsyl-vania is the 30th Annual Allegheny Sport,Travel and Outdoor Show on Feb. 18-22 atthe Monroeville (PA) Convention Center.

Later in February (27th-March 1), theErie Sport and Travel Expo returns to theBayfront Convention Center in Erie, PA.That event will also feature Byron Fergu-son, the Dock Dogs and the Reeve’s. Ad-mission is: $8. Also see the above websitefor more information.

In southern Ohio the biggest outdoorshow of the season is the CincinnatiTravel, Sports and Boat Show. That long-time show will be Jan. 16-18. It’s held atthe Duke Energy Cincinnati ConventionCenter. The show will feature a NEW Ad-

It’s Show Time!!

4 The Old CampRalph Scherder

5 Hard Jerkbaits forCold Water River Walleye

Jeff Knapp

7 Bump a BuckCurt Grimm

9 A Cold and CrappieNight

Scott Albrecht

9 Iconic Boat Brands toCome Under SameOwnership

12 My Three Hour DeerSeason

Denny Fetty

14 State ChampionshipsSet

15 One Last Stand forSquirrels

Grey D. Berrier II

INSIDE THIS MONTH

6 WV Deer Hunters Harvest 37K BucksWVDNR

Indoor Pistol Shooting - Jan. 16, 23, 30; Feb. 6, 13, 20, 27 (every Fri. thru Apr. 24) 7-10 p.m.(open to public) at Columbiana County Fish & Game Association, 45716 Middle Beaver Rd, Lis-bon, OH. Also Indoor .22/Air Rifle Shooting every Tues. 6-9 p.m. New website:www.columbianacountyfishandgame.com.Indoor .22/Air Rifle Shooting - Jan. 13, 20, 27; Feb 3, 10, 17, 24 and every Tues. thru April

28 6-9 p.m. (open to public) at Columbiana County Fish & Game Association.Trap Shooting/Winter Jackpot - Jan. 11, 25, Feb. 8, 22. Weds. 6-9 p.m., Sun. 11-4.

Columbiana County Fish & Game Association, 45716 Middle Beaver Rd, Lisbon, OH. Open topublic. Website: www.columbianacountyfishandgame.com.Old Fashion Style Turkey Shoot - Jan. 11, 18, 25; Feb 1, 8, 15, 22 each Sunday thru March

at Beaver Creek Sportsman Club, Washingtonville, OH. Field stock guns, .680 choke max., noscopes. For info. contact Tom Brunner 330-692-6577 or email: [email protected].

By Larry ClaypoolEditor

OVOu

tdoo

rTim

es

OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Publisher/Editor, Larry [email protected]

Graphics Designer, Linda [email protected] Consultant, Tracy Bissell

[email protected]@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com

Ohio Valley Outdoor Timesis published by Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine©

Offices located at210 E. 4th Street, East Liverpool, OH 43920Phone 330-385-2243, Fax 330-385-7114

[email protected]

To Advertise CALL 330-385-2243

OutdoorOhio Valley

TimesJanuary 2015 VOL. 7, NO. 01

Contributing EditorsRalph Scherder, Hunting Editor

Jeff Knapp, Fishing EditorBrian Miller, Field Editor

QUESTIONS, COMMENTS

Ohio Valley Outdoor Times is all about its readers.We’d love to hear from you.

Send us something [email protected]

Turn To Show Time Page 18

OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 3January 2015

The Associated PressCOLUMBUS—Ohio has joined more

than 30 states that allow hunters to usesoup-can-sized noise suppressors onguns for certain wildlife such as deer andgame birds.The bill signed into law this month by

Gov. John Kasich and taking effect inabout three months was backed byhunters who said gunfire can lead tohearing damage.Louis Knebel, a longtime deer and

pheasant hunter from Pickerington insuburban Columbus, said he’s suffered aconsiderable amount of hearing loss overthe years. Ear muffs or plugs aren’t thebest option because they diminishhunters’ awareness of their surroundings,he said.“Safety-wise, it’s better to have your

whole hearing while you’re hunting,”said Knebel, 63, a dental hygienist.With development increasingly en-

croaching on hunting areas, it also makessense to lessen the sound of gunfire, hesaid.Once Ohio’s law takes effect, 34 states

will allow suppressors for hunting, in-cluding all states around Ohio other thanMichigan, according to the AmericanSuppressor Association.A 35th state, Montana, bans suppres-

sors for traditional game - such as elk,antelope and bear - but doesn’t enforcethe ban if the animals being hunted arevarmint like prairie dogs and coyotes.Opposition to the Ohio bill was lim-

ited, though some community activistsworried it could lead to hunting accidentsor problems if the guns fall into thewrong hands.

“Suppressors, by design, were madefor combat and law enforcement useonly,” Katriel Israel, a community organ-izer in Akron, told lawmakers this year.“Putting these suppressors on huntingfirearms increases the risk of accidentalshootings.”In a rare move, the League of Ohio

Sportsmen, a pro-hunting group, also op-posed the bill, on the grounds it shouldhave been adopted as an internal rule bythe state Natural Resources agency.Doing so would have increased input

from hunters, sped up the process andmade it easier to tweak the rule if prob-lems arose, said Larry Mitchell, thegroup’s executive director.“We could have had this done and in

place this hunting season had it beendone administratively,” Mitchell said.“As it is, we had a 13-month legislativedebate.”The state periodically issues permits to

park systems to cull deer and to airportsto cull deer and other animals, such ascoyotes, that might endanger aircraft.Those entities can choose to use a sup-pressor under the permit as long as it’s al-lowed by local laws, said BethanyMcCorkle, a Natural Resources spokes-woman.Mitchell, who supports the use of hunt-

ing suppressors, said the paperwork andexpense will limit their use.A suppressorcan run about $400, and hunters have topay a $200 transfer tax and undergo alengthy background check with the Bu-reau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms andExplosives.Ohio’s bill was sponsored by Rep.Cheryl Grossman, a Republican fromGrove City in suburban Columbus.

Ohio Now Allows Gun Suppressors

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of Liberty SuppressorsOhio Gov. John Kasich recently signed a bill to allow gun suppressorson guns for some hunting purposes. Shown are Mystic X suppressors,made in Trenton, GA by Liberty Supressors (www.libertycan.net).


