OHIO’S WATERFOWL HUNTING SEASONS - P.10
AR’s No More
Story inside page 5
Changing with the Season
EE!
Outdoor Times
September 2015
OV Outdoor Times
It’s that time of year again. Fall is almost upon us and enthusiasm for the new season is starting to ramp up, and so are the tales of monster bucks. This week alone I’ve seen more trail camera photos of bucks than I’ve seen since, well, last year at this time. It’s pretty awesome, when you think about it, that full grown adults can get so giddy over getting photos of bucks in the areas where they hunt. Getting pictures of nice bucks and actuRalph Scherder ally killing them, though, are two completely dif- By Hunting Editor ferent things. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about using trail cameras, it’s this: one photo of a big buck doesn’t mean much this early in the season. Patterns and food sources can change dramatically between now and the rut. Bucks can go nocturnal or get pressured enough that they completely leave certain areas. Also, as food sources change, they can totally shift their movements within an area. To truly have a chance at one of those big bucks on your trail cameras, you have to keep after them and keep scouting even as the season wears on. Without a doubt, trail cameras have revolutionized the way we hunt whitetails. They offer 24/7 surveillance of our favorite locations. Yes, it adds a certain excitement to get photos of big bucks, but it’s kind of a catch-22 because, after all, what happens if you don’t get many photos? Do you still hunt that location? Or, as many hunters have started doing, wait to hunt until you finally do get the photos you want? Over the past few years, I’ve talked to hunters who have come to rely on trail cameras so much that they don’t even bother hunting unless they get daytime photos of bucks. Usually, that means waiting until the rut. We can probably thank many of the hunting shows on TV for that. In recent years, I’ve heard more than one hunting celebrity preach about waiting to hunt your favorite stands until that magical time of the fall. That’s a bogus philosophy, though, because a big buck can be
Ohio Valley
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Turn To Season Page 4
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of Ralph Scherder
To truly have a chance at a big buck that’s on your trail cameras, you have to keep after them and keep scouting even as the season wears on.
INSIDE THIS MONTH
5 Walmart to Stop 6
12 Volunteers Get
Associated Press
Selling AR-15s
Novices Hooked on Fly Fishing Associated Press
14 Browning’s New
Swim a Grub for Fall Bass
7
September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Jeff Knapp
8 Shedding Some Light
Allowable Hunting Equipment in Ohio
Bill Waugaman
Ignite Knife
on Early Mornings this Fall Grey D. Berrier II
10 Ohio Waterfowl ODNR
Hunting Seasons
19 Folk Art Comes Alive in Wooden Fish Decoys OUTDOOR CALENDAR
West Virginia Trappers Association Trappers Convention - Sept. 18-19, 2015 at Gilmer County Recreation Center, Glenville, WV. Free admission. For info. call Scott Schimmel at 304-462-7270. 3-D Archery Shoot - September 19, 20 and 27 at Chester-Newell Sportsmen Club on Gas Valley Road (behind Green Valley Dairy). Times 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $10 for adults, $8 for youths and kids under 12 are free. For info. call 304-479-3456 or 304-374-5587. Kid's Day at Leetonia Sportsman Club - Sept. 26 at 311 East High Street, Leetonia, Ohio 44431. Free for youths, ages 6-16. Must pre-register. Participants compete for trophies in .22 rifle target shoot, archery, shotgun turkey shoot, and fishing. Other activities: paintball gun shooting, wildlife identification, "floo-floo arrow shooting," canoeing and more. All registered participants will receive a t-shirt and lunch. Gun and Sporting Goods Show - Sept. 26-27 (Sat. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sun. 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.) at Hidden Valley Sportsmen’s Club, 268 Gilkey Road, West Middlesex, PA 16159. 60+ vendors. Admission $5. Call clubhouse for info. at 724-528-2700.
Ohio Valley
Stock Up! Walmart’s Controlling the Inventory
Time will tell if Walmart is pulling the polyester over our rangefinders. Is the mega store chain really closing out its AR-15 inventory (see story on Page 5) because of slow sales or using that as an excuse to stop By Larry Claypool selling “assault-like ri- Editor fles”? And they made the announcement on the same day two television journalists were killed in a useless shooting rampage in Virginia. Handguns were used in that shooting, but it doesn’t matter to the knuckleheads who listen to gun control advocates who don’t know the difference between a shotgun and a AR-platform rifle. For those who don’t know Walmart is this country’s biggest seller of firearms and ammunition. When sales were lagging in 2011 the Arkansas-based chain reintroduced firearms to many of its stores, “part of a broader strategy to add back merchandise and boost sales growth at U.S. stores”. Walmart has been selling modern sporting rifles at about one-third of its U.S. stores. In 2006, the company reduced the number and variety of guns it offered in stores and replaced them with more upscale products such as exercise equipment. According to NRA News, the voice of the NRA, “not all Walmart stores carry firearms, and those that do typically tend to sell much higher volumes of entry-level bolt-action rifles, lever-action centerfire rifles, single-shot shotguns, and pump-action shotguns. “Walmart has made the decision to sell out their remaining inventory of the disOV Outdoor Times
2
continued firearms at closeout prices, and we’ve seen claims on the Internet of some lucky Walmart shoppers picking up Bushmaster AR-15s for as low as $250. In place of the discontinued MSRs and shotguns, Walmart will bring in other models of economical firearms to match the huntingdriven fall product mix,” added the NRA News. The company will continue stocking ammunition for the AR-15. My research online found a similar move from Walmart in April of 2006, which was mentioned in the NRA information above. In that move the store chain decided to stop selling guns in about 1/3 (1,000 at the time) of its U.S. stores. Then it was called, “a marketing decision based on lack of demand in some places”. And in “favor of stocking other sporting goods, in line with a ‘Store of the Community’ strategy for boosting sales by paying closer attention to local differences in demand,” said a spokesmen. Hogwash or not, there might be a Bushmaster AR available at your local Walmart for $250. Stock up! And if you’re a local Mom and Pop gun shop, you may be able to keep the lights turned on until Wally World sees another dip in sales. Now that I’ve covered that angle of the story, what about the talk of shareholders putting pressure on Walmart to not sell firearms? What! And a ‘historic’ Trinity Church in New York — who owns stock in Walmart — filing a lawsuit over the sale of “products that could endanger public safety and well-being”? What! How many church members does this church have? There must be a lot of money falling out of those collection plates.
