Another round in the foxhound training debate

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Another round in the foxhound training debate

Bill Cochran

Thursday, March 7, 2013

The terse debate between hound hunters and animal-rights advocates over foxhound training enclosures grew heated during a board meeting of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries last fall. In January, the debate switched to the 2013 Virginia General Assembly, now it is headed back to the DGIF board.

The board has scheduled a meeting at 1 p.m. on March 20 at its headquarters in Richmond to give the public an opportunity to review and comment on regulation changes its staff has proposed for training preserves.

You get an idea of how terse this issue is by the fact that no other subject will be discussed during this meeting, a departure from normal DGIF procedures.

The animal-rights people, led by the Humane Society of the United States, sees the use of foxhound training preserves as a barbaric-blood sport while many hound hunters, led by the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance, view the facilities as a place for families to train their hounds and participate in wholesome field trails.

The issue takes on broader importance in the minds of many sportsmen who see the efforts of animal-rights advocates to disband training enclosures as a first step in going after other hunting traditions.

A Senate bill that would have gutted fox-enclosure use was killed in the recent General Assembly, as it should have been in order to give the DGIF an opportunity to complete its study of the needs for new regulations.

Following the March DGIF board meeting, there will be an April 2-May 31 online comment period, www.dgif.virginia.gov. Final action on the recommendations is scheduled for June 13.

Here's where to get more knowledge of gobbler hunting

The Botetourt Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation can claim as its members some of the finest turkey hunters in the nation. Put a couple of the grey heads together and you have nearly 100 years of experience and a bunch of national achievements.

That knowledge will be shared during a spring gobbler hunting seminar the chapter has scheduled on March 20 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Community Room in Fincastle (behind the old jail).

"We hope it will appeal to new turkey hunters and maybe those who want to pick up a tip or two," said Richard Pauley, the chapter president. Topics will include safety, calls and calling, tactics, decoys, hunting on public land and marksmanship.

Chapter officials are just back from winning a major award at the National Wild Turkey Federation Convention in Nashville. Pauley said members decided on the seminar as a way to introduce others to the joys of turkey hunting. It will be a laid-back affair with time for questions and hands-on instruction, he said. There is no charge. Youth are welcome.

"I would have given anything to have had something like this offered when I was trying to learn the basics of turkey hunting nearly 50 years ago," he said.

To save a seat and for additional information, contact Pauley at 540-992-1883 (work) or 540-254-2564 pauleyr@nationwide.com or Ed McCoy at 540-339-0622 edmccoy@ujroutdoors.com .

More tournaments for the Smith Mountain Striper Club

The Smith Mountain Striper Club has announced that it is beefing up its tournament schedule, by offering five member/guest events this year, the first on March 23.

A $30 fee will be charged for the series, plus $5 per event or $10 for nonmembers. The first-place cash prizes awarded in previous years will be dropped and this year's competition will be for trophies and bragging rights rather than big money, club officials said. There will be a big-fish pot.

A number of tournament divisions are being offered, including an artificial-only class and a children's class.

Dates for the tournaments are March 23, May 18, July 20, Sept. 14 and Nov. 2. Three events will be headquartered at Captain's Quarters, while the other two venues have yet to be announced.

Additional information is on the club Web site: www.smithmountianstriperclub.com/tournament-info.html and the club's Facebook page.

Flounder length limit lowered for the fourth straight year

The Virginia Marine Resources Commission has voted to lower the minimum-size limit on flounder from 16.5 inches to 16 inches during the 2013 season. One-half inch may not sound like much, but it can determine whether the flounder you caught is routed to the frying pan or back into the water.

The commission voted unanimously to lower the recreation-size limit for the fourth year in a row. The opportunity came because Virginia's flounder landings in 2012 were well below quota. The commission had the option to lower the limit to 15.5 inches, but backed off from that.

The catch limit remains four daily and there will be no closed season.