C h r i s t m a sweek found merunning atrapline throughthe mountains ofP enn sy l v an i awith my trappingpartner, RichFaler. It was thethird year in arow that we’dteamed up for afisher/bobcat com-bination trapline, and we’ve been suc-cessful every year. The first year wecaught two fishers, the second we caughttwo bobcats, and this year I connectedon another fisher on Christmas Eve. Al-though the core of our trapline all threeyears has consisted of certain locations,each year we’ve weeded out unproduc-tive spots and added new ones in newterritories. This year we explored andset up an area in Clarion County, PA,which happened to be where I used todeer hunt as a teenager.It’s always a little bittersweet going

back to places you haven’t been to in

years. The last time I was in that sectionof Clarion County was 2002, but priorto that I hadn’t been there since 1995.Once in the past 20 years is not veryoften, so I expected things to look con-siderably different than I rememberedthem.The old camp that once stood on the

property was a farmhouse built in theearly 1900s and was owned by myuncle’s father-in-law. It was a drafty oldhouse with no electric or heat. I remem-ber we had kerosene heaters in thekitchen and bedrooms – and plenty ofblankets – to keep us warm through thenight. Not that we really slept that muchthe night before buck season. Most ofour time was spent around the fireplace,drinking hot chocolate, stoking the fire,and telling stories long into the night.There was always talk of “tomorrow”too, of course, and the possibilities offirst day.My grandpa, uncle, dad, sister, and I

each had our usual stands. We killed ourshare of bucks, occasionally one with arack, but it was never about the kill orthe size of the deer’s antlers. It was al-

ways about deer camp and camaraderieand telling and retelling the old storiesthat made us laugh and brought us closerto each other. Being in deer camp thenight before deer season was one of mygreatest experiences as a young hunter.Once the alarm went off at five the

next morning to get up and get ready forthe day’s hunt, we were all business.Lunches were packed, thermoses filled,and my sister and I debated how manylayers of clothes it would take so thatwe’d finally be warm this year. We werealways wrong about that. Back then wedidn’t have the same quality of warmclothing we have today. Most of whatwe wore consisted of old hand-me-downs that were never quite warmenough, but we didn’t complain becausewe were hunters, and that was goodenough for us. Besides, there was some-thing nostalgic and satisfying aboutwearing the clothes that had been wornby hunters before us – an old red plaidWoolrich coat and pants, old boots withfrayed laces and creases across the toes,a beat up floppy-eared hat. No matterhow many times those clothes werewashed, they still smelled like leaves,pines, and moist earth.My dad, grandpa, and sister hunted on

the camp side of the road. My uncle and

The Old Camp

Turn To Camp Page 11

To register, call Patty Monk at 717-787-4250, ext. 3312. For more information onthe session, contact Bob D’Angelo at717-787-4250, ext. 3311.All are welcome to attend. The Game

Commission’s headquarters is located at2001 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg, justoff the ProgressAvenue exit of Interstate81.

Big Game Records BookEach year, the Pennsylvania Big Game

Records book grows by about 200 entriesacross all categories.The book includes big-game records

for typical and nontypical white-taileddeer, black bears and elk taken with ei-ther firearms or archery equipment.All entries into the book must be

scored by an official Boone & CrockettClub scorer. For information on having atrophy animal scored, call PennsylvaniaBig Game Records Program coordinatorBob D’Angelo at 717-787-4250, ext.3311.The Pennsylvania Big Game Records

book is published each year in Septem-ber. The 2014 edition can be purchasedat the Game Commission’s Harrisburgheadquarters, or online through The Out-door Shop at the Game Commission’swebsite, www.pgc.state.pa.us. Ordersalso can be placed to 1-888-888-3459.The full-color 86-page book includes

dozens of photos of new entries and sellsfor $6. Shipping and handling chargesapply to online and telephone orders, andPennsylvania residents must pay salestax on purchases.

Record Books From Page 1

By Ralph ScherderHunting Editor

OVOu

tdoo

rTim

es

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of Ralph ScherderThe author (right) is shown in this 1994

photo with this grandfather. They each killedbucks on the first day of gun season that year.

EXPRESS YOURSELF!Have you written a Letter to the Editor recently?Why not? Express yourself. Tell fellow outdoors-men and women how you feel about topics thatshape our hunting and fishing communities. Itjust might help.See our contact information on Page 7.

The weather gurushad forecast after-noon temperatures inthe upper 30s. Ourice-filled guides sug-gested their predic-tion was off by about10 degrees. On afrosty day whenmany folks weremaking last-minuteholiday preparationswe were on a quest for river walleyes.My partner and I were both casting

suspending jerkbaits to near-shore ed-dies along the lower end of the ClarionRiver (PA), not far from where it joinsthe Allegheny. I felt a bump, saw theswirl of a fish, felt its pleasantweight...then it was gone. Before I couldgrieve the loss of the fish Dave Lehmanannounced “I’ve got one.” Momentslater I dipped the net to a nice 22-inchwalleye.Suspending jerkbaits aren’t typically

thought of as cold water walleye lures,

but they are. They are especially effec-tive on larger walleyes — we’ve takenthem up to 12 pounds on these neutrallybuoyant minnow imitators.Here are some thoughts and tips re-

garding the use of suspending jerkbaitsfor river walleyes in near-freezing water.• Target relatively shallow areas —

shoreline pockets, rocky flats, edges oftailouts — when using suspending jerk-baits. Fish holding in these areas arelikely there to feed, typically activeenough to move up a couple feet to in-tercept a jerkbait.• The key to the presentation is slow.As in ultra slow. Just reel in withenough speed to give the bait motion.Don’t impart rod twitches. But you canpause the lure occasionally; simply stopreeling momentarily.• Tailor your choice in jerkbaits to the

areas being fished. If the maximumdepth in the targeted area is only threeor four feet, go with a standard lure. Ifit’s a couple feet deeper, a deep diving


Hard Jerkbaits forCold Water River Walleye

Turn To Jerkbaits Page 6Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Jeff Knapp

Dave Lehman used a Rapala X-Rap to catch this Clarion River walleye last month.

By Jeff KnappFishing Editor

OVOu

tdoo

rTim

es

HARRISBURG, PA — You’ve seenthe GoHuntPA ads on TV. Now is yourchance to be in one.The Pennsylvania Game Commission

is inviting hunters to submit photos oftheir favorite hunting moments for achance to star in the next GoHuntPATVcommercial.Photos can be submitted through the

GoHuntPA website –www.gohuntpa.org. The initiative, called#MyGoHuntPAMoment, launched inDecember and will be live through Jan-uary 2015.Photos can be trophy shots from this

season, or depict other scenes afield, in-cluding enjoying time with friends andfamily.To enter, participants simply submit

their photos by visiting GoHuntPA.organd following the easy instructions. Tohelp spread the word, the Game Com-mission has launched an integrated #My-GoHuntPAMoment social mediacampaign that incorporates Facebook,Instagram, and Twitter in addition to aradio campaign and eBlasts.In conjunction with its advertising

agency, Top Flight Media, the Pennsyl-

vania Game Commission will reviewsubmissions and choose photos to incor-porate into its fall 2015 statewide televi-sion commercial. Winners will beselected in early 2015.Additionally, at the upcoming Great

American Outdoor Show, the GameCommission will be unveiling its new,free GoHuntPA ToolKit application thatfeatures detailed maps that show avail-able hunting land, weather alerts, anAugmented Reality browser, a socialmedia share button, a tracker tool, andmuch more.About GoHuntPAGoHuntPA is a customer-centric, re-

search-anchored initiative that includesa microsite, TV, augmented reality,radio, print & billboard ads, and tradeshow banners that drive hunters to astreamlined, online resource – Go-HuntPA.org. GoHuntPA.org is a websitefor hunters, by hunters. There, hunterswill learn more about hunting opportu-nities near them, what’s in season, howto become a better hunter, where to con-veniently buy a hunting license, andmore. To learn more, visit Go-HuntPA.org.

