What you are seeing are fallow deer, a native of Europe. They are non-native to Ohio.
A number of fallow deer escaped from a propagator in Warren County and are now mixing in with whitetails in Warren and Clinton. The Ohio Division of Wildlife wants them taken out, so hunters are encouraged to kill them. If allowed to spread, the species will compete with native animals for food and possibly spread disease. Apparently there is no threat of fallow deer breeding with whitetails.
You can recognize a fallow deer by its brown coat with irregular white spots. The most distinctive feature of the fallow deer is the male’s antlers. They resemble a hand with widespread fingers pointing backwards.
There is no bag limit or season on fallow deer, but you do need a hunting license to kill them. And if you do, you must report your kill to the local wildlife officer or to the Xenia office of the Division of Wildlife at (937) 372-9261.
Paddle price increases
The price is going up for the registration of non-motorized watercraft in Ohio. All registrations expiring March 1, 2010, will cost $5 more for the next three-year registration.
The increase will fund maintenance and upgrades of non-motorized boat access.
No changes have been made for motorized watercraft. The fee hike only affects canoes, kayaks, non-motorized sail boats, rowboats and inflatable boats.
In addition to maintaining access points, the income will help fund management of the Ohio Water Trails and Ohio Scenic Rivers programs.
The registration for non-motorized watercraft will be $17. Alternative registration decals will be $22. The new fees do not include the standard writing fee of $3 received by watercraft registration agents.
Trails get boost
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, which administers the Clean Ohio Trails Fund, recently approved $6.25 million in grant proposals for trail projects across the state, including four in the Miami Valley.
“The Clean Ohio Trails Fund helps build and maintain infrastructure that allows communities to conveniently connect to nature,” said ODNR Director Sean Logan. “The investments help facilitate travel, enhance educational opportunities and provide safe, scenic areas where Ohioans can hike, bike or run and build healthy lifestyles.”
Communities are required to provide a 25 percent investment for each project. The area projects are:
Urbana: Develop 1.25 miles of trail, bridge deck and repair on bridge as phase 1 of the extension of the Simon Kenton Trail; grant $444,500; total project cost: $592,673.
Darke County Park District: Develop a 10-foot wide, 2 miles asphalt-concrete surface trail, with 4-foot berms; trail will start in Greenville and head east to Miami County; grant $188,000; TPC $250,667.
Mercer County Franklin Twp.: Purchase of 2.5 acres of land and the development of a 10-foot wide asphalt trail extension from Strasburg Park to Kozy Camp Ground off It's It Road; grant: $195,000; TPC $260,000.
Celina: Westbank Trail construction of 3,025 linear feet of lakefront trail. Concrete surface and 12-foot grass filter strip for runoff before entering the lake; grant $250,000; TPC $1,395,807.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2409 or jmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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