ohio valley outdoor times 10-2014

OutdoorMiracleLureStory inside page 8 October 2014

FREE!Ohio Valley

Many of us go togreat lengths to makesure our huntingclothing and gear areas scent-free as possi-ble. We wash them inscent-killing deter-gent, use scent-killingdryer sheets, spraythem with odor elim-inator, store them insealed plastic totes orgarbage bags – andthen wear them in the truck on our way toour hunting area.

What?!Yes, I know. It makes no sense to me,

either. Why bother going through all thetrouble of eliminating odors if you’regoing to wear them in your vehicle? Orworse, put them on while still at home.Talk about shooting yourself in theproverbial foot.

I used to hunt with a guy who followedall the right steps in preparing his huntingclothes, yet every morning when I pickedhim up, he was already wearing them.When we got to the location and I took afew extra minutes to change from myregular clothes into my hunting duds, hethought I was crazy, especially on coldNovember mornings. Sure, nobody likesto be half naked when there’s frost on the

ground, but I believed in the process. Itold him that, yes, I may be a little crazy,but didn’t he ever wonder why I alwayssaw more deer than him?

He blamed it on me having a betterspot. The times when we traded stands,though, I still saw more deer than he did,and many times he complained aboutspooking deer for no apparent reason.On the other hand, when I spooked deer,I always knew why – either they saw meor got directly downwind of me and therewas nothing I could do.

It’s almost impossible to be 100%scent free. Regardless of the name brandclothing or fancy, odor-eliminating prod-ucts on the market, we’ll never be com-pletely scent free. The skin on our face,neck, and hands, our breath, and even oureyeballs give off scent. Any exposed partof our body produces scent, and a white-tail’s nose is so good that no matter howsmall the amount, they will detect humanodor. However, how they interpret thatodor is a whole other matter.

I’ve always looked at odor eliminatorsin a different way than most hunters.Their value, to me, has more to do with“watering down” scent rather than totallyeliminating it. In essence, I’m trying tomanipulate how a deer interprets myscent if it should happen to get down-wind of me. Even if the deer winds me,I want it to believe that danger has al-ready passed.

How a deer reacts to human odorvaries. Deer evaluate the strength of the

DRONES TO STALK ANGLERS? - P.18

StayingScent Free

Turn To Scent Free Page 4

Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Bill Hall, Jr.Hannah Hall, age 9, took this 2014 buck with a crossbow in Licking County, OH. Thebuck, Hannah’s second, was an eight point, taken from 15 yards on an 80+ degree day.

By Ralph ScherderHunting Editor

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Times

OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES2 October 2014

Thousands of peopleeach year travel toBenezette, PA to catch aglimpse of the majesticelk that roam this re-gion. A great time to dothat is during the rutseason, late Septemberand early October. Theadded bonus this time ofyear is being able tohear the bull elk’s matingcall — known as bugling.For the second straight year I traveled to

‘elk country’ to view and photograph the elk,and be entertained by competing bulls trum-peting back and forth. Again my trip to ElkCounty, PA, in the northcentral part of thestate, was hosted by Industry, PA residentsand brothers Curt and Gary Grimm.This time we were able track down a

dozen or so elk on the first evening wereached Benezette. After nearly a mile ofhiking through woods and trails we honed inon a few bugling bulls along a secluded hill-side, located on state game lands and part ofseveral acres of reclaimed coal mines. Therewere three bulls and about 7-8 cows in thearea. One pretty large bull, an odd 7 x 5, wasdefinitely in charge of this herd. The bullended up being the largest bull we’d see dur-ing our two-day trip. Actually we ended upseeing this bull two other times while photo-graphing the elk herds. At one point on Sat-urday afternoon, normally busiest time fortourist to visit the area, only a single bull elkcould be seen grazing at the edge of a largefield which sits nearly a half mile from themain viewing area parking lot. That singlebull was the 7 x 5 we’d been close to on Fri-day. This time we got within about 100 yardsof the bull, not wanting to push it into thewoods and out of viewing range of the largecrowd that gathered at the top of the viewingarea.

Later on Saturday we returned to thewoods and eventually found more elk, bullsand cows— and yes, the odd 7 x 5 and someof his harem. There was also another nice 6x 6 in the area. As we moved to get a closerlook at this herd we found a rather large bed-ding area. This must have been a major gath-ering spot for the elk during the wintermonths. It was nestled in a grove of pinetrees and wild Boston ferns. We had passedthrough this area during our early morningjaunt and found only some large dew-lacedspider webs, which we all photographed.Our hiking experience during the late Sat-

urday afternoon trip was a little different.Mostly due to the fact that so many otherpeople were in the woods. That included afew very aggressive photographers that feltthe need to actually chase down, and push,the elk to get photographs. These large ani-mals will let you get pretty close to them(we’ve gotten as close as 30 yards), but ifthey feel threatened they will charge at you.Most times though they’ll just scamper awayto another field or wooded area. We actuallyused this to our advantage as we let otherspush the elk toward our position. It helpedthat the Grimm brothers know the stategame lands well and they knew where thelarge elk would eventually head.We did get into place, and the elk did

come our way, but they were traveling toofast for any photographs to be taken. Thetwo bulls that were worth pursuing had theirescape route planned and headed into adeeply wooded area, out of sight from any-one’s camera.At that point it was nearly dusk and time

to head back home. But we did managesome great photographs and videos duringthe trip. It did help that some of the trees hadturned into fall colors and offered a beautifulbackdrop.NOTE: See a few photos from this trip on

Page 19.

Roaming Central PA

3 Warmer WeatherAgain Kicks OffDeer-Archery Season

6 Caldwell CreekFall Trout

Jeff Knapp

7 Manhunt PlacesHunting Seasons onHold

8 It’s a Miracle(Minnow)

Curt Grimm

10 WV’s Deer, BearArchery Season OpenWVDNR

11 Inaugural Paddlefesta Success

Jolene Craig

12 Bushnell’s First StrikeReflex Red Dot

Bill Waugaman

14 Fishing With DarlBlack

Larry Claypool

INSIDE THIS MONTH

9 Recipe: Diane’s Crockpot

Fall Turkey Shoots - Oct. 19, 26; Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23 (10 a.m.) at Chester-Newell Sportsmen’sClub, 592 Dairy Lane, New Manchester, WV (Gas Valley Road, behind Green Valley Dairy).For info. call 304-564-3580 or 304-374-5587.Turkey Shoots - Oct. 19, 26; Nov. 2, 9, 16, 23 (1 p.m.) at Lake Milton Fish & Game Club, 4374Bedell Rd, Berlin Center, OH 44401. $2 per round. See www.lakemiltonfishandgame.com or callRon at 330-348-4020.Gun and Sporting Goods Show - Sept. 27-28 (Sat. 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m.- 2p.m.) at Hid-den Valley Sportsmen’s Club, 268 Gilkey Road, West Middlesex, PA 16159. Admission $4 (kidsunder 12 free with paid adult). Call clubhouse for info. at 724-528-2700.Military Surplus Show -Nov. 15-16 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at Lowellville Rod and Gun Club, GPS ad-dress 6225 Quarry Road, Lowellville, OH. Admission $2 donation. Shooting and Hunting Sup-plies, U.S. GI clothes and field equipment. Vendor tables available. Call Bill at 330-755-2077.

