Fish

Five Rivers MetroParks contains numerous opportunities for quality fishing in lakes, ponds and rivers. Here are some tips to help you land some fantastic fishing memories this year:

• Bass
  The best places for trophy largemouth bass are the ponds in the north part of Englewood MetroPark. Fishing surveys found numerous bass over 6 lbs. Two small ponds, Sunfish pond (Germantown MetroPark) and Dogwood pond (Twin Creek MetroPark), offer excellent catch and release bass fishing in scenic settings. These ponds contain numerous 1-2 lb. bass and the occasional 3 lb. bass. For those interested in smallmouth bass, the pool below Englewood dam yielded several fish in the 14-16 inch range during surveys. Twin Creek in Germantown MetroPark is also an excellent smallmouth bass stream.
  
  
• Catfish
  The ponds at Possum Creek MetroPark are stocked with catfish on the first Friday of each month (except during the winter).
  
  
• Fingerling Saugeyes
  Fingerling saugeyes have been stocked at Eastwood Lake for several years and dozens of fish in the 12-14 inch range were captured during the surveys. These fish should provide excellent fishing in the spring and fall.
  
  
• Other Fish
  Martindale Road Pond at Englewood MetroPark is the best location for total numbers of crappies. Several crappies over 1.5 lb. were captured in Cedar Lake at Carriage Hill MetroPark and sunfish in the 6-9 inch range are also abundant. Eastwood Lake has a good population of large bluegills. Trout is stocked in the ponds at Possum Creek MetroPark during the winter months.

Regulations
Look for specific regulations at each lake or pond. At several MetroPark ponds, a State of Ohio Fishing license is not required. These ponds are excellent places to introduce people to the joy of fishing and include Cedar Lake (Carriage Hill MetroPark), Argonne Lake (Possum Creek MetroPark) and Sunfish Pond (Germantown MetroPark).


Birds

• Guided Walks & Bird -Watching Programs
  See the calendar of nature events for bird-watching programs. Join a naturalist on a guided walk and see some wildlife at your MetroParks.
  
  
• Breeding Bird Surveys
  Five Rivers MetroParks conducts surveys of breeding birds and annual counts at several MetroParks (see the surveys below). Birds are important indicators of ecosystem health and help indicate the effectiveness of land management practices. If you enjoying bird watching and would like to help MetroParks monitor our feathered friends, volunteer for MetroParks Breeding Bird Survey! Volunteers identify birds by sight and sound. No experience is necessary; experienced birders will help with identification. For more information or to sign up, contact the volunteer coordinator at (937) 275-7275.
  
  
• Places to Bird Watch
  From warblers to cranes and flycatchers to owls, Five Rivers MetroParks contains an amazing diversity of birds. Often, MetroParks represent the best habitat for rare bird species in the Miami Valley.
  • Carriage Hill MetroPark hosts a variety of waterfowl at Cedar Lake and North Woods Pond, such as green herons, wood ducks and ring-neck ducks.
  • Cox Arboretum MetroPark offers a bird blind near a pond, providing an opportunity for bird and wildlife viewing in this area that includes two wetlands and 13 acres of prairie. Redwing blackbirds and common yellowthroat warblers are often seen at the bird blind. Breeding birds survey
  • Englewood MetroPark is an excellent bird-watching park. Look for great blue herons, belted kingfishers, a variety of ducks, cedar wax wings and Baltimore orioles. Englewood MetroPark has a variety of habitats including woodlands, meadows and wetlands. The Stillwater River, lakes and ponds invite waterfowl, including sandhill cranes. Other birds in this park include owls, eagles and warblers. Breeding birds survey
  • Germantown MetroPark is designated as an Important Bird Area by National Audubon Society and a Watchable Wildlife viewing site by Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Walk the nearly 16 miles of trails to search for a wide variety of birds. Stop by the Window on Wildlife at the Nature Center to see birds. Staff or volunteers are often available to help with identification. Breeding birds survey
  • Huffman MetroPark is an excellent place to view migrating ducks. Huffman Lake, the Mad River and natural vegetation provide a welcoming home to birds, such as red-tail hawks, herons and several types of woodpeckers.Breeding birds survey
  • Possum Creek MetroPark’s tall grass prairies, Argonne Lake and ponds provide habitat for a variety of birds, including bluebirds, goldfinches, hawks, ring-neck ducks, blue wing teal, pied-billed grebes and American coots. Breeding birds survey
  • Twin Creek MetroPark hosts seventy species of nesting birds. The wild, beautiful landscape of this park includes over seven miles of walking trails, many along Twin Creek and through woodlands and meadows. Breeding birds survey
    
