Accidental Fall From Tree Makes Opening Day In Allegany County Bitter Sweet

He laid in a crumpled mess at the base of the tree just moments before he had been 30 feet up it on the opening morning of the muzzleloader season. He had some luck and he still had his cell phone if he could only get his son who was hunting nearby he could get help. Cell service reception is tricky in these parts so getting a signal was his only hope.

CJ woke to the sound of his boys that were anxious to go deer hunting. The alarmed failed to go off but the boys weren’t going to let their Dad sleep through the opening day of deer season. They rushed around and got loaded up and headed for the hunting lease. A couple of close calls on the road with deer crossing were a pretty good sign because they knew the deer were moving.

As a hunter safety instructor and a Dad hunting safety is something CJ constantly stressed with his boys. The tradition of hunting had been passed down through the generations in their family. CJ growing up in New York and the proud hunting heritage passed down through the men he met as a boy in the Adirondack hunting camps. This had come a full circle as CJ’s sons are now learning about hunting the heritage, traditions and the important lessons of safety.

The sound of the 54 Caliber CVA Bobcat cracked across the mountain as the bullet found its mark dropping the buck in his tracks. CJ heard the shot and he was certain it was his son Bud. Cj was hopeful as he dug out the radio to call Bud and see if he was successful. The radio crackled back with Bud’s response “Dead on impact” CJ was excited this was Bud’s first muzzleloader deer as he prepared to climb out of the stand to go help him.

It had been a while since the fall…maybe an hour… but the cell phone had work and now help was on the way. A son now raced to get help to save his father’s life. Because of all the rain Ida had dumped back country travel was difficult at best. He met the first EMT on the road and he climbed on the back of the 4 wheeler with his jump kit as they raced back up the mountain to the accident scene. The sounds of sirens now filled the air as rescuers began to gear up for what they hoped was a life saving mission.
The sound of the fast moving 4 wheeler and sirens attracted CJ and his boys they intercepted the 4 wheeler going up the mountain and that is when they discovered that Chris’s dad had fallen out of the tree and was seriously injured. Chris continued up the mountain as CJ went down to load additional rescuers and equipment on his jeep to get them to the scene.

Chris was home on leave from the Marines due to ship out soon for Afghanistan. The plans to enjoy a day of hunting with his Dad had taken an ugly turn. Now an all out effort by hunters and rescuers to get Rick Lyons out of the woods and to the hospital was all anyone would focus on because Rick’s life depended on them working together to get him off the mountain.
CJ knew kind of the general area where the stand was but not the exact location so there was some anxious moments as they arrived in the area. “We’ve got to get there he is having difficulty breathing” one of the rescuer’s stated CJ stopped and got out and yelled and they got a response so they could pin point the location.

Much of what happened after that is a bit of a blur but a pickup truck was able to get in there and Rick was loaded on it and taken out. Almost three hours after it began the rescue helicopter took off to airlift Rick to Johnson City Tennessee.

Rick remains hospitalized with multiple broken bones including vertebra’s in his neck and back, ribs, shoulder, and a broken leg. Please keep Rick in your prayers that he’ll make a full recovery from this horrible accident.
CJ called me last night and told me this story. He said it was pretty hard day hunting because they were excited about Bud getting his first deer with a muzzleloader and the joy was short lived when the accident happened. The use of a safety belt / fall restraint system could have reduced the level of injuries and possible prevented the accident entirely. So guys wear your safety belts.

North Carolina Wildlife Federation Calls on Governor Perdue to Clean Up North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Appointments

The State Board of Elections concluded their hearings last week into the former Governor’s administration turning it over to the district attorney’s office because it appears state laws were violated. As part of the hearings allegations that seats on the Wildlife Commission were up for sale was testified to under oath. Now the North Carolina Wildlife Federation has passed a resolution asking the current Governor to fix this problem;

THE NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE FEDERATION CALL TO UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY AND CREDIBILITY OF THE WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION AND THE PROCESS BY WHICH COMMISSIONERS ARE APPOINTED

WHEREAS sworn testimony in the recent hearings of the Board of Elections regarding irregularities in the Mike Easley for Governor Campaign of 2004 alleged that the appointment of certain commissioners to the Wildlife Resources Commission was predicated upon political donations of over $100,000; and,

WHEREAS Wildlife Commissioners serve a crucial and sensitive role as guardians of the fish and wildlife resources of North Carolina that demands the highest level of integrity and objectivity as they establish rules and policies to guide the agency in its mission to provide a sound and representative fish and wildlife conservation program; and,

