ohio valley outdoor times 11-2014

OutdoorAmericanFur TrappersStory inside page 15 November 2014

FREE!Ohio Valley

Frosty Novembermornings aren’t justfor deer hunters. Oneof my best memoriesis of opening day ofpheasant season inPennsylvania when Iwas 14. My dad, sis-ter, and I hunted thelocal Game Landsand hit into birdsright off the bat but hadno shot opportunities.

McDougal and Tiffy, our two Brittanyspaniels at the time, were a little erraticfrom a long, cooped up summer of doingnothing. Now that they had the opportu-nity to run free and stretch their legs, theyseemed hell-bent on testing limitations –and our patience. After an hour or two,they settled into a groove and actuallystarted hunting.McDougal hit bird scent at the edge of anold apple orchard and took off in a semi-circle on the trail of a running bird. Mydad, sister, and I waited and watched asthe dogs disappeared in thick brush. Afew minutes later we heard the cackle ofa ringneck taking flight.

I don’t remember shouldering the gun.All I remember is watching the birdbreak out of the trees in full flight, gain-ing speed going downhill, a perfect 20-

yard crossing shot. All I remember is thebird, the long mottled tail feathers, thegolden shimmer of morning light on itsbreast, the white ring around its neck, theiridescent green-blue head. I shot. Thebird folded and tumbled to the ground. Iejected the empty shell out of my dad’sold Charles Daly over/under 20 gaugeand replaced it with a new one, and thenwent to retrieve my first pheasant.

I’ll never forget that first ringneck, thesurprising weight of its warm body in mycold hands that frosty morning. I’ll neverforget how McDougal stuck his snoutdeep under the bird’s wing and deeply in-haled its scent, perhaps knowing thathe’d helped in its demise, and that wasgood. Our dogs have always been blood-thirsty killers, and if you were to askthem – and they could answer back – I’dbet they’d all agree that the only goodbird was a dead bird. Their desire to hunthas led to many great days afield for myfamily.

McDougal and I had another great ex-perience a couple years later. One after-noon, as I stepped off the school bus atthe end of our driveway, I was greeted bythe cluck of a ringneck pheasant in thefield behind our house. I told Dad thatwe should try for it. He said he had towork, but I could take McDougal and goafter the bird, so I did.

McDougal dove into a brush pile andquickly got the bird in the air. It was along shot, and at first I thought I missed.The brush was taller than I was, which

TREESTAND SAFETY TIPS - P.10

The Cackleand the Blast

Turn To Cackle Page 4 Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Ralph ScherderThe author with his Brittany spaniel, Cherry, and a nice PA pheasant.

By Ralph ScherderHunting Editor

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Times

OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES2 November 2014

As Ohio’s deer gunseason opener ap-proaches (December1), many hunters arehopeful for a success-ful season. A nicely-racked buck to bragabout would be abonus. Otherwise put-ting meat in the freezeris the goal. For one hunt-ing family, and a locallaw enforcement agency, there is hope thata tragic, unsolved hunting accident from ayear ago will find closure. See story onPage 19.

It’s been nearly a year since 45-year-oldOhio hunter Larry Bradley was shot, ap-parently by accident, while he sat in histreestand on opening day last season inGallia County (OH).As tragic as the deathwas no one, to date, has claimed responsi-bility for the shooting death. For GalliaCounty Sheriff Joe Browning this is trou-bling. And obviously Bradley’s familywould like to have answers from someoneabout what happened that day.

Sheriff Browning called me recently andasked if we could help his office re-informthe public about this case, hoping thatsomeone will step forward and claim re-sponsibility, for what officials believe wasan accidental shooting.

Browning feels the shooting was an ac-cident because his office received ananonymous letter about three weeks afterthe tragedy from someone apologizing forthe hunter’s death. The ‘man’ said he’d runaway from the area after hearing someone‘yelling’, and was fearful because he knewhe was trespassing. He had been tracking adeer that he’d shot while ‘trespassing’. Healso asked authorities to tell the family “hewas sorry”.

Sheriff Browning has shared the apologyletter and wants it publicized, hoping theguilty party will come forward. “It’s com-ing up on the one-year anniversary of thisaccident, and would hope it’s eating himup,” said the sheriff of the offender.

A year ago Browning released only ex-cerpts from the letter. Now his office hopesthat by re-releasing the letter in its entiretythat someone will step forward. Bradley’sfamily deserves that.

Anyone with information regarding thiscase should call the Gallia County Sher-iff’s office at 740-446-1221 or the Tip Lineat 740-446-6555.

Murder Suspect’s ArrestStill Troublesome

While Pennsylvania law enforcementhave finally caught and arrested fugitivemurder suspect Eric Frein, in northeasternPA, is the fear of being in that part of thewoods really going to go away soon? Idoubt it. At least I would be hesitant abouthunting, trapping, hiking, biking, fishingor walking in that region. The reason?Frein was known to build and possess ex-plosive devices while he was on the lamb.Some of those devices, which were meantto kill people, could still be left in the area.

Obviously Frein, accused of brutallyshooting down a PA state police corporal— in ambush style, wouldn’t have a prob-lem leaving bombs laying around. Whileon the run after the shooting for more thanfive weeks, the state Game Commissionclosed hunting and trapping opportunitiesin seven townships. (See related story onPage 14.)

State Police officials have re-openedhunting and trapping seasons in that areabut are urging everyone to remain alert andcautious when afield, because of Frein andwhat he’s capable of doing.

That’s an understatement!

Ohio Shooting Death Nears Mark

5 Clarion River (PA)Fishing

Jeff Knapp

6 Great Start to OhioOpener

Bill Hall, Jr.

7 Fall Turkey SeasonOpens in PA

8 Take the BoatWinterizing Quiz

BoatUS

14 With FugitiveCaptured HuntingSeasons Restored

PAGC

15 American FurTrapper

Michael Gordon

16 PA Fall TurkeyForcast

PAGC

19 Gallia CountyHunting Death RemainsUnsolved

Larry Claypool

INSIDE THIS MONTH

13 Hip Waders and a Modern Day Trapper

Indoor Pistol Shooting - Nov. 14, 21, 28, Dec. 5, 12, 19, 26 (every Fri. until Apr. 25) 7-10 p.m. atColumbiana County Fish & GameAssociation, 45716 Middle Beaver Rd, Lisbon, OH. Also Indoor.22/Air Rifle Shooting every Tues. 6-9 p.m. All open to public. Website:www.columbianacountyfishand game.comFall Turkey Shoots - Nov. 16, 23 (10 a.m.) at Chester-Newell Sportsmen’s Club, 592 Dairy Lane,New Manchester, WV (Gas Valley Road, behind Green Valley Dairy). For info. call 304-564-3580or 304-374-5587.Turkey Shoots - Nov. 16, 23 (1 p.m.) at Lake Milton Fish & Game Club, 4374 Bedell Rd, BerlinCenter, OH 44401. $2 per round. See www.lakemiltonfishandgame.com or call Ron at 330-348-4020.Military Surplus Show - Nov. 15-16 (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) at Lowellville Rod and Gun Club, GPS address6225 Quarry Road, Lowellville, OH. Admission $2 donation. Call Bill at 330-755-2077.

By Larry ClaypoolEditor

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OUTDOOR CALENDAR

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OutdoorOhio Valley

TimesNovember 2014 VOL. 6, NO. 11

Contributing EditorsRalph Scherder, Hunting Editor

Jeff Knapp, Fishing EditorBrian Miller, Field Editor

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OHIO VALLEY OUTDOOR TIMES 3November 2014

COLUMBUS, OH—Ohio’s muzzle-loader hunters checked 6,613 antlerlesswhite-tailed deer during a two-day sea-son, October 11-12, according to theOhio Department of Natural Resources(ODNR). That is an 18 percent increasefrom 2013, when hunters checked 5,608deer, the first year for the antlerless muz-zleloader season.The Ohio counties that reported the

most checked deer during the 2014antlerless-only muzzleloader season:Ashtabula (228), Columbiana (180),Coshocton (177), Licking (164), Tus-carawas (151), Guernsey (150), Trum-bull (147), Stark (145), Knox (143) andAdams (142).An additional 1,313 deer were har-

vested by archery hunters on Oct. 11-12.The total number of antlerless deerchecked by hunters during the two dayswas 7,926, a 21 percent increase from2013 (6,553).Ohio hunters have many more oppor-

tunities to pursue deer throughout thefall and winter. The youth gun season isNov. 22-23, gun season is Dec. 1-7,muzzleloader season is Jan. 2-5, 2015,

and archery season is open through Feb.1, 2015.Hunting is the best and most effective

management tool for maintaining Ohio’shealthy deer population. During the2013-2014 season, Ohio hunterschecked 191,459 deer. Ohio ranks fifthnationally in resident hunters and 11thin the number of jobs associated withhunting-related industries. Hunting hasa 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 in

nearly 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 popula-tions closer toward their goal. Once acounty’s deer population is near goal,harvest regulations are adjusted to main-tain the population.Visit the ODNR website at

ohiodnr.gov.A list of all white-tailed deer checked

by muzzleloader hunters during the2014 antlerless muzzleloader huntingseason, Oct. 11-12, is shown below. Thefirst number following the county’sname shows the harvest numbers for theantlerless muzzleloader hunting seasonin 2014, and the 2013 harvest numbersare in parentheses. The antlerless muz-zleloader harvest numbers do not in-clude archery numbers. Adams: 142(135); Allen: 41 (46); Ashland: 141(111); Ashtabula: 228 (200); Athens:133 (117); Auglaize: 42 (39); Belmont:75 (99); Brown: 88 (94); Butler: 62 (57);Carroll: 133 (120); Champaign: 51 (36);Clark: 39 (28); Clermont: 76 (91); Clin-ton: 39 (34); Columbiana: 180 (128);Coshocton: 177 (138); Crawford: 41

