Controlled Bow

Hunting Program

Outline

Purpose
Rules
Safety
Coordinators
Qualification
Reward System
Next Year

Program Goals
To CONSERVE plant and animal diversity

within the parks

To improve SAFETY by reducing deervehicle collisions
To maintain HEALTH of the deer population
In order to accomplish these goals the density
must be kept below 15 deer/sq. mile

Program Goal

Great Parks Rules and Regulations

All park rules are in addition to ODNR rules and

regulations

Each hunter must read, sign and follow the
complete list of rules and regulations.

Failure to comply with regulations will result in
possible fines and disqualification from any
Great Parks Controlled Hunts.

You must meet with the Coordinator and scout
your assigned area by September 10th

Rule Basics

Safety zone and boundaries

Baiting
Tree stands
Borrowing time
Disabled hunting
Reporting & Online Scheduling
Rangers
Off limit dates

Rules

Boundary Markers

Orange boundary markers every few

hundred feet and orange flagging with

silver reflective stripes

Digital maps are available on line at

greatparks.org/bowhunt

You are responsible for knowing where

the boundaries are!

Rules

Safety Zones

Bow hunters will maintain a safety zone of no less

than 34 yards (100ft) inside the Park Boundaries
and 67 yards (200ft) from any building, road,
picnic area, official trail or developed area.

67 yards

B
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Rules

34 yards

Respect Property lines

Do not track deer

outside of Park
Boundary without
permission of
adjoining
landowner.

Call a Park Ranger
at 825-2280 or
911 in an
emergency.

Rules

Tree Stands

You can install no more than 2 tree

stands/blinds or trail cameras.

Only current assigned hunters can have tree
stands up, unless approved by a coordinator.

Hunters in the first session may install their
tree stands any time after qualifications.

No hunter can use another hunters tree
stand without permission.

All hunting areas are off-limits from
September 10 to September 23, 2016.

Rules

Tree Stands continued

Your name and contact information must be on your

tree stand/trail camera no higher than 6 feet off the

ground. We will supply a tag for your tree stand and
trail camera if you wish.

Tree stand, blinds and trail camera without legible
contact information will be removed.

The last day of a hunters hunting time which always
falls on a Friday is Transition Day. This is the time when
the current hunters must remove their tree stands and
the new hunters can install their tree stands.

Rules

Borrowing Time

The borrower must talk with the coordinator or the

current session hunter they are borrowing time

from prior to hunting.
The borrower should maintain at least 200 feet
from the current session hunters tree stand.
The borrower must carry their tree stand in and out
with them.
Baiting is prohibited by the borrower without
permission.
The borrower cannot hunt over another hunters
bait without permission.

Rules

Disabled Hunting
Criteria that qualify a person for disabled hunting:

has a permanent wheelchair restriction, or

has an amputation or deformity involving body
extremities that are required for stable function to
use conventional archery equipment, or

has a spinal cord injury resulting in permanent
disability to the lower extremities, leaving the
applicant permanently no ambulatory

Only hunters in wheelchairs are allowed buddies

Buddies are not permitted to hunt in the disabled
hunting area without their disabled partner

Rules

F-14

Communication

You must leave a piece of paper on your dash

showing what grid you are hunting in.

If you will be in more than an hour after dark
looking for a deer or your deer leaves park property
you must let the rangers know.

A permission letter will be provided and must be
carried at all times while participating in this
program.

Report any unauthorized activities to Park Rangers
by calling 825-2280. Do not confront these people
yourself.

Rules

Reporting

Once a deer is taken, obtain tag number from the

State.
Report deer to Great Parks within 24 hours online.
www.greatparks.org/harvest
If that does not work for any reason email
jspencer@greatparks.org within 24 hours with your
name, harvest date, sex of the deer (buck, button, doe),
park, hunting area, and the state tag number.
Please field dress your deer out of view of any roads or
trails.
There will be random checks of gut piles to ensure
integrity of the program

Rules

Reporting

The online reporting form looks like this.

Be sure to Continue to enter your Area.

