OHIO

OHIO
Hunters have anothersuccessful deer season
Ohio hunters took 116,004 deer during the state's popular week-long deer-gun season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife.
The preliminary total of deer killed during this year's Dec. 1-7 gun season is about 12 percent less than the previous year's preliminary total of 133,163 -- the state record for a one week deer-gun season.
Twenty-eight counties had an increase in the number of deer taken over 2002's numbers, while 60 had a decrease in kill. Ohio's first modern day deer-gun season opened in 1943 in three counties where hunters harvested 168 deer.
Counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to Ohio check stations last week included: Tuscarawas 4,193, Guernsey 3,835, Coshocton 3,811, Muskingum 3,726; Washington 3,715.
Hunters still have eight weeks of white-tailed deer hunting available to them. Archery season remains open until the closing day of deer season on Jan. 31, 2004.
The statewide primitive season, also known as muzzle-loader season, will be held Dec. 27 through 30.
Deer checked and tagged by hunters by county during the deer gun season, Dec. 1-7 (2002 totals in parenthesis): Adams, 1,428, 1,566) ; Allen, 459, (594) ; Ashland, 2,077, (1,852) ; Ashtabula, 2,382, (1,948) ; Athens, 3,513, (4,697) ; Auglaize, 364, (252) ; Belmont, 2,451, (3,056) ; Brown, 1290, (1,543) ; Butler, 320, (533) ; Carroll, 1766, (1,857) ; Champaign, 873, (920) ; Clark, 502, (580) ; Clermont, 1,288, (1560) ; Clinton, 462, (472) ; Columbiana, 1,853, (1,820) ; Coshocton, 3,811, (4,484) ; Crawford, 894, (661) ; Cuyahoga, 57, (81) ; Darke, 306, (283) ; Defiance, 456, (487) ; Delaware, 1,028, (1,057) ; Erie, 270, (248) ; Fairfield, 1,704, (2,073) ; Fayette, 325, (275) ; Franklin, 515, (416) ; Fulton, 321, (308) ; Gallia, 2,402, (3,217) ; Geauga, 949, (993) ; Greene, 418, (472) ; Guernsey, 3,835, (4,844) ; Hamilton, 381, (419) ; Hancock, 400, (422) ; Hardin, 590, 566) ; Harrison, 3,637, 4,049) ; Henry, 206, (197) ; Highland, 1,760, (1,968) ; Hocking, 2,634, (2,930) ; Holmes, 2,745, (3,226) ; Huron, 1,353, (1,095) ; Jackson, 2,905, (3,569) ; Jefferson, 2,809, (3,728) ; Knox, 2,239, (2,605) ; Lake, 459, (514) ; Lawrence, 1,641, (2,351) ; Licking, 3,414, (4,095) ; Logan, 883, (872) ; Lorain, 933, (842) ; Lucas, 373, (382) ; Madison, 189, (343) ; Mahoning, 767, (787) ; Marion, 324, (379) ; Medina, 575, (593) ; Meigs, 2,789, (3,018) ; Mercer, 369, (274) ; Miami, 134, (135) ; Monroe, 2,471, (3,613) ; Montgomery, 154, (219) ; Morgan, 2,250, (2,967) ; Morrow, 861, (873) ; Muskingum, 3,726, (4,366) ; Noble, 2,435, (2891) ; Ottawa, 149, (127) ; Paulding, 553, (460) ; Perry, 2645, (3401) ; Pickaway, 1035, (1069) ; Pike, 1331, (1517) ; Portage, 694, (723) ; Preble, 304, (323) ; Putnam, 415, (378) ; Richland, 1453, (1,440) ; Ross, 2712, (3,352) ; Sandusky, 267, (272) ; Scioto, 1350, (1,924) ; Seneca, 685, (735) ; Shelby, 534, (488) ; Stark, 1265, (1261) ; Summit, 368, (356) ; Trumbull, 1676, (1,640) ; Tuscarawas, 4193, (5,056) ; Union, 694, (757) ; Van Wert, 123, (95) ; Vinton, 1818, (2,319) ; Warren, 722, (828) ; Washington, 3715, (4869) ; Wayne, 660, (580) ; Williams, 917, (851) ; Wood, 285, (228) ; Wyandot, 716, (677) ; Total, 116,004, (133,163)
PENNSYLVANIA
Pilot trout program
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is conducting the pilot to examine the feasibility of augmenting trout stockings with commercial contracts. Tellico Trout Farms, a North Carolina-based hatchery, won a competitive bidding process to supply and stock the rainbow trout being used in the pilot.
The PFBC will examine the trout at the stocking site before the fish are released to ensure they are in good health and meet the Commission's standards. The purchased fish will be in the same size range of the trout reared in the state-run hatchery system. All have been previously screened for chemicals of concern.
The pilot program for the commercial acquisition of fish is part of the Commission's ongoing efforts to ensure it can meet angler demand for stocked trout. Some 100,000 brook trout reared at the Allegheny National Fish Hatchery near Warren, PA will be stocked next spring through a cooperative agreement between the PFBC and the U.S. Fish & amp; Wildlife Service.
The first shipments of purchased trout will be made this week.
BOATING
Local course offered
The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary will conduct its 13-week boating skills and seamanship course starting Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m. in the Hubbard High School cafeteria.
There will be a nominal fee for the course book and work book. For information call (330) 534-2677, (330) 534-1123, (330) 799-8744, (330) 337-7742, (330) 876-8881, or (330) 658-0980.
Successful completion of the course usually entitles participants to a discount on boat insurance.
Additionally, West Marine on Boardman-Poland Road in Boardman will provide a 10-percent-off coupon to all who participate in and pass the course.