Record Book Snow Fall Alters Global Warming Press Release

Washington DC Police Office Pushing Cruiser Out of Snow Bank

From the You Can’t Make This Stuff Up File today’s announcement is a hoot.

NOAA, part of the Department of Commerce, is going to be providing information to individuals and decision-makers through a new NOAA Climate Service office. “More and more, Americans are witnessing the impacts of climate change in their own backyards, including sea-level rise, longer growing seasons, changes in river flows, increases in heavy downpours, earlier snowmelt and extended ice-free seasons in our waters. People are searching for relevant and timely information about these changes to inform decision-making about virtually all aspects of their lives,” the release says.

WSJ Blogs

Needless to say I’m not convinced that Global Warming is man made nor are is the cost some want us to pay to less man’s impact is really worth it. I’m sure the folks in the mid Atlantic states hope it warms up soon. I guess the groundhog was right when he said 6 more weeks I bet the 3 ft of snow on top of his burrow is keeping him pretty warm.

Recovering Deer After The Shot Seminar

Anyone that has been deer hunting for a while probably has a story or two about tracking a deer after the shot. Even with good shot placement a deer can cover some distance before going down so a hunter needs to have some skills in tracking in order to recover the animal. Coming up next month, March 13, a seminar is being held on “After the Shot” in Mebane NC.

Seminar & Outdoor Demos: Successfully Recovering Shot Deer (without dogs)

Topics include:

1) Response of Deer upon and after the Shot

2) Diagnosis of the Shot

3) Searching for the Shot Deer

4) Outdoor Demos of Shots

5) Tracking with and without Dogs

6) Q&A

The all day seminar is being put on by F3 a hunting organization working to preserve the use of the Dachshund. Saturday the focus is on what the hunter can do and Sunday will be more on the use of tracking dogs.
While in many parts of the state it is still illegal to use a tracking dog to recover a big game animal there is a push to make this legal across the state. Whether you use or a dog or not Saturday’s agenda sounds like a good one for anyone that hunts big game. I may have to check this seminar out myself.

Snow Day and New Camera Photo Shoot

Photos taken with my new Canon 50D

American Oystercatcher Research Presentation at Centennial Campus

The NCWRC and NC State University is offering a public seminar on the American Oystercatcher a shore bird that is listed as a “Special Concerns Specie” in North Carolina.

RALEIGH, N.C. (Jan. 28, 2010) – The 2010 Fisheries and Wildlife Seminar series at the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education begins Feb. 24 with a program on the American Oystercatcher, a shorebird that nests in coastal North Carolina.
The open-to-the-public seminars are a partnership between faculty and students in the Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program at N.C. State University and N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission biologists, managers and educators.
Dr. Ted Simons, a biology and forestry professor at NCSU, will present “Fifteen Years of American Oystercatcher Research on the Outer Banks of North Carolina – Focal Species Management in a Dynamic Environment.” He will discuss recent evidence of declines in American Oystercatcher populations in several states, which is raising concern over its status. In North Carolina, the bird is listed as a Special Concern Species.
The free program starts at 4 p.m. A networking session with free refreshments precedes the event at 3:30 p.m.

I’ve been to a number of these public seminars and they are pretty informative. They are usually pretty well attended so be on time to get a seat.

Snow In The Carolinas

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The duck season ended for most with a winter storm across most of the state. I was suppose to head to Orange county but given the weather forecast and the fact that scouting of the area by a few of the guys had shown that there was very few ducks there the days leading up to the hunt. The snow was the kicker so Friday morning the Saturday hunt was called. What normally would be a 70 minute ride in the conditions we had would have been more like a 2 ½ hour trip. Ducks seem to like the nasty weather so I’m sure those with places to go and could get there they were rewarded with a pretty good hunt.
Yesterdays snow, sleet, and freezing rain has been replaced today with cold air and sun. Growing up in New England temperatures below 20 are cold but I leave the “bone chilling” description, which is getting thrown around here a lot, for when you get down in the negatives. 15 to 20 bellow my bones might be getting a bit cool.
Today with the conditions the way they are would be a perfect day to turn some beagles lose on some rabbits but this is North Carolina and hunting on Sunday is not allowed even those Sundays that most churches have decided to close their doors. The roads are now like many of the roads in places like Northern Maine packed snow and ice but minus the big snow banks to keep ya out of the ditch. There is not much in the line of snow removal equipment in this neck of the woods so we’ll have to wait for Mother Nature to clear the roads which could take some time given the “bone chilling” temperatures we have to endure.
We ventured out last evening to the Carolina Hurricanes game and it was fun to drive on roads that reminded me of my youth. Less than 7,000 of us showed up (over 14,000 tickets had been sold) to watch our last place Hurricanes knock off first place Black Hawks. A great game and good evening of fun. I was glad that we stopped and got something to eat before we got to the arena because it seems that most of their employees stayed home. The only concession stands that were open was on the first level and only about half of them at that.
The thermometer says it is about 18’ right now a warm cup of coffee and the gas logs going... Mother Nature can take her time on clearing the roads. I like this “bone chilling” “snowed in” type of weather while I sit and dream of the sound of beagles on a hot rabbit. I got to wonder if we can't get Hunting on Sunday if the church is closed?

