ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 3, 1997 TAG: 9703040001
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN
7 - Turkey banquet filling
If you want a ticket to the annual Roanoke Valley Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation banquet Friday, you'd better act now. Last year, several late-comers showed up at the door and found the place packed. They could squeeze in, but chances of getting served were slim. It is expected to be the same this time. ``Our growing membership indicates that our limit of 300 tickets may be a sellout,'' said Dean Price, a chapter officer.
The federation is asking participants to secure tickets by Tuesday. Call Trebark Outfitters, 774-9007, or On Target, 563-8194, and reserve them with a credit card, then pick them up at the door. The fee is $45 for singles and $65 for couples. The price includes federation membership and a monthly magazine. The banquet will be held at the Roanoke Airport Marriott, starting with a 6 p.m. social hour and dinner at 7:30 p.m.
8 - Turkey contest in Hillsville
The Virginia Highlands Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation has been sponsoring a popular, daylong hunting expo and calling contest in Hillsville for seven years. The club chooses this format for its fund-raising efforts, rather than sponsoring a banquet.
This year's expo will be the site of the national federation's sanctioned Virginia turkey-calling contest. Open to Virginia residents only, the competition is a qualifying event leading to the 1998 national championship. This will be the first time in recent years the state contest has been held outside Richmond, said Linvol Webb of the Virginia Highlands Chapter.
The program, scheduled Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Carroll County High School, will feature exhibits and a seminar by Mark Drury of M.A.D. calls. Admission is $5, and there are additional fees for competitors. The state contest is 4-5 p.m. The expo also is sponsored by Trebark Camouflage. Information is available from Webb, (540)398-3253, and Stacy Surratt, (540)398-2733.
8 - Giving grouse a hand
Maybe you don't think grouse need much help. They can outsmart a dog. They can scare you half to death when they flush. They are difficult to hit with a shotgun. But grouse hunters know better than anyone that their favorite bird needs a hand. And that's what the annual Virginia Mountain Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society has in mind with its annual banquet at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood.
Money raised at the banquet - this is the chapter's ninth - goes toward research and habitat enhancement for this upland game bird. Tickets are $45 ($65 for couples), and the fee includes a membership in the society. Ticket information is available from Robin Leonard of Bedford, 297-1014.
9 - Building a trail bridge
Maybe the members of the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club can't call it a bridge to the 21st century, but they hope the structure they plan for Indian Branch in Roanoke County will last well into the new century. The old bridge, made of native materials, is giving way. A new one, scheduled to be built Sunday, will be made of treated materials, said Charlie Parry, the club's trail supervisor.
Workers are needed because the project, located south of Virginia 785, isn't just a matter of sawing and hammering, but also of carrying materials. Volunteers can give a full or half-day of help. One group will meet at 8:30 a.m. and another at 1 p.m. For information, contact Parry in Blacksburg, (540)951-1402, or Don Nulp, 774-8618, for the morning departure, and Peggy Bryant, 343-2084, for the afternoon departure. If you can't make this work hike, the club soon will announce bridge work days in May for the trail to McAfee Knob.
15 - Let the bass season begin
There are a couple of earlier bass tournaments in Virginia, but the one that kicks off the season at Smith Mountain Lake is the annual Ruritan Spring Partners Open. The water will be cold, but in past years, the bass have been on the prowl. At last year's tournament, 156 bass that weighed a total of 350 pounds were entered and released.
The tournament, now 18 years old, is based at the Smith Mountain Lake State Park launching ramp. You can register simply by showing up between 5:30 and 6:30 a.m. The entry fee is $50 per team. Additional information is available from Smith Mountain Ruritan Club members Russ Carrico, 297-2379, and Dan Ziegler, 297-7492.
20 - Time to talk hunting
Is the muzzleloading season too liberal? Should turkey hunting regulations be changed? These are the kinds of questions the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries' board will discuss March 20 and 21 during hearings in Richmond. The public is invited to be part of the regulation process. You can make your feelings known by writing the department in advance or by attending the meetings. Comments should be directed to Phil Smith, Regulatory Coordinator, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, 4010 W. Broad St., Richmond, 23230. The meetings begin at 10 a.m. at the Comfort Inn, 3200 W. Broad St., Richmond. Public hearings will be scheduled across the state following the March meeting. The proposals will get a final vote May 5 in Richmond.
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