Photo by Mark Werner

Ohio's 2004 shotgun season deer hunters took 125,681 deer during the state's weeklong hunt. According to the Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODOW), that was an 8 percent increase over the 2003 shotgun season.

If predictions hold true, hunters should have plenty of opportunities to do just as well this year. ODOW officials said the statewide deer population is estimated to be about 700,000 animals despite a long, hard winter, and numbers are stable or increasing in nearly every region.

Ohio's first modern deer-gun season opened in 1943 in just three counties, where hunters harvested 168 deer. An estimated 400,000 hunters participated during the 2004 gun season.

Fortunately, Ohio has plenty of land open to public hunting. Since the early 1900s, the ODOW, in conjunction with various conservation partners, has created 150 wildlife management areas totaling more than 170,000 acres. Hunting is also allowed in most state forests.

Here is an example of what is available during this year's shotgun season.

DISTRICT THREE
West Branch State Park
Covering just over 8,000 acres, West Branch State Park Wildlife Area in Portage County is adjacent to West Branch Reservoir, also known at Michael J. Kirwan Dam and Reservoir and West Branch State Park. About five miles east of Ravenna, 25 miles from Akron, 30 miles from Youngstown and 35 miles from Cleveland, it is bordered by state Route 225 to the east, Interstate Route 76 to the south, state Route 14 to the west and state Route 5 to the north. The reservoir covers 2,650 acres at full summer pool, leaving approximately 4,000 acres here open to hunting.

The terrain varies from flat crop fields, shrubby coverts and grasslands to rolling hills. There are also some sloping ridges and a considerable amount of woodland. Because of the varied habitat and size, deer populations and hunting opportunities are considered quite good.

For additional information, contact the area manager at Berlin Lake WMA, 1806 Bonner Road, Deerfield, OH 44411; or call (330) 654-2392.

West Branch State Park covers 5,379 acres within the wildlife area. All but the northeast section of the park, bound on the west by Rock Spring Road and on the south 100 yards beyond the lakeshore, is open to hunting as well. The no-hunting area includes the park office, campground, horse camp, dam area and east boat ramp. There is also a 400-foot no-hunting zone around all other developed facilities.

Hunters will find pulloffs and parking lots throughout the management area and park, and there is also a campground in the park offering nearly 200 campsites, some with electrical hookups.

For more information, contact the Park Headquarters, 5708 Esworthy Road, Ravenna, OH 44266; or call (330) 296-3239.

Highlandtown WMA
In southern Columbiana County about eight miles south of Lisbon, three miles northeast of Salineville and 37 miles from Canton, Highlandtown WMA covers 2,265 acres.

The area can easily be reached via state Route 39 from Salineville and Wellsville. ODOW started purchasing land for the area in 1956, with the final purchase made in 1966. Since then, shrubs and conifers have been planted, area woodlands have been protected and improved and some open fields have been allowed to revert to woodland as part of the game management plan.

Some of the best deer habitat and hunting will be found in the cutover timber stands and the pine and hardwood forests. In general, the area offers steep rolling hills with some flat hilltops, deep valley floors with elevations ranging from about 1,000 feet to 1,340 feet. Hunting is also allowed on over 400 acres in Yellow Creek State Forest, situated in two tracts on the west and north sides of the wildlife area.