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By: Emily George

 The birds forage the yard, the frogs are singing their midnight tune, and the turkeys are gobbling as the rising sun stretches across the dew-covered grass. Spring has arrived in Virginia, welcoming various activities for the outdoors. The shad are running and the trout are being stocked, which means it’s time to dust off the tackle box and purchase a fishing license. 

Virginia is one of the most unique states to fish because of the diversity of water bodies and species that exist from the Chesapeake Bay to Clear Creek in the Southwest. There are endless opportunities to fish statewide for numerous species because of the consistent work of VDGIF biologists, who are dedicated to thriving fish and maximizing an angler’s success on the water. VDGIF has created programs that offer opportunities for memorable experiences on the water for new or seasoned anglers.

Trout Heritage Day is the initial day of trout season. This year, Heritage Day is April 7. Twenty bodies of water across the state will be stocked for anglers to cast a line on Heritage Day. This allows anglers to know ahead of time what waters will be fresh for fishing so they can plan the weekend in advance.

Looming from Heritage Day, the pre-announced trout stocking schedule was designed to give anglers the privilege of knowing what waters are expected to be stocked throughout the season, so anglers can plan trips around the scheduled trout stockings. Grab the fly’s, and maybe a tent and a skillet, because it’s hard to compare the taste of fresh-fried trout over a campfire. See the state forest website for information about camping opportunities that might be near your desired fishing location.

Virginia also offers a Youth-Only Trout Stocking Program. This program gives youth ages 15 and under the leisure of fishing designated bodies of water in Virginia from April 1 to June 15. This is a great opportunity for parents to take their children fishing in locations with no interference from other avid anglers.

Virginia doesn’t only specialize in trout management and fishing. The Commonwealth inhabits and maintains multitudes of fish that appeal to all anglers. Don’t forget about Free Fishing Day June 1^st to 3^rd this year. Take advantage of fishing and boating without purchasing your license. If you don’t believe what Virginia offers, Free Fishing Day is a great opportunity to experience the stellar statewide fishing before buying a license.

“If you have a life list of species of fish you want to catch, you can catch a lot of them here in Virginia,” says VDGIF Fish Passage Coordinator, Alan Weaver.

As a Mid-Atlantic state, Virginia offers saltwater, cold water, lakes, fish runs, and pristine mountain streams, providing recreational fishing diversity that appeals to anglers of all types. Whether you are fishing bass, trout, herring, striper, musky, walleye, catfish, or another desired species, you are certain to be successful on the water and contribute to the conservation efforts of VDGIF. Buy your license now – it helps your favorite fish to thrive in clean water for continual success of angling each year!

Red Salamander photo by Scott Bolick

Virginia has more than 40 state emblems that represent its cultural heritage and natural resources. Last week, another state emblem was signed into law; the Red Salamander (Pseudotriton ruber) is now Virginia’s official State Salamander. This species was selected because of its beautiful coloration, widespread distribution in the Commonwealth and its ability to raise awareness about the conservation of a group of animals who’s secretive lifestyle often makes it difficult for many people to appreciate them.

This honorable designation was made possible through a collaborate effort between a group of young dedicated salamander conservationists known as Salamander Savers, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn of Fairfax County. To learn more about this species and other salamanders, please visit www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com.

The Salamander Savers – Photo by Beckha Drake

Field Sparrow carrying an insect to its young. Photo by Ken Mattison.

Watching birds eat from your bird feeder can be a true joy, but did you know that you can take your bird feeding and bird watching to the next level by growing native plants? Native plants will attract birds and support them by providing them the natural foods they need to thrive such as seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, nectar, and insects.

Forming the base of the food web, native plants attract beneficial insects and their larvae (e.g. caterpillars), which is a critical food source for most terrestrial bird species. According to Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home and an entomologist at University of Delaware, 96% of North America’s terrestrial bird species feed their young insects, insect larvae, and spiders. Habitat that is rich in native plants is essential for supporting these insects and the birds that consume them. Non-native plants fall far short by comparison. For example, Tallamy’s work has found that native Flowering Dogwood supports 117 species of butterflies and moths, compared to the non-native Kousa Dogwood (from China), which supports zero. Beyond food, native plants also provide birds with protective cover and nesting sites. Landscapes full of native plants can be vital sanctuaries for birds to rest and refuel when migrating.

