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Bob  Duncan 


he  agency  has  just  come 
through  a  major  under- 
taking that  began  over 
15  months  ago  when  our 
board  approved  a  formal 
study  of  hound-hunting  in  Vir- 
ginia. Posted  on  our  Web  site 
(www.HuntFishVA.com)  are 
recommendations  made  by 
the  study's  Stakeholder  Advi- 
sory Committee  (SAC) — a  group  of 
thoughtful,  highly  dedicated  citizens 
with  diverse  backgrounds  who  agreed  to 
serve  fellow  Virginians  in  this  process. 
Their  recommendations  are  the  result  of 
a  series  of  discussions  based  on  written 
comments  received  and  facilitated  meet- 
ings held  across  the  Commonwealth 
about  issues  related  to  hunting  with 
hounds. 

I  believe  the  methods  employed 
througliout  the  study  have  been  open 
and  inclusive.  SAC  members  have  devot- 
ed countless  hours  to  a  difficult,  often  po- 
larizing assignment.  Advisory  committee 
members  and  facilitators  from  Virginia 
Tech  upheld  the  highest  standards  of 
professionalism  and  grace  under  fire — 
when  it  would  have  been  easy  to  call  it 
quits  at  many  points  along  the  way.  Re- 
gardless of  one's  position  on  this  matter, 
they  deserve  our  respect  and  gratitude. 

I'd  like  to  touch  upon  something 
else  here — to  address  why  we  under- 
took tliis  work  and  why  the  process  was 
so  carefully  implemented.  The  decision 
to  study  hovmd-himting  was  based  not 
on  the  number  of  complaints,  but  on  the 
nature  of  the  complaints  received.  The 
tenor  of  those  calls  was  one  of  great  con- 


cern, as  we  viewed  public  dia- 
logue becoming  more  and 
more  confrontational.  We 
were  also  acutely  aware  that 
hound-hunting  activity  has 
become  an  issue  in  other 
states:  Florida,  Georgia,  South 
Carolina,  and  now.  North  Car- 
olina. It  was  only  a  matter  of 
time  before  it  reached  fever- 
pitch  in  Virginia. 

At  the  crux  of  the  hoimd-hunting 
issue  we  find  one  thread  in  a  larger  fabric 
unraveling  across  rural  America.  That 
thread  is  the  loss  of  lai^e  tracts  of  land 
and  owners  willing  to  lease  those  lands 
to  hunt  clubs  and  other  hunting  inter- 
ests. This  is  of  great  concern  to  us,  of 
course,  because  a  large  percentage  of  tra- 
ditional hound-hunting  activit}^  in  Vir- 
ginia has  been  made  possible  on  those 
very  lands. 

As  you  review  the  recommenda- 
tions made  by  the  committee,  please 
consider  that  every  position  was  thor- 
oughly vetted  and  each  word  agreed 
upon  after  many  hours  of  deliberation. 
But  by  identifying  the  issues,  by  listing 
them  out,  and  by  reacliing  consensus 
where  they  could,  I  believe  the  commit- 
tee has  brought  clarity  to  the  matter  at 
hand. 

We  understand  that  hound-hunting 
is  more  than  a  sport  to  Virginians.  It  is 
deeply  embedded  in  our  cultural  liistory 
and  part  of  our  shared  natural  heritage. 
We  always  intended  that  the  hound 
study  would  help  us 'find  our  way,"  and 
I  believe  that  Virginians  are  uniquely 
qualified  to  rise  to  this  challenge. 


Mission  Statement 

To  manage  Virginia's  wildlife  and  inland  fish  to  maintain  optimum  populations  of  all  species  to  serve  the  needs  of 

the  (;ommonwealth;To  provide  opportunity-  for  all  to  enjoy  wildlife,  inland  fish,  boating  and  related  outdoor 
recreation  and  to  work  diligently  to  safeguard  the  rights  of  the  people  to  hunt,  fish  and  harvest  game  as  provided 
for  in  the  Constitution  of  Virginia;To  promote  safety  for  persons  and  property  in  comiection  with  boating,  hunt- 
ing and  fishingi'lb  provide  educational  outreach  programs  and  materials  that  foster  an  awareness  of  and  apprecia- 
tion for  Virginia  s  fish  and  wildlife  resources,  their  habitats,  and  hunting,  fishing  and  boating  opportunities. 

Dedicated  to  the  Conservation  of  Virginia's  Wildlife  and  Natural  Resources 
Volume  69  Number  10 


Commonwealth  of  Virginia 
Timothy  M.  Kaine,  Governor 


HUNTING  &  FISHING 

LICENSE  FEES 

Subsidized  this  publication 

Secretary  of  Natural  Resources 

L.  Preston  Bryant,  Jr 

Department  of  Game  and 
Inland  Fisheries 

Bob  Dimcan 
Executive  Director 


Members  of  the  Board 
Ward  Burton,  Halifax 
Sherry  Smith  Crumley,  Buchanan 
WUham  T.  Greer,  Jr,  Norfolk 
James  W.  Hazel,  Oakton 
C.  T.  Hill,  Midlothian 
Randy  J.  Kozuch,  Alexandria 
John  W.  Montgomery,  Jr,  Sandston 
Mary  Louisa  Pollard,  Irvington 
Richard  E.  Railey,  Courtland 
Thomas  A.  Stroup,  Fairfax 
Charles  S.  Yates,  Cleveland 

Magazine  Staff 

Sally  Mills,  Editor 

Lee  Walker,  Ron  Messina,  Juha  Dixon, 

Contributing  Editors 

Emily  Pels,  Art  Dhector 

Carol  Kushlak,  Production  Manager 

Tom  Guess,  Larry  Mohn,  Marc  Puckett, 

Ron  Southwick,  Staff  Contributors 


Color  separations  and  printing  by 
Progress  Printing,  Lynchburg,  VA. 

Virginia  Wildlife  (ISSN  0042  6792)  is  published  montUy 
by  the  Virginia  Department  of  Game  and  Inland 
Fisheries.  Send  all  subscription  orders  and  address 
changes  to  Virginia  Wildlife.  P.  0.  Box  7477,  Red  Oak, 
Iowa  51591-0477.  Address  all  other  communications 
concerning  this  publication  to  Virginia  Wildlife.  P.  0.  Box 
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0477.  Postage  for  periodicals  paid  at  Richmond,  Virginia 
and  additional  entry  offices. 

Copyright  2008  by  the  Virginia  Department  of  Game  and 
Inland  Fisheries.  All  rights  reserved. 

The  Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisheries  shall 

afford  to  all  persons  an  equal  access  to  Department  pro- 
grams and  facilities  witliout  regard  to  race,  color.  reU- 
gion,  national  origin,  disability,  sex,  or  age.  If  you  believe 
that  you  have  been  discriminated  against  in  any  pro- 
gram, activity  or  facility,  please  write  to:  Virginia 
Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisheries.  ATTN: 
Compliance  Officer,  (4010  West  Broad  Street.)  RO.  Box 
11104,  Richmond,  Virginia  23230-1104. 

"This  publication  is  intended  for  general  informational 
purposes  only  and  every  effort  has  been  made  to  ensure 
its  accuracy  The  information  contained  herein  does  not 
serve  as  a  legal  representation  of  fish  and  wildlife  laws 
or  regidations.  The  Virginia  Department  of  Game  and 
Inland  Fisheries  does  not  assume  responsibility  for  any 
change  in  dates,  regulations,  or  information  that  may 
occur  after  publication." 


oc 


CONTENTS 


About  the  cover: 

Tlic  bobwliite  quail  represents,  for 
many,  the  prmce  of  upland  game  birds. 
In  this  issue  of  the  magazine  we  ex- 
plore what  conservationists  and  biolo- 
gists are  doing  statewide  to  re-establish 
critical  habitat,  desperately  needed  for 
the  bird's  return. 
©Maslowski  Photo 


WILDLIFE 

Magazine 
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4 


9 


t 


m 


"Bring  Back  Bob" 

b)'  Tec  Clarksoti 

A  covey  of  groups  rallies  beliind  the 

bobwliite  quail. 

•  Land  Management  Tips  to 

Benefit  Quail 

by  Marc  Puckett 

Featherweight  Fliers 

by  Marie  Majarov 

A  grand  migration  takes  place  this 
month  over  the  Dcbiiarva  Peninsula. 

Hope's  Harvest 

b)'  Keith  Johnson 

A  tather-da lighter  celebration  of  the 
outdoors  kind! 

Using  the  Arts  to  hispire 

Stewardship 

by  Gail  Brown 

Atlee  High  School  students  artfully 
connect  with  their  campus. 

Lake  Conner's  Lunker 
Largemoiith 

by  Marc  N.McGlade 

Bass<asters  find  success  in  a  lake  in 
Halifax  County. 

Avoiding  Bowhimtmg  Blunders 
and  Bloopers 
b)'  Bruce  Ingram 

Tliese  tips  from  a  pro  might  save  you 
some  anguish. 

BeWUd!  Live 'Wild!  Grow'WUd! 
b)'  Spike  Knuth 
Virginia's  Plovers 


AFIELD  AND  Afloat 

30  Journal 

•  Renovations  at  Coursey  Springs 

33  Photo  Tips 

Photograph  }  our  Fai  'ori'te  Cciniiief 

34  OnTlie Water 

Neu '  Law  Addresses  Boating  Safety 


.-ff' 


i*i> 


'^ 


'^^. 


^ 


Conservationists 
are  rising  to  the 
challenge  of 
preserving  habitat 
for  bobwhite  quail. 


Mi 


byTeeClarkson 
photos  by  Dwiglit  Dyke 

Ten-month-old  Llewellin  set- 
ter Betsy  and  her  partner 
Pearl,  a  German  shorthair, 
cut  through  thick  cover,  quartering 
back  into  what  little  wind  there  is.  It's 
October  and  it's  hot.  Scenting  condi- 
tions are  tough.  They  have  been  on 
some  birds  today,  locking  intermit- 
tently on  a  single  quail  here,  a  pair 
there,  all  of  them  pen  raised.  There  is 
little  chance  of  marking  a  wild  covey 
on  this  hunting  preserve  as  they 
search  the  fields  and  the  edges  of  the 
woods.  Steve  Bebout,  who  works 
with  Quail  Forever  in  Virginia,  walks 
steadily  behind  the  two  dogs.  Steve 

Pearl,  a  German  shorthair,  strikes  a  clas- 
sic point  as  she  takes  wind  of  a  quail 
holding  tight  to  cover. 


(I 


'^^mmm 


m 


^m 


Where  quail  are  concerned,  tidy  is  not  better.  Here,  quail  take  advantage  of  corn 
and  other  forage  left  behind  by  the  combine. 


grew  up  hunting  wild  quail  in  north- 
east Tennessee  as  a  youngster.  Thirty 
years  have  passed  since  then,  and 
Steve  currently  resides  in  Franklin 
County  between  Roanoke  and  Mar- 
tinsville. 

Like  most  states  throughout  the 
Southeast,  Virginia's  quail  numbers 
have  been  in  a  state  of  decline  for  the 
last  several  decades.  Steve  hopes  to 
reverse  this  trend  by  working  with 
others  to  implement  quail  habitat 
projects  in  Virginia.  He  hopes  that  in 
a  decade,  maybe  even  a  few  years,  he 
might  take  a  similar  walk  behind  his 
dogs  and  bump  a  few  wild  coveys. 

"Admittedly,"  Steve  says,  "we 
know  it's  going  to  take  a  long  time. 
It's  not  like  we  can  start  the  program 
and  then  hunt  wild  quail  the  next 
year.  We're  looking  long  term." 

Groups  like  Quail  Forever  and 
Quail  Unlimited  focus  on  improving 
natural  habitat.  It  is  no  secret  that 
modern  farming  practices  have 
added  to  the  game  bird's  decline 

OCTOBER   2008 


along  with  a  growing  human  popu- 
lation and  increasing  urban  sprawl. 
Quail  Forever  believes  in  using  feder- 
al programs  to  aici  in  improving  habi- 
tat similar  to  the  way  its  parent  or- 
ganization. Pheasants  Forever,  has 
taken  advantage  of  the  Conservation 
Reserve  Program  (CRP)  in  improv- 
ing habitat  for  wild  pheasants  in  the 
Midwest.  Steve  points  primarily  to 
the  CP33  program,  a  special  section 
of  the  Conservation  Reserve  Pro- 
gram established  in  2004,  the  first 
federal  legislation  aimed  at  restoring 
the  bobwhite  quail.  The  program 
pays  private  landowners  to  establish 
a  habitat  buffer  around  their  crop 
fields.  Doing  so  benefits  dozens  of 
wild  species,  including  quail.  The  na- 
tional program  has  allocated  250,000 
acres  across  the  country  to  improve 
habitat  for  the  game  bird.  Currently 

Shooting  to  a  rising  covey  of  quail  is 
one  of  the  ultimate  experiences  when 
hunting  this  prized  upland  game  bird. 


Virginia's  allotment  is  3,600  acres. 
Unfortunately,  only  about  one-third, 
or  1,484,  of  those  acres  are  beiiig  used. 
Right  now.  Quail  Forever,  Quail  Un- 
limited, the  Farm  Service  Agency, 
and  the  Natural  Resources  Conserva- 
tion Service  are  working  to  get  the  re- 
maining 2,150  acres  into  the  program. 
The  Farm  Service  Agency  (FSA) 
and  tlie  Natural  Resources  Conserva- 
tion Service  (NRCS)  work  hand  in 
hand  to  establish  the  program  on  pri- 
\'ate  land.  An  interested  landowner 
should  first  contact  their  FSA  office, 
located  in  the  local  USD  A  service  cen- 
ter. The  FSA  will  tlien  determine  \he 
eligibility  of  the  property.  The  land 
must  have  a  "cropping  history,"  hav- 
ing been  dedicatee!  to  an  agricultviral 
commodity  during  four  of  the  six 
crop  years  from  1996-2001.  If  the  land 


is  eligible,  the  landowner  will  sign  a 
10-  to  15-year  contract,  agreeing  to 
plant  and  maintain  a  habitat  buffer 
for  upland  birds  for  the  duration  of 
the  contract  term.  As  a  sign-up  incen- 
tive, the  landowner  receives  $10  per 
acre  per  year  paid  at  contract  ap- 
proval, one  hundred  dollars  for 
every  acre  placed  in  the  program 
under  a  10-year  contract.  The  NRCS 
then  works  witli  the  program  partici- 
pant to  prescribe  seed  mixtures 
which  will  provide  an  ideal  habitat 
for  upland  birds.  The  FSA  provides  a 
50%  cost  share  reimbursement  for  all 
eligible  costs  incurred  in  conjunction 
with  the  conservation  period.  Fur- 
ther, a  practice  incentive  payment  is 
disbursed  to  the  participant,  calculat- 
ed at  40%  of  all  eligible  costs.  In 
essence,  the  participant  is  reim- 
bursed 90%  of  his  or  her  out-of-pock- 
et costs.  Additionally,  the  landowner 
receives  an  annual  rental  payment  of 
up  to  $90  /  acre  every  October  for  the 
life  of  the  contract. 

