Entries for Youth and Adult Hunts due 8 a.m., September 29, 2014

(Columbus, OH) – The Ohio History Connection will conduct separate lotteries to allow deer hunting for youth and adults at Fort Hill in Hillsboro, Ohio, during the 2014-2015 firearms season, including a later muzzleloaders season and an archery season for adults. The lottery for each season is separate.

• The Youth Hunt will take place Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23, 2014. One to two youths (age 17 and younger) may hunt with an unarmed adult mentor.

• The Adult and Youth Archery Season is on Monday through Friday only (no weekends) from October 20 thru November 14, 2014. For the archery season only, hunters under age 18 may hunt with a non-hunting adult, following rules similar to those for the firearms Youth/Mentor hunt.  Adult bowhunters (age 18 & older) may apply both as a regular hunter, and as a mentor – but may not carry a weapon nor hunt while mentoring during this over-lapping season.

• The Adult Firearms Hunt will be Monday through Friday only (no weekends) December 1 – 5, 2014. Up to two adults may hunt together.

• A separate hunt for the Adult Late Muzzleloaders only season is from January 2 – 5, 2015.  Up to two adults may hunt together.

There is no hunting on weekends, except for the two-day youth hunt and the January muzzleloader hunt. The hunt will be open to 15 hunters in each hunt. Hunters will be encouraged to take as many does as possible up to the legal harvest limit. Those selected by the lotteries who harvest at least one doe will be invited back for next year’s hunt without going through the lottery.

Lottery Entry
Interested hunters, age 18 and over, may enter one of two ways. Go online to the Ohio History Store at http://www.ohiohistorystore.com, select the “Special Controlled Deer Hunt Lottery” choice for Fort Hill.Alternatively, send your name, full mailing address, and phone number (and optionally e-mail address) with a check for $5.00 per single hunter or $10 for buddy hunt application to, Debra Moorehead/Fort Hill Hunt, 800 E. 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43211. Be sure to specify which of the four separate Fort Hill hunts you are applying for. Be sure to specify on your application if you are applying for a hunt with a buddy. Each hunt has a non-refundable $5.00 processing fee. Hunters applying singly pay $5.00, hunters applying for a buddy hunt or as mentors with two youth pay $10.00 Applicants who apply more than once for any of the four hunts will be automatically disqualified.  Hunters may apply once for each of the four different hunts. Deadline for lottery application is at 8:00 am on September 29, 2014.

If selected, hunters will be notified the week of September 29 by either mail or e-mail. There will be a mandatory orientation session for participants at 10 a.m., Saturday, October 11 at Fort Hill’s picnic shelter building. All hunters must bring a valid driver’s license and a 2014 State of Ohio hunting license with at least two deer tags to the orientation.

For more information about the lotteries, contact OHC curators of natural history Erin Cashion at 614.298.2054 or David Dyer at 614.298.2055. For safety reasons, Fort Hill will be closed to visitors during the dates of all firearms hunts.

Fort Hill is located off State Route 41 on Township Road 256, five miles north of Sinking Springs and three miles south of Cynthiana in Highland County. It is managed by the Arc of Appalachia on behalf of the Ohio History Connection. For more information about the historic site, visit www.ohiohistory.org/forthill. [make alias]

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Ohio Historical Society is now Ohio History Connection
On May 24, 2014, the Ohio Historical Society changed its name to the Ohio History Connection [newlink]. Established in 1885, this nonprofit organization provides a wide array of statewide services and programs related to collecting, preserving and interpreting Ohio’s history, archaeology and natural history through its 55 sites and museums across Ohio, including its flagship museum, the Ohio History Center in Columbus. For more information about programs and events, call 800.686.6124 or go online at www.ohiohistory.org.