    

Deer

Overpopulation
The population of white-tailed deer has soared in several of Five Rivers MetroParks because of:

• Food availability
• Development of adjoining land
• Lack of former predators, such as wolves

If deer live in highly populated areas for a long time, they damage the forests and regeneration may not be possible. Deer populations are out of balance when grazing reduces or eliminates selected vital plants in a park. In some cases, damaged forests never recover and, in extreme cases, deer can become more susceptible to disease and starvation because of overpopulation.

Healthy Deer Density (Approx. 20 deer per square mile).		Damaging Deer Density (Above 20 deer per square mile) In the Midwest, deer densities over 20 deer per square mile have been shown to severely damage plant and animal habitats. Deer reduce the number of plant species such as trillium and animal species such as Kentucky warblers that depend on forest plants. The plants and animals of mature forests are particularly sensitive to damage by a large number of deer.
Healthy Forest - Twin Creek MetroPark Camp Hook on Aug. 2, 2004, 20 deer/sq. mile.		Damaged Forest - Shiloh Woods Mature woods on Aug. 2, 2004 , 51 deer/sq. mile.

Controlling Deer Populations

• Deer Exclosures
  In 1997, Five Rivers MetroParks started studying the impacts of deer on vegetation. Several deer exclosures (fenced areas where deer cannot enter) were constructed. The plant communities inside the exclosures were compared to the plant communities outside the exclosures to determine the impacts of the deer. Deer had a negative effect on plants outside the exclosures. However, some parks have seen significant regrowth of vegetation after deer populations have been controlled. The photograph below shows the new vegetation at Cox Arboretum after two years of deer management.
  
  
• Determining Deer Populations
  Deer populations and impacts are being monitored at all MetroParks. The number of deer in park is determined using two methods: aerial infrared imaging and spotlight surveys.
  
  
  Aerial infrared imaging is accomplished at night by flying over a park in an airplane equipped with a thermal imaging device. The device records the images of deer by their heat signature. Adverse weather conditions and leaf cover can lower the accuracy of this method.
  
  
  A spotlight survey is conducted by driving a route within the park and counting the number of deer observed.

Reducing Deer Populations
A program to reduce deer density at several MetroParks began in 2002. Several MetroParks have shown significant improvements in vegetation as deer densities have been reduced to more balanced levels. Deer management is one of the most important ways to preserve habitat and rare species for future generations in MetroParks. Five Rivers MetroParks’ deer management program consists of two methods: culling and controlled bow hunting.

• Culling
  Culling is the use of specialized firearms in the hands of trained marksmen (park rangers) at night when the park is closed. Rangers are located in a tower to ensure all shots are directed toward the ground and toward the interior of the park into an earthen backstop. All venison from culling operations is donated to the Food Bank, Inc. (formerly the Red Cross Emergency Food Bank) in Dayton.
  
  
  Since 2002, more than 20,500 pounds of venison have been donated by Five Rivers MetroParks. In Ohio, Columbus, Cleveland, Akron and Cincinnati MetroParks use culling as their primary deer management tool. Deer are harvested through hunting in six park districts, eight state parks, four state nature preserves, four private nature centers and at least 22 cities and towns throughout Ohio.
  
  
  
• Controlled Bow Hunting
  Controlled bow hunting started in 2004 at Five Rivers MetroParks and is used in areas that have no public access. Controlled bow hunting is the harvest of deer by archers selected for experience and marksmanship. All hunting is from tree stands located away from adjacent properties. Bow hunters are required to pass a hunter education course or equivalent test, possess a current hunting license and be able to place at least four out of five arrows in a 10” diameter target from a distance of 20 yards. They also must complete an orientation to ensure understanding of safety regulations.
  
