Moose Droppings

A deer hunter walking out of the woods was mistaken by another as a deer and shot in the back.

The man was shot with a rifle by another hunter who mistook him for a deer, said Officer Fred Gorchess of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

The victim was walking out of the woods near Watha about 5:30 p.m. Friday when he was shot, Gorchess said.

A 23-year-old man was charged with negligent hunting resulting in bodily injury, a misdemeanor, in connection with the shooting, Gorchess said.

Wilmington Star

The hunter that was shot is hospitalized in Wilmington recovering. There is little other details that have been made public to help explain how this could of happened. Hunters in North Carolina are required to wear unknown if either had it on. The end of legal shooting light was at 5:32 pm the article states the accident happened around 5:30pm.

Bottom line is the shooter failed a number of safety rules including the most important one to identify your target. In most cases like this one I don’t feel that the victim shares any of the blame because the shooter is 100% responsible for the identification of the target and the release of the bullet.
Don’t get me wrong there are things we can do to reduce the risk of getting shot including wearing hunter orange hat or vest. Use artificial light when exiting the woods. I wear a light clipped on my hat so as I walk out there is little doubt what I am even though I have the utmost trust in the safety of the individuals I hunt with.

Hunter safety is all our responsibility so be safe.

Post by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

While most of the state has returned to more normal water levels the R. Wayne Bailey-Caswell County Game Land still has drought conditions impacting the waterfowl impoundment. Hunters who have been drawn for permit hunts are urged to contact the Caswell game land depot at (336) 694-9272 prior to going on their hunt. NCWRC states that the permit hunts have not been canceled for Caswell but the conditions are less then ideal.

Post & Photo by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Get a group of hunters together these days and someone is bound to ask about hog hunting. Feral hogs continue to expand their territory across the state but they are not so wide spread that many of the hunters encounter them much. Feral hogs are domestic hogs that have gotten lose and have reverted back to their wild side. Hunters for the most part love the opportunity to have another specie to hunt but most landowners and farmers hate them because of the damage they do do the land and crops.

Feral hogs I believe will be viewed as a curse if and when they establish themselves like they have in places like Texas. I can wait to have this hunting opportunity available to me. I know that Caswell County has been having an issue with them and the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has contracted with trappers to help remove them. Johnston County has had them for a number of years and limited hunting opportunities are available through Johnston Community College Howell Woods. I did a story a while back about Harnett County and the problems they were having.

A recent news story in the Salisbury Post reports on how one was struck in Rowan County;

Kenneth Miller was watching television in his house at 13360 Old Beatty Ford Road — about a half-mile from Emmanuel Church Road — shortly after 8:30 p.m. Sunday when he heard a crash.

“It sounded like one car hitting another car,” Miller said. “I was expecting the worst.”What he got instead of a car crash was a wild hog. A darn big one.

Miller said Kelly Barringer, 43, of Albemarle, was driving a Chevrolet Suburban along Old Beatty Ford Road and struck and killed the wild boar after it lumbered into the road in front of him.

“He told me he saw it a split-second before he hit it,” Miller said.

It took Barringer a ways to stop. He turned around and returned. Miller hustled from his house, the first to arrive with a flashlight.

He approached the dead boar from its backside. The creature was stretched out in the roadway, steam still rising from its hide.

“I thought it was a bear at first,” Miller said.

Eventually, he and a handful of others investigated the creature more closely and saw it was a boar.

A very, very distant relation to Piglet.

Miller said he stepped the creature off and determined it was 6-feet long from the tip of its tail to the top of its snout. He estimated its weight at at least 300 pounds.

“I weigh 200 pounds and I’ll bet it’s twice as big as I am,” Miller said.

Where it came from is anybody’s guess. Miller said his beagle has been barking at something in the dark on recent nights.

He wondered if the dog was yapping at the hog hiding in the woods, doing whatever it is that 300-plus-pound hogs do.

Miller said he was certain the hog wasn’t a domestic animal that escaped from a neighboring pen. It had two tusks, Miller said, though one had apparently been broken off in its collision with the Suburban.

