State of the Heart Care to Host 20th Annual Grief Camp

State of the Heart Care is preparing for its 20th annual grief camp, Camp Encourage, this summer. In the best interest and safety for our families, volunteers, and staff involved with camp, we are hosting Camp Encourage virtually this year! Camp Encourage at Home will be July 10-12 and our camp staff are hard at work preparing activities for the campers, ensuring they still have a special camp experience even if it may be a little different this year. Camp Encourage accepts children ages 6-15 who have experienced the death of a loved one, no matter their affiliation with our hospice care.
Camp Encourage at Home will be virtual for the families to attend. Families who register will receive a box of grief activities along with Camp Encourage swag, treats, and goodies that we typically give to the campers through the weekend. Our camp director, Ashlee Slavin stated, “The idea behind the virtual camp is to create the camp environment at home for each camper.” Slavin also shared that families will be required to sign up for individual meeting times with herself and Bereavement Specialist, Sarah DePoy.

Camp Encourage will have planned virtual meeting times throughout the weekend starting on Friday, July 10 with a red-carpet introduction for all staff and campers involved. Beginning Saturday morning, campers will be able to participate in group video chats to work through activities with our trained volunteers so that they can process some of the big emotions that come with grief while in a supportive environment. Part of our activities also includes a Panel of Experts featuring a physician, one of our hospice chaplains, and a funeral home director. Children can ask those tough questions that they may not have had a chance to ask before. Campers will also participate in Music Therapy with our music therapists.

We understand the sensitivity of grief and that children do not always have the means to express themselves. That is why throughout the remainder of the weekend, campers will be able to connect and ask questions to our hospice staff and volunteers so that they have the support that they need during a vulnerable time for them.

For more information, please visit our website at stateoftheheartcare.org/camp-encourage or contact our Camp Director, Ashlee Slavin at aslavin@stateoftheheartcare.org.

The 7th Annual Heart and Sole 5K will be VIRTUAL this year!

State of the Heart Care is excited to announce its 7th Annual Heart and Sole 5K will be VIRTUAL this year! This makes it easier than ever to support a great cause, while running or walking on your favorite trail, path, or even treadmill! All proceeds will benefit State of the Heart Care’s Hospice Inpatient Unit. Registration and result submission will be open now through August 3rd.

Visit https://runsignup.com/Race/OH/AnyCityAnyState/HeartandSole5KOH to sign up today!

Fatal Accident Motorcycle Accident

On June 6, 2020 at approximately 3:32 PM Darke County Deputies along with Union City Fire Department, Union City Rescue, Ansonia Fire Department, Ansonia Rescue and Careflight were dispatched to the intersection of State Route 47 and Coletown-Lightsville Road in reference to a serious injury accident involving a motorcycle and pick-up truck.

Preliminary investigation revealed a red 2009 Dodge 3500 driven by Levi Livingston, 22 of New Weston was traveling eastbound on State Route 47 approaching the intersection at Coletown-Lightsville Road. Livingston was attempting to turn northbound onto Coletown-Lightsville Road when he turned into the path of the westbound black 2019 Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Douglas A. Shaneyfelt, 55 of Union City Indiana.

Livingston was treated and released from the scene. Both Shaneyfelt and his passenger, Hope Shaneyfelt, 48 of Union City Indiana succumb to their injuries and were pronounced dead at the accident scene. The Shaneyfelt’s were not wearing helmets at the time of the accident.

The Darke County Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team and the Darke County Coroner’s office were called to the scene for further investigation.

STAR 88.3 Gives Love in Greenville

Greenville, OH – She was told in the sixth grade that she would end up in a wheelchair, maybe not even make it to graduation. Most people would give up and stop trying. Not Asia Sykes. She graduated this year from Greenville High School, not only walking, but on the swim team, a cheerleader, and a lifeguard. She has a great GPA and already has college courses under her belt. The sky is the limit!

STAR 88.3 is Greenville and Darke County’s local Christian radio station at 88.9.

“Several times a year, we take nominations for something we call Give Love,” explains Naomi Cantrell, Community Representative for STAR 88.3. “This year’s graduates didn’t get the usual celebration, so we decided to find one we could surprise in a big way.

