Thursday, August 13, 2009
New honors for an old buck
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
The top-scoring deer in the Virginia Deer Classic held in Richmond the past weekend came from the 1967 hunting season and was entered by Lanny Bolen in the contest’s historical category. It was a 24-point Chesterfield County buck that scored an impressive 230.75 non-typical Boone & Crockett.
This was the first year the Virginia Deer Hunters Association contest has been scored under the national B & C measuring system, rather than the traditional Virginia system. (See Cochran Column).
The top-scoring modern buck, killed the past hunting season during the muzzleloading season, was a non-typical entered by James R. Jones. It scored 193.5.
Dennis Scott, the chief scorer for the contest, which attracted a record 363 heads, said the Bolen trophy was unusual and a challenge to score.
“I had to give it considerable through on how I was going to measure it,” he said. “It had 24-scorable points with seven of those being typical and the remaining 17 being non-typical. Seven of the points were over 10 inches long, and the first circumference measurements on each antler was over 9 inches.
Here are the top bucks in various categories:
BOW: typical, Greg Sutherland, 166.625; non-typical, Stoney Marshall, 153.375
CROSSBOW: typical, Kevin Bunting, 138.625
MUZZLELOADING: typical, Robert Davis III, 157.75; non-typical, James R. Jones, 193.5
GENERAL FIREARMS: typical, Leland Mitchell, 157.125; non-typical Clarence Lee, 187.375
WOMANS: typical, June Noblitt, 143.125; non-typical, Cheriee Taylor, 159
YOUTH: typical, Tyler Kishpaugh, 154.75; non-typical, Taylor Merica, 150.875
HISTORICAL: typical, Randy Drake, 165.125; non-typical Lanny Bolen, 230.75
BILL
THE OUTDOOR CLASSIC WILL RETURN
The Roanoke Valley has a history of being a tough place to sponsor an outdoor show. Sportsmen living in Southwest Virginia will flock to shows in Richmond or Fishersville, but come sparingly to one in Roanoke or Salem.
Sponsor Hounds, a Roanoke-based promoter, has been attempting to change that. It held its third outdoor show, the Outdoor Classic, July 31-Aug. 2 at the Roanoke Civic Center.
It will be back next year, said Elliot Broyles, the event manager.
“Overall, the Outdoor Classic is healthy and growing,” he said.
Some participants said the $8 entry fee was too high for what the show offered, that the event needed more displays and more big-name attractions, but Broyles called it “a great time.
“We’ve gotten a lot of e-mails from people who said the event gets better every year,” he said. “A lot of families enjoyed Brody the Bear, and Frank Addington Jr. [a trick bow shooter] was amazing. I didn’t hear any negatives from the vendors, either. Most of them sold a lot and will be back next year.”
Hunters for the Hungry took in more than $3,000 in funds that will be used to operate its program.
“That was net dollars, which to me was a great show,” said Gary Arrington, Hunters for the Hungry special events manager.
BILL
LIBERAL HUNTING REGULATIONS FOR WATERFOWL
The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed continuation of liberal hunting regulations for the 2009-20010 waterfowl hunting season. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is scheduled to set most duck and goose seasons and bag limits during a public hearing in Richmond August 18. States must work within a framework assigned by federal officials.
Among the new framework offerings is a full season of pintail hunting with a one-bird-per day limit.
The DGIF hearing is set for 9 a.m. at the agency’s headquarters, 4000 West Broad St. Richmond.
BILL
FLOUNDER FISHING TAKING OFF
Virginia lagging founder fishing appears to have taken off as big catches of big fish are being reported from all four islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
“Anglers are making up for lost time, filling coolers with plenty of keeper-size flatties and heading to the scales with dozens of trophy-size doormats,” reported Dr. Julie Ball.
Through the first week of August, anglers had registered 126 citation flounder in the 2009 Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament. The count for the same time period the previous year was more than twice that -- 296.
“Anglers are having success with live bait and jigs donned with plastics or stripped bait,” said Ball. Drifters also are finding success along lower Bay channels, deep water drop-offs and near Buoys 36A, 42 and the Cell.
Ken Bartow of Virginia Beach landed a 10.5-pound flounder on a live spot fished along the bridge-tunnel.
One angler told me he hadn’t seen so many boats along the bridge-tunnel in the past half-dozen years.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
- Virginia has maintained a policy of letting deer hunters shoot elk anytime they come across one -- no special regulations, licenses or season -- but that’s not the case in Tennessee. Officials in Tennessee have placed a high value on these big animals. The last of five elk hunting permits sold for $17,700 on eBay. The money will be applied to elk restoration work.
- FLW Outdoors has filed a lawsuit in Minnesota State Court against BRP/Evinrude for what it says is failure of the outboard engine manufacture to pay the sponsorship fees it agreed upon for the 2009 FLW Outdoors tournament season. FLW chairman Irwin Jacobs said Evinrude also had failed to pay its Evinrude Pro Staff.
BILL
VIRGINIA SALTWATER FISHING TOURNAMENT
While fishing Sandbridge Pier in Virginia Beach, Bill Pope of Norfolk reeled in a 1-pound, 12-ounce kingfish that beat out the previous leader in the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament by one ounce. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 84 pounds, 12 ounces, William Brown, Hampton, Inner Middle Ground; C-13
BLUELINE TILEFISH: 20 pounds, 10 ounces, Kenneth Bowe, Chester, Norfolk Canyon.
COBIA: 105 pounds, 2 ounces, Keith Cole, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
CROAKER: 5 pounds, 3 ounces, Nathan Clendenin, Richmond, lower York River.
DOLPHIN: 39 pounds, Robert Manus, Ark, Triple Zero’s.
FLOUNDER: 12 pounds, 12 ounce, Mike Perron, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
GRAY TRIGGERFISH: 4 pounds, 4 ounces, Julie Ball, Virginia Beach, wreck off Virginia Beach.
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 12 ounces, Bill Pope, Norfolk, Sandbridge Pier.
SEA BASS: 8 pounds, 4 ounces, Rob Collins, Norfolk, wreck off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPHEAD: 14 pounds, 4 ounces, Lesley Inge, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake Bay.
SPADEFISH: 14 pounds, 14 ounces, state record, Roland Murphy, Fredericksburg, the Cell.
SPANISH MACKEREL: 6 pounds, 7 ounces, Michael Bell, Lynchburg, 26 Mile Hill.
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): 168 pounds, Paulette Johnson, Uniontown, Ohio, 100 Fathom off Virginia Beach.
TUNA: 230 pounds, Jeff Creekmore, Chesapeake, Norfolk Canyon.
WAHOO: 62 pounds, 1 ounce, K.W. Flowers, Richmond, The Fingers.
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Look for displays by Trout Unlimited and Hunters for the Hungry at the Aug. 15 Celebrate Catawba event 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Catawba Community Center in Roanoke County. The displays, crafts, food and music are designed to call attention to the Catawba Valley and how it can be kept natural. www.celebratecatawba.com.
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.
Meeting of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board to set waterfowl regulations, Aug 18, 9 a.m., at DGIF headquarters 4000 West Board St., Richmond.
September goose hunting season, Sept. 1-25, 10 per day.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, Sept 4, program by Captains Spike and Kathy Franceschini, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center.
Dove hunting season, Sept. 5-26; Oct. 7-Nov. 7 and Dec. 25-Jan. 9. Bag limit 15 daily.
Rail hunting season, Sept. 8-Oct. 3; Oct. 5-Nov. 17.
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.
Virginia Big Game Western Regional Contest, Sept. 12 and 13, Rockingham County Fairground, Harrisonburg, information from vpsa.org or John Ritenour, 540-434-8028.
Triangle Bowhunters of Montgomery County 3D tournament Sept. 13, check vfaa.org for details or contact Jim Overfelt.
H.C. Edwards Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society, 20th annual Sportsmen’s Banquet, Sept 19, 6 p.m., Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, ticket information from Kenny Wilkinson, 540-337-1298.
September teal hunting season, Sept 21-30, east of I-95 only, four daily.
Virginia Big Game Eastern Regional and State Championship, Sept. 26 and 27, Southampton County Fairground, Franklin, information from vpsa.org or Kenneth Pickin 757-229-0409.
Hunters for the Hungry Sporting Clays Benefit Shoot, Sept. 27, Flying Rabbit Sporting Clays, Mount Crawford, $50 per shooter, prizes and lunch provided, information from 540-574-2529.
Snipe hunting season, Oct. 8-12; Oct. 21-Jan. 30.
Woodcock hunting season, Nov. 7-21; Dec. 26-Jan. 9, three per day.
BASS Elite Blue Ridge Brawl, April 15-18, Smith Mountain Lake.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
