Ohio Valley Outdoors - July 2007 Newsletter

Volume I, Number 7, July 2007

Ohio Department of Natural Resources Announces Migratory Bird Season.

The Ohio Wildlife Council has approved the state’s early migratory bird hunting seasons for this fall, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

September 1 will kick off the state’s hunting seasons with the opening of dove, Canada goose, rail, moorhen, teal and snipe. Ohio’s dove-hunting season runs September 1 through October 14 and November 10 through November 25, with a daily limit of 15 birds and a possession limit of 30 birds.

Canada geese may be hunted statewide September 1-15, during the special early season, with a daily limit of three birds and possession limit of six birds after the first day.

The early teal-hunting season will be open September 1 through September 16, with a daily bag limit of four birds and possession limit of eight after the first day.

Waterfowl hunters must have a valid hunting license in addition to a state wetlands habitat stamp endorsement, a federal duck stamp and a Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification. Anyone who intends to hunt migratory game birds must obtain a new HIP certification this year.

Sora rails, Virginia rails and moorhens may be hunted September 1 through November 9, with a daily limit of 25 rails and 15 moorhens. Hunting season for snipe will be September 1 through November 25 and December 8-28, with a daily bag limit of eight.

The woodcock-hunting season is open October 12 through November 25, with a daily bag limit of three birds and a possession limit of six birds.

Hunting hours during the seasons for rails, moorhens, snipe, woodcock, teal, doves and Canada geese are sunrise to sunset. The 2007-08 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations can be found on line at wildohio.com. The 2007 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons brochure will be available by mid-August at license outlets, Division of Wildlife district offices, or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

Information Courtesy of Ohio DNR

Concealed Carry Training

Our next classes are scheduled for August 4 and August 25. Call now to register, class size is limited. Cost for the Course is $149.99 and includes all necessary equipment. For more information, visit our website at www.ovoutdoors.com and click on Concealed Training.

Buying Guide: Binoculars

Binoculars have a place in nearly every type of outdoor activity. Whether you are sizing up the terrain of your chosen hunting grounds, looking down river for your fellow kayakers, or just enjoying the scenery, a quality pair of binoculars is sure to help. Understanding some basics will help you find such a pair.

Binoculars are very similar in construction to telescopic sights (discussed in last month's newsletter). Because of this, the numbers describing a pair of binoculars will seem very familiar to someone who has experience with scopes.

Binoculars are described by a set of numbers. These numbers tell you a great deal about the capabilities of the binoculars. Take, for example, a pair of Bushnell Powerview 8x40 binoculars. The first number, in this case 8, tells you the magnification of the binoculars. With the Bushnell Powerview, objects would appear to be 8 times closer as compared to the naked eye. Bigger is not always better when it comes to magnification. If you plan on using your binoculars for medium ranges, too large of a magnification could make it difficult to locate what you are looking for by limiting your field of view.

The second number, 40 for the Bushnell Powerview, indicates the diameter of the objective lens in millimeters. The objective lens are the large lenses on the far end of the binoculars. The bigger your objective lens, the more light it collects and the larger your field of view. These two factors affect how well your binoculars work in low light conditions and how much you can see at one time.

Another important number to know about your binoculars is exit pupil. Exit pupil refers to the aperture or opening formed by the interaction of the two sets of lenses in binoculars. Only light that exits through this aperture will reach your eye. In the simplest terms, the higher the exit pupil, the more light will be transmitted to your eye. Exit pupil is calculated by dividing the size of the objective lens by the magnification. In the above Bushnell example, the exit pupil would be 40÷8 = 5mm. Look for a value around 4 or 5 for daylight use and numbers closer to 6 or 7 for nighttime use. As it gets darker, your pupils dilate, and allow in more light, hence the need for a higher exit pupil value.

While you can learn a lot about binoculars from just the numbers, look for other features that can make your experience even better. Many binoculars offer auto or permanent focus. This frees you look at different range objects without the need for refocusing. For field use binoculars, factors such as weight and durability become important. Many hunting binoculars are rubber coated, not only for their protection, but to improve your grip on damp days.

As with many purchases, nothing replaces the opportunity to actually try the item out. Stop by our showroom and let us show you our selection of recreation and field grade binoculars.

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