(32); Cuyahoga: 4 (5); Darke: 41 (26);Defiance: 65 (48); Delaware: 64 (38);Erie: 30 (25); Fairfield: 81 (51); Fayette:12 (7); Franklin: 29 (9); Fulton: 26 (29);Gallia: 93 (60); Geauga: 60 (63);Greene: 20 (26); Guernsey: 150 (144);Hamilton: 19 (18); Hancock: 33 (31);Hardin: 42 (43); Harrison: 115 (115);Highland: 100 (79); Hocking: 109 (103);Holmes: 103 (89); Huron: 96 (80); Jack-son: 85 (62); Jefferson: 75 (82); Knox:143 (141); Lake: 25 (18); Lawrence: 56(54); Licking: 164 (164); Logan: 102(77); Lorain: 115 (83); Lucas: 19 (28);Mahoning: 100 (75); Marion: 27 (27);Medina: 80 (68); Meigs: 128 (88); Mer-cer: 36 (26); Miami: 34 (20); Monroe:59 (68); Morgan: 108 (65); Morrow: 56(53); Muskingum: 136 (143); Noble: 79(83); Ottawa: 24 (10); Paulding: 53 (56);Perry: 92 (54); Pickaway: 23 (18); Pike:64 (51); Portage: 86 (64); Preble: 44(41); Putnam: 32 (33); Richland: 98(105); Ross: 94 (85); Sandusky: 41 (27);Scioto: 59 (64); Seneca: 83 (69); Shelby:63 (63); Stark: 145 (66); Trumbull: 147(117); Tuscarawas: 151 (115); Union: 58(32); Van Wert: 20 (19); Vinton: 129(79); Warren: 45 (39); Washington: 65(72); Wayne: 104 (83); Williams: 69(93); Wood: 42 (16) and Wyandot: 88(58).Total: 6,613 (5,608).

Antlerless Muzzleloader HarvestIncreases Sharply in 2014

HARRISBURG, PA — A Bellefonteman has been sentenced to spend up to18 months in jail and pay more than$20,000 in fines and costs after pleadingguiltyWednesday to poaching three bullelk, one of them among the largest onrecord in Pennsylvania.Frank Gordo Buchanan Jr., 25,

pleaded guilty Wednesday to threecounts of unlawful taking of big game,and one count each of unlawful taking ofgame, unlawful use of a vehicle to takegame, and unlawful use of an artificiallight to take game.As part of the plea agreement accepted

by Magisterial District Judge JeromeM.Nevling, of Kylertown, Buchanan willspend three to 18 months in theClearfield County Jail and pay $9,550 infines. Additionally, he is responsible forpaying $11,500 in replacement costs forthe poached elk, two of which are classi-fied as trophy-class animals.Two other men charged in the incident

waived their rights to preliminary hear-ings on charges, sending their cases tocounty court. If they are convicted of un-lawful taking of big game, they, too,would be required to contribute to re-

placement costs.The charges against Buchanan stem

from two nights of poaching in the samearea of Karthaus Township, ClearfieldCounty, in September. Buchanan had ad-mitted to shooting all three elk.The largest of the three bulls had a 10-

by 9-point non-typical rack that initiallywas measured at 432 7/8 inches, basedon standards set forth by the Boone &Crockett big-game scoring program. Atthat score, and if the bull had beenlegally harvested, it would rank as Penn-sylvania’s third-largest bull elk ever.The other two illegally killed bulls in-

cluded a 5- by 7-point bull measuring243 1/8 inches and a 4- by 5-point bullmeasuring 178 3/8 inches.In fact, the hunter who paid $41,000

for the license auctioned off by theRocky Mountain Elk Foundation – asum that will be used in its entirety tofund conservation efforts in Pennsylva-nia – was hunting the very record-bookelk that was poached. The first of the il-legally killed bulls – the 4-by-5 – wasdiscovered Sept. 9 by a resident nearby.The antlers had been removed, but mostof the carcass was left to lay there.

Guilty Plea in Trophy Elk Poaching Case

made shooting difficult. As I got to a lit-tle opening where I thought the bird tobe, though, there it was, and McDougalwas already standing over it.

We continued hunting the rest of thefarm, up over the hill and across the roadto the old pasture. I wanted to get a sec-ond ringneck, which would be the firsttime I’d ever limited on pheasants. I wasrunning out of daylight and hunting areaas McDougal pushed through some thickbrush along a narrow creek. Suddenly,with legal shooting time ticking away, ahuge ringneck burst up out of the weeds,wings beating brush as it did, cackling itshead off.

A flushing ringneck is an intimidatingevent. They flush with a cackle so loudit shatters the silence around you and thethoughts in your head. For a secondeverything goes blank, and you eitherchoke and watch the bird fly off withouta shot fired, or your instinct kicks in andyou make the shot.

I made the shot. Barely. My patterncaught just enough of the bird to knock itout of the air. McDougal did the rest andfinished it off. I slid the bird into thegame pouch of my vest with the first oneand walked home with my chest puffed

out just a little more.I’ve been thinking about those early

pheasant hunts a lot lately because I’vebeen noticing what the PennsylvaniaGame Commission has been doing withits pheasant program the past couple ofyears. They’re restoring old habitat, cre-ating new habitat, and working hard toonce again turn this state into a premierebird hunting state. Combine that with anaggressive stocking program, and the op-portunities for great pheasant hunting areendless. Almost every Game Lands inthe state is stocked. The Game Commis-sion has worked with countless landown-ers to keep lands open to hunters, andmany of those farms are also stockedwith pheasants. If all that isn’t enough,local chapters of Pheasants Forever havecreated huge tracks of land dedicated torestoring habitat and wild populations.

Many times, we hunters get caught upin the days of yore. No matter how goodthings are, we always look to the past forthe “glory days.” But with so many proj-ects going on across the state, it’s obvi-ous that the glory days for pheasants inPennsylvania are right now, and it’s thatway in many other states as well – thepheasant hunting in the Midwest andDakotas is better now than it’s ever been.

Pheasants and other small game serve

another, greater role in the future of oursport, too. Some may ask why the PAGame Commission is putting so mucheffort into pheasants. The answer is sim-ple – research studies prove that youthswho are introduced to hunting smallgame are more likely to become lifelongadult hunters than those youths whosefirst experiences are hunting whitetails.

Small game plays an important role inthe evolution of hunters. Pheasants, rab-bits, grouse, squirrels – they’re all step-ping stones. Hunting small gameteaches us about woodsmanship, marks-

manship, and sportsmanship. Above all,it’s just plain exciting. The flush of aringneck, the loud cackle as it lifts intothe air on a cold November morning. Itdoesn’t get much better than that.

I’ll never forget my early experienceshunting pheasants. The Brittany spanielswe had years ago are long gone. In theirplace are three English setters – Cherry,Honse, and Harrison – who firmly be-lieve that all pheasants belong in thegame pouch. It’s a good time to be a birddog in Pennsylvania. It’s also a goodtime to be a pheasant hunter.


Cackle From Page 1

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Ohio Valley Outdoors–Photo by Ralph ScherderThe author’s dog, Cherry, points another bird while in the field.

In the steep-sided valley of theClarion River cor-ridor darknesscomes early duringthe fall. My friendTom and I hadonly been on thebanks of the riverfor an hour or sowhen daylightbegan to fade. Iwasn’t disappointed though, since theaction had been fairly slow. I told Tomthat we could still squeak out a few nicefish, as Clarion River smallies often hitwell late in the day.A few moments later my soft jerkbait,

a Winco Solid Body River Darter, wasinhaled by a thick Clarion River small-mouth. Though nice-sized, in the 15-inch range, it fought like a bass a fewinches longer, perhaps invigorated bythe cooling water. A couple minuteslater I slipped it over the rim of the net.Before total darkness set in, chasing

us back to the truck, several otherchunky smallies helped turn a slow start

into an exciting finish.The Clarion River has a history of

water quality problems, stemmingmostly from a paper mill in Johnson-burg, as well as numerous feederstreams laden with acid mine drainage.Much of that has been cleaned up in re-cent decades, particularly that of thepaper mill. But I must say, having fishedthe Clarion downriver of Cook Forestover 40 years ago, there was no shortageof smallmouth bass in that section. Sowhat was decent fishing then it likely alot better now.It’s been 10 years since the Pennsyl-

vania Fish and Boat Commission lastsampled the Clarion. When they did so,fisheries managers found an good popu-lation of smallmouth bass ranging insize from three inch fingerlings up to 18inches. Of the 207 bass collected at var-ious sites within a 45 mile section of theriver, many of them were in excess ofthe 12 inch minimum length limit.The West Branch and East Branch of

the Clarion join in the Elk County com-munity of Johnsonburg. From there itflows eastward, eventually joining the

