A bow to bows and whitetails

Ohio's deer archery season will open on Sept. 28 and continue through Feb. 2, 2025. While once considered a novelty, bow hunting has grown into one of the state's most anticipated hunting seasons. Its popularity continues to increase and evolve. To understand why, we need to examine Ohio's story of Odocoileus virginianus — the whitetail deer. When settlers first entered the vast wilderness of the Northwest Territory, deer were common. They were valued for the food and the useful deer hides they provided. As the human population grew, trees were felled for homes and to clear the way for farms which soon replaced much of the woodlands. This ground-clearing increased wildlife's vulnerability to unrestricted hunting pressure and the deer numbers began to decrease rapidly. By 1904, Ohio's whitetail was gone. The deer wasn't the only animal that faced difficult times during this transitional period. The deep woods and northwestern marshes were transforming into open landscapes. Elk, black bear, turkey, wolves and bobcats were all effected by the rapid changes while some upland animals reaped the benefits. Quail, rabbits and the introduced ring-necked pheasant flourished in this newly created farm country's edge habitat. While some point to hunting as the deciding factor in these animals' demise, we must remember that the term "unregulated" must be added to that description. Though a factor, the real blow was the rapidly changing countryside and the associated loss of habitat. Together, these factors resulted in tumultuous times for wildlife populations. By 1857, hunting restrictions began to be implemented but terrestrial wildlife weren't the only animals suffering. Fish populations were plummeting from their own habitat degradation; the effects of agricultural, industrial, and mining runoff and pollution. In 1873, just 70 years after Ohio's statehood, the General Assembly created the Ohio Fish Commission. Its job was to turn the loss of the state's natural fisheries around but the political appointees of that time weren't prepared to respond the other issues. Due to the public outcry and a rising understanding of both losses and the "new-fangled" of conservation pushed legislation and the agency to include law enforcement, fish and wildlife management, propagation, research, stream improvement, and pollution investigation. In 1888, a statute provided for a warden in every county and by 1949, the organization was combined with other resource agencies to become part of the Dept. of Natural Resources. Eventually, the agency once known as Ohio's Fish Commission and the Division of Conservation had become today's Division of Wildlife. Since its inception, the division's job has been to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use — not just for hunters and anglers, but for all of us. This mission has encouraged the inclusion of managing all forms of wildlife to help increase aesthetic appeal, reduce conflict and to provide recreational use of the renewable resources we all share. Ohio's whitetail deer, has been of particular focus and its loss in many eastern states had stung early conservationists. A beautiful and valuable animal, its social and economic impact are ingrained in our history. A dollar is called a buck thanks to early tanned hide transactions, the buckeye nut was named for its resemblance to a deer's eye, The Ohio State University Buckeyes grew from that namesake and Ohio natives will forever be known as Buckeyes. Ohio's official state mammal is the whitetail deer and the buckeye is the state tree. With such a perceived value, professional wildlife biologists were hired to carefully manage the whitetail deer. During the 1920s and the 1930s, there was a limited restocking program begun while at the same time a natural migration was occurring from neighboring states. By 1943, the state's first modern era hunting season was held in Pike, Adams and Scioto counties with 164 bucks killed. By 1956 sighting of the animal had been made in all 88 counties. During the mid-1990s, whitetail numbers exceeded 500,000 animals for the first time; spread across Ohio's 44,825 square miles. This carefully monitored history and increasing accessibility of the state's only big game animal helped spur the interest in bow hunting. If you ask hunters why they've taken up a bow, you'll hear the words "solitude; skill, rewarding, and challenging." There's also a more relaxed feel to the long archery season which adds a tranquil feel to the entire experience. Bowhunting may also offer opportunities to access properties that are less suitable for gun hunting while also providing cities with an ability to control encroaching deer numbers with less