Pollinator Habitat Demonstration Garden at Pleasant Grove Park, Fluvanna County, established by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Habitat Partners© Program, in cooperation with Powhatan-Goochland Master Gardeners. This native plant garden received a Virginia Association of Counties Achievement Award in 2015.

During this Year of the Bird, which encourages people to make simple, yet meaningful actions to help birds, adding native plants to your home landscape is one of the best ways that you can make a difference for birds. As urban development and agricultural areas sprawl further into natural environments, these land use changes remove food and shelter resources that birds and other wildlife depend upon. One way to address this loss of habitat is to contribute habitat patches wherever we can by minimizing the size of our mowed lawns and increase the amount of our landscaping with native plants. Collectively, this simple action is extremely beneficial. You can start little by little and eventually turn your home landscape into a sanctuary for the birds and you!  You may even find that your handiwork inspires your neighbors to follow suit, thus maximizing your impact.

Ready to Get Started with Native Plants? DGIF Can Help.

Native plants can be planted on a smaller scale or restored to a larger-scale landscape. Regardless of the plot size, anything from a home garden to a farm field can support pollinators and other beneficial insects and these will in turn attract and support the birds. DGIF offers loads of resources to get you started and inspired in the habitat section of our website as well as through a couple different programs.

The DGIF Habitat Partners© Education Program provides volunteer training for community leaders who want to establish native plant demonstration gardens for wildlife viewing and public education outreach.  Volunteers such as Master Gardeners, Master Naturalists, Native Plant Society members and other community groups, as well as landscape professionals who are interested in conservation landscaping practices, can contact Carol Heiser, DGIF’s Habitat Education Coordinator, at Carol.Heiser@dgif.virginia.gov to inquire about program availability.

For homeowners who wish to help birds by adding native plants to their landscaping, Carol recommends planting shrubs as a good first step – shrubs will add protective cover, nesting sites, and produce berries for fruit-eating birds. She also notes that it is best to, “choose the “straight” species instead of a cultivar, to ensure the highest quality habitat value.”

This meadow of native grasses and flowers was part of a multi-faceted, larger scale project to convert what once was a working cattle farm to native habitat. Partners involved included: DGIF, Virginia Department of Forestry, NRCS and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institutes’ Virginia Working Landscapes team. The landowners, the Tidball family, received the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District’s Wildlife Conservation Award in 2017.

For private landowners, DGIF has a team of five private lands wildlife biologists (PLWBs), hired jointly with Virginia’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), that specialize in on-site landowner habitat evaluations followed by detailed management planning where appropriate. Working with native plant species is a cornerstone of their technical expertise. They are also experts on multiple habitat incentive programs available through state and federal agencies. Interested landowners can find out if their area is suitable by contacting their local PLWB or Marc Puckett, DGIF’s Small Game Project Leader, at 434-392-8328, marc.puckett@dgif.virginia.gov.

Marc emphasizes that private landowners should get started by having a PLWB visit their property to help identify existing habitats. He advises, “A landowner may not need to plant anything, they may have good native plants on site. Second, if non-native sod forming grasses like fescue exist in an area where native plants are to be grown, it must be eliminated before starting. Patience is also a virtue – once non-native invasives are removed, the native plant seeds in the soil need a chance to respond. We recommend waiting a full year and evaluating what responds naturally before planting anything. If the native plant response is low, then it may be necessary to establish native plants by planting or seeding.”

The plants you grow at home matter. Landscape and garden with a diversity of native plants and the birds will follow. They’ll be well fed and sheltered and you’ll enjoy improved birdwatching for years to come.

Pollinator planting Amelia Wildlife Management Area. Photo by Marc Puckett.

Additional Native Plant Resources

• DGIF’s Habitat at Home© booklet – Find habitat landscaping tips and native plant species lists
• Plant Virginia Natives – Download a regional native plant guide and find out about the Virginia Native Plant Action Plan.
• Chesapeake Bay Native Plant Center – Search the user-friendly database for native plant options for your region and conditions.
• Virginia Native Plant Society – Find a list of nurseries and plant sales where you can buy native plants
• Audubon Native Plant Finder – Enter your zip code and find the best native plants for birds in your area.
• Managing Land in the Piedmont of Virginia for the Benefit of Birds & Other Wildlife – Find land management recommendations that benefit birds in this introductory how-to guide.

