The ohio department of natural resources (odnr), division of wildlife (DOW) is granted authority and responsibility for management of fish and wildlife resources through ohio law established by the…

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI FWS) Region 3 awarded the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife (DOW) a Formula Grant totaling $24.68 million under the Wildlife Restoration and Basic Hunter Education and Safety program (CFDA 15.611) for the period July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026. Funded through the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, this grant supports the Division's Comprehensive Management System (CMS) operations and delivers a broad portfolio of wildlife management and recreational services across Ohio. Key deliverables include hunter education instruction, shooting range maintenance, wildlife research and population surveys, hunter recruitment and retention initiatives, public lands and private lands management, wildlife health and disease response planning, environmental compliance activities, and various hunting experiences coordinated through partner organizations statewide.

The funding enables DOW to manage Ohio's fish and wildlife resources as a renewable public resource while advancing mid- and long-term strategic conservation objectives. Project activities are organized as short-term operational initiatives under the CMS framework, ensuring measurable progress toward agency goals. The Division leverages this federal investment alongside partnerships with universities, conservation organizations, and other state and federal agencies to address recreational interests of wildlife enthusiasts, support species conservation efforts, and provide public access to wildlife recreation opportunities throughout Ohio's diverse ecosystems.

The ohio department of natural resources (odnr), division of wildlife (DOW) is granted authority and responsibility for management of fish and wildlife resources through ohio law established by the ohio general assembly. The ownership and title to all wild animals are held in trust by the division. The management of these wild animals is to be for the benefit of all the people and is based upon the premise that wildlife is a usable, renewable resource. Likewise, DOW is responsible for maintaining a hunter education program that results in hunters who possess the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary for being responsible hunters. With such a broad set of responsibilities, the DOW initiated the development and practical application of a comprehensive management system (CMS), by which agency actions are planned and implemented. The CMS helps the division make sound decisions regarding the actions of the agency using short-term operational project documents and tools to ensure that they are making measurable progress with regard to mid- and long-term goals and objectives identified in their tactical and strategic plans. The grant described herein funds the divisions operations under the CMS as IT pertains to those short-term operational project documents for wildlife management and hunter education.for this grant, DOW developed new and innovative projects to identify and address the recreational interests of wildlife enthusiasts and to increase their awareness of the opportunities that are available to them. These projects include: planning, coordination, and administration of the CMS and its projects hunter education instruction shooting range maintenance hunter recruitment, retention, and reactivation various hunting experiences delivered by partners across the state wildlife research wildlife population surveys public lands management public recreation wildlife health and disease planning and response environmental compliance private lands management and technical guidance for wildlife conflict and damage.