ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, September 30, 1996 TAG: 9610010015
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
MEMO: ***CORRECTION***
Published correction ran on October 1, 1996.
The Star City Chapter of Ducks Unlimited will hold its annual banquet
Thursday, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m., at the Roanoke Marriott. In one reference
on the Monday Outdoors Page the incorrect date was listed.
1 - Renaissance along the rivers
You go to a public launch site on the James or New river and there among the first of the fallen leaves of autumn are empty beer cans and discarded bait containers.
``Somebody ought to do something about that,'' you say.
Who? The county? The state? How about you?
That is the theme of the Fall River Renaissance, a campaign launched by Gov. George Allen, which encourages sportsmen, conservation organizations, corporations, community groups - anyone - to help improve the health of Virginia's waterways.
It is easy to get involved, said Anne Skalski of the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. ``Just organize a few buddies and do a litter cleanup on an area that you use,'' she said.
The campaign began Sept. 21, but there's plenty of time to get involved. It continues through Oct. 19.
Policing litter isn't the only activity. The program calls for volunteers to put out fish structures or erect wood duck nesting boxers or plant trees along streams to provide shade and erosion control. To aid the effort, the game department has a number of helpful publications, including a landowner's guide to managing streams, freshwater reef building and plans for wood duck nesting boxes. Contact Skalski, 804-367-6778.
3 - A Ducks Unlimited celebration
Maybe the annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet in Roanoke should be called a celebration this time, what with the largest fall migration of ducks in more than 20 years expected. Favorable weather in the nesting areas has played a role in the waterfowl buildup, but so have the contributions of DU. Since 1937, the organization has raised $968 million to conserve 7.38 million acres of wetland habitat. Much of that has come through DU banquets.
Roanoke's Star City Chapter banquet is 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Roanoke Marriott. Dinner will be served about 7 p.m. The banquet fee is $55 for singles; $80 for couples. Today is the last day for reservations. Contact John Ewald at 772-4459, or stop by his shop, Ewald Art & Frames, 4355 Starkey Road.
4 - Page turns on hunting dates
Turn the calendar to October and several popular hunting seasons pop up. The second portion of the dove season opens Friday and continues through Nov. 2. The bowhunting season for deer and turkey begins Saturday. The first portion of the duck season will be open Oct. 9-12. The snipe, coot, gallinule and merganser seasons also open Oct. 9. Raccoon hunting begins Oct. 15. Turkey, grouse and woodcock seasons open Oct. 28.
12 - Catch a bass; help a child
By mid-October, fall bass fishing should be improving on Smith Mountain Lake, just in time for the Virginia B.A.S.S. Federation Charity Open Tournament. Roger Fitchett, federation president, is expecting more than 100 participants. If so, the first-place pot will be worth $1,500.
The proceeds will be divided evenly between the Children's Miracle Network and the Virginia B.A.S.S. Federation Youth Fund, said Ed Rhodes, federation conservation director. If you need additional information, contact Fitchett at 757-428-4280.
Anglers scoring well at the federation event may want to show up at the lake the following Saturday for the Southwest Virginia Boat Dealers Association tournament out of Bay Roc Marina. This is an invitation-only tournament sponsored by boat dealers in the region. Contact area boat dealers for information.
13 - `Tyke Hykes' getting big< The Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club has a good thing going in its ``Tyke Hykes,'' so good it has scheduled its third of the season Oct. 13. This one is to Fullhardt Knob Shelter and will be followed by a hot dog roast.
The idea is to introduce youngsters to the joys of hiking. The leaders, who include Homer and Therese Witcher, are keeping the ventures reasonably short and not too demanding and they are making a wiener/marshmallow roast part of the activity.
On the last tyke hyke, a trip to Wilson Creek Shelter Aug.4, 52 people showed up, a huge crowd for an AT hike. Twenty-nine were youngsters.
``The kids were well-behaved, and so were most of the adults,'' said Homer Witcher. ``Outside of running out of mustard, I though the hike was well-organized.''
For information on the 1 p.m., two-mile hike to Fullhardt Knob contact the Witchers, 992-3932, or Bob and Kris Peckman, 366-7780.
LENGTH: Medium: 93 linesby CNB