STAR 88.3 picked Asia Sykes to receive a surprise visit this week. She received a big basket of goodies from STAR 88.3, Anne’s Avon, Bread of Life Bookstore, and EUM Church.

“It was a blessing to see Asia so surprised and delighted,” Cantrell reflects. “It is definitely one of my favorite parts of what we do!”

STAR 88.3 is run by STAR Educational Media Network and based in Fort Wayne, IN, with signals around Northeast and East Central Indiana, Northwest and West Central Ohio, and Southern Michigan.

According to STAR’S President and CEO Melissa Montana, STAR “wants to build a deep connection with the local community, reaching out to churches, ministries, and Christian owned businesses to help make the area we’re serving an even better place to live.”

STAR Educational Media Network was formed in 2009 and has frequencies in Fort Wayne, Angola, Auburn, Kendallville, Richmond, Union City and Warsaw. Its mission is to provide uplifting and encouraging music that is safe for the whole family.

You can hear STAR 88.3 locally on 88.9 in Darke County or listen online at www.star883.com.

Foundation Awards Engineering Scholarships

Two Greenville High School graduates were awarded the Robert and Mary Beasecker Engineering Scholarship recently. The $5,000.00 award is made annually to a Greenville student who plans to attend college in pursuit of a degree in an engineering field. This year, two scholarships were awarded: one to Tyler Beyke, who will attend Trine University studying civil engineering, and the second to Mason Wykes who will study mechanical engineering at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The Greenville Schools Foundation administers the program established as a memorial to the late Robert and Mary Beasecker. Mr. Beasecker was an engineer and retired as an engineering supervisor for General Motors in 1981.

Foundation Suggests Gifts for Grads

The Wave Way plaza in front of Greenville High School is full of bricks imprinted with names of graduates from every year.

Your graduate can be part of Greenville history, and their name will become part of the plaza for generations to come.

A brick measuring 4” x 8” is just $50.00, and larger sizes are available as well. A commemorative brick makes a terrific, one of a kind graduation gift.

Call Dianne at 548-9895 to talk about ordering yours.

Confidently Buy Poultry Days Chicken

The Poultry Days board is committing to sell chicken or provide a full refund. In the unfortunate event that restrictions prevent the sale of chicken, all pre-sale bulk orders will be 100% refundable. There will not be refunds if chicken sales are conducted the weekend of August 14th.

For 2020, bulk chicken can be purchased online at versaillespoultrydays.com. Chicken will be sold in coolers of 20 halves for $130. After placing your order online, present your receipt in the walk-thru or drive-thru chicken lines to receive your chicken. All orders for bulk chicken must be placed by July 27th.

Also NEW for 2020 the festival is offering a Business Lunch Special on Friday, August 14th. Purchase a minimum of two coolers of chicken and Poultry Days will deliver the chicken. Business Lunch Special chicken will be delivered by noon on August 14th within 25 miles of Versailles. This includes Greenville, Troy, Sidney, Minster, New Bremen and Piqua.

Poultry Days will be following all local and state guidance when assembling and distributing chicken dinners as it relates to the health and safety of our guests. Contact us at vpdchickenline@gmail.com with questions.

SHRINE NAMES LANGENDERFER 10TH ANNUAL ART SHOW JUDGE

MARIA STEIN, Ohio (May 28, 2020) – Tim Langenderfer has been named as the Maria Stein Shrine 10th Annual Art Show & Sale judge. After earning a BFA from Ohio University in 1984, Tim began his artistic career as an illustrator at a Dayton commercial art studio. In 1989, he began his freelance career creating illustration art for clients such as Anheuser Busch, Bath and Body Works, Coca-Cola, Dell, IBM, Procter & Gamble, and Delta Airlines. Under the pseudonym, Tim Stout, he illustrated for the Chicago Tribune, Forbes, Golf Magazine, and other national publications.

