Ohio Mixed Bag: Input sought on public boat ramp improvements

Columbus — The Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Wildlife invites the public to provide comments on planned boat ramp improvement projects until Monday, Sept. 30.

The Division of Wildlife has future improvement projects planned for boat ramps at Deer Creek State Park, Hoover Reservoir’s Walnut Road location, and Berlin Lake’s Bonner Road access. The National Environmental Policy Act allows for the public to provide input on the Division of Wildlife’s Environmental Assessment for these types of projects.

The Environmental Assessment can be viewed online at wildohio.gov. Comments can be submitted through Monday, Sept. 30, via email to Ricardo.Granados@dnr.ohio.gov, or mailed to the Division of Wildlife, attn: Ricardo Granados, 2045 Morse Road, Building G, Columbus, OH 43229.

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New Pistol League Starting Up

Milan, Ohio — The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) recently announced a new Bullseye Pistol League, held in partnership with Lake Erie Arms.

The eight-week league will meet every Tuesday, beginning Sept. 17, at Lake Erie Arms – a 94,000-square-foot indoor public complex that houses multiple 25-yard and 100-yard ranges, an indoor clay house, virtual simulator, sales as well as a café and upscale member club. The facility is located just a short drive from CMP’s Port Clinton headquarters.

The weekly co-ed Bullseye League will be conducted in a single-person format, challenging participants on target accuracy. Both beginner and advanced levels will be offered, with a standard course of fire at 25 yards with .22LR or .45ACP pistols. Pistols are also available for rent.

Learn more and register for this friendly recreational league at https://www.learms.net/cmp-bullseye-league. More information on Bullseye Pistol can be found on the CMP website.

Highlandtown’s Boat Ramps Affected By Drawn Down Water Levels

Highlandtown, Ohio — Highlandtown Lake in Columbiana County is being drawn down to allow for dam repairs, according to the Ohio DNR (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Temporary water level reductions may limit lake access from Highlandtown, according to the Division of Wildlife.

The wildlife area’s boat ramp users may find that this will impact waterfowl hunting, fishing, and wildlife watching on the lake through the rest of the year.

Both of Highlandtown Wildlife Area’s boat ramps will be unusable in the next few weeks because of lower water levels. Division of Wildlife staff will evaluate the ramps and close them when water levels are too low to safely launch watercraft.

Highlandtown Lake was completed in 1966 and is undergoing necessary maintenance to keep the lake’s dam in safety compliance. The water level is drawn down to safe levels while the maintenance is ongoing.

Questions regarding drawn down water levels on Highlandtown Lake can be directed to 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543).

MWCD Launches New Call Center

New Philadelphia, Ohio — The Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District (MWCD) is launching a new 24-hour call center for visitors to contact MWCD rangers and seek assistance with non-emergency issues. The call center number, 844-692-3529 (844-MWCD-LAW) will be available starting Sept. 6. Emergency, life-threatening issues should still be directed to 911.

The new call line is designed to address situations that require ranger intervention, such as disturbances, suspicious activity, or issues related to park regulations. The calls will be answered by a call center and dispatched to a ranger, who will return the call as soon as possible. While the rangers are ready to assist with these matters, it is crucial that the public continue to dial 911 for all emergencies. Park, marina, and main office phone lines will continue to be answered as usual during business hours.

Sportsmen’s Alliance Sues USFWS Over Wolf Delisting In Great Lakes

Columbus — The Ohio-based Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to compel the agency to issue findings on two petitions requesting gray wolf delisting and downlisting under the Endangered Species Act (ESA).

In June 2023, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation, along with The Michigan Bear Hunters Association, Upper Peninsula Bear Houndsmen Association, and Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association, filed two petitions with FWS requesting the agency delist gray wolves in the Western Great Lakes and downlist West Coast wolves to threatened. The agency allegedly ignored these petitions for over a year, and on July 2, 2024, the Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation notified USFWS that it intended to sue the agency, according to a statement from the foundation.

The first petition requests that USFWS recognize and delist wolves in Western Great Lakes states – Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota (including areas in adjoining states). The second petition asks USFWS to downlist West Coast wolves – wolves in Western Washington, Western Oregon and California from endangered to threatened. These petitions serve as a blueprint for successfully delisting the wolves in accordance with prior court decisions, according to the foundation.