The Middle River Group, LLC

fly fishing, conservation and politics.

TNV columns

Teaching our kids to fish

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Two weeks ago, I had a chance to spend some time at the Western Virginia Sports Show. Mark Hanger, the producer and owner of the show impressed me with his commitment to conservation and getting families interested in the great outdoors.

When I caught up with Hanger at the show I asked him how the attendance was. He told me it was better than they expected given the economy, then he made an interesting observation.

“The only thing we can point to is they want to be happy for a while, they don’t want to hear any bad news. They want to be enlightened, entertained and come out and spend some time with their family at a reasonable cost and have some good entertainment,” he said.

In his show brochure Hanger said “on your next trip, take a young person with you and teach them to love, respect and enjoy God’s great outdoors.”

I asked him about getting kids into the outdoors.

“There is no doubt about it that that is the most important because it is our future. If we don’t get children in the outdoors, then our sports are going to diminish and be gone forever,” he said.

Hanger pointed out a number of educational elements at the show including the Bucks, Bows and Does, Outdoor Adventure archery education trailer and the show’s wild game display.

A great example of getting kids engaged in the outdoors was the Orange County High School Anglers Club. They are a 4-H and Junior B.A.S.S. Federation Nation club.

The club is made up of students ages 11 to 19 who love to bass fish competitively.

I spoke with Becky Gore, the club’s advisor. Gore is a teacher and a former coach. She is the power house behind the club and a joy to talk with. If every school in the Valley can find a Becky Gore, then fishing will have a very bright future.

Gore told me how she got the club started.

“In 1999, about ten years after my husband had died, I had just gotten my kids in college. I decided I wanted to start fishing again, so I went to the high school principal and said I would like to start a fishing club and she said ‘sure, go for it,’ ” Gore said. “We have three entities, we were first 4-H and the high school together, and then the B.A.S.S. Federation found out about me and they were trying to implement a youth program in Virginia. They called me up and asked me if would I be interested. I asked what they could do for my kids. They said they could advance to a world level. I said ‘Sure, let’s do it.’ Plus, they mentioned the word scholarship and I jumped on it.”

Gore told me what other high schools could do to get do to get the program started. She ticked these items.

“You’ve got to have someone who loves kids and loves being with kids and is willing to do it without getting compensated,” she said. “You’ve got to have some kids that are interested. Once those kids approach that principal and say ‘We want a bass club,’ then that principal may go out or tell those kids, ‘Well, you find a sponsor and then we will do it.’ ”

Gore told me the kids can receive their high school letter if they meet the criteria. She has developed that criteria and told me that all another coach or teacher needs to do is contact her and she would be happy to share it with them.

“And that is the other cool thing about this, it’s parents and kids working together,” she said. “And the other thing I have tried to do is give the kids an opportunity to be with their parents. Be with their dads or moms out on the water on a Saturday or Sunday.”

Gore credits the parents, students and her volunteers for making the program a success. She considers them all family.

Nothing is more important for the future of hunting and fishing than helping the next generation learn about the sports we love. Let’s all do a little more where we can.

Survival at the Big Game Show

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One of the great things about sports shows, besides seeing all the new gear and shopping for special deals, is the wealth of information you can get for free. It’s also amazing what you can learn if you just ask a couple of questions.

Sunday I went to the Greater Virginia Sports and Big Game Show at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds. Stacey Rowe, who along with her husband Max, owns and manages the show explained one of the show’s main goals.

“Our passion is getting others involved in the outdoors,” Rowe said. “And if you can take one person and get them involved then it is kind of like a chain reaction.”

One person who takes a very interesting approach to getting folks engaged in the outdoors is Tim MacWelch, founder and head instructor of the Earth Connection School of Wilderness Survival.

Earth Connections offers more than twenty classes in subjects like wilderness survival, primitive technology, deer hide tanning, friction fire making and wild, edible plants. The school has two locations, a 10-acre farm in Somerville and another sixteen-acre wooded lot near Durham, N.C.

Outdoor skills are as important as they are interesting. No one goes on a hike or a hunting or fishing trip with the idea they might get injured or lost, but it happens. Hunters, anglers or anyone who spends a lot of time in woods and mountains here in the Valley should have a basic understanding of wilderness survival.

“We teach as many things as we can put under the umbrella of self-preservation, self-sufficiency and self-reliance,” said MacWelsh. “We teach modern wilderness survival with modern techniques, tools and technology and we teach primitive, Stone Age survival skills with sticks and mud and rock and dirt and string and whatever you can make out of the materials at hand.”

I asked MacWelsh what type of people came to his schools.

“We have one of the broadest demographics I have ever seen. I have high school kids up through retirees, who are from every possible region, every income level and all the adults we have come through [are] from every walk of life,” MacWelch said. “I have carpenters and doctors in the same class, I’ve got mechanics and lawyers in the same class. I’ve got computer people and I’ve got landscapers in the same classes.”

One of the most interesting things he showed me was how simple and easy it was to build a snare. He used a tabletop demonstration of a spring pole snare trap to teach me.

Here is how he explained it.

“What we have is a slender sapling, it’s a little tree and it is bent down under tension and its held in place by a string, which goes underneath of a hook and is held in place by a toggle. The toggle wants to slide out but it is held in place by a little small peg. The peg would have bait on it that would entice an animal to go in and investigate it and hopefully nudge it a little bit,” he said. “While they are investigating the peg they have their head through a noose to be able to reach that peg. And if they disengage the peg then the snare engages and hopefully they are caught around the neck or by the foot.”

The trap was pretty simple to build. Everything you needed could be built without tools. It was just a matter of finding a branch, breaking some twigs and adding a length of twine.

Like I said you can learn a lot if you ask a couple of questions.

You can enjoy another sports show and the National Archery in the Schools Program Tournament this weekend.

The 22nd Annual Western Virginia Sport Show takes place at Augusta Expoland in Fishersville today until March 1. You can get more information on the show’s Web site at westernvasportshow.com.

The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries is conducting the First Annual National Archery in the Schools Program Tournament on Saturday. The tournament is being held in cooperation with the Western Virginia Sport Show.

Take a kid or a friend and go enjoy the show.

Sporting Clays in the Valley

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If you enjoy shooting a shotgun and want to get out and have some fun, here is some good news for you.

The Valley has a couple of great sporting clay courses where you can really enjoy yourself.

Sporting clays started in England, but really took off in the United States in the 1980s.

The targets are thrown by machines, called traps, and replicate the flight of game birds like pheasants, grouse and ducks. Good courses present these targets in natural surroundings. Each course is laid out in a series of shooting stations.

Each station offers the shooter a challenge similar to one you might find while out hunting and can test the limits of shooting ability. You might see targets crossing in front of you, going through openings in the trees, going over your head, coming toward you or running and bouncing along the ground.

This past weekend I had the chance to visit two operations, the Flying Rabbit in Mount Crawford and Quail Ridge in Lexington.

My good friend John Alexander and his partner Rick Hill took over the operation at the Flying Rabbit last year. The course is located on Route 11 about one-and-a-half miles north of Route 257.

Alexander and Hill started working on the improvements to the Flying Rabbit in November. They changed the layout, added new stations and modernized the course by adding all electronically controlled traps.

Unlike many courses using mechanical traps that require an operator to accompany the group, at Flying Rabbit each group of shooters is given an electronic device that allows them to throw the targets.

“We are most proud of our control box,” said Alexander. “You can throw your own targets and shoot at your own pace.”

They will be expanding the operation with plans for both a five-stand course and wobble trap setup. Alexander told me the five-stand should be ready by March.

Flying Rabbit is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. until dark. They are open by appointment, Wednesdays through Fridays, call 574-2529. A round of 50 targets costs $20, a round of 100 targets costs $35. You can buy ammunition on site or bring your own.

There is a shooting league in the works and they have plans for fun shoots and tournaments as well.

Quail Ridge, open for sixteen years, is located at 336 Murat Road in Lexington. The sixteen-station course winds along a half-mile path along a wooded hillside.

All shooting is by appointment only so you need to call 463-1800 before you go. They are open from 9 a.m. until dusk Thursdays through Saturdays and noon until dusk on Sunday.

A round of 50 targets costs $20 a round of 100 targets is $30. You can buy ammunition on site and they have some basic accessories like glasses and hearing protection as well.

Quail Ridge is open to shooters of all ages.

“I started shooting trap competitively when I was 10 years old,” said Chris Salb, the owner of Quail Ridge. “There is no reason to stop youngsters from shooting.”

Quail Ridge hosts corporate events, charity shoots and tournaments.

Both operations offer instruction. If you are a bird or small game hunter and haven’t tried sporting clays, give it a try. If you just shoot trap or skeet, you may find sporting clays a welcome change of pace.

Buy Local

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These days it is hard not to be concerned about our national economy.

