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Thought the guys who cross the border to WV to hunt deer might want to se this.......
DNR to cut back on doe hunting in several counties
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS - 02.28.05
CHARLESTON (AP) — West Virginia wildlife officials want to ease up on the state’s female deer population by closing the state’s antlerless deer seasons in all or part of 13 counties for 2005.
Top biologists with the state Division of Natural Resources proposed the dramatic changes at the Natural Resources Commission’s quarterly meeting Sunday in Charleston.
If commission members approve the changes at their April meeting, the 2005 antlerless deer season also would be restricted to 18 days with limited numbers of lottery-drawn permits in six others, and restricted to 18 days with a one deer limit in 10 others.
Last year, the state allowed 22 days of unlimited, high limit antlerless deer hunting in 47 of the state’s 55 counties.
“A lot of people are going to want to believe that we were pressured into making these changes by hunters’ complaints of too few deer,†said Curtis Taylor, the DNR’s chief of wildlife resources. “That’s not the case. We’re only doing what our deer management plan tells us to do.â€
That plan prescribes a particular level of antlerless deer hunting based on a county or area’s overall deer population.
“In counties or parts of counties where deer numbers had fallen below our prescribed levels, we closed the seasons,†Taylor said. “In counties that were borderline one way or the other, we continued to allow antlerless deer hunting on a limited basis. In counties where hunters still aren’t killing enough deer, we continued with liberal regulations.â€
Under the proposal, antlerless deer season would be closed in Boone, Clay, Fayette, northern Greenbrier, southeastern Kanawha, Mercer, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Raleigh, Tucker, southern Wayne and Webster counties.
Restricted numbers of lottery-drawn permits would be made available for an 18-day season in Braxton, the rest of Kanawha, Lincoln, western Pendleton, Summers and northern Wayne counties. Unlimited numbers of sportsmen would be allowed to hunt antlerless deer for 18 days in Barbour, Cabell, Calhoun, Gilmer, Grant, southern Greenbrier, Monroe, western Preston, Roane and Upshur counties, but those hunters would be restricted to a one deer limit.
The rest of the state would retain last year’s regulations:
unlimited numbers of permits, a 22-day season, and a three to four deer limit, depending on the number of unfilled tags in hunters’ possession.
“I think sportsmen will be happy with the regulations being proposed,†said DNR Director Frank Jezioro. “People were concerned that the deer population had declined too much in some areas, and rightly so.â€
Other changes proposed Sunday, which will be considered at the commission’s July meeting, include:
* Deer hunters would be allowed to take no more than three bucks in any given year.
* The no-dog season for bear hunters would be expanded from six days to four weeks in western Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Hampshire, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, eastern Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, western Monroe, Morgan, Putnam, Summers, Upshur, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
* Starting with the 2006 season, deer baiting would be prohibited between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
* Starting with the 2006-2007 season, restrictions on the placement of beaver traps would be lifted.
* Effective in the 2006 season, the statewide daily limit for trout would be six. Current regulations call for a four fish limit on some waters and a six fish limit on others.
* Also effective in 2006, Ohio River smallmouth, spotted and largemouth bass would be subject to catch-and-release regulations during the months of April and May.
* In 2006, an 18-inch minimum size limit and a two-fish creel limit would go into effect for Ohio River walleye. A 24-inch minimum size limit and a two-fish creel limit would go into effect for Ohio River blue catfish.
* In 2006, waters currently open to trotline and drop-line fishing also would be open to jug fishing.
DNR officials will ask for public comment at 17 meetings throughout the state in March.
DNR to cut back on doe hunting in several counties
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS - 02.28.05
CHARLESTON (AP) — West Virginia wildlife officials want to ease up on the state’s female deer population by closing the state’s antlerless deer seasons in all or part of 13 counties for 2005.
Top biologists with the state Division of Natural Resources proposed the dramatic changes at the Natural Resources Commission’s quarterly meeting Sunday in Charleston.
If commission members approve the changes at their April meeting, the 2005 antlerless deer season also would be restricted to 18 days with limited numbers of lottery-drawn permits in six others, and restricted to 18 days with a one deer limit in 10 others.
Last year, the state allowed 22 days of unlimited, high limit antlerless deer hunting in 47 of the state’s 55 counties.
“A lot of people are going to want to believe that we were pressured into making these changes by hunters’ complaints of too few deer,†said Curtis Taylor, the DNR’s chief of wildlife resources. “That’s not the case. We’re only doing what our deer management plan tells us to do.â€
That plan prescribes a particular level of antlerless deer hunting based on a county or area’s overall deer population.
“In counties or parts of counties where deer numbers had fallen below our prescribed levels, we closed the seasons,†Taylor said. “In counties that were borderline one way or the other, we continued to allow antlerless deer hunting on a limited basis. In counties where hunters still aren’t killing enough deer, we continued with liberal regulations.â€
Under the proposal, antlerless deer season would be closed in Boone, Clay, Fayette, northern Greenbrier, southeastern Kanawha, Mercer, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Raleigh, Tucker, southern Wayne and Webster counties.
Restricted numbers of lottery-drawn permits would be made available for an 18-day season in Braxton, the rest of Kanawha, Lincoln, western Pendleton, Summers and northern Wayne counties. Unlimited numbers of sportsmen would be allowed to hunt antlerless deer for 18 days in Barbour, Cabell, Calhoun, Gilmer, Grant, southern Greenbrier, Monroe, western Preston, Roane and Upshur counties, but those hunters would be restricted to a one deer limit.
The rest of the state would retain last year’s regulations:
unlimited numbers of permits, a 22-day season, and a three to four deer limit, depending on the number of unfilled tags in hunters’ possession.
“I think sportsmen will be happy with the regulations being proposed,†said DNR Director Frank Jezioro. “People were concerned that the deer population had declined too much in some areas, and rightly so.â€
Other changes proposed Sunday, which will be considered at the commission’s July meeting, include:
* Deer hunters would be allowed to take no more than three bucks in any given year.
* The no-dog season for bear hunters would be expanded from six days to four weeks in western Barbour, Berkeley, Braxton, Cabell, Clay, Hampshire, Jefferson, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Mason, McDowell, Mercer, eastern Mineral, Mingo, Monongalia, western Monroe, Morgan, Putnam, Summers, Upshur, Wayne and Wyoming counties.
* Starting with the 2006 season, deer baiting would be prohibited between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31.
* Starting with the 2006-2007 season, restrictions on the placement of beaver traps would be lifted.
* Effective in the 2006 season, the statewide daily limit for trout would be six. Current regulations call for a four fish limit on some waters and a six fish limit on others.
* Also effective in 2006, Ohio River smallmouth, spotted and largemouth bass would be subject to catch-and-release regulations during the months of April and May.
* In 2006, an 18-inch minimum size limit and a two-fish creel limit would go into effect for Ohio River walleye. A 24-inch minimum size limit and a two-fish creel limit would go into effect for Ohio River blue catfish.
* In 2006, waters currently open to trotline and drop-line fishing also would be open to jug fishing.
DNR officials will ask for public comment at 17 meetings throughout the state in March.
