Archive for January, 2009

A sure cure for cabin fever

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

With streams all iced over and most hunting seasons closed for another year, it’s easy to get a little stir crazy. Fortunately, we West Virginians have a three-day aspirin guaranteed to break even the worst case of cabin fever.

The West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show will be held this weekend, Jan. 30-Feb. 1,  at the Charleston Civic Center. An estimated 15,000 Mountain State outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen are expected to attend.

They’ll roam among more 230 vendor displays  – checking out the latest firearms and bows, booking adventures to places as far away as South Africa and New Zealand, and arranging taxidermy on the big bucks they killed last fall.

It’s quite literally a gathering of West Virginia’s outdoors clan. I missed last year’s show because I had to travel to Salt Lake City. I’m looking forward to getting back there this year.

Posted in Fishing, Hunting, West Virginia | No Comments »

West Virginia-based fishing show wins national award

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Congratulations to Curtis Fleming, host and executive producer of the TV fishing show “Fly Rod Chronicles.”

Fleming recieved the “Episode of the Year” award at the fifth annual Sportsman Channel Awards Banquet, held recently at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show in Orlando.

The award-winning episode featured Fleming fishing with wounded members of the U.S. military as part of the “Project Healing Waters” program.

Posted in Fishing, West Virginia | No Comments »

County regulations threaten Maryland’s hunting

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Members of the Howard County, Md., Council are considering a set of regulations that could essentially ban hunting throughout the county.

The scary thing is that none of the language specifically prohibits hunting. Instead, the proposal’s provisions call for restrictions on shooting, such as:

  • No shooting on parcels of land less than 10 acres;
  • No shooting within 300 yards of a building;
  • No shooting within 100 yards of any public road; and
  • No shooting in the direction of a building or campground if the distance falls within the maximum range of the firearm being used.

That final provision would be the real deal-killer. Essentially, it would make it impossible to shoot a rifle or shotgun within the county.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance has more information about the proposal here.

Posted in Government Follies, Hunting | No Comments »

W.Va. equestrians prepare for rootin’ tootin’ shootin’

Monday, January 19, 2009

A group of Southern West Virginia horse owners have formed the nation’s newest chapter of the Cowboy Mounted Shooting Association.

The group, called the West Virginia Six-Shooters, will participate in a pastime known as cowboy mounted shooting — sort of a cross between cowboy action shooting and rodeo barrel racing.

Contestants bolt from a starting gate and race down a pre-determined course at full gallop, firing at five balloons as they go. When they reach the end of the course, they draw their other six-gun, wheel their mounts around a barrel, and gallop back to the starting line while shooting at five more targets. Riders with the lowest elapsed times and the fewest missed shots win.

The Six-Shooters’ organizational meeting will be held Sunday, Jan. 25, at Ryan’s Steakhouse in Beckley. More information is available from the club’s Web site, www.wvsixshooters.club.officelive.com

Posted in Shooting Sports | No Comments »

The latest madness from those PETAphiles

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

One thing I’ll grudgingly admit about animal-rights zealots. They’re usually good for a laugh.

Case in point: The latest crusade by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. They hope to discourage people’s interest in fishing by changing the way people think about fish. Instead of calling them “fish,” PETA members are supposed to build sympathy for denizens of the underwater world by renaming them “sea kittens.”

So instead of “fishing,” PETA refers to the use of hook and line as “the hunting of sea kittens.”

Gimme a break…

Posted in Animal Rights | 1 Comment »

Economy stinks, but most furs still in demand

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Janet Hodge of the West Virginia Trappers Association dropped me an e-mail to report on the first fur sale of the 2009 calendar year. She quoted the fur harvesters’ press release on the subject:

“Raccoon remained largely unsold, with only the better quality goods being moved.  No bobcats were offered for sale; however, there remains a good demand for larger beaver,
fisher, muskrat, Eastern red fox and gray fox.”

The complete release, as well as sale amounts, can be found at the Fur Harvesters’ Web site. Adobe Acrobat is required to read the .PDF file.

Posted in Trapping | No Comments »

A new year, a new approach

Monday, January 12, 2009

One of the great disappointments of 2008 was that I failed to keep a steady stream of information flowing through this blog space.

While in Indianapolis for a meeting, I ran into J.R. Absher, who runs the popular Outdoor Pressroom Web site. J.R. is also a veteran blogger, so I picked his brain for tips as to how to improve this space.

“Keep the information coming,” he said. “Update constantly. Otherwise your readers stop reading and go somewhere else.”

I’ve taken his words to heart. Instead of weekly (or even less frequent) updates to the site, expect something every couple of days or so. And for those of you die-hards who are still clicking in to check on things, thanks!

Posted in Blogging | No Comments »

So many toys, so little time…

Monday, January 12, 2009

While in Indianapolis last weekend for the Outdoor Writers Association of America’s mid-winter Board of Directors meeting, I took an opportunity to wander the floor at the Archery Trade Association’s annual show a few blocks from my motel.

Wow.

The show featured enough goodies, gadgets and gewgaws to keep even the most acquisitive gearhead satisfied for months. I’ll feature a few of the coolest new items in this Sunday’s column, so keep your eyes peeled for it.

Posted in Archery, Bowhunting | No Comments »

Combined W.Va. deer harvest rises 11 percent

Monday, January 12, 2009

Though disappointed by a poorer-than-expected buck season, West Virginia deer hunters fared well during the state’s antlerless, bow and muzzleloader seasons.

The antlerless-deer harvest jumped 25 percent, from 43,684 to 54,704. The bow harvest rose 12 percent, from 27,440 to 30,749. The muzzleloader harvest climbed 9 percent, from 7,423 to 8,378.

The buck kill essentially flatlined, rising just 1.5 percent from 67,505 to 68,540.

The combined kill of 162,371 bettered 2007′s aggregate by 11 percent. It went down in history as the 15th highest whitetail harvest on record.

Details can be found in the Division of Natural Resources’ news release on the subject.  

Posted in Hunting, West Virginia | No Comments »