  - Bow hunting Q&A
  - Summary of bowhunter logs 2004-2007
  - Safety test
  - Register for Controlled Bowhunting
  
  
• Deer Management Alternatives
  There limited alternatives for deer management. Trapping and relocating deer are not permitted by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Such methods result in high deer mortality due to stress. Birth control is not permitted as a deer population management method by the Ohio Division of Wildlife. Cleveland MetroParks is testing an experimental drug, PZP, but PZP is not approved by the FDA for use in free-ranging deer. The Ohio Division of Wildlife will not approve any more permits for field research on PZP.
  
  

Coyotes

Coyote Pups at Taylorsville

A long series of howls echo over the night landscape in Dayton. Dogs? Perhaps, but it is increasingly likely that midnight chorus is a family of coyotes who are quite happy in the city. According to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the first coyotes were spotted in Ohio in 1919 and today are found in all 88 counties. Five Rivers MetroPark volunteers undertook a coyote survey in the spring of 2005 and documented approximately 35 coyotes in 10 MetroParks.

• An Important MetroParks Resident
  Coyotes are one of the most misunderstood animals that inhabit Five Rivers MetroParks, but they are a significant part of MetroPark ecosystems. They help to control the rodent population and remove diseased or dead animals. However, people who hear or see coyotes are often afraid. Coyote attacks on human are very rare and none have been reported in Five Rivers MetroParks. Most coyote attacks occur when the coyotes have been hand-fed and learn to associate humans with food.
  
  
  
• Avoiding Conflicts with Coyotes
  Feeding by humans, whether intentional or not, is the number one cause of coyote conflicts with humans in urban areas. Although most of their diet is rodents, coyotes will eat almost anything including garbage, bird seed or unattended small pets. Although problems between coyotes and pets are rare, it is critical that residents in areas with coyotes ensure that food sources are not available and keep pets indoors or under supervision. Hopefully, the night song of the coyote will remind people that coyotes adapt well to city life and, with some understanding from their human neighbors, can flourish in the most unlikely places.
  
  
  

Canada Geese
“Help! Thirty geese have taken over my pond! What do I do?” As geese begin their annual return to the Miami Valley, pleas for help in dealing with goose conflicts are as common as the flights of geese. With persistence, patience and creativity, it is possible to use simple techniques to reduce problems with Canada geese.

The Abundance of Canada Geese Canada geese, which had been absent from Ohio for over 50 years, were reintroduced by the Ohio Division of Wildlife in 1956. Recent surveys have estimated the resident population at over 90,000 birds including large numbers in urban areas such as Dayton. It should be noted that geese are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Act and Ohio state law. It is illegal to harm any goose or nest without a permit from the Ohio Division of Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.   The Problem of Canada Geese Geese love mowed grass and ponds with neat, manicured edges. With the expansion of suburban retention ponds, golf courses and other water habitats, geese have reproduced quickly. Without natural predators, one pair of geese can become over 50 geese in a short time. One of the biggest problems with geese is their feces. A single goose can produce 1.5 lbs. of feces per day. Geese can also be very aggressive when defending nesting sites.   Uninviting Geese Once geese have arrived on a property, what can be done? First, stop all feeding of geese. Though well intentioned, feeding actually harms the geese by depriving them of the nutrients in their natural food. Feeding also makes geese lose their natural fear of humans. Secondly, make the area less attractive to the geese. Simply allowing pond edges to grow tall with vegetation will often discourage geese. If this is not possible, a monofilament grid can be installed across the top of the pond. The geese see the grid and learn to avoid the area. For small areas of grass, a product applied to the grass called Flight Control may be effective. This product, made from grape seed extract, makes the grass taste bitter to the geese without harming them. Flight Control, however, is expensive ($250 per acre) and must be reapplied after rain or mowing.

A solution often employed by golf courses and airports is border collies. These dogs can be trained to herd geese without harming them. However, border collies require constant care and are most effective in large areas. This option is presently being used at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. If purchasing a dog is not an option, there are companies that will bring border collies to a property to chase the geese away for a fee. To be effective, this must continue through the spring season and can become expensive. Whatever methods are chosen, the key to success is beginning the process early in the spring before geese have established in an area. For more information on dealing with geese, contact Michael Enright, Five Rivers MetroParksWildlife Biologist at (937) 277-4109 or menright@metroparks.org or the Ohio Division of Wildlife District Five office at (937) 372-9261.