MIKE BRAUN With a new year on us, what can you hunt?

With some of the best hunting days behind us in 2004, what's a hunter to do while the more frigid days are upon us?
Well, there are still hunting seasons left in the calendar. It may be cold, and there might be snow on the ground, but there's still hunting afoot.
In Ohio, hunters looking for that trophy or for meat for the freezer can still pursue an antlered or antlerless whitetail through the end of January.
Braving the winds of January, Buckeye State archers can try their luck using longbow or crossbow and they have a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset to use.
Other game animals
Other than deer, hunters can also go out after a nice list of other game animals as well.
Diehard hunters might want to give squirrel a go. The season on gray, red, fox and black bushytails is open through the end of January.
There is a daily bag limit of six and the hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Ruffed grouse fans might want to still give their game birds one last shot. The Ohio season on this upland gamebird runs through Feb. 28.
There is a daily bag limit of three and the hunting hours are a half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Cottontail rabbits are also in season until Feb. 28 across Ohio.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife also warns hunters to avoid shooting snowshoe hares. These animals are protected by Ohio law and may not be hunted.
A reintroduction effort is unde way by the DOW and hares have been released in the snowbelt region of Ashtabula and Geauga counties in northeastern Ohio.
Pheasant hunters have just one more day of action, Sunday, and then must await the 2005-06 season's start. If you have a specific area in mind, you might try your luck again tomorrow.
Crows on the list
Hunters can also still go out after crows, the bain of a lot of area farmers, through March 20. There's no limit on these raucous feathered opportunists but hunting is confined to Friday, Saturday and Sunday, a half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
Believe it or not, there are some who hunt crows for food. Google crow and recipes on the Internet and you'll find a whole host of "tasty" crow meals.
Ohio also allows hunters an open season for hunting or trapping on the coyote, which now inhabits all 88 Ohio counties and an open season on hunting only for wild boar. There are some hour and other special regulations that you will need to consult your 2004-05 Ohio Hunting Regulations handbook for. The handbook is also available online at www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Hunting/huntregs/default.htm.
Groundhog hunting is another year-round endeavor with no restrictions on hours. The only time you can't hunt groundhog is during the deer gun season.
Trappers can get more action by setting their lines for fox, raccoon, skunk, opossum and weasel in Ohio through January. There is no restriction on limit or hours, but a fur taker permit is required.
If none of these last-gasp hunting seasons appeals to you, then you'll just have to wait for this spring's turkey season.
braun@vindy.com