Ohio Mixed Bag: Bridle, APV Trails closed for season – Outdoor News
Columbus — Bridle trails on most of Ohio’s state forests and all-purpose vehicle (APV) areas at Perry, Pike, and Richland Furnace state forests will close for the winter season, according to the Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Forestry. Bridle trails, typically used for horseback riding, closed on Dec. 2 and APV areas closed on Dec. 9.
State forest APV areas remain open during regular deer gun season to provide opportunities for people with disabilities to have greater access to the state forests with APV trails. Bridle trail use can be requested during the closed season by completing a Special Use Permit (SUP) application and submitting it to the local forest manager at least 14 days prior to the event.
During this winter closure period, forest staff and organizations with approved volunteer agreements will be able to maintain trails. Signage will be installed at parking areas and trailheads, and the trails will be designated as closed.
Bridle trails will reopen for riding on Monday, March 31, 2025, and APV areas will reopen on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Maumee State Forest’s bridle trails and APV areas are unaffected by seasonal closures and will remain open year-round. The seasonal closures have been proposed in annual state forest work plans and have received public input.
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Ohio Insider: Success of “the meat hunt” in Seneca County proves some hunters still chase small game
Ohio cracks down on illegal dumping with grants through ‘Shine a Light on Dumpers’ initiative
Week-long gun season good to Ohio deer hunters as harvest reaches highest total since 2011
Annual Christmas Bird Count Underway
New York — For the 125th year, the National Audubon Society is organizing the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5, tens of thousands of bird-loving volunteers will participate in counts across the Western Hemisphere.
The 12 decades worth of data collected by participants contribute to one of only two large existing pools of information notifying ornithologists and conservation biologists of what conservation action is required to protect birds and the places they need.
The Audubon CBC is one of the longest-running wildlife censuses in the world. Each individual count takes place in a 15-mile-wide circle and is led by a compiler responsible for safely organizing volunteers and submitting observations directly to Audubon. Within each circle, participants tally all birds seen or heard that day – not just the species but total numbers to provide a clear idea of the health of that particular population. For more information and to find a count near you, visit www.christmasbirdcount.org.
Olympic Medalist Tabbed First Shot Speaker
Camp Perry, Ohio – The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) recently announced that Sgt. Sagen Maddalena of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will be the 2025 National Matches First Shot speaker. She will take her ceremonial first shot on July 14 at 4:30 p.m. on the Camp Perry National Guard Training Facility’s historic Rodriguez Range in Port Clinton, Ohio.
Since 1907, the National Trophy Rifle and Pistol Matches have been held at Camp Perry – welcoming each generation’s most talented marksmen and women from around the country as well as those hoping to learn more about the sport. The First Shot Ceremony serves as the traditional opening to the month-long competition season, while the First Shot speaker is an honored distinction amongst the marksmanship community.
Sgt. Maddalena began her career as a junior on the California Grizzlies highpower rifle team. As a Grizzly, she garnered several successes, including the Freedom’s Fire Trophy as a member of the highest scoring team in the National Matches Junior Rifle Team Match in 2013. Maddalena went on to join the University of Alaska Fairbanks rifle team before heading to the Army.
Venison Donation Available This Season
Columbus — The Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is again partnering with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) to support local food banks with donated venison. With a $30,000 grant from the Division of Wildlife, FHFH and participating processors donate harvested white-tailed deer to charitable organizations throughout Ohio.
Hunters who harvest a deer and would like to donate the venison can bring it to one of 34 certified deer processing shops in Ohio. Each donated deer is provided to a verified charitable organization that offers food assistance. One harvested deer yields approximately 50 pounds of venison, which equates to about 200 meals. Find the complete list of processors accepting donations of harvested deer at feedingthehungry.org. Hunters who donate their harvested deer are not required to pay for the processing of the venison.
WTU Donates To Jackson Club
Jackson, Ohio — Whitetails Unlimited awarded a grant totaling $12,809 to the Jackson Bowhunters located in Jackson, Ohio.
The Jackson Bowhunters Club is a local archery club and range, whose main goal and purpose is to provide a place for people to shoot their bows, hone their skills, and educate others interested in learning how to shoot a bow.
The group hosts annual free Kids Camps where members instruct area youth on archery marksmanship. This is done on an outdoor range offering 20-plus different targets in a wooded atmosphere any nature lover would enjoy. The indoor range is also open for area shooting sports organizations such as 4-H and NASP.
Correction: Feral Hog Bill
Delaware, Ohio — A story on the cover of the Dec. 6 issue of Ohio Outdoor News concerning House Bill 503 dealing with feral hogs in the state contained an error. The verbiage of the bill, which passed the Ohio House of Representatives and now moves onto the Senate, would require hunters who shoot a wild hog in Ohio to notify the ODNR Division of Wildlife.
Source: https://www.outdoornews.com/2024/12/16/ohio-mixed-bag-bridle-apv-trails-closed-for-season/
