Photo by Robert Dalrymple

Results were favorable to elk in Virginia from yesterday’s Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Board meeting.

After about an hour of public comment, largely in opposition to the proposed regulation amendment (8 speaking against and 2 speaking in favor), the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries voted to table the proposed amendment that would have prohibited the hunting of Rocky Mountain elk in Virginia.

The Board also voted on and approved unanimously a motion to direct the Executive Director Bob Duncan to have staff develop an operational plan for the restoration and management of elk. Board members voting made it clear that they were not endorsing a restoration effort with this vote but simply requesting the development of a plan so they would have more information.

An outline of a proposed process and the elements for the plan were presented to the Board and approved. The elk plan will be developed with involvement of stakeholder groups and a draft will be presented to the Board at its April 2010 meeting. The process will include extensive public input and public comment.

The news coverage can be found here!

Photo by kuyman

By STEVE SZKOTAK (AP)

RICHMOND, Va. — More than 150 years after Virginia’s last native elk was killed, game officials may try to populate the state’s southwest corner with its bigger, buff-colored cousin — the Rocky Mountain elk.

They say bringing back an elk subspecies could offer hunters another big-game animal and boost tourism in rugged southwest Virginia, but farmers fear it also could infect their livestock with diseases and damage crops.

As it happens, some elk have already arrived.

An estimated 125 to 150 Rocky Mountain elk have wandered into Virginia from Kentucky, where a restoration effort is well under way. That state is now home to more than 11,000 of the animals spread over 16 southern and southeastern counties. They graze on the reclaimed remnants of strip mines and attract hunters and tourists who want to glimpse an elk or hear its haunting bugle.

Read more…

If you are wondering about elk in Virginia, read this!

Photo by Citroën Guy

MISSOULA, Mont.—Kentucky’s elk herd runneth over, and Virginia has decided to welcome the overflow and build a sustainable, huntable population of its own.

In August, the governing board of the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) voted unanimously to end unmanaged harvest of elk by state deer hunters. For years, any Virginian with a deer permit could shoot an elk wandering across the state line from Kentucky. That practice is expected to officially end this fall.

Additionally, the VDGIF board also moved toward an official elk reintroduction and management plan for southwestern Virginia.

“Kudos to conservation leaders in Virginia. Restoring a native game species to management levels is one of the highest achievements in conservation, and it’s great to see Virginia aspiring to that goal for elk,” said David Allen, RMEF president and CEO.

He added, “The Elk Foundation is extremely proud of the role we played in restoring elk to neighboring Kentucky. With a lot of money, technical assistance from our staff and support from our volunteers, we helped relocate over 1,500 elk to Kentucky between 1997 and 2002. Today that herd has more than 11,000 animals and offers incredible hunting opportunities with legitimate chances to take world-class bulls.”

Research shows that Kentucky elk have dispersed into four neighboring states with varying degrees of hospitality. Virginians originally wanted to keep elk out but now the culture appears to be changing, said Allen.

As an extension of its mission to ensure the future of elk, other wildlife and their habitat, RMEF promotes sound management of wild, free-ranging elk, which may be hunted or otherwise enjoyed.

A YouTube video clip of the VDGIF board discussion and vote is available at HuntingLife.com.

National Capital Area Chapter of National Wild Turkey Federation

Presents

JAKES YOUTH OUTDOOR EVENT

AGES 17 and under

Learn: Rifle, Shotgun, Archery, Fishing,

Turkey Hunting, and More!

*REGISTRATION IS LIMITED*

Deadline is September 1^st

Early registration is recommended

Saturday, September 19, 2009 @ 8 a.m.

Izaak Walton League of America, Centreville Virginia

Contacts: Kevin Walter  (484) 951-1275

Brian Gottfried  (571) 334-4645

Email:  briangottfried@hotmail.com

RAFFLES  -   PRIZES  -   FOOD   -   FUN!!!!

The Virginia state all volunteer leadership team put together a fantastic drawing in celebration of our 25th Anniversary of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.  We have 250 tickets for this drawing at $75.00 each or 2 tickets for $100.00 and this drawing will be held as soon we sell this raffle out.  We will be holding the drawing and Kevin Paulson with Hunting Life will personally be video taping the drawing so they can air the drawing on HuntingLife.com.