Outdoor briefs

More than 500 anglers are expected to attend a Tiefest Saturday in Grasonville, Md. to honor Lefty Kreh, a fly-fishing legend. The Tiefest has been in existence 11 years, but has been renamed the Lefty Kreh's Tiefest by the sponsor, the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland. It will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Prospect Bay Country Club and feature fly tiers, equipment manufacturers, guides and friends of Kreh, who is in his 80s. No charge for CCA members; others pay $25 or $10 if under 16. www.ccamd.org.

Efforts to increase production at Henry County's Philpott Water Plant, which draws water from Smith River, has been put on hold due to concerns over Roanoke Logperch, an endangered species. The county is being asked to do an additional impact study, which could take three years and cost $600,000. The Smith River, below Philpott Dam, is a popular trout stream, but big-fish production has declined due to a number of environmental problems.

It was cold; it snowed; it wasn't pretty; even so, the Bassmaster Classic in Tulsa, Okla. the past week lured 106,850 fans according to B.A.S.S. That was the second-highest attendance in the 43-year history of the event. Some 42,600 fans showed up for the three weigh-ins and 54,000 for the angling show. Officials are tallying the economic impact of the event. That figure has been as much as $24 million in the past.

Events, seasons and dates

Smith River Trout Unlimited meeting, tonight, 6:30 p.m., Ranias Restaurant, Martinsville, program on fly tying, information from Doug Jessie, 540-874-6560, guests welcome.

Spring gobbler hunting seminar, presented by Botetourt Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, 6:30 p.m., March 20, Community Center (behind old jail) in Fincastle. No charge, youth welcome, topics cover all aspects of spring hunting. Additional information, Richard Pauley, 540-992-1883 (work) or 540-254-2564 pauleyr@nationwide.com and Ed McCoy, 540-339-0622 edmccoy@ujroutdoors.com.

Smith Mountain Striper Club tournament, March 23, Captain's Quarters, information on www.smithmountianstriperclub.com/tournament-info.html

The New River Trout Unlimited Chapter has rescheduled its Spring Thawout to April 3rd due to inclement weather. Speakers will be Joe Williams, fisheries biologist of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, along with Shawn Hash and Steve Pflieger of Tangent Outfitters. Muskie, bass and trout fishing in the New River Valley will be discussed. The meeting site is the Montgomery County Government Center. Guests welcomed. Information from Jason Williams, jwilly_@hotmail.com

Youth spring gobbler hunting day, April 6, for youngsters age 15 and under, must be supervised by an adult information from www.HuntFishVa.com/youth.

Trout Heritage Day, April 6, www.dgif.virginia.gov/fishing/trout/trout-heritage-day/

Banquet sponsored by Bland County Many Beards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, April 6, Rocky Gap High School, 123 Eagles Road, Bland, contact Lawrence Scott, 540-240-2424, blandcomtnboy@yahoo.com.

Fly fishing basics by Josh Williams, April 8, Tri-County Forestry and Wildlife Association, Roanoke Moose Lodge 248, 3233 Catawba Valley Drive (Virginia 311), Roanoke County, social time 6 p.m., dinner 6:45, meal $10, RSVP required, call Marian McConnell, 540-309-4747.

Spring gobbler season, April 13-May 18.

Thirteenth annual Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, April 20-21, Waynesboro, www.vaflyfishingfestival.org.

Botetourt Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation banquet, April 27, social 5:30 p.m., meal 7 p.m., Lord Botetourt High School, Daleville, singles $55, couples $75, additional information and tickets from Richard Pauley, 540-992-1883 (work) or 540-254-2564 pauleyr@nationwide.com and Ed McCoy, 540-339-0622 edmccoy@ujroutdoors.com .

Virginia Hunter Skills Weekend, May 3-5, Holiday Lake 4-H Educational Center near Appomattox, ages 11 up, $110 includes instruction, food and lodging, classes cover everything from a variety of hunting skills to cooking game, www.holidaylake4h.com/vahunterweekend.php.