Allegheny River near Parker. PineyDam, a 12-mile long hydro-electric im-poundment near the town of Clarion,impedes its flow temporarily. BelowPiney Dam the river flows through amostly remote valley. While gamefishare present, continuing AMD issues inthat section limit the fishery.Smallmouth bass are present through-

out the section of the Clarion from Ridg-way down to the Piney Dam backwaters.Roads parallel or cross several sectionsof the river. Much of it is within stateforest, state game lands, state park, aswell as Allegheny National Forest, sopublic access is plentiful.Bass are just part of the picture. Trout

show up as well, including some truetrophies. The Fish and Boat Commis-sion annually stocks brown trout finger-lings in the Clarion from the merger ofthe East andWest branches to the Route36 bridge in Cooksburg. Many of thefeeder streams, such as Maple Creek,Clear Creek, Spring Creek and Mill-stone Creek, Cathers Run and Toms Runreceive adult trout, some of which maketheir way into the river. The mouths ofthe cool feeder streams are often theplaces where trout congregate, andcatches are made.The section of the Clarion from the


Clarion River (PA) Fishing

COLUMBUS, OH — The Ohio De-partment of Natural Resources (ODNR),has approved $6.1 million in Clean OhioTrails Fund grants to improve outdoorrecreational opportunities for Ohioans.“These Clean Ohio Trails grants are the

people’s money,” said ODNR DirectorJames Zehringer. “By working togetherwith local communities, we are investingin projects that will help Ohioans activelyenjoy the outdoors for generations tocome.”The Clean Ohio Trails Fund, adminis-

tered by ODNR, is one of four compo-nents of the Clean Ohio Fund, whichrestores, protects and connects Ohio’snatural and urban places. Ohioans ap-proved the establishment of the $400million bond program in 2000. This is theninth round of funding to be awardedthrough the Clean Ohio Trails Fund.ODNR has conditionally awarded 16

Clean Ohio Trails Fund grants for com-munity projects that will build and main-tain infrastructure allowing citizens toconveniently connect with nature. Theprojects will complete regional trail sys-

tems and links to statewide trails, linkpopulation centers with outdoor recre-ation areas and facilities, preserve naturalcorridors and connect urban areas to sup-port commuter access. The investmentshelp facilitate travel, enhance educationalopportunities and provide safe, scenicareas where Ohioans can hike, bike orrun and build healthy lifestyles.The $6.1 million of funding will be

used to develop 25 miles of new trail andfor the construction of trail head facilitiesand a bridge for bike riders and pedestri-ans. Grant recipients, listed atohiodnr.gov, will provide a 25 percentlocal match for their projects.To date, the Clean Ohio Trail Fund has

dedicated more than $47.43 million toprovide Ohioans with better access torecreational opportunities through thecreation of more than 317 miles of trailsand the acquisition of 85 acres of aban-doned railroad and greenway corridors.ODNR ensures a balance between wise

use and protection of our natural re-sources for the benefit of all. Visit theODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.

ODNR Awards $6 Millionin Clean Ohio Grants

Turn To Clarion Page 7

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Jeff KnappTom Ference makes casts a streamer forsmallmouth bass on the Clarion River.

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By Jeff KnappFishing Editor

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By Bill Hall, Jr.We had the best Ohio opener ever, even

though it was in the 80’s all weekend. OnSaturday I had both boys (Deonte andChase) after giants in two different loca-tions, Dad at a third spot and our youngfriend Mark at a fourth farm. The boysnever saw any deer but luckily this bignine-point did the same thing he did asthe night before when we were scouting.The stand wasn’t setup for a right handedperson and Dad knew that going into thehunt and sure enough had to shoot thedeer left handed. Dad made a great shotand he didn’t go 50 yards into the beans.Tom, Hannah, Mae, Abel came up

early Sunday morning to hang out witheveryone but Hannah and I carved out alittle time to go practice shooting cross-bow in the morning. I scouted thesebucks Thursday and knew they werecoming in pretty good but the wind wasgoing to be really bad for us, but we don’tget much time to hunt together so thoughtwe’d give it a try.It was 83 degrees when we pulled into

the spot and very hot the first 1 1/2 hours

in the blind. I told Hannah, “the deershould start moving any minute”.When Ilooked up, this guy was making a bee-line right toward us. I set her up on theshooting sticks out the window where Iexpected the deer to go, but he stoppedshort and hung out — 90 degrees fromhow we were setup to shoot.To make matters worse, when I

grabbed the shooting sticks to help stabi-lize for Hannah my wedding ring hit themetal and the buck heard it, so we had astare-down for five minutes before hewent back to feeding.Eventually I decided to take a chance

and move Hannah 90 degrees for the shotwhile the buck was only 15 yards away.Somehow we got away with the move-ment. It wasn’t 60 seconds later he pre-sented the shot and Hannah made anotherperfect shot!My dad wasn’t feeling good so he was

sitting in the truck, watching the field.Wehad hoped he would get to see the shotbut since Hannah shot in the woods, hedidn’t know until I got out of the blindand waved him over to help recover thedeer. The deer only went like 30 yards

and Hannah tracked him down.We are all very excited. The next day,

Hannah’s big buck was on its way to thetaxidermist!

Great Start to Ohio Opener

SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV — Acornucopia of November activities leadsto the Thanksgiving holidays at WestVirginia’s state parks. Ten state parkslodges have restaurants in the 49 areasthat make up the mountain state’s parksystem, and they will feature Thanksgiv-ing meals and buffets. Those looking fora little exercise and outdoor discoverywill find many activities, most free to at-tend and all open to the public.Fly-fishing on the Bluestone is a pack-

age event known as “Trout Wrangler.”Offered at Pipestem Resort State Park,the activity is available through Nov. 23,2014. The experience includes horse-back transportation to the river, four fullmeals, fishing for stocked trout, andovernight at Mountain Creek Lodge. Amentor is on-site to assist fly-fishingnovices. Reservations are required. Theparticipation per event is limited to 10.Ed Wooton is the park contact at 304-466-1800 or visitw w w . p i p e s t e m r e s o r t . c o m/Pipestem_trout_wringler.pdf.

“Journal to the Self” Fall Session atCacapon Resort State Park is Nov. 14-16. Whether you’ve written in a journalfor years, or are just getting started, themethods taught in this workshop canhelp explore various aspects of yourself,your life and your relationships with oth-ers. The only skill needed to participatein the workshop is a willingness to beopen to self-discovery and personalgrowth. The workshop is led by AnneBarney, certified instructor in the Jour-nal to the Self curriculum and award-winning author of four books of poetry.The workshop is for those 18 years orolder, and will have between four and 12participants. Call 304-258-1022 x 5209or on the web: www.cacaponresort.com.

Outdoor Events at WV State Parkslead to Thanksgiving

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Bill Hall Jr.Bill Hall, Sr. (left) with his nine-point buck and Hannah Hall, age 9, with her eight-point

buck. Both were harvested with a crossbow in Licking County, OH.

Have a question forthe OVO Pro Staff?

Please submit questions on a variety oftopics to members of the Pro Staff via

email at:[email protected].

HARRISBURG, PA— One of Penn-sylvania’s most exciting seasons openedNovember 1 as hunters began pursuit ofone of fall’s most coveted game animals,the wild turkey. Hunters need to focuson the varying season starts and lengthsthroughout the state’s 23 Wildlife Man-agement Units (WMUs). Hunter compli-ance protects the resource and ensuresbetter turkey hunting in coming years.While season lengths in most WMUs

remain unchanged from last year, thefirst season segment has been shortenedfrom three weeks to two in WMUs 3A,3B and 3C – all of which are in northernPennsylvania – to help those populationsrebound from declining trends. Andwhile a three-day season remains intactin WMU 5A, the timing of the seasonhas changed to a Thursday-through-Sat-urday format to provide greater oppor-tunity for hunters whose schedules donot allow for a weekday hunt.Hunters who didn’t participate in the

fall turkey season last year still might beunaware of season length changes put inplace in 2013 in someWMUs, due to anongoing study to determine how thelength of the fall season affects the fe-

male turkey harvest.And, as usual, fall turkey hunting re-

mains closed in WMUs 5B, 5C and 5Din southern Pennsylvania.Now is the time to check the dates of

when seasons open and close, GameCommission Executive Director R.Matthew Hough said. “As is typicallythe case for the fall turkey season, dif-ferent season lengths apply in differentunits, and the seasons in a handful ofWMUs have been shortened this year, orare starting on a different day of theweek,” Hough said. “The changes areeasy to follow, though, and are laid outclearly in the Hunting & Trapping Di-gest issued to all buyers of hunting andfurtaker licenses.Information on turkey seasons, bag

limits and other regulations can be foundon Page 32 of the 2014-15 PennsylvaniaHunting & Trapping Digest.In most of the state, the fall turkey

season opened Nov. 1. The seasons areas follows: WMU 1B – Nov. 1 to 8, andNov. 27 to 29; WMU 2B (shotgun andarchery only) – Nov. 1 to 21, and Nov.27 to 29; WMUs 1A, 2A, 2D, 2F, 2G,2H, 3A, 3B and 3C – Nov. 1 to 15, and

Nov. 27 to 29; WMUs 2C, 2E, 3D, 4A,4B, 4C, 4D and 4E – Nov. 1 to 21, andNov. 27 to 29; and WMU 5A – Nov. 6to 8.The two-week season in WMUs 3A,

3B and 3C was adopted by the Pennsyl-vania Board of Game Commissionersearlier this year in response to decreas-ing turkey populations in those units.The two-week seasons in WMUs 2F,

2G and 2H, as well as the three-weekseasons in WMUs 2C, 2E, 4A, 4B and4D are the result of the ongoing henstudy, which is in its fourth of four years.At the end of the four-year study, thetwo separate study areas each will havehad two consecutive years with a two-week season and two consecutive yearswith a three-week season.


Fall Turkey Season Opens in PA

How to Contact US

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR• E-mail: [email protected]• Write: “Dear OVTimes” at Ohio Valley Outdoor Times: 210 E. 4th Street,East Liverpool, Ohio 43920

• Please include your full name, address and phone number. Letters may beedited for clarity and space.

ADVERTISING• E-mail: [email protected]• Phone: 330-385-2243• Fax: 330-385-7114• Write: advertising at Ohio Valley Outdoor Times:210 E. 4th Street, East Liverpool, Ohio 43920

NEWTOWN, CT — For food banksnationwide, acquiring protein is a chal-lenge because of the high cost of meat.Fortunately during hunting season,hunters help make up the shortfall withgenerous donations of protein-rich, low-fat venison that provide 11 million mealsannually to the less fortunate.The National Shooting Sports Founda-

tion, the trade association for thefirearms, ammunition, hunting andshooting sports industry, reports that,thanks to hunters, an estimated 2.8 mil-lion pounds of game meat makes its wayeach year to food pantries, churchkitchens and shelters and onto the platesof those in need.“Without venison, some of these or-

ganizations would not have protein,wouldn’t have meat, to give to thosefolks who are coming in,” said PeterAldrich of Hunt To Feed in Connecticut.With one deer able to feed up to 200

people, it’s easy to see how importantdonations of hunter-harvested venisonare to charitable food providers. Lastyear in Missouri, for example, 4,500hunters donated more than 227,000

pounds of venison through a state pro-gram.The NSSF video called Share Your

Harvest encourages hunters to contributesome portion of their harvest this hunt-ing season. “If you have a successfulhunting season, donating venison is away to make it an even better and moremeaningful one,” points out Glenn Sapir,the video’s host.Many states have at least one organi-

zation that will accept donations of veni-son or other game meat and ensure it isproperly processed and reaches individ-uals and families in need of a nutritiousmeal. The NSSF website Hunters Feedcan assist hunters in finding a charitablefood provider, and your state wildlifeagency, local fish and game club or foodpantry can help as well. Various donationguidelines may apply, so it’s best tocheck with the organization or processorbefore bringing in your game.If you’re not a hunter and wish to be

part of this caring effort, most organiza-tions will accept donations to help payfor butchering and other services.For information, visit www.nssf.org.

Hunters’ Venison DonationsProvide 11 Million Meals

Clarion From Page 5Route 36 bridge to the backwaters of Piney Dam is one of the wilder stretches,crossed only by the Gravel Lick Bridge a few miles downriver of Cooksburg. It’sthis section that I’m most familiar with.The Fish and Boat Commission stocks walleyes in Piney Dam, and they are taken

with fair consistency in the reservoir section. Many times I’ve fished the upper endof Piney Dam, from the Commission’s access site at the mouth of Mill Creek, up towhere the free-flowing river joins the impounded water and it becomes unnaviga-ble for a power boat. I’ve found it to be somewhat of a feast or famine situation. Attimes, I’ve had great days on big smallmouth bass and nice walleyes. I’ve also gonefishless. Other anglers I’ve spoken to have experienced similar results. My outingshave taken place during spring and late fall. The local WCO told me that the lake’sgamefish tend to follow the abundant golden shiner population around the lake, pos-sibly explaining the here today, gone tomorrow situation.

TAKE A KID HUNTING OR FISHING

ALEXANDRIA, VA — You’re put-ting the boat away for winter. So whathalf-truth, wive’s tale or tall story haveyou heard about winterizing a recre-ational boat? Boat Owners Associationof The United States (BoatUS) helps toset the record straight.True or False:Ethanol (E10) fuel and engines: If a

boat has a built-in gas tank, it’s rec-ommended to leave the tank as full aspossible over the winter with asmidgen of room for fuel expansion.TRUE: Leaving the tank nearly fulllimits the amount of moisture that canpotentially condense inside on the tank’swalls as outside temperatures fluctuate,preventing phase separation of ethanol(E10) fuel. Note one caveat: If your boatis stored in a rack system or indoor stor-age, check with the marina. They mayrequire you to empty the tank to mini-mize the risk of fire. TIP: Never plug afuel vent. Ever.Ethanol and phase separation:

Come springtime, any phase-sepa-rated gasoline in the tank can be fixedby adding a fuel stabilizer or additive.

FALSE: Once gasoline phase sepa-rates, that’s it. Kaput. End of story. Theonly solution is to have a pro remove thecontaminated fuel and water mixture andstart anew — a difficult, hazardous andcostly task for boats with built-in fueltanks. However, it’s critical to use a fuelstabilizer each fall to help keep fuel freshover the winter, keep corrosion at bayand to help prevent the onset of phaseseparation. TIP: Put the stabilizer in be-fore you nearly fill the tank for its longwinter nap. This will allow stabilizer tofully course through the fuel system asyou run the engine when filling withanti-freeze.Freeze damage: Because it’s cold up

there, BoatUS insurance claims for en-gine block freezing come from north-ern climates.FALSE: While there are quite a fewclaims from the colder climates, manyboat insurance freeze damage claimsalso come from southern, temperatestates hit by an unexpected freeze orwhen space heaters fail due to suddenstorm power loss. In the northern climes,storm power outages also are to blame

for engine block freeze related claims,however, both areas of the country havetheir fair share of winter freeze claimsdue to one reason: the failure to followwinterizing procedures. TIP: Don’t letyour buddy do the job — it’s a commonrefrain BoatUS claims staff hears everyspring after a cracked block is discov-ered. Having your marina winterize yourboat and systems may offer better pro-tection if there is an issue come spring-time. Another option is adding ice andfreeze insurance to your boat insurance— most insurers do not charge much forit, but there are deadlines to purchase(BoatUS offers it for as little as $25 to itsinsured members until October 30).Space Heaters: It’s okay to “winter-

ize” the boat by leaving a space heaterrunning onboard.FALSE: In addition to the suddenpower outage problem, every winterBoatUS sees fires from heaters, plugsand cords, and from heaters that were leftrunning on unattended boats. Unless youlive in Hawaii or the Florida Keys, Boa-tUS recommends winterizing your en-gine if you will be laying up the boat foreven a few weeks to lessen the chancesof sudden freeze damage. TIP: Save timeand make winterizing easier by installing

an engine flushing system— typically asimple valve with a connection for a gar-den hose along with an anti-freeze pick-up hose/strainer — on your engine.About BoatUS:Boat Owners Association of TheUnited States (BoatUS.com) is the na-tion’s leading advocate for recreationalboaters providing its over half-millionmembers with government representa-tion, services such as 24-hour dispatch,on water boat towing as well as roadsideassistance for boat trailers and tow vehi-cles, feature-packed boat insurance pro-grams.For information: BoatUS.org/courses.


Take the Boat Winterizing Quiz

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of BoatUSThis boat was “winterized” by placing a space

heater in the engine room. While afloat inthe slip, it caught fire when the extension cord

used to power the heater shorted.

Venison Chili

www.SportsMansTable.comhttp://recipes.sportsmanstable.com/

• Prep Time: 20 min. • Cook Time: 45 min. • Ready In: 1 hr. 5 min. • Yields: 6 Servings

1 lb. ground venison1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes ordiced fresh tomatoes1 14 oz. can red kidney beans2 each habanero peppers choppedfine seeds removed1 3.75 oz. package chili seasoningmix www.Sportsmanstable.comItem #CYC21411 medium onion diced1 green bell peppers seeds removed2 cherry hot peppers seeds removed

Directions:1. brown ground venison, add onions andpeppers mid way through cooking venison.Then add tomatoes, beans, and chiliseasoning packet.

COLUMBUS, OH — The 2014 Ohioacorn mast survey conducted at 38wildlife areas showed an increase in pro-duction from 2013. Ohio’s fall crop ofacorns is an important food source formore than 90 forest wildlife species, andmast crop abundance can influence hunt-ing plans.ODNRDivision ofWildlife employeesscanned the canopies of selected oaktrees on wildlife areas to determine thepercentage of trees that produced acornsand the relative size of the acorn crop.

• Results showed that an average of 52percent white oaks and 68 percent redoaks bore fruit in 2014. This exceeds theproduction in 2013, matches the produc-tion in 2012, and nearly matches the ban-ner year of 2010.• White oak acorn production in-creased on 33 (87 percent) wildlife areascompared to 2013.• Acorn production is cyclical, withsome trees producing acorns nearly everyyear, and others rarely producing. Thisyear is an above average year.

Ohio’s 2014 Fall Acorn Crop is Good


For an unprecedented 11th straightyear, HHA Sports struck gold with theirOptimizer by retain-ing the prestigiousBowhunting WorldReader’s ChoiceAward in the singlepin category. Whatmore could they pos-sibly do to enhancethis already iconicbrand? The answeris simple: THE OP-TIMIZER LITEKING PIN (MSRP$349). Twenty years in the making, theKing Pin marks the third generation ofarchery’s #1 selling single pin and isloaded with features no other bow sightcan offer.

