YOU Can help STOP the IDIOTS

Report hunting and fishing law violations to West Virginia DNR

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – It's easy to report hunting or fishing law violations in West Virginia, and those reports are helpful in protecting the state's wildlife.
"Anyone who witnesses or is aware of hunting and fishing law violations can call the closest DNR district office, 911 or provide information on the DNR website," said Col Jerry Jenkins, chief of the DNR Law Enforcement Section. "We are doing this to ensure a quicker response to the violations reported by the public."
For non-emergency calls or questions, or to report questionable hunting or fishing activity, telephone calls should be made directly to the closest of six DNR district offices.
For emergencies or to report game law violations in progress, calls should go to local 911 centers or use the DNR website reporting at www.wvdnr.gov/LEnforce/Poachers.shtm which sends information directly to a Natural Resources Police Officer for immediate response.
"Call immediately, any time, day or night, if you see something going on in violation of the state's wildlife laws," said Col. Jenkins. "
When calling, please provide the following information, if known, to a West Virginia Natural Resources Police Officer:

• the nature of the violation;
• the location of the violation;
• the name and/or description of the violator;
• a description of any vehicle and license number  or boat involved in the violation;
• any other important information which will assist in apprehending the violator.

WVDNR Law Enforcement District Offices
District 1 – Farmington 304-825-6787 (Barbour, Brooke, Hancock, Harrison, Marshall, Marion, Monongalia, Ohio, Preston, Taylor, Tucker and Wetzel counties)
District 2 – Romney 304-822-3551 (Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton counties)
District 3 – Elkins 304-637-0245 (Braxton, Clay, Lewis, Nicholas, Pocahontas, Randolph, Upshur and Webster counties)
District 4 – Beckley 304-256-6945 (Fayette, Greenbrier, McDowell, Mercer, Monroe, Raleigh, Summers and Wyoming counties)
District 5 – Nitro 304-759-0703 (Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln, Logan, Mason, Mingo, Putnam and Wayne counties)
District 6 – Parkersburg 304-420-4550 (Calhoun, Doddridge, Gilmer, Jackson, Pleasants, Tyler, Ritchie, Roane, Wirt and Wood counties)

**DNR**

I ROLLED MY OWN

.280 Remington

I enjoy watching some of the upper-North made for TV reality shows. The scenery is usually pretty good and you can actually see bits and pieces of life in remote regions.  The statement is invariably made that they have seven months of winter and a short four month growing season.  I always think; that’s about what we have here. I always think to myself that yes, they do have some brutal weather conditions but as far as I’m concerned once it is froze up; it doesn't make much difference how much colder it gets. They don’t have to get up and drive to a job miles away six days per week, either. They all have put away stores of smoked salmon and a moose and a couple of caribou sure can be stretched a lot farther than a couple of whitetails. I always believe that they don’t quite have it as hard as they would like for us to believe.

I was watching an episode recently; they were loading ammo for a moose hunt. The statement was made that they couldn't just go to the store and buy their ammo like everyone in the lower 48 can. Yeah, right. During the past decade it has been a challenge to find the ammo you actually want. I always have started in September to try and purchase my needed ammo supply. Some years I have been able to get what I wanted and other times I have had to settle for something that will just do. I found what I needed this year actually in-stock. But, I needed to buy tires. Alas a week later none was to be had. That was my final straw.

I broke out my reloading press which had been idle since 1987. I started gathering supplies and was lucky enough to find everything that I needed; locally! I already had a few hundred used cases for my two rifles; so I was set to go. One week later, I had more ammo loaded up than I will ever have a need for. Yep, a lifetime supply and more accurate than store bought. I’ll never have to go through the annual trying to find it hassle again. That feels real good.

I defrosted my freezer today and it really made me think. Down in the frozen depths were mushrooms, trout, asparagus, blackberries, strawberries, corn, beans and ramps. None of these were purchased from a store. There was a turkey and a little bit of venison in there, too. The venison is definitely running a bit low; but I’m sure that will change over the next couple of months. I have to admit that there are a few bags of store bought frozen peas in there. There are plenty of sugar snap peas, but I’m not shelling out a winter supply of the others. Been there and done that. That is also the reason I don’t grow black-eyed peas anymore, too.

