Let the hunting begin!

By Dan Armitage

For many Ohio hunters, the fall fun is underway. Early September marks the start of Ohio’s 2026-27 hunting seasons, with squirrel and mourning dove opening on Sept. 1. Several waterfowl hunting seasons open on that Tuesday as well, when rail, gallinule (aka moorhen), and snipe become fair game. On Sept. 5, the early goose season and early teal seasons begin, continuing through Sept. 13 statewide.

Of all those, dove hunting is my favorite. Not only is it the first chance to hear my gun go “boom” at live game since spring turkey season, but it’s one of the few hunting experiences where it’s often “the more the merrier” when it comes to keeping the feathered targets on the move and in the air. The other group hunting I enjoy is gun season deer drives. I am first and foremost an archery hunter when it comes to whitetails, which begins Sept. 26, but there’s something about the group effort of a well-organized deer drive that I consider fun as heck.    

Free wing shoots

Speaking of wing shooting, the Seneca County chapter of Pheasants Forever is offering free clay shoots on the Tuesdays of Sept. 1 and Oct. 6. The shooting is open to adults and kids from 5-6 p.m., and shotgun shells in 12 and 20 gauges will be provided. The free shot will be held at the Sandusky River Coon Hunter grounds at 7575 S. Twp Road 135 in Tiffin. Call Don Hunter (!) at 567-278-1551 for details.

Latest fishing stats

The American Sportfishing Association’s (ASA) 2026 Special Report on Fishing reports that 57 million Americans, roughly 18% of the U.S. population, went fishing in 2025. While up nearly 25% from a decade ago, total participation is down from 57.9 million in 2024 — the first year-over-year decrease since 2021.

According to the report, catching fish was not the only reason Americans went fishing. They also fished to enjoy nature, escape everyday stress, and spend time with family and friends. Conversely, dissatisfaction with time on the water stemmed from crowded fishing spots and the discomfort of being outdoors, not catching fish, unclean waters, and the cost of gear.

While these barriers undoubtedly contribute to the decline in participation and high churn rate, the abrupt pause in early 2025 of federal funding authorized under the Dingell-Johnson Act’s National Outreach and Communications Program that supports introductory fishing programs, angler recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) campaigns, and fishing specific marketing efforts left many new or returning anglers without access to resources needed to get on the water.

Through fishing license sales and the excise tax on sportfishing equipment authorized by the previously mentioned Dingell-Johnson Act, anglers and boaters fund most fisheries conservation and waterways access efforts nationwide. Since 1950, Dingell-Johnson has generated more than $12 billion for fisheries conservation, and sportfishing manufacturers pay the 10% excise tax to support the resources the industry depends on.

Even with 2025’s setbacks, the opportunities for growth in recreational fishing are unmistakable. Millions of new anglers tried fishing for the first time in 2025; youth participation remains the strongest predictor of lifelong involvement, and Black, Hispanic, and female participation continued to grow.

Additional participation findings include:

-Total fishing outings grew by 3% to 918 million in 2025.

-3 million Americans tried fishing for the first time in 2025, representing 11% of total participants, up from 9% in 2024.

-6 million Americans ages 6 and over went freshwater fishing in 2025, holding steady for the fourth consecutive year.

-Saltwater fishing reached a record 15.5 million, up 400,000 from the year prior and the fourth consecutive record high.

-Fly fishing decreased slightly in 2025 to 7.9 million, still representing nearly 2 million more fly anglers vs. a decade earlier.

-Youth participation (ages 6-12) is down slightly in 2025; however, participation among ages 13-17 rose from 5.2 million to 5.4 million, and the participation rate ticked up from 24% to 25%.

-Nearly 6 million black Americans fished in 2025, the highest number since tracking began in 2007 and an increase of 400,000 from the prior year.

-Hispanic anglers doubled during the past decade, climbing from 3.4 million in 2015 to an all-time high of 6.9 million in 2025.

-Female participation dipped slightly in 2025 to 21.1 million; however, the long-term trajectory remains strong as female anglers grew by 5.4 million (a 34% increase) during the past decade.

Conservation honors

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recently honored 13 recipients for their achievements in conservation and protection of Ohio’s natural resources by inducting six people into the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame and awarding seven others with the Cardinal Award.

The Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame was created in 1966 to celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to protecting Ohio’s natural resources throughout their lifetime. With the recent inductions, the number of people presented with the honor is 206.

New Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame inductees are Terry Cosby, H. Thomas Bartlett, Pamela Dillon, Bill Frost, Frances Beasley, and Doug Gonzalez. The seven Ohioans who were presented with the Cardinal Award, created in 1971, are honored for demonstrating exceptional awareness and concern for ideals reflected in the department’s mission statement: To ensure a balance between the wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Nominations are made by ODNR staff.

Cardinal Award recipients have included outdoor writers, educators, farmers, biologists, naturalists, businesses, sporting organizations, and volunteers across the state of Ohio. The 2026 Cardinal Award honorees are: Friends of Scioto Brush Creek; Gene Kritsky and Brewster Rhoads of Cincinnati; David Klarer, of West Milan; Melinda Huntley, of Columbus; Jennifer Windus, of Mount Vernon; and Matt Misicka, of Plain City.

Thank you all for your award-worthy efforts!