Closer to home we are all bearing the burdens of the economic hard times we face. Layoffs, bank mergers and going out of business signs are part of our daily life.

In times like these we should try and “buy local” whenever we can.

Here in the Valley we have some wonderful small businesses that provide the goods and services for hunting and fishing.

Hunting and fishing are economic engines that support our local economy. Not only do the sales of gear and equipment mean jobs for those who make and sell those things, but there are jobs and economic benefits beyond those businesses.

People who work in manufacturing and retail live in the local communities. They buy goods and services like food, cars, gas and hardware locally. They are our friends and neighbors.

In Virginia hunters and anglers historically spend more than $1 billion annually. That annual spending accounted for 24,000 jobs with salaries and wages of more than $680 million.

Here are a few of my favorite hunting and fishing businesses in the Valley. These are shops and businesses I have visited and are by no means the only ones in the Valley.

Are you a bow hunter? Did you know that Parker Bows are made right here in Mint Spring? That’s right, the Valley is home to one of the largest producers of compound bows and crossbows in the world.

Full disclosure here, my brother-in-law works there, so I won’t offer an opinion on the equipment. My point is that this is a local business employing local people, supporting the local economy making equipment for bow hunters.

You cannot buy the bows at the factory, you need to buy them from local dealers. Here in the Valley you can buy Parker Bows at Dominion Outdoors in Fishersville and the Rockingham County Farm Cooperatives.

Kevin Harris and Todd Reed started Dominion Outdoors with a small storefront in 1994. The new store off Tinkling Springs Road is a hunter’s and fisherman’s delight.

If there is a local “one-stop shop” for hunting and fishing gear Dominion Outdoors fits the bill. They strive for good customer service and in my case succeeded.

They have a complete archery department, of course with a bow technician on site to help with set up.

The gun racks and cases hold hundreds of rifles, shotguns and pistols. They are well stocked with ammunition and shooting supplies and have a gunsmith on hand as well.

The clerk behind the counter in the fishing department was very friendly and helpful. They have a wide selection of conventional rods, reels and fishing tackle although they were a little thin on the fly-fishing gear.

Besides hunting and fishing gear you will find clothing and footwear to meet just about every outdoor need.

Because of his work with the Izaak Walton League of America I am a big fan of Jon Ritenour and his Homestead Gun Shop in Harrisonburg.

Besides selling guns, ammo and shooting supplies, Ritenour is also a gunsmith.

His is an old time shop without frills, a shooter’s hangout. He is well known in the community and sought out by many for his views and advice.

Ritenour’s work as President of the Rockingham-Harrisonburg Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America is a great example of a local business giving back to the community of customers they serve.

For the fly-fishers there are three great shops here in the Valley.

Mossy Creek Fly Fishing is an Orvis shop in Harrisonburg. Brian and Colby Trow not only sell fly-fishing and fly tying gear and equipment, they also offer instruction and guided trips.

They have fishing trips to the mountains, spring creeks, private water or the James and Shenandoah Rivers. They teach fly fishing classes at their Orvis Endorsed Fly Fishing School in Harrisonburg or at Wintergreen Resort. They also offer fly tying clinics during the winter and fly tying classes year round.

Like Ritenour, the Trow brothers are involved in the local community. They are active in Trout Unlimited and Project Healing Waters, two groups I strongly support.

Harry Murray’s Fly Shop in Edinburg is another great shop. Murray’s local knowledge and skill has made him a legend. Murray routinely writes articles sharing his vast knowledge and experience with others.

He also offers lessons, guided trips and is always happy to give you the latest hot spots.

Over the mountain in Charlottesville is the Albemarle Angler. Along with fly-fishing gear they offer instruction and guided trips. Like Mossy Creek Fly Fishing they are involved in the local conservation efforts of Trout Unlimited. They are also strong supporters of Project Healing Waters.

The shop is billed as a “Sporting Lifestyle Outfitter”. They have lots more than just hunting and fishing gear. You can find dog beds, gift items and fancy sporting clothes as well.

These days of economic challenges make it tough for all of us. Here in the Valley we are fortunate to have friends and neighbors who work in businesses that make our days in the field or on the water better.

Next time you need some gear stop in your local shop and buy local.

There are two sports shows coming up at the end of the month.

The Greater Virginia Sports & Big Game Show kicks off its second year on Feb. 20 that runs through Feb. 22. The show is held at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds.

