To All,

On Maryland public lands (State Parks, Forests and WMA's),
the Maryland Natural Resources Police is the lead agency.
Call 1-800-635-6124 or 410-260-8888 to report details of
what has occurred or is ongoing. 

BTW, I have already forwarded Paul's information to NRP.

Regards,

Dave Powell
Germantown, MD


On Wed, 12 Aug 2009 12:09:57 -0400
 Michael Bowen <> wrote:
> Paul's description of trouble makers at Hughes Hollow is
> disturbing.  I noticed damage (vandalism?) to the notice
> board the last time I was there but had not seen any
> rogue shooters.
> 
> Does the Maryland DNR have a telephone number that could
> be called if birders notice any irresponsible or illegal
> activity in this WMA?  Presumably the DNR Natural
> Resources Police has policing jurisdiction at Hughes
> Hollow.  But I don't believe I've ever seen one of their
> vehicles here -- if so, it was a long while ago. Where is
> the nearest NRP police barracks, I wonder?
> 
> Mike Bowen
> Montgomery Bird Club, MOS
> 
> 
> At 11:15 AM 8/12/2009 -0400, Paul Woodward wrote:
> >10 August
> >     You would think that during the week in summer and
> on the hottest day
> >of the year you could bird at Hughes Hollow in peace and
> quiet, but that
> >wasn't the case today as I started the day in an
> unpleasant fashion.
> >As soon as I pulled into the parking lot I saw a car
> there that had trouble
> >makers on July 3- two kids with guns walking into the
> fields. I wasn't in a
> >position then to track them down, but today is was no
> problem since they
> >were on the dike firing their guns. Quickly caught up
> with them and saw
> >they had a high power rifle (illegal here). Ask them
> what they were doing.
> >Said they were shooting geese. Explained to them that
> that wasn't legal
> >either and told them to leave, which they did. This was
> the third time in
> >my last ten trips in the last month I have had
> unpleasant experiences here
> >and makes me wonder if it even worth birding here
> anymore.
> >      After following the shooters back to their car as
> they were mumbling
> >under their breath, I drove off to the middle parking
> lot and walked through
> >the fields to the towpath then west to the hiker-biker
> and then back through
> >the fields again. This is the time of year that there
> are more insects
> >calling than birds and also when the sunflower food
> plots start attracting
> >goldfinch and doves. The only plot I checked had 28 AM.
> GOLDFINCH and no
> >doves. The river was almost birdless and there was no
> sign of stargrass
> >mats.
> >   Returned to the impoundments which were quiet also
> although I did see 2
> >GREAT EGRETS , 5 WOOD DUCKS, 4 E. PHOEBES, and a family
> of E. BLUEBIRDS.
> >Heard a trilling song briefly which may have been a Pine
> Warbler. I found
> >no evidence that the shooters had killed any birds.
> >      At one time Rough-winged Swallows were common on
> the wires along
> >River Rd, but recently they have become very uncommon.
> Coming in I had one,
> >two hours later there were 8 and when I left there were
> all of 10.
> >
> >Paul Woodward
> >Fairfax City, VA
> >
> 
> D.H. Michael Bowen
> 8609 Ewing Drive
> Bethesda, MD  20817
> Telephone: (301) 530-5764
> e-mail:  dhmbowenATyahooDOTcom
> 
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