COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife recently released field reports from area wildlife officers.

Central Ohio – Wildlife District One

On the opening day of 2019 white-tailed deer-gun season, state wildlife officer Chad Grote received a complaint from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office about individuals using vehicles to hunt deer. The sheriff’s office sent deputy D.J. Barron to the call. Officer Grote and State Wildlife Officer Nathan West also responded.

Multiple hunters were contacted about the incident, and it was determined that they used their vehicles to follow the deer. After one of the driver’s got in front of the deer, another hunter jumped out and went onto property without permission and shot at it. Another person attempted to stop the deer with his truck.

The individual who tried to stop the deer with his truck was issued a summons for using his vehicle to pursue a wild animal. The individual who went onto property without permission was issued a summons for hunting without permission. Both were found guilty in the Marion Municipal Court and paid $476 in fines and court costs.

Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District Two

During the December 2019 two-day deer-gun weekend, state wildlife officer Nathan West, assigned to Wyandot County, was on patrol at Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area when he located a vehicle parked along the refuge area.

Officer West soon located four hunters walking toward their vehicle dragging an antlerless deer. He contacted them about the violations of trespassing on the refuge and harvesting an antlerless deer on state property after the close of the week-long gun season. Officer West then discovered a second deer that was already loaded into their vehicle that morning. Also, one of the hunters had not purchased a 2019 hunting license.

One individual was charged for trespassing and harvesting the antlerless deer after legal season dates on state property. Both deer were seized as evidence. The other three individuals were under 18 and their cases are pending for review by juvenile court.