The most notable difference is itswheel-forward design, making it com-patible with virtually any quiver and ex-tending it further in front of the riser

than the Optimizer Lite and Lite Ultra.With 2.1” of vertical travel and toutingthe industry’s most accurate yardagetape system, the King Pin’s silky smoothall-brass rack and pinion can be dialedfrom 20 to 100 yards in 1 yard incre-ments. Interchangeable yardage wheelscan be swapped out in seconds forshooters that change their set-ups fre-quently, eliminating the need to retapethe sight each time. Enhanced with acrystal clear magnifier hovering over theyardage scale, adjustments to a fractionof a yard are now a reality. A “Blind 20”feature allows the shooter to return thesight to their 20-yard mark while keep-ing an eye on the target and illuminatedsight tapes, courtesy of an add-on BlueBurst light, are sure to be a hit with theground blind crowd.

With the choice of a 1 5/8” or 2” sightaperture and available in .010 of .019fiber diameters, the King Pin boasts anexclusive mechanical rheostat that infi-

nitely dims and brightens the pin inten-sity. Optional magnification lenses(manufactured by Feather Visions) areavailable in 2x, 4x and 6x and ideal forcompetition or hunters with aging eyes.Fully integrated 2nd and 3rd axis adjust-ment top it all off to make the King Pinthe most accurate and versatile Opti-mizer ever!

Designed for the target shooter orbowhunter desiring an extended sightbar, the Optimizer Lite King Pin Tour-nament Edition (MSRP $379) marks

HHA’s first ever journey into the targetand 3D world. With all the features ofits hunting counterpart, as well as sunshades and sight covers, the King Pin TEoffers 4” to 8” of dovetail adjustmentand is sure to be making an appearanceat the top of the podium soon.

Like its predecessors, the King Pin ismade in the USA and carries a 100%Lifetime Warranty. To read more aboutthe Optimizer Lite King Pin and otherHHA products, visitwww.hhasports.com.

Optimizer Lite King Pin

By Brian MillerField Editor

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Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of HHA SportsOPTIMIZER LITE KING PIN

PRODUCT REVIEW

SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV – No-vember is a big month for hunters, andthe Division of Natural Resources(DNR) reminds hunters that safety is themost important part of a successful sea-son.One of the most popular pieces of

equipment used by deer hunters is a tree-stand. Treestands can be dangerous ifthey are used incorrectly or carelessly.Nationally, one in three hunting injuriesinvolves a treestand. Falls from tree-stands can be caused by a variety of fac-tors, including a weakness in the stand’sstructure and incorrect installation.Hunters also may fall asleep while ontheir stands. Treestands can also be a fac-tor in other hunting accidents, includinginjury from accidental firing of a loadedfirearm while the hunter is climbing tothe stand.“Because treestand incidents have be-

come the most common cause of hunterinjuries, DNR has been emphasizingtreestand safety in the mandatory huntereducation courses we schedule aroundthe state,” said Col. Jerry Jenkins, Chiefof the DNR Law Enforcement Section.To help prevent these accidents, fol-

low these safety precautions:• Never carry equipment with you

while climbing. Use a haul line to raiseor lower your gear. Make sure guns areunloaded and broadheads are coveredprior to raising or lowering firearms orbows with a haul line.www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oc-6o9GaHtY• Since most accidents occur when

hunters are climbing up or down a tree,always use a climbing belt. Always use asafety belt or harness when hunting fromelevated treestands. Study manufac-turer’s recommendations before usingany equipment. Never use a rope to re-place a safety belt.• Check permanent treestands every

year before hunting from them, and re-place any worn or weak lumber.• Read, understand and follow the fac-

tory recommended practices and proce-dures when installing commercialstands. Inspect portable stands for loosenuts and bolts each time they are used.• Choose only healthy, living trees

when using climbing devices. Rough-barked trees such as oak are best. Do notuse a tree that is rotten or has dead limbs.• Never put all your weight on a sin-

gle branch. Keep at least one hand andone foot on a secure place when reachingfor the next hold.• Climb higher than the stand and step

down onto it. Climbing up onto it candislodge it.• Wear boots with non-skid soles, be-

cause steps or platforms can be slipperyin rain, sleet or snow.• Tell a dependable person where

you’re hunting and when you plan on re-turning. Map your whereabouts andleave a note at camp, at home or in yourcar so that you can be found.• Don’t fall asleep. This is a common

cause of accidents. If you get drowsy,

move your arms rapidly until you feelalert.• Never wear a ring in any climbing

situation. Rings can catch on tree limbsand equipment.• As a precautionary measure, remove

all logs, upturned and cutoff saplings,rocks and other obstructions on theground below the treestand.• Use updated equipment. When used

properly, newer tree stand equipment issolid, safe and secure. Older models ofsafety belts offer some protection, butnewer safety harnesses offer more pro-tection.• Carry a whistle to call for help and

carry a first aid kit, flashlight and cellu-lar telephone in a fanny pack.All persons born on or after Jan. 1,

1975, must first successfully complete acertified hunter education course beforepurchasing a hunting license. The courseis free and takes about 12 hours to com-plete. Information about the course and aschedule of classes can be found athttp://wvdnr.gov/lenforce/education.shtm or by calling 304-558-2784.An onlineversion of the course also is available, al-though the final test must be taken inperson.


WVDNR Offers Treestand Safety Tips

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo courtesy of WVDNRTreestand safety is a major part of the WestVirginia DNR’s Hunter Education course.


COLUMBUS, OH — Hunting andtrapping seasons for many of Ohio’sfurbearer’s began November 10, includ-ing red and gray fox, raccoon, skunk,opossum, weasel, mink, and muskrat.Red and gray fox, raccoon, skunk, opos-sum, and weasel seasons are openthrough January 31, 2015. Mink andmuskrat hunting and trapping seasonsare open through February 28, 2015.For Erie, Ottawa, and Sandusky coun-

ties, as well as the area of Lucas Countyeast of the Maumee River, mink,muskrat, raccoon, opossum, skunk, andweasel trapping season extends throughMarch 15, 2015.Beaver and river otter trapping sea-

sons are open December 26 through Feb.28, 2015. River otter trapping is allowedin 43 counties, mainly in eastern andcentral Ohio. Bag limits for otter trap-ping vary by county.• A fur taker permit is required in ad-

dition to a valid Ohio hunting license tohunt or trap furbearing animals, exceptfor coyotes, which may be hunted ortrapped year-round without a fur takerpermit. A special Ohio Division of

Wildlife permit is required to trap beaverand river otter on state public huntingareas.•Although coyote have no closed sea-

son and no daily bag limit, special regu-lations for hunting and trapping coyoteduring deer gun season exist. Rifles andnight-vision scopes are legal for coyotehunting, but are prohibited between 30minutes after sunset and 30 minutes be-fore sunrise during any deer-gun anddeer-muzzleloader seasons.• River otters were reintroduced into

Ohio from 1986-1993 and have in-creased their range in the state. River ot-ters were removed from Ohio’sEndangered Species List in 2002. Fulldetails of open counties as well aschecking and permit requirements canbe found at wildohio.gov.• River otters that are accidentally cap-

tured, either in excess of bag limits or inclosed counties, must be released un-harmed. River otters that cannot be re-leased must be turned over to the OhioDivision of Wildlife. Beaver trappers inparticular are advised to watch for riverotter sign and modify set placements

where necessary. The Ohio State Trap-pers Association and the Ohio Divisionof Wildlife published a guide on how torecognize river otter sign and use avoid-ance techniques while trapping forbeaver in areas closed to river otter trap-ping. A copy of the publication can beordered by calling 800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543).• Additional hunting and trapping in-

formation is available in the 2014-2015Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulationsat wildohio.gov, or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543).

Many Ohio Furbearer Trappingand Hunting Seasons are Open

Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry ClaypoolMany of Ohio’s 2014-15 furbearer’s

seasons opened November 10 and runthrough January 31, 2015.

HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsyl-vania Game Commission provides 29public shooting ranges in the Common-wealth. About half of the ranges are forrifles only and at least 100 yards inlength. Sixteen of the ranges accomodateboth a rifle and pistol range. The 29shooting ranges are located in 26 differ-ent counties.Those who shoot firearms at one of the

Pennsylvania Game Commission’s stategame lands public shooting ranges mustpossess and carry with them either an an-nual $30 range use permit or a currentgeneral hunting or furtaker license. Indi-viduals without a range use permit orhunting or furtaker license may be fined.Unless otherwise posted, these ranges

are open year-round, from 8 a.m. untilsunset, Monday through Saturday, andnoon to sunset on Sundays. See the ex-ception for Scotia Range. Contact the ap-propriate Region Office to check thedaily status of ranges you wish to visit.Before you visit, review the Shooting

Range Regulations and Prohibited Acts.Do not collect the brass of shooters whilethe range is active.

PA Maintains 29 PublicShooting Ranges

Turn To Ranges Page 16


HARRISBURG, PA— With deer be-coming increasingly active, and daylightsaving time places more vehicles on theroad during the hours when deer movemost, the Pennsylvania Game Commis-sion is advising motorists to slow downand stay alert.“All motorists should be advised that

white-tailed deer have entered a periodof increased activity and are crossingroads more frequently as a result,” saidGame Commission Executive DirectorR. Matthew Hough. “While driversshould always remain alert and on thelookout for whitetails crossing roads,now more than ever is a time to pay par-ticular attention while behind thewheel.”Deer become more active in autumn

with the lead up to their fall breedingseason, commonly referred to as the“rut.” Around this time, many yearlingbucks disperse from the areas in whichthey were born and travel sometimesseveral dozen miles to find new ranges.Meanwhile, adult bucks more often arecruising their home ranges in search of

does, and they sometimes chase the doesthey encounter.Add to this the fact autumn sees a

number of people taking part in outdooractivities that might flush deer fromforested areas or briar thickets, and thatdeer are more active feeding to store en-ergy for winter months, and it quicklybecomes evident why motorists mightbe more likely to encounter deer onroads.The start of daylight saving time also

increases vehicular traffic between duskand dawn – the peak hours for deer ac-tivity.Drivers can reduce their chances of

collisions with deer by staying alert andbetter understanding deer behavior. Mo-torists are urged to pay particular atten-tion while driving on stretches markedwith “Deer Crossing” signs.For example, deer often travel in fam-

ily groups and walk single file. So evenif one deer uccessfully crosses the roadin front of a driver, it doesn’t mean thethreat is over.Another could be right be-hind it.

A driver who hits a deer with vehicleis not required to report the accident tothe Game Commission. If the deer dies,only Pennsylvania residents may claimthe carcass. To do so, they must call theGame Commission region office repre-senting the county where the accidentoccurred and an agency dispatcher willcollect the information needed to pro-vide a free permit number, which thecaller should write down.A resident must call within 24 hours

of taking possession of the deer. A pass-ing Pennsylvania motorist also mayclaim the deer, if the person whose vehi-cle hit it doesn’t want it.Antlers from bucks killed in vehicle

collisions either must be turned over tothe Game Commission, or purchased for$10 per point by the person who claimsthe deer. Also, removing antlers fromroad-killed bucks is illegal.If a deer is struck by a vehicle, but not

killed, drivers are urged to maintain theirdistance because some deer might re-cover and move on. However, if a deerdoes not move on, or poses a publicsafety risk, drivers are encouraged to re-port the incident to a Game Commissionregional office or other local law en-forcement agency. If the deer must be

put down, the Game Commission willdirect the proper person to do so.To report a dead deer for removal

from state roads, motorists can call thePennsylvania Department of Transporta-tion at 1-800-FIX-ROAD.Tips for motorists• Don’t count on deer whistles or deer

fences to deter deer from crossing roadsin front of you. Stay alert.• Watch for the reflection of deer eyes

and for deer silhouettes on the shoulderof the road. If anything looks slightlysuspicious, slow down.• Slow down in areas known to have a

large deer population; where deer-cross-ing signs are posted; places where deercommonly cross roads; areas whereroads divide agricultural fields fromwoods; and whenever in forested areasbetween dusk and dawn.• Deer do unpredictable things. Some-

times they stop in the middle of the roadwhen crossing. Sometimes they crossand quickly re-cross back from wherethey came. Sometimes they move to-ward an approaching vehicle. Assumenothing. Slow down; blow your horn tourge the deer to leave the road. Stop ifthe deer stays on the road; don’t try togo around it.

Send us your trophy photos

For our contests& Nikon Photo

Showcase

April George, age 11jake, 17lb, shotgun

Columbiana County, OH

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

www.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com

Pam Williams1st deer, muzzleloaderJefferson County, OH

Drivers Use Caution:Deer on Move


Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photosby Larry Claypool

Ralph Scherder (lowerleft) with the first catchof the day. At right is a

raccoon that managed toclimb a tree while in a

leg trap, which isattached to a junk tire.

I wondered,what would itbe like to walkin the shoes ofa modern daytrapper? I didthis, for a fewdays lastmonth. Well, Iwalked in bootsactually, hipwaders to be exact.I recently spent some time on a

trapline with one of the most versa-tile outdoorsman— and trappers—I know, OV Outdoor Times Hunt-ing Editor Ralph Scherder. The 36-year-old Butler County (PA)resident has been running a trap linesince he was 14, when he con-vinced his dad to teach him thetrade. Scherder’s also an experi-enced hunter, archer, fly fisherman,outdoor writer, author, TV host,seminar speaker and taxidermist,which is his full-time vocation.Trapping is a time-honored

American tradition, started by“Mountain Men” in the 1800’s fornecessary furs and valuable trade.Trapping animals these days couldbe considered more of a “hobby”.In the last 10-15 years fur trappinghasn’t been taken too seriously be-cause there’s not much money to bemade. (There have been a few goodyears during that span though.)The purest however — like

Scherder — are keeping the tradi-tion of trapping alive — profit ornot. With fur prices expected to bedown this year, Scherder says hewill be happy to break even.Breaking even for a venture like

fur trapping makes for a toughtrade. It’s hard work.And it doesn’tlet up. Traps are set and re-set everyday, in season, and must be checkedevery day for furbearers. Scherdersays the cost of traps, lures, bait andother equipment used for trappinghave gone up considerably. Themarket prices for furs haven’t madeup for those increases.For Scherder, who anticipates a

good 2014-15 season, opened thefirst week with 73 traps (both legand dog proof traps) — set in about28 locations. I was able to accom-

pany him in initially setting abouthalf of the traps, then helped checkall of them on opening day, Sep-tember 27.It was my first jaunt on a trapline.

Scherder’s surely made thousandsof trips. Since it was the openingday of this season Scherder hopedfor a minimum of 10 catches. Thequarry would mostly be raccoons,he advised me as we waited fornear daylight to check the first twosets.We were dealt a decent day,

weather-wise to check the season’sfirst sets. The chilly morningstarted with a temperature ofaround 40 degrees, with a little fog.It ended up being a beautiful day tobe outdoors, with clear skies and ahigh temperature of 55.Trapping-wise, it was a decent

day, said Scherder. We netted eight‘coons and one possum. Severalsets were tripped and were misses,which troubled the veteran trapper.I also netted several great photo-graphs of the animals, the trap sets,Scherder and the scenery in andaround the area.See more photos of my trapping

trip to Pennsylvania in the WinterIssue of Ohio Valley Outdoors, dueon newsstands December 5.

Hip Waders and aModern Day Trapper

By Larry ClaypoolEditor

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Ohio Valley Outdoors– Photo by Larry ClaypoolVeteran trapper Ralph Scherder with two nice raccoons he trapped during opening day of the 2014

trapping season in Pennsylvania. Scherder netted eight raccoons and one possum on this day.

HARRISBURG, PA— With fugitivemurder suspect Eric Frein no longer onthe loose, Pennsylvania Game Commis-sion Executive Director R. MatthewHough have lifted the temporary prohi-bition on hunting and trapping activityin all areas that had been affected by themanhunt.That means hunters in the previously

closed area were able to participate inthe November opener of the fall turkeyseason, as well as all other hunting andtrapping seasons.Hough on October 1 issued an execu-

tive order that temporarily closed allhunting and trapping seasons withinseven townships in northeastern Penn-sylvania — Price, Barrett and Paradisetownships in Monroe County; andBlooming Grove, Porter, Lehman andGreene townships in Pike County. Morerecently, the order was amended to keepthe temporary closure in place only inMonroe County.With Frein now captured and charged

in the ambush-shooting death of a Penn-sylvania state trooper, and with Pennsyl-

vania State Police giving the green lightto reopen those Monroe County town-ships to hunting and trapping, Hough isrescinding the order. The decision to liftthe order at midnight was made to givestate police time to finish processing thesearch area.“It is with great relief that the search

for Eric Frein has reached its end with-out further incident, and that the fugitivehas been apprehended and charged,”Hough said. “I’m certain justice will beserved.“With the search no longer active, the

Pennsylvania State Police has advisedthere no longer is a need to keep in placeany temporary prohibition on huntingand trapping activity in northeasternPennsylvania,” Hough said. “I person-ally would like to congratulate state po-lice for bringing this manhunt to asuccessful conclusion, and I’d also liketo thank our hunters and trappers, whocooperated and complied with this exec-utive order, and otherwise did their partto allow police to continue the searchthat led to the suspect’s apprehension.”

Aside from all previously closed hunt-ing and trapping seasons being restored,all portions of State Game Lands 221have been reopened to hunters and trap-pers. While the manhunt was ongoingaccess to portions of the game lands wasclosed.Pennsylvanians are reminded that the

primary purposes of state game lands areto provide wildlife habitat, and huntingand trapping opportunities for licensebuyers, and secondary recreational usesare tightly restricted during hunting andtrapping seasons.Pennsylvania Department of Conser-

vation and Natural Resources SecretaryEllen Ferretti noted all DCNR lands inMonroe County also are being reopenedto hunters and other recreational users.Frein is charged in the September 12

ambush-shooting death of Pennsylvania

State 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 temporary closure of the hunting

and trapping seasons was made in con-sultation with state police after explosivedevices believed to be left by Frein, oneof them set to detonate through a tripwire, were recovered during the search.The devices posed an obvious safety

threat, and Hough exercised authoritygranted to him by the PennsylvaniaGame and Wildlife to temporarily closethe seasons because of safety concerns.Now that the seasons have been re-

opened, Hough urged hunters and trap-pers to remain alert and cautious, andreport any possible evidence related toFrein to the Pennsylvania State PoliceTIP Line at 1-866-326-7256.