This article is brought to you by Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF), in support of the Year of the Bird,  a celebration of birds that marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), one of the first laws passed to protect wildlife and one of the most important for birds. DGIF asks you to join your fellow wildlife-enthusiasts in this celebration by taking simple, meaningful actions to protect birds in 2018 and beyond.

Follow DGIF on Facebook for more bird articles throughout the year. #yearofthebird #birdyourworld

Conducting an Atlas survey at Amelia Wildlife Management Area.

The 2^nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas (VABBA2), a project of DGIF, the Virginia Society of Ornithology and the Conservation Management Institute at Virginia Tech, is kicking off its third season! This season is particularly relevant because 2018 is the Year of the Bird, a celebration of birds and a call-to-action for people to help birds in meaningful ways. Now is a great time to harness your interest in birds and the great outdoors by contributing to a homegrown project that aims to make a difference for bird conservation right here in Virginia!

Bald Eagle at Dutch Gap. Photo by Bob Schamerhorn.

The VABBA2 is the largest bird-focused citizen science project in the Commonwealth.  Its goal is to describe the breeding status and geographic distribution of our 210+ breeding bird species across the state.  These results will be compared to those of the first Atlas (1985-1989) to document how bird populations have changed in Virginia over the past 30 years.  This information will be invaluable in helping to assess bird conservation priorities and target on-the-ground conservation action.

Over 750 volunteers have contributed data to the VABBA2.  However, there are large swaths of Virginia that remain un-surveyed, and we need your help.  Now in Year 3, we are at the project’s midpoint – this is the perfect time to become involved!

To get started, go to the VABBA2.org website and follow these easy steps:

1. Check out the Atlas Block Explorer, an interactive map, where you can review what priority blocks still need surveying, including those near you. (Blocks are geographic areas within which Atlas bird surveys take place, and together cover the entire state of Virginia.) You can sign up to be officially responsible for a block or can survey blocks on an informal basis.
2. Download and review the handbook and other key materials from the Handbook and Materials Familiarize yourself with the survey protocols, so that you feel comfortable with them prior to beginning Atlas activities in the field.
3. Visit and explore the VABBA2 eBird portal, which is where you will enter your Atlas observations. If you are new to eBird, check out some of the how-to tutorials on the page.
4. Get out in the field!  Start by getting to know your Atlas block and identify sites where you will conduct your surveys.  Space your surveys throughout the bird breeding season (May- July).
5. Have questions or need help?  Use the Atlas Block Explorer to identify the region where you plan to atlas, then contact the appropriate Regional Coordinator.

Carolina Chickadee at nest cavity. Photo by Bob Schamerhorn.

Those with bird identification skills are highly desired, but we also welcome contributions from beginners, who can be paired up with more experienced Atlas volunteers. Surveys are easy to conduct and can be done at times that fit into your schedule. Most important are an enthusiastic attitude and a willingness to learn!
This article is brought to you by Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF), in support of the Year of the Bird,  a celebration of birds that marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), one of the first laws passed to protect wildlife and one of the most important for birds. DGIF asks you to join your fellow wildlife-enthusiasts in this celebration by taking simple, meaningful actions to protect birds in 2018 and beyond.

Follow DGIF on Facebook for more bird articles throughout the year. #yearofthebird #birdyourworld

Senior Officer Hall’s steadfast leadership, his dedication to Conserving and Protecting Virginia’s wildlife resources, and his outstanding efforts in connecting the citizens of the Commonwealth to the outdoors through educational outreach made him the top candidate for this award.

“I am proud of all of our officers, but especially proud of the outstanding work Senior Officer Hall has done to be selected for this prestigious award. He was part of an extraordinary group of nominees that we are privileged to have working for us and for the citizens of the Commonwealth.  They are each to be congratulated on being chosen to represent their respective regions in the Officer of the Year selection process.” DGIF Executive Director, Bob Duncan.

Throughout his career, Senior Officer Greg Hall has taken on a leadership role within his district and has proven to be the epitome of a field officer that spends countless hours patrolling the fields, forests and waterways of the Middle Peninsula looking for violations and protecting Virginia’s hunters, anglers, outdoor enthusiasts, and boaters. He has proven to be a highly accomplished investigator and conducted numerous complex wildlife and boating related investigations in 2017.

