Field reports from Ohio Division of Wildlife Officers

Central Ohio – Wildlife District One

During the 2025 white-tailed deer gun hunting week, State Wildlife Officer Brian Motsinger, assigned to Union County, received information from a landowner regarding a hunting without permission incident. Officer Motsinger responded and, with the assistance of the landowner’s family, located four individuals who were hunting without permission. Officer Motsinger contacted the suspects, and following the investigation and court proceedings four individuals were found guilty of hunting without permission. One hunter was also cited for hunting without a valid nonresident hunting license.

In fall 2025, State Wildlife Officer Josh Elster, assigned to Pickaway County, was contacted by an agriculture teacher at a local school who was interested in teaching a white-tailed deer butchering clinic for the class. Officer Elster coordinated the use of a roadkill deer for the clinic with the assistance of a local deer processor. Officer Elster attended the clinic and spoke with the students while they learned how to process and cook venison. The deer’s hide was given to a local taxidermist to use on a mount for a deer harvested during a disabled veterans hunt the previous week.

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Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District Two

On the opening day of mourning dove hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Matt D. Smith, assigned to Huron County, observed five dove hunters in a cut wheat field. Officer Smith met them at their vehicles to perform a basic hunting compliance check. Officer Smith discovered the group had exceeded the daily bag limit for mourning doves, hunted migratory birds over bait, and hunted migratory birds with a gun capable of holding more than three shells. The group had harvested 32 more doves than their combined daily bag limit. In total, the group paid $5,350 in restitution and $1,420 in fines and court costs. A total of 48 months of probation and 100 days of jail, suspended, were issued. Each individual’s hunting privileges were revoked for one year. The doves were forfeited and donated to Back to the Wild, a wildlife rehabilitation facility.

State Wildlife Officer Levi Farley, assigned to Paulding County, State Wildlife Officer Supervisor Troy Reimund, and Fish Management Unit Leader Brad Agler spoke with students at Paulding High School for a career day. They discussed the wide variety of careers in the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Officer Farley spoke to about 100 students about his job duties and the requirements to become a wildlife officer.

Northeast Ohio – Wildlife District Three

In September 2025, State Wildlife Officer Aaron Brown, assigned to Wayne County, and Wildlife Officer Supervisor Eric Bear attended the annual Badges n’ Bobbers event. The event is organized by the Wooster Police Department and draws dozens of children from the community. A local bait shop provided bait, and a local fish hatchery provided fish to catch. With grants provided by the Ohio Division of Wildlife and other donations, the children were treated to snacks, fishing rods, and a chance to win

outdoor prizes.

During the 2025 waterfowl hunting season, State Wildlife Officers Evan Huegel and Aaron Brown, assigned to Ashland and Wayne counties, respectively, responded to a report of three individuals hunting on the refuge portion of Killbuck Wildlife Area. The officers heard gunshots upon arrival and used a boat equipped with a mud motor to reach the individuals. The officers found three kayaks along the bank of Killbuck Creek and contacted three individuals hunting in flooded timber. The officers discovered that one individual did not have a federal Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp, and none of the hunters had a personal flotation device with their kayak, as required by law. Each suspect was also issued a summons for trespassing in the Killbuck Wildlife Area refuge. Five ducks and three geese were seized as evidence. The individuals were subsequently found guilty and collectively paid $525 in fines and court costs.

Southeast Ohio – Wildlife District Four

State Wildlife Officer Cole Tilton, assigned to Guernsey County, received information during the 2025 white-tailed deer gun hunting season that people were hunting on private property without permission. Officer Tilton and State Wildlife Officer Jacob Parker, assigned to Monroe County, identified two suspects from trail camera photos and contacted them at their residence. Both individuals were found to have hunted without permission, and one harvested a deer and failed to complete the game check process. Each suspect pleaded guilty in Cambridge Municipal Court. The first individual paid $200 in fines and court costs for hunting without permission, and the second individual paid $318 in fines and court costs for hunting without permission and failing to game check a deer.

In November 2025, State Wildlife Officer Jeff Berry, assigned to Muskingum County, patrolled Tri-Valley Wildlife Area and observed a potential litter violation from a vehicle. He contacted the vehicle’s driver and discovered the suspect littered on state property. Officer Berry issued the driver a summons for the violation. The individual pleaded guilty in Muskingum County Court and was ordered to complete 100 hours of community service.

Southwest Ohio – Wildlife District Five

During the summer of 2025, State Wildlife Officers Brad Turner, assigned to Preble County, and Jake Losekamp, assigned to Hamilton County, observed three adults fishing on the bank of the Great Miami River. Officers Turner and Losekamp observed the individuals leave beverage bottles and bait containers on the banks of river, and one individual discarded items into the river. All three individuals received summonses for litter. Each was found guilty in Hamilton City Municipal Court and paid $75 in fines and $91 in court costs.

State Wildlife Officers Isaiah Gifford, assigned to Clinton County, Alex Almeter, assigned to Greene County, and District Five Law Operations Manager Jason Keller, along with K-9 Officer Scout, recently attended a hunter education class at the Spring Valley Wildlife Area education center. The officers highlighted wildlife conservation and safe, ethical hunting, and answered questions from students. The course had approximately 50 attendees. Hunter and trapper education programs are designed for every age and ability and are run by some of Ohio’s most knowledgeable hunters and trappers.