Moose Droppings

NCCE

After being treated for a rattlesnake bite a week ago Pamela Summers died at her home in Marion North Carolina from complications of the bite.

On Monday afternoon, Gregory found Summers dead in her home, apparently from complications due to a rattlesnake bite. Gregory said the snakebite occurred early last week while she and her husband, Jimmy Gregory, were away. Pamela had been trimming weeds.
“She was wearing jeans,” Barbara said. “When we got back, she called me and said she didn’t feel good. She said she’d either been bitten by a dog or a snake. I went and looked; it was on her right leg. It had two holes and it didn’t look good.
“She said she wanted to go to sleep,” she added, “and I said ‘Pam, don’t you go to sleep on me.’ Then I called 911.
“The responders said it didn’t look like a snakebite,” she stated. “They thought maybe she’d gotten into a bees’ nest. But the guy from EMS said it was a rattlesnake, so they took her to the hospital.”
Gregory added that Summers had suffered from high blood pressure and several other ailments.
Summers spent the night in the intensive care unit and returned home the next day with orders, said Gregory, “to keep her leg elevated for a month.” She had respiratory problems for several days after the incident, but she would not rest and keep her leg elevated as the doctor had directed, she added.
“She didn’t like to be sitting in the house,” said Jimmy Gregory. “She had to get out and do something.”
On Memorial Day, Barbara received a call from Summers’ sister, she said, asking her to go and check on Pam. When knocking and calling out got no response, Barbara used a spare key and entered the home.
“She was laying on the couch with her leg elevated and she was blue around the mouth and she was cold,” she remembered tearfully. “I’m afraid to go down to the mailbox now.”

McDowellnews.com
With the advances in medical care fatalities from snake bites are rare. North Carolina leads the nation in snake bites with only 3 fatalities since 2000.

Snakebites frequently go unreported. Approximately 4000-7000 bites are reported to national centers each year. North Carolina has the highest frequency, with 19 bites per 100,000 persons. The national average is approximately 4 bites per 100,000 persons.

E Medicine

There is no doubt that with the warm weather snakes are out and about across the state. Rattlesnakes can be found across most of the state as well as a number of other venomous snakes. A neighbor earlier this week killed a copperhead in our subdivision. Be careful and if you get bit seek medical attention immediately.

First Aid for Snakebites
(This first aid for snakebites information was provided by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Red Cross)

According to the American Red Cross, these steps should be taken:

Wash the bite with clean water and soap.
Immobilize the bitten area and keep it lower than the heart.
If the bite is on the hand or arm remove any rings, watches or tight clothing.
Get medical help immediately.
Most bites don’t occur in isolated situations where the victim may be a long distance from medical help. Some medical professionals, along with the American Red Cross, cautiously recommend two other measures:

If a victim is unable to reach medical care within 30 minutes, a bandage, wrapped two to four inches above the bite, may help slow venom. The bandage should not cut off blood flow from a vein or artery. A good rule of thumb is to make the band loose enough that a finger can slip under it.
A suction device may be placed over the bite to help draw venom out of the wound without making cuts. Suction instruments often are included in commercial snakebite kits.
How NOT to Treat a Snakebite
Snakebite first aid methods are not always agreed upon by U.S. medical professionals, but they are nearly unanimous in their views of what NOT to do.

NO ice or any other type of cooling on the bite. Research has shown this to be potentially harmful.
NO tourniquets. This cuts blood flow completely and may result in loss of the affected limb.
NO electric shock. This method is under study and has yet to be proven effective. It could harm the victim.
NO incisions in the wound. Such measures have not been proven useful and may cause further injury.

Desert USA

Photo Courtesy of NC Wildlife

Spring is here and the does are dropping fawns. This time of year it’s not unusual for people to find fawns and not see the doe around please do not handle the fawns because most of these fawns are not lost. Does hide fawns to keep them away from predators and will latter return for them.

During May and June, people see fawns left alone and assume they have been abandoned by the doe. But whitetails are a “hider” species, meaning the female will conceal her fawn in vegetation during the first two or three weeks of its life while she feeds.
Dappled and lacking scent, fawns are well-camouflaged and usually remain undetected by predators. The doe returns to the fawn several times a day to nurse and clean it, staying only a few minutes each time before leaving again to seek food.
But fawns are far from helpless. By the time a fawn is five days old it can outrun a human. At three to six weeks of age, it can escape most predators. Although they may continue to nurse for another four to six months, fawns are functionally weaned by about 10 weeks, eating vegetation and other browse.
Unless a fawn is in imminent danger — suffering an injury, for example, or being attacked by dogs — the best decision is to leave it alone. If you are concerned about the fawn, leave the area and check back the next day. If the fawn is in the same location when you return the following day and is bleating loudly, or if a fawn is lying beside a dead doe (usually at the side of a roadway), do not take the fawn into possession. Instead, contact the Wildlife Resources Commission at (919) 707-0040 for the telephone number of a local permitted fawn rehabilitator.

