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Email that I sent to Mike Tonkovich

Bigpess51

Junior Member
32
0
Findlay
Some things just rub me the wrong way and i can't hold my tounge. Some poor sob in Cleveland got 4 charges brought against him because he shot a doe in his backyard eating his landscaping, but the state hires "sharpshooters" to cull the deer heard. Bullshit!

Mike,

Good morning! Please see attached article below, this is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard of happening. If the state of Ohio is so worried about car-deer collisions why do you not open up an archery only season within these parks. There are hundreds of people who could actually get some sport out of these hunts rather than a mass killing with sniper rifles. The state could make money and people would have the opportunity at some very large deer within the city limits. The more and more I hear about the State of Ohio the more it sounds like Washington. Just the other day a guy shoots a crossbow in his back yard at a deer that is eating his landscaping and he gets 4 charges placed against him, doesn’t that seem a bit odd and calling the kettle black? I mean guys with high powered rifles are able to shoot 100’s of deer within city limits but a guy who is witnessing property damage at home can’t shoot on his own property with a bow and arrow. Horseshit, if you ask me!

Some things need to change.



Ohio man on dirt bike interrupts deer harvest






MENTOR, Ohio (AP) -- Authorities say a man crashed a dirt bike in a northeast Ohio park where SWAT team sharpshooters were using high-powered rifles to cull the deer herd.
Mentor Police Chief Kevin Knight said the officers were shooting deer from tree stands when the man rode a dirt bike into a closed-off area of Morton Park, east of Cleveland. Officers gave chase, and the man rode off into the woods where he crashed.
An officer on an ATV found the 36-year-old man pinned under the bike. He was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and will face criminal charges.
The city got permission from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for four SWAT team snipers to harvest deer. They're trying to reduce the number of car crashes caused by the animals.
 

Bigpess51

Junior Member
32
0
Findlay
Is that the right article?

Is what the right article? I was just referencing that the state/local government won't allow hunting in these areas but they will let a team of "sharpshooters" come in a cull the deer heard? Why not allow bow hunters in and take care of the problem and allow people to put food on their tables. Seems like common sense to me.
 

Bigpess51

Junior Member
32
0
Findlay
Gordo, is this what you wanted to see. Parma is up in the cleveland area along with mentor. Both areas have tons of deer and both hire these sharpshooters to 'cull' the herd.

PARMA A Pleasant Valley Road man, 62, was arrested Dec. 27 after he allegedly used a crossbow to shoot and kill a deer in his backyard.

The man was later charged in Parma Municipal Court with illegal hunting, discharge of firearms, possession of loaded weapons, criminal trespassing and possession of criminal tools.

The man’s arraignment is scheduled for Wednesday.

At about noon Dec. 27, an Arrow Lane resident called police and reported a dead deer in his backyard. The resident said the deer had been shot with an arrow.

Police arrived and found a doe with the arrow still in her. Officers then followed a trail of blood, and the doe’s footprints, in the snow.

The trail led west through several backyards and ended in the backyard of the Pleasant Valley man, whose property contained a detached garage.

Police saw, through the open door of the garage, a crossbow hanging on the wall. Also, several arrows were lying on a shelf.

Officers knocked on the door to the house and the Pleasant Valley man answered. At first he was reluctant to talk but soon admitted that he had shot the deer at about 7 a.m. that day.

The man said he shot the deer through a window while he was standing in his garage. He said he did it because the deer was ruining his landscaping.

In Parma, it is illegal to discharge firearms or other weapons outside. Also, hunting and trapping are prohibited.
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
Is what the right article? I was just referencing that the state/local government won't allow hunting in these areas but they will let a team of "sharpshooters" come in a cull the deer heard? Why not allow bow hunters in and take care of the problem and allow people to put food on their tables. Seems like common sense to me.

In your email to Tonk you mentioned attaching an article... The article below your email, which appears to be what was attached, does not have anything to do with the email you wrote. I think that's where the confusion originated.
 

