Central Ohio – Wildlife District One
During the 2025 early teal waterfowl hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Tyler Eldred, assigned to Morrow County, observed a group of hunters at Delaware Wildlife Area. He witnessed them shoot at a small group of wood ducks, a species not yet in season. He contacted the two hunters and determined a hen wood duck had been killed. Officer Eldred issued a summons for shooting a wood duck during a closed season. Another group of hunters on a nearby pond had also harvested a species other than teal, and Officer Eldred issued a summons to the hunter. Both hunters were found guilty in Delaware Municipal Court and paid nearly $500 in fines and court costs.
State Wildlife Officer Chad Grote, assigned to Marion County, and Outdoor Skills Specialist Billy Finnisi taught a beginner wild turkey hunting clinic at Delaware Wildlife Area this spring. Students learned turkey identification, regulations, and hunting techniques. They also tried different calls and learned how to use each call while turkey hunting. The class ended with the students patterning their shotguns for turkey season. For more information about free classes to help you get into the woods this fall, check out the events tab on the Ohio Division of Wildlife’s Harvest Community webpage.
Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District Two
On the opening morning of the 2025 early goose and teal hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Eric VonAlmen, assigned to Wood County, observed hunters along the Maumee River shooting 20 minutes before the start of the legal hunting time. As Officer VonAlmen approached the group, they harvested a wood duck. One summons was issued for shooting before sunrise and another for taking a wood duck during the closed season. The wood duck was seized as evidence. Each hunter paid $120 in fines and court costs.
State Wildlife Officer Matt D. Smith, assigned to Huron County, received multiple calls that a bald eagle had been hit by a vehicle while the bird was feeding on a raccoon carcass. Officer Smith responded and located the eagle in an adjacent farm field. The eagle appeared dazed but mostly uninjured. Officer Smith safely captured the eagle and transported it to Back to the Wild for rehabilitation. The eagle had no broken bones but tested high for blood lead levels and is undergoing treatment. The eagle is expected to make a full recovery and be released.
Northeast Ohio – Wildlife District Three
In February, State Wildlife Officer Thomas Frank, assigned to Mahoning County, investigated a white-tailed deer harvest anomaly at the close of the 2025-26 hunting season. Officer Frank contacted the suspect, who was found to have purchased a deer permit and hunting license after taking a deer. The suspect was issued two summonses for hunting without a license and purchasing a deer permit for a deer that was already taken. As a result of repeat violations, the hunter paid $745 in fines and court costs.
State Wildlife Officer Randy White, assigned to Lorain County, responded to a call from a concerned homeowner who found two white-tailed deer bucks in the backyard whose antlers had become locked together. Officer White discovered the bucks had become tangled in a piece of rope and the rope was tangled in brush. Using a knife taped to a pole, Officer White cut the rope to free the bucks. The deer ran off, appearing unharmed by the incident.
Southeast Ohio – Wildlife District Four
State Wildlife Officer Darin Abbott, assigned to Lawrence County, received a complaint about someone digging ramps in Crown City Wildlife Area. Officer Abbott and State Wildlife Officer Levi Boggs, assigned to Gallia County, with assistance from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Officer Gramm, responded to the area and observed the suspect digging ramps. The suspect had collected a large number of ramps and was found to be selling them for profit. It is unlawful to dig ramps on wildlife areas. Officer Abbott issued the suspect a citation and collected the ramps as evidence. Charges are pending in Lawrence County Municipal Court.
State Wildlife Officer Chris Gilkey, assigned to Meigs County, responded to a call for assistance from the chief of the Reedsville Fire Department to remove a snake that was hanging from a ceiling fan in a local residence. After determining that the snake was a gray ratsnake and nonvenomous, Officer Gilkey and a volunteer firefighter removed the fan blades and cut the fan shroud to free the snake. The snake was removed unharmed and relocated outside. The homeowners were very grateful for the help.
Southwest Ohio – Wildlife District Five
State Wildlife Officer Gus Kiebel, assigned to Adams County, received a hunting without permission complaint regarding an individual with hunting dogs. The caller noted this was an ongoing issue, though the suspect was no longer on the property. Officer Kiebel responded to the area and located the suspect’s vehicle. Upon contacting the individual, Officer Kiebel recognized the suspect as someone he had dealt with previously and who had suspended hunting privileges from a prior violation. Officer Kiebel arrested the individual for hunting during a court-ordered suspension. The suspect spent 10 days in jail and paid court costs. Additionally, the individual was ordered to complete three years of probation, forfeit hunting privileges for three years, and forfeit a rifle.
State Wildlife Officer Jacob Losekamp, assigned to Warren County, along with Law Operations Manager Jason Keller and K-9 Officer Scout, participated in the Lebanon Youth Police Academy. Officer Losekamp showed various wildlife furs and parts to the children. Officer Keller and K-9 Scout conducted a demonstration highlighting canine detection capabilities. K-9 Scout concluded the presentation with a friendly race against the children, winning decisively.
