OHIO

OHIO
hDeer gun seasonharvest near record
Hunters took 133,163 deer during the Dec. 2-8 deer gun season in Ohio, the second highest ever and a record for a one-week deer season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
The preliminary total number of deer taken was 34 percent above last year's preliminary deer gun season total of 99,599. The state record was set in 1995 when Ohio had a two-week deer gun season that produced 137,811 whitetails. The first week of the 1995 season accounted for 115,063.
At the beginning of deer season, the statewide deer population was estimated to be 575,000, 15 percent higher than last year. Approximately 450,000 hunters were expected to participate in the statewide deer gun hunting season.
Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to Ohio check stations last week included Tuscarawas - 5,056; Washington - 4,869; Guernsey - 4,844; Athens - 4,697; and Coshocton - 4,484. Other area county totals: Ashtabula - 1,948; Columbiana - 1,820 (1,234); Coshocton - 4,484 (3,229); Geauga - 993 (708); Mahoning - 787 (467); Summit - 356 (222); Trumbull - 1,640 (1,240).
PENNSYLVANIA
Late season deer
The last leg of Pennsylvania's deer seasons will resume the day after Christmas when deer hunters head afield to participate in the statewide flintlock muzzleloader and late archery deer seasons. In Special Regulations Areas, hunters also may take part in the traditional late antlerless deer season. All three seasons run from Dec. 26 to Jan. 11.
Hunters who participate in any of these seasons, must have an unused deer harvest tag. All antlerless deer taken by participants in the late archery and special regulations area antlerless seasons must be tagged with an unused county-specific antlerless deer license harvest tag. Flintlock muzzleloader season participants may harvest an antlerless deer with either a county-specific antlerless deer license or general hunting license deer harvest tag. Buck hunting in the late seasons is limited to only bowhunters and flintlock muzzleloader hunters who possess an unused general hunting license deer harvest tag.
Small game available
Small game seasons for cottontail rabbits and squirrels will run from Dec. 16-24, and Dec. 26 to Feb. 8. Pheasant season (in designated areas) will run from Dec. 16-24, and Dec. 26 to Feb. 8. Ruffed grouse will run from Dec. 16-24, and Dec. 26 to Jan. 11. Snowshoe rabbits or varying hares are in season from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1.
The Game Commission will release pheasants in five of the state's six regions for the late pheasant season, according to Carl Riegner, chief of the agency's Propagation Division.
Dove hunters also will have late season opportunities when dove season reopens from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, and the daily limit is 12.
Waterfowl hunters have a bevy of hunting opportunities to pursue in December and January. Ducks, coots and mergansers may be hunted in the Lake Erie Zone from Nov. 25 to Jan. 11; North Zone, Nov. 12 to Jan. 4; Northwest Zone, Nov. 9 to Jan. 2; and South Zone, Nov. 15 to Jan. 11.
Pintails may be hunted in the Lake Erie Zone from Nov. 25 to Dec. 7; North Zone, Nov. 12-20; Northwest Zone, Nov. 9-28; and South Zone, Nov. 15-Dec. Jan. 11. A snow goose season will be held statewide from Nov. 7 to March 10.
A confused buck
Pennsylvania Wildlife Conservation Officer Donald G. Chaybin from Greenville recently reported a very confused whitetail buck.
Chaybin reported in the November 2002 Northwest Region Field Notes that a six-point buck was discovered in a farm pasture near Stoneboro chasing around 10 Hereford heifers.
"This buck spent two days inside the two-acre pasture and would chase the cows all around the perimeter," he reported. "Then he would lie down and watch them until they would get nervous and begin to run again. Then the chase would continue."
The officer said three of the heifers eventually jumped the pasture fence while the buck stayed inside and continued chasing the remaining cows.
"We're not sure if his intentions were of the amorous nature, but he acted more like a herding dog than a deer," the report said.
Chaybin said he eventually got the deer's "attention" and persuaded the animal to leave the pasture.
INFORMATION
Magazine anniversary
Fish & amp; Field Report is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a special offer through the end of the year.
An annual subscription will be $15.95 and comes with a free pass to the Northeast Ohio Sportsmans Show the first weekend in March at the Eastwood Mall Expo Center.
For more information call (330) 544-8951.
FISHING
Membership sale
Consumers Mahoning Valley Lakes is offering 2003 membership passes for sale.
Memberships are as follows: individual, $60 ($50 before Jan. 6), family, $110 ($90 before Jan. 6); club, $425 ($395 before Jan. 6).
For more information call (330) 549-3756 or (800) 634-3088.
BIRDING
Salem area CBC Jan. 4
The 103rd Audubon Christmas Bird Count will be held in the Salem area Jan. 4. The compiler and contact person for this area's count -- Walt Sturgeon -- can be reached at (330) 426-9833 or (330) 424-1471 ext. 240 or by mail at 288 E. North Ave., East Palestine, Ohio 44413.
Participants are assigned a territory and beginners are welcomed and usually linked with an experienced counter. People within the count circle can count at their feeders if they chose. The objective is to monitor the status and distribution of bird populations over the Western Hemisphere.
Participants 18 and under can participate for free. All others are asked to pay $5 to help Audubon cover CBC program costs (such as database/Web development costs and the publication of the CBC results summary).
Last year there were 11,192 birds and 61 species counted locally.