Thursday, June 23, 2005
Comments on crossbows
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
Members of the Virginia Deer Hunters Association are equally divided over whether to make crossbow hunting available to all hunters during the bow season. In an association survey, 53 percent of the participants said “No” to crossbow hunting and 47 favored it.
The issue is scheduled to be decided by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board today (June 23) during a hearing in Richmond. Denny Quaiff, executive director of the Virginia Deer Hunters, said results of the club’s survey had been sent to the board.
Deer association members were supportive of an idea being floated by wildlife officials that would require a hunter to kill a doe before an antlered deer could be taken in areas where the deer populations needs to be reduced. Some 72 percent in the survey said they supported the concept.
Survey participants expressed little desire to make deer regulations more restrictive, which is a departure from what is happening in West Virginia, where doe hunting this fall will be sharply restricted. When asked if either-sex deer hunting should be reduced on National Forest land, 70 percent of the participants said no. Sixty percent would like to see the deer season west of the Blue Ridge extended.
Support for Sunday hunting continues to remain weak among survey participants. Sixty-two percent said they opposed it. The opposition by members has remained steady for the past decade, Quaiff said, declining only 4 percent.
Supplemental feeding of deer (not counting food plots) also drew a negative response. Sixty-three percent said no to it. While it is illegal to artificially to bait deer in Virginia you would not know it when you walk into many stores that sell hunting equipment. Food and feeders abound.
Hunting deer with hounds is a solid tradition in eastern Virginia, but it has been coming under growing attacks as large land holdings are subdivided. Hunters realize this is a serious issue, Quaiff said, but were evenly divided over whether new restrictions on hound hunting should be established. Fifty-three percent said they would support some restrictions; 47 percent said no.
The association’s Web site is virginiadeerhunters.org.
BILL
GAME ABOUNDS
It is way too early to make any hunting season predictions, but I have been seeing more rabbits and hearing more quail than normal for this time of the year. Rabbits appear to be everywhere you look, some about as big as you’ll ever see, others juvenile size.
From all the quail calls I have been hearing you’d think the good old days have returned. That’s not the case, but on the positive side I’m hearing more birds than anytime the past two years. The question: Will any of them be around when the hunting season begins?
I am guessing that turkey and grouse have had favorable nesting conditions. There has been an absence of long, cold rains. In fact, we are several inches below normal rainfall.
I have been seeing good numbers of doves and an occasional woodcock. Deer are moving into the meadows in impressive numbers.
It looks like things are shaping up for an excellent hunting and wildlife-watching season.
BILL
STRIPER DIE OFF AT KERR
Sportsmen at Kerr Lake have expressed concern over what they describe as a high striped bass mortality. There always are a few stripers found dead following the spring spawning season, but nothing like this year, according to Hugh Hamby who operates the Castle Heights store and tackle shop near Boyton. Hamby reported “piles” of dead stripers.
The fish are said to be infested with parasites which the locals call “gill grubs.” Some largemouth bass and crappie also are infested.
In 2003 and 2004 parasites were credited with a major die-off of adult striped bass in 20,000-acre Smith Mountain Lake, which is upstream from 50,000-acre Kerr. That problem appears to have subsided, but it left a void of large fish.
BILL
SMITH RIVER OBSERVATIONS
Fishing guide Al Kittredge has the following observation on the Smith River trout fishery:
>Seasoned anglers have been reporting good June action. On one outing, Kittredge said he landed a double-digit catch without moving from a single spot.
>Productive flies range from nymphs and soft-hackle wet flies to dry flies. Kittredge’s best success comes with his own bead-head nymph creation, which he calls the Allieworm. Sometimes he will add a No. 16 squirrel-tail nymph to the bend of the No. 16 Allieworm hook.
>Kittredge recommends that fly-fishermen check the condition of their flies often. A “dead-looking” moss that has sprung up in the last year or two has a way of accumulating on a hook, thus quickly making a No. 16 fly look like a bulging No. 4.
>It is more important than ever to phone ahead to Philpott Dam to get the power generating schedule (276-629-2432). Time was when you could get a week-long scheduled, but since May the schedule has been dispatched on a daily basis, and it has been subject to quick change. After calling ahead, Kittredge makes a final, cell-phone call just before he wades into the stream. A generating surge suddenly can flood the stream. The switch from a week-in-advance to daily generation schedule has caused controversy amount anglers. Officials are said to be aware of this and are looking into it.
