Deer Hunting Returns to Ohio After 50-Year Absence

Article taken from The Zanesville Signal, November 28, 1943

Big game hunting will again become legal in Ohio when the state's first deer season in fifty years opens at 8 a.m. official Ohio time. Monday, December 6. Deer hunting will be permitted in three southern Ohio counties, only. Adams, Pike and Scioto are the counties. All the area in the three counties will be open to hunting. However, hunters should note the fact that with the exception of the 80,000 acres of the Roosevelt Shawnee Forest area which is publicy owned. all the rest of the land is privately owned. All the rest ot the land is privately owned it will be necessary to secure the permission of the landowner before trespassing on his land.

Each deer hunter, weather required by law to have a hunting license or not, must obtain a deer hunting permit which will entitle the holder to hunt on any lands in the three counties when permission has been obtained from the landowners. Those who wish to hunt the approximetely 60,000 acres of stateowned lands known as the Roosevelt-Shawnee State Hunting Pre-serve must "check in" as checking stations at the main entrance of Roosevelt Game Preserve, near Portsmouth, where the first 625 ratio of approximately one hunter for each 100 acres of land in the line each day during the 12-day deer season will be admitted to the state lands on a special controlled hunting area permit. Those not wishing to hunt on these stateowned lands need not come to the checking station. The deer hunting permits may be obtained by mail from any of the divisions seven district offices or from the main offices in Columbus. The special permit for the controlled hunting area on the state lands, however, will only be issued each day at the main entrance of the Roosevelt Game Preserve. In obtaining his deer hunting license the hunter will be required to sign an agreement to the regulations for the season which include the stipulation that as a safety measure he will wear a red hat. red coat, or other red article, will not use dogs, will not shoot within 400 feet of any hightway or carry a loaded gun in his car and other safety measures and other regulations.

The legal hunting time for the season which will start Dec. 6 and extend through Dec 18 has been set for the hours between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. official Ohio time.

The deer hunting in Ohio will be for bucks only and the regulations require that the deer must have antlers at least four inches in length. Doe shooting will not be permitted and every hunter should be extremely careful in choosing his target. It should be remembered that everything that moves is not necessarily a deer. Board has prohibited the processing of skins, except to meet military specifications or for the personal or gifst use of the individual owner of the deer from which the hide was taken. Deer leather has proved for superior to other leathers for army use as protection against cold and is especially useful for manfacturing "mukluks" and trigger-finger mittens. Hides should be properly prepared and turned over to a dealer in hides or pelts.

When skinning. don't cut the hide or leave adhering flesh. Hides should be rolled, hair side out. kept cool and delivered immediately to a dealer. If deliver is postponed several days. Cover the flesh side thoroughly with salt. making sure all flesh is removed and all creases reached. Keep dry and cool and cover with paper to avoid overrapid drying. After eight or 10 days, shake off salt wrap in small bundle and get it to dealer. Those in areas where no dealers are available should consuit their state conservation departments as to disposition of the hides.