Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 30, 1995 TAG: 9510310017
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Roanoke Ski Club's annual show is almost as reliable as the first snowflakes in pointing out that ski season is upon us. The ski show, celebrating its 15th season, is set for 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Tanglewood Holiday Inn. There will be representatives of ski resorts and travel agencies, displays of ski clothing and equipment, ski videos, door prizes, refreshments - and it's free. The public is invited.
The show isn't just a good opportunity to see what's new for the season, but also to sign up as a member of the club. With a membership comes the chance to meet skiers and learn about the sport at monthly gatherings. Club trips offer cost-saving outings to resorts in the Southeast and the West. If you can't make the show, additional information is available from Charlie Bates, 772-0809.
5 - Don't be last one to McAfee
November is an excellent month for hiking. The leaves have fallen enough to lengthen your views, the temperatures are cool, the air is clear and the crowds are gone. Well, maybe not entirely gone at McAfee Knob, the popular overlook on the Appalachian Trail in Roanoke County. If you've always wanted to go to the knob, but never made it, Sunday will be a good chance to see why the trail-head parking lot stays crowded much of the time.
The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club has scheduled a 1 p.m. hike to the knob. It is a seven-mile, round-trip outing that is rated moderate. The leaders are Jean Huffman, 540-268-5051, and Susan Barnett, 772-4273. Participants need to call one of them ahead of time.
The club sponsors a couple of hikes each week throughout the year, and has some interesting ones for November. They include a trip to Sharp Top in the Peaks of Otter area on Nov. 12 and to Shenandoah National Park on Nov. 26. The hikes are listed weekly on this page.
6 - Looking for the big buck
For many outdoorsmen, November means deer hunting, with the opening of the muzzleloading season on Nov. 6 and the general firearms season on Nov. 20. What's more, the early bow season continues through Nov. 18.
The experiences of bowhunters, who have been afield since Oct. 7, will give gun hunters a better idea of what to expect. For one thing, don't anticipate seeing huge numbers of deer, but what you do see will be a higher-than-normal percentage of bucks. There are some big bucks out there, too - big bodies, big racks.
The most novel part of the new season will be a liberalization of regulations that permit the use of telescopic sights on black-powder guns. With that option, if you have only a few days to hunt, the early muzzleloading season is a choice time The rut should be peaking about then, and even with the growing interest in muzzleloading, the woods shouldn't be crowded with hunters.
12 - Getting hot on the track
Ever wonder what kind of creature left that track you saw imprinted in the moist, bottomland earth? Maybe you can get the answer during a wildlife tracking seminar scheduled 12:30 p.m. Nov. 12 at Virginia's Explore Park.
Participants will be divided into three groups. Each group will cover a different aspect of wildlife tracking, then rotate to the next station. Subjects will include wildlife habitats and behavior, along with information on the places and times you are most likely to see wildlife, or at least their tracks.
The fee is $10 per person. The experience will involve hiking on moderate to difficult trails, said leader Jeanette Lawler. Dress warmly and wear sturdy shoes, she advises. Participants should register by calling 427-1800.
The evening before the tracking seminar, the park will present a program on using night-vision devices to observe nocturnal wildlife. The event will involve a short hike. The program begins at 4:30 p.m. There is a $5 fee and you should register with Lawler.
24 - The stripers are striking
The autumn-winter tidal striped bass season opened Oct. 17, but the fishing really won't get hot until the Chesapeake Bay cools. Last week, it was nearly 70 degrees at the mouth of the bay.
Smaller stripers typically are caught early, with the big fish showing up in late November and December, often along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. This year, there is plenty of time to catch the peak. The season extends through Dec. 31, which makes it the longest in recent memory.
by CNB