Area Farm Bureau
coordinating donations of deer
Seneca County Farm Bureau is working a local meat processor to provide deer donations for local food pantries.
Organization Director Darren Frank said processing costs are being paid for by a donation from Chris Schiefer of Nationwide Insurance Co.
"Last year, six deer were donated and we hope to donate more deer this year," Frank said.
Hunters who do not wish to keep their deer, or who have more deer than they want can consider donating the meat.
For more information, call the Farm Bureau office at (419) 447-3091.
Seneca County hunters
harvest 254 deer on opening day
Hunters in Seneca County harvested 254 deer on the first day of deer-gun season Monday, an increase from last year's opening day total of 148, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
In nearby counties, hunters all had increases from last year's first-day numbers. In Crawford County, hunters took 164 deer, (118 in 2011); Hancock, 174 (105); Huron:, 381 (284); Sandusky: 70 (58); Wood: 67 (47); and Wyandot: 239 (224).
Statewide, hunters checked 29,297 deer Monday, a 24.1 percent increase from 2011, when rain-soaked hunters harvested 23,600 deer.
Counties reporting the highest numbers were Coshocton, 1,199; Muskingum, 1,102; Tuscarawas, 1,091; Guernsey, 858; Harrison, 845; Knox, 830; Ashtabula, 816; Licking, 805; Carroll, 776; and Washington, 747.
Deer-gun season remains open through Sunday and reopens for an additional two days, Dec. 15-16. About 420,000 hunters are expected to participate.
Find more information about deer hunting in Ohio's 2012-13 Hunting and Trapping Regulations or online at www.wildohio.com.
Hunters take down 1,300 turkeys
COLUMBUS Hunters statewide harvested 1,338 wild turkeys during the fall wild turkey season Oct. 13-Nov. 25, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
Fall turkey season is not open in Seneca or area counties.
The total was a 2.5 percent decline from 2011, when hunters bagged 1,372 wild turkeys.
The 2010 harvest total was 1,425.
The top 11 counties were Ashtabula, 61; Coshocton, 56; Geauga and Tuscarawas, 53 each; Knox, 46; Clermont, 42; Licking, 41; Guernsey, 39; Holmes, 38; and Adams and Richland, 37 each.
Compiled by Vicki Johnson. Email her at vjohnson@advertiser-tribune.com.
