Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tough questions from deer hunters association
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
The Virginia Deer Hunters Association admits that many of the questions in its 2008 survey of members are controversial. Such as:
>Would you be in favor of removing the “right to retrieve law” from the Virginia code?
>Would you support Sunday hunting?
>Should hound hunters be required to register their dogs?
>Would you favor having a chase season for deer hounds?
In a mailing under the name of Denny Quaiff, executive director of the VDHA, members were told: “Deer hunting is in the process of changing. Now more than ever it’s important for your voice to be heard. We can no longer sit back and see what is going to happen. We need to be involved in the decision making.”
The organization took some hits during the recent Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ hunting hound survey. Some critics thought the organization was too much of a “yes man” for the department.
In its survey, it bravely addresses some of the toughest questions raised by the hound survey. Like what to do with the right to retrieve law, which allows hunters to go onto posted land to retrieve their dogs without permission from the landowner.
One survey questions asks: “Should hound hunters be required to obtain permission before retrieving their dogs from posted property?” Another asks: “Should the releasing of hunting dogs from roads onto land without permission be prohibited?”
The association has addressed the controversial issue of Sunday hunting in the past, with most members turning down the idea. This time there are four questions, including those that address limited Sunday hunting, such as allowing it only during afternoon hours or on opening day of the bow, muzzleloading and general firearm’s seasons.
In addition, there are some general hunting regulation questions, but dog hunting and Sunday hunting outnumber them.
The survey results are scheduled to be published in the June issue of the association’s magazine, “Whitetail Times,” but they likely will be used in the General Assembly and the DGIF regulation process well before that
BILL
HELPING HUNTERS FOR THE HUNGRY
Hunters for the Hungry has processed and distributed well over 300,000 pounds of venison in 2008.
“The funding is currently a real concern, as it has been as much as 20 percent behind and the doe days in many areas are just starting and some will run longer [than in the past],” said Gary Arrington, special projects director of the organization.
“With our economy as it is, we are getting so many more calls requesting meat and would never want to see anyone go without,” he said. “However we must have the funding.”
If money is short for processing deer contributed by hunters, then the program will be forced to temporarily shut down.
“We have only had to stop taking deer twice in the history of the program; pray we will not have to do that this year, especially when there are so many more people in need.”
Contributions can be made to Hunters for the Hungry, P.O. Box 304, Big Island, Va. 24526. Information at h4hungry.org.
BILL
GETTING HEAD’S UP ON STRIPER RESEARCH
Those gill nets set by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in Smith Mountain Lake long have been a subject of contention for anglers who believe the state is catching fish that really belong to fishermen. But DGIF biologists say the nets have a modest impact while gathering important information that is useful in the management of the lake.
Now comes word that there just might be a way of retiring some of the nets.
Ken Ulrich, the new president of the Smith Mountain Striper Association, reports that Dan Wilson, DGIF biologist, has stated that if anglers contribute for research the heads of the fish they keep, then net use could be curtailed.
Here’s how it works: An angler catches a decent striper, say 5 pounds or more, and decides to keep it. He or she cuts the head off, puts it in a plastic bag along with a note indicting its length and weight, then freezes it. The next time the angler is at the Westlake area, the fish head(s) can be dropped off at the Virginia Outdoorsman Store where they will be collected by the DGIF.
BILL
A STORY ON DAVID DUDLEY STORIES
FLW has been working on a two-part, in-depth look at pro bass angler David Dudley of Lynchburg, whose current bass tournament winnings add up to nearly $2.5 million.
The account by Rob Newell pieces together a number of “Dudley stories” touting the peculiar way he goes about the business of professional fishing, including his history of running out of boat gas and oil.
Let me add one of my stories about Dudley. Years ago I was enjoying opening day of the dove season and noted that the next stand from mine was occupied by a young man who couldn’t miss. Every dove that came his way dropped in a puff of feathers.
I could stand this only so long, and finally went to talk with the teenager, thinking maybe I could learn something from him, or at least write a column about him.
It was David Dudley -- who was polite and mature well beyond his years, and who was displaying the kind of wing shot instincts that also would help him excel at bass fishing.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>>Greg Funkhouser, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Conservation Police Officer assigned to the Roanoke Valley, has been named Conservation Police Officer of the Year. During his 10 years of service as an officer, Funkhouser has become well known for his extensive outreach to a variety of community organizations, while also maintaining the profile of a top ticket writer.
>>Some $14 million to construct a new Department of Game and Inland Fisheries headquarters is part of the 2009 Virginia Budget Bill. That is $2 million less than an earlier proposal. In addition, the DGIF is authorized to sell its current headquarters on Broad Street in Richmond.
>> Some people delight in showing pictures of their kids or, especially, grandkids. Gary Arrington, of Hunters for the Hungry, has been displaying pictures of his wife, Angela, with her first and second deer. Arrington’s desire was to see Angela kill her first deer this season. She got it and a second one.
>>With most saltwater anglers turning their attention to striped bass, Dr. Julie Ball recently headed her boat toward some inshore wrecks looking for tautogs. She and her companions, Capt. Skipper Feller, Capt. Darren Foster and Sean Doran, landed 20 togs, three of them weighing better than 11 pounds apiece.
>>Find a pair of felt-sole waders under your Christmas tree? You just may have yourself an antique. At least four companies say they are planning to introduce “sticky rubber” soles for their 2009 wading boots. Word is that felt soles will be gone from the marketplace in a couple years. They have been getting a bad press as carriers of diseases and aquatic nuisance species.
