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Ohio’s wildlife isn’t as wild as it used to be as more animals are finding their way into urban areas and farms, according to wildlife experts.

Canada geese continue to be a big problem in urban areas, and debate continues about how to effectively keep the deer and coyote populations under control, said Steve Gray, chief of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Gray and Dave Risley, ODNR’s wildlife management and research administrator, updated Farm Bureau members about Ohio’s animal population during an Ag Day at the Capital seminar Feb. 16.

A record number of deer – more than 217,000 – were killed during the 2004-05 season that concluded Jan. 31, Risley said. He said records were set during the muzzleloader, archery and youth hunting seasons while there was a drop in the number of deer killed by guns.

While Gray said the overall deer herd is "in good shape," Larry Gearhardt, director of OFBF’s local affairs, noted that some areas of the state are experiencing a lot of problems with deer. He urged farmers and landowners to report wildlife damage so state officials can get a better idea of how much wildlife there is in Ohio.

"Farmers should be making a timely call to report damage. We complain about damage but often don’t do anything about it. The state is hearing from only a handful of farmers," he said.

With growing numbers of Canada geese moving to areas where they can’t be shot, the state and local communities may need to revise laws to allow more geese to be killed, Gray said.

Both the wildlife officials and Farm Bureau members talked at length about problems with coyotes. Gray said that while many people consider coyotes to be a nuisance, he said they help keep the groundhog and deer populations down. He indicated that his department is reluctant to support the use of a livestock protection collar. The collar contains poison that predators – mostly coyotes – ingest when they attack livestock, eventually killing them. Gray called the collar an extreme measure and said he was worried about its effect on other wildlife.

Farm Bureau supports use of the collar because coyote attacks on Ohio livestock are a serious problem, Gearhardt said.

Gray said the relationship between his department and Farm Bureau is strong.

"We really appreciate the support Farm Bureau has given us on a lot of initiatives," he said, specifically talking about the organization’s support of law enforcement and attempts to stop poaching.

Caption: Carolyn Skinner, Delaware County Farm Bureau president, talks with state Rep. Jon Peterson, R-Delaware, while he looks over Farm Bureau’s stance on several legislative issues.