District 5 Public Hearing

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission held there second of nine public hearings, on a multiple of proposed changes for next year, in Graham North Carolina. Graham is in district 5 the district I predominantly hunt so a little bit more then an hour away. The hearing started pretty promptly at 7pm and the photo is of Director Gordon Myers giving some opening remarks. The auditorium was poorly lit and made photographs as well as reading the written material difficult but on the plus side it had ample room to accommodate the 350 to 400 people that were in attendance and the PA system made it easier to hear what was being said.

All 34 fishing proposals were covered in about 10 minutes with virtually no public comments. I was thinking it might be an early evening but the 49 hunting and trapping proposals were far more involved with a number of them generating numerous public comments. It was after 930pm when the hearing was adorned and after 11:30 pm when I got home.

I’m sitting here writing and it’s midnight and I know I can’t do justice to what all transpired this evening. There was a lot of lively discussion and some great points made on a number of issues that I just don’t want to breeze over. So what I’m going to do is I’ll do a number of posts on the hearing I attended and try to give you some of the comments and my views on the topics. The big issues were; Deer Hunting Season ( altering the break up of Muzzle Loading, Archery, and Firearm Season), Turkey Hunting ( eliminating youth day and opening the season early ) Sunday Hunting with Archery Equipment, Tagging of Big Game, legalizing Crossbows, and a few odds and ends. I could not possible do justice to that in one post nor can I fully decipher my 4 pages of notes that I took in a reasonable amount of time to get the post up.

So bear with me and over the next couple of days I’ll get the information up. If you have an interest in the outdoors in North Carolina there are still a number of public hearings you can attend or you can email the NCWRC your comments.

Step Up And Be Heard… Public Hearings ON Wildlife Take Place This Month

In North Carolina changes to hunting, trapping and fishing laws are often floated at public hearings across the state to get the public’s input on them. The comments are taken into consideration by the Commissioners when they sit down to make the changes in the spring. There are a number of proposals up for consideration that could really alter the way we hunt; legalizing crossbows during archery season (currently only handicap individuals with a permit can use them), switching most of the state to be under a uniform deer season like the eastern part of the state is currently under (that would add an additional 4 weeks or so to firearm season), eliminate the winter turkey season, open the spring turkey season up a week earlier ( this proposal has been floated time and time again despite the over whelming opposition. Commissioner Windham seems to be the driving force behind this effort even when the biological staff have constantly stated that the season already opens to early.) and of course the issue of Sunday Hunting as proposed to allow archery only on Sundays ( North Carolina is one of a handful of states that does not allow hunting on Sunday, the current law prohibits the use of a firearm for hunting on Sunday and would require legislative action to change the law. That leaves non firearm methods of hunting on Sunday as legal if the NCWRC passes rules to open Sunday’s up.). There are a number of other proposals you can see this years proposals as well as the hearing schedules here at NCWRC you can also submit online comments if you can’t make the hearings.

Been Under The Weather

Don’t know what I caught but I’ve been out of commission last few days. Slept most of the day Saturday & Sunday which is highly unusual for me. Hopefully I’m on the mend and will get some news & posts up.
-Moose-

It’s Official Field & Stream Buck Scores 233 2/8

It’s Official Field & Stream Buck Scores 233 2/8 making it the New Wisconsin State Record for Non Typical Bucks. When I posted the story about this buck being taken I promised to keep you up to date on it’s status and the record books.

Questions about whether the buck would qualify for world-record status were answered Wednesday when official scorers with the Pope and Young Club ruled the animal’s antlers as nontypical, disqualifying it from holding the world title.

However, Decker’s deer still attained high honors. The 16-pointer, which officially was measured at 233 2/8 inches (all scoring is done in eighths of inches), is the largest nontypical buck shot with a bow in Wisconsin history, breaking the state’s longest-standing archery deer hunting record - 231 5/8 inches - in place since 1979. The state’s nontypical gun record is 247 3/8 inches.

Leader Telegram

What ever you want to call it the “Decker Buck” or the “Field & Stream Buck” it is one impressive buck. Congratulations to Bob Decker for taking one awesome buck, I’m sure at some point this deer will make the show circuit so we can all get a closer look at the impressive rack.

The Start of A New Year and The Ending Of The Deer Season

While many people ring in the New Year by watching a ball drop in New York, an acorn in Raleigh or a pickle in Mount Olive North Carolina I held off my celebration to a few hours latter. I greeted the New Year and the ending of the deer season at the same time as the sun rose on the first day of 2009. A very uneventful morning without a deer being sighted on the last day of the season. Often times I skip hunting the last day but this year with the warm weather finally breaking I couldn’t resist the early morning cold. It was an enjoyable morning as I sat in the deer stand waiting to see the new day. I spent sometime reflecting on the past year and how good the Lord had been to me and prayed about the year to come. Kind of sad to see the deer season end because nothing is better for my spiritual life then spending time sitting in the deer woods and praying. I hope everyone has a great 2009 and lets all try to take a little more time this coming year and thank the Lord for his goodness towards us.