On  the  Scent 

With  a  little  directing  and  en- 
couragement, Betsy  and  Pearl  push 
through  the  thick  cover  of  the  "Cus- 
tom Hunts"  game  preserve  outside 
of  Keysville,  still  searching  for  the 
wl"iiff  of  a  bird.  Suddenly  and  almost 
without  warning  Betsy  turns  her 
head,  dropping  her  body  low  to  the 
ground,  and  freezes.  Pearl  quickly 
locks  up  as  well,  backing  Betsy's 
point.  They  have  found  the  birds. 
Steve  readies  his  gun  and  advances 
in  from  the  left.  As  Steve  nears  Betsy's 
nose,  two  quail  lift  simultaneously 
into  the  air.  Steve  levels  his  gun  and 
fires  one  shot,  followed  closely  by  an- 
other. The  result  of  the  first  shot  is  a 
puff  of  feathers  and  a  fallen  bird.  The 
result  of  the  second:  a  quail  still  sail- 
ing through  the  air  and  settling  back 
down  into  the  cover  some  50  yards 
ahead,  unharmed. 

Perhaps  one  of  the  biggest  prob- 
lems for  wild  quail  in  Virginia  has 
been  the  invasion  of  fescue,  a  grass 

As  Virginia's  countryside  changes  to 
meet  its  growing  population,  hunters, 
farmers  and  sportsmen's  groups  are 
teaming  to  improve  quail  habitat. 


A  well  trained  hunting  dog,  such  as  this 
Llewellin,  is  a  great  asset  in  retrieving 
downed  birds. 

too  thick  to  allow  quail  to  move 
around.  "Recreational  bushogging," 
as  Steve  Bebout  calls  it,  or  bushog- 
ging once  or  just  a  few  times  a  year, 
promotes  the  growth  of  fescue.  In 
order  to  avoid  this  problem, 
landowners  should  make  sure  there 
is  no  fescue  in  any  seed  they  use. 

Quail  Forever  hopes  to  offer  its 
own  seed  program  soon,  specifically 
designed  for  upland  habitat.  Quail 


Unlimited  also  has  a  long-standing, 
national  seed  program.  And  if  you 
are  interested  in  learning  more  about 
early-succession  habitat  manage- 
ment to  benefit  the  bobwhite,  there's 
a  new  tool  available.  The  Umversity 
of  Kentucky  and  The  Progressive 
Fanner  magazine  have  teamed  up  to 
offer  a  quail  habitat  management 
course,  available  on  CD.  The  CD  pro- 
vides a  good  primer  on  wild  quail 
ecology  and  how  to  manage  for  the 
bird.  (See  resources  listed,  page  8.) 

Both  Quail  Unlimited  and  Quail 
Forever  work  closely  with  state  and 
federal  natural  resource  agencies  to 
identify  solutions  to  aid  Virginia's 
wild  quail  population.  DGIF  small 
game  biologists  like  Gary  Norman 
and  Marc  Puckett  have  supported 
their  efforts  and  share  the  excitement 
over  the  prospects  of  improving 
quail  habitat  and  numbers. 

"The  Department  has  recently 
been  tasked  with  developing  a  new 
quail  action  plan,  following  up  on 
previous  efforts  that  led  to  the  na- 
tion's first  plan  back  in  1996.  Since 
that  time,  enormous  strides  have 
been  made  in  quail  management 
across  the  Southeast.  The  successes  of 
each  state  are  building  upon  each 
other,"  notes  quail  program  manager 
Puckett. 

He  adds,  "We  now  have  a  chance 
to  incorporate  many  of  the  lessons 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


we've  all  learned  over  the  past  12 
years.  If  the  sportsmen  give  us  a 
chance,  we'll  accomplish  some  great 
things  for  quail  in  Virginia.  All  of  our 
partners  will  be  critical  to  success  on 
this  front." 

Both  Puckett  and  Norman  be- 
lieve that  increasing  quail  popula- 
tions in  a  rapidly  changing  landscape 
is  one  of  the  most  difficult  challenges 
ever  undertaken  by  groups  like  Quail 
Forever.  "We've  had  great  success 
with  deer,  turkey,  bear,  and  other 
species,  but  quail  present  special 
challenges,"  Norman  says.  Lack  of 
habitat  represents  the  number  one 
hurdle  to  quail  recovery. 

Biologists  and  conservationists 
are  looking  to  find  new  habitat  on  a 
large  scale.  The  Department  contin- 
ues to  work  with  c}uail  groups  across 
the  state,  offering  guidance  on  a  vari- 
ety of  landowner  programs  and  habi- 
tat management  options  suited  to 
particular  regions. 

"The  good  news?  This  is  Ameri- 
ca. Citizens  make  things  happen," 
Puckett  maintains.  "Folks  see  a  prob- 
lem and  they  don't  sit  around  wait- 
ing for  someone  else  to  fix  it;  they 
start  in  on  it  themselves." 

Groups  like  Quail  Forever  and 
Quail  Unlimited  surely  prove  his 
point. 

Betsy  now  tromps  back,  head 
held  high  above  the  cover,  with  a  gait 
that  doesn't  attempt  to  hide  her 
bursting  pride.  Hesitant  to  release  the 
bird  from  her  mouth,  she  circles  Steve 
several  times  before  finally  giving  in 
and  dropping  it  in  his  extended 
hand.  Immediately  they  move  for- 
ward again,  Betsy  and  Pearl,  search- 
ing for  more  scent  and  the  hope  of 
more  birds. 

Steve  acknowledges  that  it  will 
certainly  take  some  hard  work  and 
dedication,  but  he  hopes  in  the  not- 
too-distant  future  to  put  Betsy  and 
Pearl  on  some  wild  Virginia  quail 
courtesy  of  Quail  Forever,  Quail  Un- 
limited, and  many  others  who  are 
dedicated  to  bringing  back  this  signa- 
tvire  game  bird.    7 

Tec  Clarkson  is  an  English  teacher  at 
Deep  Run  High  School  in  Henrico  Coun- 
ty.  Tee  is  also  a  member  of  the  Virginia 
Outdoor  Writers  Association. 


ipt@  Benefit  Qiu 


byMiircRickett 


Evaluate  -  Obtain  an  aerial  photo- 
graph of  your  property  and  conduct 
a  habitat  inventory.  Look  for  oppor- 
tunities to  manage  for  quail.  Areas  to 
identify  include:  crop  fields,  particu- 
larly near  clear-cut  timberlands,  pine 
stands,  new  clear-cuts,  pastures  and 
hayfields,  old  fields,  power  line  or 
utility  rights-of-way,  and  even  some 
hardwood  stands  that  could  be  man- 
aged as  open  oak  woodlands. 


Invest  -  Invest  in  the  equipment 
necessary  to  manage  adequately.  If 
you  do  not  own  or  have  access  to  a 
tractor  and  disk,  consider  purchasing 
one.  A  tractor  in  the  35  to  60  horse- 
power range  with  hydraulic  capabili- 
ties and  an  adjustable  disk  can  ac- 
complish 90'  o  of  what  is  necessary  to 
manage  land.  Add  a  good  herbicide 
spray  rig  and  spin  seeder  and  you 
can  create  a  haven  for  cquail.  If  you 
can't  afford  a  tractor,  consider  an  all- 
terrain  vehicle  with  similar,  but 
smaller  attachments.  Some  of  the 
heavier  work  can  be  done  by  con- 
tracting, or  by  renting  equipment. 

Eliminate  -  Once  you  have  decided 
where  you  can  manage  for  quail,  start 
bv  eliminating  mat  forming,  non-na- 
tive invasive  grasses  such  as  fescue. 
For  example,  you  may  have  a  portion 
of  a  hayfield  from  which  you  really 
do  not  need  to  harvest.  After  you've 
taken  the  last  spring  cutting  of  hay 
allow  about  6  to  10  inches  of  new 
growth  to  ocdir.  Then,  spray  with  a 
herbicide  containing  glyphosate 
(Roundup",  RazorPro''",  or  equiva- 


Producing  and  sustaining  suitable  habi- 
tat is  the  biggest  hurdle  to  restoring  the 
prince  of  game  birds  to  the  fields  and 
forests  of  Virginia. 


OCTOBER   2008 


7 


Additional 
Information 

Landowners  may  find  contact  informa- 
tion for  their  Local  Farm  Service 
Agency  at:  http://www.fsa. 
usda.gov/FSA/stateoffapp?mystate 
=va&area 

For  information  on  creating  ideal  quail 
habitat  on  private  lands: 
"Beyond  the  Food  Patch:  A  Guide  to 
Providing  Bobwhite  Quail  Habitat/' 
Published  by  DGIF;  available  by  call- 
ing the  Wildlife  Division,  (804)  367- 
1000. 

Landowners  may  also  call  their  region- 
al DGIF  office  and  speak  with  the  dis- 
trict biologist.  Go  to:  www.HuntFish- 
VA.com  for  contact  numbers. 

Quail  Unlimited  Seed  Information: 
http://www.qu.org/content/habi- 
tat/seed_program.cfm 

Habitat  Management  CD  from  The  Pro- 
gressive Farmer  (shown  above): 
www.progressivefarmer.com/farmer/ 
store/wildtife/quai  I.  htm  I 


Biologists  recommend  planting  sunflow- 
ers with  other  seed  sources — such  as 
millet — in  a  designated  food  plot. 


lent)  per  the  manufacturer's  recom- 
mendations. Eliminate  all  non-native 
grass  that  is  not  needed,  being  careful 
to  minimize  erosion.  Do  not  spray  on 
steep  hillsides,  farm  roads,  and  other 
such  areas. 

Encourage  -  After  eliminating 
non-native  cover,  encourage  the 
growth  of  native  annual  weeds,  flow- 
ers, shrubs  and  grasses.  Once  the 
non-native  cover  is  gone,  a  flush  of 


The  early  succession  plants  that  thrive 
after  a  prescribed  burn  provide  food  and 
cover  for  quail. 

new  plant  growth  will  occur  4  to  6 
weeks  after  spraying.  The  trick  is  to 
learn  your  plants.  Encourage  things 
like  blackberry,  plum,  sumac,  native 
sunflowers,  beggar-weed,  ragweed, 
partridge  pea,  coneflower,  croton, 
and  broomstraw.  Control  unwanted 
invaders  such  as  yellow  poplar, 
sweet  gum,  red  maple,  pine  and 
other  tall  growing  trees  by  spot- 
spraying  with  selective  herbicides, 
hand  cutting,  or  spot  mowing. 


Saturate  -  Picture  every  quail 
covey's  home  range  as  being  a  25-  to 
50-acre  elliptical  area  and  think  about 
how  you  will  saturate  this  area  with 
quail  cover  (without  eliminating 
other  valuable  cover  types).  Each 
covey  range  should  consist  of  15%  to 
20%  shrubby,  brushy  patches  (some- 
times called  "covey  headquarters 
areas" — things  like  blackberry  thick- 
ets, plum  and  sumac  thickets,  or  sim- 
ilar), 40%  to  60%  brood  rearing  cover 
(annual  weeds,  flowers  and  grasses), 
and  about  30%  nesting  cover  (areas 
containing  50%  native  grasses  like 
broomstraw,  mixed  with  annual  and 
perennial  weeds).  Also,  5%  to  10%  of 
an  area  can  be  planted  in  annual  food 
plots.  Use  a  good  mixture,  such  as  5 
lbs.  each  of  millet,  milo,  buckwheat 
and  sunflower.  Substitute  forage 
sorghum  for  milo  in  areas  where  deer 
densities  are  high.  Leave  portions  of 
planted  food  plots  fallow  each  year. 
For  example,  in  a  2-acre  field  plant 
one  acre  each  year,  leaving  the  other 
half  fallow.  One  of  the  best  plantings 
is  a  mixture  of  5  lbs.  each,  Korean  and 
Kobe  lespedeza,  planted  over  a 
disked  seed  bed  in  February. 

How?  -  Thin  and  conduct  understo- 
ry  burning  on  all  available  acres  of 
loblolly,  short-leaf  or  long-leaf  pine 
stands  (use  a  burning  contractor  and 
focus  on  safety  first).  Manage  old 
fields  by  rotational  disking,  rotation- 
al buriiing  (in  each  case,  disk  or  bum 
V'i  each  year  during  February  or 
March),  or  spot-spraying.  Create 
hedgerows  in  crop  fields.  Allow  na- 
tive, brushy,  weedy  borders  to  devel- 
op around  crop  fields.  Plant  logging 
decks  with  Korean  and  Kobe  les- 
pedeza, as  described  earlier. 

Research  -  Do  your  homework.  A 
21st-century  laiidowner  has  an  unlim- 
ited amount  of  knowledge  at  their  fin- 
gertips. Visit  the  Quail  Unlimited  and 
Quail  Forever  Web  sites  and  check 
back  to  our  Web  site,  where  land  man- 
agement resources  and  tips  will  be 
posted,     n 

Biologist  Marc  Puckctt  is  tJre  small  game 
proJLXt  leader  who  coordinates  the  quail 
action  plan  and  develops  programs  to  ef- 
fectively manage  small  game  species  in 
Region  U. 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  wvvw.HuntFishVA.com 


Monitoring Tne  Monarch  Migration 


It  all  happens 
soundlessly. 
Daylight  hours 
in  Virginia  shorten; 
the  angle  of  the  sun 
diminishes;  the  air 
cools.  Brilliant  orange 
and  black  monarch  but- 
terflies, the  year's  final 
generation,  push  their  way 
from  gilded  chrysalides  with  an 
agenda  vastly  different  from  their 
short-lived,  frolicking,  summer  kin. 
These  fall  monarchs  postpone  mat- 
ing, embarking  instead  on  a  geneti- 
cally programmed  6-  to  8-month  mis- 
sion to  avoid  winter's  deadly  cold.  A 
breathtakingly  grand  migration 
takes  shape  as,  one  by  one,  feather- 
weight fliers  lift  off  to  commence  a 
perilous  journey  to  the  grounds  in 
central  Mexico  where  their  ancestors 
have  long  overwintered.  Joined  by 
others  from  as  far  north  as  southern 
Quebec  and  throughout  New  Eng- 
land, millions  of  monarchs  make 
their  way  south,  streaming  as  high  as 
5,000  feet  over  the  Commonwealth. 

Above:  A  new  monarch  pushes  its  way 
from  a  tiny  gilded  chrysalis.  Right:  A 
dawn  cluster  on  red  cedar,  Juniperus 
virginiana,  warming  before  beginning 
the  next  leg  of  their  journey. 


Story  and  photos  by  Marie  Majarov 

''A  tale  of  dedication 

and  love  for  all 

wild  creatures 

in  a  glorious  part 

of  Virginia." 

-Lincoln  P.  Brower 


Tough,  determined,  almost  un- 
stoppable, these  !/2-gram  insect  pilots 
make  incredible  progress,  averaging 
28-plus  miles  a  day  gliding  with 
high-speed  air  currents  and  engag- 
ing in  wing-powered  flight.  Stopping 
only  to  refuel  on  fall  blossoms  and 
roost  through  darkness,  it  takes 
about  40-60  days  to  reach  a  narrow 
Texas  corridor  through  which  mas- 
sive clouds  of  butterflies,  as  manv  as 


Above:  Judy  Keen  shows  off  her  very  nec- 
essary mosquito  netting  as  she  watches 
clustering  monarchs  in  a  wild  black  cherry 
grove.  Left:  Monarchs  are  so  intent  while 
nectaring  on  seaside  goldenrod  that  they 
can  be  lifted  off  the  plant  for  tagging. 

2  billion,  sweep  on  to  their  landing 
place.  The  destination:  12  colonies, 
only  a  few  hectares  each,  within 
stands  of  oyamel  fir  trees  at  eleva- 
tions of  11,000-plus  feet  on  the  not- 
too-cold,  not-too-warm  southwester- 
ly slopes  of  the  Transvolcanic  Moun- 
tains of  Mexico. 

To  put  their  2,000-mile  feat  in 
perspective,  Toronto  zoologist  David 
Gibo  estimates  that  an  equivalent 
distance  for  a  6-foot-tall  person 

VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


Top:  Dr.  Brower,  project  leader,  also 
monitors  monarchs  in  the  Blue  Ridge 
near  Sweet  Briar  and  lovingly  tends  his 
magnificent  butterfly  garden. 
Above:  Barbara  Kreiley  demonstrates  the 
monarch  counters. 

would  be  "11  times  around  the 
world."  How  do  these  monarchs  do 
it?  What  pathways  do  they  take?  Fuel 
sources?  Roosting  places?  How  do 
they  know  where  to  go?  What  are  the 
obstacles  and  challenges  to  success? 

Answers  to  these  c^uestions  have 
been  the  focus  of  the  Chincoteague 
Monarch  Monitoring  Project,  which 
celebrated  10  years  of  outstanding 
autumn  research  in  2006.  Under  the 
leadership  of  Dr.  Lincoln  Brower — 

OCTOBER   2008 


the  foremost  monarch  scientist  and 
ambassador.  Sweet  Briar  College  Re- 
search Professor,  and  Univ.  of  Florida 
Distinguished  Service  Professor 
Emeritvis — the  project  has  been  coor- 
dinated by  dedicated  and  talented 
Professional  Interpretive  Natviralist 
Denise  Gibbs. 

After  5  years  of  collecting 
monarch  migration  data  at  Cape 
May,  NJ,  a  well-known  gathering 
point  for  coastal  monarchs  and  riu- 
merous  species  of  birds,  Dr.  Brower 
felt  that  establishing  anc^ther  ongoing 
monitoring  station  was  "critical  for 
scientific  replicahon"  of  the  emerging 
Cape  May  findings.  Chincoteague 


search  station,  as  Walton  and  Brower 
were  witli  her  expertise  and  enthusi- 
asm. An  "instantaneous  yes"  was  her 
response  to  their  idea  that  she  estab- 
lish the  new  post,  thus  beginning  a 
life-affirming  relationship  for  both 
monarchs  and  Denise.  Now  known 
affectionately  as  the  "Monarch 
Lady,"  Denise  has  collected  detailed 
scientific  data,  made  copious  field  ob- 
servations, tagged  thousands  of 
CNWR  monarch  guests,  and  educat- 
ed countless  people  about  monarchs. 
During  peak  monarch  migration, 
mid-September  thru  mid-October, 
Denise  and  deciicated  volunteers 
Barbara  Kreiley,  Judy  Kneen,  and 


Chincoteague  wet  meadows  are  filled 
with  blooming  large  bur-marigold, 
Bidens  laevis.  Invasive  phragmites  can 
be  seen  along  the  meadow's  edge. 

National  Wildlife  Refuge  (CNWR), 
its  varied  habitats  being  a  natural 
respite  for  coastal  migrants  traveling 
from  Cape  May  across  the  mouth  of 
Delaware  Bay  and  down  its  coast, 
was  perfect,  as  was  the  decision  for 
Denise  Gibbs  to  be  project  coordina- 
tor. 

A  butterfly  and  native  plant  spe- 
cialist, Denise  met  Richard  Walton, 
director  of  the  Cape  May  Project 
while  doing  freelance  lecturing  after 
her  own  incredible  journey,  with  can- 
cer. She  was  as  enthralleti  by  the  re- 


MONARCH  WAYSTATION 


«    « 


This  site  provides  milkweeds,  nectar  sources, 

and  shelter  needed  to  sustain  monarch  butterflies 

as  they  migrate  through  North  America. 

Certified  and  registered  by  Monarch  Watch 

as  an  official  Monarch  Waystation. 

CREATE.  CONSERVE,  &  PROTECT  MONARCH  HABITATS 

www.MonarchWatch.org 


Kate  Tufts  hustle  from  sunrise  to  sun- 
set making  either  stationary  point 
counts  or  a  5-mile  road  census  of 
perched  and  flying  monarchs 
through  salt  marsh,  wet  meadow, 
tidal  canals,  mixed  deciduous  forest, 
maritime  forest,  bayberry  /  groundsel 
thickets,  primary  dunes,  and  inter- 
dune  areas  along  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
They  take  measurements  of  weather 
conditions,  wind  speed  and  direc- 
tion. Between  censuses,  as  many  but- 
terflies as  possible  are  tagged,  some 
years  upwards  of  3,000. 

Lightweight  numbered  tags  are 
affixed  from  Monarch  Watch,  a 
monarch  conservation  organization 
at  the  University  of  Kansas  that  spon- 
sors a  large-scale  tagging  program  to 
track  migration  patterns  (see  Virginia 
Wildlife,  June,  2006).  Through  the 
years,  Denise's  tagged  monarchs 
have  been  recovered  in  Georgia, 
along  Florida's  panhandle,  and  at  the 
Mexican  sanctuaries  El  Rosario  and 
Sierra  Chincua,  providing  essential 
information  to  prove  that  eastern 
coastal  migrants  winter  in  Mexico. 

The  largest  number  of  migrating 
monarchs  reported  at  Chincoteague 
occurred  in  1999  when  hurricanes 
"bottled  up"  monarchs  just  north  of 
Denise's  location.  Clear  weather 
brought  an  estimated  100,000  visible 
monarchs  surging  throvigh  CNWR, 
"literally  a  blizzard  of  monarchs." 
The  lowest  numbers,  of  2002,  reflect- 
ed poor  summer  conditions  through- 
out their  northern  breeding  range. 

Migration  2006  and  2007  were 
also  extraordinary  for  outstanding 
monarch  numbers,  despite  the  winds 
and  floods  of  Hurricane  Ernesto  (in 
August,  2006)  changing  much  of  the 
island  beachfront  landscape,  de- 
stroying extensive  nectar  and  roost- 
ing vegetation.  Migrating  green 
darner  dragonflies,  common  buck- 
eye butterflies,  merlins,  northern  har- 
riers, bald  eagles  and  tree  swallows 
were  also  plentiful. 

Clustering  behavior  was  a  spe- 
cial 2006  focus:  Red  cedar,  loblolly 
pine,  groundsel-tree /bayberry  thick- 


Denise  carefully  applies  a  Monarch 
Watch  tag  to  a  monarch  wing. 


Kate  Tufts  measures  the  wind  speed, 
direction  and  temperature  during  a  road 
census  of  perching  and  flying  monarchs 
while  her  husband  records  the  data. 

et,  and  seaside  goldenrod  roosts  were 
photographed  and  studied. 

Environmental  hazards,  man- 
made  challenges,  and  nature's  intri- 
cacies observed  at  CNWR  are  as- 
tounding! Chincoteague's  natural- 
ized ponies  leisurely  munch  spartina 
grasses  down  to  mudflats  and  pro- 
mote short-growing  horsemint,  giv- 
ing tired  migrants  a  welcome  oppor- 
tunity to  nectar  close  to  the  ground, 
protected  from  the  wind.  However, 
at  the  same  time  this  increases  expo- 
sure to  invertebrate  predators  like 
praying  mantids,  tolerant  of  mon- 
archs' poisonous  constitution.  The 
ground  can  become  littered  with  or- 
ange and  black  wings  that  mantids 


A  mole  monarch  is  nectaring  out  of  the 
wind  on  low  growing  horsemint, 
Monarda  punctata. 


leave  behind  after  dining  on  monarch 
heads  and  abdomens.  Green  gamer 
dragonflies  catch  monarchs  in  mid- 
air; birds  puncture  their  wings  but 
quickly  let  go,  repulsed  by  the  bitter 
taste.  Strong  winds  can  pin  feather- 
weight fliers  to  barbed  wire  fences  or 
blow  them  out  to  sea  because  the  pro- 
tective dunes  are  fragmented  or 
washed  away.  Countless  tattered  and 
punctured  butterflies  valiantly  en- 
deavor to  complete  their  mission. 

Denise's  botanical  knowledge 
combined  with  the  information  com- 
piled  from  her  research  about 
monarch  behavior,  numbers,  nectar 
sources,  and  needs  on  the  refuge  en- 
able her  to  aid  biologists  in  develop- 


12 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


Large  bur-marigold,  Bidens  laevis,  are 
important  nectar  sources  for  migrating 
monarchs. 


ing  comprehensive  management 
strategies  for  monarchs,  including: 
safe  spraying  of  invasive  phragmites, 
preservation  of  beautiful  wet  mead- 
ows of  nectar-rich  bur-marigold 
flowers,  and  increased  stands  of  sea- 
side goldenrod. 

From  Chincoteague,  monarchs 
continue  southward,  down  the  Del- 
marva  Peninsula  to  cross  the  mouth 
of  the  Chesapeake  Bay  often  by  flying 
directly  over  the  Bay  Bridge-Tunnel 
for  a  17-mile  jaunt  to  Virginia  Beach. 
At  the  Delmarva's  tip,  monarchs  are 
again  monitored  and  more  are 
tagged  in  another  Brower-led  re- 
search project,  the  Monarch  Migra- 
tion Project  of  the  Coastal  Virginia 
Wildlife  Observatory  (CVWO).  It  is 
coordinated  by  Larry  Brindza  at  the 
Eastern  Shore  of  Virginia  NWR,  Fish- 
erman Island  NWR,  and  Kiptopeke 
State  Park. 

The  southern  tip  of  the  Delmarva 
Peninsula,  a  beautiful  area  that  "har- 
bors tens  of  millions  of  migratory 
landbirds"  each  year,  Larry  explains, 
"concentrates  the  migrating  birds 
and  monarchs  ...and  is  a  major 
monarch  roosting  site,  especially  in 
October  when  hundreds  and  some- 
times thousands  of  monarchs  spend 
the  night  roosting  in  trees."  As  at 
CNWR,  1999  was  special:  "Over 
100,000  monarchs  roosted  on  Fisher- 
man Island  NWR  on  the  night  of  Oc- 
tober 7." 

Larry's  strong  biology  back- 
ground as  an  FDA  scientific  reviewer 
provides  him  with  critical  abilities 
and  enthusiasm,  enabling  him  to 

OCTOBER   2008 


work  at  unraveling  monarch  migra- 
tion mysteries.  With  a  full-time  avi- 
tumn  field  research  assistant  at 
CVWO,  three  daily  point  count  cen- 
suses, a  roost  census,  tagging,  and 
presentations  to  park  visitors  are  con- 
ducted for  seven  weeks  each  fall. 
Weight  and  measures  of  forewing 
length  are  also  collected.  Six  years  of 
monarch  weight  and  measures  from 
the  Virginia  Eastern  Shore  sites  and 
Occoqvian  Bay  NWR  have  led  to  im- 
portant findings  that  reveal  signifi- 
cant differences  in  the  migration  suc- 
cess of  monarchs  to  Mexico  and  will 


Common  milkweed,  Asclepias  syriaca, 
is  the  most  prevalent  of  the  milkweed 
family  in  Virginia  and  the  host  plant 
for  90%  of  the  monarch  butterflies 
that  overwinter  in  Mexico. 


be  published  in  a  major  entomology 
journal  this  year. 

After  the  Delmarva,  there  are  no 
other  official  monitoring  sites  along 
the  East  Coast.  Virginia's  monarch 
monitoring  projects  at  CNWR  and 
CVWO  have  been  and  continue  to  be 
crucial  in  the  ongoing  study  of  the 
eastern  coastal  mc^narch  migration. 

Monarchs  reach  their  Mexican 
destinations  during  November.  Fol- 
lowing a  well  deserved  rest,  they  will 
mate  and  begin  their  return  north- 
ward with  the  coming  of  spring. 
Sadly,  Lincoln  Brower  describes  this. 


"one  of  the  most  extraordinary  annu- 
al migrations  on  our  planet,"  as  an 
"endangered  phenomenon"  and  pre- 
dicts that  if  precious  overwintering 
sites,  summer  habitat,  and  migratory 
routes  are  not  protected  and  pre- 
served the  migration  will  be  doomed 
within  20  years. 

what  You  Can  Do 

Across  the  United  States,  Canada 
and  Mexico  many  government  agen- 
cies, organizations  and  individuals 
are  working  together  to  craft  a  long- 
range  plan  to  conserve  the  monarchs' 
magnificient  migration:  the  "North 
American  Monarch  Conservation 
Plan"  (NAMCP).  Each  of  us  can  con- 
tribute to  this  effort  by  advocating  for 
butterfly  gardens  in  our  backyards 
and  communities  that  include  both 
milkweeds  and  various  species  of 
nectar  plants  (see  the  "Waystation 
Project"  at  monarchwatch.org). 
Denise  Gibbs  and  Lincoln  Brower 
feel  migrating  monarchs  most  appre- 
ciate fall  blooming  goldenrods  (Sol- 
idn^o),  joe-pye  weed  (Eupatorium), 
ironweed  (Vcnioun),  asters  (Si/ni- 
pliiotricIiiDn),  bur-marigolds  (Bidens 
Incvis),  and  mexican  sunflowers 
(Titluviia)  for  refueling. 

Create,  conserve,  and  protect 
monarch  habitats!    D 

Marie  and  Milan  Majarov  (xviviv.ma- 
jarov.com)  of  Windiester  are  clinical  psy- 
chologists, nature  enthusiasts,  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Virginia  Outdoor  Writers  Asso- 
ciation. Tliey  maintain  a  tlni-oijig  monarch 
waystatio)!  at  their  iiome. 

Tor  More  Information: 

Journey  North: 
www.learner.org/jnorth 

Monarchs  over  Chincoteague  NWTi: 
mysite.verizon.net/robgibbs301  / 
monarch.htm 

Monarch  Butterfly  Conservation  in 

North  America: 

www.fs.fed.us  /  monarchbutterfly 

Monarch  Watch: 
www.monarchwatch.org 

Monarch  Butterfly  Sanctuary 
Foundation:  www.mbsf.org 


vj^iHi  vJMA/Ht 


by  Keith  Johnson 


While  I  love  all  of  the  time  I 
spend  with  my  daughter,  it  is 
the  time  we  spend  together 
outdoors  that  I  cherish  the  most.  Her 
name  is  Hope  and  that  is  a  story  in  it- 
self. She  is  14  years  old  with  varied 
interests — ^in  softball,  shopping  and 
other  girly  stuff.  She  also  looks  for- 
ward to  our  hunts,  where  we  sit  to- 
gether in  a  tree  stand  or  buddy  blind. 
She  has  acttially  taken  four  deer  prior 
to  this  season.  Hope  has  also  been  a 
great  advocate  and  supporter  of  the 
Hunters  for  the  Hungry  program. 

