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Discussion ranged from a controversial coyote device to invasive species and nuisance animals at the eighth annual Sportsmen’s Forum, held in late August at the Seneca County Izaak Walton League in Tiffin. The event was co-sponsored by Ohio Farm Bureau and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife (DOW).

The forum was geared more toward farmers and allowed ODNR-DOW officials a chance to interact with farmers and help maintain the "good relationship that we have with wildlife staff and learn as much as we can about wildlife issues," according to Rocky Black, OFBF director of legislative affairs.

Wildlife officials addressed a controversial coyote control method that has been approved by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, but that ODNR-DOW opposes – the livestock protection collar.

Sheep producers support the collar’s use and OFBF policy supports it, too. The collar consists of two small containers of a poison that predators – mostly coyotes in Ohio – ingest when they attack livestock. The poison is a naturally occurring compound extracted from ratbane. Within 5 hours of receiving a dose in the mouth, the coyote will die from cardiac or central nervous system failure, according to information from a fact sheet published by USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service.

The program was opened with comments from OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher and ODNR-DOW Chief Steve Gray.

Deer kill permits also were discussed. DOW officials pledged "if deer are damaging crops, they’ll issue permits" to hunt them, Black said.

The growing resident Canada goose problem also was addressed. Black explained that amenities at new apartment and condominium complexes – like ponds, parks and wildlife areas -- make it easier for the geese to stay in Ohio year-round. Black said they are a nuisance, "but not a crisis" at this point.

Non-native water species are also on DOW officials’ minds. Zebra mussel, sea lamprey, Asian carp and snakehead are just a few on the non-native species that are creating havoc in Ohio’s waterways, Black said. The DOW is working with the federal government to determine ways to keep the nuisance animals out of Ohio and how to get rid of the pests that have made their ways to Ohio.

Black said the non-native species bring diseases to native wildlife, plug waterways and contaminate the water.