GREAT OUTDOORS: Events spark interest in hunting, fishing

National Hunting and Fishing Day, which was established in the early 1970s, celebrates the contributions that men and women make to the conservation of our nation's rich sporting heritage, wildlife and fisheries resources. According to the Johnny Morris Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri, which serves as the official home for NHF Day, "One of the main goals of National Hunting andFishing Day is to recruit new hunters and anglers by encouraging participation and increasing public awareness of the connection between hunting, angling and conservation." Through self-imposed fees and excise taxes on guns and ammunition, fishing and archery equipment and certain outdoor sporting goods, sportsmen and women have raised more than $60 billion for wildlifeand fisheries conservation efforts. Even when not a hunter, recreational target and competitive sport shooters have contributed approximately $5.1 billion to wildlife agencies through these same federal, state and local taxes and fees on purchases of guns and ammunition. Non-game wildlife in Ohio also benefit from funding gained through hunting, target range, fishing and trapping licenses and stamps. Habitat purchases, restorations and improvements have assisted with the recovery efforts of endangered birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects and other at-risk animal and plant species. Some local examples include bald eagles, peregrine falcons, barn owls, Blanding's turtles, Lake Erie water snakes, sturgeons, butterflies and wildflowers. Youth waterfowl hunts The Oak Harbor Conservation Club is offering youth waterfowl hunts on September 30 and October 1, mentored by (club member) military veterans. Pre-registration is required by sending an e-mail to: ohccdarrhunts@gmail.com with hunter's name, age, preferred date, guardian and youth hunter's phone numbers, and experience level. Successful applicants will be notified, with first-time hunters given the highest priority. First-time participants must attend the final registration event on September 23 at the club's Darr Wetlands property, where they will participate in a safety orientation, demonstrate their safe gun handling and shooting skills and be introduced to the property. An Ohio hunting or apprentice hunting license is required for all hunts. Loaner guns, ammunition and waterproof hunting attire is available for those who do not have their own. Sturgeon Fest in Toledo The 6th annual Sturgeon Fest hosted by the Toledo Zoo will occur on October 7, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the City of Toledo boat launch along the banks of the Maumee River, 2700 Broadway Street. This free family friendly event features representatives from wildlife agencies. There will be musical performances and food trucks on site.Attendees can release a fingerling lake sturgeon, and for a $30 donation a tagged fish can be matched to a sponsor who will be notified of the location and growth of the fish if it is recaptured. Lake sturgeon formerly spawned in the Maumee River and its tributaries, but overfishing, pollution, dams, channelization and siltation caused from logging and agricultural tillage reduced the populationto about 1-2% of their former numbers. Reportedly, 5.2 million pounds were commercially harvested in Lake Erie in 1885 for their prized caviar and their often-smoked meat. By the 1970s, there were only about 5,000 pounds per year harvested. Lake sturgeon are a long-lived species, and by examining growth rings in their fin spines, males have been known to reach 55 years of age with 150-year-old females documented. Because they do not become sexually mature and begin spawning until age 15 for males and 30 for females, stocking efforts are intended to be conducted for at least 15 years. The goal of the project is to create a self-sustaining population of this prehistoric fish, funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.