One particular self-initiated case that Senior Officer Hall investigated was based on an abandoned personal watercraft that led to the identification of a large ring of criminal activity that involved multiple misdemeanor and felony violations in Virginia and North Carolina. To date, multiple suspects have been charged, convicted and sentenced to jail.

“Greg is highly regarded in his assigned county of King William and the other counties within the district he works.  His steadfast work ethic and amicable personality serve as an example to his fellow officers and are the basis for his reputation as an unwavering and fair conservation officer.” Major Scott Naff, Virginia Conservation Police Assistant Chief of Operations.

Senior Officer Hall is a veteran officer with 20 years of dedicated service with DGIF. He serves the DGIF Law Enforcement Division as a field-training officer, a defensive tactics instructor and a background investigator.  He graduated from St. Leo University of Florida in 2000 with a Bachelors of Business Administration. In addition to his service as a conservation police officer, Senior Officer Hall spent over 30 years as a distinguished member of the U.S. Army National Guard and retired in 2012 at the rank of Major. During his impressive military career, Senior Officer Hall honorably served his Country overseas in Afghanistan and the former state of Yugoslavia.

By Emily George

The intrinsic passion shared among hunters will ignite a unique bond on the eve of the Old Dominion One Shot. A hunter, a guide and a landowner will convene for the first time before they gather afield just before sunrise on a dewy Saturday morning during the peak of spring gobbler season. 

The 4^th Annual Old Dominion One Shot Fundraiser will take place on April 21, 2018 to help the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia (WFV) and the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries connect the familiar and unfamiliar to the hunting heritage and wildlife conservation.

Bob Duncan, Executive Director of Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, shares a zeal for getting others involved in turkey hunting.

“In addition to it just being a fundraiser, it was to try to do something to celebrate the tradition of hunting,” says Duncan.

Old Dominion One Shot stemmed with the motivation to afford wounded veterans, the underprivileged, and young outdoor enthusiasts the opportunity to engage in the recreational sport of hunting.

“The emphasis on the hunting part has focused a lot on opportunities for wounded warriors and for young people, and those are two very important elements that I think any program like this should have. Particularly at a time when we are trying to introduce more people to hunting,” says Duncan.

“That’s what the spirit of it is really all about,” says Duncan. “Celebrating turkey hunting and the tradition of hunting in general.”

Taking the Fundraiser to the Field

The Wildlife Foundation of Virginia works to acquire land for public access to recreational outdoor activities, while also implementing stronger land management practices for these properties. Proceeds of the One Shot are used to help offset costs of properties acquired by WFV.

WFV’s traditional fundraiser transformed from an annual auction to an annual spring gobbler hunt to serve a greater purpose for engaging others in the outdoors, and as an opportunity to highlight the remarkable comeback of wild turkeys in Virginia.

Jenny West, Executive Director of the Wildlife Foundation of Virginia, wanted to celebrate in a manner that reflected the success of the partnership that has formed between WFV and DGIF to highlight the important role hunting plays in conservation.

“We saw this as an opportunity to showcase our partnership with DGIF, as well as to raise funds to further WFV’s mission. It is also an ideal opportunity to provide hunting opportunities for kids, to try to foster the next generation of sportsmen and women,” says West.

Chip Watkins, owner of Monquin Creek Outfitters in King William County, is a seasoned hunting guide and landowner for the One Shot. He has guided participants on his property each year since the event’s inception.

“I stress the quality of the experience and the story, and that is what One Shot is all about,” says Watkins.

Watkins enjoys guiding each year for the purpose of ensuring the hunter has an opportunity to be successful on his property.

“It’s been a privilege to see others successful in the field,” he says.

Hopes Statewide Participants will Flourish

Though the Old Dominion One Shot Turkey Hunt is a statewide event, it’s been a challenge to recruit participants located far from the capital, because the activities surrounding the hunt are centered around Richmond.

“Our goal is to grow this event so we have One Shot turkey hunters across the state, and to continue to grow the event financially to do more great work on behalf of sportsmen in Virginia,” says West.

Watkins’ vision includes lengthening the event, and increasing hunting participation to contribute to Virginia’s economy.

“I’d like to see people come from out of town and we end up hosting a longer event such as a two-to-three-day event where participants have more time in the field. I want people to be successful and look at every opportunity,” he says.

Bob Duncan wishes to maintain the event as a sustainable funding source for the Foundation while also increasing Virginia hunter numbers. For Duncan, thriving wild turkey management and continuing the hunting tradition are the most vital aspects to preserving Virginia’s sporting heritage.

On the evening of Friday, April 20, the hunting community will come together to celebrate Virginia’s turkey hunting heritage while giving new and seasoned hunters alike a revitalizing experience. The energy accumulated will wake the woods and bring the birds down from the roost just before dawn on April 21.

Five youth, ages 15 and under, will win a spot in the hunt by participating in an essay contest. To find further material about the youth essay contest and information about how to participate as a hunter, guide or landowner, visit www.vaoneshot.com.

This article was written by Emily George, Content Specialist, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

‘Bailey’ in training at K9 training school.

DGIF’s Conservation Police Officers needed a few good dogs—and after searching far and wide they found two exceptional pups.  K9 ‘Sky’ and K9 ‘Bailey’ are both female black labs. They were selected from hundreds of potential candidates for their intelligence, energy, and strong ‘play’ drive. 

Since DGIF began the K9 program in 2011- the K9s have played a huge role in search and rescue operations, as well as investigating hunting incidents and solving wildlife crime.

‘Sky’ is set to play a huge role in the DGIF K9 program.

DGIF’s K9s have saved lives by tracking lost hunters and missing children. They also use their noses to solve crime by locating guns and shell casings—essential skills when a hunting incident has occurred.

Generous donors The Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation and The Hansberger Family stepped forward to help purchase the dogs. Both have a passion for conservation and wanted to express their support for Virginia’s Conservation Police Officers.

CPO Richard Howald, ‘Sky’, and The Hansberger Family.

The officers who handle K9s live with them and work with them every day. The dogs even wear a conservation police shield around their neck to identify them as police dogs.

Ward Burton, ‘Bailey’, and CPO Jim Patrillo.

CPO Richard Howald will be Sky’s handler and CPO Jim Patrillo will be training Bailey.  Both officers have been putting the dogs through their paces in the K9 training school in Indiana.

Searching for shrikes in southwest Virginia. Photo by Ashley Peele.

2017 was a productive year for DGIF’s Virginia Loggerhead Shrike banding and monitoring project, a collaboration with partners from the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute.  Loggerhead Shrikes are a state-threatened bird and are listed as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Virginia’s Wildlife Action Plan. These fascinating songbirds behave more like a bird of prey, hunting insects, birds, lizards, and small mammals from perches, such as fence posts and utility poles. Since they lack talons for immobilizing their prey, Loggerhead Shrikes impale their prey on the thorns of shrubs and small trees or on barbed wire.  Unfortunately, the shrike population has dropped sharply over the last half-century through much of their range in Canada and the United States. Although historically they were widely distributed across Virginia, shrikes are now considered rare to uncommon.  The ultimate goal of this banding and monitoring project is to understand the causes of their declines.

Leg bands used on Loggerhead Shrike.

In 2017, a total of 14 individual shrikes were trapped, fitted with leg bands, and released.  This project has largely taken place in the western part of the state, but last year the project was expanded to two sites in the Piedmont of Virginia, where shrikes are much scarcer.  These captures and monitoring will provide valuable new information on the status of these birds in the southcentral part of the state.

Shrike banded in the Virginia Piedmont. Photo by Ellison Orcutt.

Forty-five individual shrikes have been banded since the project’s inception in December of 2014, including wintering and breeding adults, and juveniles fledged from the nest.  Of these birds, 13 (9 males and 4 females) have so far been re-sighted by project personnel and by birders.  Unique combinations of color bands on the birds’ legs allow for identification of individuals using binoculars, spotting scopes or high-resolution cameras.  These observations have given us some initial insight into the seasonal movements of shrikes.  Some birds appear to be residents that are present year around, while others have only been detected during winters or breeding seasons.

How you can help DGIF’s Loggerhead Shrike efforts

The Northern Mockingbird’s plumage pattern is superficially similar to that of shrike.

• If you see a loggerhead shrike, look for bands! Please report your shrike observations, both banded and unbanded, to dgifweb@dgif.virginia.gov.  Photographs are a plus.  Please keep in mind that mockingbirds can be mistaken for shrikes, as the two can appear similar when seen from a distance. Look for the loggerhead shrike’s big chunky head, heavy black bill and thick black mask to help distinguish the two species.

