The Rest of the Story Ends

Paul Harvey died at the age of 90 today. He probably is one of the most recognizable voices ever on the radio. While he had strong supportive views on the 2nd amendment his surprising support for radical animal right groups is what alienated him from many. No matter what you thought about Paul Harvey he was one of the greatest media personalities of all times. Our thoughts and prayers are with the loved ones he left behind.

Did You Hear This One… An Elk Walks Into A Bar….

Photo by Bill Johnson

Well not exactly a joke but extremely odd that this elk is running around Eagle County Colorado with a bar stool stuck on her neck.

Wildlife officers are aware of the elk’s problem, but haven’t been able to get close enough to tranquilize the elk and remove the extra headgear.
“It is not usual to have this happen to a cow elk,” DOW officer Randy Hampton said. “With bull elk, we run to that situation commonly where they wiill get stuff tangled up in their antlers.”

While the bar stool does not appear to be hurting the elk in any way it can’t be too comfortable. Hopefully they’ll be able to capture and free her from the stool or she gets free on her own.

South Carolina’s Reintroduction of Gator Season is a Success

After 44 years without a season this past fall hunters in South Carolina once again had the opportunity to hunt the alligator. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources issued by lottery draw 1000 permits with an anticipated success rate of 19% however the actual success rate was much higher with hunters killing 360 alligators.

The 2008 gator hunt drew criticism after two instances in which inexperienced hunters fired many rounds to kill large alligators.
One of those hunts occurred at night on Lake Marion and involved firing at least 18 shots from a .45-caliber pistol over a five-hour period to kill a 12-foot-7-inch, 820-pound alligator estimated to be about 50 years old.
Had the hunters followed state protocol of first capturing the gator and dragging it either to shore or along the boat before killing it, so many shots would not have been necessary, wrote state alligator program coordinator Jay Butfiloski in the report.
“These types of accounts do little to garner support for the public alligator harvest,” he said.

Some changes for the 2009 hunt will be made but the number of permits should stay the same but officials feel that the harvest numbers will drop and be more in line with the initial expectation.

Wildlife officials predict fewer alligators will be harvested because many of the “naive alligators” were hunted out last year, according to the report. They also predict the size of the gators caught will continue to decrease because the slowest, largest ones already were killed.

The Beafort Gazette
With the surging of the alligator population I wonder how long it will be till North Carolina has a season on them?

The In Between Time

Well for the most part a lot of the hunting has wrapped up and now the lull before spring time is here. If you’re like me this is the time to put equipment away maybe make some repairs and dispose of some of the stuff that is worn out. A good time to watch for sales but with the economy the way it is I’m not really looking very hard this year at the sales.
This year for the first time I plan to chase snow geese and my ammo for that has arrived. A snow goose hunt should be a lot of fun and shorten the time till turkey season gets here. I know some guys are already out scouting for turkeys but it seems a bit early to me many of them are still in their winter pattern and besides in my experience turkey hunting is a lot like bass fishing. The structure is important so if you know an area that holds a gobbler in the spring if the structure is the same you’ll probably find one there this year just like a favorite fishing hole.
I hope you are finding constructive things to keep you busy in the “In Between Time” and if it gets to boring you can always go out shed hunting.

Why Does Hunting Matter?

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is offering another one of their free lectures at the Centennial Campus here in Raleigh on March 11th at 4pm.

The March 11 program in the Fisheries and Wildlife Seminar series at the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education will look at hunting as a tradition, a conservation tool and its role in modern society.
Walter “Deet” James, a biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, will discuss the Hunting Heritage Program and the reasons for its inception. He will cover a brief history of hunting and wildlife conservation, including an introduction to the North American model of conservation, as well as the concept of hunting in modern society.
The free presentation begins at 4 p.m. in the auditorium and will be preceded by a networking session and refreshments, beginning at 3:30 p.m. The seminars are a partnership between the Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program at N.C. State University and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Sounds like a very worthwhile lecture unfortunately I have a scheduling conflict and doubt I’ll be able to make it. I hope some of you can take advantage of this lecture.

End of an Era…. Wesley’s # 2 Hung in The Rafters

Last evening I got to witness the ending of an era as the Carolina Hurricanes retired Glen Wesley’s #2. After 20 years in the NHL Glen is moving on to the next stage of his life. Glen has always been a fan favorite from the time he was first drafted by the Boston Bruins to his crowning achievement of getting to raise Lord Stanley’s Cup above his head with the Hurricanes. Much like the retiring of Ron Frances the Canes put on a nice ceremony and the number 2 now hangs next to the number 10 in the rafters of the RBC Center.
I was excited to see that one of my boyhood heroes was on hand, Derrick Sanderson. Derrick was a flamboyant Bruin and as a kid growing up in Boston I loved to watch him play on our black and white TV. Derrick was the Bruin that made the pass to Bobby Orr that set up the infamous goal to win the Stanley cup.
Growing up in Boston I’m a diehard Bruins fan but Glen playing on the Canes helped me become a Canes fan as well. On most nights I pull for the Canes but when the Bruins are in town my evil twin shows up.
Glen Wesley is a class act and the game is certainly going to miss his sportsmanship. An example of that is when they won the Stanley Cup each player gets 24 hrs with the cup. Glen took the Cup to Camp Lejeune and shared it with wounded marines. A class act all the way…. The game is going to miss him….