This  particular  hunting  event 
began  one  morning  at  6:30  with  a  re- 
minder about  the  importance  of  scent 
management.  The  reminder  was 
about  Hope's  promise  not  to  wear 
perfume  or  strong  deodorant,  in  an 
effort  to  reduce  our  scent  chal- 
lenges. This  was  going  to  be  diffi- 
cult for  Hope,  because  our  hunt 
was  scheduled  for  after  school 
that  same  day.  We  laughed  when 
her  mom  suggested  I'd  be  send- 
ing her  poor  stinky  daughter  off 
to  school,  then  asking  her  to  go 
out  in  the  woods  later  in  the  af  ter- 


we  had  seen  several  deer  during  pre- 
vious evening  hunts.  Her  enthusiasm 
was  at  its  peak  because  she  had 
passed  on  at  least  two  shooting  op- 
portunities a  few  days  prior.  As  I 
picked  her  up  from  school  that  after- 
noon, it  was  obvious  that  she  was  ab- 
solutely ready  to  go.  It  was  Friday, 
November  16th,  and  we  were  both 
glad  to  go  one  last  evening  using  the 
muzzleloader.  Hope  had  not  desired 
to  hunt  with  a  muzzleloader  prior  to 
this  season.  The  drive  would  take  us 
about  45  minutes,  allowing  time  for  a 
snack  and  some  homework  comple- 
tion. 

As  we  arrived,  Hope  discreetly 
changed  from  school  attire  to  hunting 
garb  and  camouflage  and  we  both 
applied  a  scent  eliminator.  I  am  sure 
she  still  had  on  earrings,  which  do  not 
seem  to  distract  deer.  Our  walk  to  the 
stand  only  takes  about  ten 
minutes.  The  stand  is 
a  small,  elevated  box 
blind  that  actually 
used  to  be  her  slid- 
ing board  platform 
when  she  was  much 
younger.  It  now  serves  its 
'  second  life  as  a  sanctuary 
for  us.  It  is  located  in  a 
small  cutover  elevat- 
ed above  and 
overlooking  a 
large  wheat 
field.  We  pre- 
dicted the  wheat  in 
the  low  grounds  would  be 


succulent  to  the  deer,  due  to  a  recent 
drought.  It  was  our  plan  to  have 
plenty  of  deer  activity  that  hopefully 
would  entice  mature  bucks  to  the 


area. 


At  our  approach,  we  saw  what 
appeared  to  be  a  keeper  out  in  front 
of  the  stand  at  about  120  yards  but 
moving  away.  Hope  did  not  take  the 
shot.  As  the  nice  buck  reappeared  a 
few  minutes  later,  she  looked 
through  her  scope  and  realized  that  it 
was  a  six-pointer.  Our  club  currently 
participates  in  the  Quality  Deer  Man- 
agement program,  which  advocates 
taking  only  mature  bucks  and  proper 
herd  management  by  harvesting  an 
adequate  number  of  mature  does. 
Hope  is  as  disciplined  as  any  of  our 
tenured  hunters.  She  may  even  be 
more  disciplined  than  her  dad. 

During  the  course  of  the  next 
hour,  we  saw  several  deer,  including 
a  few  small  bucks  and  small  does  or 
buck  fawns.  Hope  realized  that  the 
day  was  actually  the  anniversary  of 
her  taking  her  first  eight-pointer, 
which  was  a  nice  but  young  trophy 
for  her.  We  took  turns  looking 
through  new  binoculars,  which  she 
had  just  received  as  an  early  Christ- 
mas present  from  a  great  couple  who 
support  youth  hunting  to  its  fullest. 
They  had  warned  her  that  her  dad 
just  might  try  to  acquire  that  equip- 
ment. 

Then  it  happened.  We  both  no- 
ticed that  a  mature,  heavy  antlered 
buck  was  about  to  come  into  view 


Quality  time 

outdoors  enhances 

family  bonds. 


i4 


from  a  thicket  area.  He  appeared  out 
in  the  wheat  field  at  about  250  yards.  I 
said  to  her  that  it  was  the  one  that  we 
wanted  and  we  had  about  20  minutes 
to  spare  for  him  to  make  his  way  to  us 
before  daylight.  It  seemed  like  a  long 
wait  for  him  to  come  into  range  as  he 
took  his  time  looking  at  does  on  the 
other  end  of  the  field.  He  continued 
walking  toward  us.  I  would  let  her 
shoot  if  he  got  within  125  yards.  The 
muzzleloader  had  performed  to  that 
distance  just  fine.  We  had  discvissed 
the  shot  placement.  I  could  feel  the 
stand  shaking;  it  was  Hope.  I  whis- 
pered to  her  to  just  look  away  in  an  ef- 
fort to  calm  her  nerves.  It  was  tough 
to  do.  He  stopped  and  got  almost 
broadside  at  about  120  yards,  so  I 
gave  her  the  "go  ahead." 


the  gtm  I  was  holding,  which  was  an 
older  Knight  Wolverine  muzzle- 
loader.  It  too  did  not  go  off,  just  a  loud 
click,  and  the  deer  ran  again  to  about 
95  yards  straight  away  and  jumped  a 
hedgerow.  I  was  convinced  at  that 
time  that  the  deer  would  surely  get 
away  and  all  of  our  preparation 
would  be  for  nothing.  I  was  thinking 
that  she  would  never  hunt  with  a 
muzzleloader  again. 

I  c^uietly  told  her  that  I  had  never 
had  a  misfire.  I  whispered  that  the 
safety  prevented  the  second  gun 
from  going  off.  Then  I  quietly  re- 
cocked  it  and  took  the  safety  off.  The 
deer  was  now  walking  broadside  in  a 
distant  opening  but  behind  several 
trees  in  the  hedge  row  obstructing 
her  shot.  He  was  out  to  about  110 


KeiLh  Johnson  with  daughter  Hope.  Her  smile  says  it  all! 


She  carefully  aimed  and  pulled 
the  trigger.  The  gun  did  not  go  off, 
just  the  percussion  cap.  After  years  of 
hunting,  it  was  my  first  misfire  expe- 
rience. The  slightly  startled  deer  actu- 
ally ran  in  a  direchon  that  was  quar- 
tering toward  us  and  slightly  closer 
but  ended  up  behind  some  baish.  He 
stopped.  As  I  was  about  to  let  her  give 
it  another  try,  I  decided  to  let  her  use 


yards.  Hope  would  have  two  avail- 
able openings  to  shoot.  The  mature 
buck  now  seemed  nervous  and  did 
not  stop  on  the  first  opening.  Howev- 
er, after  a  loud  grunt  call  from  me,  he 
did  stop  just  as  he  stepped  into  the 
second  clearing.  Hope  took  the  shot 
just  as  he  stopped.  The  shot  was  per- 
fectly executed.  He  ran  about  40 
yards  before  he  expired. 


It  is  a  nice  eight-pointer  with  a 
great  mass  and  tall  antler  structure. 
We  celebrated  as  if  she  had  never 
taken  a  deer!  It  is  a  moment  I  will 
never  forget,  something  I  will  cherish 
all  of  my  life.  The  celebration  includ- 
ed hugs  and  near  tears  of  joy.  Hope 
talked  about  her  hunting  giiide  serv- 
ice, but  was  quick  to  remind  me  of  the 
critical  misfires.  (It  was  later  discov- 
ered that  dad  was  to  blame  for  those 
misfires,  not  the  equipment.)  This  an- 
imal weighed  205  pounds  before 
field  dressing  and  had  a  26-inch  neck 
behind  the  ears.  While  we  enjoy  veni- 
son each  year,  it  was  extremely  im- 
portant to  Hope  to  donate  her  deer  to 
Hunters  for  the  Hungry,  and  she  did 
so. 

Looking  back  over  the  day,  sever- 
al thoughts  come  to  mind.  Americans 
are  sometimes  participants  of  a  fast- 
paced  lifestyle.  We  find  ourselves 
going  from  event  to  event  and  hardly 
allowing  time  for  adequate  rest.  This 
lifestyle  sometimes  cioes  not  create  a 
harmonious  learning  environment 
for  our  kids.  Busy  schedules  may  not 
always  foster  a  father-daughter  rela- 
tionship that  includes  genuine,  open 
communication. 

Quality  time  spent  outdoors  is  a 
true  and  valuable  tool  that  can  en- 
hance any  relationship.  The  quiet  of 
the  outdoors  provides  an  oppor trini- 
ty for  great  times  together  anci  an  oc- 
casional, special  harvest.  These  times 
and  conditions  are  truly  gifts  from 
God. 

My  daughter  and  I  are  blessed  to 
share  interests,  and  I  am  blessed  that 
she  truly  loves  to  hunt.  While  Hope 
has  heard  of  less  than  ethical  hunting 
practices,  she  has  no  desire  to  partici- 
pate in  such  activity  just  to  say  she 
has  killed  a  deer.  She  maintains  quite 
a  high  standard  for  hunting,  with 
well-defined  ethics.  It  is  my  hope  to 
continue  promoting  her  desire  to 
hunt  with  the  highest  standards 
while  having  fun.  With  dwindling 
numbers  of  youth  hunters  today,  it  is 
imperative  that  we  share  the  wonder- 
ful experience  of  being  outdoors — 
and  continue  a  great  tradition — by 
hunting  together.    EH 

Our  gratitude  to  reader  Keith  Johnson,  who 

contributed  this  essay. 


OCTOBER   2008 


15 


Using  the  Arts  to 


Through  their  artistic 

talents,  Atlee  High 
School  students  bring 

awareness  of  the 

natural  world  around 

them  to  others. 

story  and  photos  by  Gail  Brown 

When  you  learn  to  know 
nature,  do  you  better 
know  yourself?  Does 
spending  time  outside  change  how 
you  feel  inside?  Or  do  you  just  get  hot 
and  sweaty  and  miss  that  virtual 
world,  so  programmed,  so  pre- 
dictable? A  bird's-eye  view  of  Atlee 
High  School's  Cool  Spring  Pond 
helps  to  answer  the  questions. 


The  fine  arts  department  led  the  way  in  caring  for  the  pond  and  wetlands.  Here, 
Alice  Simon  creates  a  pleinair  (French  for  "on-the-spot")  demonstration  with  her 
painting.  Above:  Students  learn  first-hand  about  the  pond,  thanl<s  in  part  to  a  DGIF 
grant  that  enabled  fishing  to  be  added  to  the  P.E.  curriculum. 

VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


ix 


■    ^:,:.^  i-A  .'  ;v  i  jJ  4,'.'.  .  '4  ,■^^■.  AU,gl/HLflIi  I 


P 


Virginia 
y  J  \  yNaturally 


Atlee  art  teacher  Alice  Simon  be- 
lieves the  connection  does  make  a 
difference:  that  relationships  formed 
with  nature  affect  relationships 
forged  elsewhere,  and  that  knowing 
the  natural  world  helps  us  find  our 
place  in  our  world.  Just  like  she  be- 
lieved a  bear  visited  their  pond  on  his 
way  to,  well,  anywhere  but  where  he 
found  himself.  Simon  shared  news 
about  the  paw  print  days  before  the 
rest  of  the  bear  showed  up  near  a 
Hanover  mall.  Most  attributed 
Simon's  observations  to  her  excite- 
ment about  their  pond  project.  Now 
they  listen  and  they're  excited,  too. 

It  wasn't  until  Simon's  return 
from  Monet's  home  in  France  that  her 
vision  for  using  the  wetland  and 
pond  area  as  an  "outdoor  palette"  be- 
came an  inspiration  that  took  root  in 
the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  art  de- 
partment, the  student  body,  and  the 
school  community  itself.  Soon  stu- 
dent volunteers  were  cleaning  up  lit- 
ter, creating  paths,  and  experiencing 
what  it's  like  to  be  part  of  something 
bigger. 

Although  grants  and  business 
partners  provided  initial  support  for 
the  project,  funding  was,  and  is,  an 
issue.  But  like  those  other  "ah  ha" 


A  fashion  show  of  gowns  created  from  reused  matenab  raised  awareness  of  the 
items  that  go  into  our  [andfiUs,  needlessly.  Top:  Cubes  created  by  art  students 
helped  raise  funds  for  their  stewardship  efforts. 


moments,  the  kids  and  the  fine  arts 
department  came  up  with  an  idea: 
they  would  "tliink  outside  the  cube" 
and  create  an  exhibit  to  meet  tlie  re- 
quirements of  State  Farm's  Good 
Neiglibor  grant.  They  would  inter- 
view people  and  gather  stories  of 
human  comiections:  emoHonal  con- 
nections, intergenerational  connec- 
tions, and  comiections  with  the  natu- 
ral world.  Based  on  shared  stories, 
they  would  recreate  "life's  connec- 
tions" using  a  variety  of  media,  shape 
their  creations  into  cubes,  and  hang 
the  cubes  from  Atlee's  hallway  ceil- 
ings. Performing  arts  students  would 
contribute  to  the  exhibit  by  deliver- 
ing the  message  in  a  different  way 
Proceeds  from  the  event  would  go  to 
support  the  stewardship  efforts  at  the 
pond. 

Today,  four  years  later,  the  fine 
arts  department  and  the  students 
continue  their  work  to  influence  the 
connection  between  people  and  na- 
ture. This  past  year,  with  a  play  on 
words  vising  the  school  colors,  stu- 
dents reused  discarded  materials  to 
create  an  exhibit  called  "Black  and 
Blue  Equal  Green."  Through  graphic 
design,  sculpture,  painting,  photo- 
journalism and  music,  the  students 
used  their  artistic  talents  to  promote 
an  awareness  of,  not  only  how  much 
we  throw  away,  but  also,  how  all  that 
trash  affects  the  enviromnent. 

Have  all  these  experiences 
changed  the  kids?  According  to 
Simon,  "They  feel  empowered  be- 
cause of  their  environmental  efforts; 
they  know  how  to  make  positive 
changes  when  issues  about  the  Earth 
are  so  important.  They  have  experi- 
ence and  understand  how  all  their 
voices  together  form  a  group  effort 
and  that  there  are  many  like-minded 
people  who  will  work  together  to 
preserve  beautiful  spaces."    M 

Gail  Brown  is  a  retired  principal  for 
Chesterfield  County  Public  Schools.  She  is 
a  lifekvi;^  learner  and  educator,  ami  her 
teaching  and  ad))iinistrative  experiences  in 
grades  K-12  have  taught  her  that  project- 
based  environmental  programs  teach  sci- 
ence standards,  promote  core  values,  and 
provide  excitiiig  educational  experiences 
for  the  entire  connnunity. 


OCTOBER   2008 


17 


The  state's  all-time 

heaviest  largemouth 

bass  is  a  monster. 

story  and  photos 
by  Marc  N.  McGlade 

While  the  brook  trout  is  Vir- 
ginia's official  state  fish, 
the  most  sought-after 
species — bar  none — is  the  large- 
mouth  bass.  Nothing  gets  anglers  as 
excited  as  hoodwinking  a  lunker 
largemouth  that  tail-walks  when 
hooked  on  the  surface  after  devour- 
ing its  latest  victim — real  or  fake. 
With  monikers  such  as  black  bass. 


bucket  mouth,  green  trout  and  largie, 
the  largemouth  bass  remains  the 
prized  possession  for  freshwater  an- 
glers, much  in  the  same  way  the 
white-tailed  deer  is  for  hunters  across 
the  state. 

The  quest  for  the  next  world- 
record  largemouth  bass  (Micwptcnis 
saluioidcs)  has  been  ongoing  since 
1932,  when  George  Perry  landed  a 
22-pound,  4-ounce  monster  from 
Montgomery  Lake  in  Georgia.  A  few 
anglers  have  since  come  close. 

