State wildlife officers across Ohio patrolled public lands, enforced fish and game regulations, and assisted other law enforcement agencies in recent weeks. Here are reports from five districts.
Central Ohio – Wildlife District One
State Wildlife Officer Adam Smith, assigned to Logan County, received an unusual call from a homeowner whose children had located an antlered white-tailed deer head with a confirmation number attached on their property. Officer Smith responded to the location and was informed that a deer permit for another hunter was also found on the homeowner’s property. Officer Smith suspected the homeowner’s dog may be responsible for this situation and later discovered that the dog had wandered to a nearby deer processing business and stolen deer parts on multiple occasions. The dog also inadvertently stole deer heads that were slated for taxidermy work. Fortunately for all involved, all the parts stolen by the dog were returned to the owner of the processing business.
State Wildlife Officer Matt Teders, assigned to Madison County, recently assisted natural resource officers with a traffic stop. The driver of the vehicle had a statewide arrest warrant, and the officers learned that the passenger also had an arrest warrant. The individuals were taken into custody and transported to the Pickaway County Jail on their outstanding warrants. The passenger was also charged with resisting arrest and was later found guilty, receiving a 10-day jail sentence.
Northwest Ohio – Wildlife District Two
State Wildlife Officer Matt D. Smith, assigned to Huron County, received information that a Willard resident had found a gosling. Officer Smith learned that the person who found the gosling had given it to an individual who raises chickens. Officer Smith recovered the gosling, along with a robin chick. Both birds were transported to Back to the Wild for rehabilitation and release. If you find a baby animal that has been orphaned or abandoned, contact a wildlife rehabilitator or 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543). It is unlawful to possess a wild animal without proper permits.
State Wildlife Investigators Kelsey Brockman, Brian Bury, and Kevin Good conducted walleye fishing enforcement near South Bass Island. They observed two boats from Minnesota with three anglers each making two separate fishing trips on the same day. The groups were contacted after their second fishing trip. The officers found that the six individuals had taken a total of 31 walleye beyond their daily limit. They pleaded guilty to taking more than the daily limit of six walleye, and each angler received a one-year fishing license revocation and $150 fine plus court costs. The anglers also paid a combined $1,550 in restitution.
Northeast Ohio – Wildlife District Three
During the 2025–26 white-tailed deer gun hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Craig Porter, assigned to Jefferson County, was contacted by a local landowner who stated that two individuals tracked a deer onto the property from a neighboring property without permission. Upon arriving at the neighbor’s farm, Officer Porter contacted an individual who was field dressing an antlered deer. Officer Porter determined that the individual, who was from Florida, harvested the deer on private property without permission to hunt, and did not possess a deer permit. The suspect was issued summonses for hunting without permission and hunting without a deer permit and later paid $300 in fines and $95 in court costs. The deer was forfeited to the state.
In April, while patrolling LaDue Public Hunting Area prior to the start of the wild turkey hunting season, State Wildlife Officer Ryan Pawlus, assigned to Lake County, observed an individual dressed in camouflage put turkey decoys into a vehicle. Officer Pawlus contacted the individual, who claimed to have been scouting. During the contact, Officer Pawlus noticed a shotgun and the individual dropped an unfired shotgun shell. The suspect was issued a summons for hunting turkeys during the closed season.
Southeast Ohio – Wildlife District Four
State Wildlife Officers Scot Gardner, assigned to Washington County, Taylor Combs, assigned to Hocking County, and Ryan Donnelly, assigned to Athens County, patrolled Buckeye Park Lake in Marietta in response to a complaint about anglers harvesting more than the daily limit of five trout. The officers observed two individuals each take a stringer with five fish back to a vehicle and then return to the lake and catch more fish. When Officer Gardner contacted the individuals, they were in possession of 23 trout. Each suspect received a summons for taking and possessing more than five trout and the fish were seized as evidence. The anglers each pleaded guilty in Marietta Municipal Court and were ordered to pay $500 in fines and court costs.
State Wildlife Officer Ryan Donnelly, assigned to Athens County, received a call from a local scrap yard that declined to purchase used canisters from a customer and then later observed those same canisters discarded along the road. Officer Donnelly followed up with the suspect and found the individual had littered on state forest property. The individual was found guilty in Athens County Municipal Court and was ordered to pay $190 in fines.
Southwest Ohio – Wildlife District Five
State Wildlife Officer Mark Schemmel, assigned to Auglaize County, received information that an individual was hunting wild turkeys over a baited area. Officer Schemmel and State Wildlife Investigator Nathan Robinson arrived at the property and contacted the suspect. The officers found the individual was hunting turkeys over corn. The suspect received a citation for the violation and was found guilty in Auglaize County Municipal Court, where the hunter paid $193.68 in fines and court costs.
State Wildlife Officer Alex Almeter, assigned to Greene County, participated in a 2-mile formation run around the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The run kicked off National Police Week and was hosted by the 88th Security Forces Squadron. The event honored fallen law enforcement officers and celebrated defenders who safeguard the installation daily.
— Press Release
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