Happy New Year and I hope 2009 is a good one for all of us.

Some Deer in Bad Predicaments

In this day of photo shopped photos and internet rumors it is often hard to determine what is true an what is made up. The email photos of the doe with the arrow through her nose is a true story. Colorado officials had to euthanize the doe after attempts to capture her failed. Unknown who shot her and the circumstances around how she ended up the way she did. There has been countless posts across the hunting forums about whether it was an ethical shot or not. While the end result is not what any of us would like to see unless we know how it happened we can’t be sure if it was purposeful, negligent, or just a freak accident. I’m glad the authorities were able to find her and end her suffering.

In a story from here in North Carolina there is a buck that has gotten himself entangled in some barb wire. One of the hunting forums I frequent there has been some conversations and a few photos around this buck. It is reported that this buck was seen sporting this additional head gear back around the first of November and now game camera photos shot around Christmas show he is still running around with barbwire fencing. Unlike the doe that was obviously in distress and unable to eat or drink the fencing does not seem to be preventing this buck from doing those activities. Bucks lose their antlers every year in the winter so soon he’ll shed both antler and fence.

Hunter Shot At Jordan Lake Game Lands

Bob Shuller was deer hunting with a group of hunters when he was struck in the neck and leg with buckshot pellets. The group was hunting in an area near the boat ramp at Farrington Point around 10 am when the accidental shooting happened. While the circumstances around how this accident happened have not been released this is an area hunters often to deer drives. A deer drive is where hunters walk through brushy area attempting to force deer past standing hunters. While some states have outlawed this style of hunting deer drives are legal in North Carolina. Driving deer can be dangerous especially if hunters are not sure of where each other are and a deer runs between them. Bob Shuller under went emergency surgery as a result of his injuries his condition is unknown at this time. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Enforcement Division is investigating the shooting and will present the information to Chatham County Prosecutors for a decision on whether or not to bring charges against the shooter.

There is only a few days left in the deer season so lets be careful folks as we bring the season to a close.

Pea Island Photo Blind

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is located in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In an earlier post I shared some of the photos I took while hiking around the island with my camera in tote. Saturday Morning was very foggy, do I dare say as thick as Pea Soup, with occasional showers passing through. My wife was accompanying me so we decided to try out a photo blind that one of the volunteers at the visitor center had told me about the day before.

I was glad to see there was no one else there when we got there but the truth of the matter is it’s pretty large in 6 to 8 people could fit in there pretty comfortably. A fully enclosed blind with a roof and benches makes for a comfortable morning of shooting photographs. The conditions were less then ideal but even with the fog I think I got some pretty good shots.

I missed the first flock of Canadian Geese that flew in but I was ready when I heard more coming. They just busted through the fog right in front of the blind giving me a great shot. The blind is right on the waters edge so you can get some great shots and it appears to be a spot that a good variety of birds like to feed.

We had a great morning and even though my wife doesn’t run the camera much she had a great time observing the birds. So if your get the chance check out the Outer Banks and don’t forget about Pea Island and all the stuff there is to see. As a reminder for the next little bit Moose’s Wild America will be featuring many of the photos I shot while at Pea Island and the Outer Banks.

Discovery’s Bear Attack Documentary Is Misleading At Best

Imagine a man being placed in a bear proof cube along a bear trail waiting for a wild bear to happen along to see what happens. Well that is what Discovery Channel wants you to believe in their Documentary “Bear Feeding Frenzy” but what they suggest is not exactly the truth. The “documentary” was filmed inside a fenced in area with captive bears in Alaska. I guess we should be somewhat relieved that these were not wild bears because their actions would have gone a long way in training these bears in seeing humans as food.

State wildlife biologists call the self-proclaimed “documentary” misleading and worse. The bear authority who worked with the filmmakers says he got snookered. And some average citizens — taken in by the show’s appearance of having been filmed in the wild — are outraged that television producers would be teaching grizzlies to attack life-like dummies, tear into tents and break into SUVs.

“I was horrified as I watched this guy sitting in a “predator proof” Plexiglas box ultimately train wild grizzly bears to maul a mannequin, break into a car and tear down tents while he is yelling ‘hey bear … hey bear!’ What do you suppose will happen when one of these ‘conditioned’ bears steps out on a gravel bar with a hiker or fisherman who calmly tries to yield ground while saying, ‘hey bear,’ ” said Alaska angler Jim Hamblet.

