The offer covers all Ohio residents and includes every public lake and stream, including the Ohio portions of Lake Erie and the Ohio River. It’s the only weekend all year that does not require anyone 16 or older to obtain a fishing license.
At the same time, Ohio State Parks is offering a camping discount Saturday and Sunday of 20 percent at all campgrounds. Visit parks.ohiodnr.gov/discounts. For more information on the free fishing weekend, visit wildohio.gov or call (800) WILDLIFE.
River fishing
The National Association of Professional River Anglers will be starting its 11th season Saturday as more than 50 anglers will compete in six divisions, looking for a shot at qualifying for the national championship of river angling in October in Troy. NAPRA, based in Dayton, is looking for new members and sponsors. If river angling is your style of fishing and you love the idea of a competitive format, contact CEO Pete Ziehler at (937) 307-8732 or see naprafish@yahoo.com for details. The group’s Website is napraprowading.com
Bees benefit
Having a son-in-law who is into beekeeping, I have become interested in the plight of the honey bee in North America. And at this point, it’s not all that good. That’s why the following item caught my eye:
“WASHINGTON– Center for Food Safety (CFS) celebrates Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio for becoming a designated neonicotinoid-free campus. This recognition comes from the BEE Protective Campaign, a program led by Center for Food Safety and Beyond Pesticides which aims to protect bees and other pollinators from harmful pesticides …..”
Way to go, Antioch! Bee-utiful!
Deer regulations approved
The Ohio Wildlife council has approved dates for the 2016-17 deer hunting season with a couple of changes. Here’s the new deer season schedule: Archery, Sept. 24-Feb. 5; Youth gun, Nov. 19-20; Gun, Nov. 28-Dec. 4 and Dec. 17-18; Muzzleloader, Jan. 7-10.
County bag limits will remain the same. The statewide bag limit remains at six deer, only one deer may be antlered and a hunter cannot exceed a county bag limit. For more information, visit wildohio.gov.
A sky eye
Here’s a little different use for drones: The Lindbergh Foundation’s Air Shepherd program uses drones to protect rhinos, elephants and other animals in Africa. The drones have patrols day and night in areas known for illegal poaching activities.
Once poachers are spotted on screens in the operation vehicles, rangers are sent to the area to intercept them. Reports show that when Air Shepherd drones are flying, poaching stops.
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