Thursday, June 25, 2009
Teaching hunter safety was Jerry Jenkins passion
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
Jerry Jenkins was a big, rough-hewn man out of the mountains of Craig County who had a heart for teaching others the joys of the outdoors. In mid-March he sustained multiple injuries in a vehicle accident in Craig County and died Friday at age 63.
No telling how many people he introduced to hunting and firearm safety. The last figure I saw, he personally had provided training for 1,374. That number was quoted in 1995 when he was recognized by the Virginia Wildlife Federation as the state’s Hunter Educator of the Year. He continued to be an instructor right up until his accident and he also pursue interest in conservation and wildlife management.
Jenkins was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, an active member of the Roanoke Rifle and Revolver Club and an enthusiastic supporter of Hunters for the Hungry.
During the early years of the hunter-safety effort, turnout for classes often was slim, but Jenkins never gave up. He would send multipage, handwritten letters to the Roanoke Times on the dates of upcoming instruction.
The woods and fields of the Roanoke Valley and beyond are safer because of Jenkins love of the outdoors. He helped build a cadre of instructors who will carry out his work.
People attending his memorial service Tuesday were invited to wear blaze orange, camouflage and jeans -- not suits and ties. Jenkins wasn’t a suit-and-tie kind of man. No flowers, either. The Jenkins family wanted donations to go to Hunters for the Hungry, P.O. Box 304, Big Island, VA 24526.
BILL
TURKEY FEDERATION MAKES STAFF ADJUSTMENTS
The National Wild Turkey Federation has made adjustments to its staff, but the group says it has not dismissed 40 percent of its workers as one ex-staffer recently claimed.
“It’s against our policy to discuss specific numbers, but I can assure you its nowhere near 40 percent,” said Brent Lawrence when he was asked about a reduction in staff. He is the NWTF public relations director. “Of our changes, there have been none in Virginia and only one in the entire Mid-Atlantic regions,” he said.
The 40 percent rumor occurred when information from the federation was misinterpreted, Lawrence said.
“Of our total number of changes in the last 12 months, 40 percent have come from field staff, 40 percent have come from Edgefield [headquarters] staff and 20 percent have come from not filling open regional biologist positions,” Lawrence said.
“Our changes were done to help us fulfill our mission -- the conservation of the wild turkey and the preservation of the hunting tradition,” he said. “We are committed to being good stewards of our members’ monies so that the most money possible goes to that mission.”
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
- The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries’ board will meet at its Richmond headquarters July 14 to establish dove, woodcock, rail and September Canada goose hunting regulations. The board will receive comments from the public. Additional information from Beth Drewery.
- The Harrison Lake National Fish Hatchery in Charles City is expected to receive as much as $250,000 in federal stimulus money. The hatchery started with stimulus money under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. The facility is a source of warm-water species for Virginia, including bass, American shad, sturgeons and endangered mussels.
- If you’ve ever been fishing for drum along the coast of Virginia and hooked a big skate, sometimes identified as stingrays, you know you are in for a sore arm and little glory. These hard-fishing characters are bad news … well, they have been, anyway. In Alaska they are being sold by commercial fishermen. The meat from their wide wings is said to taste like scallops. South Korea is a leading market for this creature, having imported $3.1 million of them from the U.S. in 2006.
- Beginning this week, fisherman after tilefish and grouper species must obtain a free recreational landing permit from the Marine Resources Commission. See mrc.virginia.gov/mrcagents.shtm.
- The Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park franchise is celebrating its 40th anniversary by hosting a video contest for campers to capture how they have fun at the park. A $10,000 grand prize is being offered the winner.
BILL
VIRGINIA SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
You have to feel sorry for Joseph Hall of Virginia Beach. He recently landed a 10 pound spadefish at the Chesapeake Light Tower that became the leading entry in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. But everyone knows it isn’t likely to be around for long. A 14-pound, 14-ounce spadefish recently taken from the Cell is being certified as a world and state record (see last week’s Cochran Column).
The tournament also has registered a new leader in the Sheepshead category. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 84 pounds, 12 ounces, William Brown, Hampton, Inner Middle Ground; C-13
BLUELINE TILEFISH: 20 pounds, 4 ounces, David Akridge, Jr. Norfolk, caught at Norfolk Canyon.
COBIA: 105 pounds, 2 ounces, Keith Cole, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
CROAKER: 4 pounds, 4 ounces, David Morris, Hampton, Fort Monroe.
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: 14 pounds, 2 ounces, Byron Farlow, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Fourth Island.
SPADEFISH: 10 pounds, Joseph Hall, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Light Tower. Chesapeake Light Tower.
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.
WAHOO: 51 pounds, Steven Carter, Heathsville, Norfolk Canyon.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, July 10, 7 p.m., program on fly fishing for stripers, Moneta Community Center.
Marlene A. Condon, author of “The Nature-Friendly Garden,” will offer a presentation on creating wildlife habitat around homes, 11 a.m., June 27 at the New Dominion Bookshop in Charlottesville.
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.