As an adjunct professor at the University of Dayton for over twenty years, Tim taught illustration, drawing, advanced figure drawing and designed a new pilot class, Anatomy Drawing for Pre-Med Students. Tim began a second career teaching at Lehman Catholic High School in Sidney, Ohio. “Seeing the excitement expressed by a student who has developed a skill that they previously weren’t sure of has been fulfilling in a way I had not imagined” he stated.

Tim is the current artist-in-residence at the Museum of Spiritual Art in Franklin, Ohio and is the founding Director of the MOSA Academy of Art. The Academy provides skilled-based art instruction for high school students, art educators and adults.

Tim’s work is included in the collections of The Athenaeum of Ohio, Coca-Cola Co., Christendom College, The Diocese of Covington, General Electric, The Museum of Spiritual Art, and the University of Dayton.

The 2020 Maria Stein Art Show & Sale will be held June 26 – July 17 in the Gast Gallery, located on the second-floor of the Shrine and online. Each year 25-30 artists submit their original artwork for display and judging. Artwork is judged on specific criteria and applicants have the opportunity to win monetary prizes. The 2019 Best of Show was awarded to Phil Wood from Ft. Recovery.

The Shrine is grateful for the support of local businesses and donors who sponsor the event each year. For information regarding sponsorship opportunities, contact Diana Russell at 419-925-4532 or d.russell@mariasteinshrine.org.

The Maria Stein Shrine of the Holy Relics provides faith nourishment and spiritual renewal through opportunities for prayer and pilgrimage and inspiration from the lives of the saints. People from around the world visit the shrine to explore and enjoy this environment rich in holiness and history. The Shrine is located at 2291 St. John’s Rd. in Maria Stein. For more event information, visit www.mariasteinshrine.org.

Summer Reading at the Library

Julie Kennett and Joanna Brown display the first batch of “Story Time To Go” Kits to be picked up at the Library.

Even though the Greenville Public Library building is still closed at this time, the Children's Department is hosting a Summer Reading Program called “Imagine Your Story.” The program will begin June 1st and end August 14th:

Julie Kennet explains ”Children can register online, and we will send them a reading log to complete throughout the summer and return to the Library. Completed reading logs will go in to a drawing for prizes at the end of the program.

“During the summer we plan to post an online story each Monday through Friday with such titles as Mo Willems, Totally Buggy, Wild about Reading, and Fractured Fairy Tales. Patrons who comment on the online videos will be entered to win weekly Summer Reading Prizes.

“In addition to the online story times, we will offer 2-3 fun, online videos from some of our Family Fun Day performers (to be announced). We will also offer “Story Time To Go” kits for families to enjoy books and a craft at home. Kits can be requested by calling the Library.

“Kits that we have prepared in our first batch include: Barns, Bears, Chickens, Clifford, Cowboys, Cowgirls, Cows, Crows, Dogs, Ducks, Eggs, Elephant and Piggie, Elephants, Fireflies, Fish, Freight Train, Frogs, Gorillas, Grover, Hats, Hedgehogs, Hippos, Hot Air Balloons, Ice Cream, Karma Wilson, Lady Bugs, Lions, Mice, Monsters, Music, Nighttime, Pete the Cat, Pigs, Polar Bears, Raccoons, Roosters, Sharks, Squirrels, Swimming, Trucks, Turtles, and Wolves.”

The Library continues with curbside pickup and other services by appointment. Call 937-548-3915 and let us know what you need. To better serve our patrons our hours starting June 1 are 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. five days a week.

Darke County Parks to Hold Virtual Summer Camp

The Darke County Parks’ naturalists have been hard at work exploring new ways to offer educational opportunities that adhere to social distancing guidelines. This spring, many educational videos were featured on the Darke County Parks’ Facebook page as well as Youtube.

Now, naturalists are transitioning into summer camp season. While originally scheduled summer camps were cancelled due to the virus, DCP is offering a unique summer camp this year, “Outside the Box”. Since current situations due to COVID-19 concerns do not allow us to gather, we will bring summer camp to you!