By Larry ClaypoolEditor

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR

Publisher/Editor, Larry [email protected]

Graphics Designer, Linda [email protected]

Sales Consultant, Tracy [email protected]

[email protected] Valley Outdoor Times

is published by Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine©Offices located at

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OutdoorOhio Valley

TimesOctober 2014 VOL. 6, NO. 10

Contributing EditorsRalph Scherder, Hunting EditorJeff Knapp, Fishing EditorBrian Miller, Field Editor

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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 3October 2014

COLUMBUS, OH —Many whitetaildeer hunters opted not to hit the woodson opening day of Ohio’s archery deerseason on September 27, due to verywarm temperatures, which climbed intothe 80s. Cooler temperatures did prevailthe first weekend of October, which didprovide more comfortable conditionsand some successful hunting.Archery season for deer continues

through February 1, 2015, according tothe Ohio Department of Natural Re-sources (ODNR) . Below is a list ofOhio’s 2014-2015 deer seasons:• Archery: Sept. 27-Feb. 1, 2015.• Youth gun: Nov. 22-23.• Gun: Dec. 1-7.• Muzzleloader: Jan. 2-5, 2015.All deer hunters are required to have a

valid Ohio hunting license and a validdeer permit. Details about deer huntingrules are contained in the 2014-2015Ohio Hunting Regulations, availablewhere licenses are sold, or at wildo-hio.gov.Antlerless permit use was changed for

the upcoming deer hunting seasons, andthese permits are no longer valid in somecounties (see bag limit map). Antlerlesspermits will be valid in the remainingcounties until Nov. 30, the Sunday be-fore the deer-gun season. Only oneantlerless permit may be used percounty, regardless of the bag limit.Deer bag limits are determined by

county (see bag limit map), but no morethan nine deer may be taken from allcounties combined. The statewide baglimit is nine deer, but a hunter cannot ex-ceed a county bag limit. AdditionalODNR Division of Wildlife authorizedcontrolled hunting opportunities do notcount against statewide or county baglimits. Hunters may harvest only onebuck in Ohio, regardless of method oftake or location.Archers hunting during the statewide

gun, youth gun and muzzleloader sea-sons must meet the hunter orange re-quirement. Deer hunting hours are 30minutes before sunrise to 30 minutespast sunset for all deer seasons. This in-cludes gun and muzzleloader seasons.New this year, specific straight-walled

cartridge rifles are now legal for use dur-ing the deer-gun and youth deer-gun sea-sons. These specific straight-walledcartridge rifles are legal for deer hunting:.357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Spe-cial, .375 Super Magnum, .375Winches-ter, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum,

.44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin,

.45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith &Wes-son, .454 Casull, .460 Smith & Wesson,.45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh,.50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110 and .500Smith &Wesson. Shotguns and straight-walled cartridge rifles may have no morethan three shells in the magazine andchamber combined while deer hunting.Also, hunters can search historical

records of Ohio’s top-scoring deer in apartnership between the ODNRDivisionof Wildlife and the Buckeye Big BuckClub. A complete database of top deerscores, complete with rankings, hunter’sname, county of the kill and more, isavailable at wildohio.gov. Ohio ranksNo. 7 nationally for the number of tro-phy deer as compiled by the Boone andCrockett Club through 2011.Hunters are required to make their

own game tag to attach to a deer. Gametags can be made of any material (card-board, plastic, paper, etc.) as long as itcontains the hunter’s name, date, timeand county of the kill. Go to the DeerHunting Resources page at wildohio.govfor more information about the gamecheck process.All hunters must report their deer har-

vest using the automated game-check

Warmer Weather Again Kicks offOhio’s Deer-Archery Season

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Bill Hall, Jr.Bill Hall, Sr. took this nine-point buck in

Licking County, OH with a crossbow from35 yards out, a left-handed shot on opening

day 2014.

Turn To Weather Page 5

smell to determine the risk potential. Astrong odor, naturally, means immediatedanger. Aweaker odor, therefore, signalsthat while danger was in the area notlong ago, it has most likely moved on.Deer can wind you and become alerted

but not necessarily spook. When you seea doe stop, throw her nose in the air, andstart stomping her foot, you know shesmells something – but she doesn’t boltright away because she’s trying to deter-mine the level and exact location of thethreat.On many occasions, I’ve had deer do

this and still not spook. I’ve even hadthem snort and bound off a few yardsonly to gradually work their way backtoward my stand. Many times I thinkthey do this in an attempt to get a reac-tion. They sense something is there (orwas there) and are attempting to makethe predator give away its location.When they bolt and nothing pursuesthem, and the odor doesn’t get stronger,they realize there’s no reason to worry.Every individual deer is different, ofcourse, and some have a higher toleranceto human scent than others, dependingon where they live.Without a doubt, scent-eliminating

products are a valuable part of my sys-tem. I start with washing my clothes inscent-killing detergent, and then I hangthem outside to air dry. Once dry, I placethem in a garbage bag, and then place thegarbage bag inside a plastic tote. All ofmy equipment – bow, arrows, grunt call,etc. – gets sprayed with odor eliminator.This is especially important if you keepyour equipment in the house over nightwhere it can pick up foreign odors. Fail-ing to spray your equipment is, in myopinion, the equivalent of wearing yourhunting clothes in the truck.I wash my clothes every week

throughout the season, especially duringwarm weather or if I have a long walk tomy stand and constantly work up asweat. Most clothing designed to blockscent contains particles within the fabricthat traps and neutralizes odor and pre-vents it from escaping. Over time, theseparticles “fill up” to the point where theydon’t catch all of the odor – it’s like fill-ing a gas tank too full; gas leaks out.Washing and drying your clothing on aweekly basis will clean the particles inthe fabric so that they can function at op-timum levels. Also, some clothes requireheat to initially activate the particleswithin the clothing.I store the plastic tote, along with my

hunting boots, in the back of my truck.On cold November mornings, I’m al-ways sure to wear a warm base layer ofclothing and I buy clothing that fits looseenough to easily slip over top. That wayI’m not standing half naked in the darktrying to get dressed.I keep a bottle of scent-eliminating

spray in my backpack for everyday use.When I get to my treestand, I spray some

on my hat, hands, and rub it on the backof my neck or any exposed sweaty areas.When I get back to the truck after hunt-ing, my clothes go back into the garbagebag and into the tote, and so do myboots. While it’s nearly impossible to becompletely, 100% scent free, I’ve no-ticed that if I stick to this regimen andtake nothing for granted, I come prettydarn close.


Scent Free From Page 1

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Ralph ScherderQuality scent-eliminating products help you stay scent-free in the deer woods all season long.

SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV —With the opening of archery seasons fordeer and bear on September 27, WestVirginia bowhunters are encouraged toparticipate in the West VirginiaBowhunter Survey. The Bowhunter Sur-vey was initiated in 1995 as a coopera-tive effort between the West VirginiaBowhuntersAssociation and the DNR tomonitor wildlife populations.“The Bowhunter Survey supplies awealth of information to the DNR andhunters about wildlife population trends,deer habitats and hunters’ opinions inWest Virginia,” said Chris Ryan, Super-visor of GameManagement Services forthe West Virginia Division of NaturalResources (DNR).“Bowhunters typically sit in one spotfor long periods of time and are naturalwildlife observers. DNR uses their ob-servations to monitor species such as foxand gray squirrels, black bears, bobcatsand coyotes,” Ryan said.Cooperators will get a printed copy ofthe results before next year’s huntingseason with all of this useful informa-tion. Hunters wishing to participate in

this survey should contact TammieThompson (phone 304-637-0245 oremail [email protected]) toobtain a survey form.


