DaytonDailyNews.com

Ohio's gun hunters have their final season to shoot deer, today through Sunday, but they'll have to put away their regular shotguns and handguns and use only muzzleloading rifles or shotguns.

"There certainly are still deer to be had out there," said Dave Kohler, district wildlife supervisor for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. "And since we had so much bad weather during the gun season, I think a lot of folks still don't have their deer this year, so they'll probably be out there this week."

Kohler pointed out that the muzzleloader season seems to grow more in popularity each year.

"There are some 400,000 hunters during the deer season," he said. "More and more of them start out hunting with a bow, switch to guns during the gun season and then pick up their muzzleloaders for this season. And coming right after Christmas, a number of people probably received new muzzleloaders as presents."

With the technology of muzzleloading equipment improving dramatically in recent years, black powder guns are easier to use and more accurate, which also adds to the popularity.

"This year we have two weekend days during the season, which should give people more chances to hunt," Kohler added. "Of course, as we well know, a lot depends on the weather."

The total number of whitetails taken so far this season stands at 185,402.

Hunters are allowed to continue using archery equipment during the muzzleloader season. Archery deer season continues through Feb. 3.

Grants available

The Ohio Division of Wildlife and the southwest Ohio chapter of Safari Club International have announced a grant program to assist with the processing costs associated with donating venison to food banks in Adams, Brown and Hamilton counties.

Venison donated to food banks must be processed by a state inspected and insured meat processor. Hunters can take venison to: Brush Creek Meats, 1425 Wheat Ridge Road, West Union, (937) 544-2592; Manning Packing Co., College Avenue, Sardinia, (937) 446-3278; White-Tail Deer Processing, 9200 Ohio 128, Miamitown, (513) 353-4714.

The grant must be matched with funds generated by the recipient organization. For more information, visit wildohio.com or sciswo.org.

Youth hunt slated

The Miami County chapter of Pheasants Forever and the division of wildlife will hold the fifth annual John D. Stull Memorial Youth/Mentor pheasant hunt on Feb. 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Stull Preserve, 7670 E. Widener Road, Miami County.

Activities include hunter education, sporting clays, bird hunting, field dressing and preparing the harvest.

The program will be limited to 50 hunters, 10-15 years old. Each must have a valid 2007-08 hunting license and be accompanied by a non-hunting adult.

The registration deadline is Feb. 1. Sign up by contacting Rob Blakey at (937) 335-3339 or robblakey@woh.rr.com.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2409 or jmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.