Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF)
Outdoor Report

New 2008 Virginia Wildlife Calendar Available

It's time to purchase the new 2008 Virginia Wildlife Calendar. For more than 20 years the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) has been publishing one of the most informative and beautiful wildlife calendars in the country. This special edition of the Virginia Wildlife Calendar highlights 12 of the 925 species of greatest conservation need identified in the Virginia Wildlife Action Plan. This comprehensive wildlife conservation strategy unites natural resource agencies and citizens through a common vision and concept for the conservation of the Commonwealth's wildlife and habitats in which they live.

An important component of the Virginia Wildlife Action Plan is participation of citizens from around the state to get involved with wildlife conservation efforts. By purchasing the new 2008 Virginia Wildlife Calendar you not only get 12 months of incredible wildlife viewing, but you also take that first step in helping to bring awareness to important wildlife issues facing our state.

Virginia Wildlife Calendars make great holiday gifts and are only $10 each. As in past years this unique calendar contains nature notes, sunrise-sunset times, best fishing times, record fish catches, festival dates and more. They begin with January 2008 and run through December 2008. Quantities are limited, so order now! Please allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery.

• Order your 2008 Virginia Wildlife Calendar online »

C. F. Phelps WMA Deer Hunts for the Disabled Scheduled

This is an opportunity for persons with permanent disabilities to hunt white-tailed deer on the Hogue Tract of the C. F. Phelps Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Fauquier County. Two disabled hunters per day are chosen to hunt during the archery, muzzleloader and general firearms deer seasons. Each successful applicant may be accompanied by one companion, who may hunt if properly licensed. Applications for this special hunt must include the name, date of birth, address and telephone number (business and home), hunting license number, vehicle description and vehicle license number of the disabled hunter and companion hunter, and two preferred hunting dates. The application should be mailed to: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, ATTN: Hogue Tract Hunt, 1320 Belman Road, Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Applications must be received by the close of business on September 28, 2007.

• Hunt dates archery: October 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29, and 31, 2007
• Hunt dates muzzleloader: November 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, and 14, 2007
• Hunt dates firearms: November 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28, and December 1, 2007

The information on these hunts is not found in the 2007-08 Hunting & Trapping Regulations Digest as dates were not available at press time. Information and application deadlines for the 2007-2008 Quota Hunts, Managed Hunts and Workshops can be found in the Digest, or on the VDGIF Web site.

Subscription Sweepstakes Contest at Sportsman's Show

If you are reading this, you already subscribe to the Outdoor Report (ODR) since it is only available to email subscribers. You probably know some folks who enjoy the outdoors as much as you, but they may not be an ODR subscriber. We will have an opportunity for you to remedy that this weekend at the Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show August 10-12, 2007, at The Showplace in Richmond. We expect over 20,000 sportsmen and their families to attend the show and are having a subscription sign-up contest at the VDGIF exhibit.

Anyone at the Show who signs up for the ODR, will receive one ticket for the prizes in our Subscription Sweepstakes. So we can meet our current subscribers, come by the exhibit and we will enter you in a separate contest to show our appreciation. Comment cards will be available for your suggestions for improvements and information you want to see in your Outdoor Report.

So stop by and visit us at the Virginia Outdoor Sportsman Show and bring a friend to sign up for the Outdoor Report. You will get an extra Contest ticket for each new subscriber you bring to the show to sign up. Remember it's free and automatically comes to you twice each month with information and news you want to get the most out of your outdoor adventures.

All the winning Contest ticket numbers will be posted in the August 22 edition of the ODR. Winners can mail or bring in their winning tickets to the Richmond Headquarters for verification and claim their prize. The prizes are a selection of items from the Virginia Wildlife catalogue including hats, tee-shirts, calendars, and sheath knives. Check the Show's Web site (sportsmanshow.com) for information on numerous other seminars, exhibits, demonstrations and contests.

How Are The Fish Bitin'?

