Slow Start Deer Harvest

Opening gun season for white tailed deer is a big thing around here.

We have three hunters hunting our property and another trapping our creeks for raccoon.  Monday December 2 was opening day and not a shot was fired but Eric said he heard 40-50 shots, probably 3-4 shots at one animal.

I have come to look forward to deer hunting season.  The harvest of deer feeds hungry people, eliminates some crop damage, reduces the chances of hitting one with a vehicle and is a viable industry in Ohio.  Deer hunters do spend money to shoot, stay warm and eat.

Sunday night LuAnn prepared a big meal of meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans and corn, one of my favorite meals.  Scott, Tim, and Eric joined us for dinner to celebrate the start of gun season in Ohio.

I've never had the patience to fish or hunt.  I tried both, but it's just not my thing.  Walking a field of wheat, corn or soybeans, now that IS my thing.

"LODI, Ohio - Take the entire population of Cleveland plus an additional 30,000 or so and scatter them through the rolling hills and woods of Ohio’s 88 counties and that will give you an idea of the size and scope of deer gun week.

For many of the state’s roughly half-million hunters it is a ritual -- part hunt, part social event.

“We go down to southern Ohio and we have usually about 10 or 15 guys that get together and just spend you know a few days being guys,” said Luke Brock, of Medina. “So we really really look forward to it each year -- it's a chance to fill our freezers and maybe get a big one.”

The big one he brought into the ODNR processing station at Mack’s Food Center in Lodi was a buck.

"It's at least an adult deer because it has six teeth in the jaw," said ODNR’s Allen Lea. “That’s exactly what a lot of guys are looking for in this season,” he said.

Lea documents the size, sex, age and health of the deer that come in. ODNR expects around 80,000 deer to be harvested in this week that runs through Sunday and provides hunters with an extra half hour of hunting each day.

“This is the first time that we’ve extended the hunting season for deer gun to a half hour after sunset so now it mimics the archery season,” he said.

His processing center though running a little slower than in the past due in part to the ability of hunters to register their deer online on ODNR’s website.

"A guy can if he has a smart phone or a gal can go on and check their deer in the field from their smartphone and never have to come to the check station,” he said."

 

Ed