SPORTS

US, Canada working to preserve Great Lakes

Dick Martin
Winter sunset on lake Erie, Erie PA

Hopefully, our treasured Great Lakes will be noticeably more pristine, thanks to an agreement entered into by the U.S. EPA and Canada’s Environment and Climate Change Agency. The two countries agreed to target a new list of "chemicals of mutual concern" to protect public health and the environment in the Great Lakes Region. The chemical reductions will protect the public and the water quality of the region. What chemicals? They’re real jaw breakers: Perfluoroctranoic Acid, Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Mercury among others.

Lake sturgeon to return to Maumee

Is the Division of Wildlife planning to stock “Dinosaurs of the Deep?”  Yes, indeed. The DOW, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the University of Toledo are planning to plant lake sturgeon in the Maumee River soon. The lake sturgeon is a prehistoric fish that swam when dinosaurs often shared its waters and have changed little since those days. This ancient fish with its bony plates was once common in the Great Lakes and various rivers, growing to a length of 6 feet or larger and living up to 80 years, even more. Its eggs were once consumed as caviar, and the meat was tasty when smoked, so much so that commercial fishing nearly destroyed the population. Sturgeon are occasionally caught on hook and line in states where they still exist. Can you imagine fighting a fish of six feet or better?

Lottery started for teal hunting

It may seem like a long time before the fall hunting seasons, but hunters interested in hunting Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area on the opening day of  teal season and Labor Day are being asked now to enter the online lottery. The application period opened June 1 and runs through July 31. Adults may apply for morning hunts being held each day. Hunters younger than 18 at the time of application may apply for special youth hunts being held each afternoon. Successful applicants will receive notification in the mail by late August instructing them how to print their hunt permits from the website. To apply for the controlled hunts, gunners may use the Wild Ohio Customer Center at wildohio.gov or call 800-WILDLIFE. There is a nonrefundable application fee of $3 per hunt.

Take a hike and check out the trails

Hikers and nature lovers are invited to join Ohio State Nature Preserves hikes during June to highlight Ohio’s excellent trail system. Among the hikes is a Showy Lady's Slipper Hike (registration only) from 10 a.m. to noon June 18 at Gott Fen State Nature Preserve. To register, call Adam Wohlever at 330-527-5118. Then there’s a Play in Nature Hike from 2 to 3:30 p.m. June 19 at Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve. Meet at the Nature Center and RSVP by calling 440-257-0777. Finally, comes a Butterfly Count at Shawnee State Park. You can see good numbers of the beautiful little creatures from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26. Meet at the lodge parking lot for the North American Butterfly Association’s 24th annual count.

Film discusses importance of traditions

Duck hunters should enjoy a new Ducks Unlimited film about passing on waterfowling traditions. The film, DU’s newest online film, “Big Sky,” can be seen at www.ducks.org/dufilms. The film visits the Pierce family in Montana, where they are passing on waterfowling and conservation traditions through four generations.

Ohio, where trees matter

Some readers might think Ohio is losing its trees through urban sprawl and timbering, but most experts say there are more trees in the state today then there were 100 years ago. In fact, Ohio is No. 1 in the nation for Tree City USA communities, a total of 241 participating cities. As part of the program, Ohioans last year planted more than 28,000 trees, pruned more than 87,000, volunteered more than 56,000 hours in their urban forestry programs, and invested nearly $45 million toward urban forestry efforts.

Dick Martin is a retired biology teacher who has been writing outdoor columns for 30 years.  You can reach him at richmart@neo.rr.com.