From Fields to Streams
Wild Ohio Magazine
ODNR Division of Wildlife produces a quarterly magazine that I'm certain you will find interesting. Wild Ohio is full of information about Ohio's wildlife, educational opportunities, places to go, grants, scholarships, stuff to read, borrow, and more!
Click here to view the most recent copies of the wildlife magazine.
Subscriptions to the magazine are free by sending your request to:
River Copy and Mail
4483 Industrial Parkway
Cleveland, Ohio 44135
Wild Ohio Magazine is now available to you as a flipable, browseable online resource. You will find the options to zoom into page sections or to use an electronic magnifying glass for easier reading. In addition, you can click on links embedded within the text, now made live through this resource.
Check it out at http://www.flipseekllc.com/wildohio2008summer.html
Ohio NASP Students Hit The Bullseye...Again!
For the third year in a row, Maysville High School in Muskingum County earned first-place overall team honors, as well as numerous individual awards, at the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) state tournament.
The tournament was held March 6 in Columbus in conjunction with the Arnold Sports Festival, spearheaded by California Governor Arnold Schwarzeneger, who made a surprise visit during the event to address the crowd of archers and fans again during the awards ceremony.
More than 800 students from 34 teams participated in the state tournament. Each competitor could score a maximum of 300 points by shooting arrows as close to the center of a target as possible. Awards were given for both teams and individuals who competed well in the elementary, middle, and high school divisions. Twenty-six Ohio teams received qualifying scores, making them eligible to attend the NASP National Invitational Tournament, scheduled for May 8 and 9 in Kentucky. Complete details and all the team and individual scores can be found by going to Ohio's NASP website.
NASP teaches target archery right in the school gym. The curriculum covers archery, safety, equipment, technique, concentration skills, and self-improvement. The National Archery in the schools Program was first introduced in Ohio in 2004 to 17 schools. As a result of over 100 schools that sent their P.E. Instructor's through the training program in 2008, there are now more than 300 schools participating in the program!
Educators participating in the program are quick to point out how NASP has provided a new and very effective way to engage and teach their students. Always under the teacher's guidance, students learn how to properly and accurately shoot at bulls-eye targets placed in front of an arrow-resistant net. The equipment that is used is state-of-the art (Matthews Genesis bow) and most importantly, is designed to fit every student regardless of their strength or stature.
Teachers, as well as parents of students, continue to praise the program for all its many benefits, in particular school attendance, student behavior, and scholastic improvement. Though "after school" extra-curricular activity is not a requirement, most students express an interest in taking the next step, that being participation in organized competition.
The standard archery kit a school typically starts out with includes 12 bows (10 right handed, 2 left-handed), 5 dozen arrows, 5 targets, 1 arrow curtain, 1 repair kit, and 1 bow rack. These kits typically run about $6,000, however through the program they can be purchased by schools for around $2,800 to $3,100, dependant upon which targets, bow hanging units, and other equipment is selected. With grants that are available, fund raising ideas, and donations from local conservation clubs and businesses, the overall cost to the school can be significantly offset.
More information about the program can be found by visiting the NASP section on the ODNR Division of Wildlife website, or by contacting Kevin Dixon, the Shooting Sports Coordinator with the ODNR Division of Wildlife at (614) 265-6334.
Wildlife Bits And Pieces
Proper approach to handling certain wildlife issues - Seeing that there are some species of wildlife that are federally protected (eagles, hawks, certain woodpeckers, owls, etc.), landowners are cautioned that they need to contact the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for recommendations and assistance. One of their Wildlife Specialist's can be reached at 419-625-9093.
Picking up dead animals along the road - It is technically against the law to obtain animals, deer and otherwise, outside of regulated methods (hunting/trapping). For questionable situations, contact the county Wildlife Officer. In Erie County the Wildlife Officer is Kevin Good and he can be reached at 419-429-8382.
Secret Lives of Small Animals -There are approximately 54 species of mammals in Ohio. The big ones get all the press, but it's the little ones that dominate the landscape. Thirty-three of those on the list are less than 12 inches long; many are much smaller than that. The list of little mammals includes our mice, voles, shrews, bats, a couple of squirrels, and a weasel. Many are common, but getting to know them can be a challenge.
Log on to the American Society of Mammalogists and then click on "About Mammals." From there, you can click on "state by state lists" for a look at a list of mammals for Ohio. From the home page you can also choose "publications", and download species accounts in PDF format.
Ten things you can do for wildlife click here (PDF, 60KB).
