By Conservation Police Officer B. Tyler Dagliano
Photos by Meghan Marchetti/DWR
Fall, and with it hunting season, is around the corner. Make sure you’re prepared by checking off these tips from Conservation Police Officer B. Tyler Dagliano…
Prioritize Safety
Twice in the last three hunting seasons, I’ve responded to a hunting incident that happened because a hunter was not mindful of what was beyond his target. Hunters can often get tunnel vision on a deer or other game and forget that there are other hunters in their party nearby. Luckily there was no loss of life in either instance, but both were close calls. One of the most effective ways to be safe on your hunt is by wearing adequate blaze orange or pink when required, and communicating with fellow hunters before the hunt about where there are safe lines of fire.
Be Careful When Using a Treestand
This year I responded to a very nasty treestand fall that was the result of a hunter’s bow falling off the seat as he was climbing to the top of the stand. When he attempted to catch it, he lost his footing and fell from the top of the stand to the ground. This was a healthy, in-shape, mid-40s, experienced hunter, which goes to show that these kinds of incidents can happen to anyone. Consider using a treestand harness, use a rope to lift or drop your bow, and make sure your stand is as secure and safe as possible before your hunt.
Review Your Licenses and Contact Landowners for Permission BEFORE the Season
Make sure you review your licenses before the season and know if you have a license that expires in the middle of the season. If you have gotten a new credit card in the last year, make sure you have updated the card in GoOutdoorsVirginia if your licenses are on auto-renew. Several times I have seen a resident hunting license on auto-renew, but not the deer/turkey license.
On the same note, contact the owners of land that you hunt and make sure that your permission to hunt is still valid. Also, ask the landowners if anyone else has been given permission to hunt the same property to ensure the safety of all who will be hunting the property.
Review the DWR Hunting Regulations
Every Conservation Police Officer (CPO) keeps the latest copy of the hunting regulations with them as a quick reference. It is easily one of the most useful resources the agency provides for hunters. I recommend either viewing the regulations, including the What’s New section and season dates, online or in the GoOutdoorsVirginia app or finding a copy at a local license agent. With six counties in my district, specific regulations on WMAs, and multiple species being available to hunt (rabbit, fall turkey, deer, waterfowl) making sure you’re up to date on the regulations is the easiest way to ensure you’re abiding by the laws. Also, reading through the regulations is the quickest way to refresh your memory on some of the more commonly broken regulations. For example, if a harvested deer is left unattended, or transferred to another person, it is required to have a “personal check card” until it has been processed. The regulations explain that, along with what is required on a personal check card. See more about harvest reporting online.
Remember that Wildlife Conservation is Everyone’s Responsibility
While we as CPOs work very hard, we cannot be everywhere at once. Some of the biggest cases I have made in my career have been from information provided by members of the public. We understand that it may be daunting to report violations to an officer, which is why DWR has set up the wildlife crime hotline to report violations (with an anonymous option) via phone call, email, text message, or online. Reliable, up-to-date information about poaching activity, especially from other hunters, is the most valuable tool a CPO can have. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local CPO to establish a relationship with the officer in your area.
Enjoy Your Time Outdoors!
We have been blessed in Virginia to be able to enjoy a wide diversity of wildlife and wildlife habitats. From the elk in the mountains of southwest Virginia to the ducks in the marshes of the Eastern Shore and everything in between, Virginia is a beautiful place to hunt. One of the reasons I chose this career was because I so greatly enjoyed all the natural resources Virginia had to offer. The longer I hunt (and fish, for that matter) the more I have found my definition of a successful trip shifting away from the harvesting of wildlife, toward having an opportunity to appreciate and learn about the wildlife I’m chasing.