Rules

Reporting

You will

receive an
email
confirmation

Rules

Scheduling

All hunters must use their assigned login to access

the online bow hunter scheduling program by

September 10, 2016.

Anyone failing to login by the above deadline will be
removed from the bow hunting program.

Hunters found not hunting and not giving their time
up will be removed from the program.

Be A Responsible Hunter

Take shots that will produce a clean kill.

Call the Park Ranger at 825-2280 to report injured

or sick deer. This number will take you to ranger

dispatch who may have a ranger call you back.

You are an Ambassador!

Ambassador

Rules

Show Respect to your Fellow Hunters

Hunting in the parks is a privilege not a

right.
right

Hunters unable to maintain a professional
attitude and continue to cause a disruption to
the harmony of the bow hunting program will
be permanently removed.

Be a ninja hunter (undetected) around trails,
roads, houses etc. If you can see a residence
from your tree stand MOVE.

Rules

Great Parks of Hamilton County

Rangers
How to reach us
For emergencies, dial 99-1-1
To have a Ranger dispatched to your location, call the
Hamilton County Communications Center at 513513-8258252280.
2280
24/7

For general information or to speak to a Ranger

Dispatcher, call Ranger Headquarters at 513513-521521-3980.
3980
Office Hours:

8:00 am 6:00 pm

7 days a week

When to Reach US
Emergency Response (ex: first aid, search
DIAL 99-1-1

Rangers
To report violations
To report unsafe conditions
(ex: fallen trees, open pits,
illegal activity)
Environmental issues
Before tracking a deer off Park
property
To report negative contacts
with adjacent landowners
Any time you are in the woods
one hour past legal shooting
times

Coordinators
To scout
To resolve
conflicts
between
hunters
For hunting
advice/
guidance

rescue, accidents)

Jessica
Administrative
questions
/issues

Off Limits Dates

All locations: Winter Bird Counts in December

dates TBD

Highlighted locations: Honeysuckle spraying late
October to early December

Other events as announced: Tree cutting,
recreational programs

Shawnee lookout: Great Miami River Sweep
Saturday October 22nd, 2016

Other Dates

Muzzleloader season: January 7th 10th

Rules

2017

State Regulations

Be sure to read and follow all state regulations.
regulations.

A total of four deer can legally be harvested in Hamilton

County using four either sex tags ($24 each) or three

either sex tags and one antlerless tag ($15).

The $15 antlerless tag IS NOT VALID after November 27.

The $24 Either Sex tags do not need to be bought
before the antlerless tag, but only one buck can be
taken.

Safety is # 1

You must wear a safety harness at

all times while climbing and

hunting in a tree stand.

Hunter orange must be worn
during the Youth Deer Gun
Season, Deer Gun Season and
the Statewide Muzzleloader Deer
Season.

Remember to take all safety
precautions when climbing a tree.

Next Year

Applications out by mid May.

Application Deadline-Thursday, June 30, 2017.

(Remember your password from this year and call with

problems before deadline)

Qualification Dates TBD, dont apply if unavailable

All aspects of the bow hunting program will be

reevaluated for 17-18, including point system. Surveys

will be sent for feedback.

Qualifications

Testing will be done on a first drawn, first tested basis.

Hunters will have opportunity to practice on a separate

practice range.

Once on the qualification range, each hunter has one
opportunity per bow to pass test.

To qualify, 4 out of 5 arrows must be inside a 10 target
from an elevated position at 20 yards.

If bow malfunctions

Fix immediately if possible and continue

Otherwise step out of line to repair and
continue when ready at lower rank

Qualifications

You must hunt with the same bow you used to

qualify.

Except for youth or disabled hunters, you must be
able to draw your own bow without help from
another. No assistance is permitted for compound
bows regardless.

Choice of hunting location and four week session
will be first passed, first choice as long as you have
your Hunter Safety Certification. The Hunter Safety
Test is administered only on Saturday.

Remember! If any part of the arrow tip touches

the black line it will be considered a miss.

Qualifications

Bow Hunting Field Coordinators