Opponents of hound hunting get organized
Andy Thompson
August 22, 2008 3:37 PM
A newly formed group, Virginians for Hound Hunting Reform, sent out the below press release today. It follow on the heels of the DGIF’s hound project advisory committee recommendations released earlier this month.
For more on the issue of hound hunting in Virginia, click here. To read my recent column on the debate, click here.
PRESS RELEASE
Virginians concerned about the issues with hound hunting identified by the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) Study: “Hunting With Hounds in Virginia – A Way Forward,” have banded together to create the organization Virginians for Hound Hunting Reform (VHHR).
Information recently released by the DGIF study indicates that hound trespass was the top issue identified by analysis of correspondence sent to DGIF and Virginia Tech who is facilitating the DGIF study. Conflict between a hunter’s right to retrieve hounds and a landowner’s right to control access to private property was the top issue identified by the DGIF Technical Committee and the study’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC). According to VHHR, neither of the top issues is addressed by the SAC draft proposed recommendations. While the study is not complete, the SAC will only meet one final time following the close of the public comment period on September 12, 2008.
Hound trespass is an issue because Virginia currently has no regulations governing the amount of land required to release hounds, no time of the year during which they may not be released and no penalty for the owner of the hounds that leave the property where they have permission to be. The state of Georgia dealt with this issue by requiring significant parcel size for the release of hounds. Florida established meaningful penalties for those whose hounds leave the permitted property. Several other southeastern states are considering adopting the Georgia approach. The SAC draft recommendations propose nothing that will address the issue of hound trespass.
At the heart of the conflict between hunter and landowner is Virginia’s “right to retrieve” law. Virginia is the only state that has a “right to retrieve” law which allows hound hunters to enter private posted property without the landowner’s permission under the guise of looking for their hounds. There is growing interest among private landowners to challenge the constitutionality of this law as a violation of property rights granted by the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The Fifth Amendment provides that an individual’s property may not be taken by a government without just compensation. Hunter’s retrieving their dogs and allowing the chase to continue without a landowner’s permission in effect place one’s property in the public domain without compensation.
The fact that the VDGIF study has not recommended strategies to address the top two issues means the problems may have to be dealt with legislatively and VHHR is preparing to tackle that if necessary. There are over 7 million Virginians while there are only an estimated 135,000 hound hunters in the state.
To learn more about Virginians for Hound Hunting Reform visit their web site at http://www.vhhr.org. Comments to the DGIF regarding the study may be mailed to Hound Hunting SAC c/o Sarah Kozlowski, 111 Cheatham Hall, Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24060-0321 or emailed to
Barbie does it again…
Andy Thompson
August 21, 2008 8:34 AM
How many state records does Barbie have?
Click here for story.
Blue Beast
Andy Thompson
August 16, 2008 8:52 AM
As promised, the above is the pending North Carolina state record Atlantic blue marlin caught by Trey Irvine yesterday at the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament off the Outer Banks.
1,228.5 pounds...um, wow!
Record Blue Marlin
Andy Thompson
August 15, 2008 6:07 PM
I had to pass along this email from the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament, an annual event held on the Outer Banks. I’ll post a pic of this fish as it’s released. Imagine fighting that monster!
Breaking News from the 25th annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament.
A pending North Carolina Atlantic Blue Marlin was caught today by angler Trey Irvine onboard the Mimi. The massive 1,228.50 pound Atlantic Blue Marlin was weighed in at Pirate’s Cove Marina at approximately 3:45 p.m. today. When certified this catch will eclipse the 1,142 pounder caught by Jack Herrington in 1974. The world record Atlantic Blue Marlin weighing 1,402.20 pounder was caught in Brazil in 1992.
The Mimi is registered in all tournament categories. Final results to be announced tonight at 9 p.m. during the awards ceremony.
For more information on 25th Annual Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament or any of the 2008 Pirate’s Cove Big Game Tournaments go to http://www.pcbiggame.com or call (252) 473-1015.
Largemouth
Andy Thompson
August 14, 2008 9:44 PM
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Today’s column is about monster-bass fisherman Chris Jenkins (above), who I went fishing with this past Saturday. This guy knows more about big largemouth bass and how to catch them than anyone I’ve ever talked to. He’s spent the past few years trying to haul in the Virginia state record.
Click here for an interesting article I found online about going after the biggest bass in Virginia.
As I mentioned in today’s column, Jenkins recommended a book called Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World-Record Largemouth Bass to me during our trip. I’m just a few chapters into it, but I already know I’ll be passing it on to friends. There are some great characters profiled. A few are like Jenkins in some ways, only they live in California, where it seems inevitable the world record will be broken. Virginia produces some big largemouth, but none have approached the 20-pound mark.