Morning Chuckle: Story of Bagpiper

Saw this story posted on message forum and just had to share it.

As a bagpiper, I play many gigs. Recently I was asked by a funeral
director to play at a graveside service for a homeless man. He had no
family or friends, so the service was to be at a pauper’s cemetery in
the rural Idaho countryside back-country.

As I was not familiar with the backwoods, I got lost; and being a
typical man I didn’t stop for directions. I finally arrived an hour late
and saw the funeral guy had evidently gone and the hearse was nowhere in
sight. There were only the diggers and crew left and they were eating
lunch.
I felt badly and apologized to the men for being late.

I went to the side of the grave and looked down and the vault lid was
already in place. I didn’t know what else to do, so I started to play.
The workers put down their lunches and began to gather around. I played
out my heart and soul for this man with no family and friends. I played
like I’ve never played before for this homeless man.
And as I played ‘Amazing Grace,’ the workers began to weep.
They wept, I wept, and we all wept together.

When I finished I packed up my bagpipes and started for my car. Though
my head hung low, my heart was full.

As I was opening the door to my car, I heard one of the worker say,
“Sweet Mother of Jesus, I never seen nothing like that before and I’ve
been putting in septic tanks for twenty years.”

NCWRC Ban Import of Deer Heads From Virginia In Response to CWD

North Carolina deer hunters who hunt in Virginia will have some more restrictive measures placed on them now that Chronic Wasting Disease has been discovered in Virginia. Here is the Press Release from NCWRC;

RALEIGH, N.C. (January 26, 2010) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is warning citizens that a white-tailed deer in Virginia has tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). As a result, North Carolina taxidermists can no longer accept full heads for mounts from Virginia and must inform wildlife officers if they receive one.

In addition, anyone bringing a deer from Virginia, or the 15 other states or two Canadian provinces where CWD has been detected, must follow North Carolina processing and packaging regulations.

States where CWD has been detected include Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, Montana, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Illinois, Utah, West Virginia, New York, Kansas, Michigan and, now, Virginia. It has also been detected in Canada’s Alberta and Saskatchewan provinces.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission tested about 1,400 free-ranging white-tailed deer for CWD in 2009, and no CWD was found.

Infestation of Hogs In Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Biologists are attempting to get a handle on a growing problem in the park of hogs and the illegal stocking outside of the park maybe contributing to the problem.

Park biologist Bill Stiver told the Knoxville News-Sentinel the introduction of wild, semi-domesticated hogs into the park has made hog control even more difficult.
“The speculation is that hunters are illegally releasing feral pigs that eventually make their way inside the park,” Stiver said. “It’s a major problem not just here, but all over North America.”
He said numerous hogs killed this year had spotted markings and curly tails associated with domestic pigs.
“We’re getting a handful of animals that morphologically look different from our traditional wild boar,” Stiver said. “Some of them act different, too. Instead of running away, they let you walk up to them.”

Citizen Times

The last few times I’ve been in the park I’ve seen the damage the hogs are doing but I’ve never seen a hog in the park. While they maybe nocturnal there is no mistaking the signs they leave behind. While hunting and trapping is the best method to control hogs the National Parks historically will rarely allow hunting except for “professional hunters” (individuals hired by the government) which irks me because a limited draw hunt would pay for itself if not make some money for the park. Also it is not clear what is done with the animals after they are killed if it was a limited draw hunt they would be table fare for sure. There is ample evidence from hunts conducted in urban areas as well as county / state parks that such hunts can be conducted safely.
On the topic of releasing hogs into the wild I’m dumbfounded that folks would do this knowing the damage these critters can cause. Hogs are some of the most destructive animals that you can find and with all the areas that are having trouble with them why release any more?