With Fugitive CapturedHunting Seasons Restored in Part of PA

On November 17, 2011, the U.S.House or Representatives passed H.R.822 (the National Right-to-Carry Reci-procity Act of 2011) by an overwhelm-ing bipartisan vote of 272-154. Thislegislation is intended to allow individu-als with a valid conceal carry permit tocarry their firearm in any state that al-lows conceal carry. This bill does notcreate a ‘national’ permit; it simplifiesthe patchwork of conceal carry reciproc-ity between states. It was received in thesenate, read twice, and referred tot heCommittee on the Judiciary. There, itdied.On February 6, 2013, H.R. 578, the

Respecting States’Rights and ConcealedCarry ReciprocityAct of 2013 was intro-duced in the U.S. House. Twenty-twodays later it was referred to the Subcom-mittee on Crime, Terrorism, HomelandSecurity,And Investigations, and there itsits.OnAugust 1, 2013, H.R.2959, the Na-

tional Right-to-Carry ReciprocityAct of2013 was introduced in the U.S. House.

Six weeks later on September 13, thisbill was referred to the Subcommittee onCrime, Terrorism, Homeland Security,And Investigations, and there it sits.On January 9, 2014, the U.S. Senate

introduced S.1908, the ConstitutionalConcealed Carry Reciprocity Act of2014. It was read twice and referred tothe Senate Committee of the Judiciary,and there it sits.The 113th United States Congress

ends on January 3, 2015. On that day,H.R.578, H.R.2959 and S.1908 will die.This will end another disappointing twoyears for the law-abiding citizens in theU.S.—Bill Waugaman

National Conceal CarryReciprocity Update

COLUMBUS, OH — Hunters havethe opportunity to pursue ring-neckedpheasants this fall at many wildlife areasacross Ohio. More than 15,000 ring-necked pheasants have been or will bereleased at 27 Ohio public hunting areasto provide additional hunting opportuni-

ties.Pheasants were released in October,

prior to the small-game weekends foryouth hunters. The complete list of re-lease sites is found in the 2014-2015Ohio Hunting and Trapping regulationsbooklet.

Pheasant Releases Provide AdditionalHunting Opportunities in Ohio

Turn To Pheasant Page 15


Editor’s Note: See this full story andmany other trapping articles and photosin the Winter Issue of Ohio Valley Out-doors magazine, on newsstands Decem-ber 5.By Michael GordonThis country was traveled and ex-

plored by many adventurous men knownas ‘fur trappers’. The Mountain Men asthey were called, were common in thewestern Rockies from the years 1810through 1880. The peak period of thetrapper was around 1840 when fur priceswere high and beaver were abundant. Atleast 3,000 Mountain Men ranged themountains between 1810 and 1840.Most of the men were employed by thelarge fur companies and were held bystrict rules. Having to sell the fur only tothem. Some were free trappers. Todaywe would call them ‘freelance trappers’,who would sell their pelts to whoeverpaid the best prices, be holding to noone.Their trails through mountain passes

and around impassable areas wereknown as emigrant trails and later be-

came widenedenough for wagontrails leading tothe settlement ofthe west by East-erners. Many ofthe independenttrappers wereknown for theirexploration andexploits:John Colter, 1774-1812, one of the

first mountain men and member of theLewis and Clark exploration team, wasthe first European man to enter into Yel-lowstone and tell of the geysers and hotsprings. One area is still known today asColter’s Hell.Jim Bridger, 1804-1881, another no-

table mountain man was fond of tall talesand stories.Kit Carson, 1809-1868, was a famous

American trailblazer and Indian fighterwell-known for his bravery and kind-ness. Carson was acquainted and workedwith Jim Bridger and they founded theRocky Mountain Fur Company compet-ing with the all powerful Hudson’s BayCompany.

American Fur Trappers

SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV —Physically-challenged hunters possess-ing a Class Q/QQ hunting permit mayhunt on designated roads throughout theMonongahela National Forest, portionsof the GeorgeWashington/Jefferson Na-tional Forest inWest Virginia and on se-lected wildlife management areas,according to Curtis I. Taylor, chief of theWest Virginia Division of Natural Re-sources (DNR)Wildlife Resources Sec-tion.“The designation of these Class Q/QQ

roads on national forest lands in WestVirginia is a cooperative effort betweenthe U.S. Forest Service and the DNR,”Taylor said. “This highly successful pro-gram provides hunting access for phys-ically-challenged sportsmen andwomen. For the past 20 years, theseareas have been well received byhunters.”To participate in this program, hunters

must possess either a Class Q (resident)or Class QQ (nonresident) permit issuedby the DNR.Applications for these per-mits may be obtained at any DNR officeor hunting and fishing license agent. In

addition to the Class Q/QQ hunting per-mit, both resident and nonresidenthunters must possess all applicable hunt-ing licenses and stamps. Nonresidentshunting on national forest lands mustalso possess a National Forest Stamp(Class I).Hunters with a Class Q/QQ permit

must apply in person at the appropriatenational forest district office or DNRdistrict office and receive a letter of au-thorization. This documentation must bein the hunter’s possession while huntingon the designated roads in the program.The Class Q/QQ permit holders may

be accompanied by no more than one as-sistant, at least 16 years of age, whenhunting within a designated area. Theassistant cannot hunt while accompany-ing the Class Q/QQ permit holder.Authorized hunters will have access to

specific gates via a special lock. Whilebehind the gate, hunters must observe allnational forest and/or state wildlife man-agement area regulations and all statehunting regulations.In addition to the special access areas,

Class Q/QQ permit holders may partic-

ipate in the special Class Q/QQ antler-less deer hunt on December 26-27,2014. This special split-antlerless deerseason for Youth, Class Q/QQ and ClassXS (Lifetime Senior Citizen) hunterswill be held on private land in all coun-ties having a firearms deer hunting sea-son and on all public lands within thesecounties. The bag limit of one antlerlessdeer per day will not count toward thehunter’s annual deer season bag limit.The U.S. Forest Service and DNR are

committed to providing quality huntingopportunities for physically-challengedhunters and welcome comments and

suggestions from participating hunters.For more information concerning accessto national forest or wildlife manage-ment area Class Q/QQ roads, contact theU.S. Forest Service (304-636-1800) orDNR (304-637-0245). Information isalso available on the DNR’s website(www.wvdnr.gov).

Forest and WMA RoadsOpen to Hunters with Disabilities

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo courtesy of WVDNRPhysically-challenged hunters in

West Virginia are offeredadditional access on several designated

roads throughout the state.

Trapper circa 1840s

Ohio’s pheasant hunting season beganNovember 7, and pheasant releases werescheduled for Nov. 6 and 14. The finalrelease of the year is scheduled to pro-vide improved pheasant hunting oppor-tunities throughout the Thanksgivingholiday weekend and will take placeNov. 26.• Youth and regular pheasant hunting

within the Ringneck RidgeArea in San-dusky County requires a free permitfrom the Sandusky County Park District.• Pheasant hunting season is open

Nov. 7 through Jan. 4, 2015, with a dailybag limit of two roosters (male pheas-ants). No hens (females) can be killed.Females are all brown while males havea green head, a red and brown body, andlong tail feathers. Pheasant huntinghours are sunrise to sunset. For informa-tion, call 1-800-945-3543.

Pheasant From Page 14


HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvaniais hoping for similar hunting participa-tion as last fall, when the number of fallturkey hunters increased to 199,000, anincrease of 70,000. Fall turkey huntingremains a strong tradition in Pennsylva-nia, with more than 483,000 hunters par-ticipating in the fall season during thepeak year in 1980. There were 16,755fall turkey harvests in 2013, and numberof harvests and hunters in Pennsylvaniaremain, by far, the highest in the north-east, said Mary Jo Casalena, GameCommission wild turkey biologist.

According to Casalena, fall huntersuccess depends on several factors:

• Summer turkey reproduction –Larger flocks translate to larger harvests;

• Food availability – The better thesoft- and hard-mast production, the morenomadic flocks become and the moredifficult it is to harvest birds;

•Weather during the season -Weatheraffects hunter participation, and;

• Overall hunter participation – Morehunters in the woods keep flocks dis-persed making it easier for hunters tocall in lost birds.

“Although turkey reproduction thissummer was below average in many

WMUs, translating to smaller flocks thisfall in those units, reproduction did varyand many hens simply nested later thannormal due to the harsh winter, andthese poults may still be growing whenthe season opens,” Casalena said.Casalena said acorn, cherry and hickory-nut production also varied across thestate, with red-oak acorn production andsoft mast, like apples and grapes, seeingaverage to above-average production inmany areas. That abundance of foodmight make turkeys harder to locate, shesaid.

“Abundant natural food tends to keepturkey flocks on the move as there is noneed to concentrate on one food source,”Casalena said. “Therefore, hunters havethe opportunity for plenty of exercise asit might take several miles, or severaldays, of searching to find flocks.

“So don’t get discouraged if flocksaren’t in their normal locations,”Casalena said. “This might be the yearto explore more, or new, areas in searchof your quarry.”

Casalena said the fall season is a greattime to introduce a novice turkey hunterto turkey hunting.

“It’s not only a great time to be in the

woods, but novice turkey callers can bejust as successful as a pro when mimick-ing a lost turkey poult,” she said. “Andonce a flock is located, I remind huntersthat turkeys are tipped off more bymovement and a hunter’s outline thanfluorescent orange.”