Here's how it will work:

1. Each "OUTSIDE-the-Box" camp will feature 5 days of activities, with most, if not all, supplies provided.
2. First day of camp, swing by the Nature Center at Shawnee Prairie to pick up your supply box. (If you are unable to pick up your supply box, click the box at registration and we'll drop it off at your address!)
3. Each day's activities will feature a special camp-only Youtube video link featuring one of the Parks' naturalists leading your camper on the day's activities. You can do camp activities any time of day that works for your family!
4. On Friday of camp week, we will host a web-stream (zoom-style) for all campers to join the group and share what they discovered with all Parks' Naturalists and we will do a final activity with everyone on the stream!

To register your child for “Outside the Box” summer camp, visit www.darkecountyparks.org/programs or call the nature center at 937-548-0165.

Annie’s Got You Covered

Sharre Grubb models the unique Annie Oakley mask.

Look closely at the masks from Garst Museum; they are truly unique! They are made from custom-designed fabric featuring the portrait of Annie Oakley. These distinctive masks are available exclusively at the Garst Museum Store. The store is presently taking online orders through the website at www.garstmuseum.org/museum-store and shipping to customers. Garst Museum is preparing to reopen soon and will then offer the masks in the Museum Store in addition to online availability. Be stylish and safe!

Behind these masks, you will see the eyes and hearts of generous people. Sharre Grubb has made and donated over 500 masks to Garst Museum, Reid Health, Darke County General Health District, and Tri-Village Rescue; Lorri Vo assisted her in cutting the fabric for these one-of-a-kind Annie Oakley masks; and a loyal patron donated the fabric to the museum. The Coronavirus has presented all of us with challenges to maintain the lifestyles we embrace, but Sharre with her $50 sewing machine and the Annie Oakley Center Foundation are making that just a little easier–and adding pizazz to the mix.

Community Grant Applications Available

Local non-profit organizations that serve Darke County residents are invited to apply for grants from the Darke County Foundation. Approximately 30 organizations will be selected to receive a total of $40,000 in grants. Organizations must be qualified tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)3 or equivalent. Applications must be completed online at www.darkecountyfoundation.org/grantinfo. Deadline to apply is June 30, 2020.

Organizations, schools, or churches that provide the following programs or services in Darke County are encouraged to apply:

• Social service and stability
• Health and well-being
• Arts education and enrichment (music, visual arts, theater, etc.)
• Agricultural-environmental awareness, or water and soil conservation
• General education for youth or adults
• Community beautification
• Recreation and sports
• Religious
• Animal welfare

Grant payments will be made in August. The Darke County Foundation is a community foundation dedicated to improving the lives of Darke County residents by receiving, managing and distributing charitable gifts. For more information, call 548-4673, e-mail dcf@darkecountyfoundation.org, or visit www.darkecountyfoundation.org.

Arcanum Public Library opens

After a couple of months of being closed, the APL is open for patrons to come in a grab a great book, movie, board game, or Stem Kit to take home. The library’s hours are Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m., Fridays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Patrons are not required to wear masks, but the number allowed in at one time will be limited. Staff members will be wearing masks, and sanitizing items and surfaces frequently.

The library is now offering a pick-up service for anyone uncomfortable going inside. Just phone with your wish list and staff will have it available for drive up service a bit later. Call for details or to reserve reading material at 937-692-8484.

The library is pleased to announce it will still host the Summer Reading Program for patrons young and old. This year’s theme is “Imagine Your Story”, and the official start of the program is Monday, June 1st. There will unfortunately not be any in-library activities for the month of June, and the programming for July will be determined at a later date. There are still prizes to be earned, and take-home activities available. Registration can be done at the library or over the phone.

The APL wants to remind the community we still have plenty of seeds available in the Ivy Ester Seed Vault. There are seeds for flowers, herbs, and veggies for patrons to take home. There is no charge for the seeds, but will need to be checked out using a library card.

The annual book sale has been moved to coincide with Old Fashioned Days to be held this year in October. Exact dates for the book sale will be determined at a later date.

The library can be reached at 937-692-8484, found on Facebook and Twitter, and its website is at www.arcanumpubliclibrary.org.

Curbside Service at Greenville Public Library

The Greenville Public Library has started curbside pickup. Our hours will return to normal with the phone lines open from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. The Library building itself is still closed to the public until further notice.

