Some outdoor news and some thank yous
- Bob Hanna: Someday
- January 26, 2018
- 1578
Jan. 12, 2018, what a night that was for several reasons. The East Central Ohio QDMA chapter was scheduled to hold its annual fundraising banquet at the Heritage Center. The QDMA board had been planning this event for months, and as they did, it just kept getting bigger. They received over 600 reservations, hired a group to cater the event, purchased plenty of firearms and prizes for the raffles and games, and then ...
You remember Friday, Jan. 12? At 1 p.m. rain turned to sleet. At 3 p.m. sleet turned to flurries. The forecast was for 3-5 inches of snow with blizzard-type conditions come nightfall. President Brian Yoder said — as we were setting up in the morning — that we were going ahead. We would see how many would brave the elements.
And came they did: pickups, vans and SUVs with people who looked like they just stepped off a dog sled. An estimated 575 people showed up including our special guests, the youth that participated in our Youth Hunt this fall and their families. There were even some representatives from the Ohio Division of Wildlife that drove several hours to be there.
We held raffles, auctions, played games and shared a meal that was outstanding. The purpose of the event was to further the agenda of the QDMA, which is to ensure the future of the white-tailed deer population, wildlife habitat and our hunting heritage.
When it was over, we all braved the winter storm, and as far as I know, everyone made it home safely. We would like to say thanks to all that came, all who served and especially to God, who kept us all safe, for making our banquet a success.
Even though hunting (animals) season is winding down, that doesn’t mean you have to stop hunting or even abandon the woods for that matter. Many people enjoy walking through the woods this time of year (when the snow isn’t above your knees), looking for shed antlers.
Jan. 15 through March 1 is prime time to find them, provided someone else doesn’t beat you to them or the small critters whom eat them to obtain calcium. It’s a great way to beat the mid-winter blahs and get some fresh air and good exercise. It makes a great family activity.
A few things that determine when bucks shed their antlers are testosterone levels, weather and general animal health. You may remember that my wife found a big 6-point elk shed last January during her elk hunt in Kentucky.
In local news I got a chance to talk to a representative from the Ohio Department of Agriculture about another case of chronic waste disease reported here in Ohio. CWD is a contagious neurological disease affecting deer, elk and moose. Symptoms include abnormal behavior and weight loss. The newest discovery was a deer in Guernsey County that had ties to a pen in our area. No wild deer in our area have been diagnosed with the disease.
While we’re in kind of a news mood this time, I thought I’d give a thumbs up for the Northeast Ohio Sportsman’s Show in Mt. Hope last week. Taryn and I walked through the expanded venue and were pleased to see a lot of new outdoor vendors and outfitters. It is always a pleasure to talk with you and listen to your comments. This column is for your reading enjoyment, and I thank AloNovus for the opportunity to write and to God who allows me the pleasure of sharing our stories with you.
Allow God to use your talents to glorify him.