To Advertise CALL 330-385-2243 Publisher/Editor, Larry Claypool lclaypool@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Outdoor Times
Graphics Designer, Linda McKenzie lmckenzie@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
September 2015 VOL. 7, NO. 09
is published by Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine
Offices located at
Ohio Valley Outdoor Times
210 E. 4th Street, East Liverpool, OH 43920 Phone 330-385-2243, Fax 330-385-7114 ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
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Sales Consultant, Tracy Bissell tbissell@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com advertising@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
Contributing Editors
Ralph Scherder, Hunting Editor Jeff Knapp, Fishing Editor Brian Miller, Field Editor
QUESTIONS, COMMENTS
Ohio Valley Outdoor Times is all about its readers. We’d love to hear from you. Send us something at ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com
September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
3
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4 Season From Page 1
killed at any time of the season, not just during the rut, and just because you don’t have them on camera doesn’t mean they’re not there. A trail camera can only cover so much territory. There are plenty of other areas where a deer can walk and never be detected by a sensor. Mature whitetails seem to have an uncanny ability to sidestep cameras, especially in high pressure areas. In my own experiences, I’ve seen big bucks pass just out of range of my cameras, or behind them. Whether it was instinct or dumb luck, who knows, but they slipped by without being photographed. No matter how many cameras you have in an area, you can never be completely sure of what’s there until you hunt it. How many times have you been in your treestand and spotted a buck 50, 75, or 100 yards away? And how many times have you grunted or rattled and pulled that buck within range? I’ve done it on many occasions, and I’m sure you have, too. Cameras aren’t going to tell you what’s happening 100 yards away. Too often, I meet hunters who never catch up to the big buck they had a picture of back in August. One possible reason is that the picture was a fluke. I’ve experienced this personally, too. I’ve gotten a photo of a huge buck, or even a series of photos over the span of a week or two, and then never another one after that. The buck could’ve just happened to be passing through, or, more likely, my camera wasn’t in his core area. I’ve learned that if I don’t get a photo of a good buck within four or five days, then my camera is in the wrong spot. Also, if I’m not getting multiple shots of the deer over an extended period of time, then, once again, I’m probably not in his core area. Every buck frequents certain parts of its range more often than others. Find these core areas and you’re odds of success will increase. Trail cameras are only the beginning, though. You have to do some footwork, too, if you expect to nail a good buck. Because a deer goes through so many transitions in the fall – changing food sources, sky rocketing testosterone levels, does coming into estrous – you have
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
to scout continuously, even during the season, to keep up with the changes. During the course of a season, areas can go hot and cold, sometimes in a matter of days. Take a proactive approach and keep looking for fresh rubs and scrapes. Every day, when I get down out of my treestand, I take a different route back to my truck because it gives me the opportunity to check out little nooks and crannies where bucks might be more active. Yes, you may have spent a great deal of time preparing a treestand and location during the preseason, but circumstances can change, and sometimes you have to change with them. Big bucks are amazing animals. They can seemingly vanish, at times. I can’t even count the number of times hunters have shown me trail camera photos of bucks that they never saw while hunting, or bucks that disappeared for a whole season yet suddenly showed up again after the season ended. I often wonder, where did those deer go? Last year, I encountered one of these bucks in the area where I hunt. I had numerous photos of him and even saw him once while scouting the week before the season. I kept getting nighttime photos of the deer during the first three weeks of archery season, and then nothing. The rut came and went and I killed a nice little 8-point, but I wondered what happened to that bigger one. Two days before gun season, the deer finally showed up again almost two miles away. My dad and I were scouting an area for my brother-in-law and nephew to hunt first day when we saw this beautiful 8-point following a doe through a brush-choked draw. We set up a ladder stand in that spot and shortly after noon on opening day, my brother-in-law killed that buck. Trail cameras are great scouting tools, but they’re not the end-all answer to bagging a buck. You have to keep scouting, even as the season wears on, and sometimes you have to change tactics, and even locations, to put yourself in a position to succeed. If you got a photo over the summer of a buck that you’d like to kill this fall, find out where he is now, not where he was back then.
Have you written a Letter to the Editor recently? Why not? Express yourself. Tell fellow outdoorsmen and women how you feel about topics that shape our hunting and fishing communities. It just might help. See our contact information on Page 7.
EXPRESS YOURSELF!