The services we have been offering by appointment are still in place: printing tax forms, copying/faxing, general answers to questions, help with technical problems done over the phone, and use of a computer for unemployment or job related issues only.

The outside bookdrop is open every day so please return your books and materials to the bookdrop. The bookdrop is emptied every morning and the items placed into a 72-hour quarantine before being shelved. This is the time required for any Covid-19 contamination to die off.

Curbside pickup will allow patrons to check out books, DVDs, and magazines over the phone. A patron can call and request 10 specific items at a time with a limit of six movies. Please browse our online catalog for more information. The Library will call patrons when their items are ready in order to arrange a delivery date and time.

When coming for pickup, please park in the diagonal parking spaces on Fifth Street along the sidewalk and call the Library upon arrival. Someone will then bring your items to your car in a plastic bag. We will not be scheduling pickups after 7:00 pm. The Library thanks its patrons for their patience and cooperation!

FREE DOCUMENT SHRED DAY

On Saturday, June 6, 2020, the Darke County Solid Waste District will partner with Mercer Savings Bank to hold a “FREE” County Shred Day. This event will allow you to help protect you and your family from identity theft.

What is Identity Theft? Identity Theft is a crime in which an impostor obtains key pieces of personal identifying information (PII) such as Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers and uses them for their own personal gain. It can start with lost or stolen wallets, pilfered mail, a data breach, computer virus, phishing, a scam, or paper documents thrown out by you or a business. This crime varies widely, and can include check fraud, credit card fraud, financial identity theft, criminal identity theft, governmental identity theft, and identity fraud.

What should you shred? Old taxes, bank statements, pay stubs, checkbooks, insurance policy info, medical information, legal files, utility bills, credit card statements, receipts, invoices, pre-approved credit card offers, investment records, etc.

The shred hours of operation will be from 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon. This event will be held at the Darke County Fairgrounds located at 800 Sweitzer St., Greenville. Please enter at the gate (gate 2) closest to Wayne Healthcare. Pre-registration is NOT required for this event. Because this is a FREE event, each household or business will be limited to 10--1 cu. ft. boxes. All documents will be shredded on-site. A certificate of destruction is available upon request. PLEASE REMAIN IN YOUR VEHICLE!!!

For more information or questions concerning the County Shred Day, contact Krista or Melissa at the Darke County Solid Waste District, 937-547-0827.

Darke County Republican Women’s Club donates to Senior Shut-In Initiative

Republican women find way to remain active

Darke County Republican Women’s Club Treasurer Cindy Pike presents
a check from the Club to Josh Welker, Outreach Pastor at EUM Church.

GREENVILLE, OHIO – The Darke County Republican Women’s Club (DCRWC) recently donated funds to help support the local Senior Shut-In Initiative.

The club usually meets monthly and holds public service programs as well as supporting Republican candidates and causes. With the current health orders in place that has been impossible. However, the club voted electronically to approve a donation to the Senior Shut-In Imitative which delivers meals to shut-in seniors during the shelter-in-place order in Darke County.

“The corona virus has impacted our club’s ability to hold meetings and carry out other regular activities. By donating to this great community service, the club was able to continue its support of the community. This gave us an opportunity to remain active in a new way.” said Betty Hill, DCRWC President.

DCRWC is a political group founded to provide political education and legislative information; provide a wider knowledge of the principles of the Republican Party; increase the number of registered Republicans; recruit, promote, and support qualified Republican women for political office; give exposure to and work actively for all Republican candidates; and lend support to the activities of other Republican organizations. The DCRWC is a multi-generational, multi-cultural organization providing the structure and support for political activists to learn, engage, and flourish. The Club is chartered by the National Federation of Republican Women and is a member of the Ohio Federation of Republican Women. For more information, visit: http://www.darkegop.org/womens-club.html or email President Betty Hill at: DCRWPresident@darkegop.org.

Ohio Hunters Enjoy Spring Wild Turkey Season

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hunters checked 17,891 wild turkeys during Ohio’s 2020 spring hunting season, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. In 2019, hunters harvested 19,168 wild turkeys during the same time.

