Outdoors

Four counties see dog deer closures

Conservation commissioner Barnett Lawley announced last week that the closures of areas to dog deer hunting in four counties, which were approved by the Conservation Advisory Board at its May 2008 meeting in Eufaula, will be implemented for the upcoming 2008-2009 seasons.

Lawley said there has been confusion about the closures after a committee formed to explore solutions to the dog deer hunting issues decided not to make any recommendations to the commissioner for the 2008-09 seasons because of time constraints.

At that May meeting, the Conservation Advisory Board approved new restrictions on dog deer hunting in four counties. Lawley said that dog deer hunting will be prohibited in portions of Fayette, Hale, Perry and Crenshaw counties as approved at that meeting.

Fayette County

The area in Fayette County that will be closed to dog deer hunting for the 2008-09 season is west of U.S. Hwy. 43 or north of Alabama 18.

Hale, Perry Counties

For Hale and Perry counties, the ban on dog deer hunting applies to Hale County Road 32 at the Hale line, west to the intersection of Alabama 25, Alabama 25 north until it intersects with the Talladega National Forest boundary, following the boundary south until it intersects the Perry line, following the National Forest boundary east to Perry CR 23, south to the intersection of Perry CR 29, south to the Spring Hill Church Road, Spring Hill Church Road west to the junction of Perry CR 23 and Alabama 14, west to the Hale line.

Crenshaw County

The area north of AL-10 in Crenshaw County will also be closed to dog deer hunting.

At the meeting in Eufaula, the Board passed a motion to form a committee to study further regulation of dog deer hunting beyond what was approved by the Board in May and to conduct another public meeting, if necessary.

That committee — comprised of representatives from landowners, dog deer hunters, Advisory Board members and Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries' professional staff — met in June in Montgomery.

After a discussion of the issues, the committee determined that any changes in the dog deer regulations at such a late date would be a hardship to landowners and hunters who need to make land lease and membership decisions for the upcoming hunting season.

25th Annual Deear and Turkey Expo

Today at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex. See the latest in deer and turkey hunting equipment. Also trout pound, deer mount displays, archer shooting and competition. For more information, visit: http://outdoorswithbobcoker.com/

Billy Macoy Jakes event

Clay County Chapter, July 26th at Mountain View Hunting Preserve, Delta. Registration at 8:30 a.m. Contact Phillip Wilkerson for more information at 256-396-9001.