Thursday, September 15, 2005
Western big game winners
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
A 16-point deer killed last season in Franklin County by Mark Smith of Writz was the top buck in the 2005 Western Region Virginia Big Game Show held in Harrisonburg last weekend. It scored 240 2/16.
The best bow-killed buck was a 12-point Page County trophy that scored 207 1/16. It was killed by Michael Turner.
In the black-powder division, the winner was a 12-point Botetourt County buck killed by Richard Richardson. It scored 216.
The winning turkey, a Page County tom killed by Darrell Owens, scored 76 8/16.
The best bear scored 29 10/16 and was killed in Shenandoah County by Gary Foley.
Trophies that scored well in the Western Division will advance to the Eastern Region and State Big Game Show set for Sept 24 and 25 at the Southampton County Fairgrounds in Franklin. Information on the event can be found on www.vpsa.org.
BILL
DRY WEATHER HURTING FISHING
Dry weather is impacting freshwater fishing in Virginia. Some rivers are getting too low for easy fishing and most are extremely clear. The Blackwater and Nottoway rivers, near Suffolk, are running so low that some boat ramps are said to be 6 feet away from the water.
The Piedmont stretch of the James River is about 3-feet at Scottsville, almost too low for good float fishing. The New River is low and very clear.
Kerr Lake is so low that the flats around the Staunton and Dan rivers are exposed.
JACK RANDOLPH
GROUSE HUNTERS GET BUSY
Grouse hunters have been organizing and re-organizing in Virginia, some because of interest in the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ proposal to extend the grouse season.
A small group of hunters in the Martinsville/Henry County area met August 30 to organize a chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society. The turnout was smaller than hoped for, but it was a start, said Robert Woods, one of the organizers. The new chapter plans to have a youth project, Woods said. Information can be obtained from Woods at kfboyd@kimbanet.com.
The Virginia Mountains Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society has scheduled a work meeting in Roanoke designed to form a committee to work on projects. The meeting is 7 p.m. Sept. 28 at Wyndham Roanoke Airport Hotel. The contact is Mike Taylor, 977-0087.
The DGIF has proposed extending the grouse season through the end of September, something a number of grouse hunters support. The 2005-06 season ends Feb. 11.
BILL
COYOTES PUT BITE ON FARMERS
Coyotes have been putting the bit on sheep farmers in Southwest Virginia. Hillsville sheep producer Bobby Schockley reported to the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation that he has lost hundreds of sheep in the past decade to coyotes.
Schockley said he reduced his flock from 400 to two dozen this year. To better protect the animals he put them in a small pen. He also has a guard donkey. The coyotes simply jumped the fence of his pen. Last month he lost 13 sheep. Schockley reported that 43 coyotes have been trapped on his farm the past two years. He would like to see more money for predator control.
BILL
HUNTING DOG OWNERS FOR BOLLING/DEEDS
The Virginia Hunting Dog Owners’ Association has endorsed Bill Bolling for Lt. Governor and Creigh Deeds for Attorney General. The association said it would not endorse a candidate for governor.
“Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Jerry Kilgore are skilled advocates and articulate spokesman for their positions, but neither has a strong enough record on decisions affecting gun owners, sportsmen and animal owners to merit our endorsement,” said Bob Kane, association president.
“This was a very difficult determination in an extremely close race,” said Kane. “Both men will make far better Virginia chief executives than their critics would lead you to believe.”
The association gave Bolling a B rating while Deeds got an A+ rating.
BILL
NRA WORKSHOPS
The National Rifle Association is hosting four grassroot-election workshops in Virginia in behalf of its endorsements, Jerry Kilgore for Governor and Bill Bolling for Lt. Governor. NRA does not mention the Attorney General’s race, even though it gives candidate Creigh Deeds its highest A+ rating.
With Virginia being one of only two states holding elections this fall, the NRA is exerting more than average effort in the Commonwealth.
The workshops, scheduled for Virginia Beach, Harrisonburg, Leesburg and Roanoke, are designed to train people on how thy can actively assist with campaign volunteer activities. Information can be obtained from www.narila.org/workshops/.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>Go hunting in a state park? You can do just that at Virginia’s Bell Isle, Claytor Lake, Douthat, False Cape, Grayson Highlands, Kiptopeke and Raymond R. “Andy” Guest Shenandoah River state parks. For information, check www.dcr.virginia.gov/parks/hunting.
>A 1-pound, 7-ounce spot landed last October by Lorraine Gousee at the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel in Virginia has been certified as a International Game Fish Association all-tackle, world-record.
>The new BASS women’s tournament tour has reaped excitement and enthusiasm to the point that most slots for boasters and non-boaters have been filled.
>Hackers recently breached the security system of the National Striped Bass Association Web site and database. The association has installed a new security system and is attempting to contact its members to see if addresses have been altered.
>The presence of largemouth bass virus was confirmed in Iowa’s Lake Sugema last week by officials with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
>Sixteen federal wildlife refuges in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana have been temporarily closed due to the impact from Hurricane Katrina.
>If you want to catch up on what the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is looking for in the way of a new executive director, check: www.dgif.virginia.gov/jobs.
BILL
SALTWATER TOURNAMENT
The first pompano of the season has been entered in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, and there are new category leaders for cobia, kingfish and bluefin tuna... Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 93 pounds, 9 ounces, Willie McWhite, Jr., Richmond, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
COBIA: 93 pounds, Tilford Smith, Newport News, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
CROAKER: 4-pounds, 8 ounces, Elliott Souldourian, Virginia Beach, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
DOLPHIN: 52 pounds, Willi Fenske, Hopewell, ocean off Virginia Beach.
FLOUNDER: 17 pounds, 2 ounces, Hopie Firth, Poquoson, lower western Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 12 ounces, James Daughtrey III, Suffolk, lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TROUT: 12 pounds, 14 ounces, William Flipin, Hayes, upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
KING MACKEREL, 47 pounds, Frank Riganto, Virginia Beach off Virginia Beach.
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 15 ounces, Pete Ballo, Stamford, Conn., off Virginia Beach.
POMPANO: 3 pounds, 2 ounces, Mark Ottarson, North, Mobjack Bay.
SEA BASS: 6 pounds, 14 ounces, Chad Stoker, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 16 pounds, 8 ounces, Steven Hord, Williamsburg, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
SPADEFISH: 12 pounds, 8 ounces, Jerry Carnell, Jr. Oxford, N.C. upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 8 pounds, Charles Lewis III, Pasadena, Md., ocean off Eastern Shore.
SPECKLED TROUT: 11 pounds, 3 ounces, Brain Pomije, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 4 ounces, Robert Richardson, Richmond, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 63 pounds, 8 ounces, state record, Paul Leckner, Greenbackville, Bradford Bay.
TAUTOG: 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Larry Larue, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
TUNA (BLUEFIN) 158 pounds, Eric Holum, Silver Springs, Md., ocean off Eastern Shore.
TUNA: 90 pounds, 8 ounces, John Mackey, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
WAHOO: 83 pounds, 3 ounces, John Hamilton, Norfolk, ocean off Eastern Shore. BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Early Canada goose season through Sept. 24, 5 per day limit.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries public hearing on hunting, fishing and wildlife proposals, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 8, Izaak Walton League Building, Centerville
Western Division of Virginia Big Game Contest, Sept. 10 and 11, Rockingham County Fairgrounds near Harrisonburg, see www.vpsa.org for details.
Urban archery season, Sept. 17-30 and Jan. 9-25.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries public hearing on hunting, fishing and wildlife proposals, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 19, Madison Fire Department Fire Hall, Madison.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries public hearing on hunting, fishing and wildlife proposals, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 20, DGIF Headquarters, Richmond
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries public hearing on hunting, fishing and wildlife proposals, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 21, Halifax County High School, South Boston
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries public hearing on hunting, fishing and wildlife proposals, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 22, Holiday Inn, Suffolk
Eastern Division and state finals of Virginia Big Game Contest, Sept. 24 and 25, Southampton County Fairgrounds, Franklin, see www.vpsa.org for details.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries public hearing on hunting, fishing and wildlife proposals, 6:30 p.m., Sept. 26, Rappahannock Community College, Warsaw
Bowhunting/crossbow season, Oct. 1-Nov. 18 and Dec. 5-Jan. 7.
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Oct. 15, Salem Civic Center, $30 single, $50 couple, 27 firearms and other items to give away, proceeds go to grants and programs for youth and sports shooting programs, information from Chris Kessler, 884-3259.
Final action on proposed hunting, fishing, trapping, boating and non-game proposals by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Oct. 27, 9 a.m. DGIF headquarters, 4000 West Broad Street, Richmond.
H.C. Edwards Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society banquet, Oct. 28, Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, $55 individuals, $75 individual and guest, information from Matt Smith, 540-432-7732 (W) or 540-459-3559 (H).
Fall turkey hunting season, Oct. 31-Nov. 12; Nov. 24 and Dec. 12-Jan. 7.
Muzzleloading season east of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 5-18.
Wilderness First Aid class, Nov. 5 and 6, Blacksburg, 18-hour, two-day study, cost is $160, registration and information from http://wfa.net.
Muzzleloading season west of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 12-18
Deer hunting season west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 19-Dec. 3
Deer hunting season east of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 19-Jan. 7
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Nov. 29, 9 a.m., DGIF headquarters, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, Dec. 16, 9 a.m., DGIF headquarters, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Late muzzleloading season, Dec. 17-Jan. 7.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
