(Columbus, OH) – The Ohio History Connection, in consultation with its site partner the Arc of Appalachia, who locally manages the Fort Hill property, has canceled the 2018-2019 deer hunting season and lottery.
 
This decision was made in response to the greatly diminished deer numbers at Fort Hill.
 
The Ohio History Connection administers deer hunts on several properties within its historic site network in collaboration with their local site partners to manage deer populations. Hunting is used as a management tool to prevent deer overpopulation in some areas. Deer overpopulation results in over browse of young trees and shrubs (understory thinning), which prevents forests from regenerating and negatively impacts other wildlife, such as songbirds.
 
In the past, does were targeted deliberately at Fort Hill to lower the deer population.
 
In the summer and fall of 2017, Epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD), also known as “blue tongue”, reduced populations of whitetail deer in many areas of Ohio. Deer numbers at Fort Hill and other Highland County properties were severely impacted. Since the outbreak, Arc of Appalachia staff stationed at Fort Hill have seen extremely diminished numbers of deer.
 
The deer hunt at Fort Hill will be cancelled for the 2018-2019 season to give the deer population a chance to rebound.
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Fort Hill Earthworks & Nature Preserve
Fort Hill is located at 6123 State Route 350, Oregonia, Ohio 45054. Fort Hill is one of the best-preserved examples of an ancient hilltop enclosure built by American Indians of the Hopewell culture. It’s also a nature preserve, and the 1,300 acres are home to one of southern Ohio’s largest mature forests. It’s 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.
 
Ohio History Connection
The Ohio History Connection, formerly the Ohio Historical Society, is a statewide history organization with the mission to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered in 1885, the Ohio History Connection carries out history services for Ohio and its citizens focused on preserving and sharing the state’s history. This includes housing the state historic preservation office, the official state archives, local history office and managing more than 50 historic sites and museums across Ohio.