Last year while at Yellowstone we watched a antelope doe hide a fawn in the brush and then she wandered all over creation laying down a scent trail for a coyote that was hunting her fawn. The fawn being virtually scent free remained motionless and hidden while the doe lead that coyote all over the place. The coyote finally got tired and gave up. Whitetails do the same thing so leave the fawn be.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

N&O

Joe Fuller from Holly Springs may have killed a new world record gobbler or at least a new North Carolina state record. The bird had 8 beards and scored a whopping 195.5 and is just waiting to be certified. The Thursday Outdoor section of the N&O had the story;

At first glance, Fuller thought the bird had two beards but when he got it back to his truck and laid it out on the tailgate, he and his hunting partner, Russ Zaft from Fuquay Varina, were amazed to find this bird had eight beards.
Each beard contributes to the total score along with weight and spur length by the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) scoring method. The total score of 195.5 points, when certified and registered with the NWTF would best the previous world record by one and a half points.

Turkeys have really taken off in North Carolina and this is great to have a potential new world record coming out of our state. Go check out the rest of the story and find out what part of the state this big boy came out of.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

ESPN
There is no doubt that across much of the country feral hog populations are growing leaps and bounds. Here in North Carolina what was once isolated problem in just a handful of areas is now a problem in many areas across the state. Within the feral hog population is there a strain of monster size hogs or hogzilla that will see more and more of? Stories like the National Geographic story a while back and the story of the little boy killing a monster pig has fueled speculation that such a strain exists. Both these stories have been stretched and are don’t seem to hold up to public scrutiny.

I have no doubt that there are some huge hogs out there but I believe that for a hog to exceed 1200lbs or more he either has been pen raised and released or he is being fed something to get him to grow that big. I find it hard to believe that on it’s own a pig could grow that big. We have a few large hogs in North Carolina but nothing close to the size reported in these two national stories. None the less once a hog gets over 500 lbs in my book that’s a big hog and not one I’d want to encounter in the wild with out my 30/06.

I’ll admit I missed the show last night it bumped up against the hockey game. So if your like me and missed Monster Quest there will be a few more opportunities to catch this episodes airing. The marvel of satellite TV. So check it out.

North Carolina State Parks continue to evaluate barriers and signs at Chimney Rock after this past weekend’s tragic death when a toddler fell under a barrier and off a cliff. The state has no plans to close or limit access to potentially dangerous areas to children. Rather they attempt to educate parents through signage and park staff so parents can decide on the appropriateness for their own children.

“To say no, children should not go on this trail, or children should not go near this water feature — I’m not sure we want to take that responsibility entirely, and I’m not sure our visitors want us to take that responsibility,” said parks and recreation spokesman Charlie Peek.
Chimney Rock general manager Mary Jaeger-Gale said Giovani Chávez’s death was a devastating accident and a rare occurrence at the highly visited park.
The boy had been hiking with his parents Bibiana and Arturo Chávez, of Spartanburg, S.C., and a group of about 15 people, Peek said.
Jaeger-Gale said park staff suggests that families with children use lower trails, and the Skyline-Cliff Trail had signs in English and Spanish warning hikers to take safety precautions.

Citizens Times

Outdoors and nature can be a very unforgiving and there is no way that it can be made safe. I agree with the state that individuals need to take responsibility for themselves and their children. With that said I’m sure I won’t be seated on the jury that hears this case. In this day and age with people suing over much less frivolous things I’d be surprised that a death inside a state park would not bring a suit.

WRAL

Every Spring juvenile boar bears are forced out on their own. As they search for a new home range they often wander through territory that is traditionally not bear country such was the case this weekend in Raleigh and parts of Durham. Much of the news is around town is the bear or bears depending on who you talk to. Today many people had to ask me about the bears and my thoughts on where they came from and how they got here.

For the most part if the bears are left alone they’ll just travel through the area and get to a place more suited for bears then the urban areas around Raleigh. That is the approach that the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission takes and they’ll not respond unless a bear gets stuck. How does a bear get stuck? Often being chased by people or forced to start running in urban areas. They often will find a tree and climb up it. Sometimes people can back off and it will come down and continue on its way. Putting the bear under stress or cornering it will only encourage an altercation.

One of the news reports from this weekend reported that one citizen went and got a shotgun but by the time he returned the bear was gone. I would not suggest that anyone shoot a bear in an urban area, or out of season without good cause. Walking through your yard is not enough provocation to kill a bear. Additionally a wounded bear in the wild makes us with experience pucker never mind having it in a urban area where it could easily encounter a person or multiple people.