“It was as wild as could be,” Miller said of the animal.

Tommy Rainey is another resident of the area and showed up at the accident site with a camera. He said the Suburban’s collision with the boar did considerable damage to the front left side of the vehicle, knocking a hole in its radiator.

I suspect that those who want the opportunity to hunt hogs will have a number of options in the next few years as the population explodes. I’m also certain some of us will be unhappy with the damage these critters will cause and the impact on native species and flora.

Post by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Photo courtesy of NCWRC

The final wildlife seminar for this year will be held on Wednesday 19th November at the Centennial Campus in Raleigh. I realize this is short notice but I’ve been spending a lot time in the woods so I apologize. The Bobwhite Quail is certainly an interesting topic and a specie that has been in serious decline across most of the southeast.

The program will focus on the efforts by N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologists and N.C. State University researchers to restore populations of the northern bobwhite, or quail. Past collaborations have identified ways to stem the population declines of this once abundant game bird and researchers say efforts must continue into the future.

The seminar is free and no registration is required. A networking session with refreshments begins at 3:30 p.m. and the program starts at 4 p.m. The series is presented by N.C. State University’s Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Program and the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

The Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education is located on the first floor of the N.C Wildlife Resources Commission’s administrative headquarters, 1751 Varsity Drive. A free parking pass is available by e-mail request, with name and mailing address included, to centennialcenter@ncwildlife.org. For more information, call (919) 707-0203.

With waterfowl season getting ready to get into full swing the NC Wildlife Resources Commission reminds waterfowl hunters to be safe while hunting;

Capt. Chris Huebner, the state’s hunting and boating safety coordinator, recommends the following guidelines:

* Wear a proper personal flotation device and insist that passengers wear one also.
* Be aware that small, flat-bottom vessels are prone to capsizing and swamping.
* Store equipment properly and keep it evenly distributed in the boat.
* Don’t overload the boat, especially with passengers.
* Keep hunting dogs prone in the center of the boat.
* Never move about the boat with a loaded shotgun.

A particular danger is posed by hypothermia – the loss of body heat. Exposure to extreme cold, such as being in cold water or wearing wet clothes in cold conditions, can increase the chance of hypothermia. Capt. Huebner advises wearing proper cold weather clothing, avoiding cotton, relying on wool and synthetic materials instead.

“Dress in layers, cover head and hands, and avoid over-exertion or fatigue,” Huebner says. “In case of capsizing or swamping, stay with the boat. It will still provide some flotation and will be the initial focus of a rescue attempt.”

As with any type of hunting, it is a good idea to let someone know where you plan to hunt and an approximate time of return. Keep a cell phone in a waterproof bag that can be used without removal from the bag.

Some great tips to remember when ever you are on the water. I would also encourage people to take boating safety course as well as a hunter safety course no matter your age or years experience hunting. NCWRC offers hunter safety courses throughout the state and if you live in another state check with your State Wildlife agency for their availability.

Post by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Mount Airy is what many believe the fictitious town of Mayberry was based on. Anyone that has watched the old show knows that fishing is often one of the recreational activities that Andy and Opie do together. Well the town of Mount Airy has a new place for folks to fish where even Howard could catch a trophy worthy of the State Aquarium.

Photo courtesy of NCWRC

A Universally Accessible Pier is Latest Feature at Westwood Park

MOUNT AIRY, N.C. (Oct. 27, 2008) – New pond. New fish. New pier. As part of a multi-phase effort to bring more fishing opportunities to local anglers, the City of Mount Airy, in cooperation with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, recently completed construction of a universally accessible fishing pier on Tumbling Rock Reservoir in Westwood Park.

The 59-foot floating pier is the latest feature at Westwood Park, which is located at 1250 Galax Trail. It has a T-shape section at the end that is 48 feet long and 11 feet wide, easily accommodating several wheelchair-bound anglers. The pier features seven low handrails to make it easier for anglers in wheelchairs and children to cast their lines into the 3-acre pond, which was drained in 2005 and re-filled in September 2007.