The show features hunting and fishing outfitters, vendors and experts giving demonstrations, seminars and advice. There will also be chances to win guided hunts and door prizes.You can get more information on the show’s Web site at http://www.vasportsshow.com

The 22nd Annual Western Virginia Sport Show takes place at Augusta Expoland in Fishersville Feb. 27 through March 1.

Along with hunting and fishing outfitters and vendors, the Western Virginia Sport Show offers free seminars, hourly door prize drawings, contests and demonstrations during the entire three-day event.

You can get more information on the show’s Web site at http://www.westernvasportshow.com

You can read more of my columns in the News Virginian.

The Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan

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A few weeks ago some colleagues of mine sent me a final copy of the Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan. The plan provides some great recommendations for conservation in this country.

In the plan, Valley hunters and conservationists can find a number of important policy actions that are important at the federal, state and local level.

It chronicles the efforts and captures the recommendations of the Sporting Conservation Council, a federally charted advisory committee, and others as they worked with the Council on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Department of Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other federal agencies to assist in the implementation of Executive Order 13443: Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation.

In August 2007, President Bush issued the order, directing federal agencies “to facilitate the expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities and the management of game species and their habitat.”

The plan is the collaborative work product, crafted by members of the Sporting Conservation Council, conservation and hunting organizations, state agency volunteers and others. This final version was released in December.

The chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality was tasked with organizing and holding the White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy. In addition, the executive order requires that a ten-year Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan be prepared.

That was just the first step. The Sporting Conservation Council then started working on a framework for implementing it. Working with a variety of hunting and conservation groups, they drafted research papers on the various issues facing hunting and conservation in the United States.

The next step was to hold a conference with all the various groups to hash out those issues. The conference took place in Reno, Nev., in October.

Participants reviewed the council’s research and offered comments and ideas on how to enhance conservation and hunting in the next ten years.

Staff from the U.S. Department of Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Council on Environmental Quality held meetings and briefings with various stakeholder groups to get more comments and suggestions.

This final plan is the result of many meetings, workshops and discussions with federal, state, local and tribal government officials, members of Congress and their staffs, hunting and conservation organizations and private individuals.

There are seven focus or “topic” areas in the final plan. They are: Increasing Public and Private Funding for Wildlife Conservation; Improving Wildlife Habitat Conservation; Expanding Access to Public and Private Lands; Educating, Recruiting and Retaining Hunters; Coordinating Federal, State, Tribal and International Action; Understanding Climate Change and Wildlife Effects; and Conserving Wildlife and Developing Oil and Gas On Public Land.

All of these are important conservation challenges in their own right. Together, they provide a compelling list of opportunities for the Obama Administration and Congress.

From those seven topics, 58 action items were recommended. Let’s look at a few of these focus areas and actions in more detail.

Funding for fish and wildlife habitat conservation has long been a challenge in our country. Hunters and anglers have helped fund much of the important conservation work of the last century.

Unfortunately, the conservation needs to far exceed the current funding levels. In the future, creative ideas will be needed to fund conservation and outdoor recreation.

The plan recommends looking to climate change legislation and dedicating some of the adaptation funding for wildlife, habitat and conservation education. It also recommends creating incentive-based programs for private landowners to maintain and increase habitat and encourage public access for hunting opportunities.

When it comes to increasing access to private land, the plan offers a key recommendation. To remove uncertainty about liability, create model state legislation so landowners are protected if they provide public access to their property.

For public land the plan recommends establishing a “one-stop-shop” Web site with information on hunting opportunities on federal land. By the way, here in Virginia we already have that for state land.

Hunter recruitment and retention is essential for conservation and outdoor recreation. The plan recommends some important actions.

Taking a page from the fishing and boating community, the plan recommends creating a Hunting and Shooting Heritage Foundation patterned after the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation.

These days it is essential to connect with young people through the medium they use most. Social marketing offers a great opportunity. Action steps in the plan include using tools like YouTube and Facebook to reach the next generation of hunters and anglers.

Another excellent suggestion is waiving or discounting any entrance fees to federal land for veterans and active duty military personnel. The plan recommends this for hunting on federal land. Extending that for all recreation and on state lands, as well also makes a lot of sense.

This plan is full of lots more great suggestions for hunting and conservation. It is well worth your time to read it. Being better informed on what can be done to protect and promote our hunting heritage and protect and conserve fish and wildlife habitat is essential.