Finally one of the hardest things to do is to judge how big a bear is. Reports of a hundred pound bear and a two hundred pound bear are more then likely the same bear. If I’ve learned anything from being in hunt camps the average person can not accurately judge the size of a bear. The fear factor associated with seeing a bear tends to take away the ability to judge the size of the bear. Reports that this is a sow (200lb) bear with a cub (100lb) is highly unlikely. Cubs born this winter will not weigh more then 50lbs, even during the fall hunting season cubs don’t often hit 100lbs.

My advice if you encounter a bear on your way out of your subdivision tomorrow give him space.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Authorities have had little to say about the accident that happened earlier this holiday weekend when a toddler fell 200 feet off the rock to his death.

Aura Maas of Raleigh was standing near the family.
“I heard this screaming,” she said. “In my mind I thought perhaps they had seen an animal and that was the commotion. As I got close, I realized what had happened. The child went down.”
Her husband John, also there, said, “They ran after the child; they they…they jumped the fence and tried to get down.”
The sight stunned the couple as well as the young victim’s family.
“Oh..my gosh..it was horrible..my wife was with the mother..she was frantic..everyone was dazed and confused,” said John Maas.
Falling two hundred feet to a trail below the skyline loop was the fatal move. It’s an advanced trail, with a fence, and the boy appears to have slipped under.
Aura Maas spoke to the boy’s mother, who claims she was holding her son’s hand and he slipped out of her grip.

News 7

The bottom railing is about 2.5 feet off the ground, according to park visitor Richard McGinnis, who was at the scene during rescue efforts.
McGinnis, of Boiling Springs, arrived at Chimney Rock Park about the same time as emergency crews. He said he frequently hikes at the park and decided to tag along with rescue crews in case they needed help with directions.
“It would be easy for a toddler (to go under the fencing) if they broke loose from their parents,” McGinnis said.

Citizen Times

A really sad story of how a family’s outing turned tragic in a split second. Language barriers were a factor in gathering information after the accident unknown if that contributed to the accident as well. I’ve been up on Chimney Rock when it was privately owned and there was signs warning people to be careful because of the slippery conditions as well as the rather steep drop offs. Common sense would tell someone that the area is dangerous for the little ones. This appears to be the first fatal accident at the park in recent history.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Photo Citizen Times

A story we have been following closely here is the murder of the Bryant’s while hiking in Pisgah National Forest last fall. The Bryant’s had gone on a fall hike and were initially reported as missing but as time went on their disappearance became more suspicious. A month after they went missing the bludgeoned body of Irene Bryant was found near their parked car with no sign of John. Authorities presumed John was also murdered as well but it wasn’t till this February when a hunter discovered his remains that they knew for certain. By the time John’s body was discovered authorities had already linked the Bryant murders to a serial killer Gary Hilton. Hilton has confessed and been convicted of a similar style murder in nearby Georgia. Additionally he has been charged and awaits extradition to Florida for a murder there. Authorities here in North Carolina have not charged him with murder but they are clear that he is the person they believed that carried out these senseless crimes.

The autopsy confirmed the skeletal remains as John Bryant his pace maker was discovered with the remains. The autopsy lists the cause of death as a single gunshot wound to the head and no other injuries were noted.

Now what remains is the need for justice in this case. I hope the federal authorities who are taking the lead are able to bring this case to a close. We like to think that our parks and public recreational areas are safe from crime but the sad reality they are not.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Memorial Day has always been a special day for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the Boston area in the era of Vietnam I remember going down to see the parade and the ceremonies at the cemetery. At the time I was really not able to fathom the sacrifice many had made on our behalf. My Dad and Mom did their best to instill in us kids the love of God & Country. Sure Memorial Day was the kick off of the summer and we often had our first cook out on that day but it was the time we spent with at the cemetery remembering those sacrifices that were made that are forever etched in my mind. In elementary school I remember the Memorial Day assembly when veterans from world war one on up would be present and the patriotic songs and speeches were given. I don’t have kids but somehow in our political correct society I’m sure the schools frown on such an activity. I’m sure it warps the development of young minds.

As the years go by those lessons of my youth are not forgotten. I never served coming of age when Ronald Regan was president and his victory over the Russians. It seemed that we were for the most part at peace. What we see clearly now was like a whisper of smoke then as radical Muslims carried out terrorist attacks on our Country and interests. All of that seemed to come to a head when they hit us on 911. We have many service people today in harms way to defend freedom like countless ones before them.

The lessons I learned in my youth are not forgotten and this day is a very special day for me. It somehow seems fitting that my Dad was finally laid to rest on Memorial Day in 2001 after he lost his battle with cancer the previous Thanksgiving. Living in Maine the winters are long and the final laying someone to rest often waits till spring. Dad served in Korea and although he rarely talked about his experiences he was proud to serve to keep all of us free like thousand upon thousand of others who have done the same.