Picture it: Your Hunting Photo on TV

version is often more effective. Duringmy recent trip Lehman and I used four-inch Rapala X-Raps, both the original(shallow running version) and the deepdiver.• In the right conditions you can often

hover the lure from a fixed boat position(anchored or held with troll motor); forinstance, the back lip of a major holewhere the riverbed rises up to transitioninto a shallow flat. Feeding walleyesoften congregate along such an edge. Solong as the flow is enough to work thelure you can make downriver casts “flut-ter” the lure in the prime zone. It there’snot quite enough flow to keep the lure

moving impart the slowest of retrieves.• Taking this a step further, you can

even slow troll a suspending jerkbaitslowly upstream, using just enoughthrust to inch the boat upriver. It’s a tac-tic that works well when you thinkwalleyes could be scattered over shallowflats with little current. Allow out justenough line to where the lure is within afoot or two of the bottom. Low lightconditions — cloudy rainy days, or theevening twilight period — usually pro-duce the best fishing for this approach.• Suspending jerkbaits are just part of

a wintertime approach that should alsoinclude jigs, spoons and blade baits.Save the jerkbaits for working thoseprime shallow zones.


SOUTH CHARLESTON,WV—Pre-liminary data collected from gamechecking stations across the state indi-cate deer hunters in West Virginia har-vested 37,277 bucks during thetwo-week buck firearms season, whichran from November 24 through Decem-ber 6, 2014, according to Frank Jezioro,director of theWest Virginia Division ofNatural Resources (DNR). The 2014buck harvest is down 34 percent fromthe 2013 harvest of 56,523. The top 10counties for buck harvest were as fol-lows: Preston (1,531), Greenbrier(1,384), Randolph (1,254), Lewis(1,159), Ritchie (1,157), Hampshire(1,069), Wood (1,019), Upshur (1,015),Monroe (1,001), and Mason (998).This year’s overall buck harvest is

lower than last year’s with decreases oc-curring in all DNR districts. The largestpercentage decreases occurred in thewestern counties of the state, while thebuck harvest in the mountain and south-eastern counties had smaller decreases.Warm and very windy weather acrossthe state on opening day; heavy snowfallWednesday, the third day of the season,in the eastern panhandle of the state; anda rainy second week impacted hunterparticipation and contributed to the de-creased harvest across the state.The excellent acorn crop this fall also

contributed to lower hunter success, justas a similar abundant acorn crop in 2010led to a 31 percent decline in buck har-vest followed by a 38 percent rebound in2011. This year’s preliminary buck har-vest remains 33 percent below the previ-ous five-year average of 55,902.Wildlife biologists and wildlife man-

agers collected age-specific biological

information at checking stations in 19counties this year. They will analyze datafrom the combined 2014 deer seasons(buck, antlerless, archery and muzzle-loader) before making appropriate rec-ommendations for next year’s deerseasons.These recommendations will be avail-

able for public review at 12 regulationsmeetings scheduled for March 16 and17, 2015 (see current 2014 - 2015 Hunt-ing and Trapping Regulations Summarypage 6 or visit the DNR Web site atwww.wvdnr.gov for meeting locationsand dates).

WV Deer Hunters Harvest 37K Bucks

Jerkbaits From Page 5

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of WVDNRHunters in West Virginia harvested37,277 bucks during the two-week

buck firearms season.

A game plan Iemploy for gunhunting season iswhat I refer to“Bump a Buck”.When I wasyounger and enteredthe woods after se-lecting my spot tohunt I would arriveat my destinationand waited at the edgeof dense cover.What I didn’t realize wasthat often times I would bump the buckaway from me and all my scouting ef-forts were in vain because a fellowhunter would harvest a deer that I actu-ally drove to them. It took me a fewyears, but I came up with an alternativeplan.The evening before I went to hunt the

edge of dense cover, I would move thedeer away from my hunting area bywalking quietly with the wind at myback. I would take note of the wind di-rection and that would determine my po-sition to intercept the deer on their way

back to the cover when it is pushed backinto my hunting area. In the morning Iwould reevaluate the wind direction tonote any change. This will increase myodds to have an encounter with a trophybuck that I was scouting. I became theguy that was protecting the fort ratherthan the hunter that was pushing the deerin the opposite direction.To add to this game plan I spent early

dawn scouting the locations for vehiclesand other hunters from a distance. Idrive the local roads that surround thisarea and look for florescent orange fromhigher locations. I estimate their move-ment as they become restless and startedto leave their stands. The hour beforelunch time and an hour after lunch timewas the most productive to have the op-portunity to bag the deer I’ve been track-ing.Confirming the location to hunt was

always based on wind and the directionI move the deer the evening before, andthe anticipation of the movement ofother hunters. To determine the wind di-rection I release cotton fibers into the

open air and they float with the wind.The little cotton fibers are pulled from acotton ball that is pinned inside my hunt-ing coat that I could reach conveniently.The cotton fibers make no noise; are anatural product; easy to see in low light;and react to the slightest breeze with no

noise. They are also environmentallyfriendly because they are natural andbiodegradable.Looking at the big picture can produce

great results. The game plan is similarto any other sport. Anticipation, prepa-


Bump a Buck

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 by Gary GrimmThe author is shown blowing pieces of cotton in the air to check for wind direction. This is

done the night before hunting, as he pushes deer away from his hunting area.

www.boltconstruction.cc

CONSTRUCTION, INC.

Headquarters 10422 South Avenue Youngstown, Ohio 44514

Phone 330-549-0349 Fax 330-549-0344Email [email protected]

The Petroleum IndustryJet Fueling SystemsGas Compressor Stations

Over 30 Years of Doing Things Right

By Curt GrimmThe Marathon Hunter

OVOu

tdoo

rTim

es

Turn To Buck Page 8

ration, and practice are the determining factors when you realize the total large gameplan. Everyone seems to be concentrating on the newest equipment and the mostsophisticated approach, but sometimes the basic approach and ideas work the best.People in general are quick to take a short cut to try to arrive at their goal. In thiscase bigger is better, taking all factors into consideration will sometimes produce thegreatest reward like a trophy buck.


Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Gary GrimmThe author’s mancave includes several trophy deer he’s harvested over the years.

Buck From Page 7

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio offers awide variety of winter activities andevents for families. Despite cooler tem-peratures, it’s time to see what’s in storein the great outdoors. Ohio State Parksoffer special events during the winter,such as guided hikes, cross-country ski-ing, sled dog races and late-winter maplesyrup festivals.There are several great outdoor events

happening throughout the next fewmonths. The public is encouraged to par-ticipate in all of these free activities. Fora list of other winter activities includingplaces to stay the night, go toohiodnr.gov/winter.Here’s a sampling of some events:• 50th Anniversary Winter Hike at

Hocking Hills State Park - This self-guided hike will be held on January 17,2015, with continuous starts from 9-11a.m. This rugged hike offers a 3-mile or6-mile trek, allowing hikers to see note-worthy sights such as Old Man’s Cave,Cedar Falls and Ash Cave. This remainsthe most popular winter hike in the OhioState Parks system, and millions of hik-ers visit this nationally recognized parkthroughout the year. Hikers are encour-

aged to layer clothing and wear goodfootwear.•Annual Buckeye TrailWinter Hike at

Findley State Park - This hike will beheld on February 7, 2015, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Meet in the campground to enjoya great hiking event with delicious beansoup. The event includes a 10K, 5K aswell as interpretive led hikes. Contactthe park office for more information at440-647-5749, ext. 100 or 102.• Sweethearts Hike at Hocking Hills

State Park - Meet at the Ash Cave park-ing lot on Feb. 14, 2015, and go on theSweethearts Hike from 5-7 p.m. Enjoy astroll to Ash Cave in the soft light ofdusk and then enjoy a cozy fire and re-freshments for free.• Hike to Health at Malabar Farm State

Park - Enjoy a day viewing the wintersights at Malabar Farm on Feb. 21, from9 a.m.-2 p.m. Meet at the visitor center toreceive maps.After hiking, refreshmentswill be available. This free event is spon-sored by the Richland County HealthDepartment. Call 419-774-4761 withquestions.Visit the ODNR website at

ohiodnr.gov.

Lots of Fun Outdoor Activitiesat Ohio State Parks


By Scott AlbrechtIce fisherman in Ohio, much like

hunters, wait a long while for a short pe-riod of time when they can enjoy theirsport. When the average hard water sea-son in Ohio last only eight weekends,anglers get creative to expand their“time on ice” in a given season. In thisarticle you will find ways to extend theseason through weeknight fishing.Night crappie fishing during the sum-

mer is enjoyable, however many anglersdon’t engage in winter night fishing. In-stead they usually end up frustrated,chasing dormant and roaming crappieduring the day. Crappie are a night feed-ing species by nature and respond betterto the bite after dusk.It is still important to go to the lake or

pond during the day to verify the condi-tion of the ice you plan to fish during thenight. You can mark your path to andfrom the fishing spot with a GPS unitand retrace your daytime steps at night-time with less fear. Check the ice ahead

of you as you walk with a spud bar asice conditions can change from day tonight. It’s also important to have some-one with you with ice fishing at night.Be sure to remain visible with reflectivestrips and lighting for safety.Once safely to your spot, use glow jigs

and a submersible fishing light to expe-dite your success for the night bite. Thelight attracts zoo plankton which attractbait fish which attract crappie. Fish agrid pattern around the submersed lightdrilling holes in a circular pattern offive, 10, and 15 feet from the light. Startfishing the holes on the outside of thepattern and work your way back to thelight. The glow jig can be charged byLED lights. For easy charging and anextra light, clip LED lights to your hat!Which I clip to my hat to see my pathand fishing space in front of me. Theglow jigs can make a big difference atnight as it triggers a heightened responseto sight, smell, and vibration.Crappie, unlike daytime feeders, will

feed into the night making a midnight

trip a worthwhile adventure! I typicallykeep my ice gear in the car and go icefishing after work or after my familygoes to sleep. I hope you put these tipsto use and if so, I will see you on thehard water after the sun sets!

A Cold and Crappie Night

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Scott AlbrechtCrappie are a night feeding species by nature and respond better to the bite after dusk.

SPRINGFIELD, MO — Bass Pro Grouprecently announced an agreement to acquireFishing Holdings, LLC, a manufacturer offishing boats that include Ranger Boats andthe Stratos and Triton boat brands from Plat-inum Equity.The agreement combines popular fishing

boat brands that are recognized internation-ally. It also creates another connection be-tween two industry leaders, Bass Pro Shopsfounder/CEO Johnny Morris and RangerBoats founder Forrest Wood, who are dedi-cated fishermen, conservationists and entre-preneurs. Years ago the iconic outdoorsmenboth began fishing on the White River andWhite River Chain of Lakes in the Ozarksand even fished together in the first NationalBASS Tournaments.“This partnership brings added long-term

stability for both companies and for thedealer networks that provide customers withquality boats at exceptional values,” saidMorris, who also is founder/CEO of TrackerMarine Group. “I’ve had the pleasure ofknowing Forrest Wood many years, and Ideeply respect him and his family thatfounded and built a solid performing busi-ness with excellent products.”Morris added that: “It’s also important that

our companies share comparable cultures

and values and are dedicated to manufactur-ing quality products in the USA.”Following the closing of the transaction,

Fishing Holdings will continue operating in-dependently under its existing managementat its headquarters in Flippin,Ark., located atwo-hour drive fromBass Pro Shopsheadquartersin Spring-field.“We are

impressedwith the com-pany’s leader-ship team andperformanceand look for-ward to wel-coming themto the Bass Pro

Shops family,” saidMorris.“We are fortunate to partner with Bass Pro

Group, which understands the industry andour brands,” said Fishing Holdings PresidentRandy Hopper. “This new alliance will pro-vide synergies that will strengthen our inde-pendent dealer base and ensure ourcontinued focus on fishing.”

Having grown the business since its ori-gins,Wood also praised the transaction. “I’mexcited for Ranger and the team at FishingHoldings,” he said. “Johnny’s organizationis deeply rooted in fishing and dedicated toconservation. He’s made a huge contributionto our sport, and I believe this is a real oppor-tunity to better serve so many dealers and

loyal customersaround thecountry.”Both Morris

and Wood havefor many years gen-

erously donatedtheir time andfinancial re-sources to sup-

port conservationefforts that helpensure a future forfishing by future

generations.The transaction is subject to customary

closing conditions and regulatory approvals.Financial terms of the transaction were notpublicly disclosed.About Bass Pro ShopsBass Pro Shops, which specializes in out-

door fun, operates 90 retail stores and

Tracker Marine Centers across America andCanada that are visited by more than 120million people every year. Bass Pro Shopsstores, many of which feature restaurants,offer hunting, fishing, camping and otheroutdoor gear while their catalogs and web-site serve shoppers throughout the world.The company’s Tracker Marine Group®(http://www.trackermarine.com/), a leadingbrand of fishing boats for more than 36years, manufactures and sells a variety ofboats for fishing and cruising. Family fun ison tap at Bass Pro Shops resort Big CedarLodge® (http://www.bigcedar.com/) votednumber six by Travel + Leisure Magazine asWorld’s Best Hotels for Families. For moreinformation, visit http://www.basspro.com/.To request a free catalog, call 1-800-BASSPRO.About Fishing Holdings, LLCFishing Holdings LLC, headquartered in

Flippin, Ark., is a leading manufacturer offiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, in-cluding the legendary Ranger Boats brand,as well as the Stratos and Triton boat brands.More details, product information and spe-cific offerings can be found by visitingw w w . r a n g e r b o a t s . c o m ,www.stratosboats.com andwww.tritonboats.com.

Iconic Boat Brands to Come Under Same Ownership


I hopped in the truck and drove up theroad a couple hundred yards and huntedup that way on a huge mountain flatacross the road. As Rich and I drovepast that old spot where my uncle and Iused to hunt, the changes were immedi-ately noticeable. All of it was postedwith no trespassing signs. As we con-tinued down toward camp, we found an-other surprise. On either side of the oldcamp lane hung State Game Landssigns. I slowed down and pulled off infront of the old lane.Sometimes things change in positive

ways, too. Although I felt remorse overthe fact that the property was no longerours, I was happy that I could still huntand trap there. When my uncle’s father-in-law passed away about 10 years ago,the property was willed to his son whoeventually sold the property to the Penn-sylvania Game Commission. I hadn’tknown about the sale until that day.Somewhere along the line, I’m suresomeone mentioned it to me, but per-haps I was in denial. After all, in mymind, I wanted everything to be thesame, and until I saw it for myself itwould always be what it was back then.Rich and I both agreed on one thing,

though – this was prime fisher habitat.The old camp lane dipped down througha shallow gully, crossed a creek, andthen opened up on a large brushy field.The gully was choked with small growthtrees and pines with lots of groundcover. Across the road was thick moun-tain laurel and brush. The gully itselfserved as a natural pinch point for trav-eling wildlife. Our suspicions were con-firmed by the amount of deer tracks andtrails snaking down through the gullyand the set of fisher tracks I found in themud in the old camp lane.Although I ended up catching my

fisher at a different location, I couldn’thelp but get excited every time wechecked the traps by the old camp. Howneat would it have been to catch a fisherin the same place where I first hunteddeer? I did catch a raccoon just downthe road, though, which was almost asgood.On the last day of fisher season, I

pulled my traps from the camp lane andwalked back in to where the old farm-house once stood. By the looks of it, theGame Commission had dismantled andburned it piece by piece. Only the oldfireplace and chimney remained. In thefireplace were ashes and remnants of anold fire, perhaps the same one – the last

one – we sat around and told storiesaround years ago. In my mind I couldstill see my uncle placing another cou-ple logs on the flames and I could hearthe echo of our laughter as the night

wore on and our hopes for the next daygrew bigger and bigger. The old campwill always hold a special place in myheart.

Camp From Page 4

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Ralph ScherderThis is all that’s left of the Scherder deer camp in central Pennsylvania.

“It’s what the old camp looks like today,” said Scherder.


Send us your trophy photos

For our contests& Nikon Photo

Showcase

April George, age 11jake, 17lb, shotgun

Columbiana County, OH

email to:[email protected] to: Photo Showcase210 East Fourth St.East Liverpool, OH 43920

www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com

PamWilliams1st deer, muzzleloaderJefferson County, OH

This whitetail sea-son was differentfrom the past. Duringthe summer, a class-mate of mine, KevinKosko, approachedme about huntingproperty owned byhis father. Opportuni-ties like that don’tcome by very often,so of course I jumpedat the chance. He needed to move somedeer stands to newer locations so I as-sisted him and got to learn the basics ofthe property and get my bearings. Kevinalready had many stands in various lo-cations throughout his father’s farm, andwe put one up on his farm.Corn and soybeans are abundant at his

father’s and he decided to put in foodplots (turnips) for later in the year. Var-ious scouting trips and camera picsproved there were quality deer at thefarm and I got excited. September camearound and we started an outage at work.Nothing messes up your bow practice

time like a string of 12-hour midnightshifts. My wife and I also left the coun-try for a week-long vacation, so therewas no practice time at all before thestart of the Ohio archery season.I usually get my hunting gear ready

months ahead of time and then concen-trate on shooting every day. None of thathappened and I really wasn’t prepared asI like to be. The day after we got backfrom vacation, I got a call from Kevin.He wanted me to come out and get in mystand. I wasn’t really back a full 12hours and wanted to just relax in front ofthe TV and watch the Steelers playTampa Bay.Well we all know how that game

turned out, so I am glad Kevin was per-sistent in getting me out of my chair andinto the woods. I hadn’t even bought mydeer tag yet, so during halftime I went toWalmart and bought one!At 3:00 p.m. I was at Kevin’s house,

all dressed in camo and geared up for anight in the stand. I was not confident inmy ability with my bow, so I took mycrossbow. I know for sure if I get a

shooting opportunity, I am confident intaking a 50 yard shot with it.We discussed our plans and Kevin

placed me in a stand in a white oak, 40feet up that had a corn field behind it and

his plot of turnips in front of me. Hebacked his quad up and hesitated for justa moment, then left. He later told me he

My Three Hour Deer Season

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of Denny FettyThe author with his main frame eight pointer taken this past fall in Columbiana County,

OH with a crossbow. It was the author's "three hour deer", which is discussed in this article.

Turn To Season Page 13

By Denny FettyOVO Pro Staff

OVOu

tdoo

rTim

es


West Virginia Trappers AssociationFur Auction - Jan. 9-11, 2015 at GlimerCounty Recreation Center, Glenville, WV.Several vendors. For info. call ScottSchimmel at 304-462-7270, email JanetHodge at [email protected] or visitwebsite at: www.wvtrappers.com.

Ohio State Trappers Association FurAuction - Feb. 7 at 50 Boyer Lane (just offRt. 41) in Jeffersonville, OH. Starts at 9a.m. Call-ins for lot numbers (for all threeauctions) will be taken on Jan. 2 only fromnoon - 9 p.m. Call Steve Hiller at 937-206-1934. For info. contact Hiller, OSTA FurAuction Coordinator via email:[email protected]. Visit the OSTA websiteat: www.ohiostatetrapper.org.

West Virginia Trappers AssociationSpring Rendezvous and Fur Auction -March 6-8, 2015 at Glimer CountyRecreation Center, Glenville, WV. Severalvendors. For info. call Scott Schimmel at304-462-7270, email Janet Hodge [email protected] or visit websiteat: www.wvtrappers.com.

National Bowhunter CertificationClass — March 14 at Trumbull County

Rod & Gun Club, 6575 Phillips Rice Road,Cortland, OH 44410. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Freeclass, sponsored by National BowhunterEducation Foundation and ODNR,Division of Wildlife. Eight hour class.Class is open to the public however pre-registration is required by contacting ToddShafer at (330) 883-4347 or email [email protected].

Ohio State Trappers Association FurAuction - March 14 at West MuskingumBooster Hall, 2170 Highland Rd.,Zanesville, OH 43701. Starts at 9 a.m.Call-ins for lot numbers (for all threeauctions) will be taken on Jan. 2 only fromnoon - 9 p.m. Call Steve Hiller at 937-206-1934. For info. contact Hiller, OSTA FurAuction Coordinator via email:[email protected]. Visit the OSTA websiteat: www.ohiostatetrapper.org

PATrappersAssociation Rendezvous -June 18-20,2015 at Schuylkill CountyFairgrounds, 2270 Fair Road, SchuylkillHaven, PA 17972. Demos, dealers,contests, auction, kid’s activities. $5admission, $10 for three days. ContactKaren Mohn at 610-562-1790.www.patrappers.com.

Calendar of Events

saw a scrape as he stopped. He evencontemplated pointing it out to me buthe had to get to his stand and it was onthe other end of the farm. I got to the topof the tree where the lock-on stand wasat 3:45 and sat down.He barely got back to the trailer and I

heard some noises behind me. Therewere two squirrels playing and droppingacorns. Five minutes later I heard noisecoming from in front of me. It was avery nice doe and I had an agreementwith Kevin and his father to take a doe,so this was just what I was looking for.She moved around and found a bush andbegan to rub her orbital glands and lickthe branches. I have heard of this behav-ior before but have never witnessed it.She didn’t give me a shot and I heardmore noise behind me. It turns out thatthere were three yearlings coming to-ward her. Still she didn’t give me a shot.Together the four deer fed for quite awhile.During that time I ranged the tree and

where each deer was. The limbs of thebush were 40 yards exactly. Each deerwas within shooting range but the doenever gave me the broadside shot I

wanted.At around 6:30 the deer started acting

funny. All the yearlings got nervous andtook off to a spot behind me. Their tailswere really moving. The older doe keptlooking in the direction she came fromand then she ran to right under my stand.I heard something but couldn’t make outwhat it was. Then there was a lightgrunt coming from the area by the bush.I knew right then it was a buck but hewasn’t in any hurry to come in the open.The doe was content to stay directly

under me, so I had to make sure I didn’tmove or she might bust me. After aboutfive more minutes I finally got to see aleg of the buck. He was moving veryslowly and deliberately towards the bushthat the doe had rubbed. He came to theback side of the bush and I could seehim lip curling and snorting. I couldn’tyet tell how big he was or how big therack was. He moved to the left side andout of my view. When he came intoview his head was high and he was quar-tering to me. I could only see his rightside and it was high and very nice. Iguessed him to be at least a seven point,possibly a nice main frame eight point.He walked back behind the bush andstuck his head up in the branches that the

doe had licked and rubbed. He rubbedon the branches and went off to my leftout of sight again. The doe finally hadenough and ran away to where the year-lings had gone. Finally I could move. Istood up and could see the buck pawingthe dirt.This is a little early for the signs I was

seeing, I thought. He finally got to apoint where I could see his other side—definitely an eight pointer and he was,in my estimation, a three-year-old with abig body. I had seen enough to make mymind up that he was a shooter — if hegave me the chance. He went back intothe wood line and again stuck his headinto the branches of the bush. I wasstarting to cuss the fact that all the leaveswere on the trees. I couldn’t get a clearshot unless he either committed to theopen field or decided to put his head upin the branches from outside the woodline. He went to the right side of thebush and again started to paw theground. Finally he decided to go to thebush from the field side and stopped andput his head up and gave the bush quitea shake. He was broadside and myrangefinder told me it was 40 yards.Red dot turned on and the 40 yard dot

right in the crease behind his shoulder

and I took off the safety. One squeezeof the Horton Explorer trigger and theRage tipped bolt was on the way. Thebuck never heard the crossbow fire be-cause he was really hitting the branchesof the bush. When the bolt hit him hemule kicked and took off into the woodline. A few seconds later, I heard himcrash.If I wasn’t a believer in the effective-

ness of the Rage Broadheads, I was now.From the shot to where he dropped was30 yards!A nice walk back to the trailer to wait

for Kevin, and a quad ride to my buckwhere I finally got to put my hands onhim. I then discovered he was a mainframe eight with a drop kicker on his leftmain beam. Then the real work begins.As I said early in this article, I just got

back into the country. It was too warmto hang this deer like I usually do— andI process my own deer — so I didn’twant to take it to a processor. I plan totouch on the trials and tribulations of anearly season deer and what happened inanother article. Please stay tuned be-cause you may learn from my mistakesin not being prepared. That can happenwhen your deer season only lasts a littlemore than three hours.

Season From Page 12

PONCACITY, Okla. — High SchoolFishing, the nation’s largest bass-fishingcircuit dedicated to high school anglers,announced its 2015 state championshipseries schedule recently, and extendedeligibility to seventh- and eighth-gradestudents.In 2015 seventh- and eighth-grade stu-

dents are eligible to compete in HighSchool Fishing tournaments providedthat the other team member in the boatwith them is in the ninth, 10th, 11th or12th grade.“After receiving numerous requests

we’ve decided to open competition toseventh- and eighth-grade students pro-vided they are competing in the sameboat as older students,” TBF NationalYouth Director Mark Gintert said. “Inthis manner High School Fishing willoperate similar to most traditional highschool sports that allow middle schoolstudents to ‘play up’ and compete at thehigh school level.”

Each state championship will advancethe top 10 percent of teams to one of fiveconference championships. Each confer-ence championship will then advancethe top 10 percent of teams to the 2016High School Fishing National Champi-onship where students in the final roundwill experience the thrill of fishing fromhigh-performance Ranger Z520C bassboats and weighing in on the world-fa-mous Walmart FLW Tour stage as theycompete for $10,000 in scholarships($5,000 for each member of the winningteam).In addition to state championships, the

2015 schedule includes a series of na-tional opens that also advance teams toconference championships. The topthree teams in each open will advance tothe conference championship for theirhome state.While advancement to the High

School Fishing National Championshipis limited to top performers in each con-

ference championship, all High SchoolFishing teams are eligible to compete inthe High School Fishing World Final.The 2015 High School Fishing WorldFinals will be held on Pickwick Lake inFlorence, Ala., July 7-11.Visit highschoolfishing.org for the

complete schedule. Registration opensJanuary 15. To register click on the“tournaments” tab and select “2015 statechampionships” in the drop down menu.Complete rules for the 2015 season willbe available online on or before January15.A few state championships have not

yet been finalized but will be added tothe schedule soon.“We are excited to offer a lot of new

venues for 2015, but we are still ironingout some details on a few state champi-onships,” Gintert said. “If a state cham-pionship is not yet on the schedule, restassured that it will be added soon.”High School Fishing was introduced

by FLW and The Bass Federation (TBF)in 2011. It is the first and only nationalhigh school fishing program providingturnkey solutions for state athletic asso-ciations. There are no entry fees in HighSchool Fishing state championships,opens, conference championships, thenational championship or the World Fi-

nals. Participants must be members ofthe Student Angler Federation (SAF),which is $25 per year and includes: tour-nament eligibility , subscription to FLWBass Fishing magazine, access to freeonline fishing education courses, insur-ance coverage for students, coaches,schools and volunteers, access to thelargest volunteer angler network in thenation, a proven fundraising program tomake participation virtually cost free forstudents and schools. For students 16and older, eligibility to win great prizesin monthly FLW giveaways.“High School Fishing is the single

greatest opportunity our sport has togrow participation and move into themainstream, taking its rightful placealongside traditional sports in our na-tion’s schools,” FLW Vice President ofOperations Dave Washburn said.ABOUT FLWFLW is the industry’s premier tourna-

ment-fishing organization, providing an-glers of all skill levels the opportunity tocompete for millions in prize money na-tionwide in 2015 over the course of 240tournaments.For more information about FLW visit

FLWFishing.com and look for FLW onTwitter, Facebook, Instagram andYouTube.


State Championships Set

(440) 632-0174 | 13650 Mad ison R d , Mi dd lef i eld , O H w w w.pinec raf t str uctures.com

Storage Barns SOUTH CHARLESTON,WV—TheWest Virginia Division of Natural Re-sources (DNR) Wildlife Resources Sec-tion has confirmed that environmentalDNA (eDNA) from the invasive Asiancarp was found in water samples takenfrom the Ohio River and KanawhaRiver.As part of a cooperative project, the

fisheries biologists from theWildlife Re-sources Section and the U.S. Fish andWildlife Service (USFWS) collectedwater samples in July 2014 from theOhio River within the New CumberlandNavigational Pool (Hancock County)and Pike Island Navigational Pool (Ohioand Brooke counties), as well as the Lit-tle Kanawha River (Wood and Wirtcounties) and the Kanawha River (Put-nam and Kanawha counties). Thesewater samples were tested for the pres-ence of eDNA for bighead and silvercarp by the USFWS.Positive results were found for big-

head and silver carp DNA from the NewCumberland Navigational Pool, as wellas for bighead carp DNA from the Win-field Pool of the Kanawha River. Allsamples were found to be negative for

both bighead and silver carp DNA col-lected from the Pike Island NavigationalPool, as well as the Little KanawhaRiver.Researchers use eDNA analysis as a

tool for the early detection ofAsian carp.The presence of eDNAdoes not providephysical proof of the presence of live ordead Asian carp, but indicates the pres-ence of genetic material in the waterbody. This genetic material may be theresult of live carp, or transport of onlythe genetic material via boats, birds orother vectors.Asian carp are a significant threat to

aquatic ecosystems, as well as to anglingand boating recreational activities. Be-cause of the harmful nature of theseAsian carp species, the DNR urges an-glers and boaters to help in slowing thespread of these invasive species.Anglers and boaters should thoroughly

clean gear and boats before entering newwaters.Anglers should never release livefish into a public water body and alwaysproperly discard baitfish after a fishingtrip. See the WVDNR website(http://wvdnr.gov/Fishing/Asian_Carp.shtm).

Positive eDNA Asian Carp Found in Ohio andKanawha Rivers


By Grey D. Berrier IISince the beginning of archery season

and continuing through gun and muzzle-loader seasons, you most likely spentdozens, possibly hundreds, of hours in atreestand. If you paint the picture inyour mind like a panorama, you canprobably recall the trees, rocks, blow-downs, weed patches, gullies, rises, andstreams surrounding each treestand inprecise order. As you silently sat therewatching and listening, highly focusedand hyper-vigilant, patiently waiting forthe whitetail of your dreams to materi-alize, what critter initially captured yourattention?Most likely it was a squirrel! Their

faint scraping of claws on tree bark,flicking tails, nut shell cuttings, leaf lit-ter stirrings, periodic chases, routinescratching, and incessant chatter were alldead giveaways of their presence. Frommany of my treestands, I frequentlycounted over two dozen squirrel sight-ings during the course of a day-long

vigil and in one instance I had 11 squir-rels active around me at the same time.Those 5 fox, 4 gray, and 2 red squirrelsforced me to remain completely motion-less while their close proximity made itextremely difficult to periodically scanfor whitetails and even hear anythingelse in the woods.With deer season drawing to a close in

Pennsylvania (archery and flintlock sea-sons end in Wildlife Management Unit2B, Allegheny County and portions ofsurrounding counties, on January 24,2015) and in Ohio (archery season endsFebruary 1, 2015), we’re facing the starkreality that our 2014-15 whitetail hunt-ing is coming to an end. Before startingthe annual mid-winter chore of retriev-ing ladder stands, hanging stands, andclimbing sticks distributed across pri-vate property and on public ground; nowis an excellent time to take one last standfor squirrels. You have the opportunityto employ all the knowledge you gainedduring deer seasons regarding their pre-ferred den trees, food sources, and travel

patterns to harvest a few bushy-tailswhile the leaves are down and you havethe woods all to yourself.In Ohio, squirrels (fox, gray, black,

and red) are legal quarry until January31, 2015 and PAhunters can generouslypursue squirrels until February 21, 2015.In both states, the daily bag limit is six.Rimfire rifles and shotguns are both ex-cellent tools for pursuing squirrels andone’s individual preference is often dic-tated by the treestand’s location. Smallwoodlots surrounded by homes or otheroccupied structures may necessitateusing a shotgun with its more limitedrange. Whenever possible, I prefer toemploy a .22 long rifle with its increasedlethal range, decreased noise report, andthe elimination of the requirement to re-move lead shot from dressed squirrels.Hunting from an elevated treestand en-ables rifle hunters to take safer shots atsquirrels on the ground, since the bulletis fired on a downward trajectory. Al-ways refrain from shooting at any squir-rel in the treetops with a rimfire rifle asthe bullet may travel up to 1+ miledownrange and cause unintended dam-age or harm.When was the last time you practiced

shooting a firearm from your treestand?

One Last Stand for Squirrels

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Grey D. Berrier IIThis ladder stand, located amongstseveral black walnuts, is an ideal

perch for late season squirrels

Turn To Squirrels Page 18


Lavinya Gamble, age 141st. deer, 6-pt.


Laura Levic1st deer, 8-pt.

Forest County, PA

Laura Levic1st turkey, 18-lb, 10" beardWestmoreland County, PA

Mason Hughes9-pt., 17-1/16" spread

Mahoning County, OH

Steve Mahler8-pt., 15-5/8" spread

Jefferson County, OH

Coty Bates7-pt., 16-5/16" spreadStark County, OH

Larry Marsh7-pt. buck


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

Kevin Weese8-pt. buck

Carroll County, OH


Bill Melzer10-pt., buck, 16-3/4" spread

Stark County, OH

Mark Colella9-pt., 20" spread, archeryVenango County, PA

Toni Lynn Leport9-pt crossbow

Beaver County, PA

Jeff Metzgar8-pt.

Carroll County, OH

Andrew Buchs8-pt., 17" spread

Portage County, OH

Deonte Stradwick16-pt., crossbow

Franklin County, OH

Denny Fetty & John Thomaspheasant w/Rex, brittany spanielHighlandtown Wildlife Area, OH

Joe Blazerpheasant w/Rex, brittany spanielHighlandtown Wildlife Area, OH

Chase Stuber1st buck, 18" inside spreadTrumbull County, OH

Corben Calldoe, crossbow


Nate Koerner8-pt.

Mahoning County, OH

Jessica Barlow-MooreStark County, OH


Ohio Valley Outdoorswww.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com

It’s not something that most gun clubs,public or home ranges are set up for.Shooting a few squirrels from your lad-der or hanging stands provides a greatopportunity to get comfortable with rest-ing your firearm on the stand’s shootingrail (if so equipped) or learning to firefrom a sitting posi-tion with your el-bows braced onyour knees. It mayalso force you totake shots in unan-ticipated directionsand cause you to re-alize there are some “blind spots” fromcertain treestands that you can’t coverdue to thick intervening branches or un-comfortable shooting angles. Right-handed shooters struggle with shots 90ºto their right, while lefties have a similarchallenge going to their left. A squirrelmay be the first quarry you ever try har-vesting by firing from your off-shoulder

with your non-dominant eye. Betterlearning that awkwardness with a squir-rel now, rather than trying it for the firsttime on the buck-of-a-lifetime later.We all have some treestand locations

that we would never think of huntingsquirrels to avoid damage to the futuresanctity of our special, secret whitetail

“hot-spots”. How-ever, all other tree-stands where youwatched squirrelsfor the past fourmonths should beconsidered potentialperches for bushy-

tail excursions before you pull themdown for the season. An excellent dayof squirrel hunting in a very familiarstand may await you or perhaps, yourluck will be like mine, and that will bethe day that the trophy buck you werehunting all season decides to show up.Either way, it will be time well spent out-doors!

