Page 10 –Tuesday,September 3,2013
Outdoors
The Cabell Standard
Seasons Set for Dove, Rail, Snipe and Woodcock in West Virginia SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV West Virginia’s 2013-2014 hunting season dates and bag limits for mourning dove, woodcock, common snipe and Sora and Virginia rails have been set, according to the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section. These seasons are set within guidelines established annually by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Species Dates Daily Limit Possession Limit Mourning Dove (3-way split):
Sept. 2 – Oct. 5, Oct. 21 – Nov. 9, Dec. 23 – Jan. 4 15 45 Woodcock: Oct. 12 – Nov. 25 3 9 Common Snipe: Sept. 2 – Dec. 7 8 16 Sora & Virginia Rails: Sept. 2 – Nov. 2 25 25 Shooting hours for dove are from noon to sunset on September 2, 2013, (opening day of the first segment) and from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset for the remainder of the season. Shooting hours for rails, woodcock and snipe are from one-
half hour before sunrise until sunset. The possession limits for dove and woodcock have been increased to three times the daily bag limit. Dove hunting is available throughout West Virginia, but dove numbers are typically higher near agricultural areas. A recently harvested grain field with water nearby is always a good bet for dove hunting, but nontraditional sites such as reclaimed mine sites or even clearcuts should not be overlooked. Hunters should be con-
tacting landowners now for permission to hunt on private land. Scouting areas immediately prior to when you plan to hunt is very important. All licensed migratory bird hunters, including lifetime license holders and senior citizens, must also have a valid Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration card. The HIP card is available free at DNR offices and all license agents. Hunters may not hunt migratory birds with a shotgun capable of holding
more than three shells unless the shotgun is “plugged” with a one-piece filler that can’t be removed without disassembling the gun. Banded birds should be reported by calling 1-800-3272263 or online at www.reportband.gov. West Virginia’s 2013-2014 Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations brochure will be available at license agents, game check stations and DNR offices in late August, and are available online now at www.wvdnr.gov.
WANTED: West Virginia Trophy Fish and Big Bucks for Display at Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day Stonewall Resort State Park, Sept. 28 and 29 ROANOKE, WV - If you have a legally harvested and mounted West Virginia big buck trophy, or if you have a trophy fish caught from West Virginia waters, it’s wanted for the Big Buck/Trophy Fish Display at West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day, September 2829, 2013, at Stonewall Resort State Park near Weston in Lewis County. The West Virginia Wildlife Federation, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and
Toyota are seeking hunters who own trophy white-tailed bucks that were legally taken in West Virginia with either bow or gun and have a Pope & Young or Boone and Crockett score of 150 or greater. They are also seeking fish that qualified for a trophy fish citation under the WVDNR guidelines. “Each year the West Virginia Wildlife Federation and the DNR showcase these animals that are legally caught and legally harvested at the National Hunting
and Fishing Day event,” said display organizers James Walker and Gene Thorn, DNR wildlife biologists. “The display is a tremendous draw to West Virginia’s Celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day attracting thousands of visitors annually.” Participation for trophy bucks will be limited to the first 30 qualifying trophy entries received. As an incentive for participation, hunters who display their trophy deer at the two-day
event will be entered into an exclusive drawing for several valuable prizes. Participation for trophy fish will be limited to 25 qualifying trophy entries to be determined by the selection committee. No more than five individuals of any species will be accepted. As an incentive for participation, each angler who displays his or her trophy fish mount at the two-day event will be eligible to win one of five $100 gift certificates. Prizes will be picked randomly.
Interested hunters and anglers who have qualifying head, antler mounts and qualifying fish mounts should contact James Walker for fish or Gene Thorn for bucks at 304-924-6211 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. or email James.A.Walker@wv.gov or Eugene.R.Thorn@wv.gov for additional information. Registration forms also can be found on the DNR website at www.wvdnr.gov . Look under “Special Opportunities, National Hunting & Fishing Days”.
West Virginia Big Buck Contest Begins with Bow Season SOUTH CHARLESTON, WV The September 28 opening of the bow hunting season for deer marks the beginning of the annual West Virginia Big Buck Contest. Antlered deer, taken between September 28 and December 31, 2013, are eligible to be scored and entered. “Any hunter who bags a deer in West Virginia with antlers having eight or more points, a 26inch beam length and points that are more than eight inches
long may have a winning buck,” according to Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Biologist Gene Thorn. “Antlers will be measured according to the official scoring system for North American big game animals established by the Boone and Crockett Club.” Plaques will be awarded to eight first-place winners for typical and non-typical bucks in gun, bow, muzzleloader and crossbow (physically chal-
lenged) categories at next year’s National Hunting and Fishing Day Celebration, which will be held at Stonewall Resort State Park on the fourth weekend in September. Gun and muzzleloader hunters whose bucks score more than 140 points typical or 165 non-typical will receive certificates commemorating the entry of their bucks into the West Virginia Big Buck Contest and Records Keeping Program.
Bowhunters or physically challenged crossbow hunters whose bucks score more than 125 points typical or 155 non-typical will also receive certificates. There were 189 new entries into the West Virginia Big Buck Records last year that were taken during the 2012 season. The season total showed 22 bucks taken by gun, one by muzzleloader, 65 by bow and none by crossbows (physically challenged) that qualified for the West Virginia Big
Buck Contest. Bucks taken in previous years may still be scored for a certificate and entry into the records if they meet the minimum score. The DNR, Izaak Walton League of West Virginia, West Virginia Bowhunters Association, West Virginia Muzzle Loaders Association, West Virginia Physically Challenged Advisory Board and Toyota are again sponsoring the contest. Many hunters have their deer scored by a team of official measurers during the West Virginia Hunting and Fishing Show, which is held in late January at the Charleston Civic CenOutdoor session, including unlimited outfit changes and props ter. : One to 20 people in portraits A list of Official Measurers is 50 to 75 images on a cd with copyright release maintained on the DNR’s website: All shots edited inAdobe Photoshop www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/BigUnlimited touch-ups BuckContest.shtm, or successful Color, B&W and other enhancements hunters can contact any DNR disAbove package $120 trict office for additional informaPortraits edited and returned to you in three to five days tion. Appointments must be Call Waybright Photography at made for scoring trophies.
Schedule your Fall Portrait Session Now! • • • • • • • •
(304) 382-6561 to schedule your session.