WHEREAS the North Carolina Wildlife Federation was formed in 1945 on the premise that fish and wildlife conservation programs must be conducted in a manner beneficial to the resource and representative of citizens who value and enjoy outdoor recreational activities and was instrumental in the establishment of the Wildlife Resources Commission in 1947 based upon that principle; and,

WHEREAS the alleged circumstances of the appointment of certain North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Commissioners with an expectation of political contributions predicating the nomination is contrary to the law prohibiting the sale of office, erodes public confidence, and casts aspersion on the integrity and operations of the agency and its policy makers.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the North Carolina Wildlife Federation condemns the practice of appointing Wildlife Commissioners based upon political considerations as contrary to the founding principles upon which the Wildlife Resources Commission was created, and calls for appointments to the Commission to be solely based on interest, concern, knowledge, and commitment to the natural resources of our State.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Wildlife Federation, on behalf of all sportsmen and fish and wildlife enthusiasts in North Carolina, calls upon Governor Beverly Perdue to use all the means at her disposal to determine the truth of the allegation that appointments to the Wildlife Resources Commission were made in return for political donations; and, if that allegation is substantiated thereby calling the integrity of the Wildlife Resources Commission into question, the Wildlife Federation further calls upon Governor Perdue to immediately demand the resignations of any individual who were appointed under such circumstances and to appoint duly qualified, representative citizens to serve out those replaced terms thereby restoring as much credibility to the current appointment process and structure of the Wildlife Commission as it and the mission it represents rightly deserves.

I hope sportsmen across the state will stand up and demand that the politics get removed from the Wildlife Commission.

“I Don’t Recall”

The North Carolina State Board of Elections is into day two of the former Governor Easley Campaign Finance Hearing and the testimony so far seem devastating. A number of the former governor’s associates have testified to the committee about efforts to avoid campaign finance laws and donation limits as donations for Easley were washed through the State Democratic Party.
The role of the Allen Brother’s Gary and Randy is of particular interested seeing that both have served as wildlife commissioners (Randy is still a commissioner).

Gary Allen, a developer, doesn’t remember anything about writing two $50,000 checks to the N.C. Democratic Party.
Lanny Wilson, a friend and business associate to Allen, testified Monday that he briefed former Gov. Mike Easley a list of things Allen wanted including his seat on the Wildlife Commission and a permit for a boat dock.

N&O

In an earlier story I asked if there Mr. Randy Allen bought his way on to the Wildlife Commission and it appears that they may be a very valid question.

Six years ago, Wilmington developer Lanny Wilson laid out a five-point plan for Gov. Mike Easley to win a big campaign contribution from Wilson’s business partner.
Wilson wrote in an e-mail to an Easley campaign staffer that Gary Allen, a Charlotte-area developer, would like to keep his appointment on the state Wildlife Commission and needed the governor’s help to get a permit to construct a boat ramp at a Brunswick County subdivision.
Easley, he wrote, should take credit for helping arrange a meeting between Allen and a Progress Energy vice president to discuss land that Allen wanted. And Easley should ask an aide, John Merritt, for background information on Allen to help set him at ease.
Easley was to meet with Allen the following day. By the end of the month, Allen had written a $50,000 check to the N.C. Democratic Party, a contribution that Wilson testified Monday was intended to wind up in Easley’s campaign.
Allen won the boat ramp permit, and Easley reappointed him to the commission in 2004. Easley appointed Gary Allen’s brother and business partner, Randy Allen, to the commission the next year.

Charlotte Observer

Mr. Allen seems to be a lot like Hillary Clinton from years ago with his answer “I don’t recall…”
With the testimony that has been offered so far it seems that there is more than ample evidence to present to a grand jury and to get some indictments.
While to the average citizen the work of the Wildlife Commission may not be something they really think about or realize how it impacts them but for some of us it is extremely important and impacts important areas of our lives and culture. Corruption anywhere cannot be tolerated but the sale of seats at the Wildlife Commission has got to stop. The days of political cronies and political payback in the appointment of Commissioners should be stopped Now.
I’ll not hold my breath waiting for it to happen but I hope there is a price to pay for those who put their integrity up for sale. I hope that as the musical chairs get shuffled that the former governor does not leave everyone else holding the bag if he is guilty he should be treated just like the criminals he took down as the State Attorney General.

Other Stories I’ve Done

Feds Investigate Possible Corruption in Wildlife Commissioner Appointment

North Carolina’s Own “White Water”

Commissioner Randy Allen Buy His Way On To The NCWRC?