Commission personnel stocked the pond last year with 1,350 largemouth bass and bluegill. They also stocked an additional 300 redear sunfish fingerlings this fall to create a self-sustaining fishery.

Biologists expect these young fish to grow to catchable size in two to three years. Anglers, however, will be able to fish for catchable-size channel catfish next summer when the Commission begins stocking catfish through its Community Fishing Program (CFP). The program will begin in July 2009, and 900 catfish will be stocked monthly through October. After 2009, monthly stockings will occur from May through October.

According to Kin Hodges, fisheries biologist with the Commission, the decision to delay catfish stocking until next summer will maximize the survival of the fingerlings.

“The sunfish and largemouth bass were stocked at 2 to 3 inches long. If we had stocked the channel catfish this year, they could have ended up eating a lot of the fingerlings,” Hodges said. “By waiting until 2009 to stock the catfish, most of the bass and sunfish fingerlings should be large enough to avoid being eaten by the catfish.”

Because the reservoir was refilled recently, the fingerlings have plenty of places to hide from predators.

“There are currently lots of bushes growing in the shallow areas of the pond, which took root while the pond was drawn down for renovations,” Hodges said. “Now that the pond has been refilled, they make great shallow-water fish habitat.”

Additionally, creek channels winding through the bottom of the pond provide deep-water sanctuaries for fish.

“Fish like these types of places because they like to hang out in deep water, while still being close to shallow water,” Hodges added.

To facilitate access to the pond, public services and park personnel constructed a universally accessible paved trail connecting the main parking area to the pond. The trail encircles the pond, providing excellent access for bank anglers.

“The trail leading to the pond is closed to vehicles so anglers have to walk about 1/5 of a mile to the pond from the parking area,” said Jeff Boyles, Mt. Airy director of public services. “However, anglers with disabilities will be allowed to drive to the pond, and there are several parking spaces designated as universally accessible right beside the pond.”

The fish stockings, fishing pier and plans to install a floating fish feeder in 2009 are part of a fisheries management plan jointly developed by Hodges and Mt. Airy officials through the Commission’s Community Fishing Program.

The Community Fishing Program is a cooperative venture between the Commission and local governments to provide more fishing opportunities in city and county parks, particularly for the young, elderly and physically challenged. Program expenses are cost-shared with local cooperators, with the Commission providing 75 percent of the operating funds through the Sport Fish Restoration Fund and local cooperators paying the remaining 25 percent.

In addition to partnering with the Wildlife Commission, the City of Mount Airy secured funding for Westwood Park from the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Resource Institute, according to Catrina Alexander, Mt. Airy director of parks and recreation.

“Westwood Park is a great example of local government developing partnerships to stretch its budget and to maximize recreational opportunities for the community,” Alexander said. “Families visiting Westwood Park can have fun on our two ball fields, a picnic shelter, playground area, par fitness golf, a 9-hole Frisbee golf course, 6 miles of mountain bike trails, nearly 1 ½ miles of gravel and paved trails, and of course, the new fishing pier on Tumbling Rock Reservoir.”

For more information about Westwood Park, call the Mt. Airy Parks and Recreation Department at 336-786-8313, or visit www.mountairy.org.

For more information about the Wildlife Commission’s Community Fishing Program or fishing in the state’s public, inland waters, click here, or call the Division of Inland Fisheries, (919) 707-0220.

NCWRC

Photo & Quotes courtesy of NCWRC

Thanks to some quick work by Orange County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina Wildlife Resources Enforcement Division four men were apprehended on multiple game and drug charges.

The case began in the early morning hours of Oct. 5, with reports of shots fired in the Efland/Brookhollow community. An Orange County deputy made a traffic stop of a pickup truck matching the description of a vehicle seen in the area where shots were heard. Wildlife officers Justin Mathis and Forrest Orr quickly arrived to assist the deputy and began an investigation.
Visible were two rifles, a shotgun and a bloody knife covered in deer hair inside the passenger compartment. A freshly-killed, antlered buck head was found in the pickup bed. Upon questioning the two men in the truck, officers learned two other men had been dropped off in the woods to look for additional deer that had been shot. These suspects were later apprehended at a nearby store.

