Bill Cochran is a Roanoke Times outdoors columnist.

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Bill Cochran's Outdoors

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• Drum fishing on Virginia’s Coast comes in two colors
• Elk advocate finally gets his day
• Turkeys are plentiful, so why are hunting regulations so tight fisted?
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Sometimes it is nice to be wrong.

I figured the Virginia Outdoor Sportsmen’s Classic, held the past weekend at the Roanoke Civic Center, would bomb. I’d watched more than 30 years of outdoor shows struggle in the Roanoke Valley.

The show not only was up against an inhospitable tradition, but there was stiff competition three hours away in Richmond from the entrenched Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show. Sponsored by the Virginia Deer Hunters Association, that show is in its 24th edition and can attract more than 20,000 people.

When I arrived midday Friday for the opening of the Roanoke show, there was a line at the ticket window. From the opening minutes, there was steady business at the Hunters for the Hungry display, where I worked as a volunteer. Many other vendors -- there were more than 60 -- were displaying big grins that reflected either delight or surprise.

A turkey calling contest, sanctioned by the National Wild Turkey Federation, was well attended and well conducted on Saturday.

At the end of the show on Sunday, the sponsor, Sponsor Hounds, was reporting an attendance of about 6,000. An impressive first try.

A certain sign of success: the sponsor announced that the show would be back next year, Aug. 22-24. There even was talk of a winter edition.

Meanwhile, the Richmond show built on its tradition of having something for everyone, said Penn Riggs, who provided a report for this site.

“There were some new products and new vendors, but also a lot of the same friendly faces from years past and a wide variety of products and services,” he said. “The full parking lot and milling crowd showed that the show had what people wanted to see.”

That included a large display of trophy deer racks, something missing in the Roanoke show, and strong interest in crossbow hunting.

NEW FIGURES ON HUNTING/FISHING

Virginia is known as a state where there is huge interest in hunting, fishing and wildlife watching. But it isn’t at the top of the list in either numbers of participants or percentage of participants.

According to figures just released by the National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation, the most hunters are in Texas, the most fishermen in Florida and the most wildlife watchers in California.

Montana had the highest percentage of hunters (19 percent); Alaska/Minnesota the highest percentage of fishermen (28 percent) and Maine the highest percentage of wildlife watchers (57 percent).

A comparison with figures collected 5 years ago shows a national decline in the number of hunters and fishermen. During that period, anglers declined 12 percent, but money spent on fishing equipment increased 5 percent and on fishing trips, 7 percent. The biggest decline in fishing occurred in the Great Lakes (23 percent) and in saltwater (15 percent).

The number of hunters declined by 4 percent the past five years and there was a 3-percent drop in hunting expenditures. The big decreases were in migratory bird hunting, 22 percent, and small game hunting, 12 percent.

Wildlife watching increased 8 percent.

SHARING FISHING NEWS

Have a fish tale you can’t way to share? The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has a willing ear.

VMRC has launched a voluntary online reporting system it calls he “Saltwater Fisherman’s Journal.” Anglers are invited to share their experiences, with the idea that fishermen can learn from each other.

Scientists also can learn.. Fishery managers say they will benefit by having data on fish population trends.

STRIPER BOOK BIG ON INFORMATION

Eric Brunley has chased striped bass up and down most of their Atlantic Coast range the past 35 years, and in that time has learn something about his prey. Brunley has put together that knowledge in a new book titled “The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing.”

For the beginner, it contains a wealth of information and for the advanced angler it is a great refresher course. The 162-page hardback covers everything from biology to boats; from casting to cooking; from where to when.

Published by the Lyons Press, one of the most prestigious outdoor publishing houses, LyonsPress.com, the book sells for $22.95.

OUTDOOR BRIEFS

>What do you do with a 573-pound bluefin tuna (the state recorded that was reported earlier on this site)? “Eat it,” says record-holder Bo Haycox of Virginia Beach. He told the Daily Press that dock hands at Fisherman’s Wharf cut the fish into about 400 pounds of steaks that were given to employees of his father’s paving business.

>The old Trebark Outfitters store on U.S. 220 south of Roanoke will take on new life Aug. 25 when it reopens as a sales outlet for Jim Crumley’s Outfittter Tuff brand products. This is a new venture for Crumley, whose Trebark brand began the revolution in modern hunting camouflage. The 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. grand opening will feature seminars and other attractions. Check outfitertuff.com.

>A new hiking/biking trail, called the Helen Williams Barbrow Interpretive Trail, is scheduled to be dedicated at Wellfield Park in Saltville, 11 a.m. Aug. 18. Barbrow is a well-known birder in the area. The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Watchable Wildlife Program assisted in the project.

>If you are tired of paying big bucks to hunt big game on public land in the West, then you have a friend in U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California. He has introduced legislation that would reduce the sky-high nonresident fees in western state where hunting often take place on federal lands. His bill is called the Teddy Roosevelt Bring Back Our Public Land Act.

>The Tye River in Nelson County will have an additional 20 miles of free-flowing water, thanks to the request of Elizabeth Quinn who wanted an old mill dam she owned destroyed. That request was granted following her recent death.

>The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries has received more calls from the public regarding bears in urban areas than any summer in recent memory. Some of the animals have actually entered homes with people in them. Check www.dgif.virginia.gov for details on how to live with bears.

VIRGINIA SALTWATER TOURNAMENT

Productive fishing for jumbo-size flounder continues in the lower Chesapeake Bay, resulting in frequent changes to the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament leader board. In an addition to a new leading entry fir flounder there also is a new leader in the sheepshead category. Here are the standings:

BLACK DRUM: 95 pounds caught by James Tran of Virginia Beach in Lynnhaven Bay.

BLUEFISH: 16 pounds, Peter Carey of Fredericksburg in the lower-eastern Chesapeake Bay.

BLUELINE TILEFISH: 20 pound, 7 ounce, Robert Holtz, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.

COBIA: 93 pounds, 8 ounces, Kara Maples, Hampton, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.

CROAKER: 3 pounds, 12 ounces, James Mehring, III, Faber, lower-eastern Chesapeake Bay.

DOLPHIN: 53 pounds, 9 ounces, Greg Welch, Charlotte, N.C., off Virginia Beach.

FLOUNDER: 13 pounds, 7 ounces, Dennis Curcio, Philadelphia, Pa., lower eastern Chesapeake Bay.

GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 10 ounces, Geoffrey Filer, Chesapeake, ocean off Virginia Beach.

KING MACKEREL: 63 pounds, 1 ounce, state record, Susan Smith, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.

KINGFISH: 1 pound, 11 ounces, Jimmy Nicastro, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.

POMPANO: 2 pounds, 2 ounces, B.W. Wild III, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.

SEA BASS: 7 pounds, 7 ounces, David Howard, Leesburg, ocean off Virginia Beach.

SHEEPSHEAD: 13 pounds, Al Phipps, Virginia Beach, lower-eastern Chesapeake Bay.

SPADEFISH: 14 pounds, Mark Ottarson, North, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.

SPECKLED TROUT: 12 pounds, 10 ounces, Michael Tomesch, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.

SPOT: 1 pound, 4 ounce, Edward Farrah, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.

STRIPED BASS: 62 pounds, 1 ounce, Wayne Rickman, Mechanicsville, off Virginia Beach.

TAUTOG: 22 pounds, 2 ounce, Lester Johnson, Newport News, off Virginia Beach.

BLUEFIN TUNA: 573 pound state record, Bo Haycox, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.

TUNA: 241 pounds, Eric Kuester, Ashland, off Virginia Beach.

WAHOO: 64 pounds, Larry Davenport, Virginia Beach, off Virginia Beach.

MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS

New River Valley Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation Banquet, Aug. 18, 5:30 p.m., Custom Catering, Blacksburg, $50 single, $70 couple, tickets from Chris Kaknis, 540-239-7573.

Dove hunting season, Sept. 1-29; Oct. 6-27 and Dec. 25-Jan. 12, daily limit of 12.

September goose season, Sept 1-25, daily limit of five.

Hunters for the Hungry banquet, Sept. 8, Dave Sarmadi Mitsubishi dealership, Salem, inquire about tickets at Hunt4hungry@cs.com.

The Western Regional Championship of the Virginia Big Game Show, Sept. 8-9, Rockingham County Fairgrounds near Harrisonburg, information from vpsa.org.

Rail season Sept. 10-Nov. 7.

Early teal season, Sept. 17-26 east of Interstate 95.

The Eastern Region and State Championship of the Virginia Big Game Show, Sept. 22 & 23, Southampton County Fairgrounds in Franklin, information from from vpsa.org.

David H. Horne Memorial Hunters for the Hungry Annual Golf Tournament, Oct. 3, 1:30 p.m., London Downs Golf Course, Forest, captain’s choice, $280 per foursome, includes greens fee, cart, awards, hole prizes, door prizes, beverages, catered dinner. Proceeds benefit Hunters for the Hungry.

Snipe season Oct. 4-28; Oct. 22-Jan. 31.

Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, Oct. 16, 9 a.m. at agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad Street.

Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Oct. 20, Salem Civic Center, tickets $40 single, $70 couple, tickets or information from Mike Kessler, 540-884-8917; Al Milton, 540-563-1422 or Harvey Bulaski, 540-343-9040.

Woodcock season Oct. 27-Nov. 10; Dec. 22-Jan. 5.

The Greater Virginia Sports and Big Game Show, Feb. 15-17, 2008, Rockingham County Fairgrounds, Harrisonburg, www.vasportsshow.com.

DGIF meetings

Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, Aug. 21, 9 a.m. at agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad St.

Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, Oct. 16, 9 a.m. at agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad St.

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