These are some photos I shot from the nose bleed section of the RBC Center.

McDowell County Commission Buck Changes To Deer Season

McDowell County Commissioners passed a resolution opposing the proposed changes to the current deer season. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has proposed a uniform deer season for most of the state that if past would significantly lengthen the season in McDowell County.

The resolution, similar to one already adopted by the Yancey County Commission, states that the “Wildlife Resources Commission has been insensitive and unresponsive to normal procedures whereby hunters can have input into new rule proposals and seems intent on making these unpopular changes regardless of public opinion …”
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is proposing nine changes in the state’s rules about white-tailed deer. One of these changes would create a single uniform deer season that would match the current deer season in counties east of Yancey, McDowell and Rutherford. It would open those counties to the maximum either-sex deer season, which includes all days of the open season. If this change passes, the gun deer season in and east of Yancey, McDowell and Rutherford counties would be open from Oct. 17 through Jan. 1 and antlerless deer would be legal game throughout the season.

There are certainly a lot of questions about how these proposals if passed would impact the deer herd in the mountains. There is no doubt that the deer herd in the western part of the state is significantly less then central and eastern parts of North Carolina. Can the herd in the west sustain increased harvest that the additional weeks of hunting will bring as well as increases in the overall doe harvest?

Commissioner Andy Webb asked that the board consider taking a stand against the Wildlife Commission’s proposed rule changes.
“Based on what I am hearing, this ‘cookie cutter’ approach proposed by the N.C. Wildlife Commission will negatively impact potential mature buck populations and is not a sound approach to manage a healthy balance of deer population and sportsmanship,” Webb wrote in a memo. “There are additional concerns from hunters and the general population, when they get wind of this.”
After a discussion, the commissioners voted to approve a resolution against the proposed changes.

McDowell News
What impact such a resolution will have on the NCWRC decision is certainly minimal in my view. We’ll see next month when the Wildlife Commissioners decide on all these proposals next month.

No Girls Allowed

As a 9 year old boy girls were Yuk and it was easy to exclude them from our club. Then around the time I became a teenager the world changed and that girl that once was Yuk could ask me to do something and I’d forget my other friends to spend time with her. Since my early childhood I haven’t thought much about excluding girls so it is hard for me to fathom why women should be excluded from hunting.
The American Spectator ran an extremely sexist article about this very subject and has stirred the ire of a number of us who blog and enjoy the outdoors. I have over the years enjoyed a number of hunt camps with huntress. Our sport is a family oriented sport and while there maybe a few in our ranks that don’t see it that way the vast majority see it as part of our culture.
This past August I watched a couple of young ladies working skinning and field dressing bears. I’m sure some would find it odd but both of these young ladies were taking their boyfriends out during the Maine bear season to help them get their first bears. None of us found this unusual just what experienced hunters do to mentor new folks into our sport.

This year as I heard the call of the Tundra Swan I thought of my hunting buddy Darlene that was sadly absent from the hunt camp. Darlene was a hunter and I loved to hear her tell us about her deer season or to watch the home videos of her hunts.

Hunters’ that exclude women from the sport are only hurting themselves. We need as many good people in our ranks as we can possible get. So let’s not exclude them like little boys do.

Here Kitty Kitty…. New North America Record Bobcat Taken?

Wisconsin hunter Dave Arendt has killed one huge bobcat that has surpassed the state record and may be the largest bobcat ever taken.

“I had been chasing a big one up in Marinette County that was the biggest paw print I had ever seen,” Arendt said. “This was just a chance occurrence.”

The cat’s track was already 18 hours old when Arendt, on a hunt organized by Andy Dryja, found it. It measured 3 1/2 inches and the stride was huge, Arendt said, comparable to a small cougar.

The bobcat led the hunters on a lengthy chase, complicated by crossing trails with other cats and a coyote. Eventually, the group came close enough to their quarry to release the trailing hounds.

The animal was treed and dispatched shortly thereafter.

A male, the 52-pound bobcat eclipsed the Wisconsin verified record of a 48.84 pound cat killed in Marinette County in 1984.

In comparison, the largest verified cat taken in Minnesota weighed 38.72 pounds.

“One over 40 pounds is the rare thing,” Arendt said. “Bobcat hunters are always looking for those.”

To date, no record of a verified cat that is larger has been found across North America, meaning that the bobcat might find immortality in the record books.

Arendt said the cat has already been placed on the Wisconsin record list, but it will take more studies before it is certified as a national record animal.

Antigo Daily Journal

That is one huge cat. I’d hate to have one that size come in on me when I’m trying to call turkeys.

