Hougan
02-14-2004, 09:46 AM
I just got some very disturbing news yesterday concerning a potentially new wildlife area.
There are two gravel pits near Spring Valley, Ohio owned by Martin Marietta. One has been retired for a few years now and has no human traffic at all, the other is still in operation. The retired gravel pit in just a few years years has grown to hold as many as 5000 ducks and geese. The birds have been using this as a late season roost since the depth of the water keeps it open much longer.
The wildlife office at Spring Valley is attempting to aquire this property from Martin Marietta. I asked what thier intentions were with the property if they do get it and the answer was "It would be another reacreational area", "We would allow public fishing, dove hunting, and duck hunting".
I can't beleive this awesome resource is going to be destroyed by allowing public access. This is an awesome refuge for the birds in the area and those migrating through. What a pleaseure it was to be able to sit and watch pintails, wigeon, green wing teal, gadwal, mallards, blacks, geese (two leg bands) bluebills, hooded mergansers etc in huge numbers. Not to mention the benefit to the hunting in the area. The fields in the area were hot with ducks and geese this year. If Spring Valley gets it it'll be just another spot in Greene/Warren county to sit and watch empty skies.
Personally, I'd like to see it managed as a wildlife refuge. When the other gravel pit or the other gravel pits in the area retire I'd like to see them retire to raising ducks and geese. This particular property is large enough to build an educational center right on the spot. Some blinds on the rim of the lake would make for great birding for sportsman and birders. I still can't beleive what a great opportunity there is here and wildlife wants more marginal public hunting. I'd rather see wildlife do something to provide more birds to hunt/watch rather than provide more places to hunt. Already there are loads of places to hunt public ground but there are no birds. Here is a chance to keep birds in the area longer than ever before. Migrating birds will imprint on this area and bring with them thier young for years to come. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see 10,000 birds on this lake in the next five years if it were managed as a refuge. We could have our very own Ottawa wildlife sanctuary down here in the next couple of years and the birding and the hunting would be second to none.
Better still is the state owns fields in the area and those fields would be prime for lottery draws like the ones at Mercer or Misquito. I am lucky enough to hunt some of the most incredible places in America and it's all because of refuges in the immediate area. We need to provide migrating birds wether it be game birds or shore birds a place to rest.
This area of the state is in desperate need of a refuge system and here is the perfect opportunity to start. The Little Miami and Great Miami river corridors are world suppliers of gravel. This extensive stretch of gravel pits from Springfield to Miamitown can provide a long refuge system to these birds and the number of birds that would be attracted to this area is staggering. We could see birds numbering in the 100,000's using this area, but only if we provide shelter for them. Lord knows we have plenty of food for them.
I so bent on this I have called ODNR District 5, ODNR Columbus, Dayton DU, Ohio DU, and yes I called Dayton Audabon.:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
There are two gravel pits near Spring Valley, Ohio owned by Martin Marietta. One has been retired for a few years now and has no human traffic at all, the other is still in operation. The retired gravel pit in just a few years years has grown to hold as many as 5000 ducks and geese. The birds have been using this as a late season roost since the depth of the water keeps it open much longer.
The wildlife office at Spring Valley is attempting to aquire this property from Martin Marietta. I asked what thier intentions were with the property if they do get it and the answer was "It would be another reacreational area", "We would allow public fishing, dove hunting, and duck hunting".
I can't beleive this awesome resource is going to be destroyed by allowing public access. This is an awesome refuge for the birds in the area and those migrating through. What a pleaseure it was to be able to sit and watch pintails, wigeon, green wing teal, gadwal, mallards, blacks, geese (two leg bands) bluebills, hooded mergansers etc in huge numbers. Not to mention the benefit to the hunting in the area. The fields in the area were hot with ducks and geese this year. If Spring Valley gets it it'll be just another spot in Greene/Warren county to sit and watch empty skies.
Personally, I'd like to see it managed as a wildlife refuge. When the other gravel pit or the other gravel pits in the area retire I'd like to see them retire to raising ducks and geese. This particular property is large enough to build an educational center right on the spot. Some blinds on the rim of the lake would make for great birding for sportsman and birders. I still can't beleive what a great opportunity there is here and wildlife wants more marginal public hunting. I'd rather see wildlife do something to provide more birds to hunt/watch rather than provide more places to hunt. Already there are loads of places to hunt public ground but there are no birds. Here is a chance to keep birds in the area longer than ever before. Migrating birds will imprint on this area and bring with them thier young for years to come. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see 10,000 birds on this lake in the next five years if it were managed as a refuge. We could have our very own Ottawa wildlife sanctuary down here in the next couple of years and the birding and the hunting would be second to none.
Better still is the state owns fields in the area and those fields would be prime for lottery draws like the ones at Mercer or Misquito. I am lucky enough to hunt some of the most incredible places in America and it's all because of refuges in the immediate area. We need to provide migrating birds wether it be game birds or shore birds a place to rest.
This area of the state is in desperate need of a refuge system and here is the perfect opportunity to start. The Little Miami and Great Miami river corridors are world suppliers of gravel. This extensive stretch of gravel pits from Springfield to Miamitown can provide a long refuge system to these birds and the number of birds that would be attracted to this area is staggering. We could see birds numbering in the 100,000's using this area, but only if we provide shelter for them. Lord knows we have plenty of food for them.
I so bent on this I have called ODNR District 5, ODNR Columbus, Dayton DU, Ohio DU, and yes I called Dayton Audabon.:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: