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NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 13, 2009 Dates for 2009-10 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons Approved by Wildlife Council COLUMBUS, OH - Ohio hunters will again enjoy a 60-day duck hunting season and a six- duck bag limit this year. The 2009-2010 waterfowl hunting season dates have been approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council and are the most liberal regulations allowed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The waterfowl hunting seasons are set to open October 17 in both Ohio's north and south zones. Hunters 15 years of age and younger will have the opportunity to enjoy a special statewide season October 3-4. The duck hunting season in the North Zone is October 17 through December 6, followed by a late portion that opens December 26 through January 3, 2010. In the South Zone, duck season is open October 17 through November 1, followed by a late portion that opens December 12 and runs through January 24, 2010. The daily bag limit for ducks is six, which may not include more than four mallards (no more than one may be female), three wood ducks, one black duck, two redheads, two scaup, one canvasback, one pintail, and one mottled duck. Ohio duck hunters will note that canvasback populations have recovered well enough to allow for limited harvest opportunity this year. Likewise, scaup populations have improved from 2008 and the bag limit of two applies for the entire season, unlike the regulations in place last year. The daily bag limit for mergansers is five, of which only two may be hooded. The daily bag limit for coots is 15. Possession limits after the first day are twice the daily bag limit. Ohio hunters will enjoy a slightly longer goose season this year that essentially adds an extra weekend to each zone. In the Lake Erie Canada Goose Zone, the goose season is October 17 through November 29 followed by a second segment that opens December 7 and runs through January 3, 2010. The goose season for the remainder of the North Zone is October 17 through November 29, with a second segment that runs from December 19 through January 17, 2010. In the South Zone, goose season is October 17 through November 8 followed by a second segment that opens December 12 and runs through January 31, 2010. The daily bag limit for Canada geese is two. Light geese (snows, blues, Ross') have a daily bag limit of 10, and white-fronted geese and brant have a daily bag limit of one. The possession limit for brant and geese is twice the daily bag limit after the first day. People planning to hunt waterfowl are required to answer several questions for the Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey when purchasing their hunting licenses. A state wetland habitat stamp endorsement and a valid and signed federal duck stamp are required when hunting waterfowl, in addition to an Ohio hunting license. The 2009-2010 hunting licenses and wetland stamps are on sale now and remain valid through February 28, 2010. Copies of this season's waterfowl hunting regulations, which include maps of the zones (Publication 295, Waterfowl Hunting Seasons), will be available online at wildohio.com or by late September to hunters at all license vendors. -30- For Further Information Contact: Dave Sherman, Division of Wildlife 419.898.0960 x24 Controlled Waterfowl Hunting Opportunities at Mogadore Reservoir Public drawing to be held on August 20, 2009 AKRON, OH – An agreement between the City of Akron and the Ohio Division of Wildlife will allow permits to be drawn for 12 waterfowl hunting blinds on Mogadore Reservoir in Portage County. The drawing will be held on Thursday, August 20th, at the Goodyear Hunting and Fishing Club, 1221 Wingfoot Lake Road, Mogadore, Ohio. Registration begins at 5:30 p.m. and the drawing will follow promptly at 6:00 p.m. Hunters should arrive one half hour prior to the drawing and must bring his or her 2009 hunting license, federal duck stamp, or Ohio wetlands habitat stamp. Each of the 12 blinds will be awarded in one week increments throughout the early goose season and waterfowl season. During early goose and teal seasons, hunting will only occur on September 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 & 19 (legal hours only). During the regular waterfowl season, hunting will occur only on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday until noon. Dates chosen for both seasons will be listed on your permit. Permit holders may bring a maximum of two (2) partners each day and while the partners may differ, the permit holder must always be present. Click here to buy a license or Ohio wetlands habitat stamp now CONTROLLED WATERFOWL HUNT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE PICKEREL CREEK WILDLIFE AREA FINDLAY, OH – Interested waterfowl hunters are invited to participate in several controlled hunting opportunities at the Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area. The first is a lottery card drawing for the opening day of the Teal/Early Goose season. The morning drawing will be for all applicants. The afternoon drawing will be Youth Only. Interested applicants need to mail in a 4x6 inch index card with the applicant’s name, address and phone number to: Wildlife District Two, 952 Lima Ave., Findlay, Ohio 45840. The drawing in which the card is to be entered should be designated at the top (Youth Teal or Adult Teal). Post cards need to be postmarked by August 14, 2009 to be eligible. There will also be a lottery card drawing for the opening day of the regular waterfowl season. The morning drawing will be for all applicants. The afternoon drawing will be Youth Only. Interested applicants need to mail in a 4x6 inch index card with the applicant’s name, address and phone number. The drawing in which the card is to be entered should be designated at the top (Youth Waterfowl or Adult Waterfowl). Post cards need to be postmarked by September 17, 2009 to be eligible. There is a limit of one card per drawing. Youth hunters are age 17 and younger. Successful