In  Virginia,  a  trophy  largemouth 
bass  turns  heads  and  garners  atten- 
tion from  those  who  get  to  see  a  lunk- 
er. In  southern  states,  any  large- 
mouth weighing  8  pounds  or  more  is 
a  trophy.  Virginia  is  one  such  state. 


Largemouth  bass  weighing  8  pounds 
or  measuring  22  inches  in  length 
qualify  for  a  trophy  fish  certificate 
from  the  Virginia  Department  of 
Game  and  Inland  Fisheries  (DGIF). 
In  states  such  as  California,  Texas  and 
Florida,  8-pound  bass  are  more  com- 
mon than  here  in  the  Old  Dominion. 
However,  Virginia's  current  state- 
record  largemouth  is  quite  re- 
spectable, both  in  the  South  and  na- 
tionally. 

A  16-pound,  4-ounce  beauty  is 
the  high-water  mark  in  our  state. 
That  historic  fish  hails  from  Lake 
Conner,  and  the  record  has  remained 
intact  since  1985.  Lake  Conner  is  a 
scenic  lake  nestled  in  the  northern 
portion  of  Halifax  County,  within 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


Construction  of  Lake  Conner 
took  place  in  1954.  It  is  a  shallow  lake, 
with  mean  deptli  of  only  11  feet. 

Vic  DiCenzo,  a  fisheries  biologist 
with  DGIF,  believes  there  are  a  few 
reasons  why  Lake  Cornier  produced 
the  state-record  largemouth  bass. 

"Lake  Conner  was  drained  and 
refilled  in  the  1970s,  so  it  essentially 
experienced  a  'new  lake  boom' 
again,"  DiCenzo  says.  "This  refers  to 
the  combination  of  higher  nutrients 
from  re-floodirig  and  also  the  lack  of 
competition  from  an  established 
population.  Another  factor  was  that 
the  state  stocked  some  Florida-strain 
largemouth  bass.  Lastly,  given  Lake 
Conner's  location,  it  does  not  receive 
the  fishing  pressure  many  of  the  larg- 
er reservoirs  do." 

What's  the  Catch? 

Of  course,  there  are  other  species 
for  anglers  to  pursue  besides  large- 
mouth bass. 

"There  is  a  pretty  good  crappie 
population  in  the  lake,"  DiCenzo 
adds.  "Other  species  include  sun- 
fish — such  as  bluegill  and  redear — 
vellow  perch,  chain  pickerel,  bull- 
heads and  chamiel  catfish." 


Virginia's  rural  southside  region.  The 
Department  owns  and  manages  the 
lake. 

Lake  Conner  History 

Fishing  partner  Charles  Wallace, 
of  Crewe,  and  I  discussed  the  lake 
and  its  record  fish.  After  researching 
and  reading  much  information  about 
Lake  Conner,  a  trip  was  scheduled. 

Even  with  a  hand-held  GPS  unit 
and  a  map,  I  soon  came  to  believe  that 
we  needed  Lewis  and  Clark  to  help 
us  find  Lake  Conner.  No  wonder  a 
state  record  finned  in  the  fertile  wa- 
ters. When  we  arrived,  there  was 
only  one  other  boat  on  the  entire  110- 
acre  lake.  It  was  as  peaceful  a  fishing 
excursion  as  I  can  remember. 


Virginia's  btutt-iecoid  largemouth  hails  from  scenic  Lake  Conner,  a  Department-owned 
lake  in  Halifax  County. 


OCTOBER   2008 


More  About 

Lake  Conner 

■f  For  fisheries  information  and  regula- 
tions regarding  Lake  Conner,  contact  the 
Department's  district  office  in  Farmville 
by  phone  at  (434)  392-9645.  For  even 
more  information,  visit  online  at 
www.HuntFishVA.com. 

•♦•  Lake  Conner  has  a  single-lane,  concrete 
boat  ramp  for  private  boats  and  a  large, 
gravel  parking  lot.  There  are  opportuni- 
ties for  anglers  without  a  boat  to  fish 
the  shorehne  adjacent  to  the  boat  ramp, 
as  well  as  the  dam.  Several  benches  are 
available  for  shoreline  anglers.  Lake 
Conner  is  open  all  year,  24  hours  a  day. 

♦  Lake  Conner  is  a  trolling  motor-only  lake 
and  the  use  of  gasoline  engines  is  strict- 
ly prohibited. 

-♦■  Lake  Conner  is  located  approximately  20 
miles  north  of  South  Boston.  From  U.S. 
360,  take  Route  746.  Turn  left  on  Route 
603,  and  then  turn  right  on  Route  619. 
Take  a  right  on  Route  623,  and  then  turn 
right  on  Route  624  (Lake  Conner  Road) 
to  the  parking  lot. 

4-   Regulations: 

largemouth  bass-a  16-  to  22-inch 

protected  slot  (no  fish  between  16  and 

22  inches  may  be  kept;  only  one  bass 

longer  than  22  inches  may  be  retained) 

limit,  5  per  day; 

sunfish-no  size  limit,  50  per  day; 

crappie-no  size  limit,  25  per  day; 

channel  catfish-no  size  hmit, 

20  per  day; 

chain  pickerel-no  size  limit, 

8  per  day; 

bullhead  catfish-no  size  limit,  no 

creel  limit. 

Outboard  motor  use,  swimming,  open- 
air  fires,  trotlines,  littering,  sailboats, 
alcohol,  fishing  tournaments  in- 
volving prizes,  camping,  and 
firearms  are  all  prohibited  at 
Lake  Conner. 


The  boat  ramp  can  accommodate  private  boat  owners,  but  gasoline  engines  are 
prohibited. 


When  targeting  iunker  largemouths, 
look  to  sizable  lures  to  trick  unsus- 
pecting bass. 

Right:  Bottom-bouncing  lures  such  as 
creature  baits  catch  their  share  of  fat 
largemouth  bass. 


Lake  Conner 


Halifax  County 
Virsinia 


The  Department  stocks  channel 
catfish  every  other  year. 

Many  anglers  across  the  state  ask 
biologists  whether  Lake  Conner 
could  produce  yet  another  state 
record.  The  small  lake  has  yielded 
several  largemouths  in  the  past  that 
appeared  to  never  miss  a  meal. 

According  to  DiCenzo,  "Lake 
Conner  still  has  the  potential  to  pro- 


20 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  wwwHuntFishVA.com 


jJ^S^ 

L/  '"'  ■  ^                   MM 

£^T^ 

.^^ '  '- 

ii^lk^.        ^^^Hsibh 

r^iy 

Fisheries  biologists  indicate  Lake  Conner  has  a  solid  crappie  population 
(left),  in  addition  to  jumbo-sized  largemouth  bass,  above. 


duce  another  state-record  large- 
mouth  bass.  We  have  seen  fish  up  to 
13.5  pounds,  so  there  is  a  slight 
chance  a  state  record  is  there  right 
now.  However,  it  is  unlikely  that  the 
lake  could  produce  any  records  for 
the  other  species  in  the  system." 

With  a  state  record  comes  atten- 
tion. Cornier 's  main  draw  appeals  to 
bass-casters.  DiCenzo  explains  that 


OCTOBER   2008 


bass  fishing  accounts  for  approxi- 
mately two-thirds  of  the  interest  and 
fishing  pressure  at  the  lake.  Besides 
bass  addicts,  anglers  come  here  to 
fish  for  crappie  and  sunfish. 

The  Record  Fish 

Richard  Tate  is  the  angler  who 
landed  the  current  state  record.  He 
caught  the  giant  largemouth  on  a 
spinnerbait  on  April  16, 1985. 

"I  read  a  newspaper  report  that 
stated  the  Tate  bass  may  have 
weighed  17  pounds  initially,"  DiCen- 
zo says.  "Biologists  think  it  lost  some 
weight  before  a  certified  weight 
could  be  recorded." 

A  largemouth  bass  that  big  is 
truly  a  behemoth.  Anglers  caught  a 
few  specimens  in  the  16-pound  range 


from  Farmville's  Briery  Creek  Lake, 
but  none  was  able  to  usurp  Tate's 
beast  as  Virginia's  biggest  large- 
mouth. 

Tate's  bruiser  measured  26.3 
inches  in  length  and  had  a  girth  of 
23.25  inches.  That,  in  simple  terms,  is 
a  chub. 

While  it  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  Lake  Conner  can  repeat  his- 
tory with  a  new  record,  a  few  things 
are  certain:  Beautiful  scenery  sur- 
rounds this  remote  lake,  and  willing 
fish  species  abound.  Lake  Conner  of- 
fers visitors  a  quiet  escape  for  anglers 
looking  to  relax  and  enjoy  Virginia's 
magical  outdoors.  U 

Marc  N.  McGlade  is  a  writer  mid  photogra- 
plwr  from  Midlothian.  As  an  avid  bass  afigler 
and  oiitdoorsman,  Marc  is  keenly  aware  of 
Virginia 's  state-record  fish. 


21 


Avoiding  Bowhun 


Learningfrom 
someone  else's 

mistakes 

can  make  your 

bowhunting  season 

more  enjoyable. 


byBmcelngnmi 

Writing  a  story  about 
bowhunting  blunders 
and  bloopers  makes  me 
recall  some  of  my  worst-ever  mis- 
takes! A  pre-mt  October  morning  in 
1997  comes  to  mind,  when  I  missed 
three  Botetourt  deer — including  a 
fine  8-pointer — by  over  a  foot  each 
time,  every  arrow  soaring  over  the 
backs  of  the  animals  because  the 
peep  site  had  drifted. 


Other  memories  include  the  time 
on  opening  day  of  the  2006  season, 
when  as  I  drew  on  a  decent  Botetourt 
buck,  the  buckle  of  my  left  rubber 
boot  scraped  against  the  support  of 
the  tree  stand  seat  and  sent  the  buck 
bounding  away;  and  the  time  just 
this  past  season  when  I  missed  the 
same  doe  on  three  occasions — each 
time  by  over  a  foot  and  a  half  because 
my  sight  pin  had  slipped. 

These  snafus  are  the  kind  that 
happen  only  rarely,  in  the  course  of 


22 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


every  decade  or  so.  But  then  there  are 
the  common  miscues  that  occur  al- 
most every  autumn.  For  example,  in 
Craig  County  on  the  second  Saturday 
of  the  2007  early  bow  season,  I  mis- 
calculated the  "sw^eet  spot"  in  a  fun- 
nel when  I  positioned  the  stand  and 
then,  while  afield,  watched  hopeless- 
ly as  two  does  walked  by  just  out  of 
range.  On  that  same  Saturday, 
evening  found  me  aloft  in  the  Jeffer- 
son National  Forest  when  a  doe  with 
two  fawns  walked  by  my  portable. 
As  I  drew  back,  the  doe  espied  my 
movement,  and  she  and  her  young 
went  springing  away,  seemingly 
snorting  at  every  step  and  no  doubt 
alarming  every  other  whitetail  on  the 
mountain. 

Here,  then,  are  some  steps  to 
avoid,  or  at  least  minimize,  bowhunt- 
ing  blunders. 

Develop  a  Checklist 

of  Possible 

equipment  Malfunctions 

One  of  the  most  prudent  steps 
you  can  take  is  to  visit  an  archery 
shop  professional  and  have  that  indi- 


vidual go  over  your  bow  with  you. 
And  by  pro,  I  dc^  not  mean  an  atten- 
dant at  some  superstore  who  divides 
his  time  between  the  jewelry,  cosmet- 
ics and  sporting  equipment  depart- 
ments. My  pro  is  jody  Monaghan, 
who  operates  a  shop  from  his 
Buchanan  home. 

Before  last  season  I  purchased  a 
Matthews  Switchback  from  Jody. 
After  he  set  up  the  bow,  Monaghan 
reviewed  the  parts  that  could  possi- 
bly fail;  among  them,  peep  sites. 


Jody  Monaghan  of  Buchanai:  .^ .  ..^  over  the  author's  bow.  Going  to  an  archery 
shop  pro  before  the  season  can  help  avoid  blunders  later. 


sights  and  rests,  releases,  bow  strings, 
cables  and  blades.  The  latter  can  lose 
their  sharpness  after  a  single  shot  or 
have  their  heads  become  loose.  An- 
other potential  problem,  Jody  says, 
involves  arrow  vanes  that  can  be- 
come nicked  and  cause  an  arrow  to 
fly  inaccurately. 

Monaghan  recommends  that 
you  check  these  parts  before  every 
hunt.  I  visit  an  archery  pro  before  the 
start  of  every  season  and  have  this 
person  examine  in  detail  my  bow. 

Finding  a  Suueet  Spot 
in  Q  Funnel 

There's  an  old  saying  that  "close 
only  counts  in  horseshoes  and  hand 
grenades,"  and  that  proverb  definite- 
ly holds  true  for  bowhunting.  If  you 
don't  find  the  specific  spot  on  the  par- 


ticular parcel  where  deer  are  likely  to 
pass  by  within  your  bow  range,  you 
will  only  come  close  to  arrowing  a 
whitetail  and  commit  yet  another 
bowhunting  bluiider. 

For  instance,  on  one  of  my  fa- 
vorite Botetourt  County  farms  to 
bowhunt,  the  landowner  performed 
a  selective  cut  about  a  tiecade  ago, 
leaving  only  mature  oak,  hickory  and 
ash  trees  in  a  funnel  that  leads  from  a 
pine  thicket  bedding  area  to  a  field. 
Because  of  the  thinning,  the  remain- 
ing oaks  have  expanded  their  crowns 
and  produce  copious  amounts  of 
mast  every  autumn. 

My  first  stand  in  the  funnel  was 
near  the  end  of  it,  and  on  one  October 
evening  I  watched  helplessly  as  two 
nice  bucks  fed  nearby,  just  out  of 
range  to  my  left.  I  then  moved  the 
portable  to  a  red  oak  tree  in  the  mici- 


OCTOBER   2008 


23 


die  of  the  funnel,  and  once  again  deer 
came  by  just  out  of  range,  this  time  to 
my  right.  Finally,  I  positioned  the 
hang-on  in  an  ash  at  the  very  spot  the 
funnel  begins.  This  past  October  I 
killed  a  deer  from  that  ash — a  white- 
tail  that  strolled  by  at  a  distance  of 
just  12  yards. 

This  is  not  to  suggest  that  a  par- 
ticular area  of  a  funnel  is  better  than 
any  other;  every  funnel  is  constituted 
differently  of  course.  But  almost 
every  funnel  possesses  a  tree  where 
the  deer  are  more  likely  to  come  by 
much  of  the  time — perhaps  an  area 
where  the  funnel  narrows  or  has  a 
pinch  point.  If  you  invest  the  time  to 

Using  cover  scents  can  help  neutralize  a 
§   whitetaii's  keen  sense  of  smell. 


locate  that  sweet  spot,  chances  are 
you  will  avoid  the  bowhunting  blun- 
der  of  "close  not  being  close 
enough." 

Determining 
Effective  Range 

Closely  related  to  locating  the 
sweet  spot  is  determining  effective 
range.  In  1990,  the  first  year  I  went 
afield  with  stick  and  string,  I  labored 
under  the  misunderstanding  that  I 
could  take  whitetails  that  were  30 
yards  away.  After  all,  the  outdoor 
magazines  were  full  of  reports  of  ex- 
pert hunters  doing  so. 

