Latest news with #OhioDepartmentofNaturalResourcesDivisionofWildlife
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Owner of raccoon found with meth pipes vows she won't surrender him
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) – Police initiated a traffic stop in early May after learning the driver, Victoria Page-Videl, had an outstanding warrant. While placing her under arrest, the officers were told there was a raccoon in the car. At first they thought it might have been a joke, but when officer Austin Branham saw the raccoon lift its head over the driver's side window, he noticed the animal had something unusual in its paws. 'The raccoon, Chewy, popped his head up and when I turned to look inside the vehicle to make sure he doesn't hop out, that's when I noticed he was holding a glass methamphetamine pipe,' said Branham. Rescue photos: Deer gets stuck on rocks behind Rock Hall He took the pipe away and immediately noticed that the raccoon, named Chewy, had a second one in his hands. 'Chewy seemed extremely playful. He was kind of just sitting there looking up at us. He was playing around with a plastic bag on the floor. He was going between the driver's seat and the passenger seat, you know, playing around,' said Branham. The story garnered international attention with the image of a raccoon holding a meth pipe. FOX 8 News was able to catch up with Page-Videl days after the arrest, living in a car outside of a condemned house in Akron. She admitted she did not have a permit to keep the animal as a pet and vowed never to surrender Chewy to wildlife officials. One month later, FOX 8 caught up once again with Page-Videl, now living in a tent, still with several dogs and Chewy. The state allows raccoons to be kept as pets if they are bought from an approved breeder and the owner has a permit. No wild caught raccoons can be legally kept as a pet. On Monday, Page-Videl said she bought Chewy online but she cannot find her bill of sale. She continues to vow that she will not surrender the animal, fearing Chewy will be euthanized. 'They (wildlife officers) said they were going to put him in a rehab. They would euthanize him because that's what they wanted to do before,' she said on Monday. 'I've had him since he was little and I'm not going to give him up I'm not giving him up.' West Nile Virus found in Stark County community The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife has not yet said what may become of Chewy. Springfield Township Police Chief Jack Simone told FOX 8 it is his understanding that ODNR is working with Page-Videl's attorney to determine the raccoon's fate. In the meantime, Page-Videl has been indicted on felony drug charges, facing seven total charges, according to Summit County court records arising out of her arrest in May. During a hearing on Monday, her attorney filed a customary demand for discovery prior to trial. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Local wildlife officers honored for top poaching investigation
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Two wildlife officers out of Xenia were recognized Tuesday for their work on a white-tailed deer poaching investigation. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife announced that Ohio Wildlife Officers Isaiah Gifford and Matt Roberts received the national Pope and Young Club's Wildlife Law Enforcement Officer Award for their work. They are the first officers from Ohio and the first co-recipients to receive this award. The Pope and Young Club is a nonprofit conservation organization that works to manage big game animal populations. The officers were chosen for their investigation of a 28-year-old from Wilmington, who was sentenced in December 2024 for unlawfully shooting a trophy buck in November 2023. The case is significant because the man was sentenced to pay the maximum restitution for the 18-point trophy buck, $35,071.73, which was the highest restitution value for a single white-tailed deer in Ohio's history. Anyone who witnesses a wildlife violation can call the Turn in a Poacher hotline at 1-800-POACHER (1-800-762-2437). Tips are kept anonymous. To learn more about the Division of Wildlife, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A hunter's guide to apply for ODNR controlled access lotteries
Hunters across Ohio now have the opportunity to apply for Ohio Department of Natural ResourcesDivision of Wildlife controlled access lotteries that offer a unique opportunity to pursue several different species across the state. Successful applicants will receive a permit, rules, and a hunting area map. Permits are offered for mourning dove, quail, waterfowl, white-tailed deer, ring-necked pheasant, small game, turkey, and trapping. Apply for: Deer, Waterfowl, Small Game, Waterfowl Blind, and Dove permits July 1-31. Beaver-otter, furbearer trapping and raccoon hunting and trapping lotteries will occur in-person at the five wildlife district offices on the first Saturday in October. Turkey permits March 1-31. Applicants: Turkey hunts are open to all applicants. Youth