WVDNR Seeks Volunteersfor Bowhunter Survey

SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV —Two new wildlife management areas(WMAs), both in Preston County, havebeen acquired by The West Virginia Di-vision of Natural Resources (DNR), ac-cording to Curtis I. Taylor, chief of theDNRWildlife Resources Section.“These new public lands will provideoutdoor enthusiasts with additional op-portunities for hunting, trapping, fishingand other wildlife-related activities,”Taylor said. “In addition, these WMAscontain important habitat types andunique wildlife species which, under themanagement of the Wildlife ResourcesSection, can be responsibly conservedinto the future.”Cheat Canyon WildlifeManagement AreaThe Cheat Canyon WMA (3,836acres) was the collaborative effort ofseveral acquisition partners, includingfederal and state agencies, non-govern-mental organizations and corporate andprivate donors. In addition, a sectionof theAllegheny Trail through the CheatCanyon previously closed to public useis re-opened on theWMAfor hiking and

wildlife viewing. The Cheat CanyonWMA is composed of very steep androcky terrain primarily from rim-to-rimin the Cheat Canyon.Access into the WMA from the southis via Beech Run Road (County Route26/23) and from the north by CountyRoute 14/4 from Mount Nebo or BullRun. Hunting opportunities exist fordeer, black bear, wild turkey, coyote andsquirrel. Limited trapping is availablewith raccoon, coyote, bobcat and fisherbeing common species available.Fairfax Pond - Rehe WildlifeManagement AreaThe Fairfax Pond - Rehe WMA (638acres) is located near Reedsville, WestVirginia. It is composed of moderate-to-gently rolling slopes with mixed hard-wood forests, open fields and a diversewetland complex in the valley.Access to the Fairfax Pond - ReheWMA can be gained from State Route92 on Arthur Road (County Route 92/1)and Dogtown Road.Additional information on both ofthese WMAs is available by contactingthe Farmington District 1 DNR office at304-825-6787.

WVDNR Acquires Two NewWildlifeManagement Areas in Preston County

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of WVDNRWest Virginia bowhunters are

asked to participate in the DNR’sannual Bowhunters Survey.

system. Game-check transactions areavailable online and by phone sevendays a week, including holidays. Hunterswith a deer permit have three options tocomplete the game check:• Online at ohiogamecheck.com;• Call 877-TAG-ITOH (824-4864); or• Visit a license agent. A list of agentscan be found at wildohio.gov or by call-ing 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543).Landowners exempt from purchasinga deer permit, and others not required topurchase a deer permit, cannot use the877-TAG-ITOH option. Landownersand others not required to obtain a per-mit have the following game-check op-tions:• Online at ohiogamecheck.com;• Visit a license agent; or• Call 866-703-1928 for operator as-sisted landowner game-check (a conven-ience fee of $5.50 applies).Hunting is the best and most effectivemanagement tool for maintaining Ohio’shealthy deer population. During the2013-2014 season, Ohio hunterschecked 191,459 deer. Ohio ranks fifthnationally in resident hunters and 11th inthe number of jobs associated with hunt-ing-related industries. Hunting has a

more than $853 million economic im-pact in Ohio through the sale of equip-ment, fuel, food, lodging and more,according to the National ShootingSports Foundation’s Hunting in Amer-ica: An Economic Force for Conserva-tion publication.The ODNR Division of Wildlife re-mains committed to properly managingOhio’s deer populations through a com-bination of regulatory and programmaticchanges. The goal of Ohio’s Deer Man-agement Program is to provide a deerpopulation that maximizes recreationalopportunities, while minimizing con-flicts with landowners and motorists.This ensures that Ohio’s deer herd ismaintained at a level that is both accept-able to most, and biologically sound.Until recently, the populations innearly all of Ohio’s counties were wellabove their target numbers. In the lastfew years, through increased harvests,dramatic strides have been made inmany counties to bring those populationscloser toward their goal. Once a county’sdeer population is near goal, harvest reg-ulations are adjusted to maintain thepopulation.Visit the ODNR website atohiodnr.gov.

Weather From Page 3


Propelled by adelicate roll cast, thegreen caddis larvaefly landed lightly inthe clear, cool waterof the West Branchof Caldwell Creek.The modest currentwashed the size 12fly downstream to asubmerged treebranch, where a 12-inch wild brown troutshot out from the protection of a nearbyundercut bank and seized it. The deter-mined trout put on an energetic fight butsoon gave in to the strain of the 4-weight,7.5 foot fly rod. Less than a half-hour into the trip and the ice had been broken, anice way to start off the morning on astream we’d never visited before, andunder tough, low/clear water conditions.My good friend Tom Ference and I

were in the middle phase of a recentweekend trip during which we’d also fishfor native brook trout and river small-mouth bass, using my northern Clarion

County camp as a base. The night before— before darkness settled in — we’dmanaged to land a few native brookiesfrom a mountain run close to camp. Fol-lowing our Caldwell adventure we had adecent evening trip for Clarion Riversmallmouth bass.The West Branch of Caldwell Creek –

located in southwestern Warren County(Pennsylvania) — is a large tributary tothe main stem of Caldwell. The WestBranch joins the upper portion of Cald-well Creek near the town of Selkirt.Caldwell continues its journey southwardfor about 10 miles before joining withPine Creek in southeastern CrawfordCounty, which in turn joins Oil Creeknear the Drake’s Well museum.The section of the West Branch that

Tom and I fished is managed with Catchand Release regulations. Trout fishing ispermitted year-round, but no trout can bekilled or had in possession. Tackle is re-stricted to flies and artificial lures. Thespecial regulations section extends forover three-and-a-half miles, from WestBranch Bridge (located on Flat Road) up-stream to the mouth of Three Bridge Run.

While the section above Three BridgeRun is stocked, the project waters are not,replying on the supply of stream-bredtrout and the catch and release restrictionto sustain the fishery. A short distancebelow the downstream boundary of theproject waters the West Branch joinsCaldwell Creek proper.

Tom and I parked at the lower end ofthe special regulations section and fishednearly a mile up from the Flat Roadbridge. The low flow and clear watereliminated many areas that would likelybe productive during wetter times.

Caldwell Creek Fall Trout

By Jeff KnappFishing Editor

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Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Jeff KnappTom Ference works a pool of the West Branch of Caldwell Creek during an early fall outing.

Turn To Trout Page 7


HARRISBURG, PA— The Pennsyl-vania Game Commission temporarilyclosed all hunting and trapping seasonswithin seven townships in northeasternPennsylvania, where the search contin-ues for a fugitive wanted in the shootingdeath of a state police trooper.Game Commission Executive Direc-

tor R. Matthew Hough recently issuedan executive order to close temporarilythe hunting and trapping seasons withinPrice, Barrett and Paradise townships inMonroe County; and Blooming Grove,Porter, Lehman and Greene townships inPike County.The townships all are within Wildlife

Management Unit 3D.The closure affects all private and

public lands, including the portions ofState Game Lands 180, 183 and 221 lo-cated within those townships. Those por-tions of game lands are closed to allpublic access while the executive orderis in effect.Hunting and trapping seasons will re-

main closed in the identified townshipsuntil the executive order is lifted, whichwill be announced by the Game Com-

mission in a statewide news release thatwill be posted on the agency’s websiteat the time it is issued.The closure was initiated after the

Pennsylvania State Police advised thattroopers who are part of the search forfugitive Eric Frein had uncovered explo-sive devices that apparently were left be-hind in wooded areas by the fugitive,and would pose an obvious danger toanyone who would encounter them.Hough said the discovery of the de-

vices, and the danger associated with thesearch effort in general, would pose“While we realize this temporary closuremight disappoint some of the huntersand trappers it affects, we’re certain, too,they understand the gravity of the situa-tion, as well as the danger in allowingthe seasons to continue as scheduled,given this new information,” Houghsaid. “Plenty of good hunting and trap-ping opportunities remain outside of thetemporarily closed area, and we needhunters to readily adjust their plans tohelp bring resolution to this case and seethat justice is served.”Frein is wanted in the September 12

ambush-shooting death of PennsylvaniaState Police Cpl. Bryon Dickson II out-side the state police barracks in Bloom-ing Grove, Pike County. Trooper AlexDouglass was wounded in the attack.The search for Frein has continuedsince, and police recently discovered ex-plosive devices – at least one of whichwas attached to a trip wire – in the areathey were searching.The Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife

Code authorizes the Game Commissionto close any hunting or trapping season,or otherwise take necessary action, to as-sure the purposes of the code, includingassuring the health and safety of the per-sons who hunt or take game andwildlife.Game Commissioner James J. De-

laney Jr. , who represents Pike, Monroeand other northeastern Pennsylvaniacounties as part of the eight-memberboard that sets policy for the GameCommission, said the temporary closureis supported in full by the commission-ers and is necessary given the totality ofcircumstances.