After  sending  arrows  above, 
below  and  to  both  sides  of  a  number 
of  deer  that  year,  I  eventually  learned 


Crossbouu  Hunters  Aren't 
Immune  to  Snafus 

I  asked  Jay  Honse,  a  veteran 
sportsman  from  Fincastle,  about  the 
kind  of  mistakes  he  has  made  while 
afield  with  a  crossbow.  Honse,  who  has 
chronic  back  pain,  is  among  those  Vir- 
ginians who  switched  from  a  com- 
pound to  a  crossbow  when  the  state  al- 
lowed the  latter  to  be  used  during  the 
bow  season. 

"I  always  hunt  from  a  Ladder  stand, 
and  the  first  thing  I  realized  was  that  I 
had  to  re-cut  my  shooting  lanes,"  he 
said.  "People  generally  stand  when 
hunting  with  a  compound,  but  with  a 
crossbow  I  have  more  accuracy  if  I  sit 
and  rest  it  on  an  armrest.  Just  that  lit- 
tle bit  of  difference  in  height  caused 
me  to  have  an  entirely  different  field  of 
view. 

"A  second  mistake  I  made  was  in 
estimating  distance.  While  hunting 
with  a  compound,  I  feel  it  is  very  easy 
to  guess  whether  a  deer  is  10  or  20  or 
30  yards  away  and  use  my  sight  pins 
accordingly.  Many  people  can  accurate- 
ly shoot  a  crossbow  up  to  distances  of 
40  to  50  yards,  but  many  people,  my- 
self among  them,  can't  accurately  esti- 
mate distances  at  that  range.  The  result 
is  that  they  will  often  shoot  too  low." 

Honse's  solution  to  the  problem 
was  to  purchase  a  range  finder. 


Fincastle's  Jay  Honse,  shown  here,  believes  that  one  of  the  most  common  mistakes 
that  croksbow  users  commit  is  misjudging  distance. 


24 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  vvww.HuntFishVA.com 


the  following  about  my  bowhunting 
skills: 

->-  That  there  may  be  plenty  of 
archers  who  can  shoot  accvirately 
at  30  yards  or  greater,  but  I'm  not 
ever  going  to  be  one  of  them; 
^  That  practice  is  crucial   to 
bowhunting  success.  That's  why 
I  begin  practicing  the  first  week 
of  July  every  year,  shooting  every 
other  day; 
^-  That  lots  of  ill-fated  things  can 
happen  to  an  arrow  as  it  whizzes 
toward  a  deer,  and  the  farther 
away  that  whitetail  is,  the  more 
likely  those  things  are  to  occur; 
->►  That  I  can  shoot  accurately  out  to 
20  yards  and  that  is  my  effective 
range; 
->-  That  almost  all  the  deer  I  have 
killed  with  a  compound  have 
been  at  distances  less  than  15 
yards;  and 
^^  That  if  I  wait,  a  deer  will  almost 
always  come  closer  to  my  stand 
and  offer  a  better  shot. 
To  again  use  the  example  of  the 
deer  that  I  tagged  in  the  Botetourt 
funnel,  I  first  glimpsed  that  whitetail 
when  it  was  20  yards  away  and  feed- 
ing very  slowly  and  once  even  bed- 
ding for  about  15  minutes.  I  could 
have  lost  an  arrow  when  the  deer  first 
appeared,  but  I  waited  until  it  was  12 
yards  distant  and  standing  still 
broadside.  The  arrow  sliced  through 
the  deer's  boiler-room,  and  the  ani- 
mal collapsed  within  a  few  yards  and 
within  sight. 

Respect  q  UUhitetail's 

Sense  of 

Smell  and  Sight 

The  first  four  years  I  bowhunted, 
I  failed  to  kill  a  deer,  primarily  be- 
cause I  neglected  to  respect  a  wMte- 
tail's  sense  of  smell.  The  result  was 
that  many  times  I  heard  animals 
snorting  and  stamping  after  they 
winded  me,  and  I  am  sure  that  nu- 
merous deer  scented  me  and  depart- 
ed without  my  even  knowing  they 
had  been  nearby. 

Today,  I  rarely  commit  the  blun- 
der of  being  scented.  I  wear  carbon- 


OCTOBER   2008 


Being  aware  of  the  various  parts  of  a  bow  that  can  go  wrong  and  having  replacements  for 
them  is  a  sound  precaution. 

based  hunting 
clothes,  such  as 
those  made  by 
Scent-Lok  and 
Scent  Blocker, 
and  also  employ 
various    cover 
scents — especial- 
ly to  items  such  as 
hats,  gloves  and  the 
bow  itself. 

I  also  have  come 
to  profoundly  respect  a 
whitetail's  sense  of  sight, 
especially  after  having  many 
deer  become  alarmed  after 
they  spotted  me  drawing, 
avoid  this  blooper,  wait  until 
deer's  head  moves  behi 
some  obstaiction  or  is  engaged 
in  feeding. 

I  have  no  hope  of  ever 
having  an  error-free 
bowhunting  season,  but 
with  a  little  effort,  I  can  min- 
imize my  blunders  and 
bloopers.    U 


Bruce  Ingram  is  the  niithor  of  The 
James  River  Guide,  The  Ncic  River 
Guide,  and  Tlic  SIienandoah/Rap- 
pahannock  Rivers  Guide.  To  ob- 
tain a  copy,  contact  Ingram  at 
P.O.  Box  429,  Fincastle,  VA 
24090  or  he_ingram@juno.com. 


IIMl      Wli  ¥      1  i  14 


%ll 


Killdeer 


Story  and  illustrations 
by  Spike  Knuth 

^B^  ■  lovers  belong  to  a  large  tax- 
^F^T  onomic  group  referred  to 
^  as  shorebirds,  along  with 

sandpipers  and  many  others.  Unlike 
sandpipers,  which  generally  have 
narrow  bills  of  varying  lengths  for 
probing  in  mud,  plovers  have  short 
pigeon-like  bills  that  are  well  suited 
for  feeding  in  a  variety  of  habitats 
from  beaches  to  grass  pastures. 
Plovers  are  mostly  visual  feeders,  al- 
though the  ultrasensitive  soles  of 
their  feet  enable  them  to  detect  move- 
ments of  prey  under  the  surface. 
When  foraging  they  typically 
run  toward  food  items, 
pluck  them  from  the 
ground,  then  stop  sud- 
denly and  stand  upright 
to  search  for  more  to  eat 


Their  bodies  are  stockier 
than  most  other  shorebirds 
d  they  have  long,  point- 
ed wings  and  short,  round- 
ed tails.  Plovers  are  strong 
runners  and  powerful 
fliers. 

There     are     nine 

species  of  plovers  that 

^fc  -V,  occur  regularly  in  North 

'^^^  America,  of  which  three 

migrate  through  Virginia 

Ik  and  three  breed  here.  There 

are  two  genera:  the  charadrius, 

which  have  prominent  black 

bands  on  their  chests,  and  the  pliivi- 

alis,  which  have  dark  bellies  during 

breeding. 

Plovers  are  generally  found  in 
open  habitats  such  as  beaches,  tidal 
flats,  sand  spits,  tundra,  pastures  or 
agricultural  fields.  Normally  they 
don't  gather  in  large,  tightly  packed 
flocks,  like  sandpipers  do,  except 
maybe  during  migration.  They  are 
usually  found  singly  or  in  small,  scat- 
tered groups. 

Many  plovers  breed  in 
the  Arctic  and  are  cir- 
cumpolar,  nesting 
in  Europe  and 


^^^  4*         •      •      / 


Asia  and  wintering  in  Europe,  Asia, 
Africa  and  the  Middle  East.  The  nests 
of  plovers  are  all  similar  in  that  they 
consist  of  shallow  depressions  in 
sand,  gravel,  grass,  leaf  litter,  or  tim- 
dra.  Northern  breeders  have  but  one 
brood  because  of  the  shortness  of 
their  season,  and  the  young  are  pre- 
cocial,  having  the  ability  to  run  about 
and  feed  on  their  own  as  soon  as  their 
natal  down  is  dry.  When  the  nest  is 
threatened,  plovers  exhibit  the  bro- 
ken wing  act  to  draw  intruders  or 
predators  from  the  nest. 

Plovers  have  two  distinct 
plumages  for  the  spring  and  summer 
breeding  periods  and  later  for  fall 
and  winter.  Also,  they  are  strongly 
migratory,  with  some  covering  great 
distances  of  many  thousands  of  miles 
between  their  breeding  wintering 
grounds. 

All  plovers  are  threatened,  as 
coastal  lands  and  wetlands  are  devel- 
oped and  as  human  populations  and 
activities  continue  to  encroach  upon 
their  habitat. 

Killdeer 

(Charadrius  vocifcrus) 

Measuring  about  9 
J/4  to  10  Vi  inches,  the  killdeer 
is  the  most  common  of  our  plovers 
and  is  easily  identified  by  two  dis- 
tinct black  bands  across  its  lower 


26 


Wilson's  Plover 


h 


plovers 


neck  and  upper  breast,  and  its  call  of 
"kill-dee"  or  "dee-dee."  It  also  shows 
an  orange-brown  rump  and  upper 
tail,  and  a  white  stripe  the  length  of  its 
wing  in  flight.  They  are  birds  of  the 
pastures,  plowed  or  harvested  crop- 
lands, grassy  and  open  fields,  and 
mud  flats. 

They  frequently  nest  at  construc- 
tion sites,  in  gravel  parking  lots  or 
even  atop  flat  roofed  buildings, 
where  their  white  eggs  marked  with 
brown,  black  and  lavehder  are  per- 
fectly camouflaged. 

Killdeer  winter  over  most 
of  the  southern  half  of  the 
United  States,  the 
Mexican  coasts,  and 


Piping  Plover 


northern  South  America.  In  Virginia, 
these  hardy  plovers  may  be  seen 
year-round  in  low  elevations. 

Wilson's  Plover 

(Charadriiis  wilsoiiin) 

The  Wilson's  plover  resembles  its 
more  familiar  cousin,  the  killdeer. 
However,  it  is  smaller,  measuring 


about  6  '/2  to  8  inches,  has  a  single 
black  breast  banci,  and  has  a  larger, 
thicker  black  bill.  Wilson's  plovers 
occur  on  sand  and  shell  beaches, 
sand  flats  and  spits,  and  on  exposed 
tidal  mud  flats. 

Wilson's  plovers  are  a  state  en- 
dangered species  in  Virginia.  The 
Commonwealth  represents  the 


northern  extreme  of  the  bird's  breed- 
ing range,  where  its  nesting  distribu- 
tion is  confined  to  the  barrier  islands 
located  along  the  seaward  margin  of 
the  Eastern  Shore.  The  nest  consists  of 
a  scrape  in  the  sand  amid  scattered 
pebbles,,  shells  and  driftwood,  or 
patches  of  beach  grass.  It  often  nests 
in  close  proximity  to  tern  and  skim- 


OCTOBER   2008 


27 


mer  colonies  as  well  as  American 
oystercatchers  and  pipii'ig  plovers.  In 
Virginia,  the  breeding  population  has 
remained  relatively  stable  in  recent 
years,  with  an  average  of  28  pairs 
since  2002. 

Wilson's  plovers  feed  primarily 
on  fiddler  crabs.  Their  calls  are  flute- 
like whistles  sounding  like  "wheet," 
or  "queet-queet-quit-quit." 

Wilson's  plovers  gather  in  loose 
flocks  at  the  end  of  July  and  winter 
along  the  southern  reaches  of  the 
Gulf  coast  anci  as  far  south  as 
Guatemala. 

Semi  pa  I  mated  Plover 

(Charadrius  semipalmatus) 

The  semipalmated  plover  is  the 
most  numerous  and  most  common 
plover  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  It's  a 
small  plover,  measuring  up  to  7  !/4 
inches,  and  is  named  for  the  partial 
webbing  on  its  outer  and  middle 
toes.  It  has  a  single  black  band  on  its 
breast.  Its  bill  is  orange  with  a  black 
tip;  its  legs  and  feet  are  yellow-or- 
ange; and  its  call  is  a  double  whistled 
"cher-wee,"  given  in  flight. 

Semipalmated  plovers  are  a  cir- 
cumpolar  species  that  breed  from 
Arctic  Ocean  shores  to  Nova  Scotia  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  continent. 
They  build  the  typical  depression-in 
the-ground  nest  like  the  other 
plovers.  They  favor  beaches,  sand 
and  titial  flats,  and  small  shallow 
pools.  Inland  they  are  found  on  large 


lakes  or  wet,  plowed  fields.  Marine 
and  terrestrial  insects  and  worms 
make  up  most  of  their  diet,  although 
they  are  known  to  forage  on  small 
crustaceans  as  well. 

The  semipalmated  plover  is  a  mi- 
grant through  Virginia.  In  the  fall 
they  begin  showing  up  in  mid-  to  late 
July  and  typically  reach  peak  num- 
bers in  mid-  to  late  September. 
Spring  migration  occurs  from 
March  through  June. 

Piping  Plover 

(Charadrius  melodus) 

Piping  plovers  are  a 
federally  listed  species. 
The  Atlantic  breeding 
population,  a  portion  of 
which  breeds  in  Virginia, 
is  listed  as  threatened,  while  the 
Great  Lakes  and  northern  Great 
Plains  populations  are  listed  as  en- 
dangered and  tl^ireatened,  respective- 
ly. The  piping  plover  favors  open, 
sandy  beaches  and  sand  flats  as  well 
as  lakeshores  and  dunes.  It  is  a  small 
bird,  measuring  about  7  inches,  with 
upper  parts  the  color  of  the  sand  and 
white  underparts,  and  a  black  ring  or 
band  at  the  base  of  the  neck,  some- 
times broken  in  front.  The  legs  and 
feet  are  yellow-orange  and  the  small 
bill  is  orange  with  a  black  tip. 


Golden  Plover 
(spring/summer  plumage) 

The  piping  plover's  call  is  de- 
scribed as  a  melodious,  bell-like 
"peep'lo,"  with  the  first  note  being 
low  and  the  second,  higher.  Around 
its  nest  it  gives  off  a  shrill  "weech- 
weech."  Along  the  Atlantic  coast, 
they  nest  on  sand,  forming  a  shallow 
scrape  with  small  pebbles  or  bits  of 
shell  lining  the  bottom  of  the  depres- 
sion. In  summer,  piping  plovers  in- 
habit the  broad,  open  stretches  of 
sandy  beaches,  preferring  sandy  flats 
just  above  the  high  tide  line  or  be- 
tween the  dunes.  They  may  also  nest 
at  dredge  material  sites. 

The  greatest  threats  currently 
facing  the  Atlantic  coast  population 
include  loss  of  habitat,  human  distur- 
bance, flooding  and  tidal  inundation, 
and  predation.  As  with  Wilson's 
plovers,  the  present  breeding  distri- 
bution in  Virginia  is  confined  to  the 
barrier  islands.  They  are  early  fall  mi- 
grants and  winter  mainly  along  the 
southeast  Atlantic  and  Gulf  coasts. 