applicants will receive their permit in the mail along with additional information. The permits are not transferable. Adult hunt results will be posted on the Division of Wildlife website. Youth hunt results will be available by calling the Wildlife District Two Office @ 419.424.5000. Results for the Teal hunt drawings will be available after August 24th. Results for the Waterfowl hunt drawings will be available after September 28th. Additional controlled waterfowl hunting opportunities will be available through a daily drawing at the Pickerel Creek Check Station. Hunt days will be every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday during the waterfowl seasons as well as both Saturday and Sunday of the statewide youth season. Morning hunt drawings will be held at 5:15 am and afternoon hunt drawings will be held at 11:00 am. All permits not utilized in the drawings will be available through a self serve system. Procedures will be posted at the check station. Ohio State Parks Duck Blind Lotteries Set for August 15 COLUMBUS, OH – More than 400 permits are available to hunters wishing to hunt ducks and geese from a blind at an Ohio State Park lake this waterfowl hunting season. Lottery drawings for the permits will be held at 17 state parks and two wildlife areas the morning of Saturday, August 15. Interested applicants must appear in person at a participating state park office with proof of a 2009 Ohio hunting license, state wetlands stamp endorsement in the applicant’s name and a signed 2009 or 2008 federal duck stamp. Applicants under the age of 18 are encouraged to have a parent or legal guardian present to sign the permit contract. Participating state parks include Portage Lakes and West Branch in northeast Ohio; East Harbor, Indian Lake, Kiser Lake and Lake Loramie in northwest Ohio; Buck Creek, Caesar Creek, Cowan Lake, East Fork, Hueston Woods and Rocky Fork in southwest Ohio; and Alum Creek, A.W. Marion, Buckeye Lake, Deer Creek and Delaware in central Ohio. Applications will be taken beginning at 7:30 a.m. at most parks, with the lottery drawings at 8 a.m. at the park office, unless otherwise noted in the listing below. Each hunter can apply for only one duck blind permit and no one can apply or draw for another person. There is a $50 non-refundable permit fee for the state park lottery winners. Lottery winners have 45 days to construct their blinds and all blinds must be dismantled by March 15, 2010. Waterfowl hunting opportunities are also available through lottery drawings for blinds at the Mercer Wildlife Area on Grand Lake St. Marys, and at the Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area on Mosquito Creek Reservoir, adjacent to Mosquito Lake State Park. The drawings will be held at the respective wildlife area offices on August 15. There is no fee for use of the blinds at these areas. The dates of the 2009 fall waterfowl hunting season have not yet been determined by the Ohio Wildlife Council, but generally fall in the later part of October. For information about hunting seasons, call 1-800-WILDLIFE or visit www.ohiodnr.com online. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR web site at www. ohiodnr.com. -30- EDITORS NOTE: A list of park addresses and telephone numbers, along with the number of duck blinds available at each participating park, is below. 2009 Ohio State Park Duck Blind Lottery Number of Blinds available; State Park County Drawing Location; Phone Number; Application/ Drawing Time 20 - Alum Creek Delaware 3615 South Old State Rd. Delaware, OH 43015; 740-548-4631 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 3 - A.W. Marion Pickaway Deer Creek park office 20635 Waterloo Road Mt. Sterling, OH 43143 740-869-3124 8:30 a.m./9 a.m. 19 - Buck Creek Clark 1901 Buck Creek Lane Springfield, OH 45502 937-322-5284 8:30 a.m./9 a.m. 16 - Buckeye Lake Fairfield/Licking/Perry 2905 Liebs Island Road Millersport, OH 43046 740-467-2690 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 22 - Caesar Creek Warren/Clinton 8570 E. State Rte. 73 Waynesville, OH 45068 513-897-3055 (Meet at the main beach house) 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 10 - Cowan Lake Clinton 1750 Osborn Road Wilmington, OH 45177 937- 382-1096 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 14 - Deer Creek Pickaway/Fayette 20635 Waterloo Road Mt. Sterling, OH 43143 740-869-3124 8:30 a.m./9 a.m. 25 - Delaware Delaware Cty 5202 U.S. 23 North Delaware, OH 43015 740- 369-2761 (Meet at the marina) 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 24 - East Fork Clermont 3294 Elklick Rd. Bethel, OH 45106 513-734-4323 7:30 a.m./8 a.m 5 - East Harbor Ottawa 1169 North Buck Rd. Lakeside-Marblehead, OH 43440 419-734-4424 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 12 - Hueston Woods Preble/Butler 6301 Park Office Rd. College Corner, OH 45003 513-523-6347 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 34 - Indian Lake Logan 12774 State Rte. 235 North Lakeview, OH 43331 937-843-2717 8 a.m./8:30 a.m. 10 - Kiser Lake Champaign 4889 North State Rte. 235 Conover, OH 45317 937-362-3822 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 19 - Lake Loramie Shelby/Auglaize 4401 Ft. Loramie Swanders Rd. Minster, OH 45865 937-295-2011 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 71 - Mercer Wildlife Area Mercer Wildlife Area Headquarters 5116 State Rte. 703 Celina, OH 45822 937-372-9261 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 75 - Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area Trumbull Wildlife Area Headquarters 8303 North Park Ave. Bloomfield, OH 440-685-4776 8:30 a.m./9 a.m. 29 - Portage Lakes Summit 5031 Manchester Road Akron, OH 44319 330-644-2220 7:30 a.m./8 a.m. 16 - Rocky Fork Highland 9800 North Shore Dr. Hillsboro, OH 45133 937-393-4284 (Meet at Campground amphitheater) 8:30 a.m./9 a.m. 16 - West Branch Portage 5708 Esworthy Road, south of Route #5, off Rockspring Rd. Ravenna, OH 44266 330-296-3239 8 a.m./8:30 a.m. For Further Information Contact: Jean Backs, ODNR State Parks 614. 265. 7077 Beth Ruth, ODNR Media Relations 614. 265. 6860 |