4H Field Trial winner announced

Jeff Buchanan of Roanoke and his German Wirehaired Pointer Jocko took first place in the 2022 Fall Botetourt 4-H Shoot-to-Retrieve Fun Field Trial. Points for dog work was used to break a tie between the competitors. Tommy Spellman of Troutville and his German Shorthair Pointer Bo took second place and Dave Jackson of Bedford and his Brittany Lucy took third.

4-H Shooting Ed and Hunting Skills Club has successful fun field trial

The Botetourt County 4-H Shooting Education and Hunting Skills Club had a great outing Saturday, Oct. 29 with its Fall Shoot-to-Retrieve Fun Field Trial held at Juniper Valley Shooting Preserve.

Fourteen hunters and dogs ran the course and were judged on finds/points, shooting and retrieves. Of interest was the range of ages of the hunters/handlers, and the different pointing breeds. The field trial had hunters from age 9, in their teens, in their 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s with seven different pointing and versatile breeds.

This was a successful fundraiser for the club, but wouldn’t be nearly so without the support of businesses, individuals and organizations.

Joel Hoffner – Mossy Oak Properties Land and Farms Realty was the lead sponsor, and Hoffner was there to help the club. The Preserve at Crooked Run provided wonderful awards for the winners. The Botetourt Longbeards Chapter of the NWTF and the Rockbridge Area Chapter of Quail Forever loaned their support again. 

Mike and Jane Wolfe are instrumental in the success of events like this for the 4-H club by allowing the use of their Juniper Valley property to help spread the word about what this 4-H program offers, pollinator habitat education, and introducing all ages to how much fun bird dogs can be.

Club volunteer and instructors coordinated different parts of the event. T. Haymaker and his family were gracious enough to handle the food with help from the Gilberts and Dluznieskis; Doug and Lee Lang coordinated the parking; Richard Pauley encouraged bidding on the silent auction, and Gordon McCoy kept the gallery informed. Greg Wilhelm, Joel Hoffner, Lee McCoy and Hunter McCoy managed bird placement.

The club expressed particular thanks to Dave Jackson for judging the field trial with his friend Ed Barnett.  Jackson’s assistance also has been important to how to organize the hunting part of the trial.

The field trial wouldn’t be held without the families who have bird dogs, and willingly support the 4-H club by running their dogs at the event.

For information about the Botetourt 4-H Shooting Education and Hunting Skills Club, contact the Cooperative Extension office in Fincastle at 540-473-8260 or Ed McCoy at 540-339-0622.

HUNTING SKILLS ACCEPTING NEW MEMBERS

The Hunting, Wildlife and Outdoor Skills discipline in the Botetourt Shooting Education and Hunting Skills Club invites new members.

The discipline members will meet Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 6pm for a program on bears and bobcats presented by two Virginia Tech graduate students who are doing research on these native species. The location will be announced next week.

For information about the Hunting Skills discipline, contact the Cooperative Extension office in Fincastle at 540-473-8260 or Ed McCoy at 540-339-0622.

–Submitted by Ed McCoy