For more information on the Executive Order on Facilitation of Hunting Heritage and Wildlife Conservation or the White House Conference on North American Wildlife Policy go to http://wildlifeconservation.gov/

You can get a copy of The Recreational Hunting and Wildlife Conservation Plan at: http://wildlifeconservation.gov/documents/RecHuntingActionPlan11009dp.pdf

You can read more of my columns in the News Virginian.

A Look at the George Washington National Forest Plan

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Valley hunters, anglers and outdoor recreationists of all forms need to take some time and pay attention to the George Washington National Forest’s Land and Resource Management Plan revision process. As the schedule now stands, the draft plan may be ready in late spring 2009.

According to their Web site, “The purpose of this land management plan is to provide broad guidance and information for project and activity decision making needed to manage the George Washington National Forest [GW].”

The forest’s planning staff has been holding public workshops on various aspects of the plan revisions since early 2007. Two more workshops are coming up with the subject: Forest Plan Components, fitting the workshops and other information together toward a Draft Plan.

There is a workshop today from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Rockbridge Co. High School in Lexington and another on Feb. 5 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Peter Muhlenberg Middle School in Woodstock.

The U.S. Forest Service held seven public meetings last March to introduce people to the Forest Plan revision process. In July, five meetings were held to continue the discussions on changes needed and what to concentrate on in the Forest Plan revision process.

This fall workshops were held to discuss three different subjects, Vegetation Management, Road and Trail Access and Wilderness, Roadless and Potential Wilderness Areas.

These workshops are the most important ones for recreational users. The challenges surrounding access, timber harvesting, wilderness designations and off road vehicle use can really get people’s blood boiling.

Of special interest is the amount of Potential Wilderness Area and the impact that could have on hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation.

Let me be clear from the outset. Because land is included in a Potential Wilderness Area doesn’t change the way it is managed today. Only Congress has the authority to designate wilderness.

Today, 37 areas totaling 370,000 acres are identified as Potential Wilderness Areas in the George Washington National Forest. An additional 42,000 acres are designated Wilderness Area and 7,700 acres are National Scenic Areas. That represents just over 40 percent of the forest.

Don’t get me wrong Wilderness Areas are great. They provide a number of very important ecological and recreational benefits. They are some of my favorite places to fish and hunt.

Having more in the George Washington National Forest is a good idea. Where they are is going to be the challenge.

Most types of recreational uses are allowed in Wilderness Areas except those involving motorized equipment.

Wilderness Areas by federal law have significant restrictions, however. Timber harvesting, road building, clearing and waterhole development, and other wildlife management techniques cannot be performed in Wilderness Areas.

These activities, if done correctly, are important tools for enhancing recreational activities. If the land base available for wildlife habitat management is significantly reduced then hunting could suffer.

Over the years, the U.S. Forest Service, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries along with the National Wild Turkey Federation and the Ruffed Grouse Society have invested manpower and money developing and maintaining wildlife habitats.

Some of the lands identified for Potential Wilderness Area include many existing wildlife habitat developments, including clearings and waterholes. These wildlife clearings provide much-needed habitat. Designating all these areas as Wilderness could eliminate these clearings as natural succession returns them over time to a forested state.

Much of this area is popular with wildlife recreational users who depend on the George Washington National Forest for access to wildlife populations. Fishing for native Brook Trout takes place in some of these areas. Bear, deer, turkey, ruffed grouse, raccoon, rabbit, squirrel and other species are hunted in these areas. The wildlife habitat value of these lands has been enhanced by previous timber harvesting and wildlife habitat work.

So there needs to be a balance.

There is a lot of good information on the George Washington National Forest Plan Revision Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/gwj/forestplan/revision/index.shtml.

There you will find documents, schedules and how to make your views known.
I won’t kid you. This can be hard stuff to wade through. It takes time and effort to read all the information and comments. But our ability to enjoy our public lands requires engagement on our part.

Take some time to offer your thoughts to the Forest Service. Your ideas are just as important and count as much as the next guy’s, but only if you share them.

On a more personal note, thank you for the kind words about my friends Jim Range and Jean Ince. They were warmly appreciated.

Jim’s memorial service took place on Tuesday January 27, along the banks of the Potomac River at Fletchers Cove in Washington. More than 200 of his friends and colleagues joined with his family in celebrating his life and many accomplishments.

Mixed in with the copious tears were many moments of hearty laughter as those in attendance responded to tales and reflections of Range. His life was magic for all us and in celebrating his life we relived that magic.

You can go to JimRange.com to capture a glimpse of his remarkable life. The Web site, created to honor and memorialize his life, has a wonderful collection of stories, pictures and tributes to Range.