potential risk. Archery can be practiced inexpensively and there are clubs and organizations that cater to the sport, adding to its popularity. They offer shooting opportunities, friendship and, regardless of your skill level, a willingness to help. Manufacturers have also done their job promoting the activity through marketing and equipment development to steer you into the gear you need – or think you need. A great bonus to the process is that hunting license and permit sales and the special taxes on sporting equipment continue to fund wildlife research, restoration, property purchases, and necessary enforcement. The ancient art of archery has evolved into part of our modern outdoor hunting heritage; a legacy we can leave for future generations. With continued management and support, Ohio's whitetail deer will be here for them, too. "Wildlife and its habitat cannot speak, so we must and we will." — Theodore Roosevelt Along the way Field and Stream Magazine, an advocate of hunting and fishing since printing its first magazine in 1895, is back in full force. While it has a very strong online presence; as should be expected, they now publish one of the best in-print quarterly journals on the regular guy's market. They are even resurrecting the vintage covers they used decades ago. Their first issue is already one of my favorites. In true "Field and Stream" norm, they've done a little study on whitetail trends and habits and have come up with the seven "must hunt days" for this year's deer seasons. Contributor Scott Bestful, "talked to some of the country's top biologists, outfitters, and whitetail experts and factored in some…personal opinions, forged from 50 years of deer hunting, to predict which days will have the most electric action." Without further ado, here are Bestful's recommendations! 1: "Oct. 24 is going to kick off Scrape Week this year — that 7- to 10-day period when bucks are not only checking their scrapes nonstop, but doing it during daylight hours. Scrape Week usually ends right around Halloween." 2: Nov. 2. "While I've seen some pretty crazy early-November movement, much more often, the rut sort of tip-toes into a higher gear, with the first handful of days featuring good activity, but not the unhinged chaos we're all expecting." 3: Nov. 5. "Today is apt to be just about perfect — a time when buck activity is peaking but not quite so crazy that it's hard to get a buck stopped for a shot." Gee, didn't I say that Scott Bestful had suggested seven days? I sure did, and I guess if you want to check out the details and the rest of the information — and there is some excellent advice in his words — you're going to need to visit www.fieldandstream.com. Step outside •Hunter and Trapper Education Class information and registration is found online at www.wildohio.gov or call 1-800-WILDLIFE. •Thursday: Trap and Skeet Practice, open to the public. 4 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. •Sept. 28: Whitetail Deer bow season opens. •Sept. 30: Deadline to apply. The Hancock Park District will be accepting applications for the free drawing to participate in the district's Hunting-with-Permission Lottery program. Done in cooperation with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, permit holders will be permitted to hunt in the south unit of Litzenberg Memorial Woods south of Ohio 224. For full details or to apply online, visit: www.hancockparks.com/park-news/23-24-hunting-lottery. For questions, email hpdparks@hancockparks.com. •Oct. 6: Trap Shoot, 1 p.m. Mount Blanchard Gun Club, 21655 Delaware Township 186. •Oct. 6: Primitive Blackpowder Muzzle Loader Shoot, round ball only, 1 p.m. Black Swamp Muzzle Loaders Club, 8831 Township Road 19, McComb. Email: roadkill4u@hotmail.com. •Oct. 20: 75-Bird Trap Shoot, traps open at 11:30 a.m. program starts at 12:30 p.m. UCOA, 6943 Marion Township 243, Findlay. Jackpot is over $400! These trap shoots will continue on the third Sunday of each month. Information: Sandy Thomas, sandthm@aol.com. •Nov. 9: Ladies Only Hunt, Hancock County Pheasants Forever. Limited to 20 participants, all hunters must possess a current hunting license. Youth hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting licensed adults. Pre-registration is required and will be handled on a first-come basis. Deadline for application is Nov. 3. Your application should contain: name, address, phone, email, birthdate (if a youth), and a friend with which you might like to hunt. To apply or for information: mark_plesec@goodyear.com. Jim Abrams is a retired wildlife officer supervisor for the state Division of Wildlife in Findlay. He can be reached at P.O. Box 413, Mount Blanchard, OH 45867-0413 or via email at jimsfieldnotes@aol.com.