ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 7, 1996 TAG: 9610080012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
Hawk watching time
Q. I understand there is a spot on the Blue Ridge Parkway where you can go to watch hawks. Can you tell me the location? W.W.
A. For 19 years, Harvey's Knob has been a spot where local birders gather to observe the fall hawk migration. Most days in October you will find several expert birders at the knob who won't mind if you join them.
Take your binoculars, a hawk identification guide, sunglasses and a lawn chair, and don't be afraid to ask questions of the experts. The best viewing hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Harvey's Knob is located on the parkway between Roanoke and the Peaks of Otter near milepost 92.
Organized hawk watching also takes place at the Woodpecker Ridge Nature Center near Troutville. The center needs volunteers to help with the count. Contact Kathy Summers, 890-4984.
Fishing the Jackson
Q. I have heard that most of the Jackson River is unfishable by the general public. Does that include the area just below Gathright Dam? S.L.
A. The area immediately below the dam remains open to the public, because it is federal property. In addition, there are several public-access points along the river where fishing is legal, but riverfront space is quite limited.
You'd best avoid straying onto property where landowners claim king's grants. The Virginia Supreme Court recently ruled that certain landowners with titles dating to British land grants can control the fishing on the property. And some are doing just that.
To say the least, there is considerable confusion along the Jackson at this time.
Rafting the Gauley
Q. Can you tell me how much longer the rafting season will last on the Gauley River in West Virginia? E.B.
A. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is scheduled to release water into the Gauley through Sunday. The releases turn the river into one of the finest rafting trips in the country, and most of the outfitters located at the New River Gorge will float it every day in the fall. Members of the Roanoke Valley Chapter of Float Fishermen of Virginia also float it in a club raft, one of the advantages of being a part of the organization.
Have a question on the outdoors? Contact Bill Cochran, The Roanoke Times, P.O. Box 2491, Roanoke 24010; 540-981-3395.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB