Our view: Hunting & fishing — Big business, bigger recreation


Published/Last Modified on Friday, March 12, 2010 3:59 PM EST

The Roanoke Valley is blessed with a unique blend of nature’s bounty — a roaring life-giving river, rich forestlands and two sparkling man-made lakes — all for our enjoyment and careful use.
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This tapestry of flora and fauna is the bedrock of an outdoor recreation industry that pumps millions into the Valley economy. Hunting and fishing help create, directly and indirectly, hundreds of jobs in Eastern North Carolina.

A rod and a reel, a few hours spent on the banks or in a boat offer relief from a tough day on the job, or these days perhaps a tougher day looking for one. Some time sitting quietly in a deer stand or walking through the grasslands looking for game-Some pols should be paranoidbird offer physical and mental recreation.

The great outdoors is one of our greatest treasures and most cherished traditions.

Hunting and fishing provided our earliest settlers sustenance and foundation for an agrarian culture and eventually the blooming of the Industrial Revolution.

Even as Valley residents moved toward a rural, urban lifestyle the joy of hunting and fishing was never forsaken.

That is still true today.

As spring arrives in the Valley and the stripers begin to run, anglers of all ages and sizes can be seen along the banks of the Roanoke and on boats crossing Lake Gaston and Roanoke Rapids Lake in hopes of hooking the big one, or just bringing home the night’s dinner.

The Daily Herald’s Valley Angler series began Wednesday, continues today on page 11 and finishes next week. It offers our readers a window on the hunting and fishing experiences awaiting them in the great outdoors. We urge you to read the series and learn more about hunting and fishing opportunities in our Valley community.

The possibilities are endless but these recreational opportunities come with responsibilities.

Obey the rules. Have the proper licenses and equipment. Think safety. Do not take an animal’s life simply for the sake of pulling the trigger or casting the line into the water.

Our role is to enjoy flora and fauna, protecting both from abuse or careless destruction and to ensure both flourish for future generations. It’s a big task with big rewards — it’s living with the great outdoors.

Copyright © 2010 Roanoke Daily Herald

Comments

    lynn wrote on Mar 21, 2010 7:23 PM:

    " I love to fish and take walks on the nature trails as much as the next person. even more so I long for the fishing areas and nature trails to be void of wildlife carcasses and garbage that is littered. balloon shaped signs of a lovers tryst is not something to celebrate. trash cans are in order in certain areas for people to use on all sides of the river and nature trails. if a visitor out of state or in state could see what I've had the misfortune of seeing they would not want to fish or take a walk. we all should adopt the habit of being responsbile for what we discard and where we discard it. fairy tales are great reading but reality stinks and is a eye sore. thank you Daily Herald for allowing me to post my opinion. "

    Nature Lover wrote on Mar 20, 2010 2:08 AM:

    " Our View, I am very sure you will not post this because it does not paint a pretty picture for anyone wishing to visit the Vally to fish in certain places. I invite you to take a short trip. Go to the Public Boat Landing under the Gaston Bridge, look around and see if you would invite a friend to fish from the beautiful banks. Look to your right as you get half way, you will see a rotted deer, mostly bones by now. Go straight down and look to your right, you will see another rotting deer still stinking. Go about 30 ft. and there is another deer, mostly bones and it is on the river bank.Go around the curve where the Port A Johns are and there is another rotting deer, a big pile of paint cans, etc. There is trash and beer bottles every where. Time will not allow me to inform you of much, much more filth and I am sure you are tired of reading this if you read it at all. If you decide to take a look, don't forget to take your camera. "

    Nature Lover wrote on Mar 13, 2010 12:03 AM:

    " This article is very well written and I agree, the possibilities are endless. There is one problem no one seems to care to address, I know I am not the only one aware of this. They are certain people that shoot fox, coon, skunk, buzzard and anything else that crosses their path. They also shoot any size deer in or out of season, they cut the tenderloin out and leave the rest to rot. I have seen plenty of cat fish thrown on the bank or in the bushes to die. I have seen people doing drugs in fishing areas not caring to hide it. There are some places no one can walk due to so many condoms. We should have more supervision from Game Wardens and the Sheriffs Dept.
    I have been very careful to obey the rules on posting comments therefore I really hope to see this posted. I have pictures to back up my statements. "

    James wrote on Mar 12, 2010 9:13 PM:

    " I agree with all that you have to say, the problem stems from the hunters dogs running and chasing deer, then the hunters claiming to have the right to enter you posted property in search of their dogs. This just seems wrong. I thought hunting was learning about your prey and stalking it, giving it an even chance, not running it senseless and standing around until the poor animal crosses the road so you can shhot it. "

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