BILL
SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
With just days left before the close of the 2008 Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament, it appears that the citation total will be down slightly from last year. The 2007 total of catch-and-keep and catch-and-release citations was 5,423. The latest count for this year is 5,115. That is expected to increase with late-year striped bass catches, but striper fishing would have to be outstanding to boost the citation total past last season. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 87 pounds, 3 ounces, Paul Elliott, Surry, Latimer Shoals (C-2 Buoy).
BLUEFISH: 21 pounds, 8 ounces, Charles Southall, Poquoson, Triangle Wrecks.
BLUEFIN TILEFISH: 19 pounds, 9 ounces, Sidney Long, Jr., Branchville, Norfolk Canyon.
COBIA: 94 pounds, 6 ounces, Wesley Smith, Virginia Beach, Bluefish Rock.
CROAKER: 4 pounds, 14 ounces, B.W. Wild, Virginia Beach, Lynnhaven Inlet.
DOLPHIN: 66 pounds, Todd Conner, Midlothian, Norfolk Canyon.
FLOUNDER: 13 pounds, 9 ounces, Christopher Mounie, Suffolk, Third Island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
GRAY TRIGERFISH: 5 pounds, 8 ounces, Nick Wright, Virginia Beach, inshore waters of Virginia Beach.
GRAY TROUT: 9 pounds, 8 ounces, Joseph Hudgins, Jr., Chesapeake, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel (4th island).
KING MACKEREL: 62 pounds, 3 ounces, James McDonald, Virginia Beach, Sandbridge Pier.
KINGFISH: 2 pounds, 10 ounces, Kenneth Godsey, Norfolk, Sandbridge Pier.
POMPANO: 2 pounds, 8 ounces, Ron Pennington, Annandale, Kiptopeak Pier.
SEA BASS: 7 pounds, 8 ounces, Reggie Myrick, Portsmouth, wreck off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 14 pounds, 5 ounces, Kay Alley, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. .
SPADEFISH: 14 pounds, 1 ounce, Josh Durvin, Dunnsville, The Cell.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 6 pounds, Alfred Simpson, Virginia Beach, Sandbridge Pier.
SPECKLED TROUT: 13 pounds, 9 ounces, Michael Whittaker, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 8 ounces, Michael Whittaker, Chesapeake, 664 Bridge-Tunnel.
STRIPED BASS: 73 pounds, state record, Frederick Barnes, Chesapeake, off Virginia Beach.
SWORDFISH: 190 pounds, Aaron Peckham, Virginia Beach, Norfolk Canyon.
TAUTOG: 20 pounds, 6 ounces, Michael Shreve, Glen Burnie, Md., Monroe Wreck.
TUNA, BLUEFIN: 226 pounds, Kim Schwallenberg, Edgewater, Md., off Wachapreague.
TUNA: 305 pounds, Rick Wyatt, Norfolk, Norfolk Canyon.
YAHOO: 69 pounds, Brian Davis, Virginia Beach, Norfolk Canyon.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Virginia’s late dove season Dec. 27-Jan. 10.
Matthews Rotary Rockfish Tournament, Dec. 31, dnfitch@wildblue.net.
Chesapeake Bay striped bass season ends in Virginia ends Dec. 31.
Woodcock season ends in Virginia Jan. 3.
Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout, Jan. 8-10, $100,000 in prizes, fishasa.com.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, 7 p.m., Jan. 9, Moneta Community Center, program on fishing with jigs by Frank Skillman and Mike Snead.
Dove season ends in Virginia Jan. 10.
Fishing Expo, Jan. 16-18, Richmond Raceway, featured pros include Kevin Van Dam, richmondfishingexpo.com.
George Washington National Forest workshop on the forest plan, Jan. 20, 6:30-9 p.m., Augusta County Government Center, Verona.
Nation’s Outdoor Sportsmen’s Show, Dulles Expo Center, Jan. 23-25, nationsoutdoorshow.com.
Virginia Boat Show, Jan. 23-25, Richmond, affinityboatshows.com.
George Washington National Forest workshop on the forest plan, Jan. 29, 6:30-9 p.m., Rockbridge County High School, Lexington.
Virginia Outdoor Sportsmen’s Classic, Roanoke Civic Center, Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2009, vaoutdoorsportsmensclassic.com.
Virginia’s quail and squirrel seasons closes Jan. 31.
Smith Mountain Lake Striper Club meeting, Feb. 6, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center, program on raising stripers by Ken Mitchell, manager of the Vic Thomas Hatchery.
Virginia’s grouse season closes Feb. 14.
Greater Virginia Sports and Big Game Show, Feb. 20-22, Rockingham County, details from vasportsshow.com.
Richmond Boat Show, Feb. 20-22, Richmond Raceway Complex.
Saltwater Sportsman 2009 National Seminar Series, six hours of fishing instruction from the pros, Feb. 21, Virginia Beach Convention Center, $55, nationalseminarseries.com.
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to consider hunting/trapping regulations, 9 a.m., Feb. 26, DGIF headquarters, 4000 West Broad St., Richmond.
Western Virginia Sports Show, Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, Feb. 27-March 1.
Virginia’s rabbit season closes Feb. 28.
Smith Mountain Striper Club swap meet, March 6, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center.
National Capital Boat Show, March 13-15, Chantilly.
Tidewater Boat Show, April 3-5, Hampton.
Youth spring turkey hunting day, April 4, 2009.
2009 spring gobbler season, April 11-May 16.
North Carolina State University Sport Fishing School, May 31-June 4, Hatteras, N.C., $1,445, limited to 45 participants.
Board meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries to finalize hunting/trapping regulations, 9 a.m., June 2, DGIF headquarters, 4000 West Broad St., Richmond.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