September 2015
September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Wal-Mart to Stop Selling AR-15s
LITTLE ROCK, AR (AP) — WalMart stores will stop selling the AR-15 rifle and other semi-automatic weapons at its stores because fewer people are buying them, a spokesman said recently. The AR-15 rifles and other modern sporting rifles were being sold at less than a third of the company’s 4,600 U.S. stores. Company spokesman Kory Lundberg said Wal-Mart Stores Inc. will remove the remaining inventory as stores transition from summer to fall merchandise, which should take a week or two to complete. Lundberg said the decision to remove the weapons was not political and that the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer made the decision earlier this year. “It’s similar to what we do with any product. Being what it is, it gets a little more attention, but it’s the same process for any other product,” Lundberg said. Lundberg said the company had seen a decrease in sales of the particular models of guns, but declined to give specific sales numbers. He said stores would increase inventory of other models of shotguns and rifles popular among hunters.
“We wanted to make sure when customers are coming and looking to purchase those products, they see the products they want. We see more business from hunters and people shooting clay,” he said. Several analysts said the decision was likely based on sales and demand. “Big retailers don’t make decisions on a whim, and it would appear that they are responding to their market,” said Jason Maloni, a crisis communications expert at LEVICK. “This seems to be a strategic decision of Wal-Mart to address customer desires.” In recent years, shareholders have placed some pressure on the company to reconsider its sales policies of products such as weapons that hold high-capacity magazines. Bushmaster variations of the semi-automatic AR-15 have been used in such high-profile mass shootings as the Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, and the theater shooting in Aurora, Colorado. The historic Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York, which owns stock in Wal-Mart, filed a lawsuit last year after
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Ohio Valley Outdoors–File photo
Wal-Mart stores have decided to stop selling AR-15-style weapons and other semi-automatic weapons at its stores. Shown is a Bushmaster AR15.
the company declined to allow a shareholder vote on the church’s proposal for the board of directors to more closely review policies on sales decisions of products that could “endanger public safety and well-being” or hurt the company’s reputation or emphasis on family and community values. A lower court ruled that the shareholders should be allowed to consider the proposal, but a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals judge lifted that injunction. The church has not appealed, but officials said they are not ready to drop the lawsuit either. The Rev. William Lupfer, rector of the church, said in a statement Wednesday
that the church was “pleased to hear WalMart will no longer sell the kinds of weapons that have caused such devastation and loss in communities across our country.” “We continue to believe that corporate boards have the responsibility to oversee the creation of policies that will guide decision making on marketing and other issues that could have momentous impact on the safety and well-being of society and to shareholder value,” Lupfer wrote. Wal-Mart scaled back the number of stores that sold guns around 2006, Lundberg said, but has no plans to stop the sale of guns all together.
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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Swim a Grub for Fall Bass OV Outdoor Times
Twister-tail grubs pack a lot of fishcatching qualities in their modest profile. And while most anglers carry an assortment of grubs, generally they limit their usage to that of a niche bait, more By Jeff Knapp specifically a jig-type Fishing Editor lure hopped along the bottom. They miss out on one of the bait’s most productive applications, as that of a swimming lure. Bass-fishing expert Doug Cummings of Michigan isn’t one to limit his use of curly tails grubs to bottom dragging. From mid spring through mid fall, the time when water temperatures remain warm enough for bass to chase a moving lure, Cummings often reaches for a grub rod. “During the late summer on into mid fall I often rely on a four-inch grub as a finesse lure, when due to fishing pressure or conditions bass won’t finish the deal on a bigger presentation,” he noted. “For instance, in clear water conditions I’ll often have a big smallmouth follow a soft swim-
bait or a spinnerbait. But when I throw back with a four-inch grub, that same fish will eat it rather than just follow.” Regardless of the precise time of year he’s fishing it, Cummings sees the swimming grub as a shallow water offering. He only uses it in depths of four feet or less. “The other great thing about a swimming grub is that folks with limited fishing experience can catch fish on it,” he said. “You don’t have to be able to manipulate the lure. You can simply cast it out, wind it in, and still catch bass.” For grubs to function correctly as a swimming lure they must be rigged straight. Cummings prefers a fatter bodied curly tail bait such as the Yum’s Muy Grande grub. The thicker body, he says, makes the bait a bit more forgiving regarding rigging. The bait can be off-center a tad and still swim well. Though the exact style can vary, some sort of leadhead jig is used to rig a grub as a swimbait. Bullet head (often call darter head), ball head and mushroom heads are all acceptable. A bigger issue than head shape is hook size, particularly with lighter heads that typically sport small hooks. For proper placement on a four-inch grub a 1
September 2015
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Jeff Knapp
Twister-tail grubs are a top choice for both river and lake dwelling smallmouth bass during the late summer and fall.
