Ohio’s youth hunters will have several opportunities to learn and improve their hunting skills this fall. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife offers many ways for families to hunt together and create lasting traditions in the state’s outdoors.

White-tailed deer: A youth deer-gun season will be open statewide, Nov. 17-18. Hunters holding a valid youth hunting license and youth deer permit may take deer of either sex during this season in accordance with existing bag and deer-zone limits. Young hunters, regardless of age, must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 18 years or older, when hunting during this season.

Waterfowl: Youngsters age 15 or younger wanting to pursue waterfowl may do so statewide on public and private lands, on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 29-30 in the Lake Erie Marsh Zone and North Zone. On Nov. 23-24, the South Zone of Ohio will be open for young hunters. Hunters 15 years of age and younger must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult 18 years or older (no more than two youths per adult). More details regarding waterfowl zones, bag limits and licensing requirements can be found in Publication 5295, 2012-2013 Waterfowl Hunting Seasons on wildohio.com.

Small game: Hunters age 17 and younger may hunt statewide for rabbit, pheasant and all other legal game in season during two designated weekends, Oct. 20-21 and Oct. 27-28. Quail also may be taken in 16 designated open counties.

Pheasant releases for young hunters will occur prior to these dates on the following state wildlife areas: Resthaven, Oxbow, Berlin, Killdeer Plains, Camp Belden, Grand River, Spencer, Wellington, Delaware, Dillon, Caesar Creek, Rush Run, Fallsville, Tiffin River and Darke, as well as Charlemont Metropark in Lorain County and Ring Neck Ridge in Sandusky County. A permit is required to hunt the Ring Neck Ridge Area. The free permit can be obtained from the Sandusky County Park Office by calling 419-334-4495 or the Sandusky County Park District Office at 419-637-2900.

Wild turkey: It is not too early to begin planning for the spring youth wild turkey hunting season for 2013. A statewide spring youth wild turkey season will be offered on Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21. This hunt is open to youths age 17 and younger.

Controlled hunts: The ODNR Division of Wildlife also offers several controlled hunts for young hunters throughout the season. Applications to participate in these hunts are accepted June 1-July 31. Applications are available at the division’s five district offices and on the division’s website. The applications may also be submitted by mail or online. There are controlled youth hunts for white-tailed deer, wild turkey and waterfowl.

To participate in the upcoming youth hunts, all young hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult and must abide by all regular hunting hours and bag limits. A valid 2012-13 youth hunting license, along with the appropriate permits, is required. For complete details on all of Ohio’s youth hunting seasons, refer to the 2012-2013 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet, call 800-WILDLIFE (800-945-3543) or go online to wildohio.com.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.com.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DeerDeerHunting/~3/UIDIbDrES78/state-offers-multiple-youth-hunts

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This week we welcome a rookie into the ring as long-time reader hoosierdude sent in an awesome sounding Asian-inspired mushroom and venison stir-fry. Not to brag, but he faces some stiff competition, as I’m putting him up against some mighty meatballs I made just last night. As you can see, there are no free rides in Food Fight Friday, but I have feeling hoosierdude is the kind that can take a punch and keep coming back for more. What do you think?

David’s Italian Meatballs
Ever get a craving for meatballs? I had one bad this week, so I mixed up a cure with a pound of venison burger and pound of venison Italian sausage, adding a couple of eggs and a handful or two of bread and cracker crumbs for the binder. Rolled a little bigger than a golf ball, they then got browned in a skillet, baked quickly in the oven and finally simmered in a quick and easy red sauce. Overkill? Maybe, but you can’t argue with the resulting spheres of succulent goodness. I tossed them and some sautéed onions and peppers with just a bit of fettuccini to make a most excellent fix for my meatball jones.

Hoosierdude’s Venison Mushroom Stir-Fry
Fall rains and cooling temperatures have eased the drought in my neck of the woods, bringing out bolete mushrooms in droves. I was hanging a stand last week and found a mess of chestnut boletes peeking out from beneath the oak leaves. Coincidently, I’ve been doing the annual purging-of-the-game-freezer before deer season so some venison mushroom stir-fry seemed in order. I made a simple brown sauce with soy sauce, venison broth, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and some cayenne pepper for a little kick. I used an eye of round—sliced paper thin—marinated in soy sauce and garlic. The peppers, onions, snap peas, and corn came from the garden; the broccoli from the store. I added the boletes near the end along with minced garlic and ginger. As with any good stir-fry, I cooked it HOT. The rice is jasmine, the beer Tsingtao.

Keep those reader submissions coming by e-mailing your food photos to fswildchef@gmail.com.

Source: http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/wild-chef/2012/09/food-fight-friday-italian-vs-asian

This lightweight pack, is not light on capacity. With two large compartments, straps, bungies, and Buddy-Lock attachment points, you can carry a lot! The lower compartment can be removed from the back pack, and used as a fanny pack on it’s own. Three packs in one!

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Jim Karpowitz will retire from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources in December after serving the state’s residents and wildlife for the last 34 years.

Karpowitz announced he’ll retire on Dec. 1.

Karpowitz has served as the agency’s director since 2005. He’s been in his position longer than any state wildlife director who’s currently serving in the western United States. And he’s one of the longest serving state wildlife directors in the country.

Mike Styler, executive director of the Utah Department of Natural Resources , said Karpowitz has been an exceptional leader for the DWR. He said Karpowitz has presided over a change in the agency’s culture, building partnerships with sportsmen and instituting customer-friendly policies.

“Above all,” Styler said, “Jim has done great things for Utah’s wildlife. He has overseen the improvement of 1 million acres of habitat and increased the diversity of Utah’s big game species. And although mule deer have suffered a national decline in recent decades, Jim has taken unprecedented steps to recover Utah’s mule deer herds.

“He is an outstanding biologist and a man of integrity,” Styler said. “He will be greatly missed.”

Styler wants to have a new director in place by Dec. 1.

“Jim frequently refers to a paper by Jack Ward Thomas, former chief of the U.S. Forest Service, when talking to our employees about what it means to be a wildlife professional,” DWR assistant directors Alan Clark and Cindee Jensen wrote in a nomination letter that led to Karpowitz winning a lifetime achievement award from the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in 2011.

“A wildlife professional is more than just a person in a wildlife job,” Clark and Jensen wrote. “That paper, titled ‘Effectiveness – The Hallmark of the Natural Resource Professional,’ makes the point that the measure of success for a wildlife professional is demonstrated effectiveness in achieving objectives.

“By that measure, or any other you could name, Jim Kapowitz is a wildlife professional.”

Among Karpowitz’s many accomplishments during his 34 years with the DWR:

— Pioneering wildlife capture techniques in Utah, including the use of net guns to capture bighorn sheep, bison and other big game animals.

— Writing Utah’s first statewide management plans for moose and bighorn sheep.

— Development of a nationally recognized bighorn sheep restoration and management program.

— Using broad public input to revise Utah’s mule deer and elk management plans.

— Expanding Utah’s fish hatchery and community fishing programs.

— Improving the professional abilities of DWR employees through employee education and leadership programs.

“Despite all of these accomplishments and more,” Clark and Jensen wrote, “the flagship success of Jim’s administration has been the Watershed Restoration Initiative.

“Under Jim’s leadership, the division and a number of partners have restored or improved over 600,000 acres of high priority wildlife habitat in the last six years, a record unmatched in the state’s history.

“Throughout his time as director, Jim has focused on building partnerships with the many wildlife groups in Utah … ”

And the amount of habitat has grown since Karpowitz’s nomination letter was written in May 2011. By the end of 2012, the amount of habitat that has been improved or restored in Utah will reach 1 million acres.

A resident of Riverton, Karpowitz joined the DWR in 1979.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DeerDeerHunting/~3/Ein7JFOgIlo/wildlife-division-director-announces-retirement

19090 Features: -Waist belt adjusts to 54”.-Shoulder straps have mesh ventilation.-Hydration ready holds up to 2.5 liter bladder (not included).-Quiet zipper pulls.-Built in padded carry handle. Dimensions: -Main compartment: 19” H x 13” W x 6” D.-Front compartment: 11.5” H x 9.5” W x 2” D.-Dimensions: 22” H x 12” W x 6.5” D.

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Loaded: 60 – Pc. Allen Gun Cleaning Kit with Aluminum Case. The whole kit ‘n’ kaboodle… brass rods, brushes, swabs, patches and more for guns of all sizes… all neatly packed in an aluminum case, ready for deployment in your arsenal! Here’s what’s inside: 14 brass brushes: .17 cal. through .54 cal.; 12-ga. through 20-ga.; 2 sets of brass rods for shotguns, rifles and pistols; 6 wool swabs: .30 cal. through 12-ga.; 2 sets of cleaning patches; Patch cutting diagram; 3 accessory adapters; 4 polishing cloths; 2 plastic handles; 2 muzzle guards; 13 plastic jags; 4 slotted tips; Custom aluminum case with handle.; Measures 14 x 12 x 2 3/4″h. Weighs 3 lbs., 9 ozs.; Order Today! Please Note: Case may be black or silver in color. Allen 60-Pc. Gun Cleaning Kit with Aluminum Case

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Loaded: 60 – Pc. Allen Gun Cleaning Kit with Aluminum Case. The whole kit ‘n’ kaboodle… brass rods, brushes, swabs, patches and more for guns of all sizes… all neatly packed in an aluminum case, ready for deployment in your arsenal! Here’s what’s inside: 14 brass brushes: .17 cal. through .54 cal.; 12-ga. through 20-ga.; 2 sets of brass rods for shotguns, rifles and pistols; 6 wool swabs: .30 cal. through 12-ga.; 2 sets of cleaning patches; Patch cutting diagram; 3 accessory adapters; 4 polishing cloths; 2 plastic handles; 2 muzzle guards; 13 plastic jags; 4 slotted tips; Custom aluminum case with handle.; Measures 14 x 12 x 2 3/4″h. Weighs 3 lbs., 9 ozs.; Order Today! Please Note: Case may be black or silver in color. Allen 60-Pc. Gun Cleaning Kit with Aluminum Case

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Steady shooting from seated ground position. Adjustable height from 17 – 36 inches with quick release leg locks. Contoured gun rest with adjustable gun barrel bungee cord. Includes wrist strap.

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We love seeing young hunters getting into the sport, and today we’ve got a great story of just that. Congrats to Drew on a great first deer, and I hope you have many more success stories in the future! – MK “My name is Drew Sorrells. I am a 15 year old deer hunter from […]

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/wiredtohuntfeed/~3/2jtb-YYzAD8/