Manhunt Places Hunting Seasons on Hold

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Rocky runs, in many cases, didn’t offermuch in the way of cover under the lowflow. But there are many deeper poolscomplete with log jams, as well as numer-ous undercut banks. The limited access tothis section ensures an experience that in-cludes a strong sense of remoteness.This stream is heavily wooded, which

greatly aids in its ability to stay cool.While some areas are covered with hem-lock, which means a fairly open under-story that’s easy to navigate, many areashave thicker growth which is more diffi-cult to hike through, particularly whenwearing waders. There is also at least onesignificant beaver dam and meadow thatrequires a by-pass. Fishing the stream en-tails some effort, particularly if you planto get back from the road a good ways.Water quality in the West Branch is

good. It supports a fine population ofmayflies, stoneflies and caddis flies. Weobserved a good number of minnows aswell as crawfish.The main stem of Caldwell Creek also

offers good trout fishing. While it isstocked with hatchery fish it also has agood number of wild fish, and has a repu-tation for holding over stocked trout.

Trout Up From Page 6

The Miracle Min-now is still alive anddoing well. I remem-ber how famous theMiracle Minnow wasfor catching small-mouth bass in BeaverCreek (ColumbianaCounty, OH). When Iwas very young, mydad and his friendswould go fishing andalways had a few Mira-cle Minnows in their fishing boxes. Itseemed to be more valuable than theirlunch that they packed. When they re-turned home I would hear stories of howmany fish they caught and the thrill ofhow the “fish broke the water” and “putup a great fight”. I knew then that some-day I would join them and have a chanceto fish Beaver Creek with the famousplug.

As time would have it, the productionof the fishing plug, made by the Wright& McGill Company in Denver, Col-orado, would be discontinued.

I owned one Miracle Minnow that wascolored green and gold that was my

dad’s favorite plug. Unfortunately, a tro-phy bass broke the water and swam awaywith my favorite fishing lure. It was nowa challenge to find another Miracle Min-now to use in Beaver Creek. My pursuitled me to a new friend, Don Bodinar,who was a collector of Miracle Min-nows. I was able to learn his procedure tofind the rare plug and I continued to in-vestigate.

By looking through old tackle boxes atyard sales and flea markets, I was able tofind a few Miracle Minnows. Don alsointroduced me to the procedure of find-ing them on the Internet. There were avariety of these plugs manufactured, forexample; sinkers and floaters. Also, theycome in a variety of colors and some ofthem are even jointed. My favorite is thegold and green sinker. That is the onethat my dad and his friends liked thebest.

After finding a few of these old lures,last month I decided to return to one ofmy favorite fishing spots along BeaverCreek, with my Miracle Minnow tied on.I was able to hook into a smallmouthbass that gave me a thrill. After speaking


It’s a Miracle (Minnow)

Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Curt GrimmFishing lure collector Don Bodinar caught this smallmouth bass

in Little Beaver Creek with a Miracle Minnow lure.Turn To Miracle Page 9

By Curt GrimmThe Marathon Hunter

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with Don again about these old lures, Ithink he doubted my success rate withmy favorite lure, so I invited him to takea little fishing trip with me — yes toBeaver Creek.It was an enjoyable trip for both Don

and I. His retrieval technique of the plugoffered positive results — a creek small-mouth bass— on his first cast. Yes, therewas a surprised look on Don’s face.We are now making plans to explore

other parts of the creek and see if we canget the same positive results.The history of the Miracle Minnow is

hard to obtain. We are in the process oftrying to determine when this plug wasdiscontinued in production. We’re alsocurious about the other states/areas thathave used this plug. It seems that certainparts of the country prefer different col-ors and different styles. This was deter-mined by the quantity and location ofcertain plugs that have been offered forsale on the Internet.The experiment we have scheduled for

next spring and summer is to try this lurein different creeks around the Tri-Statearea. We also plan to use it in a variety oflakes and farm ponds. It would not sur-prise us to find that the Miracle Minnow

is still a favorite plug used in a variety offishing waters. I am sure that it’s use inBeaver Creek is still alive and doingwell.


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6 chicken breasts1 small onion2 tbs. olive oil1 clove garlic1 can cream of mushroom soup1 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms1 cup white wine1 1 lb. package chipped venison2 tsp. Venison Barbeque Seasoning and Rub Sportsman's

Table Item #26881 tsp. dried thyme1 tsp. sage1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions:Saute chicken with onion and garlic in olive oil.Add Sportsman's Table Venison Barbeque Season-ing and Rub, thyme, sageand pepper. Cook only two min. on each side untilchicken appears white. Place seasoned chicken incrockpot and pour incream of mushroom soup, wine and chipped veni-son. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 7-8hours.

Miracle From Page 8

Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Gary GrimmThe author’s favorite green and gold Miracle

Minnow lure is a sinking variety.

Central Ohio – Wildlife District OneState Wildlife Officers Patrick Mul-dovan, assigned to Licking County, andBrad Kiger, assigned to Franklin County,worked Deer Creek Wildlife Area on theopening day of dove hunting season.Several of the fields were packed, butone field in particular had a large num-ber of hunters. Officers Muldovan andKiger watched the field and after a shorttime a nongame bird was shot. The offi-cers contacted the hunter and retrievedthe dead bird. After Officer Muldovanfinished writing that summons, a secondnongame bird was killed. That hunterwas then contacted. Both hunters were is-sued summons for taking a nongame birdand had to appear in front of a judge. Atotal of 130 hunters were checked out ofone field and three additional citationswere issued for unplugged guns. Thosehunters were each issued a summons forhaving a shotgun capable of holdingmore than three shells and had to pay$110 in fines and court costs.Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District TwoState Wildlife Officer Reid Van Cleve,

assigned to Ottawa County, was check-ing waterfowl hunters on Sept. 1, theopening day of early goose season. At6:41 a.m., 22 minutes before legal shoot-ing time, Officer Van Cleve observed twohunters shooting ducks. Officer VanCleve was surprised because duck seasonwas closed. Officer Van Cleve made con-tact with the hunters and asked what theyhad shot. One of the hunters stated theyhad shot two blue-winged teal. OfficerVan Cleve explained to the hunters thatteal season was closed and legal shoot-ing time began at sunrise, not 30 minutesbefore sunrise. Officer Van Cleve alsoexplained that wood duck season wasclosed. The hunters had harvested oneblue-winged teal and one hen woodduck. The hunters stated that they hadonly been hunting waterfowl for twoyears and did not have much experiencein the sport. Officer Van Cleve explainedto them that it takes time to learn to iden-tify waterfowl in flight, and it is always agood idea to start waterfowl hunting withsomeone with experience. Van Cleve also

Field reports fromODNR Division of Wildlife Officers

10-1-14

Turn To Report Page 13

SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV —West Virginia’s 2014 archery seasons forwhite-tailed deer, black bear and wildboar opened September 27. The beararchery season is a split season (Sept.27-Nov. 22 and Dec. 8-Dec. 31).In addition to a base license, bear

hunters must purchase a Bear DamageStamp (Class DS) to hunt bear in WestVirginia. Two bear may be taken peryear, provided at least one bear is takenin Boone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan,McDowell, Mingo, Nicholas, Raleigh orWyoming counties. Other than the ClassDS stamp, no additional stamps areneeded to harvest the second bear dur-ing the archery season except for non-residents hunting on the National Forest(Class I).Hunters also are reminded they need

stamps if they wish to harvest additionaldeer during the archery season. One ortwo additional archery deer, dependingon the county, may be taken with ClassRB (Resident) or Class RRB (Nonresi-dent) stamps (one per stamp). Consultthe 2014-2015 West Virginia Huntingand Trapping Regulations Summary fordetails. Hunters should also note in the

regulations that, in 31 counties or por-tions thereof, they must take an antler-less archery deer prior to harvesting asecond antlered deer.Additional archerystamps must be purchased prior to thestart of the deer archery season.The deer daily bag limit for deer in-

creased last year, allowing an individualto take up to two deer in one day duringany season. The first deer does not haveto be legally checked at an official gamecheck station prior to harvesting the sec-ond deer in the same day. However, onlyone antlered deer may be taken in thesame day during any season. The dailybag limit for bear remains one bear perday.In all counties, legal resident landown-

ers hunting on their own property andholders of Class DT (Life-threateningConditions) licenses may use ClassRB/RRB stamp privileges withoutstamp purchase.For complete information, hunters

should consult the 2014-2015 West Vir-ginia Hunting and Trapping RegulationsSummary available at any WVDNR of-fice, license agents, or by visiting theWVDNR website at www.wvdnr.gov.