These unnamed men face multiple charges;

The following charges were made:
• 10 violations of night deer hunting regulations
• Nine unlawful possession of deer violations
• One violation of hunting while impaired regulation
• One count of unlawful transportation
• One count of closed season deer hunting
• One count of hunting without a license
• One violation of big-game license regulations

A tip of the hat to the officers involved and their diligent work to take poachers and drug dealers off our streets. When a poacher fires a rifle in the dark there is no way he can know nor does he care what lies beyond the animal he is trying to kill. A house beyond the trees, a person driving down another road, or someone walking could be struck with the poacher’s bullet. We need to get these slobs off our streets and out of our fields & forests. Turn a poacher in… NC 24 hour hotline 1-800-662-7137… I’m sure if you’re from another state they have one as well.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Western Carolina University in Cullowhee NC reports that a dead black bear cub wrapped in two Obama signs was discovered on the campus earlier this morning. The bear cub appears to have been killed by gun shot to the head. At this time there is no group or individual claiming responsibility for this act. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Enforcement division is heading the investigation. Currently bear season is open in the area around the area but obviously the illegal disposal and potentially other game violations are being investigated.

Why anyone would do this senseless act is unclear. The conclusions many are jumping to is that a McCain supporter must be behind this act. Of course one could surmise in an area of that the state (rural areas) where McCain appears to be doing better that an Obama supporter could have done this to stir things up. I don’t think laying blame on any group is the way to go and we should wait till the authorities complete their investigation.

Bottom line why anyone would kill a bear cub and dump it is a senseless act stealing from all the citizens of the state. I hope anyone with information on this or any game violation will call;

Report wildlife violations
1-800-662-7137

WYFF 4

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Do you enjoy watching wildlife? There is a free class being offered by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission on how to turn your yard into the perfect wildlife habitat.

Backyard Wildlife Habitat Workshop Coming to Raleigh
RALEIGH, N.C. (Oct. 9, 2008) – While it is easy to associate wildlife habitat with some remote wilderness, sometimes nature is as close as your backyard. How to encourage and foster neighborhood wildlife is the topic of a free program at the Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education in Raleigh on Oct. 25.
“A Backyard Wildlife Habitat Workshop” by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is designed for educators, gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts. The six-hour program, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., will focus on using native plants to attract butterflies, birds, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. Attendees will learn how to get their backyard or schoolyard certified as a wildlife habitat by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and the National Wildlife Federation.
Program sessions will include:
• Demonstrations on providing cover and water for wildlife
• Native Piedmont trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers and their wildlife benefits
• Site analysis for soil conditions and light, composting and vermiposting
• Garden design, exotic plants and chemicals
Completion of the program coursework gains Environmental Education certification credit in Criteria II and III. Workshop attendance is limited to 20 adults, including high school juniors and seniors.
The Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education is located at 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh in the headquarters of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission on the Centennial Campus of N.C. State University. For more information, call (919) 707-0207.

NCWRC
Although I haven’t taken the class myself I certainly try to make my yard wildlife friendly. The photo is of one of the many deer that visit my yard daily. Wildlife I’ve seen in my yard or evidence they’ve been in my yard include; Whitetail deer, cottontail rabbit, red shoulder hawk, red tail hawk, vulture, grey squirrel, red fox, grey fox, coyote, and countless song birds. A wildlife friendly yard gives you opportunity to view wildlife as well as photograph them.

Story & Photo by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Michael Comstock of Columbia NC has been found guilty of hunting bear during the closed season as well as being a felon in possession of a firearm. The firearm charge was a federal offense resulting in a six and a half year jail sentence.

