Post by Woody Williams on Aug 22, 2005 14:42:51 GMT -5
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Virginia Game, fish proposals advance
RICHMOND -- Moves to improve fishing for trophy bass, stripers and muskies, and hunting for big white-tailed deer, anchor a big list of proposed changes to the state's fishing, wildlife and boating regulations.
The department floated nearly all of the ideas months ago, but it took a series of votes Thursday by the agency's board of directors to advance the proposals.
Because the ideas were made public so long ago, Thursday's nine-hour meeting produced few surprises.
The most notable change from the earlier proposals was the elimination of a proposal to implement a so-called earn-a-buck system in areas where deer hunters were not killing enough female deer to keep populations in check.
The regulation would have required hunters to kill an antlerless deer before they could kill a second buck.
Officials hoped such a rule would force hunters, many of whom focus their hunting efforts on chasing bucks, to do their part to control herds that are getting out of control in some areas. Bedford and Roanoke counties were among the areas being considered for an earn-a-buck system, versions of which are in place in other states.
"We thought there were some enforcement issues, so we've set it aside for the time being," said Bob Duncan, chief of the department's Wildlife Division. "However, we haven't given up on it."
All told, the agency's board voted to forward several dozen new regulations and changes to existing rules. Over the next two month's the department will accept public comments on the proposals. The board will take final action on the proposals Oct. 27. Most of the changes won't take effect until July 1, 2006. The only exceptions are a couple of regulations focusing on invasive species the department wants to have in place by Jan. 1, 2006.
Below are some of the more notable proposals. The complete list, as well as a schedule of public meetings, is available at www.dgif.virginia.gov.
Deer
The agency wants to implement a new rule to improve the trophy deer hunting in Shenandoah County. The rule would allow hunters to take one antlered buck of any size, but would require a second buck to have at least four points on one side of its antlers. The hope is that the rule would force hunters to pass up younger bucks.
(WW - What do you guys think of this proposal if it was one with archery equipment and one with a firearm?)
Shenandoah County is home to a large number of quality deer management advocates, who asked the department to consider a rule that would have required all bucks to have either four points on a side or a spread of 15 inches.
Although a recent survey showed that 62 percent of the county's hunters supported that plan, Duncan said he was wary about the reaction from the remaining 38 percent.
The compromise was proposed as a first step in the process of potentially putting quality deer management practices in place not only in Shenandoah County, but across Western Virginia, where tens of thousands of hunters already operate under self-imposed trophy buck restrictions.
To achieve its goal of stabilizing the deer herd in most counties, the department wants to liberalize antlerless deer restrictions on private land in 47 counties. Doe day reductions are sought county-wide in Alleghany, Bath and Highland counties, and on public lands in Augusta and Rockbridge counties.
Desperate to reduce herds in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, the department is proposing a special antlerless deer-only firearms season that would run from early January into early February.
Citing concerns about disease transmission and fair chase, the department is proposing banning the feeding of deer from Sept. 1 through the first Saturday in January.
Virginia Game, fish proposals advance
RICHMOND -- Moves to improve fishing for trophy bass, stripers and muskies, and hunting for big white-tailed deer, anchor a big list of proposed changes to the state's fishing, wildlife and boating regulations.
The department floated nearly all of the ideas months ago, but it took a series of votes Thursday by the agency's board of directors to advance the proposals.
Because the ideas were made public so long ago, Thursday's nine-hour meeting produced few surprises.
The most notable change from the earlier proposals was the elimination of a proposal to implement a so-called earn-a-buck system in areas where deer hunters were not killing enough female deer to keep populations in check.
The regulation would have required hunters to kill an antlerless deer before they could kill a second buck.
Officials hoped such a rule would force hunters, many of whom focus their hunting efforts on chasing bucks, to do their part to control herds that are getting out of control in some areas. Bedford and Roanoke counties were among the areas being considered for an earn-a-buck system, versions of which are in place in other states.
"We thought there were some enforcement issues, so we've set it aside for the time being," said Bob Duncan, chief of the department's Wildlife Division. "However, we haven't given up on it."
All told, the agency's board voted to forward several dozen new regulations and changes to existing rules. Over the next two month's the department will accept public comments on the proposals. The board will take final action on the proposals Oct. 27. Most of the changes won't take effect until July 1, 2006. The only exceptions are a couple of regulations focusing on invasive species the department wants to have in place by Jan. 1, 2006.
Below are some of the more notable proposals. The complete list, as well as a schedule of public meetings, is available at www.dgif.virginia.gov.
Deer
The agency wants to implement a new rule to improve the trophy deer hunting in Shenandoah County. The rule would allow hunters to take one antlered buck of any size, but would require a second buck to have at least four points on one side of its antlers. The hope is that the rule would force hunters to pass up younger bucks.
(WW - What do you guys think of this proposal if it was one with archery equipment and one with a firearm?)
Shenandoah County is home to a large number of quality deer management advocates, who asked the department to consider a rule that would have required all bucks to have either four points on a side or a spread of 15 inches.
Although a recent survey showed that 62 percent of the county's hunters supported that plan, Duncan said he was wary about the reaction from the remaining 38 percent.
The compromise was proposed as a first step in the process of potentially putting quality deer management practices in place not only in Shenandoah County, but across Western Virginia, where tens of thousands of hunters already operate under self-imposed trophy buck restrictions.
To achieve its goal of stabilizing the deer herd in most counties, the department wants to liberalize antlerless deer restrictions on private land in 47 counties. Doe day reductions are sought county-wide in Alleghany, Bath and Highland counties, and on public lands in Augusta and Rockbridge counties.
Desperate to reduce herds in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties, the department is proposing a special antlerless deer-only firearms season that would run from early January into early February.
Citing concerns about disease transmission and fair chase, the department is proposing banning the feeding of deer from Sept. 1 through the first Saturday in January.
