Outdoor Notes -- July 22

Susan Guynn, The Frederick News-Post, Md.
·3 min read

Jul. 22—Hunter education classes

The Maryland Hunter Education Course takes 12 to 14 hours to complete, and students must attend all sessions of the class. Topics include hunter responsibility, firearms and ammunition, firearm handling and safety, marksmanship and shooting fundamentals, principles of wildlife management, Maryland legal requirements and more. All first-time hunters must complete a hunter education course before obtaining a hunting license.

Upcoming classes in our area: July 31, Aug. 1 and 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Aug. 5 from 8 to 11 a.m. at Brownsville Church of the Brethren, Brownsville; 6 to 9:30 p.m. Aug. 14, 15 and 16 at Clear Spring Izaak Walton League, Clear Spring; Aug. 14, 15 and 18 from 6 to 9 p.m and Aug. 19 from 8 to 11 a.m. at Burkittsville Ruritan, Burkittsville; Aug. 21, 23, 28 and 30 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cold Deer Hunting & Fishing Club in Mountaindale; and from 6 to 9 p.m. Aug. 23, 24 and 25, and 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 26 at Thurmont Sportsman Conservation Club, Thurmont. Registration is required and classes are no cost. Visit dnr.maryland.gov to register and see the full schedule of hunter safety classes.

Eastern Shore angler catches record snakehead

Damien Cook, of Rhodesdale, holds the new state record for Northern snakehead in the state's invasive division. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources says Cook caught the 21-pound fish on July 5 while fishing in a Dorchester County river. The fish measured more than 36 inches in length. Its weight was certified by Kool Ice Seafood in Cambridge and was certified by a DNR biologist.

Cook's catch surpassed the previous record of 19.9 pounds, caught in 2018 by a bowfisherman in Charles County. Cook was kayak fishing with a custom baitcasting rod, 30-pound test-rated braided line and a custom chatterbait he calls "the cooker" when he reeled in the record-breaking snakehead, according to a DNR news release.

The Northern snakehead is an invasive species now common throughout Maryland's Chesapeake Bay tidal waters. Snakeheads have become popular for sportfishing in Maryland because they fight hard and strike traditional artificial lures that are often used for largemouth bass. Dorchester County's tidal river system is among the state's hotspots for snakeheads, according to DNR. The department encourages anglers to kill all snakeheads that they catch, and reminds anglers it is illegal to transport a live snakehead. More information about snakeheads is available at dnr.maryland.gov.

C&O Canal boat ramp closures

The National Park Service will close three boat ramps at C&O Canal National Historical Park to replace three bridges. The Edwards Ferry Boat Ramp (mile 30.8) will be closed from August to November; the ramp at Dargan Bend Recreation Area (mile 64.9) will be closed September through December; and the Fifteen Mile Creek Boat Ramp & Campground (mile 140.8) will be closed October through January 2024.

Visitors can use other boat ramps upstream and downstream of the closed areas. Boat ramp options include: For Edwards Ferry Boat Ramp — Sycamore Landing Boat Ramp (mile 27.2) and Monocacy Boat Ramp (mile 42.2); for Dargan Bend Recreation Area Boat Ramp — Brunswick Boat Ramp (mile 55) and Snyders Landing Boat Ramp (mile 76.6); and for Fifteen Mile Creek Boat Ramp — Little Tonoloway Boat Ramp (mile 124.5) and Spring Gap Boat Ramp (mile 173.3).

For any questions, call 301-739-4200, option 0, to speak with park staff, or check online for bridge project updates. For park information visit the park website www.nps.gov/choh.

— Susan Guynn