or 1/0 hook is needed, one with adequate hook gap as well. Lindy’s Max Gap hook is a good example or a leadhead jig wellsuited for swimming grub work. Cummings typically fishes eighth to
three-sixteenth ounce heads. He uses a round head jig produced in his area. It features several tiny barbs to keep the grub body in place. Heads with a single barb Turn To Bass Page 7
September 2015
Allowable Hunting Equipment in Ohio
COLUMBUS, OH — The following is a list of the allowable hunting equipment in the state of Ohio. This information, and other important hunting rules and regulations, can be found in the Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations 201516 booklet or online at www.wildlife.ohiodnr.gov. For additional questions, call the Division of Wildlife at 1-800-WILDLIFE (9453543). Legal Deer Hunting Equipment in Ohio Archery Season Longbow or Bow: Minimum draw weight 40 pounds. This includes compound bows and recurve bows. The arrow tip needs a minimum of two cutting edges, which may be exposed or unexposed and a minimum 3/4-inch width. Expandable and mechanical broadheads are legal. Crossbow: Minimum draw weight 75 pounds. The arrow tip needs a minimum of two cutting edges, which may be exposed or unexposed and a minimum 3/4inch width. Expandable and mechanical broadheads are legal.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Gun Season and Youth Gun Season Shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller shotgun using one ball or one rifled slug per barrel (rifled shotgun barrels are permitted when using shotgun slug ammunition). Muzzleloading rifle: .38 caliber or larger. Muzzleloading shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel. Handgun: With 5-inch minimum length barrel, using straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger. Straight-walled cartridge rifles in the following calibers: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .450 Marlin, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .4590, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110, and .500 Smith & Wesson. Shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles can be loaded with no more than three shells in the chamber and magazine combined. Muzzleloader Season Muzzleloading rifle: .38 caliber or larger; muzzleloading shotgun: 10 gauge or smaller using one ball per barrel.
How to Contact US
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
• E-mail: lclaypool@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com • Write: “Dear OVTimes” at Ohio Valley Outdoor Times: 210 E. 4th Street, East Liverpool, Ohio 43920 • Please include your full name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity and space.
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Bass From Page 6
also work. A drop of super glue can be used to keep the bait in place, particularly after a fish or two has pulled the bait down. Piercing the grub with the hook point, thread the grub on to the hook, keeping it centered on the hook on both the up-anddown plane, as well as the left-to-right orientation. When the proper length of the grub has been threaded on to the hook – so that the bait runs straight – pop the hook out of the body. Grubs can be rigged both tail-up or tail-down. Cummings prefers tail-down, finding that the tail often fouls on the hook point during the cast when rigged tail-up. Cummings likes to make long casts with a swimming grub and impart a steady retrieve. He has his most success with minnow-like color patterns such as silver pearl and blue glimmer pepper. While Cummings uses a swimming grub for finicky smallmouth and largemouth bass in lakes, I’ve had similar success on flowing waters for smallmouth bass. There are many similarities, as well as a few differences, when swimming grubs for creek and river brown bass. Smallmouth bass, as well as walleyes, get in moods where the profile of a swimming grub is what they prefer that given day. And like Cummings, I find this often the case when they follow other moving
7 baits, or strike short. Downsizing to a swimming grub, from a larger profile bait like a four-inch paddle-tail soft swimbait, often triggers fish in such a state. Regarding water clarity, this can happen during times of clear water, but it can also occur when creeks and rivers flow stained. While lake-dwelling bass often turn on a swimming grub and hook themselves, river smallies often follow up behind the bait, grab it, and continue on toward the boat. Strikes can be more difficult to detect. Sometimes the line goes slack, or you’ll feel just a slight weight as the bass swims along with the lure, heading in your direction. Rapidly reel to put some tension on the line and sweep set the hook. One of the simplest forms of fishing, yet most rewarding, is exploring the potential of warm water creeks for untapped smallmouth bass action. The grub shines in this situation. Since this is commonly a hiking/wading proposition you are limited in lure selection. A grub can be used as both a swimming lure in the fast water, and also a jigging lure when working deeper holes.
Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine
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September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Shedding Some Light on Early Mornings This Fall OV Outdoor Times
I really can’t explain it. Maybe it’s only a long-seated habit I inherited from my maternal grandfather and dad. Possibly it’s the passion (Ret.)Grey D. Berrier II that makes me feel By Col. FIN Pro Staff like a kid on Christmas morning and I just can’t sleep. Whatever the rationale, it’s getting to be that time of year when “Oh, Dark –Thirty” becomes a regular setting on the alarm clock and I find myself climbing out of bed several hours before first shooting light and the eventual arrival of sunrise. Plain and simple, I like to be the first person in the woods or on the water, whenever I hunt. Regardless, whether its deer, bear, or waterfowl I’m after, I like to be in my stand or blind one hour before legal shooting start time arrives. I figure that gives me 30 minutes to quietly and methodically get dressed and position my gear in the darkness, before
sitting there perfectly silent and still for the final 30 minutes listening for the woods to come alive and possibly other last-minute hunters rushing to get to their predetermined spots before daylight arrives. Knowing I want to be at my stand or blind one hour before shooting time, my backward planning goes something like this. I estimate my drive time to my parking spot and the amount of time it will take to walk in at a comfortable pace that won’t leave me completely saturated in sweat. I add to that one hour for the normal things I do around the house after leaving the sheets, such as personal hygiene, getting dressed, eating breakfast, packing a lunch, and loading up my gear. Totaled up, I usually find myself getting up 1 1/2 to 2 hours before I want to be in place in the field, normally 2 1/2 to 3 hours before first shooting light, so that means a lot of 3:30 to 4 AM wake up calls every fall. It’s not unheard of to get-up at 2 AM for a morning hunt, especially when I
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Grey D. Berrier II
A display of the variety of headlamps and flashlights the author has employed to make his way through the early morning darkness to a stand or blind. In a pinch, there’s always a flashlight app on the smartphone!
plan on driving a considerable distance or if I need to walk-in a mile or more to a remote location. (Possibly it’s a military thing after all those years in uniform, but at this point in life, time is just a number and getting up at what many people would call an ungodly, or even insane, hour is just what I do because I love to
be outdoors and maximize my chances of being successful. Heading out so early has its pluses and minuses, along with its unexpected twists. Back in 1995 and 1996, when I lived and hunted in Armstrong County, PA; I was rewarded for my early risings
GUN & SPORTING GOODS SHOW SEPT 26 (9
AM
- 4PM)
• SEPT 27 (9
Turn To Mornings Page 9
AM
Buy - Sell - Trade - Browse
- 2PM)
Free Parking • $5 Admission
(children under 12 free when accompanied by an adult)
Hidden Valley Sportsmen’s Club 268 Gilkey Road, West Middlesex, PA • 724-528-2700 (an IRS approved 501(c) non-profit organization)
September 2015
Mornings From Page 8
by firing the initial shots of the morning for those two consecutive years and had my bucks on-the-ground within the first five minutes on Opening Day of Regular Deer Season because later arriving hunters inadvertently pushed them to me as they walked in. Like most hunters, it seems like at least once each fall I have the misfortune of walking into a spider web in the darkness and subsequently do that crazy dance that only other hunters can relate to as you scramble to get the cobwebs off your face and upper extremities. (It gets really interesting when you can either feel the spider moving around or if you’re standing thigh deep in your waders while weaving through the red brush in a swamp.) Sometimes you are blessed with unique experiences in the darkness you’ll remember for a lifetime. Like the time I was walking into the same treestand in Armstrong County during the 1997 archery season and I was suddenly drenched by an unexpected downpour when there wasn’t a cloud in the cool, star-lit morning darkness. I immediately stopped after I felt the first drops and it registered in my mind that something wasn’t right about getting wet when it
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
was completely clear. When I looked up, I made out the silhouettes of approximately 50 turkeys roosting in the treetops directly overhead. My presence was making them nervous and their fidgeting was shaking the heavy dew off the branches. I paused for a minute to take the entire spectacle in and realized I had to move at some point to eventually get to my treestand. I hadn’t taken two steps when turkeys erupted in every direction and their hasty departures from the limbs, coupled with powerful wingbeats hitting branches, completely soaked me as I was trapped underneath the sudden dew deluge. While it’s my natural inclination, and a significant amount of past military training, to walk in the darkness unaided after allowing for my eyes to adjust for night vision; it doesn’t pass the common sense test and in many cases it’s not legal when there may be other hunters in the woods. Your flashlight not only illuminates your way, it also vividly identifies you to other hunters as a human being working your way through the woods and not a potential game animal. While sitting in my position in the darkness, I’ll shine my light towards any approaching hunters if they get within 200 yards, so they are aware of my presence and hopefully
they’ll move on to another spot so there’s a little more room between us. As hunters, we have more flashlight options today than ever before. Flashlights come in a variety of styles and sizes, and we must first decide between traditional hand-held models or headlamps. Then we have to choose between various types of batteries and rechargeable power sources, followed by the selection of either a traditional incandescent light bulb or the newer LED bulbs. I recommend you find what type of flashlight works best for you, based on your hunting style, what you’ll be carrying on the walk in, the terrain and brush you’ll be navigating, and the amount of light you’ll require. I have found that batteries die and bulbs burn out at the most inopportune times, so allow for redundancy. For the past few years, I have gone to a hands-free headlamp as my primary light source for working my way through the forest, field, or swamp darkness. I always carry a small hand-held LED flashlight in my butt pack as my alternate light source and I also have a tiny key-chain LED light stashed away as a last resort option. With the exception of spring turkey season, we’re now entering the time of year when I, along with most hunters,
9 spend the greatest amount of time afield in the darkness. It can be intimidating and unfortunately, many outdoorsmen and women, especially younger ones, have seen too many graphic horror films and allow their imaginations to get the best of them when they hear unusual sounds or can’t see what’s moving around them. While the old adage is “the early bird gets the worm,” my experience has shown that “the early hunter often gets the best opportunities for a shot.” All we can ask for is a chance to harvest the game we’re after and increasing the odds of having that encounter is what keeps me getting out of bed very early on many mornings each Fall. While your non-hunting family, friends, and co-workers may think you’re a little eccentric to be afield in the early morning hours, you’ll be content in knowing that the woods are a special place in the pre-sunrise darkness and you have to be there, not in bed, to make things happen as a hunter!
TAKE A KID HUNTING OR FISHING
September 2015
Ohio Department of Natural Resources DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
• Possession Limit - The possession limit is three times the daily bag limit, after the second day for all waterfowl. • Shooting Hours - Daily hunting hours 1/2 hour before sunrise to sunset for the regular waterfowl season.
To hunt migratory waterfowl in Ohio, you must have: • A resident hunting license ($19),
DAILY BAG LIMITS • Ducks: Daily bag limit of 6 ducks not to include more than 4 mallards (only 1 of which may be a hen), 3 wood ducks, 1 black duck, 2 redheads, 3 scaup (bluebill), 2 canvasback, 1 mottled duck, or 2 pintails. • Mergansers: Daily bag limit of 5, not to include more than 2 hooded mergansers. • Coots: Daily bag limit of 15. • Geese: Daily bag limit of 3 Canada geese, 10 light geese (snows, blues, or Ross’s), 1 white-fronted goose, and 1 brant.
resident youth hunting license ($10), nonresident season license ($125), or 3‑day nonresident tourist license ($40). • A printed Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp endorsement ($15). See your hunting license vendor. The Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp is not required for anyone younger than 18 years of age.