Surveillance and investigation into bear poaching in eastern North Carolina by officers of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has led to a federal firearms conviction.
Michael Augustus Comstock, 50, of Columbia, N.C. was sentenced Sept. 17 in U.S. District Court to six years and six months in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon, plus three years supervised probation upon his release.
Comstock pleaded guilty Oct. 6 in state court to hunting during a closed season, which resulted in a $2,000 fine, replacement costs of $2,232 and suspension of his hunting license for two years, effective beginning when released from federal penitentiary. He was also required to pay court costs of $121.

The press release on this case from the NCWRC gives us some of the details of what happened.

Sgt. Mark Cagle of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission led the Tyrrell County investigation, which began April 2007. A stakeout led to apprehension of a suspect and collection of evidence, including a recently killed bear, a stolen 12-guage shotgun that had been recently fired, a 55-gallon barrel of peanut butter, a 55-gallon barrel of bubblegum and 55-gallon barrel of peppermint candy, as well as observation of hunting dogs released at the bait site where the bear was killed that same morning.
Forensic testing by State Bureau of Investigation revealed the slug that killed the bear matched the stolen shotgun.
In addition to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, the investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Wildlife officers involved, along with Sgt. Cagle, were Sgt. Mark Rich, Robert Wayne, George Owens, Sgt. Ed Alston, Tim Wadsworth, Jim Schreckengost, Brian White and Nathan Green.
A federal grand jury returned a criminal indictment on Nov. 17, 2007 charging a felon with possession of a firearm. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Bragdon served as prosecutor for the government. On June 16, 2008 after a four-day trial before a federal jury, Comstock was found guilty.
U.S. attorneys recently sent a letter commending the diligence, investigative skills and ethics of the wildlife officers to Col. Kenneth Everhart, chief of the Division of Enforcement for the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
“I appreciate this recognition of our officers and their role in this case,” Col. Everhart said. “The level of commitment and hard work by these wildlife officers was outstanding. I also appreciate the efforts by federal prosecutors and the cooperating law enforcement agencies in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.”

A tip of the hat to the wildlife officers that worked so diligently on this case and work hard every day to protect the resources of the state.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Many of the Special Hunts offered by NCWRC have been drawn and posted. I only put in for a swan permit but was not drawn. I got to admit I was a bit disappointed when I didn’t get drawn because it is a hunt I so look forward to with some great friends. I’ll still head down to Washington County at some point armed with my camera and get some photos. Looks like no swan pot pie this year.

Deer Hunting season isn’t even three weeks old and there has already been four serious hunting accidents involving falls from treestands with two of those accidents being fatalities. The common thread in all of these accidents is that none of the hunters were wearing safety harness.

Urgent Safety Message for Hunters Using Tree Stands
Two Deaths, Two Serious Injuries in Two Weeks

RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 29, 2008) – Following four serious accidents since Sept. 13, including two fatalities, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is issuing an urgent warning for hunters to exercise caution when using a tree stand.

All the recent accidents involved falls from tree stands, with the deaths occurring in Richmond and Harnett counties. Investigations show that none of the hunters killed or injured were wearing a fall-restraint system at the time of the accidents.

“The best advice I can give is to always wear a fall arrest system,” said Capt. Chris Huebner, the state’s Hunting Safety Coordinator. “A full body harness is the best precaution anyone can use.”

The popularity of deer hunting from an elevated position has increased in recent years. It provides some distinct advantages, such as putting a hunter out of a deer’s normal field of view, increasing a hunter’s range of vision, reducing scent detection and allowing closer shots.

Research by the Treestand Manufacturers Association, in cooperation with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, found that 82 percent of all hunters injured in tree-stand falls were not wearing a safety harness.

North Carolina hunting safety instructors also recommend:

* Maintain three points of contact (hands and feet) when climbing up or down.
* Never carry anything when climbing – use a haul line to raise and lower an unloaded gun, bow or other equipment once safely seated.
* Check all belts, chains and attachment cords before use.
* Avoid selection of a decaying or leaning tree, or slippery-surfaced or smooth-bark tree.

NCWRC

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose