MAFWA | Midwest Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies



OHIOSTATE REPORTMay 1, 2016Raymond W. Petering, ChiefOhio Division of Wildlife2045 Morse Rd., Bldg. GColumbus, OH 43229STEWARDSHIPSTEWARDSHIP ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2015Officers, investigators, and district fisheries staff inspected 471 bait dealers across Ohio to check for invasive species. These dealers were presented with educational materials to inform them of the impacts that invasive species have on native fish populations and to help them identify invasive species. This trade is an active conduit for the distribution of invasive species as well as game species, and will continue to be monitored.Partnered with the Ohio Department of Agriculture (USDA), The Ohio State University (OSU), the USDA’s APHIS Wildlife Services, and the poultry industry to conduct avian influenza surveillance, education, and prevention after the discovery of Highly Pathogenic Avian Flu in the Midwest.Established the Fallsville Quail Heritage Area, a 10,000-acre focus area where the ODNR Division of Wildlife, Pheasants Forever, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and local landowners will work toward stabilizing and improving northern bobwhite populations following National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative guidelines. In cooperation with the USDA’s Farm Services Agency, submitted a bobwhite quail SAFE proposal covering 19 southwest Ohio counties with an enrollment of 15,000 acres of early successional habitat.Implemented intense Chronic-Wasting Disease (CWD) sampling effort in the newly established Deer Surveillance Area; the division collected more than 600 hunter-harvested samples to be tested for CWD during the 2015-2016 deer season. Created pollinator and monarch habitat and raised awareness of the plight of these species in response to monarch listing petition, with the USFWS, Ohio Department of Transportation, American Electric Power, OSU, USDA, and Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever. In cooperation with the USDA’s Farm Services Agency, submitted a monarch butterfly SAFE proposal covering 43 counties with an enrollment of 30,000 acres to enhance habitat for monarch butterfly and pollinators.Worked collaboratively with USFWS, University of Toledo, and the Toledo Zoo to map lake sturgeon spawning and nursery habitat in the Maumee River as a component of the development of Ohio’s lake sturgeon restoration pleted a revised Lake Erie walleye management plan using input from stakeholders (Lake Erie percid management advisory group) that establishes harvest strategies to ensure sustainability of quality walleye fisheries that meet stakeholder needs across multiple jurisdictions.STEWARDSHIP INITIATIVES FOR 2016Increase grassland habitat acreage through enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program with an emphasis on pollinator habitat to prevent listing of the monarch butterfly. Much of the habitat that affords protection to monarch butterflies affords similar protection and benefits to a broad array of wildlife. The continued decline in grassland habitat types have resulted in significant declines in the breeding populations of many of Ohio's grassland-dependent birds since the mid-1900s.Explore agricultural best management practices to reduce sediment and nutrient loading into Lake Erie, and provide coastal engineers with research information about alternative erosion control methods through collaborations with multiple partners.Initiate a process to develop a white-tailed deer management plan to identify key issues and specify desired outcomes for the next 10 years. The plan will facilitate incorporation of stakeholder input in science-based management approaches. This will address statewide program needs through a review of problems and strategies that are formulated into measureable objectives. The focus of this effort will be the combined evaluation and consideration of landowner and hunter interests.Continue to work with Lake Erie percid management advisory group to develop harvest strategies that meet sustainability and fishery needs for incorporation into Lake Erie’s yellow perch management plan, similar to efforts recently completed for the management of Lake Erie walleye.OPPORTUNITIESOPPORTUNITIES ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2015Six state fish hatcheries stocked more than 55 million sport fish in public waters, including walleye, saugeye, yellow perch, steelhead, rainbow trout, brown trout, muskellunge, channel catfish, blue catfish and hybrid-striped bass that provide opportunities for more than 1.3 million Ohio pleted construction of a new boat ramp at Mackey Ford Wildlife Area (Scioto River in Pickaway County), as well as major boat ramp upgrades at the city of Toledo’s Cullen Park, Monroe County Park District (Ohio River) and A.W. Marion Marina at Hargus Lake.Upgraded the existing archery range at Indian Creek Wildlife Area to address drainage issues and ADA compliance.OPPORTUNITIES INITIATIVES FOR 2016Explore opportunities to create and improve private lands access program with landowner incentives. Most of Ohio’s land is in private ownership. Hunters need access to quality areas in order to pursue game. In addition, hunting is a vital tool for landowners to manage wildlife on their property. Facilitating access to recreation benefits both landowners and hunters.Refine reservoir channel catfish stocking and prioritization practices through a new sponsored research project launched through a partnership with OSU that will evaluate channel catfish sampling gear and stocking practices. Each year, the ODNR Division of Wildlife stocks more 150,000 yearling channel catfish in 60 to 70 reservoirs to provide fishing opportunities in waters where these fish do not reproduce successfully.Partner with ODNR Division of Forestry on shooting range improvements as well as explore new partners for shooting range development. Providing and promoting shooting sports education and opportunities