Hedgelj

Senior Member
Supporting Member
7,145
178
Mohicanish
Your sentiment is one that many on here share, unfortunately your email while enthusiastic was not as succinct or as easily readable as one could have hoped. I doubt it will get much of a response beyond a copy and paste response at best. I feel this way due to the ignorance and utter lack of knowledge that anyone I have spoken with at the ODNR open houses has shown the public regarding these matters. I am with Joe in the idea that the only way to get anything accomplished is going to be through more political channels. The ODNR has shown a large amount of resistance to other hunter supported ideas and its beginning to become clear as to who they are adjusting the deer herd numbers for.
 

Bigpess51

Junior Member
32
0
Findlay
I guess I never expect to get a response from the ODNR in the first place. They don't listen to a thing anybody tells them anyways. Basically i just wanted to share that i think the entire "sharpshooting" idea is bogus. Why don't they let people hunt these whitetails if there is excessive population in one area.? I could go on and on about what is wrong with this state, but by then the population will be decimated. I will have to continue to travel to Michigan, Indiana, and Iowa to see good deer #'s.
 

beaston

Junior Member
This article explains Mentor's situation a little better. They are using the local officers to harvest the whitetails from the Public parks to minimize the amount of impact on the people who use them daily. They have opened up archery and are quite happy with there success but need to kill some of the deer that reside within these small public parks. Better than White Buffalo's at $600/deer

Parma I don't know anything about..

http://news-herald.com/articles/2013/01/08/news/doc50eb135d29b57154818099.txt
 

Huckleberry Finn

Senior Member
15,973
135
You're comparing Parma to Mentor, which is too different stories.

Be happy they are using your tax dollars for .223 rounds instead of deer birth control pills.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
One of the reasons that the DOW can't allow hunting in these areas as you suggest is because they have zero, zilch, nada, authority to do so. These are city and local jurisdiction issues.

There are plenty of legitimate topics to discuss with the DOW where they have accountability. This is not one of them.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
One of the reasons that the DOW can't allow hunting in these areas as you suggest is because they have zero, zilch, nada, authority to do so. These are city and local jurisdiction issues.

There are plenty of legitimate topics to discuss with the DOW where they have accountability. This is not one of them.

I'm sure if they cared they could use state preemption law just as they did with CCW. They even used it to strike down a trans fat ban in Cleveland. Im sure they could do the same to force cities to allow bowhunting in the city limits.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
More state or federal government implementing it's will on a local municipality?

I hope not
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
More state or federal government implementing it's will on a local municipality?

I hope not

The Feds no. The state yes. Without it we would still have every city and municipality with a vast range of ccw laws. CCW and hunting regs are at a state level. and preemption clearly states a city can't pass a law in conflict with the state. Cities and municipalities don't have a city rights law like states do.
 

Lundy

Member
1,307
127
The Feds no. The state yes. Without it we would still have every city and municipality with a vast range of ccw laws. CCW and hunting regs are at a state level. and preemption clearly states a city can't pass a law in conflict with the state. Cities and municipalities don't have a city rights law like states do.

A city certainly can not set different hunting seasons or bag limits but they sure can pass no discharge of a weapon laws fully within their rights and the state will not supercede that as is evidenced by all of the cities and small bergs that do not permit the discharge of a weapon.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think these small town or cities have any no hunting laws rather discharge of a weapon law. Is that correct?.

I don't think the state can come in and tell a city you have to allow the discharge of a weapon within your boundries.

Again, I think there are plenty of areas of discussion to be had with the DOW without adding items to the list that just aren't really within their control.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
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A city certainly can not set different hunting seasons or bag limits but they sure can pass no discharge of a weapon laws fully within their rights and the state will not supercede that as is evidenced by all of the cities and small bergs that do not permit the discharge of a weapon.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think these small town or cities have any no hunting laws rather discharge of a weapon law. Is that correct?.

I don't think the state can come in and tell a city you have to allow the discharge of a weapon within your boundries.

Again, I think there are plenty of areas of discussion to be had with the DOW without adding items to the list that just aren't really within their control.

