Outdoors: Bill headed to Senate over feral swine

It appears there might be a potential game animal coming off the hit list in Ohio.

Though feral swine are already noted in the 2024-25 Ohio Hunting and Trapping digest effective Sept. 1 in between coyote and groundhogs with “no closed season,” representatives passed House Bill 503 that outlaws hunting of feral swine and bans their import into Ohio.

The Ohio DNR did not immediately return an email as to how the discrepancy would be handled if the bill becomes law.

According to the proposal, now headed to the Senate, it also “puts to end the risky practice of garbage feeding swine” and allowing of garbage-fed swine to be let into the state. Feeding garbage to swine can attract feral hogs.

“These nuisances are known carriers of diseases that are dangerous to both humans and livestock, such as African swine fever,” said Bob Peterson (R., Sabina), one of the bill’s primary sponsors, in a House news release last month. If feral swine overwhelm the Buckeye State and bring disease like in other states, it could cost Ohio $2.5 billion.

Landowners and an agent of the landowner would be allowed to eradicate the feral swine without a hunting license under the proposal but it would need to be reported to the Ohio DNR within 24 hours. They would be required to dispose the carcass according to instructions and any testing deemed necessary by the DNR.

The legislation also requires anyone seeing a feral swine on public or private property to report it to the DNR within 24 hours as well.

Penalties for violating any of the provisions regarding feral swine range from a first-degree misdemeanor to a fifth-degree felony for importing, possessing, or transporting feral swine. A civil penalty of $500 may be assessed for garbage-feeding swine and up to $1,000 for additional violations.

Rep. Don Jones (R., Freeport) was another one of the bill’s sponsors. The Senate will next hear the proposal when it returns to Columbus after the Nov. 5 election.

Feral hog populations have devastated other states’ agriculture, such as Texas, where a study released by Texas A&M in 2020 estimated they cause $52 million in damages per year.

LAND ACCESS PROGRAM: Landowners interested in participating in the Ohio Landowner-Hunter Access Partnership can do so until July 15, according to a Ohio DNR news release.

By joining the program, landowners are eligible to receive annual payments of $2 per acre for crop land and up to $30 per acre for perennial wildlife habitats of grasslands, wetlands, and forests.

Once lands are enrolled, hunters may access the properties from September until June through a free daily access pass, which are doled out on a first-come, first-served basis. Rule booklets are provided and landowners are notified when hunters will be on their property. Most activities are allowed by the program, except for white-tailed deer gun hunting and trapping, according to the release.

For all the details and permits, go to wildohio.gov .

● The Ohio and Michigan DNRs are looking for help from people who see wild turkeys to report their findings in the next two months.

In the Great Lakes State, people are asked to note the hens and their young through the annual brood survey.

According to a news release, the seven short questions will allow wildlife officials “to better understand how turkey populations are doing in Michigan.” The study is being held in conjunction with other states.

To take the survey, go to michigan.gov . The survey is being kept in cooperation with the National Wild Turkey Federation for the next two months until Aug. 31.

For the Buckeye State, Division of Wildlife officials are including grouse sightings into the mix along with all turkeys to include gobblers but mostly are interested in those hens and their young seen in July and August.

Wildlife officials and Ohio State University have collaborated over the past two springs with tracking devices to follow more than 100 wild turkey hens and document nesting survival rates.

I know in talking with Wildlife Chief Kendra Wecker recently at the Fish Ohio event, the results from last year were mixed for wildlife officials. Initially the survival rates of the hens themselves were pretty good, she said.

“Of the 49 wild turkey hens that were banded, 36 made it,” the chief told me.

However, with regard to their nesting survival rates, officials were less enthusiastic with the findings.

“We found if the hens were disturbed and forced off their nests, they would abandon them and not come back,” Wecker said.

So with another 100 being banded, Ohio wildlife officials are now tracking 136 turkey hens.

To submit your observations in Ohio, go to the Wildlife Reporting System webpage at wildohio.gov or on the HuntFish OH mobile app.

In Michigan, fall turkey applications are now available until Aug. 1. Drawing results will be posted Aug. 12, and if there are any leftover licenses available by Aug. 26, hunters may apply for one a day until they are gone.

Both males and female birds without beards may be hunted during the fall season.

Applications cost $5. The season runs from Sept. 15 until Nov. 14.