Dog Field Trials
Announcements
The Division of Wildlife will host a Field Trial Priority Scheduling meeting on Sunday, February 5, 2012 at 12:00 pm for trials to be held on public lands from September 1 through October 31, 2012. The meeting will be held at the Division of Wildlife’s Central Office in the 1st floor Conference Room located at 2045 Morse Road (Building G), Columbus, Ohio.
This meeting is open to representatives of all recognized field trial clubs for the purpose of establishing an orderly schedule of dates for field trials on public lands as well as reviewing any field trial issues with the Division of Wildlife. A club representative must be present to reserve dates. At the meeting, field trial club representatives will develop a mutually agreed upon schedule in cooperation with member clubs of the Associated Bird Dog Clubs of Ohio. Applications for field trial dates may be submitted at the scheduling meeting. The Associated Bird Dog Clubs of Ohio meeting starts at 11:00 am to develop a mutually agreed upon fall field trial schedule. The building and conference room will be open at 10:30 am.
Field Trial Guidelines for Sporting Dogs
A common problem of Ohio’s sporting dog owners and hunters is finding a place to pursue their sport. The Division of Wildlife, operating on income from hunting license sales and excise taxes on sporting arms and ammunition, is addressing this problem in two ways:
- Encouraging continued hunting on private land with owner’s permission.
- Acquiring and developing lands for wildlife where the primary recreational use is hunting. Other wildlife-related recreational activities are encouraged to the degree compatible.
Field trials are allied to the sport of hunting. They make a contribution to maintaining breeds of dogs which add not only to the sport of hunting, but also the conservation of our wildlife resources by facilitating more efficient game harvest. Field trials specifically involve dogs or raptors, horses, and game birds in an organized and judged event.
FIELD TRIAL SEASON
PRIVATE LAND: September 1 through April 30 (Pub 75).
PUBLIC LAND: September-October, March- April.
Specific dates for field trials may be restricted at times on public lands because of conflict with the primary purpose of the area. Other compatible uses of the wildlife area are permitted in the field trail areas during the field trial seasons. Field trial events may not close or block any public access roads to wildlife areas.
PERMIT REQUIRED
A permit is required to hold a “shoot-to-kill” field trial anywhere in the state (except trials held on a licensed shooting preserve on a day when that preserve may be legally operated). A permit is also required to hold any kind of field trial on state lands. A permit is not required to hold a non-shooting field trial on private lands, nor is it required for field trials involving game animals other than birds.
Fees: All field trials are $50.00 per day. Applications for fall permits (September-December) are not accepted before the preceding April 1. Applications for spring permits (January-April) are not accepted before the preceding October 1. Applications must be submitted at least 30 days in advance of the trial to the appropriate District Office (see below for contact information).
Permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Payment must be received with the application. Applications received without payment will not be processed nor will the requested dates be reserved. Schedules will be set and maintained in the appropriate District Office.
EXCEPTION: Priority Field Trial Applications
Beginning at noon on the first Sunday in February and on the last Sunday in August, unless otherwise announced by the Division, a priority scheduling meeting will be held in Columbus at the Wildlife Central Office. These meetings are open to representatives of recognized field trial clubs for the purpose of establishing an orderly schedule of dates for field trials on public lands. A representative of each club must be present to reserve dates. Field trial club representatives develop a mutually agreed schedule. Applications may be submitted to a representative of the Division of Wildlife at the priority scheduling meeting; all priority applications must be submitted within 60 days following the meeting or the dates will be released for rescheduling on a first-come, first-served basis.
The following conditions must be adhered to when conducting an approved field trial on state lands:
- No admission fee may be charged for spectators.
- Field trial activities, including those with spectators, must be confined to the field trail area as indicated on the permit.
- Beer and other alcoholic beverages are not permitted on Division of Wildlife lands.
- Lotteries may not be conducted. No gambling of any type may be conducted on state property, including lotteries, raffles and games of chance.
- The field trial club assumes all responsibility for injuries to person or animals, handling of traffic, parking, cleaning up of trash, paper, etc., and other occurrences resulting from the trial. If restrooms are not available, it is the responsibility of each club to provide approved portable-type latrines. Open-pit latrines are not permitted.
- Horses must be confined to the field trial area. Under no circumstances may horses be ridden or led across cultivated fields, pond levees, dikes, lawns, or other areas designated by the Wildlife Area Manager.