BILL
A BIRD-BRAIN IDEA
Bird watchers are about as peaceful a bunch as you will find, but they have been in an uproar since announcements that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel will enforce stiff rules for birding along the 17.6-mile structure between Virginia Beach and Eastern Shore.
The bridge-tunnel long has been a prize spot to view a variety of birds, thus drawing serious birders from miles around. When I last went birding there I simply stopped and got a free permit, which allowed me to park at three of the structure’s rock islands for a close-up look at a variety of birds.
Under new rules that go into effect July 1, birders will have to arrange their visits in advance; will have to provide photo identification and be subject to security checks. Nothing too unfriendly there. But here’s the kicker. They will have to pay $50 an hour for a security escort. That hurts because birders aren’t just peaceful, they also are frugal.
Why not just gather up a carload of birders and divide the $50 per hour fee? That won’t work. It is $50 per person.
Bridge-tunnel officials say it is a matter of security, an effort to protect the key structure from terrorist attacks. After all, the structure is a critical link to the nation’s largest Navy base, located in Hampton Rhodes.
Birders argue that they are about as low a risk as you can imagine. Especially compared with the hundreds of truck roaring through the tunnels and over the bridge daily.
You have to wonder what will be next? No casting to stripers along the rock islands? No boating around the bridge pilings?
This is a threat to needed tourism in the region.
BILL
DGIF GETS GRANT
The National Shooting Sports Foundation has awarded nearly a half-million dollars in grants to help state agencies expand hunting opportunities. The grants were made through NSSF’s Hunting Heritage Partnership program.
The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries received $36,400 to create an interactive, Internet-based mapping program that will provide users information about hunting opportunities in Virginia.
The site will include statewide public hunting land locations, wildlife management areas and leased lands, game species information and densities, historical harvest data, hunting regulations, aerial photography and topographic and road maps. The grant will also be used to expand outreach and promotional efforts to attract prospective hunting groups, including youths, novices and female hunters, NSSF said.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
>Preston Driscoll wasn’t just an avid and experienced outdoorsman, but a man who wanted others to enjoy the things he did. He was active in the Roanoke Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and was a sponsor at the Roanoke Valley Friends of the NRA banquet, but was best known as a leader in the Virginia Trappers Association. Driscoll died earlier this month at age 59. His expertise especially will be missed later this year when game officials meet to discuss new trapping regulations.
>The board of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries meets today (June 23) to discuss a proposal to expand crossbow hunting this fall and winter. Wildlife officials also are expected to propose dove and early goose and teal seasons. Prior to the 9 a.m. meeting in Richmond (400 West Broad St.) the board search committee will update efforts to recruit a new executive director, beginning at 8 a.m..
>Woo Daves is Virginia’s best known and most successful professional bass fisherman, so what does he do when he isn’t in a bass tournament, putting on a bass seminar or endorsing bass equipment? He goes fishing. Saltwater fishing. Woo has a getaway on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. A recent fishing report from there credited Woo with landing a 46 and 48-inch red drum off Smith Island.
>Briery Creek Lake doesn’t just produce Virginia’s biggest largemouth bass, but also big numbers of average-size bass. Kenny Ames of Appomattox recently caught and released a 11-pound, 4-ounce trophy largemouth. The next day, Ames and his fishing partner, Greg Heath, reported catching more than 50 small bass mostly on plastic worms.
>The 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic is scheduled Feb. 24-26 at Lake Tohopekaliga near Kissimmee, Florida. This year’s Classic is set for July 29-31 in Pittsburg.
>For every 10 adult hunters there only are about seven youth ready to replace them and carry on the hunting tradition. That gets America just a C grade in sustaining hunting participation for the future, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation. As a rule, states that have the most prohibitions on youth hunting also have the poorest replacement rations. Check www.nssf.org/programs/FamiliesAfield.cfm.
>Some 766 Skeeter boats, ranging form early 1960 models to the newest 2005 2X250, participated in the recent Sketter Boat Owner’s Tournament at Lake Fork, Texas.