Big bass fishin’…
Andy Thompson
August 13, 2008 10:53 AM
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...True, true, the above does not really qualify as a “big bass,” though it is yours truly with a perfectly respectable 3-4-pound largemouth.
Friday’s column will be about a trip I took recently with a local angler in search of the Virginia record largemouth. It’s was quite an eye-opening day/night of fishing.
(Aside: Cavaliers fans don’t fret. The t-shirt I’m wearing in the picture is more a comment on the gifts my Tech-loving in-laws give me than a statement of my rooting interests. A native Pennsylvanian, I remain a Penn State fan through and through. And, yes, sad to say, it’s time for Joe Paterno to go.)
Heads up for hunters
Andy Thompson
August 11, 2008 4:40 PM
This was just released by the Department of Conservation and Recreation:
RICHMOND—Applications are being accepted for special lottery deer hunts at Grayson Highlands State Park in Grayson County, Kiptopeke State Park in Northampton County, Lake Anna State Park in Spotsylvania County and Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield County.
Grayson Highlands will hold a youth general firearms hunt Nov. 15 and general firearms hunts Nov. 17-18. Applications are due by Sept. 24 for both of the Grayson Highlands hunts.
Kiptopeke will hold an archery-muzzleloader hunt Nov. 7-8 and shotgun hunt Dec. 12-13. The lottery application deadlines for both of the Kiptopeke hunts is Oct. 3.
Lake Anna will hold a muzzleloader hunt Nov. 18-19 and a muzzleloader-shotgun hunt on Dec 2-3. The application deadline for both lottery hunts is Sept. 19.
Pocahontas muzzleloader-shotgun hunts will be Dec. 1-2 and Dec. 17-18, with applications due by Sept. 26.
A $5 non-refundable application fee must be submitted for each hunt. Anyone may enter the lotteries for a chance to participate in the controlled hunts, however successful applicants on the day of the hunt must show proof of completion of a hunter safety education course and pay a $10 fee. Each lottery entry requires a separate application.
For more information about these and other hunting opportunities and programs in Virginia State Parks or to obtain a lottery application, contact the Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 1-800-933-PARK. Applications and information may also be found at http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/state_parks/hunting.shtml
False Cape State Park, in conjunction with Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, will hold lottery hunts for deer and feral pig on Oct. 4, 6-8, and 23-25. Interested hunters must apply through the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries quota hunt system. Applications may be made online at http://www.vaquotahunts.com or by phone at 1-877-VAHUNTS Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. The lottery deadline for the False Cape-Back Bay hunts is Aug. 29.
For information on quota hunts, hunting licenses, hunter safety education and hunting regulations, call the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries at (804) 367-1000 or visit the DGIF website at http://www.dgif.virginia.gov .
Mason Neck State Park, in conjunction with the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge, will hold lottery hunts Nov. 20-21 and Dec. 12. The lottery deadline is Oct. 3. Interested hunters should contact the Potomac River National Wildlife Refuge at (703) 490-4979 for more information.
The award winning Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
First striper
Andy Thompson
August 11, 2008 6:56 AM
Future loyal reader of the T-D Outdoors column Jack Wilson (above), a Hanover resident, hauled in his first striped bass recently. Not bad for nine years old!
Jack’s dad, Kris, sent in this description.
The striper weighed 15 lbs—his first striper ever. He caught 2 total along with 4 catfish and several hundred sunfish. Caught it on a live minnow at Smith Mountain lake [this past] Monday morning around 7 a.m. fishing near the #39 bouy in about 45 feet of water. His buddy Adam Brackley caught 2 stripers also - slightly smaller but both decent fish in the 10-12-lb range.
Hunting with Hounds in Virginia
Andy Thompson
August 10, 2008 7:19 AM
Today’s column was about the recommendations recently released by the stakeholder advisory committee concerning hound hunting. For the link to the full draft, click here.
It includes the list of meetings across the state where the public can comment.
Speed Goat
Andy Thompson
August 06, 2008 3:33 PM
That’s what they call Karl Meltzer, an ultra-runner who yesterday began his quest to break the Appalachian Trail speed record. He started at Mt. Katahdin in Maine and he’ll run to Springer Mountain in Georgia. The current record of 47 days, 13 hours and 13 minutes is held by Andrew Thompson (thankfully, not yours truly) of Vermont.
Click here to follow Meltzer’s progress. If he makes it this far, he should be coming through Virginia in about 22-25 days. Crazy.
Click here for an article in the Salt Lake Tribune about Meltzer, a Utah resident.
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