What has become an annual event for me I watched the National Memorial Concert from Washington DC last evening. A very moving tribute to all that have served or are serving our great country. The World War II vets are fading fast I hope people are listening to their voices so we never relive the horrors they had to face. I’m not sure that enough of us have listened as I watched the old scenes that our troops found in Germany compared to the horrors that I believe we’ll see in our lifetime if we stumble with the conflict we face today.

I hope you take some time today to reflect on really what the cost of freedom is. Instill some of this in the younger generations so they are ready to answer the call of freedom. Take time to thank a veteran for keeping us free. Pray for those that have returned home with wounds and injuries that they may heal. Uphold the families that have lost a love one. Be an active part of “A Grateful Nation” and thank those who have stood to keep us free.

Photo NC State Parks

Chimney Rock is one of a handful of easily recognizable landmarks across the state of North Carolina and just recently was purchased by the state to preserve that status. This weekend it was the scene of a very tragic accident when a 2 year old toddler slipped his mother’s grasped running along the Skyline Trail stumbling and falling somehow under the safety barrier and off a cliff.

The accident happened around 10:30 Saturday Morning and rescuers repelled down to the boy and initiated CPR. It took rescuers 90 minutes to get the boy off the mountain and despite their efforts the boy could not be saved.

The 2-year-old South Carolina boy who died Saturday from injuries he suffered in a fall while hiking with his family at Chimney Rock Park has been identified as Giovani Chavez, authorities said Sunday.
The boy’s parents are Bibiana and Arturo Chavez of Spartanburg, S.C.
Park staff were notified about 10:30 a.m. that a child had fallen from one of the trails, park Superintendent Adrienne Wallace said. It’s unknown exactly how far he fell, Wallace said. The boy fell from the Skyline trail, said Mary Jaeger-Gale, general manager of Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock Park.

Citizen Times

Chimney Rock reopened and the investigation into how this accident happened continues.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Zibby Wilder director of public relations for Animal Protection Institute denies that their organization had anything to do with the release of two monocled cobras in Onslow County. As earlier reported in on this blog news sources were suggesting that Animal Protection Institute had released these cobras in an effort to get lawmakers who are currently debating a bill to make private ownership of exotic animals illegal to pass the bill.

These unfounded claims made by WITN, and apparently some unnamed “officials,” are not only an example of bad journalism (not citing sources, making unfounded and slanderous claims, not bothering to call the organization you are accusing — or responding to their attempts to contact you), they are great examples of how great a need the state has for regulation of dangerous wild animals.

I’ll admit that I have no love loss for snakes, well I’ll qualify that because fried rattlesnake is pretty darn good, so I really don’t have an opinion on whether we should regulate private ownership of them.

I know little about API but given the nuts in the animal rights movement I wouldn’t be surprised if someone acted on their own thinking they were furthering API’s cause. When you have the bigger household name animal rights groups like ALF & PETA involved in or financially supporting Eco Terrorism making a leap like this is not outside the realm of possibility.
Although people at API and myself would not agree on many things I would hope that we could agree that whoever the individual or individuals are that released this snake or snakes they should be held accountable. I further stand by my earlier opinion that if this was purposely done or if someone made up this story that this is an act of terrorism.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

The Jacksonville Daily News is reporting that authorities were unsuccessful in efforts to capture what is believed to be a monocled cobra indigenous to southern Asia.

“The snake came up from under the porch and went toward her puppy,” Jen Grooms, founder and director of HERP Wildlife Rescue, said Thursday night.
“She grabbed her puppy and then it charged her,” said Jen Grooms, director of HERP Wildlife Rescue, which responded to the scene along with Onslow County Animal Control, Onslow County Emergency Medical Services and the Piney Green Volunteer Fire Department.
Grooms, who said the snake went back under the porch after charging the woman, identified the snake by peeking under the porch. When she looked, the snake showed it’s hood, which had a round circle on it - the sign of a monocled cobra, which is indigenous to Southeast Asia.
With permission from the property manager, those on the scene dismantled the front porch in an effort to capture the snake, said Animal Control Director Dino Einsig. However, the snake was not there.
“We searched for the snake and turned up nothing, so we secured,” Einsig said, adding that the snake was last seen at about 3:30 p.m. Both Grooms and Einsig believe the snake went into the woods.
“These are very fast and agile snakes, and somewhere in the ruckus it got past us,” Grooms said.

Where the snake came from and how many there are is not clear other news sources are reporting that two snakes may have been purposely released as I reported in my earlier story. We’ll continue to follow this as it develops….

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose