Virginia Outdoors Issues.

Ken Perrotte has written another fantastic article and this one should is incredibly important for all Virginia sportsmen! Here is a link to that fantastic article! Ken Perrotte, Free Lance Star, Give your Opinions on Outdoor Issues.

This particular article is very important to me because it lets you know that we can have a voice with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. We can only hope that they will listen to the public and begin to make some choices on how best to manage our game resources in the best possible way.

I have three issues in regards to the VDGIF that I think are incredibly important issues that I personally want them to address. Direct link to the Virginia Recommendations and Comment Board

The first issue is in regards to the ability to hunt on Sundays. As a working father of 3 kids, it is not always easy for me to take off days to go hunting in Virginia with my current schedule. I know this to be true of almost every hunter I run into in the state. Some Saturdays with busy soccer schedules and dance classes, I need to spend time with my children. I would like the option of being able to hunt on Sundays. In the state of Virginia we have a tremendous over population of deer in many areas of the state. Part of the reason that these herds cannot be controlled is that there are not enough people who have the time to get out and hunt these deer.

The second issue I have in regards to the management of deer in Virginia is that in the state parks and in some of the battlefields where we have tremendous over population of deer herds, they are bringing in sharpshooters. In some of these areas the deer are in my opinion unhealthy, inbred and have literally devastated the forests. In these areas there is almost no vegetation under 6 feet that is left. The deer have wiped out every native species of plants. In some of these areas they have brought in sharpshooters at night and spotlighted deer to eradicate them and reduce the herds. It is my understanding that the meat is donated to the Hunters for the Hungry program but I cannot confirm that. I think these areas would be much better suited to drawing type hunts that offer youth, female and handicap hunters the opportunity to assist in this process. Anything we can do to create public opportunities to assist in the process of deer management is better then sharpshooters. If these hunts do not bring in enough hunters, then they could open it up to lottery type hunts and charge a small fee to apply with the money going towards management fees and conservation programs to replant areas of these forests with native browse. (I believe this to be true of all states and in all national parks where we have these kinds of situations.)

The third issue I have in regards to the VDGIF is the situation with elk in the state of Virginia. I do not believe it is in the best interests of the citizens of Virginia to allow hunters to take elk with their deer tags. The state currently allows any citizen to hunt elk in the state of Virginia with a deer tag with the intent to eliminate all elk in Virginia.

The herd is currently not established and has moved into the area because of the tremendous habitat that Virginia offers to elk. Elk used to thrive in our state and were a native species in Virginia for hundreds of years. When settlers moved into Virginia they were eliminated for food and by market hunters.

The states of Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Pennsylvania with the assistance of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation have worked hard to reintroduce elk back into the Eastern and Southern States. West Virginia is currently considering a proposal to do the same thing, hopefully it will be successful. The elk in the state of Virginia have migrated into Virginia from Kentucky and the VDGIF's position statement for the past 5 years has been that elk have CWD and they are afraid of an outbreak. The reality is that every elk taken in the state of Virginia and in Kentucky has been tested as CWD free.

Having a strong herd of elk and the reintroduction of elk in Eastern states has been an economic boom to those states. Pennsylvania and Kentucky currently have lotteries for the opportunity to hunt elk in their states which bring in tremendous dollars for the management of those herds. Along with that the tourist dollars as well as money from hunters coming into those communities is a tremendous resource for those counties in which elk reside. I have been to Kentucky, Pennsylvania and North Carolina just to view the elk in those states and my hard earned dollars were spent in those communities where elk reside. I have been to the counties in Virginia where elk reside as well and spent money in those counties.

I am not asking for the state to reintroduce elk at this time, although it would be wonderful if they would at least consider it. All I am asking for now is that we allow the elk who come into our state be allowed to thrive here and to grow into a viable herd and be protected as a separate species. I want the state to manage the herd as a resource that it truly is for the citizens of our state. The majestic bugle of a bull elk following a herd of cows is a sound that Virginia residents should be rejoicing in, not trying to eliminate.

Please make your comments known to the VDGIF no matter what your issues are and what your opinions are, share them freely. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but you must share it to make that opinion valuable.

The wildlife of your state(whatever state you reside in) is owned by the citizens of your state and the management of that wildlife is the responsibility of the citizens. If you do not agree with something happening in your state, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

A great story about our NWTF banquet and Brandon!

Thank you to Ken Perrotte who wrote a wonderful article about the NWTF banquet and the Scholarship for Brandon McGuire!

Reprinted Courtesy of Ken Perrotte and the : Fredericksburg Free Lance Star
Please go check out the Free Lance Star it is a great paper with a strong outdoor program.


Mentor helps youngster become hunter

Ken Perrotte's outdoors column

Date published: 4/12/2007

MEMBERS OF the Fredericksburg Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation opened hearts and wallets for a number of causes Saturday night during their annual banquet.

Nearly 230 people attended the event at the Eagles Club, according to Bill Newman, one of the event organizers. Scanning the crowded room, it appeared at least 10 percent of the attendees were boys and girls, many attired in camouflage, and ranging in age from 6 to 16.

One of the more unique stories of the evening was a $1,500 scholarship given to Brandon McGuire, a 17-year-old high school senior from Chesterfield County who plans to attend Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville.

Brandon had attended a JAKES Day (a special outdoors-oriented day for NWTF-affiliated youth) at the Fredericksburg Rod and Gun Club three years ago.

His mother, Holly McGuire, a single parent, brought him to the event in an effort to satisfy the boy's desire to become a hunter.

McGuire's cousin, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist Steve Owens, helped Brandon develop his outdoors interests, encouraging attendance at squirrel hunting workshops and other sponsored programs that help build young hunters' education and skills. He also mentored his young nephew during occasional trips to woods and waters.

Still, according to Brandon, an important component was missing.

"I have uncles that hunt and fish, but have never really had that father figure who could take me out," Brandon explained.

Enter Kevin Paulson, local proponent for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and an ongoing partner in NWTF programs, plus a dad with a handful of kids in his house.

"At the JAKES Day, Kevin Paulson was there and I think my mom had given him our information in the hope that someone would take me hunting. Within a couple weeks, he contacted us and said, 'When do you want to go hunting?'"

Paulson became the boy's dedicated hunting mentor, taking him on a number of deer hunts. He even let him tag along on a Montana elk hunt. Brandon's turkey hunting efforts fall into the "close, but no gobbler" category, but he is optimistic success will come soon.

Paulson worked with NWTF on developing the new scholarship program, which was funded from local NWTF chapter revenues and huntinglife.com, a Web blog Paulson started and is transforming into a more complete hunting-oriented site.

Chapter officer Richard Rose said the scholarship is expected to become an annual feature at the banquet.

Paulson calls Brandon a "remarkable young man."

Between Brandon's realization of his hunting dream, his acceptance into college and last week's scholarship, Holly McGuire said she couldn't be happier or prouder of her son, adding, "This is what every parent hopes for, isn't it?"

The banquet's live auction was jump-started with bidders digging deep to win claim to a cheesecake being sold to benefit the American Cancer Society. A $1,000 bid by Hugh Cosner, a founding member of the Fredericksburg NWTF group, eventually capped the bidding.

Prior to dinner, past chapter president Tom Worrell read a self-composed "Turkey Hunter's Prayer," a heartfelt piece of prose that referenced the importance of passing along a hunting heritage. Banquet attendees who are military veterans or currently serving were also asked to come forward to receive acknowledgement and a commemorative pin from the NWTF.

Youth's Snowy Success

A number of youngsters attending the NWTF banquet had spent the morning hunting, as last Saturday was also the day Virginia sets aside annually for youngsters to hunt turkeys. The kids get to learn from adult mentors on that day, but don't have to compete with them for opportunities at a gobbler.

Hunters awakening to snow-covered trees and fields surely let out a collective groan at the less than optimal conditions. Still, enthusiasm won out over dismay at the untimely snowfall and plenty of adult-child hunting teams reportedly took to area woods.

For 12-year-old Kyle Sullivan of southern Stafford County, the snowy scene made his first taste of turkey success all the sweeter.

Kyle has successfully hunted deer before, but had never scored a gobbler. He was hunting with Eric Sullivan, who is not related to him but works with Kyle's grandfather, Robert Sullivan.

Sullivan knew his turkey-calling prowess would be challenged with the wintry weather.

"I thought we were going to waste our time," he said. After walking for about an hour, though, the hunters got a bird to gobble in response to a crow call at 7:15 a.m.

"We put a decoy out and I set up against a tree. Eric moved back and called, but nothing happened for the next hour," Kyle said.

They were close to giving up on the scenario and Sullivan moved toward Eric. Calling one more time, they were surprised when the now closer bird responded loudly.

"A hen came out first, followed by a jake [a young gobbler] with a 4-inch beard," Kyle said. When the jake was 20 yards away, the boy's 12-gauge shotgun roared and the 15-pound bird folded at the load of No. 4 shot.

"It was exciting. I had never had a wild turkey that close before," Kyle said. "Plus, it sure was a pretty hunt with the snow falling."

Primed for future turkey adventures, Kyle's parting words to Sullivan were, "So, where are we going next Saturday?"

Ken Perrotte can be reached at The Free Lance-Star, 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va. 22401, by fax at 373-8455 or e-mail at
Email: outdoors@freelancestar.com.