“Hunting wild turkeys is one of the most cherished and challenging activities for outdoor recreation in Ohio,” said Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. “Our wild turkey population remains strong thanks to the generous support of hunters and many others who contribute to conservation in the Buckeye State.”

The top 10 counties for wild turkey harvest during the 2020 spring hunting season include: Belmont (533), Monroe (532), Tuscarawas (528), Guernsey (508), Meigs (503), Muskingum (499), Washington (484), Harrison (458), Coshocton (450) and Ashtabula (449).

Young hunters harvested 1,843 wild turkeys during Ohio’s youth season on April 18-19. The youth season results are included in the final harvest tally.

The state has two zones for spring wild turkey hunting: the south zone and the northeast zone. The northeast zone includes Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Trumbull counties, while the south zone covers the rest of the state. South zone hunting ended May 17. Northeast zone hunting ended May 31.

The spring turkey season bag limit was two bearded wild turkeys. Hunters could harvest one bearded turkey per day. All hunters were required to check in their harvest using the game-check system. A turkey could be harvested with a shotgun or archery equipment.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife began an extensive program in the 1950s to reintroduce wild turkeys to the Buckeye State. Ohio’s first modern day wild turkey season opened in 1966 in nine counties, and hunters checked 12 birds. The total number of harvested turkeys topped 1,000 for the first time in 1984. Turkey hunting was opened statewide in 2000. The record Ohio wild turkey harvest was in 2001, when hunters checked 26,156 birds.

Note: A county list of all wild turkeys checked by hunters during the 2020 spring and youth hunting seasons are shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for 2020, and the 2019 numbers are in parentheses. Harvest numbers below are raw data and subject to change.

Adams: 421 (424); Allen: 79 (74); Ashland: 170 (217); Ashtabula: 449 (558); Athens: 379 (464); Auglaize: 54 (42); Belmont: 533 (567); Brown: 433 (413); Butler: 237 (190); Carroll: 368 (386); Champaign: 106 (97); Clark: 17 (17); Clermont: 367 (337); Clinton: 92 (74); Columbiana: 395 (327); Coshocton: 450 (554); Crawford: 59 (67); Cuyahoga: 7 (8); Darke: 68 (61); Defiance: 244 (197); Delaware: 127 (115); Erie: 41 (51); Fairfield: 115 (118); Fayette: 17 (13); Franklin: 21 (21); Fulton: 118 (117); Gallia: 398 (402); Geauga: 213 (259); Greene: 22 (26); Guernsey: 508 (530); Hamilton: 147 (108); Hancock: 48 (34); Hardin: 103 (95); Harrison: 458 (477); Henry: 56 (63); Highland: 412 (390); Hocking: 271 (280); Holmes: 241 (283); Huron: 112 (118); Jackson: 351 (395); Jefferson: 412 (417); Knox: 317 (349); Lake: 70 (73); Lawrence: 228 (237); Licking: 319 (365); Logan: 116 (113); Lorain: 141 (141); Lucas: 54 (69); Madison: 11 (10); Mahoning: 198 (186); Marion: 46 (30); Medina: 118 (148); Meigs: 503 (555); Mercer: 30 (17); Miami: 29 (24); Monroe: 532 (654); Montgomery: 28 (27); Morgan: 322 (400); Morrow: 146 (142); Muskingum: 499 (589); Noble: 399 (488); Ottawa: 1 (5); Paulding: 75 (70); Perry: 283 (309); Pickaway: 33 (23); Pike: 197 (241); Portage: 248 (259); Preble: 125 (136); Putnam: 61 (65); Richland: 221 (318); Ross: 334 (295); Sandusky: 23 (19); Scioto: 272 (288); Seneca: 108 (154); Shelby: 39 (38); Stark: 270 (299); Summit: 79 (80); Trumbull: 378 (431); Tuscarawas: 528 (570); Union: 48 (58); Van Wert: 22 (20); Vinton: 294 (331); Warren: 110 (102); Washington: 484 (595); Wayne: 123 (126); Williams: 192 (228); Wood: 31 (21); Wyandot: 87 (84).

2020 total: 17,891.
2019 total: (19,168).

