Thursday, March 27, 2008
Fox hunters want seat at table
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
Fox hunters --t he non-mounted kind who participate in field trails and preserve chases -- say they are being treated unfairly in the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries hound study because they don’t have a representative on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee.
Timothy Perry, of the Commonwealth Hunting Dog Heritage Group, said he had asked Bob Duncan, DGIF director, to add a non-mounted fox hound representative to the 16-person committee and thought that was going to be taken care of.
“I even sent several suggestions of capable and qualified people with their contact information to Bob Duncan per his request,” Perry said in an open letter to fox hunters/ houndsmen this week.
“However, I was just informed by Bob Duncan that they are not going to add another representative to this committee,” Perry said.
A spokesperson for the advisory committee said that issues facing fox hunters are the same that confront raccoon and rabbit hunters, who are represented on the committee. Specific issues can be addressed via the study’s e-mails, HoundHuntingSAC@vt.edu.
Perry, who has been an advocate of the hound study, is asking fox hunters to protest “how unfair the fox hunters are being treated.” He said the group may appear at the DGIF board meeting scheduled April 1 in Richmond.
According to DGIF officials and Virginia Tech professor Dr. Steve McMullin, the study facilitator, Perry’s request is being considered and should be resolved in a week or two.
“It was always our intention to have one mounted and one non-mounted fox hunting representative on the committee,” McMullin said. “Unfortunately, due to a miscommunication, we ended up with two mounted fox hunter representatives. If another hound hunter is appointed we also will have to appoint another landowner or non-hound hunter to maintain the carefully constructed balance on the committee.”
The makeup of the advisory committee can be found on dgif.virginia.gov/hunting/hounds/stakeholder-advisory-committee.asp.
BILL
FLOUNDER FISHING OFF TO GOOD START
Some observers thought the new 19-inch minimum-size limit on flounder would be so restrictive that fishing along the seaside of Eastern Shore this season would be doomed, but so far it hasn’t been a problem.
When the wind allows early season anglers to get on the flounder fishing grounds, limit catches have been reported. Fish have measured up to 27 inches, according to Randy Lewis of Captain Zed’s in Wachapreague.
Other flounder are being landed in the lower Chesapeake Bay, where Capt. Steve Wray, at Long Bay Ponte Bait and Tackle, is reporting limits of flounder from various locations of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, according to Dr. Julie Ball.
BILL
OUTDOOR LIFE PICKS TOP TOWNS
Looking for the best town to live in if you are a hunter or angler? Go west, young man.
That is the message from Outdoor Life Magazine, which uses its April issue to rate the top 200 outdoor towns in the country.
The Top 10 list clearly is dominated by towns in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
First choice, however, is Mountain Home, Arkansas. You have to trace your finger down to No. 100th place to find the first mention of a Virginia location. Resting smack in the middle of the survey is Culpepper. Waynesboro comes in at 104; Franklin is tied at 172 and Blacksburg rates 182. That’s it for Virginia.
Outdoor Life said it made its choices after gathering facts on the local economy, taxation, commute time, crime, home prices and incomes. Weighting even heavier in the choice were the sporting contributions of the locality. Ranked on a scale of 1 to 10 were huntable species, fishable species, trophy potential, year-round opportunities, public land and gun laws.
Filling out the Top 10 were: 2. Lewiston, Idaho; 3. Sheridan, Wyoming; 4. Cody, Wyoming; 5. Pocatello, Idaho; 6.Lewiston, Montana; 7. Marquette, Michigan; 8. Dillon Montana; 9. Page, Arizona and 10. Bismarck, North Dakota.
On a secondary survey of America’s Top 10 Whitetail Towns, Waynesboro placed 10th. “Public land meets antler-growing agriculture in the Shenandoah Valley, the magazine stated.
