Odds are you weren't lucky in deer hunting lottery
9/16/2004If you have not yet received a special permit for a controlled deer or waterfowl hunt in Ohio, chances are your name was not drawn, the Ohio Division of Wildlife said.
A full list of selected hunters in the various draws is posted on the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Web site, at www.ohiodnr.com/wildlife.
Vicki Mountz, a spokeswoman for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said that more than 22,500 hunters submitted applications for an array of deer and waterfowl hunts. Selections were mailed Aug. 31. On the average, Mountz noted, the average hunter applied for 2.57 hunts, "so in reality we processed nearly 58,000 applications" for a little more than 2,000 spots.
Drawings for each hunt were independent of one another. So a supremely lucky applicant could have been drawn for every hunt to which he applied. On the other hand, most of us, myself included, were shut out.
Questions on controlled hunts should be directed to Wildlife District 2, 419-424-5000, or Columbus headquarters at 1-800-WILDLIFE.
The most popular controlled deer hunt in terms of applications was the NASA Plum Brook series, with 11,813 applications, 408 permits issued, for 29-1 odds.
Odds at another popular hunt, the Ravenna Arsenal Deer Hunt, were 25-1, with 9,757 applications for 385 permits.
Worst deer odds, 127-1, came with the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge archery hunt, where 1,910 applicants vied for just 15 permits. Best odds to be drawn were for the Mosquito Creek Youth Deer Hunt, 3-1, with 1,688 applications for 530 permits, and Killdeer Plains Youth Deer Hunt, 6-1, with 754 applications for 120 permits.
The mobility-impaired deer hunts at three areas had good odds, ranging 2-1 to 5-1, and all eight controlled waterfowl hunts had fairly decent odds at 3-1 to 16-1.
Magee Marsh had the most waterfowl applications, 5,551 for 576 permits, with 10-1 odds of being drawn.
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Deer season must be just around the corner, because the Soady boys are gathering in Perrysburg.
Huh? Just kidding, in a way. This is about Escanaba in Da Moonlight, a belly-laugh comedy about the foibles of a "Yooper" deer camp in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, which opened its third consecutive season this week at Ms. Rose's Dinner Theater in Perrysburg.
This space has commented favorably before about this tongue-in-cheek look at the mythical, hysterical, dysfunctional Soady men and their quest for a big buck. And it's more than an evening of laughs; it's dinner to boot, so wear your smiley face and bring an appetite.
A variety of show times is scheduled weekly, including lunch hours and afternoons, through Nov. 12, which is just three days ahead of the opening of Michigan's firearms deer season. For other details and ticket information, call 419-874-8505.
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DATEBOOK
Saturday: Northwest Ohio Youth Hunting Day, register 8 a.m., program 9 a.m., Wolf Creek Sportsmen's Association, 349 Teachout Rd., north of State Rt. 2, Curtice, sponsored by Wolf Creek and Lake Erie Waterfowlers, free program for ages 10 to 17, with lunch, parents welcome, for shooting, archery, gun safety, flint-knapping, duck-calling and other events; call Bob Trapp, 419-292-1806.
Saturday: Auto tour, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, 14000 West State Rt. 2, Oak Harbor, celebrating National Public Lands Day; also, butterfly program 1 p.m.; also, volunteers to help plant native species and assist with erosion control; call the refuge, 419-898-0014.
Saturday: Field trip to Holiday Beach, Ontario, hawk migration, 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Black Swamp Bird Observatory, call Tom Bartlett, 419-447-0005; also, young explorers butterfly expedition for grades 1 through 6, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., packed lunch, adults welcome, to The Butterfly House, Whitehouse, meet for carpool at old Crane Creek Ranger Station, 13555 West State Rt. 2, Oak Harbor; call BSBO to register 419-898-4070; also, BSBO volunteers to help remodel new quarters at old Crane Creek Ranger Station; call BSBO.
Saturday: Operation Clean Sweep XII, litter cleanup at Pearson Metropark, 9 a.m.-noon, meet at Packer-Hammersmith Center, sponsored by Christ Dunberger American Legion Post 5637 and Friends of Pearson Metropark; call Bob Bassitt, 419-693-1398.
Saturday: Kelleys Island poker run, Northwest Ohio Canoe and Kayak Club; call Jeff, 419-782-2053.
Saturday: Maumee Bay State Park beach cleanup, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., beach campout, 4 p.m.; for either call Dana Bollin, 419-836-9117.
Saturday: Toledo Naturalists' Association, 7:30 p.m., Andersons activity center, 1833 S. Holland-Sylvania Rd., program by Tom Kashmer on sora and Virginia rail research; also, Sunday, fish seining, 3 p.m., Farnsworth Metropark, leader, Tom Kemp; also, hawk watch at Lake Erie Metropark north of Monroe, Mich., 8 a.m., leader, Steve Lauer, meet at the K-Mart on Central Avenue.
Sunday: Turkey shoot, Camp Perry Shooting Club, Camp Perry, State Rt. 2 west of Port Clinton; fund-raiser for youth trapshooting program; call the club, 419-635-2682.
Sunday: Bird count with Audubon, 8 a.m., White Star Park wetlands, Sandusky County Road 66, south of Gibsonburg; call the Sandusky County Park District, 419-334-4495; also, Monday, canoeing with eagles, 5 p.m., call to register.