From  1986  to  2003,  an  average  of 
106  pairs  nested  in  Virginia.  In  2004 
the  population  began  to  increase,  and 
by  2006  grew  to  202  breeding  pairs. 
This  increase  is  due  in  large  part  to 
the  protected  status  of  the  barrier  is- 


IRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www  HuntF(shVA.com 


^' 


lands,  which  offer  plovers  and  other 
beach  nesting  birds  relatively  undis- 
turbed breeding  habitat.  In  addition, 
ongoing  predator  management  ef- 
forts undertaken  by  island  owners 
have  paid  off. 

Black-bellied  Plover 

(Phivialis  squntarohi) 

The  black-bellied  plover  is  the 
largest  of  our  plovers,  averaging  11  Yz 
inches.  It  has  black,  brown  and  white 
upper  parts,  and  its  chin,  throat,  part 
of  the  side  of  its  head,  breast,  and  ab- 


Black-bellied  Plover 
(spring/summer  plumage) 

domen  are  blackish-brown  during 
the  breeding  season.  In  flight  it  shows 
a  white  rump,  white  wing  stripes, 
and  a  conspicuous  black  patch  under 
its  wing.  Its  call  is  a  loud  "pee-o- 
wee,"  or  "pur-a-wee." 

It  is  a  strong,  fast  flier  and  a  wary 
and  alert  bird.  When  landing,  it  will 
stop  suddenly  and  stand  statue-still 
for  a  long  time  before  moving  about 
to  feed.  It  frequently  mixes  with  dun- 
lins, ruddy  turnstones  and  red  knots. 

Black-bellied  plovers  breed  on 
the  Arctic  coasts  and,  like  other 
plovers,  they  nest  on  the  ground  in 
the  tundra  often  on  a  ridge  or  knoll 
that  offers  a  long-distance  view. 
Come  fall  they  change  into  their  win- 
ter plumage,  which  is  grayish  above 
with  light  brown  markings  and 
whitish  below  with  faint  markings. 
However,  some  birds  on  migration 


OCTOBER   2008 


may  still  show  patches  of  black  on 
their  bellies  into  November. 

Black-bellied  plovers  occur  on 
tidal  flats,  beaches,  open  salt  marsh- 
es, flooded  fields  and  grasslands,  in 
coastal  areas  they  feeci  on  mollusks, 
crustaceans  and  marine  worms.  In- 
land they  feed  on  grasshoppers, 
grubs,  beetle,  locusts  and  earth- 
worms. 

Fall  migrants  start  appearing  in 
the  northeastern  United  States  in  July 
en  route  to  their  wintering  grounds, 
which  extend  from  Massachusetts  to 
Louisiana  and  south  to  Brazil  and 
Pern. 

American  Golden  Plover 

(Phivitilis  doiniiiicits) 

The  American  gold- 
en plover  is  an  uncommon 
fall  migrant  in  Virginia.  This 
species  embarks  on  some 
of  the  longest  migra- 
tions in  the  world, 
which  can  extend 
from  Arctic  tundra 
breeding  grounds  to 
tropical  wintering 
j^  s  i  tes .  Thei  r  spring 

migration 
takes  them  up  through 
the  interior  of  the 
Unites  States  to 
their  breeding 
grounds  in  the  Arctic 
tundra  and  northern  Cana- 
da and  Alaska. 

They  take  a  complete- 
ly different  path  on  their 
fall  migration,  flying  off- 
shore over  the  Atlantic 
from   Nova  Scotia   to 
northeastern  South  Amer- 
ica, with  some  passing  over 
Bermuda  and  the  West  In- 
dies. They  are  capable  of  land- 
ing on  the  water  to  rest  and  feed, 
helping  them  on  their  journey  ulti- 
mately as  far  south  as  Argentina — 
flight  of  many  thousands  of  miles. 


Golden  Plover 
(winter  plumage) 


They  are  basically  black  below 
with  dusky  upper  parts  flecked  with 
white  and  gold.  Thev  measure  about 
10  Yi  inches.  Calls  are  killdeer-like;  a 
"quee-e-e-e-a,"  or  a  short  "quee." 

Onlv  occasionalh'  would  they  be 
seen  on  the  East  Coast,  sometimes  be- 
cause they  are  driven  inshore  by 
storms.  However,  juveniles  are 
known  to  migrate  inland  and  along 
the  Atlantic  coast  en  route  to  Soutli 
America.  When  alighting,  they  hold 
their  wings  briefly  over  their  backs, 
and  they  bob  their  heads  frequently. 
At  this  time  their  plumage  is  brown- 
ish above  witli  white  markings  and 
white  below.    _ 

Spike  Knuth  is  an  avid  naturalist  and  wildlife 
artist.  For  over  30  years  his  artwork  and  writing 
liavc  appeared  in  Virginia  Wildlife.  Spike  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Virginia  Outdoor  Writers 
Association. 

Be  Wild!  Live  Wild!  Grow  Wild!  is  a  reg- 
ular feature  that  highlights  Virginia's 
Wildlife  Action  Plan,  which  is  designed 
to  unite  natural  resources  agencies, 
sportsmen  and  women,  conservation- 
ists and  citizens  in  a  common  vision 
for  the  conservation  of  the  Common- 
wealth's wildlife  and  habitats  in 
which  they  live.  To  learn  more  or 
to  become  involved  with  this 
new  program  visit:  bewildvir- 
ginia.org. 


.  .1^ 


Journal 


2008  Outdoor 
Calendar  of  Events 

Unless  otherwise  noted,  for  more  infor- 
mation on  workshops  go  to  the  "Upcom- 
ing Events"  page  on  the  Department's 
Web  site  at  www.HuntFishVA.com. 

October  18:  Youth  Fall  Turkey  Hunt 
Day.  For  youth  15  years  of  age  and 
younger. 

October  18:  Fivuily  Fishing  Workshop, 
Bear  Creek  Lake  State  Park,  Cumber- 
land. 

October  25:  Youth  Waterfowl  Hunting 
Day.  For  youth  15  years  of  age  and 
younger. 

October  25:  Fall  firearms  turkey  sea- 
son opens. 

November  15:  Firearms  deer  season 
opens.    D 


Q^^ 


by  Beth  Hester 


Fly  Fishing  Virginia:  A  No  Nonsense 

Guide  to  Top  Waters 

by  Beau  Beasley 

2007 

No  Nonsense  Fishing  Guides 

ISBN-10: 1-892469-16-2 

Introduction  by  King  Montgomery 

"Fly  Fishing  Virginia  is  filled  with  de- 
tailed information  about  the  rivers, 
streams  and  shores  across  the  Old  Do- 
minio)!.  The  fiiaps  ami  local  fly  pattern 
suggestions  alone  are  worth  its  price. " 

-  Lefty  Kreh 


As  Virginia  anglers,  we  are  fortu- 
nate to  have  in  our  midst  a  dedicated 
cadre  of  sporting  writers  and  photog- 
raphers, their  vocations  and  avoca- 
tions constantly  nourished  by  the 
bays,  lakes,  streams  and  creeks  that 
ribbon  the  Commonwealth.  Beau 
Beasley  is  one  such  writer.  His  Fly 
Fishing  Virginia  is  a  carefully  re- 
searched, 'boots  on  the  ground'  fly 
fishing  guide  that  covers  over  thirty- 
five  of  Virginia's  top  angling  loca- 
tions. 

There  is  a  wealth  of  information 
in  this  large-format,  glossy  volume. 
Five  pages  of  full-color  fly  patterns 
highlight  the  most  popular  trout, 
bass  and  saltwater  flies  with  which  to 
ply  the  featured  destinations.  Many 
of  these  patterns  are  the  spawn  of 
some  of  Virginia's  most  talented  fly 
artisans. 

Though  not  a  "how-to"  book, 
Beasley  does  include  a  brief 
overview  section  covering:  rules  and 
regulations,  safety,  rod  and  reel  ba- 
sics, hiring  a  guide,  and  clubs  and 
fishing  organizations. 

The  real  meat  of  the  volume  is 
found  in  the  sections  covering  Vir- 
ginia's waters.  Three  or  more  pages 
are  devoted  to  each  location.  Every 
segment  includes  an  easy-to-read 
map,  a  brief  angling  biography  of  the 
area,  suggested  flies  and  equipment, 
seasons  and  limits,  local  services,  and 
accommodations.  The  format  of 
map /text /sidebar  makes  for  pleas- 
ant reading.  What's  more,  the  pages 
are  packed  to  the  gills  with  examples 
of  colorful  and  inviting  regional  pho- 
tography. 

Fly  Fishing  Virginia:  A  No  Non- 
sense Guide,  is  a  perfect  companion 
for  the  traveling  angler;  it's  also  valu- 
able for  those  wishing  to  explore  the 
habits  of  their  home  waters.    D 


NewWeb  Site  for 
Waterfowl  Enthusiasts 

A  new  site,  www.flyways.us, 
brings  together  the  work  of  water- 
fowl managers  and  biologists  from 
across  North  America.  The  site  offers 
scientific  data,  harvest  management 
information,  and  news/updates 
from  the  U.S.  Fish  and  Wildlife  Ser- 
vice (FWS)  and  Canadian  Wildlife 
Service. 

Short  videos  reporHng  results  of 
the  annual  Waterfowl  Breeding  Popula- 
tion and  Habitat  Survey  conducted  by 
field  biologists  are  also  featured.  In 
addition,  users  can  view  the  aerial 
photos  used  to  conduct  the  survey 
and  query  interactive  maps  to  find 
out  where  birds  were  banded  and  re- 
covered. Questions  about  duck, 
goose  and  swan  hunting  manage- 
ment in  the  U.S.  can  be  submitted 
and  will  be  answered  by  experts. 

The  new  Web  site  was  developed 
by  the  FWS  through  a  collaborative 
effort,  with  focus  on  the  Atlantic, 
Mississippi,  Central  and  Pacific  fly- 
ways.    D 


30 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


Katih/ii,  age  3 


imi 


!K#!I 


;?qi^ 


Its  once  again  time  to  purchase  a  new  Virginia 
Wildlife  calendar  For  more  than  20  years  the 
Department  of  Game  and  Inland  Fisheries  has 
been  publishing  one  of  the  most  visually  stunning 
and  informative  wildlife  calendars  in  the  country. 

The  2009  edition  of  the  Virginia  Wildlife  calen- 
dar highlights  many  of  the  most  sought  after  game 
and  fish  species  in  the  state.  Virginia  hunters,  an- 
glers, and  wildlife  enthusiasts  will  appreciate  the  rich 
colors  and  composition  of  the  1 2  monthly  photo 
spreads- 

The  calendar  is  full  of  useful  tidbits  for  the  out- 
doors lover — including  wildlife  behavior,  pre- 
ferred fishing  and  hunting  times,  hunting 
seasons,  state  fish  records,  and  much  morel 
I  ife  history  information  is  provided  for  each 
'.pecies  featured 

Virginia  Wildlife  calendars  make  great 

holiday  gifts  and  are  still  being  offered  at 

the  bargain  price  of  only  $  1 0  each 

Quantities  are  limited,  so  order  yours 

— — -^     nowl  Make  your  check  payable  to 

Treasurer  of  Virginia"  and  send  to:  Virginia 

Wildlife  Calendar  PO.  Box  ill  04,  Richmond,  Vr- 

ginia  23230-1  104.  To  pay  by  VISA  or  MasterCard, 

you  can  order  the  calendar  online  at,  wwwHunt- 

FishVAcom  on  our  secure  site.  Please  allow  4  to  6 

weeks  for  delivery 


inia  Wildlife 

"   Contest  Reminder 


The  deadline  for  submitting  photographs  for  the  2008  VirginiaWildlife 
Photography  Contest  is  November  3, 2008.  Winning  photographs  will  appear  in  the 
special  March  2009  issue  oi  VirginiaWildlife  magazine.  For  more  information,  visit  the 
Department's  Web  site  at  http:/Avww.dgif.virginia.gov/events/photo-contest.pdf. 


jouiithaii,  age  10 


Congratulations  to  the  first-place  winner  of 
each  age  category  in  the  2008  Kids  'n  Fish- 
ing Photo  Contest.  All  three  winners  received 
fishing-related  prizes,  thanks  to  Shake- 
speare and  Green  Top  Sporting  Goods  who 
supported  the  competition.  Take  a  moment 
and  visit  www.dgif.virginia.gov/kidsnfish- 
ing/  to  see  the  other  winning  entries  and 
stay  up-to-date  on  next  year's  contest. 
Thanks  to  all  who  participated! 


Lifetime  Licenses 

Open  the  door  to  a  lifetime  of  enjoyment  in  the 

great  outdoors  of  Virginia  with  a  lifetime 

freshwater  fishing,  hunting  or  trout  license! 

It's  an  investment  that  keeps  on  giving. 

For  more  information  visit: 

httpy/w^w.HiintFishVA.coin/ 
licenses/lifetime/ 

orcalM- (866)  721-6911 


Attention  Cooks 

Grab  Your 
Measuring  Spoons! 

The  ever-popular  recipe  colnDin 

that  rcDi  111  this  magazine  for 

iiiaiiy,  luaiiy  years  will  be 

re-iiitroduced  with  tl.ie 

January  2009  issue. 


OCTOBER   2008 


31 


Renovations  at 

Coursey  Springs 

investing  in  the  Juture 


by  Larry  Mohn 
and  Ron  Southwick 

Trout  fishing  has  long  been  a  fa- 
vorite  pastime  of  Virginia 
sportsmen.  Of  the  more  than  150,000 
anglers  drawn  to  the  sport,  the  major- 
ity target  our  stocked  trout  waters. 
Stocking  catchable-sized  trout  into 
suitable  mountain  waters  has  been  a 
focus  of  this  agency  since  the  late 
1930s  and  one  that  is  currently  sup- 
ported by  five  hatchery  and  rearing 
stations.  These  facilities  are  operated 
with  funds  generated  by  trout  fishing 
licenses — an  extra  license  required  of 
anglers  who  are  fishing  designated, 
stocked  trout  waters. 

The  largest  of  our  trout-rearing 
facilities  is  Coursey  Springs,  located 
in  Bath  County.  The  facility  was  con- 
structed in  the  mid-1960s,  utilizing 
one  of  Virginia's  largest  natural 
springs.  The  original  hatchery  had  a 

32 


simple  design  that  employed  a  series 
of  earthen  raceways  with  gravity-fed 
water.  Due  to  the  large  volume  of 
water  supplied  by  the  spring,  this 
particular  rearing  station  has  become 
Virginia's  largest,  producing  about 
30%  of  the  agency's  total  trout. 

A  new  facility  under  construc- 
tion will  look  completely  different 
from  the  way  Coursey  Springs  ap- 
pears today.  Instead  of  a  series  of  long 
raceways,  the  new  design  features 
large,  circular  tanks,  which  will  be 
supplied  with  oxygen-enriched 
water  capable  of  producing  approxi- 
mately 350,000  pounds  of  trout  annu- 
ally. In  addition,  the  spring  pond  will 
benefit  from  a  cover.  This  will  block 
light  penetration  and  prevent  the 
growth  of  green  plants,  which  con- 
sume oxygen  at  night.  The  cover  will 
also  serve  to  prevent  predatory  and 
migratory  birds  from  using  the 
spring  pond  as  a  roosting  or  resting 
place. 


In  addition  to  hatchery  improve- 
ments, the  fisheries  division  will  ren- 
ovate Pheasanty  Run  (also  known  as 
Spring  Run)  below  the  hatchery.  Im- 
provements will  include  stabilization 
of  stream  banks,  added  fish  cover, 
and  enhanced  water  flows.  When 
completed,  Pheasanty  Run  will  pro- 
vide a  premium  trout  fishery  for  an- 
glers to  enjoy 

With  Coursey  Springs  out  of  op- 
eration, there  will  be  fewer  trout 
available  for  stocking  during  the  next 
two  years.  To  ensure  that  all  state 
trout  waters  continue  to  be  stocked 
adequately,  the  fisheries  division  will 
reduce  the  number  of  stockings  for 
each  waterway.  Waters  that  normally 
receive  8  stockings  per  year  ("A"  wa- 
ters) will  get  6  stockings  during  the 
renovation  period.  "B"  waters  will  go 
from  five  to  four  stockings,  and  "C" 
waters,  urban  lakes,  and  delayed  har- 
vest streams  will  be  stocked  twice  a 
year.  Every  effort  will  be  made  to 
eliminate  those  stockings  during  pe- 
riods of  light  use. 

A  more  detailed  description  of 
stocking  changes  can  be  found  in  tl"ie 
annual  trout  guide,  wliich  is  includ- 
ed in  the  fishing  regulations.  Anglers 
will  continue  to  see  the  same  number 
of  trout  stocked  per  event  as  in  the 
past,  however. 

On  the  positive  side,  trout  an- 
glers will  enjoy  several  benefits  from 
the  reconstruction  of  Coursey 
Springs  after  the  2010  season.  With  a 
30%  increase  in  producfion  capacity, 
you  will  experience  a  combination  of 
more  and  bigger  trout.  The  increase 
in  production  at  Coursey  also  will 
allow  the  Department's  other  four 
trout  stations  to  focus  more  on  fish 
growth  rather  than  numbers,  so  trout 
anglers  statewide  should  see  bigger 
and  better  trout  in  their  creels. 

The  work  at  Coursey  Springs  is 
expected  to  be  completed  by  Decem- 
ber, 2009.  During  construction,  the 
hatchery  and  the  stream  below  the  fa- 
cility will  be  closed  to  public  visita- 
tion. You  are  encouraged  to  enjoy 
any  of  the  Deparhnent's  other  four 
trout  hatcheries  in  Montebello,  Paint 
Bank,  Wytheville  and  Marion.  Visit- 
ing hours  are  from  8  a.m.  to  3  p.m. 
daily. 

VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


by  Lynda  Richardson 


Photograph  Your  Favorite  Canine! 


My  favorite  canine  model  is  my 
dog,  "FLASH."  Whether  he  is 
leaping  for  a  Frisbee,  diving  into  the 
river  after  a  stick,  chasing  a  soccer 
ball,  or  sleeping  calmly,  which  is  rare. 
Flash  offers  me  all  the  action  and 
drama  of  any  wildlife  subject. 

If  you'd  like  a  different  and  easily 
accessible  challenge  to  build  your 
photographic  skills,  I  would  recom- 
mend giving  the  family  dog  a  shot. 
Here  are  some  basic  tips  to  get  you 
started. 

1)  First  of  all,  I  taught  FLASH 
loads  of  commands  like  "SIT,  STAY, 
LOOK  UP,  STAND,  UP-UP,  and 
COME"!  ("COME  doesn't  work  that 
well  for  some  reason.)  This  way  I 
have  a  bit  of  control  over  him.  And  as 
back-up,  there  is  always  the  leash. 

2)  Decide  what  kinds  of  photo- 
graphs you  want  to  capture:  action, 
posed  portraits,  or  grab  shots.  Pick  a 
shooting  location  with  minimal  dis- 
tractions. 

3)  Make  sure  you  aren't  going 
to  lose  your  dog  in  the  background  of 
the  photograph.  A  black  or  dark  col- 
ored dog  will  disappear  in  a  dark 
background  just  as  a  white  dog  will 
disappear  in  a  snow  bank  or  against  a 
white  sky.  Make  sure  your  back- 
ground always  complements  and 
shows  off  your  beautiful  subject! 

4)  Early  morning  and  late  after- 
noon light  is  the  most  beautiful  light 
to  shoot  in  but  if  you  have  a  depend- 
able flash  you  can  also  shoot  under 
harsher  lighting  condihons.  A  flash 
will  not  only  fill  in  ugly  shadows  it 
will  also  add  a  highlight  in  the  eyes. 

5)  Don't  try  to  photograph 
your  dog  on  a  really  hot  or  really  cold 
day.  Always  have  water  available  for 
both  of  you. 

6)  Bring  an  assistant!  An  extra 
set  of  hands  can  really  make  a  differ- 
ence if  you  want  a  dog  to  stay  in  a  cer- 
tain position  or  look  directly  at  you.  I 
have  my  assistant  hold  a  favorite 
treat  or  toy  right  behind  my  head  so  I 
can  get  the  dog  to  look  right  at  me.  If 
his  eyes  aren't  directly  on  me  I  make  a 


My  very  handsome  boy  dog  and  favorite  model, 
FLASH, "  poses  with  pumpkins,  maldngfor  a 
colorful  Halloween  photograph.  Notice  that  he 
even  wore  his  own  mask!  What  a  good  boy! 
"^  Lynda  Richardson 

squeaky  noise  and  that  usually  does 
the  trick. 

7)  Get  at  eye  level  with  your 
dog.  Being  on  the  same  level  offers  a 
more  personal  portrait  and  is  so 
much  more  appealing  than  looking 
down  on  your  dog's  head! 


8)  PATIENCE,  PATIENCE,  PA- 
TIENCE! Never  try  to  photograph  a 
dog  when  you're  in  a  hurr\'.  This  will 
be  a  disaster.  Pick  a  time  when  you 
have  no  deadlines  and  are  feeling  re- 
laxed. Plan  on  working  for  no  more 
than  an  hour.  Don't  push  your  dog 
too  much.  Dogs  are  very  sensitive 
creatures;  they  know  when  you  are 
upset  with  them  and  will  become 
nervous,  submissive,  or  unsure  of 
what  you  want.  The  secret,  as  in 
working  with  wildlife  subjects,  is  pa- 
tience, n 

You  are  invited  to  subniit  one  to  five  of 
your  best  photographs  to  "Image  of  the 
Month,"  Virginia  Wildlife  Magazine,  P.O. 
Box  11104,  4010  West  Broad  Street,  Rich- 
mond, VA  23230-1104.  Send  original 
slides,  super  high-quality  prints,  or  liigh- 
res  360  dpi  jpeg  files  on  disk  and  include 
a  self-addressed,  stamped  envelope  or 
other  shipping  method  for  return.  Also, 
please  include  any  pertinent  information 
regarding  how  and  where  you  captured 
the  image  and  what  camera  and  settings 
you  used,  along  with  your  phone  num- 
ber We  look  forward  to  seeing  and  shar- 
ing your  work  with  the  readers  of  Vir- 
ginia Wildlifel 


m 


'M(ii!<MiMiMih 


Congratubtions  to  Dirck  Harris,  of  Reston,  for  his  wonderful  photograph  of  a  Halloween 
pennant  dragonfly.  Dirck  captured  this  close-up  using  a  Nikon  D70  digital  camera  and  an 
80-400mm  Nikkor  lens.  Way  to  go  Dirck! 


33 


by  Tom  Guess 


New  Law  Addresses  Boating  Safety 


5ince  late  June,  I  have  been  work- 
ing as  the  boating  safety  educa- 
tion coordinator  for  the  Department. 
This  job  follows  on  the  heels  of  a  ca- 
reer with  the  United  States  Coast 
Guard,  from  which  I  recently  retired. 
My  last  assignment  in  the  USCG  was 
as  the  officer  in  charge  of  Station  Mil- 
ford  Haven  in  Mathews  County  near 
Gwynn's  Island. 

I've  spent  quite  a  lot  of  time 
learning  about  the  boating  safety  ed- 
ucation law  since  my  arrival  here, 
and  I  want  to  use  this  first  column  to 
talk  about  aspects  of  the  new  law  that 
are  most  important  to  you  anti  your 
boating  activities. 

As  a  boater  you  are  undoubtedly 
already  dedicated  to  lifelong  learn- 


ing, since  each  trip  underway  be- 
comes an  edvicational  adventure  re- 
gardless of  experience  level.  Whether 
you  just  started  in  boating  or  whether 
you  are  an  "old  salt"  with  thousands 
of  hours  on  the  water,  you  can't  argue 
the  fact  that  there  is  always  some- 
thing to  learn. 

You  may  know  by  now  that  the 
2007  Session  of  the  Virginia  General 
Assembly  enacted  legislation  to  re- 
quire boating  safety  education  com- 
pliance. The  Board  of  Game  and  In- 
land Fisheries  has  now  adopted  reg- 
ulations to  implement  boating 
safety  education,  and  the  first  com- 
pliance date  is  July  1,  2009  for  per- 
sonal watercraft  (PWC)  operators 
age  20  and  younger.  The  phase-in 
schedule  is  important  to  understand, 
and  as  you  can  see,  it  will  take  about  8 
years  to  fully  implement  this  new 
aw. 

The  complete  schedule  for  safety 
education  compliance  follows: 

•  July  1,  2009:  PWC  operators  20 
years  of  age  and  younger 

•  July  1,  2010:  PWC  operators  35 
years  of  age  or  younger 

•  July  1,  2011:  PWC  operators  50 
years  of  age  or  younger  and  mo- 
torboat  operators  20  years  of  age 
or  younger 

•  July  1,  2012:  All  personal  water- 
craft  operators,  regardless  of  age, 
and  motorboat  operators  30 
years  of  age  or  yovmger 

•  July  1,2013:  Motorboat  operators 
40  years  of  age  or  younger 

•  July  1,2014:  Motorboat  operators 
45  years  of  age  or  younger 

•  July  1, 2015:  Motorboat  operators 
50  years  of  age  or  younger 

•  July  1, 2016:  All  motorboat  opera- 
tors, regardless  of  age 
Another  important  point  that  I 


want  to  cover  is  how  to  come  into 
compliance  with  the  boating  educa- 
tion requirement.  There  are  a  number 
of  ways  to  do  so.  The  first  is  to  com- 
plete and  pass  a  boating  safety  course 
approved  by  the  National  Associa- 
tion of  State  Boating  Law  Adminis- 
trators (NASBLA)  and  accepted  by 
DGIF.  Our  Department  course.  Boat 
Virginia,  is  currently  offered  at  no 
cost  and  is  NASBLA-approved,  as 
are  classroom  courses  offered  by  the 
U.S.  Coast  Guard  Auxiliary  and  the 
U.S.  Power  Squadrons.  Also  avail- 
able are  a  number  of  Internet-based 
courses  that  are  NASBLA-approved 
and  accepted  by  the  Department. 

For  the  very  experienced  and 
knowledgeable  boater,  there  is  the 
option  of  taking  and  passing  an 
equivalency  or  "challenge"  exam. 
But  unless  you  really  know  a  lot 
about  boating  safety,  this  option  is 
probably  not  the  best  way  to  try  to 
satisfy  the  education  requirement. 

Additionally,  boaters  in  posses- 
sion of  a  valid  license  to  operate  a 
vessel  issued  to  maritime  personnel 
by  the  U.S.  Coast  Guard  or  a  marine 
certificate  issued  by  the  Canadian 
government  are  already  covered.  The 
law  includes  a  number  of  other  pro- 
visions that  allow  for  compliance, 
and  they  can  be  found  in  the  Virginia 
Watercraft  Owner's  Gnide. 

For  further  information  on  the 
boating  safety  education  require- 
ment, please  visit  our  Web  site  at 
www.dgif.virginia.gov. 

Editor's  Note:  I'd  like  to  extend  our  deep 
appreciation  tojiin  Crosby  for  the  terrific 
job  he  performed  preparing  the  safety  in- 
formation yon  've  been  reading  in  tJiis  col- 
umn over  the  years.  "0)i  the  Water"  will 
take  a  break  over  the  zointer  season  ajid  re- 
sume in  the  April,  2009  issue  of  the  mag- 
azine. 


34 


VIRGINIA  WILDLIFE  ♦  www.HuntFishVA.com 


2008 

Limited  Edition 
Virginia  Wildlife 
Collector's  Knife 


Our  2008  Collector's  knife  has  once  again  been  customized  by  Buck  Knives. 
The  knife  features  a  red-tailed  hawk  engraving,  augmented  by  a  natural 
woodgrain  handle  and  gold  lettering.  A  distinctive,  solid  cherry  box  features 
birds  of  prey. 

Item  #  VW-408  $90.00  each  (plus  $7.25  S&H) 


2007  Virginia  Wildlife 
Collector's  Knife 


Customized  by  Buck  Knives,  this  classic  model  1 10  folding  knife  is  8  1/2" 
long  when  fully  opened  and  has  a  distinctive,  natural  woodgrain  handle  with 
gold  lettering.  Each  knife  is  individually  serial  numbered  and  has  a  mirror  pol- 
ished blade  engraved  with  a  fox.  A  solid  cherr>'  box  engraved  with  foxes  is  in- 
cluded. 


ltem#VW-407 


$90.00  each  (plus  $7.25  S&H) 


2006  Virginia  Wildlife 
Collector's  Knife 


Our  2006  Collector's  knife  has  been  customized  by  Buck  Knives.  Each  knife 
is  individually  serial  numbered,  and  comes  with  a  distinctive  rosewood  han- 
dle and  gold  lettering.  This  year's  knife  of  two  white-tailed  deer  etched  on  the 
blade  comes  with  a  leather  sheath  and  a  custom  cherry  box  with  a  wildlife 
scene  engraved  on  the  cover. 

Item  #VW-406  $85.00  each  (plus  $7.25  S&H) 


Hooks  &  Horns 

Video  Game 

Match  wits  against  the  king  of  upland  game 
birds,  the  spring  gobbler,  and  test  your  hunt- 
ing skills  with  the  magnificent  white-tailed 
deer. 


llem#VW-251 


$14.95  each 


To  Order  visit  the  Department's  Web  site  at: 

www.HuntFishVA.com  or  call  (804)  367-2569. 

Please  allow  3  to  4  weeks  for  delivery. 


IRGINI 

Hunting  Lie 


*'««iSlKrS>*£W;.IO««lS 


I 

i 


The  new  apprentice  hunting  license  serves  as  a 
first-time  Virginia  resident  or  nonresident  hunt- 
ing license  and  is  good  for  2  years. 

The  license  holder  must  be  accompanied  and 
directly  supervised  by  a  mentor  over  1 8  who 
has  on  his  or  her  person  a  validVirginia  hunting 
license. 

The  apprentice  license  does  not  qualify  the 
holder  to  purchase  a  regular  hunting  license, 
nor  exempt  the  holder  from  compliance  with 
Department  regulations.  A  hunter  education 
course  must  be  successfully  completed  to  ob- 
tain a  regular  hunting  license. 

A  bear,  deer,  turkey  license  and  all  applicable 
stamps  or  permits  are  required  in  addition  to 
the  apprentice  license. 

Previous  Virginia  resident  and  nonresident 
hunting  license  holders  may  not  use  an  appren- 
tice license. 

To  learn  more  about  the  Virginia  Apprentice 
Hunting  License,  call  (866)  72 1  -69 1 1  or  log  on 
to  vy^ww.HuntFishVA.com. 


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