HARRISBURG, PA — With the cal-endar now flipped to October, and thefall hunting seasons all to open soon, re-strictions are back in place on all tractscomprising Pennsylvania’s 1.4 million-acre state game lands system.Unlike state or county parks, or even

state or national forests, the primary pur-pose of Pennsylvania’s state game landsis to provide habitat for wildlife, andhunting and trapping opportunities forPennsylvanians.While many secondary recreational

uses of game lands unrelated to huntingor trapping traditionally have been per-mitted during summer months, such usesare tightly restricted beginning the lastSaturday in September, which typicallyoccurs just before the start of thestatewide archery deer season.The restrictions remain in place

through the third Saturday in January, adate that ensures the game lands systemadequately serves hunters through theclose of the flintlock muzzleloader deerseason.During the restricted period, the recre-

ational riding of horses and bicycles on

game lands is permitted only on Sun-days. On Mondays through Saturdays,only riding related to active hunting andtrapping is permitted on game lands.Recreational riding of horses and bi-

cycles on game lands is permitted onlyon marked, designated trails. Designatedtrails that are approved for snowmobileuse don’t open to snowmobiles until thethird Sunday of January, and they closeApril 1.Off-road vehicles including ATVs are

not permitted anywhere or at any time ongame lands.Hiking is permitted on game lands

throughout the year, however, hikers areadvised that game lands are huntinggrounds where hunting activity is likelyto be occurring. Additionally, during themonth surrounding the deer and bearfirearms seasons — a period from Nov.15 to Dec. 15 each year – hikers, as wellas all other secondary users of gamelands, must wear a minimum of 250square inches of fluorescent orange ma-terial on the head, chest and back com-bined, and the orange material must bevisible from 360 degrees.

Cable NetworkWants YOU!

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seeks America’s Backwoods Philoso-phers—modern day Frontiersmen, in thespirit of Henry Thoreau, who survive inthe wild, off the land, and embody theirown unique philosophy of life. Theserenegades live by their own code, not de-pendent on modern society. Are you oneof these Backwoods Philosophers? Doyou live off the grid and by your ownrules? Do you have a strong philosophyof life that defines who you are and howyou live? Do you have a larger than lifepersonality and endless pearls of wisdomto share? Then we want you! If you con-sider yourself a Backwood’s Philosopheror know someone like this, please contactour team: email us at: [email protected] or call at (646) 663-3531 and mention “BACKWOODSCASTING”.


WV’s Deer, Bear Archery Seasons Open

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of WVDNRArchery seasons for deer, bear and boaropened September 27 in West Virginia.

Fall Reminder: Game Landsare Hunting Grounds First


PARKERSBURG,WV—Paddleboards, kayaks and canoes filledwith about 70 rowers participated in the inaugural Parkersburg Pad-dlefest in mid-September on the Ohio River in Parkersburg.“We had about 60 boats launch and 70 people registered,” said

John Wiseman, director of the event and co-owner of Lapping theCouch Adventures. “Everything went very well.”All of the watercraft launched from Point Park at 8 a.m., paddled

down to Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park and back, withthe event having finished by noon.“It was rough and windy going out, but coming back, it was pretty

easy,” said paddler Nancy Miller, of Belpre.Miller, who works at Woodcraft, used the mahogany boat she

made herself in 2012 for the event.“I think this is a great idea and I wanted to be a part of it from the

beginning,” Miller said. “I want to support the paddlers and helpthis festival grow.”To ensure the safety of all involved, the U.S. Coast Guard gave

permission for the closing of the Ohio River to motorized traffic forthe event, which Miller said was helpful.Wiseman said the event was well supported, with assistance and

involvement from local, state and federal agencies and organiza-tions.— JOLENE CRAIG

Inaugural Paddlefesta Success

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Joene CraigMore than 70 people participated in theinaugural Parkersburg Paddlefest onSeptember 14 on the Ohio River be-tween Point Park and BlennerhassettIsland Historical State Park; near

Parkersburg, WV.

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Joene CraigPaddlers come in from participatingin the inaugural Parkersburg Paddle-

fest on September 14 on the OhioRiver in Parkersburg, WV.


To test the accu-racy of Smith &Wes-son’s M&P22 .22LRhandgun, a suitableoptic was needed.The optic had to besmall, lightweightand able to withstandthe rigors of a semi-auto handgun. Theoptic chosen to fitthese requirements wasBushnell’s First Strike Reflex Red Dot(Model 73005).Bushnell’s First Strike is definitelysmall. It’s less than 2” long, only 1 1/4”wide, under 1 1/2” tall, and weighs amere 2.1 ounces (including the protec-tive hood and CR2032 lithium battery).It is designed to mount on any weaver orpicatinny rail without any blocks orbrackets, unless a riser is necessary for a

particular application. Since the FirstStrike is shockproof, mounting it on theslide of the M&P22 would not be aproblem.The First Strike’s red dot is 5 MOAmaking it easy to pick up the dot in thelens and not so large as to hinder shoot-ing at shorter distances. Adjusting thedot to move the point of impact is easilydone with a hex wrench that is includedwith the First Strike; the wrench is flaton one end for adjusting the windageand elevation, and a hex head on theother end for battery compartment ac-cess. Even though the hash mark indica-tors are at 6 MOA, the actual adjustmentis ‘non-clicking’ giving you completeflexibility to fine tune the point of im-pact. The total adjustment range is 240MOA.As for the optics, the 1X lens (no mag-nification) of the First Strike is slightly

under 1” wide by 3/4” tall. The lens ismulti-coated to minimize or eliminateglare and reflection. Since the lens issingle layer, it can’t fog up on the inside.The First Strike is also waterproof toprevent moisture from getting inside tothe components.One of the most interesting features ofthe First Strike Reflex Red Dot is thelack of an on-off switch. Power from thebattery to the LED is controlled by aphotocell on the front. When the protec-tive hood is installed blocking light tothe photocell, power is almost com-pletely cut off to the LED. When thehood is removed, the amount of lightpicked up by the photocell automaticallyregulates the brightness of the LED. Inbright light, the red dot is brighter mak-ing it easy to see; in low light, the reddot becomes dimmer so the viewthrough the lens is not obscured.The low power consumption designgives the First Strike an extended batterylife that is measured in days, not hours.Bushnell estimates a fresh new battery(240mAh) will continuously power theLED for just under 2 days in bright light,25 days in room light, and nearly 15months with the photocell covered.While my original purpose for the

First Strike was to evaluate the accuracyof a Smith &Wesson M&P22 handgun,the variety of uses for this reflex red dotbecame obvious. It is well suited formounting on anAR-platform rifle or tac-tical shotgun; it will also stand up to therecoil on hunting shotguns when usedwith turkey, waterfowl or rifled slugloads.

PRODUCT REVIEW

Bushnell’s First StrikeReflexRedDot

By Bill Waugaman

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Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of BushnellFront view of

the Bushnell First Strike optic.

Turn To Review Page 13

COLUMBUS, OH — The city ofCleveland has proposed 27 newweapons laws despite two OhioSupreme Court rulings that prohibitcities from regulating firearms.Collectively, the proposed ordinanceswould establish a gun-offender registrythat is unlikely to deter crime or providelaw enforcement with useful informa-tion.Ohio gun owners are understandablyconcerned with Cleveland’s proposals.For over a decade, organizations such asBuckeye Firearms Association haveworked tirelessly to ensure that Ohio hasone clear set of firearm laws that are uni-form throughout the state.“Cleveland has a long history of ignor-ing the rights of Ohio citizens when itcomes to firearms,” said Ken Hanson,legal counsel for Buckeye Firearms As-sociation. “And they have a history of ig-noring state law.“By passing HB347, which becamelaw in 2007, the Ohio GeneralAssemblyclearly sent a message to municipalitiesthat they must abide by state law and

cannot make up their own laws to regu-late firearms.”Here is the relevant section from OhioR.C 9.68:The individual right to keep and beararms, being a fundamental individualright that predates the United StatesConstitution and Ohio Constitution, andbeing a constitutionally protected rightin every part of Ohio, the general assem-bly finds the need to provide uniformlaws throughout the state regulating theownership, possession, purchase, otheracquisition, transport, storage, carrying,sale, or other transfer of firearms, theircomponents, and their ammunition. Ex-cept as specifically provided by theUnited States Constitution, Ohio Consti-tution, state law, or federal law, a person,without further license, permission, re-striction, delay, or process, may own,possess, purchase, sell, transfer, trans-port, store, or keep any firearm, part of afirearm, its components, and its ammuni-tion.For more information visitwww.BuckeyeFirearms.org.

Gun Owners OpposeCleveland’s New Proposed Regulations

The First Strike comes with an allen wrench for mounting, the hex wrench forbattery compartment access and sight adjustment, a cleaning cloth, instruction man-ual, protective cover, battery (already installed) and a one-year warranty.The MSRP for Bushnell’s First Strike Reflex Red Dot is $208.95. For more infor-

mation, check out the Bushnell website at: www.bushnell.com.


WASHINGTON, DC — The U.S.Forest Service will waive fees at most ofits day-use recreation sites several timesin 2015, beginning with Jan. 19, in honorof Martin Luther King Jr. Day.“These fee-free days are our way of

thanking our millions of visitors but alsoto encourage more people to visit thesegreat public lands,” said U.S. ForestService Chief Tom Tidwell.No fees are charged at any time on 98

percent of national forests and grass-lands, and approximately two-thirds ofdeveloped recreation sites in nationalforests and grasslands can be used forfree. Check with your local forest orgrassland or on Recreation.gov to see ifyour destination charges a fee. Fees areused to help cover the cost of safe, cleanfacilities. Use the Forest Service map tofind a national forest or grassland nearyou.The 2015 scheduled fee-free days ob-

served by the Forest Service are:• Jan. 19: the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther

King Jr. Day• Feb. 16: Presidents Day• June 13: National Get Outdoors Day

• Sept. 26: National Public Lands Day• Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day

Agency units plan their own events.Contact your local forest or grassland formore information.The last fee-free period for 2014 is

Nov. 8-11 in honor of Veteran’s Day.Encouraging use of public lands sup-

ports the goals of President Obama’sAmerica’s Great Outdoors, an effort witha premise that the protection of the na-tion’s natural heritage is a non-partisanobjective shared by all Americans.America’s Great Outdoors turns to com-munities for local, grassroots conserva-tion initiatives and seeks to reworkinefficient policies and to make the fed-eral government a better partner withstates, tribes and local communities.America’s public lands provide health

benefits visitors. America’s nationalforests and grasslands managed by theForest Service offer more than 150,000miles of trails, which include hiking,biking, equestrian and motorized trails,and more than 10,000 developed recre-ation sites. Visitors can choose a widevariety of recreational activities usingmore than 57,000 miles of streams, 122alpine ski areas, 338,000 heritage sites,9,100 miles of National Scenic Byw-more.

U.S. Forest Service Releases2015 Dates for Fee-Free Days Send us your trophy photos

For our contests& Nikon Photo

Showcase

Chad Staats12pt., bowWest Virginia

email to:[email protected] to: Photo Showcase210 East Fourth St.East Liverpool, OH 43920

www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com

Tim Bakerspring gobblerMathews bow

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of BushnellAs light intensity fades, the dot automatically dims.

Review From Page 12suggested that the men always read theregulations before hunting since seasonscan change from year to year. The menwere issued a citation for hunting ducksduring the closed season.During the 2014 spring turkey season,two individuals in Paulding County werehunting turkeys over bait. The twohunters had set up a ground blind next toa feeder. These violationswould likely have gone unno-ticed if not for an anonymouscall reporting them. StateWildlife Officer Mike Ohlrichhiked into the woods one morn-ing where the feeder was lo-cated and waited for thesuspects to show up. Shortlybefore light, two turkey hunters camewalking quietly through the woods. Sev-eral birds were gobbling on the roost nearthe location. The hunters could be heardrustling around as they stepped into theirground blind and began setting up theirequipment. Just a few minutes later, oneof the hunters stepped back out of theblind carrying a bag of cracked corn. Hewalked over to the feeder and dumpedthe entire bag into it. Both men werecharged for their violations in the Pauld-

ing Municipal Court.Northeast Ohio – Wildlife District ThreeState Wildlife Officer Aaron Brown, as-signed to Wayne County, received a callfrom two police departments in referenceto an individual who killed a goose dur-ing the closed season. The witness gave avehicle description to the police, wholater made a traffic stop on the vehicle.Officer Brown arrived on scene and a

suspect was determinedthrough the witness statement.The results of the investigationrevealed that the suspect hadshot the goose from his vehicleusing a high-powered air rifle.The man was convicted incourt and ordered to pay $388in fines and costs for taking thegoose in a closed season. The

air rifle was forfeited to the ODNR Divi-sion of Wildlife.While working an enforcement project inMedina County, State Wildlife OfficerTom Frank, assigned to MahoningCounty, observed an individual snag atrout, place it on his stringer and continuefishing. The suspect was contacted andissued a summons for the offense. Thefish was also seized. The man was con-victed in court and paid $100 in fines andcosts.

Report From Page 9

ANNAPOLIS, MD. — In a movethat’s expected to benefit recreationalboaters, on October 22, the US CoastGuard will drop the current life jackettype code scheme — Type I, II, III, IVand V— that has been used for years tolabel and differentiate the types of lifejackets and their specific use.Chris Edmonston, BoatUS Founda-

tion for Boating Safety President andChairman of the National Safe BoatingCouncil, said, “The boating safety com-munity believes this move by the CoastGuard will help lead the way towardmore comfortable and innovative lifejacket designs, help boaters stay on theright side of the law, lower costs, andsave lives.”Explains Edmonston, “This is positive

news is that we will no longer see a TypeI, II, III, IV or V label on a new lifejacket label after Oct. 22. This type cod-ing was unique to the United States,tended to confuse boaters, limited choiceand increased the cost of life jackets.”He says removing the type coding is a

first step towards the adoption of newstandards that will eventually simplifylife jacket requirements for recreationalboaters.“This move is expected to lead to the

introduction of new life jacket designs,especially those made in other countriesas US standards will be more ‘harmo-nized,’ initially Canada and eventuallythe European Union,” said Edmonston.“Along with a wider variety, aligningour standards with those to our neighborto the north and across the Atlantic willhelp reduce prices as manufacturerswon’t have to make products unique tothe US market.”However, Edmonston cautions boaters

must still abide by the current standardswhen using older life jackets markedwith the Type I-V labeling, as they willremain legal for use. “We must continueto have a properly fitted life jacket forall aboard, and as always, you’ll need tofollow the label’s instructions regardlessof when it was made. Simply put, if youfollow the label, you’re following the

law.” A full list of the current life jackettypes and descriptions can be found atBoatUS.org/life-jackets, and any updateon new life jacket types and styles willbe posted here when available.In additional effort to help change the

mindset of what a life jacket must looklike, The BoatUS Foundation, the Per-sonal Floatation Device ManufacturersAssociation (PFDMA) and the NationalMarine Manufacturers Association(NMMA), recently kicked off a “Inno-vations in Life Jacket Design Competi-tion” to seek out the newest technologiesand design ideas. Running throughApril15, 2015, the contest seeks entries fromgroups or individuals, including colle-giate design programs, armchair inven-tors or even boat and fishing clubs.Entries may be as simple as hand-drawntheoretical designs to working proto-types and will be judged based on fourcriteria: wearability, reliability, cost andinnovation. For more, go to Boa-tUS.org/design.About the BoatUS Foundation:The BoatUS Foundation for Boating

Safety and Clean Water is a nationalleader promoting safe, clean and respon-sible boating. Funded primarily by do-nations from over half-million membersof BoatUS, it provides innovative edu-

cational outreach directly to boaters andanglers with the aim of reducing acci-dents and fatalities, increasing steward-ship of America’s waterways andkeeping boating safe for all. A range ofboating safety courses — including 33free state courses — can be found atBoatUS.org/courses.

Life Jacket Type Code Labels Go Away

Taking advantageof his knowledge ofsome great fishingwaters in his backyard, Darl Black isnow offering hisknow-how to oth-ers. This monthBlack, of Cochran-ton, PA, began hisnew fishing guideservice — Fishingwith Darl Black dbaBlackwolfe Communications, LLC.Black is well-known for his fishing

knowledge in western Pennsylvania.He’s been a full-time outdoor writer andphotographer since 1990. Many of cred-its include national publications. Blackalso publishes the popular biweekly‘NWPAFishing Report’ on behalf of thePAGreat Lakes Region tourism bureau.The species Black’s guide service will

focus on will be smallmouth bass andcrappies/panfish. The primary waterswill be Pymatuning Lake (crappies andbluegills); Conneaut Lake (crap-pies/bluegills/white bass in late spring

and early summer and smallmouth bassin the fall); Allegheny River and FrenchCreek (smallmouth bass in thespring/summer/fall).Black spends a lot of time on the local

waters. He knows them well. He’s alsoinvited many national fishing gurus andwriters to the region as part of his annualPA Crappie Camp. Those events havehelped garner national attention for Py-matuning; which was recently named toFishHound’s Top 50 Crappie Lakes inthe nation (22nd) and Fish and GameMagazine’s Top 10 Best Family-Friendly Fishing Lakes (2012).“As an outdoor writer/photographer I

have had the opportunity to fish manydifferent lakes and rivers across the U.S.Those experiences have enlightened meto the fact that fisheries in northwest PAare among the best in the U.S. for selectspecies,” said Black. “Pymatuning is anincredible fishery for big northern crap-pies and bluegills, as is Conneaut Lake.Conneaut Lake has the potential of pro-ducing a new state record smallmouthbass. French Creek is a great summerwading stream for bass. And the Al-

legheny River holds its own for small-mouth bass when compared to anynortheastern U.S. river.”Black said running a guide service

will enable him to get on the water moreoften. Many experienced fisherman turnto tournament fishing, but that’s neverinterested Black. He wants to share his

knowledge with others, including youngpeople. So offering a guide service willprovide that, and help pay some bills.“I want to get more people fishing,

and this offers an exciting opportunity,”said Black.


Fishing With Darl Black

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of Blackwolfe CommunicationsNoted fisherman/writer Darl Black, of Cochranton, PA

recently began his new fishing guide service: Fishing with Darl Black.

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of BoatUSThe U.S. Coast Guard is dropping the cur-rent life jacket type code scheme — Type I, II,III, IV and V — that has been used for years.

By Larry ClaypoolEditor

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Turn To Fishing Page 15

WASHINGTON, DC— The U.S. Forest Serv-ice recently released in-formation to clarify theagency’s intentions re-garding a proposed direc-tive for commercialphotography and filmmaking in con-gressionally designated wildernessareas.

“The US Forest Service remains com-mitted to the First Amendment,” saidU.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell.“To be clear, provisions in the draft di-rective do not apply to news gatheringor activities.”

The proposal does not apply to newscoverage, gathering information for anews program or documentary. How-ever, if a project falls outside of thatscope and the filming is intended to beon wilderness land, additional criteriaare applied to protect wilderness values.In that case, a permit must be applied forand granted before any photography ispermitted.

The agency issued a Federal Registernotice on September 4 seeking publiccomment on a proposal to formally es-tablish consistent criteria for evaluatingrequests for commercial filming inwilderness areas as it has on nationalforests and grasslands. The proposed di-rective on commercial filming in wilder-ness has been in place for more than fouryears and is a good faith effort to ensurethe fullest protection of America’s wildplaces.

“The fact is, the directive pertains tocommercial photography and filmingonly — if you’re there to gather news ortake recreational photographs, no permitwould be required. We take your FirstAmendment rights very seriously,” saidTidwell. “We’re looking forward to talk-ing with journalists and concerned citi-zens to help allay some of the concernswe’ve been hearing and clarify what’scovered by this proposed directive.”

Congressionally designated wilder-ness areas are protected by the Wilder-ness Act of 1964 and must remain in

their natural condition. This is achievedin part by prohibiting certain commer-cial enterprises, and the agency is re-sponsible for ensuring its policies adhereto that standard.

The public originally had until Nov. 3,2014, to comment on the proposal.Based on the high level of interest, theagency will extend the public commentperiod to Dec. 3, 2014.

The proposal does not change therules for visitors or recreational photog-raphers. Generally, professional and am-

ateur photographers will not need a per-mit unless they use models, actors orprops; work in areas where the public isgenerally not allowed; or cause addi-tional administrative costs.

Currently, commercial filming permitfees range around $30 per day for agroup up to three people. A large Holly-wood production with 70 or more peoplemight be as much as $800. The $1,500commercial permit fee cited in manypublications is erroneous, and refers toa different proposed directive.

Clarification Offered for PhotosTaken in National Parks


For those looking to catch big small-mouth bass, Black says he can possiblyadd that to your ‘bucket list’. “For small-mouth bass, that’s more instructional. InConneaut, particularly I intend to lookfor big smallmouth. You’re not going toget the numbers, but you can catch a six-pounder. That’s what I’m looking for.And I think there’s a possible staterecord there,” added Black.

Depending on where a client wouldlike to fish, and for what species, Blackcan take 1-2 persons to fish. For crap-pie/panfish trips it’s one or two people.For smallmouth trips it’s a single client,except for smallmouth lunker hunts onConneaut Lake where he’ll take a parentand youth under age 16, “in an attempt tohave a youth catch a big smallmouth”.

“Bass fishing trips are more educa-tionally oriented; bass trips are catch-photo-release with barbless hooks.Crappie/panfish trips are catch-consumeoriented,” said Black.

Client fishing rates are $200 for 1/2day trips (five hours). The cost includeseverything needed to fish (rods, reels,lures, live bait, use of PFDs, cold non-alcoholic beverages and light snacks).Black does not clean fish (crap-pies/panfish/walleyes) but can suggest a

local bait shop that offers that service.Black said he fishes with the best

equipment and tackle available. His riverboat is a 17’ Roughneck (40/30 jet) andhis crappie boat is a new PolarKraftClassic deep aluminum V (20hp out-board).

For questions or to schedule a trip,contact Black at 814-425-8011 (home)or 814-720-1407 (cell) or email him at:[email protected]. His website:www.blackwolfecommunications.com.See him on Facebook at: Fishing withDarl Black.Notes:Black’s articles most recently have ap-

peared in the following publications;Bassmaster; Bass Times; North Ameri-can Fisherman; In-Fisherman BassGuide; Pennsylvania Angler; Fur-Fish-Game; Bass Angler Magazine; CrappieNow web-magazine; and Havalon Postwebsite. In the last three decades, he’sbeen published in over 40 different peri-odicals.

As for the equipment he uses; bassfishing clients will have the opportunityto use G. Loomis bass technique rods;crappie clients will use B’n’M Rods.Black also uses reels made by Shimanoand Lew’s, all spooled with GammaLine, a well-known PA product.

Fishing From Page 14

SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV – Out-doors enthusiasts now can learn the lat-est information about hunting, fishingand wildlife in West Virginia by way ofFacebook and Twitter. The pages, hostedby the Wildlife Resources Section of theDivision of Natural Resources (DNR),were launched to coincide with WestVirginia’s Celebration of National Hunt-ing and Fishing Day, scheduled for Sept.27-28 at Stonewall Resort State Parknear Weston in Lewis County.

“West Virginia residents and visitorscan look forward to the type of informa-tion exchange and interaction that mod-ern social media provide,” said Divisionof Natural Resources Director FrankJezioro. “Information about our state’soutdoor recreational opportunities willbe available on a timely basis, straightfrom our trained, professional wildlifebiologists and managers.”

Followers of the new Facebook andTwitter accounts can expect postingsabout hunting seasons (dates, regula-

tions, etc.); wildlife profiles with inter-esting facts; news articles pertaining tohunting, fishing and wildlife watchingopportunities; current news releases;recipes for wild game; and hunting andfishing tips with safety reminders. Thepages also will be a forum for followersto share their latest catch or kill in the“DNR Trophy Room.”

“Because this is social media, thecommunication won’t be all one-way,”said Curtis Taylor, chief of the DNRWildlife Resources Section. “We encour-age outdoors sportsmen and women tosend us their photos for the official‘DNR Trophy Room.’ Photos can beposted to our Facebook wall, or by usingthe hashtags #wvhunt and/or #wvfish onTwitter. At the end of each month, we’llpost an album on the Facebook pagewith the best catches and kills of themonth.”

“This is the perfect time to sign up forDNR Wildlife’s social media pages, asthe fall hunting seasons are starting andthere is a lot of interest in getting themost accurate, fastest information avail-able,” said Jezioro. “This will alloweveryone to have direct access to that in-formation using popular communica-tions methods.”

WVDNRGoes Social With

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MINT SPRING, VA. — Rightfullynamed, in this case, a bowhunting cross-bow manufactured by Parker Bows hasbeen used to potentially claim a worldrecord for a stingray.Parker Bows, a manufacturer of com-

pound bows, crossbows and crossbowaccessories teamed up with CrossbowMagazine’s Todd Bromley and GeneSchang for a bowfishing excursion.Using Parker’s StingRay bowfishingcrossbow, Gene Schang landed a proba-ble world record stingray with a cross-bow on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.Todd Bromley, Publisher for Cross-

bow Magazine and Gene Schang, FieldGear Editor for Crossbow Magazinewent bowfishing off the eastern shore ofMaryland with a Parker StingRay Cross-bow and came away with a probableworld record 96.5 lb stingray. Schangwas the triggerman when the giantstingray was sighted about 15 feet from

the boat in 2 feet of water. “The ParkerStingray performed flawlessly and thegrapple point arrow firmly held thelarge stingray, despite the significantstrain on the equipment,” said Schang.The giant stingray was gaffed andhauled in to the boat where Schang andBromley looked on with excitement atwhat they had accomplished.“I am not into record books as much

as I am into the sport of hunting andfishing,” said Schang. “If it does be-come certified as a state or worldrecord, I would be happy just knowingthat maybe I exposed many people tothe world of bowfishing with cross-bows. Avery exciting sport that is rightat the front doors of most people in thiscountry.”The full story of the bowfishing trip

with the Parker Stingray crossbow isfeatured in the October issue of Cross-bow Magazine.

Parker Bows Stingray StrikesProbable World Record Stingray

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of Parker BowsCrossbow Magazine’s Todd Bromley and Gene Schang pose with a 96.5lb stingray

they struck while bowfishing on the eastern shore of Maryland.It may be a world record catch with a crossbow.


Denny Fetty, OVO Pro Staff8-pt., crossbow

Columbiana County, OH

William Hinchliffe13-lbs. turkey


Jayden Emerick, age 111st deer, crossbow

Mahoning County, OH

TIm Billiter9 pt.

Carroll County, OH

Eva Stefl, age 821st walleyeLake Erie

Alexis Johnson, age 12, Brad Johnson1st black bear, 140 lbs.

Gowganda Can Lake Lodge

Denny Fetty, OVO Pro StaffJoe Blazer


Send Us Your PhotosWe’ll print your hunting, fishing or trap-

ping photos in the next issue of OV Times orOhio Valley Outdoors magazine. Send pho-tos via mail, email or Facebook.Email to: [email protected] to: Photo Showcase210 East Fourth St., East Liverpool, OH 43920

Tyler Souder8-pt., 17 1/16" spreadColumbiana County, OH

PHOTO SHOWCASE SPONSORED BY

Editor’s Note: In an effort to quell mediaattention for this anti-hunting group wehave decided to replace the last word ofthis organization’s name with an _ (un-derscore). They rely on gorilla tactics togain attention for their cause. We’re notinterested in giving them more free ad-vertising across our pages or website, sowe’re leaving off their letter A. And we’llgive them an ‘F’ for effort in trying tobully outdoors people. That’s not being‘ethical’!By the U.S. Sportsmen’s AllianceAccording to a recent press release

from the People for the Ethical Treat-ment of ______ (PET_), anglers willnow find themselves being stalked byanti-hunters thanks to PET_’s new“Aquatic Angel” drones.

The “Aquatic Angel” is the newesttool from the anti-hunting group, follow-ing the release of their “Air Angel”drones released in the spring of 2013 tostalk hunters in the field.Described as a “submersible technol-

ogy,” PET_ plans to use the drones tostalk fishermen and “combat anglerswho fish in restricted areas, catch pro-tected species, and or chum for sharks il-legally.” According to PET_, the groupis currently recruiting members and sup-porters to field-test the new drones in allbodies of water.PET_ plans to use the new drones on

National Hunting and Fishing Day thisSaturday, or what they are referring to as“FishAmnesty Day.” The release boastsa “beware to hunters and anglers: PET_could be watching.”

“The announcement of these dronescomes as no surprise as PET_ will stopat nothing to gain headlines,” said NickPinizzotto, USSA president and CEO.“The anti-hunting community continuesto harass, threaten, and interfere withhunters across the country, which onlyfurther distances them from what main-streamAmerica considers rational.”The hunting community has seen an

increase in backlash from anti-hunters inrecent years thanks in part to new tech-nology such as drones and social media.Hunters are now finding themselves thevictims of cyber-bullying and are seeingan increase in interferences while hunt-ing and fishing.Recognizing these problems, USSA

joined forces with sportsmen, conserva-tion organizations and outdoor person-alities to initiate the HunterAdvancement Task Force to combat thegrowing threat to our outdoor heritage.“The HunterAdvancement Task Force

has been established to help stop thesesenseless attacks,” said Pinizzotto.


Ohio Valley Outdoorswww.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Larry ClaypoolPETA plans to use drones to stalk fishermenand “combat anglers who fish in restrictedareas, catch protected species, and or chum

for sharks illegally.”

PETA Announces “Aquatic Angel”Drones to Stalk Anglers


Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photos by Larry Claypool

A Successful Elk TripFor the second year in a row I traveled to northcentral Pennsylvania to view and photo-

graph majestic elk during the rut season — late September. My guides for the trip, again, werebrothers Curt and Gary Grimm. It was a successful trip.We did not see the numbers of elk we’d seen the year before, but we got very close to three dif-

ferent nice-size bulls and several cows — about 40 elk total. The bulls were bugling throughoutthe day as we, and other sightseers and photographers, tried to track them down and hone inon their location.By Saturday afternoon, Sept. 27, there were at least 200 vehicles in the area, mostly around

the public look-out parking lots provided near Winslow Hill and Dewey Road, just outside thesmall town of Benezette, PA.We also took time to photograph some cool spider webs and a small bee hive, which is a new

fascination for Curt Grimm (shown). — Larry Claypool

ohio valley outdoor times 10-2014

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