Notice I said bowhunting. And I know Springfield has a no hunting law. More specifically. No killing of wildlife. They also have a no discharge of firearms law however I can legally shoot my bow. And hunting regulations statewide are most certainly within the state Department of wildlife's control. A county can't say "our season is limited to only November", anymore than a county, township, municipality, or city should be allowed to say "no bowhunting". The only way that I would agree a state has no say so is if the city itself owns the property and receives no funding from the Department of wildlife. But for a city to say that an individual cannot hunt his own property just because it resides inside some invisible line they declare is city limits is nonsense. What's next the county seat saying no hunting.
 
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Lundy

Member
1,307
127
It looks like most municipalities have in place a standard ORC that would prohibit dischange of anything including a bow.

Ohio municipal code 672.14 states the following:
672.14 POINTING AND DISCHARGING FIREARMS AND OTHER WEAPONS.

(a) Except as provided in division (c) of this section, no person shall discharge any air gun, rifle, shotgun, revolver, pistol or other firearm, or make use of any sling or arrow, within the corporate limits of the Municipality.
(b) No person shall, intentionally and without malice, point or aim a firearm at or toward another or discharge a firearm so pointed and aimed.
(c) This section does not apply in the following circumstances:
(1) Where a firearm, sling or arrow is used in self-defense, in the discharge of official duty or in justifiable homicide;
(2) Where a BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow, is used in the confines of a dwelling, provided that such use is under responsible adult supervision;
(3) Where a firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow is used in conjunction with a public exhibition or festival, where all of the following conditions have been met:
A. Use of such firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow is in conjunction with such public exhibition or festival; and
B. The person conducting the public exhibition or festival shall obtain and have in force an indemnity bond in the amount of not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), filed with the City Auditor, conditioned upon the payment of all final judgments that may be rendered against the person conducting the public exhibition or festival on account of injury, death or loss to persons or property emanating from the use of any such firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow in conjunction with such public exhibition or festival, or proof of insurance coverage of at least five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) to indemnify the City of Greenville, as an additional insured, from liability arising from injury, death or loss to persons or property emanating from the use of any such firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow in conjunction with such public exhibition or festival.
(d) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
It looks like most municipalities have in place a standard ORC that would prohibit dischange of anything including a bow.

Ohio municipal code 672.14 states the following:
672.14 POINTING AND DISCHARGING FIREARMS AND OTHER WEAPONS.

(a) Except as provided in division (c) of this section, no person shall discharge any air gun, rifle, shotgun, revolver, pistol or other firearm, or make use of any sling or arrow, within the corporate limits of the Municipality.
(b) No person shall, intentionally and without malice, point or aim a firearm at or toward another or discharge a firearm so pointed and aimed.
(c) This section does not apply in the following circumstances:
(1) Where a firearm, sling or arrow is used in self-defense, in the discharge of official duty or in justifiable homicide;
(2) Where a BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow, is used in the confines of a dwelling, provided that such use is under responsible adult supervision;
(3) Where a firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow is used in conjunction with a public exhibition or festival, where all of the following conditions have been met:
A. Use of such firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow is in conjunction with such public exhibition or festival; and
B. The person conducting the public exhibition or festival shall obtain and have in force an indemnity bond in the amount of not less than five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000), filed with the City Auditor, conditioned upon the payment of all final judgments that may be rendered against the person conducting the public exhibition or festival on account of injury, death or loss to persons or property emanating from the use of any such firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow in conjunction with such public exhibition or festival, or proof of insurance coverage of at least five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) to indemnify the City of Greenville, as an additional insured, from liability arising from injury, death or loss to persons or property emanating from the use of any such firearm, BB gun or other air gun, sling or arrow in conjunction with such public exhibition or festival.
(d) Whoever violates any of the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.

And Dayton and Toledo tried to make a loophole to the state CCW laws and ban CCW by declaring all roads and sidewalks government property where CCW can't be carried. They were quickly taken to court by the state and lost due to preemption.

It really matters not what the city code is. If the state says hunting is allowed they could force the issue and make the city get in line. Just as they did with ccw. Just as they did when Toledo tried a trams fat ban. The point is and what you're missing is, it doesn't matter what the city code is. If the DNR wanted it they could make it happen the next time they have the state update the ORC dealing with hunting.
 
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