Anglers across the state can get answers on fishing conditions for many of their favorite rivers and lakes by reading the Fishin' Report, included in the Outdoor Report. License agents, marinas, fishing guides and bait shops have volunteered to serve as contacts for information on recent fishing conditions for primary rivers and lakes throughout the state. Sarah White, outdoor writer and regular contributor to Virginia Wildlife magazine, prepares the Fishin' Report from interviews with contacts the week prior to publication of the Outdoor Report. The Fishin' Report is only available as part of your free subscription to the Outdoor Report.

Got your fishing license yet? Purchase your license online!

People and Partners in the News

Kathy Graham Graduates from National Conservation Leadership Institute

Congratulations to VDGIF Information Technology Development Project Manager Kathleen Graham on her graduation from the National Conservation Leadership Institute. The program is an intense seven-month course. Graham is one of 35 chosen for the inaugural class of 2006/2007.

Gary Norman Promoted to Small Game and Furbearer Program Manager

Gary Norman has been promoted to the position of Small Game and Furbearer Program Manager. In this position, Gary will be supervising the small game, furbearer, grouse and turkey projects in the Wildlife Division. Gary has been employed with VDGIF since 1987, and has served as Forest Game Bird Project Leader since 1989. In that position he was responsible for statewide research, conservation, and management programs for ruffed grouse and wild turkey. Gary received VDGIF's Conservationist of the Year Award in 1995 and was nationally recognized by the National Wild Turkey Federation in 2000 when he received the prestigious Henry Mosby Award recognizing his contributions in wild turkey management. Congratulations on your promotion, Gary.

Saltville Wildlife & Birding Trail Dedication August 18

The Grand Opening/Dedication of the Helen Williams Barbrow Interpretive Trail will be held August 18, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. in the Town of Saltville at Wellfields Park. The Wellfields are well-known for their role as the only source of salt for the Confederate Army during the Civil War. This unique geologic history has given rise to a rather unique set of wildlife for a site so far inland. All of these interesting facts are documented along the new paved walking and biking trail by interpretive signage developed with assistance from the VDGIF Watchable Wildlife Program. The Wellfields are a site on the Clinch Mountain Loop of the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail and this new trail is named for Helen Williams Barbrow who was a well known birder in the Saltville area. If you would like more information about the Dedication, please contact Steve Johnson by email at saltville.sjohnson@comcast.net, by phone at (276) 496-5342, ext. 32 or you can check out the Virginia Birding and Wildlife Trail on the Department's Web site.

Wildlife Center of Virginia Announces Autumn Open-House Schedule

The Wildlife Center of Virginia, the nation's leading teaching and research hospital for native wildlife, has scheduled five open houses for Autumn 2007. These are rare opportunities to see the inner workings of the nation's premier wildlife hospital, as well as meet some of the wildlife that serve as the Center's education staff and ambassadors. As a wildlife emergency room and hospital, the Wildlife Center is not usually open to the public, and the seasonal open houses are the rare times when visitors may tour the Waynesboro facility. During the open house, visitors will tour the Center's building, including the medical clinic (examination room, operating room, etc.). In addition, visitors will get to "meet" the Center's education animals - some of the 20 non-releasable animals that the Center's education staff uses in school assemblies and classroom presentations.

There is no charge to attend the open house; however, reservations are required by calling (540) 942-9453, or emailing wildlife@wildlifecenter.org. A limited number of spaces are available for each session; early reservations are suggested. The Center will have three separate sessions each day at 12:30 p.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. Each session lasts about an hour. The open houses will be held on Sundays only on the following dates: August 26, September 9, 23, 30 and October 14.

Every year, about 2,500 animals -- ranging from bald eagles to opossums to chipmunks -- are brought to the Wildlife Center for care. "The goal of the Center is to restore our patients to health and return as many as possible to the wild," Wildlife Center President Ed Clark said. "At the Wildlife Center, we treat to release."

