Ohio Division of Wildlife News

• Weekend Activity: Wildlife-Friendly Holiday Decor December 7, 2018
  This season, decorate an outdoor holiday tree or wreath that can double as a treat for wildlife in your yard.
• Steelhead Fishing Heats Up as the Air Cools! December 7, 2018
  Anglers are now flocking to streams along tributaries of Lake Erie’s central basin as the annual steelhead spawning runs begin.
• A Female Deer with Antlers? December 7, 2018
  Did you know? Female white-tailed deer can grow antlers if they have high testosterone levels. Since the antler growing cycle is controlled by testosterone levels, does with antlers usually sport poorly formed racks, and the racks rarely harden past the velvet stage. They are typically still in velvet when hunting season arrives.
• Show Your Support with Ohio Sportsman Plates! December 6, 2018
  Proceeds support wildlife programs such as state fish hatcheries, land acquisition for habitat conservation, youth education programs, and outdoor skills education.
• Backyard Birds: Nuthatches December 6, 2018
  The white-breasted nuthatch bird is sometimes called the upside-down bird, for obvious reasons. It tends to creep headfirst down tree trunks, looking for insects in the tree bark. If you see a white-breasted nuthatch making lots of quick trips to and from your feeder, it may be storing the seeds for later in the winter, […]
• Black Ducks are Ohio Bound December 6, 2018
  As the colors of fall fade away and winter’s chill begins to creep into Ohio, American black ducks land in Sandusky Bay. Learn more about the history of Ohio's black duck populations, and how habitat restoration has improved their numbers.
• Weekly Lake Erie Fishing Report December 5, 2018
  Walleye fishing has been good. Most anglers are focusing their efforts from Huron to Cleveland targeting 30 to 45 feet of water and moving nearshore around dusk and after dark.
• River Otter Trapping Season Reminders December 5, 2018
  The beaver and river otter trapping season begins on Dec. 26. A reminder that new counties were approved to open for river otter trapping this year, as the species is now prevalent in many areas.
• Audubon Christmas Bird Count December 5, 2018
  Audubon's 119th Christmas Bird Count will be conducted between the dates of Fri, Dec. 14, 2018 through Sat, Jan. 5, 2019. Join the Christmas Bird Count to help keep track of the movements and ranges of birds in the winter.
• More than 60,000 Deer Checked During Ohio's Weeklong Gun Season December 5, 2018
  Despite enduring some poor weather, hunters in Ohio checked 60,557 white-tailed deer during the 2018 weeklong deer-gun season.
• The Season of Giving! December 4, 2018
  If you find yourself with extra deer meat on your hands this year, you might consider sharing the bounty with those in need. Here are a few organizations that can help.