Thursday, January 26, 2006
Bill Cochran's Field Reports: Stocking wolves? No way, officials say
Bill Cochran is a Roanoke Times outdoors columnist.
Bill Cochran's Outdoors
Recent columns
- Less freedom at Hatteras for surf casters
- Here’s the scoop on hunting shed antlers
- Want more grouse? Get used to hearing chainsaws
- Sunday hunting bills aplenty, but some hunters hold out
- Column archive
Bill's Mailbag
Bill's Field Reports
Resources
Some people in Bath County say they are afraid to walk around their property because there are so many coyotes and wolves.
Coyotes, yes. But wolves?
Yes, wolves. A picture of one killed on Cole’s Mountain by Eddie Lee Johnson was passed around at the recent Bath County Board of Supervisors meeting.
County residents have reported to the supervisors that hybrid wolves have been stocked by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to help control the swelling coyote population. But they were supposed to have been spayed or neutered. The male killed by Johnson obviously was not.
No question, coyotes have been a problem in the country, especially among sheep farmers. The county has posted a bounty on them, but it appears it has made little impact, as is the case with most bounty systems.
You don’t have to talk to very many of the good citizens of Bath County before you realize that there are people who think the deer herd is down sharply and coyotes are one of the major reasons.
Supervisor Stuart Hall said there is a prevailing rumor in the county that a local insurance agent brought in truckloads of coyotes in as an effort to control the deer population because deer/vehicle collision claims had become so common.
Bob Duncan, chief of the DGIF wildlife division said he’d heard that rumor. As far as his agency being involved in wolf stockings, he said, “absolutely not.”
The only wild wolf spotting in Virginia that he is aware of is one observed in the Dismal Swamp area near the Virginia/North Carolina coast. The animal was from a release along the North Carolina coast.
Bath County supervisors have requested a representative from DGIF to appear at their next meeting to discuss the wolf issue and to explain why the deer population has tumbled.
As for the wolf killed by Johnson, “That animal looked like he’d been around a feed bowl,” said one observer.
SUNDAY HUNTING BILLS CLOBBERED
House bills that would have eased the ban on Sunday hunting have been killed in the General Assembly, but one pro-Sunday hunting legislator has promised that he will keep the idea alive as long as voters send him to Richmond.
“By restricting the right to hunt on Sundays we are not only hurting current hunters, we are hurting future generations of hunters to carry on our proud traditions,” said Del. Onzlee Ware, D-Roanoke. Ware’s bill, HB 711, would have given localities the option of establishing Sunday hunting. He said he would continue to purse the idea in the future.
That bill and HB 632, by Del. Clarence Phillips, D-Castlewood, were voted down in a subcommittee of the Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
Del. Phillips’ bill would have established Sunday hunting west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“Work schedules have changed for many and this has limited the number of hunting days available,” Phillips said.
Deer hunters in the west have fewer hunting days than hunters in the east, he said. Since hunters in the west can not use dogs in the pursuit of deer, the possibility of “disturbance of church services on Sunday should not be an issue,” he said.
Both Phillips and Ware reported that they had received support for chipping away at Virginia’s ban on Sunday hunting. Seventy percent of the respondents participating in a poll in Phillips area backed the idea..
Del. Ware said he had “received many calls from hunters inside and outside his district who work Monday through Saturday who want to hunt on Sunday because it is their only day off.” He called Virginia’s ban on Sunday hunting “antiquated.”
OTHER BILLS
>Bear hunters have been warned to be leery of a bill that would legalize the selling of bear parts.
“This bill should be opposed, as it has the probable effect of encouraging illegal poaching, a recurring problem in some parts of the state,” said Bob Kane, president of the Virginia Hunting Dog Owners Association.
The bill, HB 1061, was introduced by Vivian Watts, D-Annandale, and would allow the selling of bear parts from bear taken legally by hunters.
>Sportsmen have been working with Del. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Woodbridge to strengthen a bill he introduced, HB 362, that would restructure the board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. This is the most radical of a number of bills that address recent shortcomings at DGIF.
Board members of the Commonwealth Sportsmen’s Alliance and the United Eastern Virginia Hunting Dog Association have said they can support the bill with certain amendments that they have recommended.
Lingamfelter’s bill would dismiss the current 11 board members of the DGIF and replace it with 13 members, four from specific regions of the state and the remainder from at large. Rather than the governor appointing them all, as now is the case, he would appoint six while the Speaker of the House would appoint four and the Senate Rules Committee three.
>The Virginia Hunting Dog Owners Association is monitoring 22 bills on dog ownership and responsibility. Bob Kane, president of the association, said this is “a record never approached before in my memory. Virtually every one of these bills is a concern. Some of them are absolutely historical threats to responsible Virginia citizens and pet owners.”
He called the mass of legislation the “Perfect Storm.”
Comments on the bills can be found on the associations Web site: http://vhdoa.uplandbirddog.com/staterk.html.
TIDAL BASS POPULATIONS REBOUND
Largemouth bass populations in the tidal James, Chickahominy and Rappahannock rivers have made dramatic recovery from persistent drought conditions that occurred from the mid1990s through late 2002.
Strong hatches in 2004 and 2005 should result in improved fishing this season for bass 12 to 15 inches in length, said Bob Greenlee, district fisheries biologist. Trophy bass may be harder to come by, he said.
Here’s how Greenlee ranks six tidal streams:
- James River and its tributaries: Rapid growth rates with bass generally 2-inches longer than those of similar age in the tidal Chickahominy. Good numbers of bass to 4 pounds; more bass in the 4-to 6-pound range than the tidal Chickahominy.
- Chickahominy: The catch rate is much improved. With two consecutive strong year classes moving into the fishery, anglers should see continued increases in catches.
- Pamunkey: This largemouth population experienced slower growth and fairly stable recruitment compared to the James, Chickahominy or Rappahannock. A very strong 2002 year class will move into the fishery this year.
- Rappahannock: With slower growth and lower catch rates, this largemouth population has never had the national reputation of the tidal Chickahominy and James, and recent angler success is generally limited to that section above Route 301.
- Lower Dragon/Piankatank: This is a relatively small and inaccessible fishery, but recent surveys indicate stable recruitment and good numbers of 15-inch largemouths for those who seek them out.
- Mattaponi: Very low bass catch rates in recent electrofishing surveys. Most largemouths concentrated from just above Aylett to just downstream of Walkerton.
FISHING REPORT
>Catfish continue to provide tons of action in the tidal James River. Nathan Long of Suffolk landed blue cats that weighed 51, 43, 39, 37 and 25 pounds. David Anderson of Louisa caught a 68-pound blue catfish.
>Striped bass fishing is reported to be excellent at Lake Anna where limits catches of 16- and 17-pound fish are being reported. Glen Vico of Spotsylvania had a pair of Anna largemouth that weighed 5 pounds, 8 ounces and 6 pounds, 4 ounces.
>Pickerel have turned on at Chickahominy Lake, where catches of eight or more have been common. The fish weigh up to 3.5 pounds apiece. Robert Isbell of Quinton and Bobby Harlow of Sandstone won a bass tournament at the lake with a five-fish catch that weighed 18.97 pounds.
>Bill Brandon of Providence Forge caught a 2-pound, 4-ounce crappie at Chickahominy River, the largest of 20 fish he landed. He used a red-head jig sweetened with a small, live minnow.
>A Lake Moomaw bass tournament was won with a catch of eight bass weighing 18 pounds. All of them were smallmouths. Second place entry weighed 16 pounds, all of them largemouths.
NO LONGER A FEE AT TROUT HATCHERIES
When a yellow school bus shows up at a state trout hatchery in Virginia, no longer will a hatchery worker be holding out a hand to collect a dollar entry fee from each visiting student. The board of the Department of Game and Inland fisheries has voted to drop the fee, which has been charged at five hatcheries.
Col. Gerald Massengill, interim director of the DGIF, said collecting money from people who want to visit a hatchery “just doesn’t seem right.”
Lee Albright called it “bad PR.”
Albright, a citizen who lives near the Montebello hatchery, has been a sharp critic of the fee, and of threats to shutdown the hatchery.
The hatchery fee process collected just over $6,000, most of that from the Montebello facility. That is a small price toward educating the public about the joys of trout and trout fishing, said Albright.
COL. MASSENGILL’S TOUR EXTENDED
Col. Gerald Massengill had expected to be home in time for spring crappie fishing on Lake Chesdin, but that won’t be the case. His tour as interim director of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has been extended by the agency’s board.
Massengill, a retired state police superintendent, has received high praise since assuming leadership of DGIF in May, following the forced departure of William Woodfin, who was director for 10 years.
A DGIF board search committee was scheduled to announce a new director in March and to have that person in place in April; however, the board voted to give Massengill more time to pursue efforts to get the embattled agency back on track. Among the lingering challenges are personnel issues that can’t easily be handled until an ongoing state police investigation is completed.
Massengill’s contract had been scheduled to expire May 24, according to John Montgomery, chairman of the search committee. The new contract is expected to be presented to the board in March.
The DGIF has received a number of applicants for the position, and the candidates will be notified of the extension, Montgomery said.
BASS FEDERATION TO REOGRANIZE
No matter what you might have heard, the Virginia BASS Chapter Federation is not dead. That is the word from Joan Blankenship who has announced a reorganization meeting Feb. 4, 11 a.m. at the Henry County Virginia Administration Building (3300 Kings Mountain Road) in Martinsville.
The Federation has been involved in a well-publicized split during which Virginia Federation officers voted to leave BASS to become part of a new grassroots organization under FLW Outdoors, a major competitor of BASS.
BASS has announced that its Federation has been revamped and renamed the Federation Nation. It will focus on community, fraternity and stewardship, and a new tournament format, a spokesman said.
“The purpose of the meeting (in Martinsville) is to determine new leadership for a reinstated Virginia BASS Chapter Federation and continue the affiliation with BASS/ESPN,” said Blankenship. Blankenship can be reached at jholmes@sitestar.net.
NUMBER OF GAME WARDENS DOWN
Seventeen new game wardens are scheduled to graduate from the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ academy March 15, but that won’t be enough to fill the gap of nearly 20 vacanties.
“We aren’t staying up,” said Col. Gerald Massengill, interim director of the DGIF.
The warden force recently was reorganized and Mike Bise was promoted to colonel. Bise has been a warden for nearly 26 years, starting his career in Henry County in 1980.
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>Not a single fatal hunting accident was recorded during the modern firearms deer season of 2005-06. Officials of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries check back in their records to 1987 and found it was the only fatality free modern firearms season since then. There was one fatality during the muzzleloading season.
>Nicole M. “Nikki” Rovner has been appointed deputy secretary of natural resources by Gov. Tim Kaine. She was the first director of government relations for the Nature Conservancy of Virginia. Rovner holds a bachelors degree in wildlife science from Penn State University and a law degree from the University of Richmond.
>The Fly Fisheries of Virginia has honored James Madison University chemistry professor Dan Downey and outdoor writer Bob Gooch for their work toward the betterment of fishing. Downey helped develop liming techniques to counter acid rain and Gooch has preached sportsmanship and conservation during more than 40 years of writing.
>The Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies has scheduled a conference in Norfolk in October that is expected to attract 700 wildlife officials. The coordinator is Tom Wilcox of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The event’s website is SEAFWA2006.org.
>David Hickman has been named executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association of Virginia. He was vice president of sales and marketing for Julian’s Restaurants based in Richmond. CCA VA headquarters is in Virginia Beach.
>Like Virginia, Pennsylvania has been wrestling with the Sunday hunting issue. That state’s legislature hired a research firm to study the issue. In its survey, 50 percent of the residents said “yes” to Sunday hunting; 45 percent said “no.” Nonresidents favored Sunday hunting by 78 percent. The research firm concluded that Sunday hunting in Pennsylvania could gain more than 5,000 jobs and $628 million in economic impact.
>Walker’s Game Ears, the company that produces hearing enhancement and protection for hunters, is offering new digital quality equipment. See www.walkersgameear.com.
> Parker Compound Bows, a major bow manufacturer headquartered in Mint Spring has a new 35-page 2006 catalog that features its bows and a numerous pictures of trophy deer. Bob Errett, president of the company, called it good “wintertime reading.” The Parker Web site is www.parkerbows.com.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Bassarama, Jan. 27-29, Richmond Raceway Complex, information from www.bassarama.com.
4-H Natural Resources Weekend, Holiday Lake 4-H Center, Appomattox, Jan. 27-29, tops cover everything from wildlife identification to GPS basics, to hiking and fishing. Fee is $78 which includes meals. To register, call: 434-248-5444.
Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show, Feb. 4-12, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, Pa., www.easternsportshow.com.
Mid-Atlantic Boat Show, Feb. 4-12, Virginia Beach Convention Center.
Richmond Chapter Ducks Unlimited banquet, Feb. 16, Science Museum of Virginia, Richmond, details on www.durichmond.com.
Virginia Mountains Chapter Ruffed Grouse Society banquet, Wyndham Hotel, Roanoke, Feb. 18, information or tickets from Mike Taylor, 540-977-0087 or 540-890-5133.
Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 24-26, Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Florida.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, March 21, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Appalachian Highlands Chapter of Ruffed Grouse Society banquet, March 4, Holiday Inn, Bristol, information from Mark Tester, 423-926-9323.
Tidewater Fresh and Saltwater Fishing Expo, March 10-12, Virginia Beach.
Wilderness First Aid Class, March 25-26, Blacksburg, two-days of classroom study, hands-on practice that results in a two-year certification, $160. For additional information and to register, phone 703 836-8905 or visit http://wfa.net.
ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series tournament, March 26, Lake Gaston, Americamps in South Hill, www.Bassmaster.com for registration and details.
Spring gobbler season, April 8-May. 13.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, April 25, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, June 20, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, Aug. 22, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, Oct. 17, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Bassmaster tour event, Smith Mountain Lake, Oct. 26-28, register on www.bassmaster.com.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, Dec. 12, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Got an event? Let us know: xtails@earthlink.net.