"Turning a New Leaf" Conservation Landscaping Conference on November 9

Troubled by all the development in your community? Want to know how to protect water quality and conserve wildlife habitat where you live? Then mark your calendar now for the 2nd annual "Turning a New Leaf" conference on November 9, 2007 hosted by the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council. The one-day regional conference, which will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale, features tracks on conservation landscapes, green development, and creative stormwater management. Topics include eco-friendly lawns; native alternatives to traditional plantings; backyard forests; rain gardens; techniques for stream restoration; and public-private partnerships for green development. Exhibits will also showcase an "eco-marketplace." Registration begins on August 1, 2007. For more details, visit chesapeakelandscape.org

Be Safe... Have Fun!

Does Your Boat Have Wheels?
by Jim Crosby

The majority of recreational boaters tow their vessels to and from their boating adventures. The best advice I can offer: Work to keep your towing from becoming an adventure on its own. A fellow boater had to get a ticket to remind me how the Motor Vehicle Laws of Virginia affect the boater.

This boater was cited for not having a current inspection sticker on his boat trailer. This is a law that is often forgotten by boaters. The rule is: If your trailer has brakes, it must be inspected and display a current inspection approval sticker on the tongue.

Why have boat trailer brakes? Your vehicle brakes are designed to provide reasonable braking power for its own weight and doesn't take into consideration the addition of as much as double the vehicle weight when adding a vessel and its trailer. While many boaters will state that they just don't have any trouble stopping, they just haven't faced an absolute emergency stop, much less one on a less than perfect roadway. When all the stopping power comes from the towing vehicle, the trailer starts to push the vehicle with its momentum and if the whole load is not in a perfect, straight line the trailer will begin to swing around on the vehicle causing what is commonly termed as a jackknife.

Motor vehicle brakes are designed to offer the majority of braking power to the rear wheels to make the vehicle stop in a straight line. If your front brakes should lock up on you first, you will almost always spin around during the stop. The same principle applies to braking with a trailer. If you have no braking power in the trailer, it will almost always push the vehicle into a spin.

The majority of boat trailers have "surge brakes" as a type. They have a master cylinder between the tongue of the trailer and the hitch on the tow vehicle. When the forward motion of the tow vehicle begins to slow, the pressure from the weight of the trailer compresses the master cylinder that transfers hydraulic pressure to the brakes in an equal force that brings the two together in stopping power. This contributes to a straight stop for both.

Caution is needed when backing up a grade with surge brakes as this results in pressure being applied to the trailer brakes. What you are doing is trying to back the whole load of the vessel and its trailer with the brakes fully applied. Fortunately, surge brakes have a device to prevent the application of the brakes when backing. Unfortunately, many towing boaters don't know this and end up spinning tires and putting a lot of pressure on the engines of their tow vehicles. This is a strong case for reading the instructions before beginning to operate any machinery. The surge brake master cylinder usually has a decal explaining how to deactivate the brakes when backing. It usually involves placing a pin in the plunger so it can't compress the hydraulic fluid to activate the brakes. WARNING: if you deactivate the master cylinder while backing, don't forget to pull the pin before moving ahead again because if you forget, you will have no forward braking power.

Before towing your boat to the next adventure, check your trailer hitch, brakes and tire conditions. An ounce of prevention…you know the rest.

Reprinted and condensed from a previous Virginia Wildlife column "On the Water" by Jim Crosby, retired VDGIF Boater Education Coordinator and regular columnist for the magazine. To read Jim's monthly column filled with great boating tips and stories, subscribe to Virginia Wildlife magazine!

In Case You Missed It...

Editor's note: With numerous new subscribers each issue, we realize that some of the seasonal features are important and timely enough to bear repeating. So readers can easily review these seasonal items, we have retained the headlines and information links in this section "In case you missed it..."

