Outdoor briefs

Seneca OCVNs hosting wildflower walk Seneca County's Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist program is planning a wildflower walk at 6 p.m. April 27 at Howard Collier State Nature Preserve, 1655 W. TR 38, Tiffin. The hike, originally scheduled for last week, is to be led by Peggy Dolinger of Upper Sandusky. No registration is required, but plan to use social distancing for safety. The local OCVN program, sponsored by the Franciscan Earth Literacy Center and Seneca Parks, graduated its first class of OCVNs in spring 2019, and is looking forward to another class beginning this fall. OCVN program participants earn a certificate through Ohio State University Extension by taking classwork taught by local professionals in a variety of nature-related topics and interpretation. They then agree to volunteer their time to nature-related pursuits. To be placed on a list of people interested in receiving more information about the OCVN program, contact Seneca Parks Program Director Linda Rose at (419) 447-8091 or lrose@senecacountyparks.com, or Sister Shirley Shafranek at sshafranek@felctiffin.org or (419) 448-7485. For more information about future hikes in the series or to be placed on an email list to keep up to date, contact Vicki Johnson at vicki.dte@gmail.com. Seneca youth hunters take 14 wild turkeys COLUMBUS — Youth hunters in Seneca County checked 14 wild turkeys last weekend during the youth season, compared to eight last year, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Statewide, 1,473 birds were harvested during the two-day season by hunters 17 years and younger. Numbers in neighboring counties were: Crawford, 0 (3); Hancock, 0 (7); Huron, 9 (7); Sandusky, 4 (3); Wood, 5 (4); and Wyandot, 9 (8). As of April 18, the Division of Wildlife had issued 6,978 youth wild turkey permits, which can be used throughout the 2021 spring hunting season, today through May 23 locally and May 1-30 in the northeast zone. Hunting hours from April 24-May 2 in the south zone (local zone) and May 1-9 in the northeast zone are 30 minutes before sunrise until noon. Hunting hours from May 3-23 in the south zone and May 10-30 in the northeast zone are 30 minutes before sunrise to sunset. Hunters may use shotguns or archery equipment to hunt wild turkeys. It is unlawful to hunt turkeys using bait, live decoys or electronic calling devices, or to shoot a turkey while it is in a tree. The Division of Wildlife advises turkey hunters to wear hunter orange clothing when entering, leaving, or moving through hunting areas to remain visible to others. The spring season limit is two bearded wild turkeys. Hunters may harvest one bearded turkey per day, and a second permit may be purchased at any time throughout the spring season. A turkey is required to be checked no later than 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest using the new HuntFish OH mobile app, the automated game-check system, by phone at 877-TAG-IT-OH (877-824-4864), or at a participating license agent. Perch, largemouth bass fishing expected to be good in NW Ohio FINDLAY — Northwest Ohio's public lakes and reservoirs offer some of the best fishing in the Buckeye State for yellow perch, saugeye and other fish, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. Ohio has 124,000 acres of inland water, 7,000 miles of streams, 2.25 million acres of Lake Erie water and 481 miles of the Ohio River. A resident fishing license is $25 per year, and the Division of Wildlife has numerous resources available to assist anglers, including lake maps, fishing tips by species, and fishing forecasts. Many of these resources are available right at your fingertips with the HuntFish OH mobile app. Fishing regulations and an interactive fishing map can be located with ease from any mobile device. For more information on fishing tips and forecasts, go to wildohio.gov. Here are a few places in northwest Ohio anglers may want to visit: Yellow perch - Williams Reservoir (Allen County) – The reservoir was opened in 2012 and offers good numbers of large perch, some longer than 13 inches. If fishing from a boat, start along the north or south shore where the old haul roads are still in place. These features often attract fish of all species. Shoreline fishing in the spring and fall can be productive. Williams Reservoir has an improved concrete launch and dock. There is an electric motor only restriction. Wind is usually more intense on this reservoir because of its height. Be careful of the wind direction and speed before venturing out. Largemouth bass - Clear Fork Reservoir (Richland and Ashland counties) – The reservoir ranks in the top 10 statewide for largemouth bass. Explore the western, shallow end for bass hiding among fallen trees and stumps. During spring, try the eastern end near the dam for big fish. Division of Wildlife sampling consistently shows good numbers of fish longer than 20 inches. The reservoir features a multilane concrete launch, as well as a full-service marina. This is an unlimited horsepower lake with an 8 mph speed limit. Clear Fork Reservoir is also one of Ohio's premiere muskellunge lakes. Saugeye - Pleasant Hill Reservoir (Richland