10 • HIP certification (Harvest Information Program) is required. Call 1-877-HIP-OHIO (447-6446). • A signed federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp ($25), required of all persons age 16 and older. Federal “Duck Stamps” are available at most post offices.
September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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LAKE ERIE MARSH ZONE
North Zone: North of I-70 excluding the Lake Erie Marsh Zone. The North Zone includes all Lake Erie islands and waters not in the Lake Erie Marsh Zone. South Zone: South of I-70.
The Lake Erie Marsh Zone begins at the intersection of Interstate 75 at the Ohio-Michigan state line and continues south to Interstate 280, then south on I-280 to the Ohio Turnpike (I-80/I-90), then east on the Ohio Turnpike to the Erie-Lorain county line, then north to Lake Erie. The zone boundary follows the Lake Erie shoreline at a distance of 200 yards offshore. The zone boundary follows the shoreline west toward and around the northern tip of Cedar Point Amusement Park, then continues from the westernmost point of Cedar Point toward the southernmost tip of the sand bar at the mouth of Sandusky Bay and out into Lake Erie at a distance of 200 yards offshore continuing parallel to the Lake Erie shoreline north and west toward the northernmost tip of Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge, then follows a direct line toward the southernmost tip of Wood Tick Peninsula in Michigan to a point that intersects the Ohio-Michigan state line, then follows the state line back to the point of the beginning (see map).
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September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Volunteers Get Novices Hooked on Fly Fishing
The Associated Press
FREDERICKSBURG, VA. (AP) — Only people interested in fly fishing would encourage others to tie one on at 9 in the morning. There wasn’t any alcohol involved, just golden hooks decorated with various colors of threads and feathers. Volunteers with the Friends of the Rappahannock and the Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers — say that three times fast — showed others the basics of fly tying, making knots and casting during an introductory session in mid-August at old Cossey Pond in Fredericksburg. Jean Falvey was one of several people who said she’d always wanted to learn how to fly fish, so she took a seat at a table under a tent near the pond. “Half of my family is from Montana, and I feel like it’s my duty to learn how to fly fish,” she said. Instructors said they were glad to see
females in the group. “I like to emphasize that ladies can fly fish, too,” said Woodie Walker, a community conservationist with FOR. “It’s not just for boys.” Pete Adams chimed in that the best students are 7-year-old girls. “Their hand-eye coordination is better, and they listen better than boys.” Likewise, the sport of fly fishing is more about finesse than brawn, said Charles Naples, an FFFF volunteer. “Casting is about leverage and timing,” he said, demonstrating how to cast to Cheryl and Doug Orr. “Guys screw up because they try to overpower it. It’s not about that at all.” The latest workshop was the fourth annual workshop presented by the two groups. First, participants created flies whose feathery and colorful movements are meant to serve one purpose in the water: Turn To Fishing Page 13
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Sarah Ann Jump/The Free Lance-Star
Ben Raterman of Stafford, VA, learns how to cast during a Fly Fishing 101 course hosted by Friends of the Rappahannock and the Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers in Fredericksburg, VA.
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September 2015
Fishing From Page 12
to attract fish. “It’s supposed to look like food,” said Ross Horton, adding the food might be minnows, insects or their larvae. Fly fishermen are all about trying to “match the hatch,” Walker said. That means they want artificial ties that look exactly like what fly or insect is hatching at the time because it’s usually what the fish are biting. The volunteers had several stations set up with devices specially made for tying flies. A clamp gripped a golden fish hook and an arm supported the thread used to loop around the head and body of the fly. Participants used different colors and textures to give their bugs different looks. After the students made what looked like insect heads, they were given a special material — nail polish — to seal the knots. Clear polish is a favorite, but the men also used black, red or shades with sparkles. “Those of us who tie a lot of flies have a pretty large collection of fingernail polish,” Adams said, “probably more than our wives.”
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
At another station, Craig Conover, president of FFFF, sounded like a magician as he gave step-by-step instructions on tying knots with names like “perfection” and “surgeon’s loop.” “I’ve got two lines,” he said, holding the strands in front of his face. “I’m going to overlap them.” Falvey compared the surgeon’s loop to double-tying shoestring, and Conover said that was exactly right. When students moved on to casting their lines into the grass — because they weren’t ready yet to hit the water — Walker reminded them to keep the wrist moving and the action fluid. He said fly fishing was perfect for the Rappahannock River region because there are so many different types of fish to catch with the technique — and because the basic technique works with so many different types of fish. “This is the shad cast, the striper cast, the salmon in Alaska cast,” he said. As he showed Ben Raterman, a fellow volunteer at FOR, Walker compared casting to learning the guitar. “You can learn three cords and you can play today, but you can spend the rest of your life perfecting them,” Walker said. “Fly fishing is the same way.”
Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Sarah Ann Jump/The Free Lance-Star
Instructor Peter Adams finishes making a fly during a fly tying demonstration at the Fly Fishing 101 course hosted by Friends of the Rappahannock and the Falmouth Flats Fly Fishers.
