Thursday, January 27, 2005
Thanks from Hunters for the Hungry
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
Nearly 7,000 deer were donated to the Hunters for the Hungry program the past season, allowing the agency to process and distribute a record 333,536 pounds of venison for the needy. That was 8,500 pounds in excess of the organization’s goal, and ten times more than the first year’s effort in 1991. Since its beginning, Hunters for the Hungry has distributed more than 2-million pounds of venison.
“Thank you to each and every hunter who shared their harvest,” said Laura Newell-Furniss, director of the program. Newell-Furniss also thanked individuals, organizations, churches and businesses that made financial donation to the program.
Singled out for special recognition were the National Wild Turkey Federation, Community Foundation of Richmond, Philip Morris USA and Dibert Valve and Fitting.
“We expect to receive an additional 50,000 to 100,000 pounds of meat over the next few mounts on damage permit harvests and from deer that were donated late in the season,” said Newell-Furniss.
Financial gifts still are needed, she said. Information can be found on h4hungry.org.
BILL
MAJOR CHANGES AT BASS
The Bassmasters Classic has been a late-summer affair, a time when Dan, Mom and the kids can take a family vacation and view the weigh-in, attend the outdoor show and do tourist things. It was that way during the three Classics in Virginia, on the James River at Richmond.
That’s about to change. BASS has announced that after this year’s event Classics will be held in February or March (Feb. 24-26 in 2006). Switching the date of this premier pro-fishing attraction is just one of several major changes BASS has made in its tournament program.
Included is a longer tournament season. The CITGO Bassmaster Tour will expand from six to 11 events. The popular Elite 50 series will become three stand-alone major events called the Bassmaster Memorial, Bassmaster American and Bassmaster Legend.
The purses have been kicked up a notch, too. The total purse for the Classic will go from $700,000 to $1 million and will award the winner with $500,000. The three majors will pay $250,000 each, making them the richest non-championship tournaments.
Stretching the tournament scheduled across the calendar and should make a less rigorous life for anglers who fish both the BASS and FLW tours. Some anglers who have stuck strictly with BASS may also compete on the FLW tour.
The late February or March date for the Classic should put anglers on better fishing opportunities than the late-summer dates have. In this time slot, the Classic will take place prior to the start of the regular tournament season.
Most likely the Classic sites will be in warm-weather areas. BASS has not announced the location of the 2006 Classic, but this year’s event will be in Pittsburgh.
BILL
NORTH CAROLINA LICENSE PROTESTED
Several charter boat captains and at least one pier owner along the Outer Banks of North Carolina have protested the new North Carolina saltwater fishing license, calling for its repeal. Opponents filled to overflowing a hearing room at Kill Devil Hill. The license is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1, 2006.
The license has received support from the North Carolina Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, its members saying it would provide valuable data and finances to aid research.
Unlike Virginia’s saltwater license, the North Carolina license does not offer a blanket provision that would cover everyone on a boat or pier. Under the North Carolina arrangement, each angler would be required to have $15 annual license or a $1 seven-day trip license. The seven-day trip license could be purchased only one time a year.
Charter boat skippers, many of them members of the 88-boat Oregon Inlet Guides Association, said they had not been given a chance to offer input when the license was approved during last year’s legislative session.
The skippers said they should be exempt because they are commercial operations and are already permitted and licensed.
BILL
OVER THE LINE
Striped bass anglers along Virginia’s coast can fish up to three miles offshore. Past that is federal water, where it is illegal to fish for or possess stripers. But that’s where many anglers are going.
This has been the case for several years, but observers say it is the worst in memory this season.
Coast Guard officials have been writing tickets, but their work has been limited by Homeland Security duties, a spokesperson said.
One officer told the Virginia-Pilot that a charter boat had been stopped 4.5 miles offshore with six people and 15 fish aboard. That was two fish over the legal limit. Another boat was approached 5.7 miles offshore.
The illegal anglers use radios to keep each other posted on the presence of enforcement officers, officials say.
BILL
BASS TEAMS UP WITH CIALIS
BASS fans have always been interested in tips to help them catch more fish. Now they also will be getting tips on another subject.
Lilly ICOS, the maker of Cialis, has become a premier sponsor of BASS and will have a major presence at BASS events, from tournaments to TV shows.
One aspect will be a Cialis-sponsored tip’s book on fishing and men’s health. It will be available at 108 tournaments, BASS said.
BILL
WEATHER JUST DUCKY
We hear that more ducks are moving into Virginia. Out in the Radford area, where the temperature has been in single digits, hunters are seeing more ducks. Down at West Neck Creek hunters are bagging more mallards and wood ducks.
At Hog Island Wildlife Management Area last Saturday waterfowlers who drew hunting permits bagged 30 ducks and 15 geese. Most of the ducks were good birds, mallards, teal and even one pintail. There were a couple of mergansers in the bag.
JACK RANDOLPH
DGIF COMMITTEE TO MEET
The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ Procurement Review Committee has scheduled a meeting in Richmond Feb. 10 to discuss the agency’s use of credit cards and other methods of purchasing goods and services.
State auditors are investigating allegations that certain DGIF staff members used credit cards to purchase personal items in preparation for a trip to Africa. Following front-page accounts of the allegations, DGIF board members reportedly collected more than $12,000 to cover the expenditures.
John Montgomery, board member from Sandstone, was appointed to lead a committee to make recommendations to the board on procurement procedures. The committee intends to receive a staff briefing on the department’s current procedures on Feb. 10 during a 10 a.m. meeting at the agency’s headquarters on 400 West Broad Street. The committee is scheduled to make recommendations to the full board at its scheduled March 24 meeting in Richmond.
According to a department dispatch, the public is invited to attend the Feb. 10 meeting, but will not have the opportunity to make comments.
BILL
TEN GREATEST BASS ANGLERS
Who are the top all-time bass fishing pros? The finalists in the “Greatest Angler Debate” presented by John Deere are:
Denny Brauer, Camdenton, Mo.
Rick Clunn, Ava, Mo.
Bill Dance, Collierville, Tenn.
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas
Roland Martin, Naples, Fla.
Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark.
Hank Parker, Denver, N.C.
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Jay Yelas, Tyler, Texas
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>Tom Gunter, a Department of Game and Inland Fisheries district fisheries biologist, received the Fly Fishers of Virginia’s Taylor Turner Conservation award for 2005 in ceremonies held in Richmond. Gunter was selected for his broad spectrum of work, including protecting and restoring Virginia’s American shad and striped bass fisheries.
>Neal Knox, an often outspoken former officer and board member of the NRA, died last week.
>If you were to make a list of the all-time great outdoor writers, Charlie Waterman would rank near the top. He was an accomplished writer who knew his subjects well, and that included fly fishing and fly tying. Waterman died last week at the age of 91.
>Firearms’ education programs are working, according to the NRA. Since 1930, firearm's accidents have decreased by 76 percent and are at an all-time low. Such accidents have declined 89 percent among children since 1975. The reduction has occurred at a time when the population and number of guns have been growing rapidly.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Smith River Trout Unlimited meeting, 7 p.m. Feb. 3, Rania’s Restaurant (147 E. Main St.) downtown Martinsville, Larry Townsend and Ben Cochran will demonstrate tying Smith River dry flies, guests welcome, more information form Shane Pinkston, 276-638-3757, or Ted Tomczak, 276-629-2962.
Richmond Ducks Unlimited Wild Game Feast, Feb. 3, Tredegar Iron Works, $75, information from durichmond.com.
Mid-Atlantic Sport & Boat Show, Feb. 5-13, The Pavilion, Virginia Beach, 757-446-2655.
Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show, 50th anniversary, Feb. 5-13, State Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, Pa. Reported to be the largest consumer show of its kind, easternsportshow.com.
Washington Boat Show, Feb. 9-13, Convention Center, Washington, D.C., 301-468-6701.
National Striped Bass Association Aztec Rentals Claytor Lake Striped Bass Tournament, Feb. 12, information from Ron Clifford, 540-320-8672.
Tidewater Fresh & Saltwater Fishing Show, March 11-13, Virginia Beach Pavilion, information from 575-437-7616.
National Capitol Boat Show, March 10-13, Dulles Expo Center, Chantilly, Va. 804-425-6556.
Wilderness First Aid Class, March 12-13, Blacksburg, 18 hours of hands-on instruction and study that results in a two-year certificate, coast $160, visit wfa.net.
The 2005 Virginia Ducks Unlimited State Convention and Banquet, March 18 and 19 at the Kingsmill Marriott in Williamsburg.
Tidewater Boat Show, April 1-3, Hampton Roads Convention Center, Hampton, Va. 804-425-6556.
Youth day spring gobbler hunt, April 2.
Spring gobbler season, April 9-May 14.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
