Michael A. Sawyers
In a little more than two months, probably sometime in March, the Maryland Wildlife and Heritage Service will conduct public hearings about changes to the hunting regulations that will be in effect from the fall of 2010 through the spring of 2012.
It is not too early for you to start thinking about changes you would like to see. And, quite frankly, if I were you and had an idea about a change to a regulation, I’d get it to them now so they can chew on it a little bit and consider it as an option before coming up with official proposals in March.
I don’t know where to tell you to send it. Try Pete Jayne. He deals with a lot of wildlife things. Cyber him at pjayne@dnr.state.md.us.
Maybe you are a turkey hunter who thinks the fall season of only six days is way too short. Maybe you think wild turkey hunting for either sex birds could also take place for another five days during that week after the rifle deer season ends, but before the late muzzleloader season starts.
Maybe you are a spring turkey hunter who thinks there is no good reason for making you leave the woods at noon instead of allowing you to hunt all day.
Could be that you are a person who has applied religiously for a bear hunting permit, but just can’t get lucky. Maybe you would want the state to triple the number of permits or just shorten the season or the harvest target and let everybody hunt. Kentucky does it.
I have a feeling that the state’s deer managers may manipulate our Region A deer bag limits a little. I’m not sure how and they haven’t shared anything with me. Just a feeling.
In fact, I have a feeling they may actually manipulate Region A, perhaps bringing Washington County into it. An enormous number of deer have been whacked and stacked in Washington County in recent years.
We all have different ideas about how our hunting regulations should be written, but I believe too that we share the common goal of wanting the best for our wildlife resources.
When the public hearings take place this coming spring, I encourage you to attend and participate. There is usually one scheduled in Cumberland.
And, for those of you who remember the movie “The Graduate,” there is this.
Mr. Robinson: “I have one word for you, Benjamin.”
Benjamin: “One word, Mr. Robinson?”
Mr. Robinson: “One word, Benjamin.”
Benjamin: “What is that, Mr. Robinson?”
Mr. Robinson: “Crossbows.”
Benjamin: “Crossbows, Mr. Robinson?”
Mr. Robinson: “Crossbows, Benjamin.”
As we approach the public regulation hearings, keep that word in mind... crossbows.
W.Va. trout
John McCoy, outdoor editor at the Charleston Gazette, recently reported that the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has plenty of trout to stock beginning this week, but is a bit concerned that the heavy snows will keep the hatchery trucks from getting to all of the waters.
Bear harvest gender
Of the 68 bears killed during the Maryland season in October, 27 were males and 41 were females.
Contact Michael A. Sawyers at msawyers@times-news.com.. His column and the Outdoors page will return to the Cumberland Times-News on Jan. 17.