Overall, Casalena said she anticipatessimilar turkey-hunter success rates tolast year, when about 8 to 10 percent ofhunters were successful. Last year’ssuccess rate was a slight decrease fromthe previous three years. Hunter successwas as high as 21 percent in 2001, a yearwith excellent recruitment, and as low as4 percent in 1979.

Casalena said spring-season harvests(including harvests from the specialturkey license that allows hunters to har-vest a second bird) totaled 41,260, an in-crease from 2013 and also higher than

the previous long-term average of38,756. Hunter success, 18 percent, wasslightly higher than 2013 and the previ-ous long-term average, both 17 percent.

Pennsylvania hunters have consis-tently maintained spring harvests above30,000 bearded turkeys since 1995, ex-ceeding most other states in the nation.

PA Fall Turkey Forecast

ALEXANDRIA, VA — At Keep-AmericaFishing, our dedicated Govern-ment Affairs team is on the front lines,working to ensure our legislative leadersare keeping the best interests of therecreational fishing community in mind.Some policy issues are national in scope,while others are very localized. But theone thing they all have in common — ifthey’re happening in one region of thecountry, they may happen in your neckof the woods next.Top 5 Policy Issues:

1. Reauthorization for the Sport FishRestoration and Boating Trust Fund,which ensures that your fishing licensefees go back to conservation efforts inyour state.

2. Passage of the National Fish Habi-tat Conservation Act, which strengthensfish habitat restoration, conservation andprotection projects.

3. Stopping the development of a no-fish zone in Biscayne National Park.

4. Protecting the Bristol Bay, Alaskatrout and salmon fishery from the threatof mine development.

5. Stopping the ban of soft baits inMaine.

Get involved — it’s easy! We’ll sendyou email alerts to inform you of policyissues, keep you up to date on progress,and recommend specific actions to takethat will help protect your right to fish.Click through to our Take Action pagesand proceed with our suggested strategy.With our automated website, it onlytakes a few moments.

Thank you for helping to build astronger voice for the American recre-ational angler.

Sincerely,Liz Ogilvie, Director, KeepAmeri-

caFishingFind KeepAmericaFishing online at:

KeepAmericaFishing.org, on Instagram,Twitter and Google+. The phone numberis: 703-519-9691.

A Letter from Keep America Fishing

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Photo by Jake Dingel/PGCFall turkey hunting remains a

strong tradition in Pennsylvania.

Shooters should show considerationfor others waiting for an open bench. It iscommon, especially leading up to thebear and deer seasons, to find an adultteaching a youngster how to shoot, or tofind someone having difficulty sighting-in a rifle. Be patient in such circum-stances.Anyone under the age of 16 mustbe accompanied by someone 18 or older.

The Game Commission has completedlead remediation and safety upgrade proj-ects at all public shooting ranges. Rou-tine maintenance, including rebuildingtarget-line stations, cutting grass andother clean-up activities, often requiredthe closure of ranges for several hoursevery month. More than $200,000 isspent annually on shooting range main-tenance.

Ranges From Page 11

Subscribe to OVO. A great Christmas gift.1-yr subscription $14.95 • 2-yrs for $25.00

Call 330-385-2243


Matt Sheterom14 point, bow

Delaware County, OH

Brad Schuler13-pt., 17-3/8" spreadMahoning County, OH

Patrick Adkins9-pt.


David Hrovatic7-pt.


Chase Adams135", 9-pt, 18.5" spreadMahoning County, OH

Rod Mayle8-pt. buck, crossbow


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

Hunter Jones110 lb. mature doe, crossbow

Trumbull County, OH

PHOTO SHOWCASE SPONSORED BY

HARRISBURG, PA — Recent yearshave been some of the best on record forPennsylvania bear hunting, and one ex-pert says there’s potential for that trendto continue.The annual statewide bear seasons

again are about to kick off.Leading the way is the statewide

archery bear season, which opens No-vember 17. And after that five-day sea-son comes to a close on Nov. 21,properly licensed hunters who still are inpursuit of a bear can participate in thefour-day general season that opens Nov.22, then runs from Nov. 24 to Nov. 26.Extended opportunities to hunt bears

during all or a portion of the deer-hunt-ing seasons also exist in much of thestate.There’s been plenty of reason to get

excited about bear hunting in recentyears.The 2013 harvest of 3,510 bears

statewide represents the fifth-largest in

state history, and continues a string ofrecent bear seasons taking their place inthe record books.Three of the five largest harvests have

occurred in the last three years. Pennsyl-vania’s largest harvest on record – 4,350bears – occurred in 2011, and the third-largest harvest – 3,632 bears – followedin 2012.Mark Ternent, the Pennsylvania Game

Commission’s bear biologist, said manyof the elements required for another ex-ceptional bear harvest in 2014 alreadyare in place.Statewide black bear populations are

at record levels, Ternent said, with an es-timated 18,000 bears living within theKeystone State.Additionally, he said, the statewide

acorn crop is markedly improved com-pared to last year.What is described as a “bumper mast

crop” is distributed throughout manyridges and valleys within bear country,

with core bear-hunting areas within Ly-coming, Clinton and Centre countiesseeing some of their heaviest mast cropsin the past 10 years, according to fieldstaff with the Game Commission’sNorthcentral Region. Other areas of thestate also are reporting excellent acorncrops.Higher mast yields typically lead to

better hunter success, Ternent said.When plenty of food is available bearstend to stay more active during huntingseasons, rather than entering their densearly. They also tend to be more widelydispersed and travel less, which meansthat bears discovered during preseasonscouting typically still can be found inthe same area come hunting season.Another important factor in the bear

forecast is what so far has been an in-crease in the number of hunters purchas-ing bear licenses. Through the end ofOctober, bear license sales were up bynearly 7 percent, compared to year-to-date sales from a year ago.With bear licenses remaining on sale

up until the night before the general sea-son.Ternent said that increased hunter par-

ticipation typically leads to larger har-vests and, in some cases, better huntersuccess.Game Commission Executive Direc-

tor R. Matthew Hough said perhaps noother hunting season in Pennsylvania isas rich with tradition as the annualstatewide bear season. Hough said thefact a record number of bear licenseslikely will be sold this year reinforcesthat point, and shows it’s no longer a se-cret that Pennsylvania provides some ofthe best bear-hunting opportunities outthere.Fifty-eight bears weighing 500

pounds or more, and nine weighing 600pounds or more were taken during 2013.The heaviest bear in the harvest, takenin Lackawanna County during thestatewide general season, weighed an es-timated 772 pounds. And the bear har-vest was spread throughout 53 ofPennsylvania’s 67 counties in 2013.


Ohio Valley Outdoorswww.ohiovalleyoutdoors.com

Banner Year for Bear in PA Expected

By Larry ClaypoolGALLIA COUNTY, OH — A south-

ern Ohio county sheriff is hoping theone-year anniversary of a local hunter’sdeath will stir the emotions of someone— other than the victim’s family — sothe case can be solved. It was the open-ing day of deer gun season in Ohio (De-cember 2, 2013) when 45-year-old LarryBradley was found dead — in his tree-stand — from an apparent gunshotwound. To date no one involved in thedeath has stepped forward.For Gallia County Sheriff Joe Brown-

ing it’s a very troubling case. Nearlythree weeks after the shooting death ofthe former Navy war veteran authoritiesreceived an anonymous letter fromsomeone claiming responsibility for theshooting. Basically confessing to thefatal shooting, the letter writer beggedfor forgiveness and said “I am not a badman just a very scared and sorry man.”Last year the sheriff’s department re-

leased only part of the anonymous letterin an attempt to have the person whopenned the letter come forward. Thatdidn’t happen. Now Sheriff Browninghopes raised emotions— as the anniver-sary of the accident draws near — willforce someone to admit to being in-volved.“We hope by re-releasing the letter, in

its entirety, the person responsible for theshooting will come forward. We want toget the case information out to the pub-lic again,” said Sheriff Browning.As seen in the attached letter, the per-

son claiming responsibility for the shoot-ing said he was hunting on a farmproperty where he did not have permis-sion to be on. He was tracking a deer

he’d shot just after daybreak when heheard someone yelling. “It scared me somuch cause I didn’t have permission tobe there,” admitted the writer.The person yelling in the woods could

have been Bradley, who was shot in theback, about 18 feet up in his treestand.Bradley was able to call his wife forhelp, but he didn’t tell her about beingshot. He told her he just needed help.When help arrived Bradley was dead.The letter also said, “...this is eating at

me like a cancer. Please tell the family Iam sorry.”The sheriff is asking for the public’s

help in identifying the person or personsinvolved in the death of Bradley. Any-one with information regarding this caseshould call the Gallia County Sheriff’soffice at 740-446-1221 or the Tip Line at740-446-6555.


Gallia County Hunting DeathRemains Unsolved

Ohio Valley Outdoors -Photo courtesy of Gallia County Sheriff’s Office

Ohio hunter Larry Bradley was found dead,in his treestand, from an apparent gunshotwound on opening day of gun season 2013.

Ohio Valley Outdoors - Courtesy of Gallia County Sheriff’s OfficeThis letter, provided by the Gallia County Sheriff’s office, was received last December

from an anonymous author about the tragic shooting death of Larry Bradley.

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ohio valley outdoor times 11-2014

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