North Carolina Outdoorsman New Outdoor Blog from the Tar Heel State

Camo Space has helped connect me with another outdoor blogger from the Tar Heel State or should I say the Mountaineer State. Andrew Briley lives across the county from me and it took Camo Space to get us introduced. Andrew has launched a blog called North Carolina Outdoorsman to share his thoughts and views on life and the great outdoors.

Mostly, I want people to understand how relevant and faithful God really is.
I also want to promote being an outdoorsman. I want anti hunters to understand that while some people give folks like me a bad name, most of us hunters are educated, sophisticated people. I want to promote conservation as much as possible. Our country currently faces many challenging and pressing issues. I don’t have answers for most of these problems. However I do feel that I can help to educate people about ethical hunting, principles of conservation and preservation of our sport. It is vital that we recruit more people, and teach them to become responsible, educated, involved sportsmen. Hopefully I can accomplish some of these things through this blog.

I know how tough it is when you first start out blogging so I hope a number of you find your way over there to check his blog out and welcome him to the world of blogging.

Andrew’s recent post is about searching for ducks I can tell ya I ain’t seeing them like I usually see them this time of the year. I wonder if our unseasonable cold weather we have been experienced encouraged them to continue on south to warmer climate?

For Your Listening Pleasure A Song From Downunder

I wonder if we’ll see this on MTV?

Chronic Wasting Disease Hits Virginia

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has now been detected in wild deer in Virginia making Virginia the 17th state / province to have the disease in its boarders .

Chronic wasting disease has been found for the first time in a Virginia white-tailed deer, the state game department said Wednesday.
The illness is a progressive neurological disease that ultimately results in death. It affects deer, elk and moose in North America, but it can’t be transferred to livestock and isn’t believed to affect humans. Still, game department officials warn hunters to be careful when handling deer.
A hunter in Frederick County killed the affected deer in November of last year, less than a mile from the West Virginia border. Virginia joins 17 states and Canadian provinces where the illness has been found.

Virginia Pilot

While on the surface this is alarming for North Carolina and the health of the deer herd we must keep this news in perspective. While now a neighboring state has CWD the reality is by all reports the disease has only expanded a mile closer to our border. The restrictions and the rules put in place seem to be working so I hope NCWRC reacts to this news in a sensible manner.

Annual Swan Hunt A Success

North Carolina is one of a handful of states where you can hunt Tundra Swans. Eastern North Carolina is the wintering grounds for these magnificent birds and where most people go to hunt them even though the limited draw tag is good for the entire state.

Last year I was not one of the lucky 5000 hunters that got drawn for a tag but this year I got it and I was pumped. A group of us has been getting together, for I believe 5 years now, on MLK Day to hunt swans at Conman’s Guide Service.
Most people who have never hunted swans think that our hunt is a stalk on some park pond tame swan because that is what most people are familiar with. Decoying these birds in can be difficult especially after they have been hunted for a while. Movement and things that are out of place is all the weary birds need to bypass your set up.

Yesterday’s hunt we set a large decoy spread in a old soy bean field and we hid in a nearby ditch with plenty of mud and water to make it interesting. Most of us were using 12 gauge shotguns but there was at least one 10 gauge in the ditch with us. Tundra Swan are migratory birds so hunters are required to use non toxic shot and many of us had steel shot. The effective range of steel shot is a lot less than traditional lead shot. Given that and the fact that the Tundra Swan is a large bird it is easy to misjudge how close the bird is and to shoot before it is in the range of the gun.

Hunting with a guide like Conman’s gives you access to the area to hunt, as well as decoys, and someone that has the experience to give you a good hunt. Watching those big birds fly in I’m glad we had a guide to call the shot so we could effectively kill the birds.
Tundra Swan I find to be a pretty tasty critter so I’m glad I got one to make some great meals. While buying meat at the grocery store is fine but there is something satisfying about killing fresh organic meat for the table. I haven’t decided how I’ll cook it but maybe another Swan Pot Pie is in my near future.

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