Veterans Treated To Guided Archery Hunt

Presented By Atomic Speedway

(Zaleski) – Sixteen veterans were treated to a guided archery hunt at Zaleski State Forest by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR). The ODNR divisions of Forestry, Wildlife, and Parks and Watercraft partnered with the Buckeye Hero Hunt Committee, the Ohio Department of Veterans Services, and volunteer groups to provide this opportunity the veterans to hunt white-tailed deer.
 
“This was a great weekend spent with some outstanding people,” said Dan Balser, chief of the ODNR Division of Forestry. “ODNR is honored to be able to provide this opportunity as we thank and support the men and women who have served our country.”
 

(Caption: Pictured are participants who hunted white-tailed deer at Zaleski State Forest and harvested 22 deer)

 
Volunteers assisted the Buckeye Hero Hunt Committee to support the veterans with their hunt providing meals, lodging, and equipment.
 
“We are pleased to partner with the Buckeye Hero Hunt Committee and its volunteers to honor our Ohio veterans who have sacrificed so much for us,” said Courtney Cawood, manager of Zaleski State Forest. 
 
Veterans applied to participate in the hunt, and the event was free for participating veterans. Twenty-two deer – 12 antlerless and 10 antlered – were harvested between Oct. 8 and Oct. 10.
 
The ODNR Division of Forestry promotes the wise use and sustainable management of Ohio’s public and private woodlands for both timber quality and wildlife habitat. This hunt provided an opportunity to effectively manage white-tailed deer populations and the damage they can cause to the forest ecosystem in a specific area of Zaleski State Forest. White-tailed deer can have substantial negative impacts on forest health and regeneration due to the browse of tree seedlings and herbaceous plants. Hunting is the most effective way to control deer populations, and the ODNR Division of Forestry is thrilled to create this great opportunity for veterans.