A couple of years ago, I launched my little 14-foot fishing boat at Cowan Lake. When I did, I knew the restrictions.

Cowan, located just outside of Wilmington, is a 9.9 horsepower lake. Motors 10 HP and larger are not allowed on lake. You can have a larger motor on your boat, but you aren’t allowed to propel the boat with it. So many folks with big bass boats and the like hoist their big outboards and use a 9.9 kicker to get around the lake.

My problem was this: it was a small boat and only had a 30 HP motor. No kicker. I just figured I could get around the lake on my electric trolling motor.

That was fine after I left the ramp at the marina to travel to a good fishing spot I knew about on the other side of the lake. I definitely had enough juice in the battery to get there and back.

But there was something I didn’t think about: the wind. The wind kicked up a couple of hours into the trip, so my buddy and I decided to head back. Try heading directly into the wind with two big guys in a boat and see how long that battery lasts. It didn’t. My only recourse: start up the motor and cruise in.

Yes, that was illegal, but we didn’t abuse it. We kept it at idle speed all the way.

Now — finally — the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is considering a new regulation for Cowan Lake, using big motors, but only at idle speed.

“This would be an important move for the future of Cowan Lake,” said Tom Taylor, operator of South Shore Marina. “People stay away from this lake and go to other lakes because they don’t have 9.9 motors. We have to have more people coming in here for the economy to survive.”

A public hearing will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. on Dec. 12 at the Moyer Community Room, located at 69 N. South St., Wilmington.

Deer numbers skyrocket

Ohio hunters have killed 64 percent more deer than last year, thanks in part to a boost from the weather.

Opening day of the gun season, Nov. 26, saw hunters take 29,297, compared to last year’s opening day total of 23,600, a 24 percent increase. This year’s weather was cool and clear. Last year rain messed it up.

Add that to the archery totals for the first 60 days of the deer season and hunters have taken 127,918 this year, compared to 78,205 for the same time period in 2011.

The extra weekend of the gun season will be Dec. 15-16. For more information, visit wildohio.com or call (800) WILDLIFE.

Turkey take down

Hunters killed 1,338 wild turkeys during Ohio’s 2012 fall season which ended Nov. 25.

This year’s total is a 2.5 percent decline from 2011, when hunters bagged 1,372.

Prior to the start of this fall’s hunting season, Ohio’s wild turkey population was approximately 180,000. More than 17,000 hunters participated.