and mentor hunts will be available at all six locations. (see 'Who can apply' below for explanation of youth and mentor requirements). Number of hunters with the permittee: Permittee and one hunting partner will be allowed except for youth hunts. For youth turkey hunts, only the permitted youth may hunt and must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult. Units: Each permit will have an assigned unit that can be referenced on the map provided with the rules sheets. Permit duration: Valid permit dates will be shown on your permit. Youth permits will be issued for one day during the youth weekend. Throughout the season, permits will be issued for three-day periods: Thursday-Friday-Saturday for mentor hunts and Sunday-Monday-Tuesday for regular hunts. Shooting hours: 30 minutes before sunrise to the legal end time (noon or sunset depending on date). Applicable permits: A current hunting license and turkey permit are required to apply for any controlled turkey hunt. The following turkey hunts will be offered: 2768-Killbuck Marsh WA Mentor Turkey Hunt 2769 - Killbuck Marsh Turkey Hunt [NEW FOR 2025] 2782-Killbuck Marsh WA Youth Turkey Hunt 2784 - Eagle Creek Mentor Turkey Hunt 2785 - Eagle Creek Youth Turkey Hunt 2786 - Eagle Creek Turkey Hunt 2777 - Killdeer Plains Mentor Turkey Hunt 2787 - Killdeer Plains Youth Turkey Hunt 2788 - Killdeer Plains Turkey Hunt 2778 - La Su An Youth Turkey Hunt 2789 - La Su An Mentor Turkey 2790 - La Su An Turkey 2770-Mosquito Creek WA Turkey Hunt 2783 - Mosquito Creek Youth Turkey Hunt 2791 - Mosquito Creek WA Mentor Turkey 2792 - Woodland Trails WA Youth Turkey 2793 - Woodland Trails WA Mentor Turkey 2794 - Woodland Trails WA Turkey You must be fully licensed and permitted to hunt the species for which you are applying. Hunters may apply for each hunt once annually. Apply online in March for turkey hunts and Castalia trout fishing, October for trapping, and July for all other species. Each application is $3 and is non-refundable. Applications can also be taken over the phone at 1-866-703-1928 for a service fee of $5.50. Youth: Hunters must be under 18 at the time of application to apply for youth hunts. Hunters must be under 18 at the time of the hunt to participate in youth hunts. Mentor hunts: Mentor hunts are designed to introduce new hunters of any age, the mentee, to hunting or to hunting a species they have not pursued before. As an incentive to be a mentor and introduce new hunters, both the mentee and the mentor can participate in the hunt if they win a permit. Applications for mentor hunts can be purchased by either the mentor, the mentee, or both. To qualify as a mentee, the applicant must either be under 18 at the time of application or not have harvested the species for which they are applying in the previous five years. A mentor can be anyone willing to introduce a mentee to hunting or hunting a particular species. Adults: Anyone 18 or older at the time of application. Mobility Impaired: A mobility-impaired person is any person, regardless of age, who is subject to a physiological defect or deficiency regardless of its cause, nature, or extent that renders the person unable to move about without the aid of crutches, a wheelchair, or any other form of support, or that limits the person's functional ability to ambulate, climb, descend, sit, rise, or perform any related function. Open: Open to all applicants. Veteran: Permittee will need to show valid drivers license with a veterans ID or a DD214. Mentor hunts are designed to introduce new hunters of any age, the mentee, to hunting or to hunting a species they have not pursued before. As an incentive to be a mentor and introduce new hunters, both the mentee and the mentor can participate in the hunt if they win a permit. Applications for mentor hunts can be purchased by either the mentor, the mentee, or both. To qualify as a mentee, the applicant must either be under 18 at the time of application or not have harvested the species for which they are applying in the previous five years. A mentor can be anyone willing to introduce a mentee to hunting or hunting a particular species. Lotteries will be drawn the week after the application period ends. Applicants will receive an email with their results once the lotteries are drawn. Visit the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System or the HuntFish OH mobile app. Hunters are required to have a printed or digital copy of their permit on the day of the hunt. Follow the steps listed in the 'How will I know if I'm drawn?' tab to view your lottery results and retrieve your permit. More: Ohio hunting in 2024-25: What you need to know about seasons, licenses, safety and more Hunters are required to have a printed or digital copy of their permit on the day of the hunt, so either print your permit or navigate to it on the HuntFish OH mobile app Each permit includes the name of the hunt, the date, and the unit for which you are permitted. Hunt rules and maps are provided along with the permit. It is your responsibility to know and follow the rules of the hunt and to study the map and know to which unit you are assigned. Failure to follow controlled hunt rules and conditions could result in dismissal from the hunt, in addition to criminal charges pursuant to OAC 1501:31-9-01(T) Should you have any questions about your permit, contact information for the hunt for which you are permitted is provided in the rules sheet. Additionally, you can call 1-800-WILDLIFE. KSutton1@ X: @KSuttonDJSports; Instagram: kevinsutton_dailyjeffsports This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Tips on applying to secure ODNR controlled access lotteries
