ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, October 23, 1995                   TAG: 9510240081
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WHAT'S NEW

1. Hunters can mount scopes on their black-powder rifles during the special muzzleloading deer season. In the past, regulations called for open or peep sights only. This will be an ``eye-opener'' for older hunters who have problems lining up iron sights. Game officials believe the liberalization will add to the ranks of black-powder hunters, who numbered 80,000 and killed 30,000 deer last season. The special muzzleloading season is Nov. 6-18 and Dec. 18-Jan. 6.

2. If you plan to kill a turkey for Thanksgiving Day dinner, you'll need to get the job done early this year. For the first time in modern history, it will be illegal to hunt turkeys Thanksgiving Week. The general fall season has been shortened to six weeks, which is a two-to three-week reduction in the western section of the state. The weeks lost are from mid-November to mid-December, which has been a traditional time to go after the big birds.

Game officials hope to reduce the kill by about 50 percent in an effort to spark population growth. The season opens Oct. 30, a week earlier than in the past.

3. The quail population has been in a tailspin, a fact that will be reflected in a shorter season. The hunting dates are Nov. 27-Jan 31, which means birds hunters will move into the fields two weeks later than last season, and they will stay there a week less. The changes, ironically, come at a time when the quail population has taken an upsurge.

4. Migratory Canada geese haven't been laying many golden eggs lately. Or eggs of any kind. Their numbers are so low that for the first time in waterfowl management history there won't be a season on them anywhere in the Atlantic Flyway, which includes Virginia. A season for resident geese, the ones that have given up flying north every year, was held in September. While migratory birds decline, resident geese have been expanding to the point they are becoming a nuisance.

5. Roanoke County often is considered an urban area, but the deer don't seem to mind. The herd has grown to the point that wildlife officials say more liberal hunting regulations are necessary for herd control. For the first time, hunters will be able to kill antlerless deer on private land all 12 days of the firearm season. The same holds for Grayson County. Last season, the two counties had either-sex hunting for three days.

6. Older hunters grew up stalking deer in the national forests. In fact, that's was about the only place you could find them. But in recent years, there has been a major population shift. Herds have expanded on private property while they have held their own or declined on public land, especially the national forests. With that in mind, many counties will have a split season designed to reduce antlerless deer hunting on public lands. An example, either sex hunting will be restricted to Nov. 25 and Dec. 1 and 2 on public land in Alleghany, Augusta, Bath, Bland, Carroll, Craig, Giles, Highland, Montgomery, Pulaski, Roanoke, Rockbridge and Wythe counties. 

Memo: ***CORRECTION***
by CNB