• Virginia Outdoor Sports Show Features Seminars for Disabled Sportsmen
   

• Mother-Daughter Outdoors Weekend, August 24-26, 2007 in Appomattox - FULL
   

• The Future of Hound Hunting in Virginia
   

• Virginia Migratory Duck Stamp
   

• A Guide to the Snakes of Virginia is Now Available
   

• Master Officer Charlie Mullins Named Game Warden of the Year
   

• Dominion Power, Trout Unlimited Provide State-of-the-Art Aquaculture Equipment
   

• Virginia Dove, Woodcock, Snipe, Rail, September Canada Goose and September Teal Seasons Set
   

• Proposed Hunting, Fishing, Trapping, Wildlife Diversity, and Boating Regulation Amendments for 2008 - Public Comment Period is Open July 24 - September 24, 2007
   

• 2007-08 Hunting & Trapping Regulations Digest Now Available
   
• Shenandoah, Cowpasture, and James Rivers - Fish Kills Update

Help Spread the News!

We hope you enjoy the new, electronic Outdoor Report and invite you to share this information with your friends and colleagues. Simply visit the Department's Web site and click on the Outdoor Report link to subscribe. New editions are sent directly to your email address every two weeks. Stay informed on issues and opportunities about Virginia's outdoors!

Fishin' Report

Anglers throughout Virginia and neighboring states want to know "how are the fish bitin'?" To provide some answers, more than 25 license agents, marinas, fishing guides and bait shops have volunteered to serve as contacts for information on recent fishing conditions for primary rivers and lakes throughout the state. Sarah White, outdoor writer and regular contributor to Virginia Wildlife magazine, prepares this Fishin' Report from interviews with these contacts the week prior to publication of the Outdoor Report.

The Fishin' Report is only available as part of your free subscription to the Outdoor Report.

The rivers and lakes featured in the Fishin' Report are listed by VDGIF Administrative Regions so you can quickly locate the area in which you are most interested. Consult the regional location map below to find the major river or lake you want to know about.

For regulations and conditions on saltwater fishing, visit the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (VMRC) Web site.

Region 1 - Tidewater

Beaverdam Swamp Reservoir: Chuck Hyde reports that the bass fishing is good. Ralph Rossi of Greensboro, North Carolina brought in a 5 lb, 8 oz bass. Gary Slusher of Newport News came in with a 1 lb, 8 oz crappie he caught on a jig. The water quality is clear and at 89 degrees.

Chickahominy Lake: Garrett Seoughe of Ed Allen's tells us that the pike and bowfin are hitting fairly well, as are the panfish. Bass fishing has slowed, but one lucky angler did come in with a 6 lb whopper. The water is stained and in the high 80's and low 90's.

Chickahominy River: Charlie Brown has let me know that although the heat has driven anglers away "people who do fish do well." Large cats have been biting aggressively, with some 40 pounders coming in. The bass are running up to 6 lbs. The water is clear at 89 degrees.

Little Creek Reservoir: Walter Elliot says that the reservoir is getting lower by the day and, "as the water temperature keeps going up the fish are moving to deeper water and suspending at the level they can find the most oxygen. That's not to say that they are not moving closer to shore in the morning and evening to feed." He also tells us that stripers and largemouth are going for live herring around 20 feet deep. Largemouth are also biting soft plastics and deep dive crankbaits. Shellcrackers are responding to night crawlers and Red Wigglers. Mike Fowler of Williamsburg landed 4 stripers, the largest of which weighed 7 lbs. Willy Webber brought in a 4 lb walleye using live herring. The water is clear and 86 degrees.

Portsmouth: Allen Wills told me that fisher folk have done "right good with bass." Shellcrackers are also cooperating. The water is clear but low at 88 degrees.

Region 2 - Southside

Kerr Reservoir: Bobby Whitlow of Bob Cat's Lake Country Store says crappie are lurking around deep brush piles, bridge pilings and deep boat docks. White perch are staying at the main lake points. Anglers do well with cats by drifting with shad and large minnows. White and largemouth bass are schooling on the surface early in the morning and late in the afternoon. The water is 2 feet below normal, clear and around 85 degrees.

Leesville Reservoir: Leigh Tannehill at the Tri County Marina reports that cats, crappie and bream are all responding well. A recent tournament brought in some sizable bass, including a 7 lb largemouth. Another tournament is scheduled for August 12th at the Pit Stop. The water is clear and warm.

