Deer hunters won't have to pass up turkeys

10/3/2002

It is not uncommon for a bowhunter on a deer stand to have wild turkeys pass right by, providing a ready-made opportunity - if only.

Well, that wish comes true this fall in Ohio with the opening of a special archery-only wild turkey hunting season, Oct. 28 through Dec. 1, in 35 counties, mainly in southern and southeastern Ohio.

With proper permits during that period, a bowhunter will be able to bag a deer or a turkey. “That was the impetus behind the new archery-turkey season,” said Dave Swanson, an Ohio Division of Wildlife biologist.

The Ohio archery-deer season opens Saturday and runs through Jan. 31. The gun season for fall turkey runs Oct. 12 through 27 in the 35 counties for a turkey of either sex. Dogs may be used to assist in taking wild turkeys in the fall, but not in the spring.

Hunters are reminded that turkey hunting will not be allowed on three state areas, Salt Fork, Wildcat Hollow and Shawnee State Forest, between Oct. 21 and 26 because of a conflict with the special primitive-weapons deer season on those three areas.

The state's wild turkey flock is estimated at 250,000 birds. Some 24,000 hunters took 3,331 turkeys last fall.

wFishing report: Huron is the place to be when it comes to western Lake Erie fishing of late.

Good catches of walleye are being taken at mid week in just 12 feet of water off Saw Mill Creek Resort near Huron, said Jerry Modic at Huron Bait and Supply.

Yellow perch catches are excellent off the Huron River mouth. Modic said the second green channel-buoy remains a hot-spot. Anglers on the city pier are taking limits of perch at the end of the pier, but they are averaging just about 10 to 15 fish a trip about half way out, Modic said. Other hot perch locales include the sandbar off Vermilion.

Little perch action was seen in the Toledo area at mid-week, and size has been running small lately.

Inland, the Maumee, Sandusky and Auglaize rivers are providing excellent stream fishing for smallmouth bass and crappie, said Larry Goedde, fish management supervisor for Ohio Wildlife District 2 at Findlay.

Oxbow Lake near Defiance is producing good-sized bluegills, using crickets, and the state's Lake LaSuAn chain of lakes in Williams County continues to produce good bluegill angling. LaSuAn will remain open for fishing Thursdays through Mondays through Oct. 13, then is to be closed until ice-fishing season. Call District 2 for details, 419-424-5000.

Birdseed sale: Toledo Public Schools' natural resource class and Explorers Post are conducting a birdseed sale through Wednesday.

Varieties include black oil-sunflower, a special mixed seed, a premium mix, cracked corn, sunflower chips, peanut hearts, safflower, and niger [thistle].

In addition, the program sells suet cakes, double-ended feeders and bluebird, wren and bat boxes built by the students. Call the Natural Science Technology Center for an order form, 419-537-1198. The seed pickup date is Oct. 26 at the tech center, 5561 Elmer Dr.

Because of the widespread drought this year, seed supplies are lower than normal, meaning prices this year are somewhat higher than in 2001.

Proceeds from the sale support educational programs, field trips and wildlife rehabilitation programs.

DATEBOOK

Friday and Monday: Public trapshoot, 6:30 p.m., Wolf Creek Sportsmen's Association, 349 Teachout Rd., north of State Rt. 2, Curtice; call Frank Schaffer, 419-691-2769.

Friday through Sunday: Fall birding field trip to Whitefish Point, Michigan, Toledo Naturalists Association, call Tom Kemp, 419-877-9635.

Saturday: Third annual fall campout, 1 to 10 p.m., Van Buren State Park, east of I-75 Exit 164, State Rt. 613, north of Findlay; classic cars, hay rides, country and bluegrass music, live birds-of-prey exhibit, free bean soup, campfire 8 p.m.; call the park, 419-299-3807.

Saturday: Hike the dikes program, featuring waterfowl, 9 a.m., Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area, Sportsmen's Migratory Bird Center, 13229 West State Rt. 2, Oak Harbor, call Magee, 419-898-0960 extension 31.

Saturday: Bird and nature hike, Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, Brecksville, Ohio, Black Swamp Bird Observatory; meet at Station Road Bridge parking lot, Chippewa Creek Drive and Riverview Road, 8 a.m.; call BSBO, 419-898-4070.

Saturday: Fall foliage festival, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Hidden Lake Gardens, M-50 west of Tecumseh, Mich.; call the Gardens, 517-431-2060.

Saturday: Stream water-quality monitoring, Sandusky River 10 to 11:30 a.m., meet at Indian Mill Scenic River Access in Wyandot County; also, Sandusky River 12:30 to 2 p.m., Wolf Creek Park, canoe launch, Sandusky County Park District, along State Rt. 53 south of Fremont; call Anne Coburn-Griffis, 419-981-6319.

Saturday: Annual turkey vulture picnic, 1 p.m., Lake Erie Metropark, boat launch, Gibraltar, Mich., east of I-75 Exit 29A; call the park nature center, 734-379-5020.

Saturday: Volunteers to collect seeds for native prairie grasses and wildflowers, 10 a.m., Kitty Todd Preserve, 10420 Old State Line Rd., call The Nature Conservancy, 1-877-TNC-OHIO extension 42; also at Kitty Todd,

Saturday and Sunday, prairie autumn weekend, native wildflower garden and hiking 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, wildflowers and grasses sale 1 to 5 p.m. daily, guided hikes 10-a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.

Sunday: Bowshoot, Four-County Conservation League, Bellevue, register 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 3-D targets, call the club, 419-483-8113.