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News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 26, 2001

OHIO RABBIT, PHEASANT, AND QUAIL HUNTING SEASONS
TO OPEN NOVEMBER 2

2001 PHEASANT RELEASES
Oct
19
Oct
26
Nov
1
Nov
9
Nov
19
Nov
26
TOTAL
District 1
Delaware 400 400 300 100 100 250 1550
PleasValy 100 100 100 100 400
District 2
Killdeer 250 100 100 150 600
Wyandot 100 50 50 100 300
Resthaven 200 200 150 50 50 100 750
Willard 100 50 50 100 300
Maumee 40 30 30 40 140
Oxbow 100 100 100 50 50 50 450
Trkyfoot 160 70 70 110 410
District 3
Beach City 150 50 50 60 310
Berlin 200 200 240 200 50 100 990
Bolivar 50 40 40 40 170
Grnd Rvr 200 200 250 200 50 100 1000
Hambden 50 40 40 40 170
Hghlndtwn 240 70 50 70 430
Shreve 100 50 50 60 260
Spencer 180 180 100 90 50 100 700
Wellington 80 80 80 40 50 100 430
WBranch 120 50 50 60 280
Zepernick 100 50 50 60 260
Mtroprks 90 90 100 50 50 100 480
Camp Belden 50 50 70 20 20 30 240
District 4
Dillon 200 200 150 50 50 60 710
Salt Fork 150 50 50 60 310
District 5
Fallsville 150 200 90 50 80 570
IndianCrk 200 90 50 80 420
SpngVly 200 90 50 80 420
RushRun 100 200 100 50 100 550
CsrCreek 300 300 200 100 50 80 1030
Darke 50 110 50 50 60 320
East Fork 50 50
Totals 2,200 2,150 4,360 2,170 1,600 2,520 15,000
COLUMBUS, OH -- For many hunters, cottontail rabbit, ring-necked pheasant and bobwhite quail hunting marks the beginning of the traditional upland game seasons in Ohio. This year, opening day for all three species is Friday, November 2, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Rabbits and pheasants may be hunted statewide from sunrise to sunset on public lands and from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset on private lands. The daily bag limit, unchanged from last year, is four rabbits and two male pheasants (roosters) per hunter. Cottontail rabbit hunting continues through February 28, 2002, closed only during the statewide deer gun hunting season.

Ring-necked pheasant hunting, open through January 1, 2002, is also closed during the statewide deer gun hunting season.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife releases pheasants on selected public hunting areas throughout the state on opening day of the pheasant season, the second and third Saturdays of the season, and Thanksgiving Day. Hunters may call 1-800-WILDLIFE for locations of specific release sites.

Bobwhite quail hunting is limited to 16 counties in southwest Ohio: Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Highland, Jackson, Meigs, Montgomery, Pike, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Vinton, and Warren. The season continues through November 25, with a daily bag limit of four quail.

Hunters are reminded that snowshoe hares are not legal game in Ohio and may not be taken. Recently reintroduced to northeast Ohio after nearly a century of absence, snowshoe hares are brown like cottontail rabbits early in the season.

From November 2 through December 3, 2001, portions of Geauga and Ashtabula counties will be closed to all rabbit hunting. This area is bordered by U. S. Route 6 to the north, U. S. Route 322 to the south, State Route 528 to the west, and State Route 534 to the east. Most hares will have turned white before rabbit hunting begins in this area, enabling hunters to correctly identify cottontail rabbits and snowshoe hares.

Additional hunting information is contained in the 2001-2002 Hunting & Trapping Regulations brochure, available where hunting licenses are sold, on the Internet at www.dnr.state.oh or by calling the toll-free information line: 1-800-WILDLIFE.

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For Further Information Contact:
Chip Gross or Vicki Mountz, ODNR Division of Wildlife
(614) 265-6300
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882