BILL
FISHING OUTLLOK
>A bass tournament on Chickahominy Lake was won with a five-fish catch that exceeded 20 pounds. Let’s see now, that was a 4-pound average.
>The Dutch Gap Boat Landing will get you access to the James River near Richmond and maybe something else as well. The area has become a haven for vultures. One angler recently returned to the ramp after an outing on the river and found more than a dozen vultures atop his vehicle. Another left the back window of his pickup open and returned to find three vultures in his truck, turning it to a stinking mess.
>A “Catfish Showdown” on Kerr Lake attracted 100 boats. The top fish was a 34.84-pound flathead. Kerr Lake anglers are enjoying the best white bass action in years.
>A 9.15-pound bluefish won the bluefish division of the Reedville Bluefish Derby. The fact that the second place bluefish was just 3.47 pounds reflects the sparse status of this species that once was king of the Chesapeake Bay.
>Lots of trout are being caught at Lake Moomaw, but many are under the 16-inch minimum size limit. Mortality is high for released fish caught in deep water.
>The James River is in excellent shape for bass fishing. Fishing in the Potomac River is reported to be “spectacular.”
JACK RANDOLPH
SALTWATER TOURNAMENT
With the arrival of warm-water species, the leader board of the Virginia Saltwater Fishing Tournament has seen major changes. The first cobia and dolphin citations of the season have been registered and there are new leaders in the croaker, kingfish and spot categories. Here are the standings:
BLACK DRUM: 93 pounds, 6 ounces, John Quigley, Baltimore, Md., lower-eastern Chesapeake Bay.
COBIA: 72 pounds, Bernard Davis, Hampton, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
CROAKER: 4-pounds, 8 ounces, Elliott Souldourian, Virginia Beach, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
DOLPHIN: 31 pounds, Jeremy Creason, Buena Vista, off Virginia Beach.
FLOUNDER: 12 pounds, 3 ounces, James Alexander, Virginia Beach, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
GRAY TROUT: 12 pounds, 14 ounces, William Flipin, Hayes, upper eastern Chesapeake Bay.
KINGFISH: 1 pound, 12 ounces, Damon Moore, Sterling, off Virginia Beach.
SEA BASS: 6 pounds, 14 ounces, Chad Stoker, Chesapeake, caught off Virginia Beach.
SHEEPSHEAD: 14 pounds, 2 ounces, Bryan Noel, Virginia Beach, lower-eastern Chesapeake Bay.
SPADEFISH: 12 pounds, 5 ounces, Todd Hawk, Maidens, lower-western Chesapeake Bay.
SPECKLED TROUT: 11 pounds, 3 ounces, Brain Pomije, Chesapeake, Elizabeth River.
SPOT: 1 pound, 4 ounces, Robert Richardson, Richmond, Elizabeth River.
STRIPED BASS: 63 pounds, 8 ounces, state record, Paul Leckner, Greenbackville, Bradford Bay.
TAUTOG: 18 pounds, 4 ounces, Larry Larue, Virginia Beach, ocean off Virginia Beach.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Hunters for the Hungry benefit sporting clays shoot, June 25 and 26 at James Edmunds Sporting Clays in Halifax County, $45, information from Gary Arrington, 800-352-4868.
Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show/Virginia Deer Classic, Aug. 12-14, Showplace, Mechanicsville, contact Denny Quaiff, 804-743-1290
Western Division of Virginia Big Game Contest, Sept. 10 and 11, Rockingham County Fairgrounds near Harrisonburg, see vpsa.org for details.
Urban archery season, Sept. 17-30 and Jan. 9-25.
Eastern Division and state finals of Virginia Big Game Contest, Sept. 24 and 25, Southampton County Fairgrounds, Franklin, see vpsa.org for details.
Bowhunting season, Oct. 1-Nov. 18 and Dec. 5-Jan. 7.
Fall turkey hunting season, Oct. 31-Nov. 12; Nov. 24 and Dec. 12-Jan. 7.
Muzzleloading season east of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 5-18.
Muzzleloading season west of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 12-18
Deer hunting season west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 19-Dec. 3
Deer hunting season east of Blue Ridge Mountains, Nov. 19-Jan. 7
Late muzzleloading season, Dec. 17-Jan. 7.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