I think a strong case could be made for the Roanoke area, what with its three stocked trout stream in the urban area; nearby thousands of acres of national forest land with an abundance of deer, bear and turkey; big bucks on private land within sight of the city; Smith Mountain Lake close by; the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway winding through the area and the James and New rivers to the east and west. And our commute time isn’t bad!
BILL
FLY FISHING FESTIVAL APRIL 19 & 20
Since its beginning in 1999, the Virginia Fly Fishing festival in Waynesboro has grown into a major angling event, drawing nearly 1,500 attendees last year, many from out of state. The event is set for April 19-20 on the banks of South River. It is the brainchild of the Waynesboro Downtown Development, Inc., whose members were looking for a way to market the city and the fact it has a river running through it.
Never mind that the festival is on a trout stream, saltwater fly fishing also will be featured. In fact, one of the speakers will be Fly Fishing Hall of Fame Member Bob Clouser, who designed the Clouser, one of the most popular flies used in saltwater. He will offer small group casting instruction.
There will be a VIP dinner Saturday night. Tickets are $35. Admission to the festival is $12, free for kids 16 and under. More than 60 vendors are expected.
For more information, check vaflyfishingfestival.org.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>>The best double-bearded turkey gobbler even taken on the White Oak Plantation in Tuskegee, Ala., was bagged last week by Carson Quarles of Roanoke. The 21-pound tom had beards that measured 10 and 10 ¼ inches. The day before, Quarles killed a 21-pounder that had beards measuring 10 and 5 inches. His son, John, tagged a 21-pounder that had a 10-inch beard.
>>If you are looking for a comprehensive guide on fishing and paddling the New River, Bruce Ingram has provide it in his brand new “The New River Guide, Second Editor.” The Botetourt County writer covers the magnificent New from the Highlands of North Carolina, through the ridges and valleys of Virginia into the hold-onto-your hat West Virginia gorge. The $14.95 book is available at many book outlets or direct from the publisher.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 9 a.m. April 1, DGIF headquarters, 4000 West Broad St., Richmond.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, April 4, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center, program by Dan Wilson, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist.
Youth spring gobbler day, April 5
Wilderness Fist Aid training, April 5 and 6 in Blacksburg, $200, information from http://wfa.net.
Spring gobbler season, April 12-May 17.
Chester Ducks Unlimited Banquet, Kings Korner Restaurant, Chester, April 12, tickets $55/$80, information from Kenny Bowman.
Virginia Mountains Chapter Ruffed Grouse Society banquet, Roanoke Plaza Hotel (formerly Wyndham), April 12, 6 p.m., tickets and membership $55, spouse $30, information/tickets from Brandon Harper.
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, April 19 and 20, South River in Waynesboro, vaflyfishingfestival.org.
The Optimist Club of Cave Spring 40th annual Smith Mountain Lake Fishing Tournament, May 2-4, $40 for tickets, $15,000 in prizes offered, includes fourth annual Bill Cochran Youth Tournament, Saturday, May 3, kids when 12 and under fish free with paying adult, tickets available at businesses around the lake or in nearby towns, money benefits the club’s youth programs, information from Ike Harris, 540-989-8488.
Seventh Annual David H. Horne Memorial Hunters for the Hungry Golf Tournament, May 7, Birkdale Golf Course, Richmond. Contact Braxton Bell, 804-739-3010.
Twenty-fifth annual Bluefish Derby, June 13 & 14, Reedville, information from Jett’s Hardware, 804-453-5325.
Third annual WSLS 10 Hunters for the Hungry banquet, 6 p.m. Sept. 27, Dave Sarmadi Mitsubishi, Salem, tickets $20 singles; $35 couples, kids 12 and under free, to benefit the organization’s feed-the-needy program, tickets from Jeff Fletcher, 540-985-6523 or Fred and Phyllis Wells, 540-992-3874 or may be purchased at Dave Sarmadi Mitsubishi, additional information from hunt4hungry@cs.com.
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Oct. 18.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