Philpott Reservoir: According to Bill Coe, one of the most fun things to do on Philpott is to fish for the abundant bream. These cooperative fish will respond "all day long." A good tip is to draw the fish with a piece of sandwich bread -- when the bream come to eat the bread, "just toss your bait around the bread. Bill says that this makes great first fishing for a kid, and that there's no more fun in this world than watching a kid catch those little bream with all the excitement and awe in the world." The lake is also home to large and smallmouth bass, walleye, crappie and carp. Philpott is one of the "best kept secrets in the state of Virginia"; anglers looking for a fresh experience should give it a try.

Smith Mountain Lake: Al Galliher tells us that while the crappie are slow, the stripers are "fair to good." Both large and smallmouth bass are attacking plastics on topwater in the morning, deeper during the day.  The cats are also favoring local anglers. The water is clear and at 85 degrees.

Region 3 - Southwest

Claytor Lake: Mike Buchett reports that fishing is "extremely slow" due to the heat. The best time to try your luck is after 10 PM with live bait. The water is up, stained and in the mid 90's.

Flannagan Marina: Michael Mulllins says that bass are going for root beer jigs and green pumpkin worms, also 6" Bumblebee plastic worms. Bluegills are on the nest and are biting crickets. Cats are also responding. With a 21 lb flathead being brought to boat. Walleye are also doing well. Crappie and hybrids can be caught at night with lighted bobbers or shad. Water is clear and 82 degrees; it is also 18 inches above the usual level for this time of year.

Lower New River: John Zienius of Big Z's told me that fishing has "slowed to a snail's pace" and that rain is desperately needed. People are having fun wading and playing in the river, but anglers are out of luck. If you want to fish this area, the best times are early morning, late evening and the night hours. The water is clear and 86 degrees or higher.

South Holston Reservoir: Austin Bridwell of the Sportsman's Marina tells me that anglers are landing lots of bass and walleye. The bass are going for watermelon green jigs. Some crappie are also biting, as are some bluegills. The walleye are hanging out on the banks. The best time to fish this area is one hour before and after dark. The water is slightly stained and 82 degrees.

Region 4 - Mountain & Valley

Lake Robertson: Gloria Clemmer reports that no one is having much success fishing the lake. There have been a few bass and bluegill, but not many. The water is clear and warm to hot.

North Fork of the Shenandoah: Harry Murray says that bass fishing in the river is best in the morning or late in the evening. The best lures to use are Murray's chub, the Shenk's white streamer and the Shenandoah blue popper. The mountain streams offer fair results, with the streams being low and clear. It is best to use a cautious approach and small dry flies. The large trout streams in the valley are very low. The best fishing in these streams is found below the riffles and in the deep pools. Good flies for this location are the Casual Dress and the Murray's Pearl Marauder. The water in this area is cool, ranging from 62 to 78 degrees.

Region 5 - Northern Piedmont

Middle James: Jeff Schmick of James River Runners says that while rain is needed the smallmouths are biting "OK," and a few bluegills are being caught. The smallmouths are going for soft plastics. The river is clear but low and around 81 degrees.

Lake Anna and surrounding area: Mike Brown at the Gander Mountain Spotsylvania store told me that bass fishing in the area is good. Patrick Snellings landed a 7 lb, 12 oz largemouth in the Ni River Reservoir. Bream and crappie are also responding. The crappie are hiding in deep holes. The water in the area is clear and getting warm.

James River: Mike Ostrander reports that bluegills and small sunfish are going for spinners and grubs. Cats are hitting especially well. Five and a half-year-old Jack Wetlaufer, "with a little help" from his grandfather John, brought in 2 flatheads weighing 27 and 27.5 lbs. The water is clear, low and getting warmer.

Now go catch a whopper!

In upcoming issues of the new Outdoor Report, look for:

• Spring Gobbler Harvest Figures
• Waterfowl Regulations
• Virginia Conservation Police Notebook