and Ashland counties) – When possible, fish the flat just outside the marina, as well as where the reservoir bends south to the dam. Saugeye fishing is also good just off the beach in 10 to 15 feet of water. Try fishing near the beach at night with a jig tipped with a live minnow near the bottom. An improved boat launch has courtesy docks, as well as an accessible fishing dock. This lake is unlimited horsepower for boat motors and it is sometimes busy. Try fishing in the upper end of the reservoir when the reservoir gets crowded. Crappie - Pleasant Hill Reservoir (Richland and Ashland counties) – The reservoir continues to be the best crappie producer in northwest Ohio. It contains a large number of crappie longer than 9 inches (minimum size limit is 9 inches). Popular spots for fishing are along the rocky ledge on the southern shore and small coves along the southern neck of the reservoir. Focus on trees or logs submerged in the water. The northern end becomes more popular during the summer as fish seek more cover. Pleasant Hill has an improved boat launch with recently renovated courtesy docks, as well as an accessible fishing dock near the boat launch. This lake is an unlimited horsepower lake that attracts many boating enthusiasts. Try fishing in the upper end of the reservoir when the reservoir gets crowded. Sunfish - Lake La Su An Wildlife Area (Williams County) – The lakes and ponds on Lake La Su An are managed for large populations of big bluegill (larger than 8 inches). For the largest lake on the area, Lake La Su An, the east shoreline and the south shoreline directly across from the fishing dock are the best locations to start. Live bait, especially waxworms or redworms, entice panfish to bite. Be aware that live fish (including minnows) are not allowed to be used as bait on the wildlife area. The main lake features a concrete boat launch with a dock, plus an accessible fishing dock. The lake is unlimited horsepower for boats with a no-wake restriction. Other ponds on the area have primitive boat launches suitable for small boats. Fishing is available from early May through late summer on Monday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Visit wildohio.gov for a full listing of the area rules. Channel catfish - Beaver Creek Reservoir (Sandusky County) – The upground reservoir offers good bank access for anglers of all ages. Look for channel catfish in deeper water during the day using cut baits or night crawlers. For early morning, early evening, or nighttime fishing try the shallow southern portion of the reservoir. Anglers can expect to find good numbers of fish in the 17- to 20-inch range, with some fish up to 27 inches long. The reservoir has an improved concrete boat launch with dock and is restricted to electric motors only. Boats with larger motors can keep them tipped up and out of the water. Be aware of strong west winds which can affect launching and landing boats. ODNR forestry helping to plant 20,000 trees in NW Ohio COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry is planting or distributing more than 20,000 trees in northwest Ohio and the Maumee River basin this spring. Trees — particularly in areas near rivers and streams — improve water quality by filtering water through their root systems and reducing soil erosion caused by surface runoff. In agricultural fields, windbreaks reduce wind-induced soil erosion. In addition to water quality benefits, trees also improve mental wellbeing, reduce energy consumption and support wildlife. Division of Forestry staff at Maumee State Forest and other areas of northwest Ohio are planting or distributing thousands of trees this spring. More than 9,700 seedlings will be planted for the Northwest Ohio Windbreak Program, 5,300 seedlings as part of a U.S. EPA-funded wildlife habitat restoration project within the Maumee Area of Concern, and nearly 5,000 seedlings will be added to the recently purchased Van Order property as part of the state's H2Ohio Program. More than 7,000 of these seedlings are oaks, including white oak, red oak, black oak, pin oak, burr oak and swamp white oak. The remaining 13,000 seedlings include black cherry, black walnut, butternut, redbud, shagbark hickory, sugar maple and silky dogwood. Agricultural landowners with qualifying acreage in northwest Ohio can take advantage of forestry's field windbreak program, available each year for springtime planting of seedlings on private farmland. Landowners may check with Seneca Conservation District at (419) 447-7073 to determine eligibility. To create healthy and productive future woodlands, the Division of Forestry strongly encourages landowners to choose trees native to Ohio when planting this spring. Invasive, non-native trees have become a major threat to the health and vigor of Ohio's public and private forest lands. The DOF employs state service foresters who provide technical assistance and advice regarding tree plantings, including species selection, number of seedlings per acre, site preparation, sources of seedlings, and planting techniques. Find the state service forester assigned to your area and a tree planting guide on the DOF website at forestry.ohiodnr.gov.