Ohio Mixed Bag: Jeffrey Frischkorn earns top writing honor – Outdoor News

Chautauqua, N.Y. — The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, a supporting member of the Outdoor Writers of Ohio (OWO), recently honored Ohio Outdoor News columnist and news writer Jeffrey L. Frischkorn.

Frischkorn, who is currently serving as vice-president of OWO, earned a first place honor in the 2024 Chautauqua Outdoor Media Contest.

Frischkorn earned the honor for a story that was published in Ohio Outdoor News in November headlined “A Quest for True Love: Lake Erie Laker,” which chronicled his successful pursuit of the fish on the Eastern Basin of Lake Erie.

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Boone & Crockett To Host Awards Gala

Missoula, Mont. — The Boone and Crockett Club recently announced its 32nd Big Game Awards, a triennial event celebrating the pinnacle of fair chase hunting and the conservation of North America’s big game species, which will take place July 24-26.

This prestigious event will be held at Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri. The 32nd Big Game Awards will recognize the most impressive heads, horns, and antlers accepted into the Boone and Crockett Club’s record book over the past three years. Registration for the awards celebration is now open.

The Boone and Crockett Club has been measuring the antlers, horns, and skulls of North American big game since 1895 with the original vision of creating a record of what was thought to be the vanishing wildlife in the country. The organization’s Records of North American Big Game was first published in 1932 and, now in its 15th edition, serves as a vital record of biological, harvest, and location data on hunter-taken and found big game species based on the principle that the existence of mature, male specimens is an indicator of overall population and habitat health.

The top-scoring animals in all 38 categories entered into the B&C records program between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2024, have been invited to a judges panel in April where teams of B&C’s official measurers will verify their score.

ODNR Invites Students To Job Shadow

Columbus — Are you a high school junior or senior dreaming of a career that involves the great outdoors? The Ohio DNR (ODNR) wants you to apply to the ODNR Job Shadow Program for a chance to be on the job with staff this spring. This year’s spring job shadow day will be held Friday, May 2.

“We want to inspire future conservationists to continue the vital work we do every day at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “It is of the utmost importance that we provide insight to the careers that are here at ODNR, whether it’s related to the protection of wildlife and plant habitats, to the conservation of our forests, and beyond, we need to inspire the next generation.”

ODNR will accept applications to shadow ODNR employees now through Monday, March 31 on the ODNR Job Shadow web page. Students will be able to explore career opportunities in wildlife, parks, forestry, and much more. The job shadow program sheds light on a variety of career paths of which many people might not be aware.

During the job shadow day, students will gain an understanding of the job requirements and daily tasks. Those who apply will be able to choose the division or office they’d like to learn about including law enforcement, engineering, forestry, and more.

Curtis Reappointed To Ohio Wildlife Council

Zanesville, Ohio — Solomon J. Curtis, of Dresden, who was profiled in the March 14 edition of Ohio Outdoor News, was recently reappointed to the Ohio Wildlife Council by Gov. Mike DeWine.

Curtis, of Dresden in Muskingum County, will fill a term that began on March 7 and runs through Jan. 31, 2029.

NOAA Employees Part of Fed Firings

Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration has its government-shrinking sights set on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where around 800 employees have been tapped for termination, according to two sources close to the agency, CNN reported.

More layoffs are possible, one of the sources said, potentially costing the weather, climate, and environmental agency more than a thousand employees.

Most divisions of the agency, which employs scientists and specialists in weather, oceans, biodiversity, climate, and other research and planetary monitoring fields, were affected.

Probationary employees –those who have been in their jobs for a year or less, in most cases – were fired, a person inside the National Weather Service told CNN. There are between 350 and 375 employees with that status at the weather service, though it’s not clear how many of those were impacted; the person has heard there were some exemptions given to critical positions – likely life-threatening disaster forecasting roles, including hurricanes and severe thunderstorms.

H2Ohio Hits Conservation Milestone

Columbus — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio DNR (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz recently announced funding for eight new wetland projects, bringing the grand total of H2Ohio wetlands in Ohio to 203.

A total of $7.7 million in H2Ohio grant funding will support the eight new wetland projects located in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) counties of Williams, Lucas, Wood, Hancock, and Ottawa.

– Compiled from staff, wire, and DNR reports

Source: https://www.outdoornews.com/2025/03/24/ohio-mixed-bag-frichkorn-earns-top-writing-honor/