Ohio’s 2020-2021 Hunting Seasons Approved by Wildlife Council

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Hunting dates and bag limits for seasons that begin in September 2020 were approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council on Wednesday, May 13, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

“Ohio’s hunting and trapping seasons are developed by wildlife biologists, combining public input with the best science available,” said Division of Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker. “Our population safeguards are designed to support the important activities of hunting and trapping, while sustaining Ohio’s wildlife. The Buckeye State has some of the best hunting opportunities in the nation, and we are proud to continue serving all Ohioans.”

Ohio’s white-tailed deer hunting seasons for 2020-2021:

• Deer archery: Sept. 26, 2020-Feb. 7, 2021
• Youth deer gun: Nov. 21-22, 2020
• Deer gun: Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2020; Dec. 19-20, 2020
•  Deer muzzleloader: Jan 2-5, 2021

Some 2020-2021 county bag limits have changed in response to deer hunter and farmer surveys. The statewide deer bag limit remains at six deer, only one of which may be antlered, and a hunter cannot exceed a county bag limit.

Small game and furbearer hunting is now open during the seven-day deer gun season, Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2020. All hunters (except waterfowl hunters) are required to wear hunter orange clothing during these seven days. Keeping small game and furbearer seasons open provides consistency and more hunting opportunities. Also, Lake La Su An Wildlife Area in Williams County is now exempt from the antlerless deer restrictions enacted on public lands following the weeklong gun season. This is because of the proximity of Lake La Su An to the Chronic Wasting Disease-positive area in Michigan.

New regulations approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council on for the upcoming hunting seasons:

• The 2021 spring turkey season begins on Saturday rather than Monday in both the south zone and northeast zone. This provides two extra weekend dates to hunt. The south zone opens Saturday, April 24, 2021, and the northeast zone opens Saturday, May 1, 2021.
• The 2021 youth wild turkey season dates are April 17-18, 2021, statewide.
• Quail hunting is closed on all state-owned and controlled public hunting areas, with the exception of Tri-Valley Wildlife Area and controlled hunts on Crown City Wildlife Area. The bag limit for quail hunting is reduced to two birds in 16 southern Ohio counties. This change is in response to the continued long-term reduction of Ohio’s quail population. Reduction of the daily bag limit provides for the opportunity to hunt this species, but reduces the potential impact to fragmented populations.
• Ruffed grouse hunting season is from Oct. 10 to Nov. 29, 2020, on state-owned and controlled public hunting areas, and from Oct. 10, 2020, to Jan. 1, 2021, on private land. The ruffed grouse bag limit has been reduced to one bird statewide. Ohio’s ruffed grouse population has experienced a long-term decline since the 1980s. Population declines and emerging disease concerns have prompted reduced hunting season dates and bag limits. Reduction of the season dates on public hunting areas provides the opportunity to hunt this species, while reducing the potential impact to fragmented populations.
• Members of the U.S. armed forces and veterans are permitted to hunt waterfowl for two days, Oct. 3-4, 2020, corresponding with the dates for the 2020 youth waterfowl season. The same bag limits during the regular season apply. This special season for U.S. armed forces and veterans has been made available within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service guidelines.
• Waterfowl season in the north zone begins one week later, on Oct. 24, 2020, to allow for more November hunting days in that zone.
• The bag limit for scaup has been reduced to one bird during the first 15 days of the season in each zone, and two birds during the last 45 days of the season in each zone.

The Ohio Wildlife Council is an eight-member board that approves all Division of Wildlife rule and regulation changes. The Ohio Wildlife Council voted on the proposed rules and season dates after considering public input.

The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.

2020 Annie Oakley/Cancer Association of Darke County Golf Tournament Cancelled

Ed Curry, Chairman of Annie Oakley/Cancer Association of Darke County Golf Tournament, announces that due to the Covid 19 Pandemic, the golf outing for July 20, 2020 has been canceled.

A big thanks to everyone who has supported the tournament in any way in the past and we look forward to next year!

Please mark your calendars for the 2021 outing which will be held July 19, 2021.

Ed Curry, Chairman
Annie Oakley Golf Tournament