County hunters boost deer harvest
By KEVIN HOWELLColumbiana County hunters have taken advantage of the increased bag limit this season, according to the county Wildlife Division of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
With all gun seasons now over, county Wildlife Officer Scott Angelo reported that 4,001 deer have been harvested to date, an increase of over 300 from last year at this time. Archery season continues through Feb. 1, though, so final statistics for Ohio will not be known until the end of February, but estimates project nearly 250,000 deer to be harvested, breaking last year's record of 232,844, he said.
But with the number of hunters remaining even, the increase can only be attributed to an increase in deer population - estimated at 700,000 prior to the season- and thus prompting the bag limit change, which provides greater opportunity to harvest the deer to maintain a safe level of inhabitancy, Angelo said.
As the deer population increases, so do risks to both the animals and humans, Angelo said, citing three key concerns- food depletion, disease and vehicle-deer crashes.
"We've been lucky in Ohio in that we have never really had a major outbreak, but that is why we change deer seasons and regulations on an annual basis, to prevent any problems," he said. "Another concern is overabundance because there is only a certain amount of food in an area and we don't want a habitat loss. Finally the more deer there are in an area, the more deer get in the road, which increases the likelihood of vehicle-deer crashes."
Hunters have been encouraged to kill more does this season and donate any extra venison to organizations assisting Ohioans in need. The ODNR's Wildlife Division is collaborating with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) to help pay for the processing of donated venison. For information about the program visit www.fhfh.org.
Kevin Howell can be reached at khowell@salemnews.net
