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Hunting and conservation go hand in hand, and the earlier future game harvesters learn that the better.

In an attempt to teach the importance of wildlife management, several northwest Ohio county Farm Bureaus come together every year to host the Ohio Youth Gun Hunt Largest Buck and Doe Contest.

The initiative focuses on responsible hunting, guiding participants through the official Game Check process and ensuring full compliance with Ohio Division of Wildlife regulations. Open to children of Farm Bureau members from Allen, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert and Williams counties, this program invites roughly two dozen youth to compete for prizes based on their deer harvest during a carcass weigh-in hosted by Buckeye Meats in Hamler, Ohio.

To further its youth education outreach, Putnam County Farm Bureau hosted an inflatable archery range at the Putnam County Fair in June. This interactive experience was designed to provide a hands-on introduction to safe and responsible hunting practices.

“The relationship between Ohio Farm Bureau and the ODNR – Division of Wildlife is important and should always work together to have a better natural environment,” said Putnam County State Wildlife Officer Jason Porinchok. “The Division of Wildlife is diligently working to regulate the critters that have a direct impact on farmers’ land, but we all need to work as one with nature.”

Working together

Understanding this balance, Putnam County Farm Bureau hosted an informative program at the Leipsic Fishing & Hunting Club earlier this year in conjunction with Porinchok, to help promote the importance of attaining permits for nuisance harvesting of deer and other wildlife that can be harmful to crops.

“At this event, local hunters wanting to fulfill annual deer tags as ‘harvesters’ under nuisance permits networked with the landowners who are suffering from crop damage,” said Samantha Bluhm, Ohio Farm Bureau organization director for Allen, Paulding, Putnam and Van Wert counties.

By providing education on the legal permitting process for the removal of problematic species and facilitating connections with professional harvesters, landowners are equipped with the tools they need to mitigate property damage and ensure the continued viability of their crops.

Effective land management requires a delicate balance between long-term conservation and the immediate protection of agricultural productivity. While many people think of crop insurance when they hear the words “crop protection,” it can also mean conservation crop protection.

“Following the conclusion of the program, we created a list of hunters who are Ohio Farm Bureau members and deemed them as ‘trusted individuals’ for local farmers to more confidently allow these individuals access to their land for nuisance harvesting,” Bluhm said.

Importance of permits

Nuisance harvesting by definition is the lethal or nonlethal removal of wildlife causing property, crop or habitat damage from deer, raccoons, groundhogs and other wildlife that require a special permit. These special permits are designed to address the damage while it is occurring outside of the regularly scheduled hunting seasons and prevent damage in future years.

“It is rooted in our state law via the Ohio Revised Code and Ohio Administrative Code that wildlife belongs to the people and is managed by the ODNR Division of Wildlife. If we don’t have regulatory authority, we could lose important parts of our ecosystem,” Porinchok said.

The permits require harvesters to report their harvest, providing the essential data needed to manage the population effectively. Without an accurate count of how many deer or other wildlife are taken, it is impossible to assess the health of the herd or make the necessary adjustments to improve conservation efforts.

“Our local wildlife officers and programs are invaluable resources that have been largely unused in the last several years, but our plan is to continue affording wildlife officers the opportunity to attend policy meetings and programs pertaining to land preservation such as this nuisance harvesting event, which serves the interests of both groups and gives Ohio Farm Bureau members access to conservation experts and free youth programs,” Bluhm said.

KEY POINTS

• Programs like the youth contest and archery ranges teach the next generation that hunting and conservation are linked, while emphasizing safety and regulatory compliance.
• Nuisance permits manage wildlife that damages property, balancing healthy animal populations with agricultural productivity.
• Partnerships between Farm Bureau and ODNR give farmers access to expert harvesters while providing officials with the information necessary for effective ecosystem management.

WHAT’S NEXT

Find the ODNR Division of Wildlife officer in your county.