Central Ohio – Wildlife District One
State Wildlife Officer Jade Heizer, assigned to Fairfield County, was contacted by the Baltimore Police Department regarding an individual who was documented hunting on city park property where no hunting is allowed. Park staff also located a pile of corn and an unauthorized trail camera on the property. The Baltimore Police Department identified the suspect and Officer Heizer contacted the individual. Further investigation revealed the individual hunted on park property without permission. Officer Heizer charged the subject for the violation and the suspect paid a $25 fine and $135 in court costs.
State Wildlife Officer Maurice Irish, assigned to Delaware County, presented about human-wildlife conflicts to the Powell Rotary Club at the Scioto Country Club. Topics included regulations and deterrents for common wildlife issues such as nuisance Canada geese, white-tailed deer, and furbearers. A question-and-answer session addressed specific concerns from club members. Members expressed appreciation for the information.
Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District Two
During the 2024-25 white-tailed deer archery hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Levi Farley, assigned to Paulding County, received a call about a potential wildlife violation. Officer Farley contacted the suspect and discovered the hunter had harvested a deer without a valid deer permit. Officer Farley issued a summons for hunting deer without a valid deer permit. The individual paid $270 in court costs and fines.
State Wildlife Officer Reid Van Cleve, assigned to Ottawa County, assisted East Harbor State Park with its waterfowl blind selections. Officer Van Cleve answered several questions from applicants regarding rules, blind locations, and the upcoming waterfowl season. Seven lucky hunters were selected to choose blind locations.
Northeast Ohio – Wildlife District Three
State Wildlife Officer Scott Traver, assigned to Stark County, investigated a report of littering on Berlin Wildlife Area. Officer Traver responded and found a discarded couch and multiple bags of trash. He contacted two suspects and issued a citation for littering on the wildlife area. The individuals paid $410 in fines and court costs and cleaned up the trash from Berlin Wildlife Area.
On opening day of Ohio’s spring wild turkey hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Ryan Pawlus, assigned to Lake County, responded to a call for assistance from a successful first-time turkey hunter who was unsure how to handle the harvested bird. Officer Pawlus verified that the hunter had correctly tagged the turkey, congratulated the individual, and offered advice for preserving the turkey’s fan, beard, and spurs.
Southeast Ohio – Wildlife District Four
In June, State Wildlife Officer Jeff Berry, assigned to Muskingum County, contacted two anglers at Dillon Lake’s dam. Officer Berry learned that one of the individuals was using a cast net to catch shad for bait but had unlawfully taken a channel catfish and five bluegill with the net. Officer Berry issued a summons for taking sport fish by an unlawful method. The suspect paid $325 in fines and court costs in Muskingum County Court.
Southwest Ohio – Wildlife District Five
State Wildlife Officers Matt Roberts, assigned to Highland County, Micah Collier, assigned to Brown County, and Isaiah Gifford, assigned to Clinton County, as well as Wildlife Investigator Joel Buddelmeyer and Wildlife Officer Supervisor David Warner, contacted anglers at Paint Creek Lake. Two individuals were issued summonses for taking game fish with a cast net and each paid fines and court costs of $200. Two other individuals were charged for littering and paid $230 each in fines and court costs.
Wildlife Officer Supervisor Matthew Hunt recently responded to a report of an injured bald eagle along the Great Miami River. Officer Hunt and a volunteer from RAPTOR Inc. assisted with capturing the bird and transporting it to the rehabilitation facility. The eagle is being monitored and receiving care and experts hope to release the bird back to the wild. RAPTOR Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of birds of prey, rehabilitating approximately 400 raptors annually.