I believe that if you sit back and think about it; we are in the same league as the homesteaders in the upper-North, Maybe they will put us on TV and we will become rich and famous. Not in one of those silly monster shows, either. Happy Thanksgiving and be thankful for what you have and what you can produce.

This is my November 2014 Article for the printed edition of Two-Lane Livin

(c) 2014 High Virginia Outdoors Photos (c) 2014 High Virginia Images ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

DONE

Black Birch

Last call...Its over. Let the desolation begin. The final leaves are falling and I don't like what I can now see. Six months of bleak on the horizon. Shades of brown and gray. It gets even worse; at times there will be white. Yes, it is winding down time. renewal is far away.

I'm so glad that my freezer is full of Spring. I can just look inside and feel the warmth.

I don't care what others say about Japanese Knotweed..It makes a great fence; tall and green. Until the leaves fall.

Then it is DONE.

It Is Back

Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk

The leucistic Red-tailed Hawk has returned to the Childers Run Road area of Route 33 east of Buckhannon. Barb Sargent reported it last week. i didn't have anywhere to take the dogs to today; so I rode over there. I was hoping to get better photos than last year and accomplished the task. this shot isn't my best one of the day. But, it is the most interesting. It is having Fox Squirrel for lunch. You can also plainly see that it does not have a pink eye.

Its Not Too Late

Shaggy Mane

Shaggy Manes are still popping up this week. I have found several patches. I found these two on Monday in a spot that I have checked at least twice per week since the end of September. I have found shaggies in this spot for the last 8 years. I always found them during the first week of October. I figured that someone else had found them and already took them home.

This just fortifies what I have learned about predicting fungi this year. just when you think you have them figured out; you find out that you were wrong. I guess you just can't trust a mushroom.

Breakfast Oysters

Oyster Mushrooms

The year 2014 turned out to be a pretty good mushroom year for me. Actually, it was a good September and October after a very dismal start. WV had an antlerless deer season on private land from Thursday until Saturday. I was able to go for a few hours each day; morning and evening. I saw plenty of bucks, several turkeys and a bear; but no does.

Saturday evening I headed out for the last round and hadn't walked more than 50 yards from my truck; there they were on a poplar stump. The first Oyster Mushrooms I have found in 2 years!! I was satisfied with the find for the day; but about 20 minutes later I had venison to drag. It turned out to be a pretty productive hour.
That is the reason you have to keep on going; you never know when something good will happen. One thing that is for sure; you will not get anything if you are not out there. Oyster Mushrooms by their-selves are hard to beat but when you add fresh tenderloin; it makes a mighty fine Sunday morning breakfast.

(c)2014 High Virginia Outdoors Photos (c) High Virginia Images All Rights Reserved

ADVANCED SHAGOLOGY

Shaggy Manes

I do not normally have the chance to pick more mushrooms than I can actually eat. It does happen on occasion with Chicken of the woods and Oysters; but they are simple. Just cook and freeze. I kind of figure that anyone who has ever gathered mushrooms of more than one variety has at sometime placed some Shaggy Manes in the refrigerator for "tomorrow".

Tomorrow never came; did it? Yep that paper towel covered with black goo. Come on admit it now and move on.

I picked more Shaggy Manes than I could eat yesterday and started thinking a little. It doesn't hurt too much. Why do they turn to ink so quickly? It isn't the cold, I've seen live ones sticking up through the snow. Maybe, it is from being cut from the ground; but I've rode them around in the truck all day with no visible effect. Hmmm; maybe good old Oxygen is the culprit. I do tend to think up stuff; at times.

I took some left-over Shaggy Manes and put them in a zi-lock full of water, squeezed all of the air out of the top and put them in the refrigerator. Twenty-four hour later they looked like this? I blotted them real well with paper towels and cooked them. I am happy to report that they were as good as the fresh ones yesterday!! Now we all know...No more ink blobs.

(c) 2014 High Virginia Outdoors ALL Rights Reserved