Thursday, June 05, 2008
Suggested to-do list for Bob Ellis
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
I don’t know if Bob Ellis has a “to-do” list, but as the newly appointed wildlife division chief of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, it might go like this:
1. Get more youngsters interested in wildlife.
2.
Recruit new hunters.
3.
Keep the deer herd in check.
4.
Preserve the tradition of hound hunting while respecting the rights of private property owners.
5.
Provide sportsmen more access to hunting opportunities.
6.
Keep wildlife diseases in check.
7.
Make sure the money spent on the DGIF quail study isn’t wasted.
8. Regain the trust and support of constitutes.
Ellis has served as assistant chief of the wildlife division, under Bob Duncan, for 16 years. Following Duncan’s recent promotion to the agency’s executive director position, Ellis was named to head the wildlife division.
If you were to pick the DGIF job that has the highest profile, wildlife division chief would be a good choice. For many sportsmen, the agency starts and stops with that position.
Ellis has been a behind the scenes wildlife pro, with a dry humor yet little flamboyance and a limited tolerance for nonsense. He enjoys hunting, fishing and bird watching, interests that enhance his vocational skills.
A huge advantage, Ellis has a devoted boss in Duncan and an outstanding field staff to back him up. Duncan said the background, education, experience and skills of Ellis were factors that elevated him “to the top of a very competitive application pool.”
BILL
TURKEY FEDERATION NAMES CEO
Agribusiness leader and avid sportsman George Thornton has been named CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation. He replaces Rob Keck, the face of the organization for nearly 30 years. NWTF is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year.
Keck announced his resignation in March, following the controversial firing of two high officials in the organization. In its announcement that Thornton would be top man, the NWTF did not mention Keck’s name. Word is that Keck might go to work for Bass Pro Shops. His compensation at the NWTF was in excess of $300,000 annually.
Thornton retired in August as president and chief executive officer of Agriliance, LLC, a leading agriculture distributor in North America that provides retailers and producer with crop nutrients, crop protection products, seeds and equipment. The National Agri-Marketing Association named him Agribusiness Leader of the Year in 2006.
He takes over an organization that faces major challenges, including potential lawsuits by fired executives, a slow economy that could make fund raising difficult and the need for new objectives that will revitalize member support.
BILL
VIRGINIA CROWNS YOUTH SHOOTERS
Sara Huggins of Roanoke was a member of the first place varsity team in the Scholastic Clay Target Program Virginia Trap State Championship in Providence. Other members were Ben Phaup and Adrienne Phaup of Amherst; Sam Wegert of Monroe and Andrew Ligon of Lynchburg. The team score was 742 out of 1,000 targets.
The Junior Varsity Division posted a better score, 932 out of 1,000. First place members were Lawson Philpy, Jacob Hughes of Quinton, Jason Ricketts of Manakin, William Watson of Blackstone and Bobby Kline of Edinburg.
The Intermediate Advanced Division was won by James Girvin of Woodbridge, Zachary Lively of Bristow, Nicholas Miller of Manassas, Miles Ransom of Chantilly and Carter Vella of The Plains.
The Virginia teams qualify for the SCTP National Championships July 31-Aug. 5 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta, Ill. The best of the young shooters could be selected to attend an Olympic development camp, and some have the chance to compete at the collegiate level.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>>Laurel Bed Lake is down about 15 feet as Department of Game and Inland Fisheries officials drain it to make repairs to the dam; however, officials are revisiting some of their thinking on the issue. “We have gone back to a trophy catch and release program in the hope that we can maintain the fishery and find funding or alternatives to complete draining,” said Gary Martel, fish division chief.
>>The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board officially dropped the words “flintlock” and “percussion” from its description of muzzleloading rifles, paving the way for the use of guns this fall with electronic ignitions. That sparked debate among board members and staff on whether a muzzleloading gun is that much different from a high-powered rifle and whether hunters might demand a true primitive season in the future.
>>The U.S. Senate this week began debating the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 (S.3036). It would provide billions of dollars to help wildlife and habitats survive a changing climate.
>>Some 2,100 online surveys have been submitted in the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries hunting with hound’s survey. A public meeting on the issues is expected late summer or early fall.
>>Shayne Berlo isn’t a household name amount the ranks of professional bass fishermen, but that could changed considering that last Saturday the Vienna, Va. resident earned $100,000 by winning the Wal-Mart BFL All-American Tournament on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Ark. The victory qualifies him for the prestigious Forrest Wood Cup, Aug. 14-17 in Columbia, S.C.
>>Two Roanoke Valley schools placed high in the National Archery in the Schools Program in Virginia. Second place in high school competition (next to Warwick High School in Newport News) was Hidden Valley High School. First place in middle school competition was Northside Middle School.
>>Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., who leads the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year race, will have Rock Bridge Tobacco Corp. (Tahoe Smokeless) of Keysville, Va. as a sponsor and will feature the company on his boat wrap at the June 12-15 Bassmaster Elite Series on Kentucky Lake.
>>A 278-pound smooth butterfly ray, landed last year off Sea Gull Pier on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel by Jason Bell of Norfolk is a potential world record. The fish was 72 inches from wingtip to wingtip, big enough to cover the hood of Bell’s car.
>>C.T. Hill of Midlothian was named chairman of the board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and William Greer of Norfolk vice chairman.
>>With high fuel prices having the potential to put the squeeze on many things, including fishing license sales, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is promoting the fact that there is a lake or stream within an hour’s drive from any location in the state, making it easy and economical to get away for some boating, fishing and relaxing.
BILL
SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
The first spadefish of the season has shown up on the leader board of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, along with new leading entries in the black drum blueline tilefish and dolphin categories. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 87 pounds, 3 ounces, Paul Elliott, Surry, Latimer Shoals (C-2 Buoy). BLUEFISH: 19 pounds, 4 ounces, Richard Brown, Richmond, off Virginia Beach.
BLUEFIN TILEFISH: 18 pounds, 12 ounces, Dr. Julie Ball, Virginia Beach, Norfolk Canyon.
CROAKER: 3 pounds, 5 ounces, David Richards, Williamsburg, lower York River.
DOLPHIN: 49 pounds, 7 ounces, Edward Pickett, Portsmouth, Norfolk Canyon.
FLOUNDER: 10 pounds, 8 ounces, Thomas Horsley, Gloucester, off Cape Charles.
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 9 ounces, David Davis, Portsmouth, Sandbridge surf.
SPADEFISH: 10 pounds, Rob Collins, Norfolk, Chesapeake Light Tower.
SEA BASS: 7 pounds, 8 ounces, Reggie Myrick, Portsmouth, off Virginia Beach.
SPECKLED TROUT: 9 pounds, 15 ounces, David Hester, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 73 pounds, state record, Frederick Barnes, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.
TAUTOG: 20 pounds, 6 ounces, Michael Shreve, Glen Burnie, Md., Monroe Wreck. .
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, 7 p.m. June 6, Moneta Center, program by retired guide Bob King.
Smith Mountain Striper Club member/guest tournament, June 7, Sunset Cay Marina.
June 6-8 free fishing days in Virginia, when a license will not be required to fish fresh or saltwater, with the exception of designated streams and impoundments stocked for put-and-take trout fishing.
Summer squirrel hunting season, June 7-21, on Big Survey, Goshen, Havens, Phelps and Thompson Wildlife Management Areas. Bring bug repellent and water.
Twenty-fifth annual Bluefish Derby, June 13 & 14, Reedville, information from Jett’s Hardware, 804-453-5325.
Hunters for the Hungry 5th annual sporting clays benefit shoot at Edmund Farms in Halifax, June 21-22, information form Clarence Morris, 434-572-6986, ext. 268 or 434-575-5493.
Triangle Archers 3D tournament, June 22, Blacksburg, fee $12 or $25 per family, information from James Overfelt: james.overfelt@vfaa.org.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, 7 p.m., July 11, Moneta Center, Jeff Meeks on trolling tactics.
Shenandoah River Rodeo, July 19, Bentonville’s Low Water Bridge Campground, $40, to benefit Shenandoah Riverkeepers, pig roast, bluegrass, fishing, canoeing, camping information from Shenandoah Riverkeepers, P.O. Box 405, Boyce, Va. 22620.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, 7 p.m., Aug. 1, Moneta Center, presentation by Ken Mitchell, manager of the Brookneal striper hatchery.
Triangle Archer’s 3D tournament, Aug. 17, Blacksburg, fee $12 or $25 per family, information from James Overfelt: james.overfelt@vfaa.org.
Eastern Regional Big Game Championship, Sept. 13 and 14, Southampton County Fairgrounds, Franklin, sponsored by the Virginia Peninsula Sportsmen’s Association, more information from Kenneth Pickin, P.O. Box 1860, Williamsburg, Va. 23187-1860; 757-229-0490. This is the contest for deer, bear and turkey killed east of the Blue Ridge. Additional information from www.vpsa.org.
Triangle Archer’s 3D tournament, Sept 14, Blacksburg, fee $12 or $25 per family, information from James Overfelt: james.overfelt@vfaa.org.
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.
Western Regional and State Big Game Championship, for deer, bear and turkey killed west of the Blue Ridge or advanced from the Eastern Championship, Sept. 27 & 28, Rockingham County Fairgrounds, Harrisonburg, more information from Jon Ritenour, 2041 Spaders Church Rd., Harrisonburg, VA 22801, 540-434-8028. Additional information from www.vpsa.org.
Fall Optimist Club of Cave Springs Fishing Tournament, Oct. 3-5, Smith Mountain Lake.
Saltwater striped bass tournament opens Oct. 4.
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Oct. 18.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
