Thursday, June 04, 2009
New regulations for hunting season
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Tuesday gave final approval to numerous changes in hunting regulations that will become effective this fall. The new laws should be listed on the DGIF Web site in a few days: Here are some highlights:
Deer hunting received a major tweaking with 48 counties getting more doe days, mostly on private land, and 19 counties getting a reduction in deer hunting to address the declining population on national forest land.
A special youth deer hunting day has been set for the last Saturday in September.
An increase in the antlered buck bag limit from one to two during the early muzzleloading season and on national forest land in Amherst, Bedford and Nelson counties.
Bear hunting regulations were liberalized across much of the state and include two additional weeks for the bow season, an expansion of the muzzleloading season in both number of days and counties open, more counties added to the general firearms bear season and a new six-day firearms season in 20 counties. (See Cochran column)
Allow bowhunters with a muzzleloading license to possess a muzzleloading gun when and where the early bow season overlaps the early muzzlelading season.
Change the either-sex deer day during the early muzzleloading season west of the Blue Ridge Mountains from the second Monday of the season to the second Saturday.
Increase the number of antlerless deer tags on the bonus permit from two to six.
Require spring gobbler hunters to check their kill via phone or Web site. A proposal to add an extra day to the two-week fall turkey season, a Saturday, failed.
Expand the June squirrel season to include private land an additional DGIF wildlife management areas. Increase fox squirrel hunting opportunities.
Permit the use of an unplugged shotgun for crow hunting.
BILL
FISH KILLS SHOW UP IN JAMES, SHENANDOAH
For a little while this spring, it appeared that Virginia might escape the fish kills that have plagued several key smallmouth bass streams since 2004. But no such luck.
Dead fish and fish with lesions have been documented recently in portions of the North Fork and South Forks= of the Shenandoah River, in the upper James River and in the North, Middle and South Rivers in Augusta and Rockbridge counties.
The kills and observations of lesions on fish have been later showing up this spring, perhaps the result of high water that has made them more difficult to spot.
One James River angler reported finding lesions on more than 30 of the 40 fish he caught near Buchanan. This is the third year of observations of distressed and dying fish in the upper James.
Scientists have many unanswered questions as to what is causing the stress and die-offs that have been hit smallmouth bass and sunfish the hardest.
Recently a link to a bacterium has been isolated. A significant focus of current investigation is to determine the source of this bacterium and how it is transmitted and why certain fish appear to be more susceptible than others.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
- A 13-pound hybrid striped bass caught by Robby Rakes of Christiansburg has been certified as the first state record for the species. Rakes landed his fish in the New River just below Claytor Lake Dam. Look for a Cochran column shortly on the catch and the guy who is grinning right along with Rakes.
- Charles Yates of Cleveland has been elected chairman of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board. James Hazel of Oakton is vice chairman. Outgoing chairman C.T. Hill of Midlothian said Tuesday that he had requested the governor not appoint him to another term on the board. Hill played a key role in getting the agency back on track following a difficult period that led to the dismissal of the agency’s director, William Woodfin.
- Seven deer have tested positive this spring for Chronic Wasting Disease in Hampshire County, W. Va., not far from the Virginia border. West Virginia officials say the CWD problem area slowly is expanding. The first case in the state was confirmed September, 2005 and the count has reached 45. No cases have been documented in Virginia.
- Virginian Steve Wagner was runner-up in the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League All-American Tournament on the Mississippi River at Davenport, Iowa. The New Kent angler posted 27 pounds of fish while the winner, Adam Wagner, of Cookeville, Tenn., entered 36.5 pounds.
- Hunters in West Virginia reported killing 9,929 turkeys during the recent spring season. That’s four-percent fewer than the previous year. The lower kill is credited to unfavorable weather and less hunting pressure, wildlife officials say.
- A New Jersey bill would require each of its state parks and forests to designate a site where ATVs, dirt bikes and snowmobiles could be used.
- Duayne Madl of Lake Quivira, Kansas has pledged $1 million to Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever for wildlife habitat work.
BILL
VIRGINIA SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
Sheephead, a spring/summertime catch in Virginia, has shown up in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. Two fish that weigh 11 pounds, 6 ounces are tied on the leader board. Here are the standings:
BLUELINE TILEFISH: 20 pounds, 4 ounces, David Akridge, Jr. Norfolk, caught at Norfolk Canyon.
CROAKER: 3 pounds, 10 ounces, Philip Scott, Suffolk, Nansemond River.
DOLPHIN: 39 pounds, Robert Manus, Ark, Triple Zero’s.
FLOUNDER: 10 pounds, 9 ounce, James Breen, Newport News, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 4 ounces, Julie Ball, Virginia Beach, wreck off Virginia Beach.
SEA BASS: 8 pounds, 4 ounces, Rob Collins, Norfolk, wreck off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPHEAD: 11 pounds, 6 ounces, tie between Michael Hurst, Gloucester, York River and Wendell Sparrer, Seaford, York River.
SPECKLED TROUT: 13 pounds, 14 ounces, Michael Whittaker, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 2 ounces, Chris Brooks, Virginia Beach, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 66 pounds, 8 ounces, Pete Johnson, Hampton, Smith Island.
TAUTOG: 21 pounds, 13 ounces, Skip Feller, Virginia Beach, wreck off Virginia Beach.
TUNA (BLUEFIN): 119 pounds, Ryan Masters, Ellicott City, Md., Cigar.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, June 5, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center, program on wildlife artistry by taxidermist Dale Carson.
Free fishing days, June 5-7, fish freshwater or saltwater without a license.
Summer squirrel hunting season in designated areas June 6-20.
Triangle Bowhunters of Montgomery County 3D tournament June 7, check vfaa.org for details or contact Jim Overfelt.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, July 10, 7 p.m., program on fly fishing for stripers, Moneta Community Center.
Smith Mountain Striper Club member/guest “Just for Fun” striped bass tournament, $7 entry fee, headquartered at Mitchell’s Point Marina, tournament director is Frank Skillman, 540-721-1220.
South Holston Fly Fishing Fest, July 18, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on South Holston River near Bristol, Tenn., anglers, artists, activities, vendors, $5 entry fee.
Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, North Carolina Outer Banks, Aug. 10 and 11, information form Kevin Crum.
Triangle Bowhunters of Montgomery County 3D tournament Aug. 16, check vfaa.org for for details or contact Jim Overfelt.
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Aug. 29, Salem Civic Center. Address questions or ticket purchase to Mike Kessler or Al Milton.
Hunters for the Hungry banquet, Sept. 12, 5:30 p.m., Roanoke Moose Lodge #284, 3233 Catawba Valley Drive, Roanoke County, $20 single, $35 couple, children under 12 free, tickets from Dave Sarmadi Mitsubishi, Jeff Fletcher, 540-985-6523 or Fred and Phyllis Wells, 540-992-3874.
Triangle Bowhunters of Montgomery County 3D tournament Sept. 13, check vfaa.org for details or contact Jim Overfelt.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