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Can you spot this venomous snake hiding in plain sight? It's native to Ohio. Where to find it
The social media post shared by Missouri Wildlife appears to just be leaf litter on the forest floor. But camouflaged in it is a dangerous surprise to unobservant hikers, a venomous copperhead. And the snake is native to Ohio. Can you spot it? Posted by Missouri Wildlife on Thursday, February 16, 2023 The post may be two years old, but it is still popping up in people's feeds, and generating comments. Here's what you should know about the copperhead in Ohio. One of three venomous snakes native to Ohio, the copperhead is "uncommon" in the Buckeye State, according to the Reptiles of Ohio Field Guide produced by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife. It has been historically recorded in 25 counties but only seen in eight since 1976, mostly in Southeast Ohio. The copperhead has bitten more people in the United States than any other venomous snake, according to the guide. However fewer snakebite deaths are attributed to the copperhead. Bites are rarely fatal because the amount of venom injected isn't enough to hurt a healthy adult. But bites are painful, like a bee sting, and can cause a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. Rare rattlesnake: Endangered eastern massasauga rattlesnake found in Ohio. Here's what to know Copperheads are "vividly blotched" with "a distinct copper head," according to the Division of Wildlife. "Their coloration not only serves as excellent camouflage, but also makes them one of Ohio's most beautiful reptiles," according to the reptile guide. In Ohio, the copperhead has been found in eight southern and southeastern Ohio counties since 1976: Adams, Scioto, Jackson, Vinton, Hocking, Meigs, Athens and Washington. Historically, the snake was found as far north as Ashland, Holmes and Columbiana counties, according to the Division of Wildlife. They occupy a variety of habitats, from floodplains to ridgetops, but show a marked preference for the rocky, wooded hillsides of southeastern Ohio, according to the reptile guide. Copperheads tend to stay away from well-settled areas. 🐍 World Snake Day 🤩Ohio has only three species of venomous snakes, two of which have rattles at the end of the tail.... Posted by Ohio Division of Wildlife on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 Ohio's venomous snakes: Ohio is home to 3 venomous and rare snake species. What you need to know about them When encountered, copperheads will usually lie motionless or retreat if they have the chance. Don't provoke them. When agitated, they will vibrate their tail rapidly and strike wildly, per the Division of Wildlife. The eastern copperhead is one of three venomous snakes that are native to Ohio, along with the eastern massasauga rattlesnake and the timber rattlesnake. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Can you see the camouflaged copperhead? Where to find venomous snake in Ohio
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Where and what fish species were stocked locally in 2024
(WKBN) — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife just announced that it stocked more than 46 million fish in Ohio's lakes, ponds, rivers and streams in 2024. Eleven different species of fish were stocked during the spring, summer and fall at 228 locations statewide. For any fishing enthusiasts hoping to hook a particular species, here is the list of what fish were stocked where in the Valley in 2024. A full list for the state can be found here. Location Species Life stage Number stocked Berlin lake Walleye Fingerlings, fry 610,170 (fingerlings) and 3,134,610 (fry) Lake Milton Muskellunge Adv. fingerlings 1,726 Lake Milton Walleye Fingerlings 204,697 Mill Creek Lake Rainbow Trout Catchable 1,201 Mosquito Lake Walleye Fingerlings, fry 1,440,834 (fingerlings) and 9,941,065 (fry) West Branch Reservoir Blue Catfish Adv. fingerlings 20,456 West Branch Reservoir Muskellunge Adv. fingerlings 2,624 West Branch Reservoir Walleye Fingerlings 519,672 The 46 million fish stocked in Ohio last year were of five life stages: 31.8 million fry, 13.4 million fingerlings, 236,701 advanced fingerlings, 514,032 yearlings, and 105,101 catchable fish. The Division of Wildlife operates six state fish hatcheries that raise sport fish for stocking in Ohio waters. For the 2025-2026 fishing regulations, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