Finding Your Way In The World

Now a day’s everyone seems to use a GPS unit to get around no matter if it is driving to the store or hiking in the wilderness. GPS has certainly made navigation a lot easier for us and helps us find our way around unfamiliar territories. While I could do a lot of stories about GPS how it works and how to use them etc. I’m not going to at this time. Over the next few weeks I want to focus on what I feel is becoming a lost art and that is using a compass and a map.
Growing up in the city and going to public school one would not expect outdoor skills would be part of the curriculum. I was lucky in that as part of my physical education class in high school there was a number of survival skills they taught us. One of them was how to use a compass and a topo map to get around.
Next to my high school there was a nature reserve and we used it to learn how to do orienteering. If you’re not familiar with the sport of orienteering it basically is a course of points that is laid out and with a map and compass you go out and complete the course. At each one of the points there is a way to mark your card to prove you made it to each one of the points.
There are orienteering clubs all over the world and likely there is one near you where you can often learn the basics for free or for very little money. Some of the local parks and recreational departments may offer orienteering and some may have permanent courses set up that you can use.
Using a compass and a map is important skills to know no matter if your desire is to find a remote place to hunt on public land or to hike in a national park to a remote waterfall. Especially if your GPS unit dies, your batteries die or you find yourself in an area where your access to the satellites is blocked.
So join me next Friday and we’ll look at compasses and how to use them.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commison Releases Public Comments On Proposals

NCWRC has released a document containing all the public comments on the hunting, fishing and trapping proposals that the commison will take up at their March 4th meeting. A number of these propsals if passed will have significant impact on how we enjoy the great outdoors here in North Carolina.

After reviewing the more-than 40,000 comments, the 19-member governing board will meet on March 4 and vote on adoption. Some of the proposals apply only to one county or region, while others apply statewide. Approved proposals will take effect July 1, 2009.

Comments were gathered at nine public hearings held across the state in January, as well as online and mailed comments accepted through Jan. 31.

“The agency had a tremendous response to the proposals this year and I would like to thank all members of the public who took the time and effort to be a part of the process,” said Gordon Myers, executive director of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “That input is critical in helping the Commission make decisions that best conserve our wildlife resources. Wildlife Commissioners will include all public comments in their deliberations before making final regulations decisions at the March meeting.”

North Carolina General Statutes charge the Commission with stewardship of all state wildlife resources. Through hunting, fishing, and trapping regulations, the Commission works to conserve and sustain these resources and to provide more opportunities for hunting and fishing, promote hunter recruitment and retention and enhance sportsmen’s experience in the field.

We will continue to follow this story as it develops.n

Study Finds Northward Movement of Birds Proves Global Warming

The Audubon Society has compiled 40 years of data to conclude that global warming is real and having a negative effect on many species of birds. By using the annual Christmas Bird count the data shows that many species have moved further north for the winter.

Birds are among the most adaptable of wildlife – as long as they can find suitable habitat, they are able to travel substantial distances north, inland, or to higher latitudes. That is one of the things that make them sensitive environmental indicators – alerting us to ecological disruption, often before it directly affects us. Audubon’s new analysis reveals that many species that winter in the U.S. are moving significantly north – strong evidence that global warming is already altering their – and our – environment. However, Audubon’s analysis also showed that some birds, including the majority of grassland species, are not following the trend — even as temperatures climb. For these species disappearing habitat is taking an enormous toll and leaving them with nowhere to go – even as climate change is altering what habitat remains.

While a few species within this study have had significant expansion (wild turkey moved north 400 miles) the vast majority had much less expanding only 40 miles north in 40 years.

Our recently-released Birds and Climate report clearly shows that climate change is affecting birds – and our world – now. For the past 40 years, as our climate has warmed, birds have shifted their winter ranges further and further north. This ecological disruption is yet another wakeup call that we must act quickly to solve the climate crisis. The birds’ northward movement is another signal that climate change is here and action is needed now.
We need global warming legislation that will help birds and wildlife survive what is coming by protecting their habitats and will reduce global warming pollution 80 percent by 2050 to avoid the worst impacts of a rapidly changing climate.

I’ll admit that I don’t buy the global warming theory and find it to be more a movement to force social change and to attack traditional American values. United States is behind a number of countries when it comes to the production of energy using nuclear power. The same kooks that protest Capitalism and oil protest any attempts to switch to nuclear power. Solar and Wind power is still a ways off while nuclear could be brought on line pretty quickly if political changes were put in place.
I find it hard to believe that a study like this could even be taken seriously when you look at some basic facts. In the overall timeline of the world what is the percentage of time represented by the 40 years of this study? A small sliver compared to the age of the earth so how can one seriously say that global warming is taken place.
I suspect changes in habitat maybe even some unrelated to an increase in the average temperature. The expansion of humans, especially development of urban areas has increased for many species the availability of food and shelter making winters more bearable.

Many species have seen an expansion in overall population of the specie. Doesn’t it make sense that some of this movement north would be the population growing into that area and not necessarily a decline in the specie?
While I find the study interesting I’m not sure it has convinced me that global warming is a real threat to our planet. Many of the traditional global warming advocates have switched their terminology recently to Global Climate Changes but Audubon seems to have missed a few places on their site. It is important to change that phrase when parts of the country have received some significant winter weather the past few years and some are predicting a potential ice age.

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