Thursday, January 17, 2008
Many witnesses to be called
Bill Cochran
Recent field reports
A large number of witnesses are expected to be called during the trials of former Department of Game and Inland Fisheries director, William Woodfin, and two former top game wardens, Michael Caison and Terry Bradberry.
The three, who have been charged with misusing state funds, had asked to be tried together saying many of the same witnesses will be involved, and a unified trail would save the state money. The attorney general’s office was opposed and a circuit judge in Richmond denied the request earlier this week. Trial dates have not been set, according to a report by Warren Fiske of the Virginian-Pilot.
Caison faces two charges of misusing sate funds; Woodfin and Bradberry each face a single count. Each charge is a felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison and up to a $100,000 fine.
In the meanwhile, the Virginia General Assembly is dealing with bills that would bring DGIF under greater scrutiny and change the way board members are appointed. (see Cochran Column).
BILL
HOUND HUNTING ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Sixteen focus group meeting held across the state to address hunting with hounds brought both high praise and criticism to the sport.
Some participants said hunting with hounds is one of the most important aspects of their lives, that they would quit hunting without it. Others said some hound hunters act without respect to private property rights; however, the unethical were described as being a minority.
“By and large, people attending the focus group meetings have expressed their support for continuing the tradition of hound hunting in Virginia,” the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries said in a Web site report.
The next step in the process will be to publish the results of the focus group meetings and to gather additional information through a survey. An advisory committee will be selected to continue the work.
BILL
DO WE NEED TO RELESE MORE STRIPERS?
They rolled out the wheelbarrows to carry the hefty catch during the past weekend’s Mid-Atlantic Rockfish Shootout headquartered at Rudee Inlet in Virginia Beach. The winning three-fish catch weighed 137.4 pounds, and was worth a 21-foot Contender center-console boat valued at $50,000 and $15,750 in cash. The weight of the first three places was right at 400 pounds.
The Shootout was just one of several striper tournaments that have been held in the Chesapeake Bay and oceanfront water of Virginia. Fact is, most weekends have a tournament of some kind in place.
Am I the only one getting the feeling that we need to ease up on stripers by releasing more? I am old enough to remember when over-fishing and other factors disseminated the population and drove recreational fishing to the brink of extinction.
It isn’t just tournaments, although they can flaunt a greed-based “there’s no tomorrow” mentality. It is guides, too. Seems like way too many guides aren’t happy to dock with anything less than a limit catch for everyone on the boat, including the guide and mate. Pictures are posted on Web sites to advertise the great fishing, but they look a good bit like gluttony.
In the excitement of the chase, even good sportsmen can get caught up in the excess, turning their back on catch-and-release and not thinking, “What the heck am I going to do with 50 pounds of fish?”
Defensive anglers say, “We are just keeping the limit, what’d due us.” Yeah, that’s all we were doing when the population crashed last time.
BILL
CHASE RABBITS UNTIL END OF FEBRUARY
Never mind what you read in the game law digest about the rabbit hunting season ending Feb. 14. In reality, it runs through the end of February.
An extension was made by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries in October, too late to make the new law digest.
“We have had a time getting the information out,” said Julia Dixon, a spokeswoman for the department. “We are hearing from a lot of rabbit hunters who are unaware that the Board of the DGIF extended the rabbit season to the last day of February.”
BILL
MESSAGE TO NRA MEMBERS
Virginia is a strong pro-gun state, but there are signs this is changing as anti-gunners take positions of power in state government. That is the message to Virginia NRA members from Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the NRA.
LaPierre said, “Gun control advocates like Senators Richard ‘Dick’ Saslaw of Fairfax and Henry Marsh of Richmond…have the power to decide what legislation will be considered on the floor of the State Senate as well as what amendments will be allowed when votes take place on the floor.”
The email message from LaPierre called Gov. Tim Kaine an “anti-gun governor” who “has publicly joined the attack on Virginia’s gun shows.”
In his recent State of the Commonwealth address, Kaine called for an end to the exemption that allows guns to be sold and swapped at gun shows without instant background checks.
“We have to fight back,” said LaPierre.
One of the best ways for Virginians to do this is through membership of the Virginia Shooting Sports Association, he said
“The VSSA is the leading state organization fighting against every attempt by the gun control lobby to restrict your Second Amendment freedoms and liberty,” LaPierre said.
The VSSA Web site is myvssa.org.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Virginia Boat Show, Jan. 18-20, The Showplace, Richmond, information from agievents.com.
Mid-Atlantic Boat Show, Virginia Beach Convention Center, Jan. 19-27, vaboatshow.com.
Board meeting of Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 9 a.m., Jan. 22, 4000 W. Broad Street, Richmond.
Richmond Fishing Expo, Jan. 25-27, Richmond Raceway Complex, www.RICHMONDFISHINGEXPO.com.
Meeting of Smith Mountain Striper Club, Feb. 1, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center, speaker Stu Tinney on the art of the jig.
Fredericksburg Outdoor Show, Fredericksburg Expo Center, Feb. 8-10 Info@woodsandwatersmagazine.com.
Richmond Boat Show, Feb. 14-17, Richmond Raceway Complex, information from agievents.com.
Western Virginia Sport Show, Feb. 15-17, Augusta Expoland, Fisherville, westernvasportshow.com
The Greater Virginia Sports and Big Game Show, Feb. 15-17, 2008, Rockingham County Fairgrounds, Harrisonburg, vasportsshow.com.
The Virginia Outdoor Sportsmen’s Classic, Feb. 22-24, Roanoke Civic Center, vaoutdoorsportsmensclassic.com.
National Wild Turkey Federation conference, Feb. 21-14, Georgia World Conference Center, Atlanta.
Dixie Deer Classic, Feb. 28-March 2, North Carolina State Fairgorounds, Raleigh, dixiedeerclassic.org.
Southwest Virginia Boat Show, Feb. 29-March 2, Roanoke Civic Center.
National Capital Boat Show, March 7-9, Dulles Expo Center, information from agievents.com.
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, April 4, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center, program by Dan Wilson, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist.
Youth spring gobbler day, April 5
Spring gobbler season, April 12-May 17.
Seventh Annual David H. Horne Memorial Hunters for the Hungry Golf Tournament, May 7, Birkdale Golf Course, Richmond, contact Braxton Bell, 804-739-3010.
Twenty-fifth annual Bluefish Derby, June 13 & 14, Reedville, information from Jett’s Hardware, 804-453-5325.
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Oct. 18.
Got an event? Let us know: xtrails@earthlink.net.
