The moon and its various phases are given credit for much animal and fish behavior, including the deer rut. However, Dr. Leonard Lee Rue III, a noted authority on whitetail deer says, “Not so fast.” Here’s what he said in an interview with VDGIF.   There have been many myths associated with the full moon by humans over the past centuries. Before artificial lighting people … [Read more...]

By Sherman Shifflett   When the alarm clock went off at 4:30 AM Saturday morning, I rolled over and thought, "I'm 77 years old, retired. I don't have to do this anymore." But, oh yes I do. The primal urge to hunt and the call of the wild are strong motivators. So, I "un-assed that cot" as they used to say in the Army. With only four hours of sleep, I was dragging. I attended the … [Read more...]

  Louisa’s Sherman Shifflett says to beware of yellow jackets. They’re everywhere. “I talked to a friend tonight in Louisa who has been hunting for many years,” Sherman said. “ He said he has seen more yellow jackets in the woods this year than ever. Workdays at the hunt clubs have been difficult. In addition to the hot weather, we have also been plagued with yellow jackets and Japanese … [Read more...]

  By VDGIF   Dove season is underway, offering lots of exciting shooting opportunities in the coming months. Below is the Game Department’s assessment. The mourning dove is one of the most abundant bird species in North America and dove populations have been stable for the past 10 years. Population estimates are derived from leg-banding studies and breeding bird surveys … [Read more...]

  By Harry Murray At this time of the season the low, clear trout streams present us with a challenge which produces an exceptionally gratifying form of angling. The trout carefully select feeding stations which enable them to capture the greatest amount of food while exerting the least amount of energy. They are exceptionally wary now and since the natural food is sparse the largest … [Read more...]

By Jo Ann Abell   Snapping turtles are in a bit of trouble and the biggest threat is man While snapping turtles are the embodiment of turtles who shared the planet with dinosaurs for a time, they are now obliged to share it with the human species, a far bigger threat to its survival. Each year many females are hit by automobiles in their search for nesting sites, and hatchlings on … [Read more...]

By Bruce Ingram   Whitetop Laurel just might be the most unique trout stream in the Old Dominion. Located in Washington County in far Southwest Virginia near Damascus and Abingdon, Whitetop features mountainous scenery and classic trout habitat with plunge pools, runs, and pocket water. But as pristine as the setting is, the Virginia Creeper Trail runs along much of the stream, making … [Read more...]

By Sherman Shifflett   Covesville. It’s where I grew up. Covesville, Virginia (County of Albemarle) is located in a valley on Route 29, southwest of Charlottesville, near the Nelson County line. The area was originally settled by Scots-Irish immigrants from the Shenandoah Valley in the mid-1700s, though little of the early settlement remains. The road here was once the … [Read more...]

(Trumpet Vine) Got a couple letters from my articles last week – one concerning my search for the identification of a beautiful roadside bloom I saw. Hal Hurka wrote that it might be a Trumpet Vine. Says Hal, “I can’t tell from your photo if the flowers on the mystery plant are trumpet shaped or not. If they are, it is probably a Trumpet Vine or similar plant. We saw one years ago and my … [Read more...]

By Sherman Shifflett   (Ed Note: Farmers and backyard gardeners alike are all at the mercy of the weather, but anymore, we are also at the mercy of varmints. Here is an account of one gentleman farmer’s struggle with the thieving beasts.)   Dealing with varmints during the first six months of 2019 has been a real battle. Squirrels have been the worst. There's a Bartlett pear … [Read more...]