Ohio Mixed Bag: Peter Novotny picked to lead recreation on Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District lands

New Philadelphia, Ohio — The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) recently announced the appointment of Peter Novotny to be the new chief of recreation and lead all recreation-related strategies and efforts for the District’s 5 million annual visitors to its parks, lakes, and marinas.

Novotny is an experienced natural resources leader with a strong background in recruiting and building effective teams and managing wildlife and public engagement efforts. He currently serves as an assistant chief of the Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife and is a recognized national advocate for the use of public lands as the chair of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Hunting and Shooting Sports Participation Committee.

In this pivotal role, Novotny will oversee parks, marinas and docking, and work collaboratively across the MWCD to enhance and expand recreational offerings. The MWCD’s lakes and parks have long been recognized as some of the best managed natural resources in the region and new upgrades approved by the MWCD Board as part of its new strategic plan will only build on this tradition of commitment to quality outdoor programming.

Congress Passes Act To Allow Electronic Duck Stamps

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. House of Representatives in December passed the Duck Stamp Modernization Act, a bill that makes the federal duck stamp electronically accessible to waterfowl hunters for the entire waterfowl season and the spring snow goose conservation order. This legislation, which originally passed the Senate in July, allows waterfowl hunters to purchase the $25 duck stamp online and removes the requirement to possess a physical copy of the stamp while hunting.

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Though the duck stamp is going digital, the heritage behind it and annual duck stamp contest hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service continues. Hunters and collectors will still be able to purchase physical stamps from a U.S. Post Office and other qualified retailers. After duck season ends, physical copies will be mailed to anyone who purchased a digital stamp.

“This is commonsense legislation that will make buying a duck stamp much easier and help make duck hunting more accessible to all waterfowlers,” said Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam. “More than 8 million acres of wetland habitat have been conserved through the Federal Duck Stamp program. Now that the stamp is fully electronic, we hope that more birders, anglers, and conservationists will join us to increase the number of stamps purchased each year so that more wildlife habitat can be protected.”

Ohio House Committee Passes Right To Hunt, Fish Bill To 2024 Ballot

Columbus —  The Ohio House of Representatives’ Energy and Natural Resource Committee passed legislation recently to send a proposed constitutional amendment to voters that would enshrine Ohio’s right to hunt and fish for generations. 

“Anti-hunting forces are pushing a radical agenda to ban fishing and hunting as we know it, and today Ohio took another step forward in fighting back,” said T. Roosevelt Action Executive Director Luke Hilgemann. “Hunters and anglers in Ohio want to protect their sporting heritage – this constitutional amendment is the best way to do it. T. Roosevelt Action will continue to advocate for our way of life and protect these cherished outdoor traditions for the next generation.”

HJR 5, which passed the committee 6-4, will now move to consideration for a floor vote by Ohio’s House of Representatives before moving to the Senate. If passed by the Legislature, the measure would go in front of Ohio’s voters during the 2024 election in November. 

RMEF Supplies Near $1 Million In Funding to Elk States In U.S.

Missoula, Mont. — The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and its partners supplied $842,662 in grant funding to bolster habitat, wildlife management, and hunting heritage projects in Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

“Maintaining and improving habitat for elk, deer, wild turkey, black bears, and other wildlife is essential to their well-being and future,” said Kyle Weaver, RMEF president and CEO. “Placing these dollars on the ground helps make that happen.”

RMEF supplied $255,403 that helped leverage $587,259 in partner dollars.

Projects vary from creating wildlife openings or meadows, prescribed burning and removing invasive vegetation, to an elk calf survival study and supporting mentored hunts.

OON Accepting Person Of Year Nominations

Delaware, Ohio — It is that time of year again to nominate this year’s Ohio Outdoor News Person of the Year.

Nominations for the award, given over the past 15 years by the publication, will be accepted through the end of February.

Nominees should be someone who has made his or her mark in conservation circles, whether through volunteering, mentoring, or leading hunters, anglers, and trappers.

Email nominations to Ohio Outdoor News Editor Mike Moore at mmoore@outdoornews.com.