Squirrels From Page 15

A squirrel may be the first quarryyou ever try harvesting by firingfrom your off-shoulder with your

non-dominant eye.

ventures SportsArea.Admission is: $12.Visit their website:www.cincinnatiboatshow.com.The same sponsors, Hart Productions,

will host the Cincinnati Hunting andFishing Show the following week (Jan.21-25) at the Duke Energy Center.Young female huntress Kendall Jones, ofTexas, will be featured. Admission is:$12. See the above website for more in-formation.In March, mark your calendars for the

Ohio Deer and Turkey Expo, held eachyear at the Ohio Expo Center (state fair-grounds) in Columbus, OH. That eventis slated for March 13-15. Featured atthis show is the Big Buck Contest, spon-sored by the Buckeye Big Buck Club.Byron Ferguson and turkey callingchampionAlex Vedrinski headline morethan 30 seminars. Admission is: $14.Visit their website: www.deerinfo.com.The 14th Annual West Virginia Hunt-

ing and Fishing Show will be held onMarch 7-8 at Mylan Park in Morgan-town, WV. Admission is: $6. Visit theirwebsite: www.outdoorsportsshow.com.

Show Time From Page2

Been onlinelately?

Visit our new,improvedwebsite:

www.ohiovalleyoutdoors

.com

COLUMBUS, OH – Hunters checked65,485 white-tailed deer during Ohio’s2014 gun hunting season, Dec. 1-7, ac-cording to the Ohio Department of Nat-ural Resources (ODNR).Rifles using specific straight-walled

cartridges were allowed during Ohio’sdeer-gun season. Gun hunters took ad-vantage of the new opportunity andchecked 5,360 deer with straight-walledcartridge rifles.Hunters have checked 148,830 deer so

far in all 2014 hunting seasons, com-pared to 162,720 at the same point lastyear. Hunters harvested 75,408 deer dur-ing the 2013 deer-gun season.Until recently, the populations in

nearly all of Ohio’s counties were abovetheir target numbers. In the last fewyears, through increased harvests, dra-matic strides have been made in manycounties to bring those populationscloser toward their goal, and the effec-tiveness of these herd management ef-forts are reflected in the number of deerchecked this season. Once a county’sdeer population is near goal, harvest reg-ulations are adjusted to maintain thepopulation.

Counties reporting the highest numberof checked deer during the 2014 gunseason: Coshocton (2,308), Muskingum(2,084), Tuscarawas (2,074), Guernsey(1,788), Ashtabula (1,730), Knox(1,727), Licking (1,655), Harrison(1,491), Carroll (1,477) and Belmont(1,428).Hunting is the best and most effective

management tool for maintaining Ohio’shealthy deer population. During the2013-2014 hunting season, Ohio hunterschecked 191,459 deer. Ohio ranks fifthnationally in resident hunters and 11thin the number of jobs associated withhunting-related industries. Hunting hasa more than $853 million economic im-pact in Ohio through the sale of equip-ment, fuel, food, lodging and more,according to the National ShootingSports Foundation’s Hunting in Amer-ica: An Economic Force for Conserva-tion publication.The ODNR Division of Wildlife re-

mains committed to properly managingOhio’s deer populations through a com-bination of regulatory and programmaticchanges. The goal of Ohio’s Deer Man-agement Program is to provide a deer

population that maximizes recreationalopportunities, while minimizing con-flicts with landowners and motorists.This ensures that Ohio’s deer herd ismaintained at a level that is both accept-able to most, and biologically sound.Find more information about deer

hunting in the Ohio 2014-2015 Huntingand Trapping Regulations or at wildo-hio.gov. An updated deer harvest reportis posted online.Ohio’s first modern day deer-gun sea-

son opened in 1943 in three counties,and hunters harvested 168 deer. Deerhunting was allowed in all 88 countiesin 1956, and hunters harvested 3,911deer during that one-week season.Visit the ODNR website at

ohiodnr.gov.A list of all white-tailed deer checked

by hunters during weeklong 2014 deer-gun hunting season is shown below. Thefirst number following the county’sname shows the harvest numbers for2014, and the 2013 numbers are inparentheses: Adams: 1,134 (1,343);Allen: 348 (380); Ashland: 1,160(1,162); Ashtabula: 1,730 (2,334);Athens: 1,360 (1,745); Auglaize: 278(299); Belmont: 1,428 (1,851); Brown:940 (932); Butler: 308 (312); Carroll:1,477 (2,019); Champaign: 434 (414);

Clark: 195 (198); Clermont: 685 (667);Clinton: 285 (250); Columbiana: 1,245(1,726); Coshocton: 2,308 (2,658);Crawford: 515 (528); Cuyahoga: 24(31); Darke: 241 (170); Defiance: 871(744); Delaware: 422 (393); Erie: 219(176); Fairfield: 708 (827); Fayette: 142(103); Franklin: 124 (113); Fulton: 336(341); Gallia: 1,220 (1,420); Geauga:470 (509); Greene: 213 (224);Guernsey: 1,788 (2,401); Hamilton: 165(202); Hancock: 443 (338); Hardin: 487(544); Harrison: 1,491 (2,133); Henry:334 (326); Highland: 1,004 (1,041);Hocking: 1,195 (1,456); Holmes: 1,349(1,494); Huron: 921 (1,029); Jackson:968 (1,156); Jefferson: 1,120 (1,494);Knox: 1,727 (1,966); Lake: 138 (126);Lawrence: 779 (1,002); Licking: 1,655(1,887); Logan: 672 (653); Lorain: 646(678); Lucas: 105 (131); Madison: 154(127); Mahoning: 555 (750); Marion:340 (348); Medina: 567 (555); Meigs:1,270 (1,482); Mercer: 206 (219);Miami: 250 (211); Monroe: 1,056(1,337); Montgomery: 130 (109); Mor-gan: 1,207 (1,445); Morrow: 671 (640);Muskingum: 2,084 (2,604); Noble:1,031 (1,454); Ottawa: 121 (88); Pauld-ing: 509 (499); Perry: 1,160 (1,362);Pickaway: 330 (343); Pike: 701 (818);Total: 65,485 (75,408).


Ohio Hunters Harvest65,000+ Deer Dring Gun Season

Amy’s VenisonSloppy Joes

www.SportsMansTable.comhttp://recipes.sportsmanstable.com/

• Prep Time: 20 min. • Cook Time: 30 min. • Ready In: 1 hrs 40 mins. • Yields: 4 Servings

1 green bell pepper chopped1 yellow bell pepper chopped1 onion chopped1 lb. ground venison or beef (we used elk)2 cloves garlic1 5 oz. can tomato paste6 large tomatoes crushed and skins removed1 tbs olive oil2 tbs. Cabernet Sauvignon Fine Wine Jelly Sportsman's Table

Item #SCJ0212 tbs. Venison Barbeque Seasoning and Rub Sportsman's Table

Item #2688salt amount to tastepepper amount to taste

Directions:Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat for 2 mins.Add

chopped peppers and onion and saute until partiallytranslucent.Add ground venison and brown. Add barbeque season-ing, tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, salt, and pepper.Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 min. Add wine jellyand simmer for 5-10 more min. Serve on sandwich rolls.

Documents

Ohio Valley Outdoor Times 1-2015