SWVA Sportsmen

06/01/2026

06/01/2026

Southwest Virginia Sportsmen
“Working to enhance wildlife habitat in the heart of Virginia’s coal country.”

The Eastern copperhead is a medium-sized, heavy-bodied, venomous pit viper that ranges throughout much of the eastern third of North America. Like all members of the family Viperidae these reptiles have a pair of openings located between the eyes and the nostrils. These “pits” are lined with heat-sensitive cells that provide the snakes with an effective means of detecting warm-blooded organisms. Even more amazing, this physiological feature allows pit vipers to create thermal images of prey after darkness, as well as helping to determine its distance.

Copperheads have narrow, vertical pupils that protect the retinas from bright light during the day. At night the narrow pupils expand significantly to utilize whatever ambient light is available. As ectotherms these snakes are active during the day in spring and autumn. With the arrival of summer and higher daytime temperatures most of their activity occurs at night.

Mature copperheads average between 24 and 36 inches in length, although occasionally reaching 48 inches; females are typically longer than males. They are easily identified by their dorsal, hourglass-shaped cross-bands and the large, reddish-brown, triangular head. Primarily terrestrial, copperheads are adept at swimming.

These snakes inhabit practically every type of habitat that provides sufficient food resources and cover - including forestlands, fields with successional plant growth, and rocky outcroppings. Seldom seen, copperheads readily adapt to human dwellings, often taking advantage of crawlspaces and abandoned, rundown buildings. As opportunistic ambush predators they feed on small rodents (rats, mice, voles, chipmunks, etc.), small birds, and even insects.

Have a great day outdoors!
Mike Roberts

05/28/2026

05/27/2026

Last chance to win an Elk License
Get your Chances Here:

05/27/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7pw7qlc4zc

It's time to reveal the winners of the 2026 Virginia Elk Hunt Lotte...

05/27/2026

Southwest Virginia Sportsmen
“Working to enhance wildlife habitat in the heart of Virginia’s coal country.”

The Eastern meadow vole is a small, heavily-furred rodent that inhabits grassy fields, meadows, roadside embankments, and orchards. The “field mouse,” as voles are sometimes called, can measure up to 7 inches, including a 2 to 3-inch, hairy tail. Characteristic of the numerous species listed in the genus Microtus (meaning small ears), Eastern meadow voles have small, rounded ears and black, beady eyes. The pelage is grizzled chestnut-brown and gray with white underparts.

Considered by biologists to be one of the most abundant mammals in North America, meadow voles are, hands down, the most prolific; females give birth to litter after litter of a half-dozen or more young each year. Influenced by predator numbers and food availability, populations are extremely cyclic - reaching peak densities every 3 to 5 years.

Voles are the cornerstone of the food chain for many mammalian predators, such as weasels, foxes, coyotes, and bobcats. Diurnal raptors, like kestrels and red-tailed hawks, have a distinct advantage when hunting voles; they can see ultraviolet light rays reflected from urine the little rodents deposit to mark their territorial travel corridors. Because ultraviolet light is visible only during daylight hours owls are unable to benefit from this part of vole behavior.

As a herbivore the meadow vole’s diet includes grasses, sedges, forbs, seeds, bulbs, tubers, and the roots and bark of young trees. Tunneling underground they often destroy root vegetables, like potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, and carrots. During winter, and to the dismay of orchard growers, they girdle fruit trees to access the nutrients found in the inner bark.

Have a great day outdoors!
Mike Roberts

05/18/2026

2026 SWVA SPORTSMEN Adventure Raffle
Get your chances here!

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/2026sportsmensweepstakes/event/2026swvasportsmansweepstakes/

05/18/2026

Southwest Virginia Sportsmen
“Working to enhance wildlife habitat in the heart of Virginia’s coal country.”

As North America’s only representative of the marsupial family the Virginia opossum is one of the most remarkable animals in the world. For starters, they have 50 teeth - more than any other of the land mammals on this continent. When threatened by coyotes, domestic dogs, or humans, they are quick to growl and expose their long, intimidating canines. And just for the record possums are immune to the hemotoxins of venomous snakes!

Primarily ground dwellers these omnivores are effective climbers, too; ascending trees to escape predators and to forage on fruit and berries. Opossums have opposing thumbs on both hind feet, which are beneficial when climbing. As an extra measure of security they use their prehensile tails to wrap around tree branches.

The most bizarre part of the opossum’s natural history is the birthing process. Females give birth to a litter of as many as 20 babies - after just two weeks of gestation. No larger than honeybees the “pinkies” are born hairless, blind, with a nub of a tail, and stubby, undeveloped hind feet. Using fully developed front feet, including toe nails, the fetus-like babies instinctively crawl from the birthing canal, through the maze of hair, to the marsupium (belly pouch).

To survive, a baby opossum must make this perilous journey and locate and attach its mouth to a ni**le. If there are more babies than ni**les those unable to feed soon perish and are removed from the pouch by the female. The young remain in the pouch for nearly three months. Afterwards, the juveniles crawl out and hitch a ride on mama’s back!

Have a great day outdoors!
Mike Roberts

05/11/2026

Southwest Virginia Sportsmen
“Working to enhance wildlife habitat in the heart of Virginia’s coal country.”

Unrelated to larks, the Eastern Meadowlark actually belongs to the blackbird family, which includes red-winged blackbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds, grackles, bobolinks, and orioles. Plumage of the male and female are similar in coloration (monomorphic); both have the distinctive, bright-yellow breast and black bib. The colloquial “field lark’s” repetitive “See-you; see-yeeer” calls herald the arrival of spring.

Come spring males establish territories by frequently calling from fenceposts, wires, and the tops of shrubs growing along hedgerows bordering breeding habitat, which is restricted to open, grassy fields. While scattered shrubs provide critical perches, thick successional plant growth eventually leads to habitat abandonment.

During the warm-weather months meadowlarks primarily feed on grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, beetles, and spiders; the winter diet shifts to w**d seeds, berries, and waste grain. They have a behavioral adaptation that allows them to forage on insects that other ground feeding passerines often fail to find. In a most unique manner the birds probe deep into plant root systems with their bills and, while doing so, open the upper and lower mandibles. This gaping behavior exposes hidden arthropods.

Sadly, Eastern meadowlark populations have declined by more than 70 percent since the early 1970s. Habitat loss, evolving land-use practices, pesticides, and mowing hay crops during mid-spring are the primary culprits.

Have a great day outdoors!
Mike Roberts