Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, November 1, 1993 TAG: 9311030401
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bill Cocharn
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
If you are a hunter, this is your month. Virtually every species, from bears to bunnies, can be hunted some time during November.
A bunch of seasons open today: the two-week early muzzleloading season; the turkey season; the rabbit season; the fox season; the bobcat season. That has left a tough choice for some sportsmen: what to try first?
Quail season begins Nov. 8. The firearms deer season, which is the granddaddy of hunting events, starts Nov. 15. The bear season opens Nov. 22, but hound hunters will have to wait until Nov. 29. There's even a short reopening of the duck season, Nov. 25-27.
Already open is the bowhunting season, the grouse season, the squirrel season and the woodcock season.
\ 3 Time to talk skiing
For many people in this region the ski season begins Wednesday. No snow, you say? Maybe not, but that's when the 30-year-old Roanoke Ski Club holds its annual Ski Show. It will be 7 to 10 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood.
The show will feature displays and representatives from most mid-Atlantic resorts, travel agents, ski shops and other skiing-related organizations, according to Bill Franz, the organizer.
It is a fine time to learn about the club's ski trip schedule. The first trip is set for Snowshoe-Silver Creek on Dec. 12. The show will be heavy on socializing: door prizes, refreshments. And you get in free!
\ 7 Best seat in the house
One of the best seats in the house for viewing the beauty of autumn is found on a bicycle. That's one of the reasons the Blue Ridge Bicycle Club doesn't fold up at the end of the summer.
Two biking outings are planned by the club Nov. 7 that will provide considerable variety. One is a leisurely ride for beginners, the other is a mountain bike ride where the pace will be a tad tougher.
The beginners' ride is a 10-mile trip along the Roanoke River at a 5- to 10-mph pace. It begins at 2 p.m. at the Glenvar Library in Salem. If you've never participated in one of the club's events, this is a dandy chance. You must bring an ANSI approved helmet. The leader is Larry Rehfield, 989-4795.
The mountain bike ride will be in the Broad Run area, which has become a popular spot for fat-tire fans. Participants will gather 1 p.m. at the Broad Run Trading Post along Virginia 311, between Roanoke and New Castle. The ride is classified as ``intermediate'' and will cover 12 to 14 miles at a 12- mph pace. The leader is John Hammes, 772-0208. RSPV and bring your helmet.
\ 15 Back to basics for boaters
There are storm clouds on the horizon for boaters. An unusually high number of accidents this season, especially at Smith Mountain Lake, has some officials talking about licenses and mandatory training.
There is one way for boaters to avoid more cost and red tape. That's by being safe. And the best way to be safe is to "Know Before You Go." That's the name of the state's boating safety course. One of the last classes scheduled for 1993 is on Nov. 15 , 7 p.m. at the Safety Council of Southwest Virginia, 2728 Colonial Ave It is free, but you need to register by calling 344-4676.
\ 25 Will it be blues or turkey?
For many outdoorsmen, the Thanksgiving holidays mean - nope, it's not turkey - going to the Outer Banks of North Carolina after big bluefish. You never can be certain if nature will set a banquet table for you. The blues may be there; they may not be. Success rides on the whims of the weather, the baitfish and the blues.
On the positive side, big blues have moved into the ocean waters of Virginia. One charter boat, Our Dream, landed four citation fish (16 pounds or more) during a recent trip out of Rudee Inlet. The largest tipped the scales at an even 18 pounds.
\ 28 Just in time hikes
Just in time to walk off that Thanksgiving Day dinner, the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club has scheduled a ``strenuous'' hike for Nov. 28 (8:30 a.m.). It is along a 10-mile scenic stretch of trail in the Crabtree Falls-The Priest area. The leaders are Scott Shackelford, 345-8420, and Marilyn Peters, 774-7246.
If that hike is too tough for you, there is a ``moderate'' hike scheduled Nov. 27 (11 a.m.). This one is an eight-mile trip along Brush Mountain. The leaders are Zetta Campbell, 366-8165, and Neil Fitzpatrick, 989-6891.
by CNB