13 WVDNR Starts Youth Hunting Program
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — Hunting is a West Virginia tradition, but everyone has to start somewhere. Many young people who would like to get involved don’t have anyone to teach them, so the Natural Resources Police Officers of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources have started a new Youth Hunting Program to recruit and increase the number of young people participating in wildlife and hunting activities. Youth Hunting Program participants must be 8-17 years old and complete an application. They also are required to complete the WV Hunter Education Course, have a valid West Virginia hunting license (if required), and have a completed release form signed by a parent or guardian. Anyone interested in participating in the Youth Hunting Program should contact their closest DNR district office. Future youth hunting days for antlerless deer are scheduled for Oct. 16, Dec. 26 and Dec. 28. For more information, refer to the 2015-2016 Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary brochure available at DNR offices, license vendors and online at www.wvdnr.gov.
Explore Carroll County Fishing and hunting paradise • Two man-made, low-power lakes • Fish for bluegill, bullheads, channel catfish, crappie, northern pike, saugeye, yellow perch and muskies • Four parcels of public hunting grounds totaling nearly 700 acres • Find white-tailed deer, grouse, wild turkeys and rabbits • Regulated by ODNR, with license required Visit V isit w www.carrollcountyohio.com ww.carrollcountyohio.com 1-877-727-0103 Like on Facebook L ike us o nF acebook F ollow us o nT witter Follow on Twitter
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Product Review
September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Browning’s New Ignite Knife OV Outdoor Times
A couple years ago, I wrote a review of Browning’s Hog Hunter knife. It’s a very impressive knife with features that make it ideal for anyone who enjoys hunting for wild hogs. This By Bill Waugaman year, Browning is introducing another knife called Ignite, a knife designed for use by anyone who spends time in the outdoors. Whatever outdoor activity you enjoy, a good knife may be the most important tool you will carry. The first feature about the Ignite knife and sheath that will catch your attention is the bright orange and black coloration. These contrasting colors are easily seen making it less likely the knife would be lost or misplaced in the outdoors. The second feature you will notice is the cut-
ting edge… the Ignite is very sharp. If it does start to get dull, instructions are included on how to properly sharpen the cutting edge. The blade and tang of the Ignite knife are made with 7Cr stainless steel which has a composition including 7% chromium, .17% molybdenum and .17% vanadium. On the Rockwell steel hardness scale, this blade and tang are rated at 56-58. That means it is not too brittle to be used as an impact blade (like meat cleavers, axes, etc.) and is still suitable for the wide range of tasks you need in a good survival knife, one that should hold an edge fairly well. The blade and tang are given a black oxide coating before the cutting edge is sharpened and the spine is notched for the striking flint. The overall length of the Ignite is 8 1/2” with a 4” drop point style blade. The textured handle is injection-molded polymer with rubberized inserts on both sides. Both the thumb ramp and the un-
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Bill Waugaman
Browning Ignite knife
derside of the tang near the butt are grooved for a better grip when thrusting or pulling. The tang extends beyond the handle for attaching a lanyard so it won’t interfere with the grip. The sheath is made from injectionmolded polymer. The design of the sheath incorporates a belt loop that fits belts up to 1 3/4” wide. The belt loop can be easily removed if you prefer not to carry a knife on your belt, for example in a backpack. On the inside of the sheath, two small lips snap into notches in the handle to hold the knife in place. A rubber loop can be pulled up over the butt of the handle to further secure the knife in the sheath, if needed.
The sheath also incorporates a sleeve to hold the flint. The orange handle for the flint has two lips that snap in place inside the sleeve, plus there is a rubber seal to secure the flint. The flint handle is also drilled for attaching a lanyard. If the flint is lost, or it needs to be replaced for whatever reason, simply contact Browning and one will be sent out for free. On the chance that you fall into water or get caught in the rain, there are weep holes in the bottom of the sheath and the flint sleeve to drain off any water that would happen to get inside. When it comes to being in the outTurn To Knife Page 15
September 2015
Knife From Page 14
doors, especially in survival situations, weight is a major concern. The Ignite knife, sheath, flint and belt loop weigh a little over seven ounces. To put this in perspective, that’s less than six 12-gauge hunting load shotgun shells. The MSRP for the Browning Ignite knife is a very reasonable $33. While it does not have a written warranty, my contact at Browning said they stand behind all of their products.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Browning has put a lot of thought into the design and construction of the Ignite knife. Even if you are not a hunter, this knife would be very well suited for anyone who enjoys hiking, camping, exploring, canoeing or fishing in out-of-the-way places. Getting lost or injured during any outdoor activity can be a frightening experience. Having a sharp knife and the ability to start a fire can make a difference.
WV Hunting Summary of Changes 2015-2016
1. Hunters and trappers must follow the new rules for electronic checking of game. These rules no longer require the hunter to take their game to a check station. All field tagging, transporting and possession requirements still apply. 2. Night vision technology is legal for taking coyote, fox, raccoon, skunk and opossum during open seasons. 3. The crossbow season will run September 26 - December 31, 2015, and game species may be taken with a crossbow during their respective open archery season during this period. Additionally, crossbows are legal to use during any big game firearms season. 4. The WV CWD Containment Area has been expanded. 5. Antlerless deer hunting season dates and open counties have changed. 6. Spring and fall wild turkey hunting season dates and open counties have changed. 7. Black bear hunting season dates and open counties have changed. See specifics on these items in the 2015-16 WV Hunting and Trapping Regulations Summary booklet, available at any WV Hunting License Agent or online at www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/hunting_regs.shtm.
