Public release forum.

[Jetifantasy]

Looking to find out what others think of Ohio public release program. I have hunted Oxbow, Tiffin River, Wyandot and Resthaven. Good and bad at all but last years Thanksgiving release at Tiffin River was just dangerous ! Have hunted there for five years on that day ( one year was a flood out no release) we don't know if we will go back. Other than that have always had safe fun hunts. NW Ohio Jetifantasy

[Jetifantasy]

This Saturday August 10 at various locations around the state they are having public meetings on proposed rule changes . This would be a good opportunity to voice hunting issues you might have. I will post a link for the meeting .


sites.http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/News...g-Changes.aspx

[thornton]

Being the first or the last in a field during midweek is a sound idea.
The quality of the pheasants varies and the cover can be questionable, comparably speaking.
It would be a benefit if you like people.

The opportunity to have a voice at ODNR public comment sessions is an old one and besides appearing as good PR, matters very little.
Much as with National Forest comment opportunities.

[dodgeboy75]

I've gone to the releases many times and it can get ugly. In my opinion they should do it like dove opener down here in SW Ohio. We have 5-6 wildlife areas that hold a drawing, just like duck blinds, and it helps alot. Both my brother and I have been drawn and it's more organized and safe. People can still get their limits in less than an hour. The way these fields are managed draw doves in like crazy.

Since I've had my dog I usually wait until late in the day or even during the week to get out after the releases. I was lucky last year when I showed up mid week and the local PF chapter received leftover birds from DNR. Got my limit and only saw a couple other hunters out.

[Matt D]

The releases beat not having birds at all but are a long cry from wild birds as you know. Guess I have been lucky that I have no bad stories to share. Usually hunt the morning of the opener and then after that I can pick my afternoons and such accordingly to miss most people. Land is very close so that is nice. The spot we hunt we usually have to our selves and we drive separate and park "spread out" to encourage people to go to other areas and leave us alone. Works pretty good! Some years we have lots of birds and some years are thin. Just the way it goes.

[dodgeboy75]

Don't get me wrong because I AM thankful for the releases, it's just like deer gun season in Ohio----the number of hunters doubles or triples for one week a year.

[Jetifantasy]

That's for sure , more than once I have seen a group of hunters with the price tags still hanging on their newly purchased "hunting clothes". And the mossberg sticker still on the stock of the model 500 20 ga. (No offense ... I owned one ) but you get where I am going , not a place for a green guy when there are hundreds of various aged (shooters ! ) and lots of dogs that are more couch potatoe than the owner lol. That's the draw back of release not much as far as the hunt for game, they only need to turn to page 16 of the rules to find the birds that day.

[FLDBRED]

Any ideas on how they could do a better job with the resources they have?

[Jetifantasy]

I can only speak of improvement at tiffin river as that is where I go 80% of the time . They only use one field and it is 90 to 110 acres the last couple years the skirmish line reaches from end to end five to ten feet apart on thanksgiving day they could easily use the other fields to spread out the congestion . Opening day is good people don't take the day off (Friday). Everyone is off thanksgiving day. It's crazy . Wyandot , Resthaven and Oxbow spread the birds over several different areas. Trying to think of a way that would help propagate a wild population but need hens for that and not released in the fall. I was hoping to hear from more specific areas to see if there were anymore tiffin river stories but the responses are sort of vague and general . We are taking 4 dogs out to a training area with some quail tomorrow . Jealous ?

[thornton]

Any ideas on how they could do a better job with the resources they have?

Yes, reduce the number of people in Ohio...or lower the easy fascination with the whitetail deer.
Neither, of course, will happen.

Ohio, if I remember correctly, pretty well tracks Pennsylvania in size and population but what differs is large.
Ohio does not have the mountainous terrain, the degree and wisdom of the gameland system or, the DNR funding method as found in Pennsylvania....all as but a start.
Neither does Pa., with it's shape, have the population centers located within near spiting distance of the few state release areas.

Pennsylvania folks are lucky re the hunting of many species and, judging from that anti-PGC lawsuit to the constant whining over the success of the Alt Deer Plan, a great many of them have no clue of that luck.
I won't mention the struggle you all have with many Keystoners and the pheasant program.

Ohio could indeed do better but, on average, too many are too satisfied with where they are as either DNR employees or birdhunters.