has been and continues to be an important part of the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s recruitment and retention efforts. Ohio sportsmen and sportswomen need locations to experience, practice, and enjoy recreational shooting. Hunters need locations to hone their shooting skills.CONNECTIONSCONNECTIONS ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2015White-tailed deer and wild turkey summits were attended by hundreds of people from around the state to provide input on future management direction and proposed harvest regulation changes. Printed a second run of Lake Erie Birding Trail Guide Book to encourage birding tourism in Ohio. Scope of project features more than 80 sites for ideal birding along the Lake Erie coast and involved partnerships with Ohio Sea Grant and Coastal Ohio. Highlights include signage, a web-based guide, and a print guide including maps, local features, photographs and timely information. Ohio Sea Grant sells the popular book.Produced and distributed Common Lichens of Ohio field guide. This guide focuses on a common, but often overlooked, habitat and has been well received by conservation enthusiasts across the state.An online survey will be conducted to gather opinions, attitudes, and preferences of Ohio trout anglers who participate in put-and-take rainbow, stream brown trout, and Lake Erie steelhead fisheries. Information will provide insight for program direction and be shared with anglers at a future trout summit and club meetings.CONNECTIONS INITIATIVES FOR 2016Expand engagement of anglers and hunters in fish and wildlife management by gathering stakeholder feedback through summits, open houses, club meetings, and other public forums, while expanding the use of scientific surveys to better quantify constituent interests regarding recreational opportunities and management options.Interact with new audiences by focusing on current cultural trends, such as sustainable food sourcing. Many of these new audiences are eager to learn about hunting and fishing, but lack any background knowledge on how to begin or where to turn for help.TRADITIONSTRADITIONS ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2015The division has sold more than 1 million Ohio Wetland Habitat Stamps since the program’s inception in 1982. Wetland Habitat Stamps have raised $10.4 million to help restore and protect 40,000 wetland acres in Ohio since 1982. The hunter who purchased stamp No. 1 million was recognized at the annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet. Partnered with ODNR Division of Watercraft to host a family-focused mentored fishing and boating program. The program transitioned families with little to no experience through a stepped learning process that resulted in experience and confidence in fishing and boating. Piloted a new mentored hunting program in central Ohio, targeting adults with little to no experience shooting or hunting. All participants successfully passed hunter education, purchased a hunting license, and participated in a pheasant hunt.TRADITIONS INITIATIVES FOR 2016Offer an option to take hunter education courses online through virtual learning. Providing a convenient alternative that continues to provide high-quality education removes a barrier for new hunters.Partner with ODNR Division of Watercraft to enhance Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program. Both divisions offer programs to encourage women to experience and enjoy the outdoors, and there has been a large amount of overlap in courses between the two programs. Working together will eliminate competition for participants’ and instructors’ time. Update the traditional venues and buildings for outdoor education at the Ohio State Fairgrounds, including the pellet range, archery range, and fish buildings. The division’s area at the fairgrounds is extremely popular with fairgoers, and for some is the only contact with the division. Improving the facilities will allow staff to accommodate more participants and provide a better experience.EXCELLENCEEXCELLENCE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR 2015Contracted with Southwick Associates, a consulting firm with extensive survey experience in the recreational licensing industry, to evaluate our licensing structure, pricing, and explore license features that may be desired by constituents. Potential features that were reviewed through a survey of recently licensed anglers and hunters included combination licenses, multiyear licenses, and offering durable plastic cards for license information.Partnered with the ODNR Division of Watercraft to train their field staff at high traffic parks to sell hunting and fishing licenses and permits through our license system in order to provide further license buying opportunities for our joint constituents. Wildlife officers and investigators have successfully utilized the ginseng harvest database to investigate ginseng related crimes and build probable cause for search warrants. Cases involving illegal ginseng sales will continue to be pursued as this problem persists, particularly in southeast Ohio.EXCELLENCE INITIATVIES FOR 2016Develop an online grant application process to streamline efficiency and eliminate redundancy of manual data entry. An online application process will also allow the division to better track participants between events and through time, providing an opportunity to examine the effectiveness of various programs.Implement an improved and more efficient disabled veteran free license program process for those eligible. The current program requires applicants to undertake a lengthy verification process each year in order to plete the request for proposal process for the new license vendor, select the vendor, and commence the implementation process. The contract with our current vendor will be expiring, giving the division an opportunity to expand upon the current system and provide better, faster, and more convenient service to our customers. ................
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