- Horse riding is only permitted in field trial areas when associated with a field trial event and must be included on the field trial permit. Horse riding prior to the field trial will be permitted only on the Tuesday-Friday immediately preceding the event for a maximum of 5 horses. The Wildlife Area Manager should be contacted before entering the field trial area.
- If food service is included, acceptable standards of sanitation and food quality must be maintained and any necessary food service permits must first be obtained.
REPORT REQUIRED
A brief, one-page report must be submitted to the appropriate District Office within 30 days after the field trial event on a wildlife area summarizing the following information: date of event, wildlife area, field trial club, number of participants, number and breeds of dogs, number of horses, number and species of game birds released, number and species of unbanded birds shot, and any problems encountered. Use Division Form Field Trial Report (DNR 9149) for this report.
SPECIAL FACILITIES
Special facilities, including a service center, dog kennels, a horse corral, and parking facilities, are available at Tri-Valley Wildlife Area. To use this facility, contact the Wildlife District Four Office for an application form. These facilities may not be subleased or rented.
NOTICE OF FIELD TRIAL CANCELLATION
Written notice of cancellation of field trial must be presented at least 10 days prior to the scheduled trial date. Fees for cancelled trials will be forfeited.
RELEASE OF GAME BIRDS
Game birds provided by the club for release on state lands are subject to inspection at any time prior to and during release. They may be released only with prior approval of the Division of Wildlife as a part of the field trial permit.
GAME BIRD BANDING
All game birds approved for release in conjunction with a field trial must be banded prior to release with bands approved by the Division of Wildlife.
STATE AREAS AVAILABLE
The ODNR, Divisions of Wildlife and Forestry have made some areas available for field trials. Such use is subject to provisions which assure that the primary purpose of these areas is not impaired. Field trials on state forest lands require prior approval from the Division of Forestry.
Applications for field trials will be accepted for the following Wildlife Areas: Grand River, Woodbury, Rush Run, Delaware, and Tri-Valley.
DOG TRAINING AREAS
Dog training areas are provided on 13 wildlife areas: Berlin, Caesar Creek, Delaware, East Fork, Fallsville, Indian Creek, Killdeer Plains, Lake La Su An, Oxbow Lake, Resthaven, Rush Run, Spencer, and Tri-Valley. In accordance with Federal funding provided by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to acquire and manage these lands, activities that interfere with the purpose for which the State acquired, developed, or is managing the land are not permitted. Horse riding is not permitted in dog training areas on wildlife areas.
OHIO REVISED CODE
1533.19 Field trial club permits.
Except as otherwise provided by division rule, recognized field trial clubs may shoot domestically raised quails, chukar partridges, ducks, pheasants, or other game birds and common pigeons at any time during the daylight hours from the first day of September to the thirtieth day of April of the following year, both dates inclusive. Such domestically raised quails, chukar partridges, ducks, pheasants, and other game birds shall be banded prior to release and approved by the division of wildlife for field trial use, provided that permission for the holding of such a trial shall be obtained from the division. Permission shall be requested in writing at least thirty days in advance of the trial. The request shall contain the name of the recognized field trial club and the names of its officers, the date and location of the trial, and the name of the licensed breeders from whom the quails, chukar partridges, ducks, pheasants, or other game birds will be obtained. The division may grant a written permit when it is satisfied that the trial is a bona fide one conducted by a bona fide club under this section. When an application is approved, a permit shall be issued after the payment of a fee of fifty dollars for each day upon which the trials are conducted. Participants in such trials need not possess a hunter’s license while participating in the trials. The division shall supervise all such trials and shall enforce all laws and division rules governing them. If unbanded quails, chukar partridges, ducks, pheasants, or other game birds are accidentally shot during such trials, they immediately shall be replaced by the club by the releasing of an equal number of live quails, chukar partridges, ducks, pheasants, or other game birds under the supervision of the division.
Effective Date: 09-26-2003
MAIL APPLICATIONS AND PAYMENT TO THE APPROPRIATE DISTRICT OFFICE:
Wildlife District One Office
1500 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 644-3925
Wildlife District Two Office
952 Lima Avenue, Findlay, OH 45840
Phone: (419) 424-5000
Wildlife District Three Office
912 Portage Lakes Drive, Akron, OH 44319
Phone: (330) 644-2293
Wildlife District Four Office
360 E. State Street, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: (740) 589-9930
Wildlife District Five Office
1076 Old Springfield Pike, Xenia, OH 45385
Phone: (937) 372-9261
For additional assistance with field trial questions please contact Jennifer Windus at (614) 265-6309 or jennifer.windus@dnr.state.oh.us
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