Error Found in WV Hunting Rules
Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Bill Waugaman
The total weight of the Browning Ignite knife is slightly over seven ounces.
15
SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV (AP) — The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources says a summary of state hunting and trapping regulations contains an erroneous combined bag limit for archery and crossbow deer seasons in 11 counties. The DNR said Thursday that the maximum combined seasons bag limit is two either-sex deer. The bag limit printed in the 2015-2016 summary is three deer. The bag limit applies to Boone, Tucker, Webster and portions of Clay, Fayette, Greenbrier, Kanawha, Mineral, Pendleton and Raleigh counties, which are closed to the antlerless season.
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Shane Blankenship 24-3/4spread, 197-7/8" rough score Lorain County, OH
David Scarsella 9-pt., bow Columbiana County, OH
Jeff Metzgar 8-pt. Carroll County, OH
September 2015
Aric Cook 10-pt., crossbow Tuscarawas County, OH
Bob Duncan 485 lbs. black bear North Carolina
Send Us Your Photos
Rylan Monk 1st buck, 8-pt. Beaver, OH
Patti Stull 1st deer, 9-pt.buck, crossbow Columbiana County, OH
Buckwheat Heldreth 8-pt., Jefferson County, OH
We’ll print your hunting, fishing or trapping photos in the next issue of OV Times or Ohio Valley Outdoors magazine. Send photos via mail, email or Facebook.
Email to: ohvod@ohiovalleyoutdoors.com Mail to: Photo Showcase 210 East Fourth St., East Liverpool, OH 43920
September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Harlee Heldreth, age 10 8-pt. Jefferson County, OH
Tommy Chaffin 9-pt. buck, crossbow Columbiana County, OH
Tom Chaffin 11-pt. buck, crossbow Columbiana County, OH
Cade Staats, age 6 1st buck, 7-pt. Wood County, WV
Marvin Aeschbacher First banded waterfowl Columbiana County, OH
Danielle Aeschbacher 1st banded goose Columbiana County, OH
Shawn Dickey 20.5" spread Jefferson County, OH
Jessie French, age 13 1st. rabbit Wauseon, OH
Bub Welch largemouth bass
Shawn Dickey 19lbs. gobbler Monroe County, OH
Clayton Gourly, age 13 18-1/2" bass 16-1/2" crappie
Tim Baker 20lbs., 9.5" beard, 1" spurs
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September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
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Ohio Valley Outdoors
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September 2015
OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES
Folk Art Comes Alive in Wooden Fish Decoys
By MARK BUGNASKI, Kalamazoo Gazette
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — Craig “Curly” Spink swirls a hand-made jig above a water-filled 15-gallon galvanized steel tub in his Kalamazoo back yard, tugging and relaxing the line attached to a wooded fish decoy he carved and painted. He’s trying to make it swim as realistically as possible. “This is how I test them,” Spink told the Kalamazoo Gazette (http://bit.ly/1hiyDyu ). “See, how I can make it go slower?” Getting the right feeling for swimming his fish decoys around in a circle is more than making lures for spear fishing, he is preparing for the annual Great Lakes Fish Decoy Carving and Collecting Association’s World Championships of Fish Decoy Carving competition, on Sept. 18-19, in Monroe. Spink said his inspiration comes from his grandfather Bill Leithold, who ran fishing expeditions with a float plane
into the boundary waters of Northern Minnesota and Canada. He recalls fishing right off of the plane’s pontoons as a kid and admiring the beauty of the bass, trout, walleye and northern pike. Carving in a small workshop in his basement, Spink holds a template of a rainbow trout he traced from a fish caught on the Kalamazoo River. “From this, I carved a fish out of dimensional lumber,” Spink said. “This one is going to an oil painting artist in Minnesota.” Spink has been wood working for years and also builds for the Heritage Guitar Co. inside the old Gibson factory on Kalamazoo’s north side. Producing hundreds of fishing decoys, Spink also carves fish and wildlife folk pieces he describes as cabin art. “I’m not trying to make perfectly polished replicas of fish models,” said Spink, “but rather ‘folk art’ that follows the tradition of hand-carved wooden decoys produced for spear fishing decades ago.”
Send us your t rophy photos
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Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Mark Bugnaski/Kalamazoo Gazette
Hand carved wildlife decoys are on display at Craig Spink’s workshop on Aug. 13, 2015 in Kalamazoo, Mich. Spink has produced a variety of fish and wildlife decoys in the Cadillac style tradition.
“I trying to keep the “Cadillac style” alive, said Spink, a fish decoy style created by master carver Oscar “Pelee” Peterson in the early 1900s, and works that are collectable and highly valued decorative art. Spink hopes to get the word out about his traditional carvings and grow an appreciation for this style of Michigan folk art. The gallery at Brakeman Design fea-
tures Curl’s Carving during the June Art Hop and Spink took fourth prize in the 2014 West Michigan Area Show for his life-size Sturgeon over Sticks. Spink said his art preserves a Michigan tradition, one that Native Americans once used to fish Michigan lakes. “It’s so exciting to watch a fish come in on a decoy, said Spink, “to watch a bass hit your folk art, it’s just such a thrill.”
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