If you want to head out shriking, in Virginia they are currently concentrated west of the Blue Ridge, with some small pockets occurring in the Piedmont. Loggerhead shrikes can be found perched along fences, utility lines, or natural vegetation in open pastures with scattered shrubs or vegetated fencerows.  Shrikes can be difficult to detect as they don’t vocalize as often as other songbirds, so patience and keen observation skills are a must!

• Please consider participating in the 2^nd Virginia Breeding Bird Atlas. Loggerhead shrikes are one of many bird species that we are trying to learn more about through this important citizen science project supporting bird conservation. Go to org for details, including contact information of folks who can help get you started.
• Consider making a donation to Virginia’s Non-game Wildlife Fund, which supports DGIF’s efforts toward conserving Loggerhead Shrikes and other Virginia Species of Greatest Conservation Need.

This article is brought to you by Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries (DGIF), in support of the Year of the Bird,  a celebration of birds that marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), one of the first laws passed to protect wildlife and one of the most important for birds. DGIF asks you to join your fellow wildlife-enthusiasts in this celebration by taking simple, meaningful actions to protect birds in 2018 and beyond.

Follow DGIF on Facebook for more bird articles throughout the year. #yearofthebird #birdyourworld

For details on the deer, bear and turkey harvest data visit these links:

• Virginia 2017–2018 Black Bear Harvest
• 2017–2018 Deer Kill Summary
• Virginia 2017–2018 Fall Wild Turkey Harvest Summary

“Something as small as a handheld light out of a window can lead to a bust.” – CPO Wayne Billhimer

A fugitive living at a meth lab in the backwoods of Rockingham County ran smack into “Justice,” a black lab K9 who tracked the felon down in the dark woods Monday evening. Conservation Police Officer (CPO) Wayne Billhimer, Justice’s handler, along with several Rockingham County deputies, made the arrest at 10pm after the K9 first used his nose to find a cache of drugs and then the suspect. The fugitive is now charged with several felony warrants including felony kidnapping, grand larceny, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of a firearm by a felon, and marijuana possession.

It all started when Officer Billhimer, who was off-duty, noticed a car slowly driving by a well-known deer crossing near his home shining a handheld light from a window. It was a place he’d made many spotlighting cases over the years. Upon seeing the illegal spotlight, Billhimer grabbed his duty belt and followed the vehicle to a nearby home. In checking the vehicle’s registration, the tags did not match the car.

A woman answering the door provided only vague details. But after learning the subject’s name, the CPO got word from DGIF dispatch: this man is a fugitive wanted for numerous felonies including kidnapping.

CPO Billhimer deployed K9 Justice, one of DGIF’s highly-trained tracking dogs. Within minutes, Justice alerted to six containers of drugs and drug paraphernalia in the backyard.

Although not trained as drug sniffing dogs, DGIF’s K9s are trained to track human scent as well as gunpowder residue and game animals. Billhimer alerted the Rockingham County RUSH Drug Task Force who worked to process the heavily drug-polluted residence.

Justice hit on a hot scent trail leading from the vehicle’s driver door directly into the woods. Billhimer, along with Rockingham County deputies utilizing a night vision scope, followed. After a half mile trek Justice began barking – alerting to the suspect, who was hiding behind a log. He had buried himself in leaves.

“Show me your hands,” ordered the CPO. After a few tense moments, the suspect surrendered and was handcuffed by one of the deputies.

The wanted felon had cast a spotlight near the wrong house. “Something as small as a handheld light out of a window can lead to a bust,” said Billhimer.

“This case is an important reminder of the dangers of enforcing the wildlife laws and the risks our officers take to apprehend those who have no regard for our natural resources, says Major Scott Naff, Assistant Chief of Operations for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries Law Enforcement Division.  “We are very proud of our K9 program and the incredible skills the K9s have and the talent our K9 officers have in using these valuable tools.  We are also very appreciative of the support our officers receive from local law enforcement.  It is reassuring to know that Officer Billhimer and Justice had the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Deputies behind them while tracking this dangerous fugitive.”

Billhimer has served as a Conservation Police Officer for 11 years. He has partnered with K9 Justice for the past 8 years; they have numerous successful tracking operations under their belt.

“We are a great team,” said Billhimer.