Get more information here.

Now these hunters and future hunters may not be related to me by blood! But, they sure as heck are related to me in the extended family of hunters!

The following pictures are of a friend Mathew Stanley, his niece and nephews. The bird was taken on 4.11.09 with a shotgun in Southern VA.

The little man to the blue shirt (Ethan) is going to be the next one in line to provide some tale fair! He loves hunting!

Making a wish

Is it a boy or a girl?!

Great bird Matty!

Look how excited these kids are!!!  We need to get more kids this excited about the outdoors!

I thought you would all be interested in seeing Bob Duncan Address the Old Dominion Chapter of the RMEF in Richmond, Virginia on March 14th, 2009 at their annual banquet.

Please share this link with anyone interested in elk, conservation, Virginia and/or the RMEF.

About the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation:
Snowy peaks, dark timber basins and grassy meadows. RMEF is leading an elk country initiative that has conserved or enhanced habitat on over 5.7 million acres land area equivalent to a swath three miles wide and stretching along the entire Continental Divide from Canada to Mexico. RMEF also works to open, secure and improve public access for hunting, fishing and other recreation. Get involved at http://www.rmef.org/or 800-CALL ELK.

BILLINGS (AP) — Sportsman’s Warehouse is closing 23 stores and selling another 15, including three in Montana.

Stuart Utgaard, the chairman and CEO of Sportsman’s Warehouse Holdings, says the company is struggling with bank debt in the face of a slow economy. He announced the sales and closures on Tuesday.

Stores in Missoula, Helena and Bozeman are among those being sold to UFA Cooperative Ltd. of Calgary, Alberta, Canada The stores in Billings and Casper, Wyo., will remain with the Midvale, Utah-based parent company.

Sportsman’s Warehouse has stores in 29 states, selling gear for hunting, camping, fishing and other outdoor pursuits.

UFA has a construction division and a network of retail stores and gas stations in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

You can read the detailed information here.

Wildlife biologists with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) have compiled preliminary figures for bear, deer and turkey harvests for the 2008-09 fall seasons. Wildlife Division Director Robert Ellis commented, “Notable results of the 2008-09 seasons include record black bear and white-tailed deer harvests. While the fall turkey harvest was down, clearly there is good hunting to be had in the Commonwealth.”

Black Bear – A record number of 2,204 bears were harvested during the 2008-09 Virginia bear seasons. The figure represents the combined kill from archery, muzzleloader, and firearms. Bear Project Leader Jaime Sajecki, noted, “This year’s record harvest was 35% higher than the previous record of 1,633 bears set in the 2006-07 bear seasons.” The harvest in 2007-08 was 1,517 bears. West Virginia also had a record bear harvest this year. Read more »

White-tailed Deer — During the 2008-09 deer season, a total of 253,678 deer were harvested by hunters in Virginia. Deer Project Leader Matt Knox, announced, “This new record represents a 4% increase from the 242,792 deer reported killed last year. The harvest is also 16% higher than the last 10 year average of 212,780 deer killed by hunters.” Read more »

Fall Wild Turkey — Fall turkey hunters harvested 3,505 birds in the 2008-09 season. This was 26% below last year’s reported kill (4,759 wild turkeys). Small Game Furbearer Program Manager Gary Norman indicated the harvest decline was a result of several factors including poor reproduction, good mast conditions and fall season regulation changes. Read more »

The Department would like to thank those hunters and game check stations for providing the wing feather samples so reproduction can be monitored. These data help the Department gain a better understanding of turkey population trends and harvests.

For more information about Black Bear, White-tailed Deer and Wild Turkeys, visit the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries website. The website also contains information about wildlife management, hunting regulations and hunting opportunities within the Commonwealth.

• Virginia’s Black Bear Management Plan (PDF) »
• Information about Black Bears in Virginia »
• Virginia’s White-tailed Deer Management Plan »
• Information about White-tailed Deer in Virginia »
• Information about Wild Turkeys in Virginia »