History In 2011, a law was passed permitting natural gas drilling at state parks in Ohio. (Ohio Senate approves bill to allow oil and gas drilling at state parks). Largely due to public concern about the impact on state parks, then Governor John Kasich effectively eliminated leasing of these lands by not appointing members to the Oil and Gas Land Commission (Ohio House bill would ease fracking in state park). There were various attempts to restart the process, but none was successful until ...

"Muster" is a verb. To muster anything takes action, and being the hunters and anglers we are, it’s our nature to do just that. We push ourselves to the limit and give our all for the things we value.  So it’s no surprise that we’re still buzzing a week after BHA’s annual Muster in the Marsh event hosted by the Ohio BHA Chapter. Through multiple months of planning, meetings, new connections, and collaboration, we were able to celebrate our public lands and water amongst some of the finest - ...

  OH BHA Chapter Leader Tony Ruffing heads to D.C.   While we're looking forward to our big summer party, Muster in the Marsh, we're also keeping a close eye on developments in Columbus. Our legislature has been busy with mixed results, and we've been keeping a close eye in particular on the budgeting process as embodied in state house bill 33. It's been an interesting, frustrating process to watch, and Ohio BHA members have provided important feedback both through BHA action alerts, and via ...

  By Gabe Karns, Levi Arnold, and Dustin Lindley In the pantheon of game animals, ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) occupy a unique position. They're a smallish game bird, reclusive and skittish, that occupies a big space in the hearts and thoughts of many hunters - perhaps a bigger space in the minds of their dogs.In Ohio, there have been significant declines grouse abundance as shown below (source https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/animals/birds/ruffed-grouse): Declining ruffed grouse ...

Over a decade ago, the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission was created within the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to oversee oil and gas leases on public land in the Buckeye State.  In the years since its formation, the Commission has largely slumbered and for the purposes of conversation – done basically nothing.  That is changing.  HB 507, ignominiously dubbed the “Chicken Bill”, has roused the Commission awake.  Among several sticking points, a “shall lease” clause sets a ...