Even the bear expert they hired and used was upset about the final production.

“Yeah, what a stupid program,” said Tom Smith, a professor of wildlife at Brigham Young University in Utah, a former bear researcher for the U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska, and the man who served as the bear consultant on Frenzy. Smith appears in the film at times with Douglas in the box.

He regrets it now.

“It seemed innocent enough, and then they put it together,” Smith said. “There is some hokey stuff in there. On the one hand, you want to do some good; on the other hand, you get burned. It was kind of a bad deal.”

Smith said he wrote an angry letter to producers of the show, Gurney Productions in Hollywood, after he got a look at what they had done and told them that if nothing else they needed to let people know “this was filmed at the Wildlife Conservation Center.”

Letting wild bears attack life-like dummies, or serving the animals food choices as Frenzy also does, would be “unethical if not illegal,” Smith said.

Feeding penned bears and offering them dummies is just misleading. Right down to that attack on Billy.

ADN

The photo I’ve posted with this story is one I took at Big Game Alaska Wildlife Center where I believe this documentary was filmed. A wildlife center that cares for injured animals with many of them being held in captivity never to be released because of their injuries. I’m sure that these bears will not be released but at the same time I don’t think you can view the actions of bears being held in captivity and realistically think this will be the same way wild bears will react.

Makes me wonder if Shark Week is filmed at Sea World.

A Day At Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge is located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and is the winter ground of many species of waterfowl. I had the opportunity to slip down there for a few days and had a wonderful time. The weather here in North Carolina is unseasonable warm but it does make it comfortable for hiking and exploring around Pea Island. Pea Island is just south of the Bonner Bridge, an barrier island about 13 miles long and about only a mile wide at it’s widest point.

There are a number of hiking trails with great observation points, observation towers, photo blinds, and places to stop and view wildlife. I was able to observe and photography a wide variety of birds. Friday was the better day by far Saturday. Friday afternoon we saw lots of birds as we hiked around the island.

Pea Island is a great place for anyone that loves the outdoors while I was focused on photography there are a variety of other activities for people to including surf fishing which seemed to be a popular activity.

Friday evening the rain rolled in so Saturday we awoke to light showers and heavy fog. That helped make the decision as to where we should go easy so we headed for the photography blind. Tomorrow I’ll share the blind experience with you and some of the photos I took. Many of the photos I took will end up on my wildlife photography blog Moose’s Wild America so be sure to stop by and check it out.

Deer Camp Blog Christmas Card

Once again Rex over at the Deer Camp Blog has put together a Christmas Card with a bunch of outdoor blogger’s photos. It brings back memories of the “Where’s Waldo Puzzles” so in that light can ya find my photo? I’ll give you a clue I’m not wearing a ball cap. So check it out and see if you can find my ugly mug in his card.

A Milestone For Moose Droppings

This month is the third year anniversary of the launching of my blog. When I started blogging there was very few blogs dedicated to the outdoors. Initially Moose Droppings was on another network and I moved over to Skinny Moose about 5 months latter. I started Moose Droppings initially to collect the stories I told and posted over a number of message forums. The turn over on the forums was so quick that often times these stories were lost or at least difficult to find. Currently any story I have posted over the years is still available in the achieves. I often look back to see what was going on a year or two ago and often is a reference for planning out hunting trips. A new feature that was added this year often pulls up previous stories and posts links at the end of the story so readers can look back. I hope you try those links from time to time I know I find it entertaining to look back at some of the older stories.
The blog has evolved over the years with more outdoor news, trophy animals taken in North Carolina, and major outdoor news events especially those in the Southeast. We have been involvled in educating people on important issues, politics, and those things that may or could effect the outdoors we love. In the early days there was a small amount of traffic but things have picked up and I’m grateful for my faithful readers.
I hope you enjoy Moose Droppings as much as I like writing it.

As we start the 4th year if your a regular you noticed this month the blog got a bit of a face lift. Additionally I plan to add some regular features after the first of the year that I think will be exciting. As always I enjoy the feedback and the comments I get from my readers so keep sending them. You can always email me with any story ideas, comments or questions at Moosesign@aol.com

Don’t forget that I also have another blog Moose’s Wild America that is dedicated to my love of photography and the outdoors.

Thanks to all my outdoor blogging friends I won’t try to list them all because I’m sure I would leave someone out. Rest assured if you visit Skinny Moose or Outdoor Bloggers Summit you’ve met many of them. You inspire and encourage me and I hope I do the same for you as well.
-Moose-

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