Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 11, 1993 TAG: 9311110030
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
So when a perfectly legal but modest-sized buck approached his tree stand on lofty Potts Mountain one morning this week, he watched it stride by without firing his muzzle-loading rifle.
"It was maybe a four-pointer, or a little six-pointer," said Blankenship, who lives in Roanoke. "I knew there was a bigger deer in that area."
Blankenship has experienced the thrill of killing a big buck, of having the mounted head displayed in a trophy show, of watching friends and strangers take notice. He was recognized in the Virginia Big Game Show for a 10-pointer he killed in 1991. It scored 170. Last year, he killed two 8-pointers during the firearms season. Deer like these are worth the wait.
There's no guarantee, of course, that a big buck is going to come through after a smaller one; in fact, the woods can get awfully quiet and you can begin to do some second guessing when you pass up any buck.
But the vigil wasn't long this time. A couple hours after spotting the small buck, Blankenship heard some does running up the mountain behind him. They were kicking up leaves because a passionate buck was after them.
It was a 9-pointer, good enough to bring Blankenship's rifle to his shoulder. The buck carried a 24-inch outside spread and is expected to score in the high 150s under Virginia's measuring system.
The Blankenship buck is one of several trophies taken by black-powder hunters, who have seen their success climb sharply during recent days with the ardor of the rut kicking into gear.
"The bucks are definitely chasing the does," said Blankenship.
Mike Shifflett of Glasgow killed a 17-point buck that is expected to be a contender for the national record book.
Danny Neighbors got a 14-pointer on Bent Mountain.
A.H. Smith killed a 11-point, Giles County buck that dressed 180 pounds.
"It was several old hunters who said they'd never seen anything like it," said Smith, 73, who lives in Blacksburg.
The Mountain Lake area of the Jefferson National Forest has been a favorite hunting spot for Smith since 1942. He has three mounted deer on his wall, all from within 100 yards of where he killed his 11-pointer.
"Now I will have four," he said.
Denny Robinson of Pearisburg killed a 10-point buck that weighed 205-pounds field dressed.
John Blandford killed a massive 8-pointer one week and a 11-pointer the next on Floyd County hunts with his pastor, the Rev. Quigg Lawrence.
"Both times he went with me he had a buck within two hours," quipped Lawrence.
\ HELPING THE HUNGRY: While many hunters have been searching the woods for bucks, David Horne has been after bucks of another type: funds for the Hunters for the Hungry program.
The program is expected to distribute as much venison to the needy this year as last, but it could do more if funds were available, said Horne, its director. Limits have been placed on the number of deer processors can accept.
The program recently got a boost from the Virginia Game Warden Association and the Virginia Deer Hunters Association. The wardens donated $600 and the deer association just more than $1,000. This means more than another ton of deer can be processed.
Hunters and hunting clubs can contact Horne at 800-325-4868.
\ FISHING FACTS: Earl Campbell of Vinton won a citation for a 50-pound flathead catfish he landed at Santee Cooper, S.C.
Bill Adcock of Motley landed two citation rock bass or Roanoke bass at Leesville Lake. Their weights were 1 pound, 8 ounces and 1 pound, 10 ounces.
Leon Dalton of Radford caught white bass at Claytor Lake that weighed 2 pounds 14 ounces and 2 pounds, 15 ounces.
For additional fishing information, call InfoLine, 981-0100 or 382-0200 in New River, then press 3016.
by CNB