In Between Chocolate Covered Bacon and Deep Fried Moon Pies Check Out NC Wildlife

The NC State Fair is in town and well worth the time and cost to visit. The food is always an attractor and there are some new offerings like the chocolate covered bacon or the deep fried moon pies but there are many other things out there to see.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has a great display showing off the different aspects of the agency and the job they do for the citizens. “The Many Faces of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission” is the theme and an informative display as well as biologists on hand to answer questions makes it a very informative display.

The Sensory Safari Trailer is there giving people the opportunity to see and touch pelts and mounts of animals both native and non native to the state. They have a small bull moose on display but they have no plans to stock moose into the state.

The Game Wardens are once again supervising the BB gun booth where the kids can learn about gun safety as well as shoot a target. This is a popular activity for the kids and of course it is free so the parents like it too.

Another tradition with the Wild Life display is the free button they pass out. This year’s button features the Brook Trout the only native trout to the state.

The fair runs through Sunday so if you get a chance head on out and check out the NCWRC Display area near the Village of Yester Year. I will say I tried the Chocolate Covered Bacon and it didn’t do much for me. If you’re looking to satisfy a sweet tooth a better bet would be the NC State University Ice Cream Booth.

Bear Population Soars In Mountains So Does Conflicts

The Southern Appalachian Bear Study Group reports a record year for bears in Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Frank Van Manen, research ecologist with the University of Tennessee and chairman of the study group, said one indication of the expanding population is that bears have moved out of the mountains into areas like Piedmont in North Carolina and northern Alabama that haven’t traditionally been identified as bear habitat.
“Wildlife agencies have been incredibly successful in their bear recovery efforts,” Van Manen said. “Now, perhaps we’re dealing with the aftermath of that, with black bears moving into areas they’ve never been, or haven’t been in decades.”

KnoxNews

Conflicts with bears have also increased which is not surprising. Reports of bears killing livestock like the sow with cubs that killed a flock of chickens this past summer or the bear this week that killed a llama that was guarding a flock of sheep are somewhat unusual.

Marian Sigmon said she was taking her cat out about 6:45 a.m. when she heard the llama scream in the pasture, where the 6-foot-tall animal was stationed as a guard animal for Shetland sheep.
Sigmon and her husband, Robert, were able to chase the bear away to the edge of the pasture on Jones Cove Road. The llama was euthanized because its injuries were so severe.

Citizens Times

Conflicts with humans will naturally increase as bears move into new areas or areas with higher concentrations of humans. While with some species carrying capacity of the land is important with bears it seems that the cultural capacity is paramount.

Van Manen said that while the region may be biologically capable of supporting even more bears, it’s clear that in some areas, the population has reached its cultural capacity as determined by people’s willingness to tolerate bears visiting their bird feeders or breaking into their homes.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will have to make some decisions as bear human conflicts increase.
I assume that part of tomorrow’s free lecture at NC Wildlife on Centennial Campus will cover that aspect of bear management. Educating humans about living in bear territory and those who now find themselves in bear territory can help but how much they’ll tolerate bears is just as important. Bears for the most part will avoid confrontations with humans but they are predators and will make the most of any opportunities they have. Fatal attacks on humans are rare but not unheard of.
I like bears and hope to see them continue to increase however in the more populated areas of the Piedmont and the Triangle I’m not sure it’s too good of an idea to see them in those parts of the state.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologist Colleen Offenbuttel will be presenting a free lecture on Black Bear Research and Management in North Carolina this month. The lecture will be held on Wednesday the 14th of October at the Centennial Campus at 4pm.

Success On Opening Morning

Eastern Muzzle Loader season opened on a warm humid day on Saturday. it was already in the 70’s by the time the first rays of daylight hit the woods I was hunting in Johnston County. I was sitting in a blind with my new Thompson Center Omega with anticipation of what the season would bring.
As the woods woke up around me birds and squirrels were about all I was seeing. I could hear that volley of shots as duck hunters in a nearby swamp greeted the day. The acorns were falling like rain and occasionally making me jump as they hit the roof of the blind. About an hour into the hunt I was beginning to think the warm humid weather was going to keep the deer from moving around much. Not long after that I saw movement in the thick brush off to the right of the blind and then I heard them coming up the hill from the swamp.

The first deer I could make out was a small one most likely one of this past springs fawn. A second deer appeared and I could see it was a good size doe. I picked up the muzzleloader and watched them feeding on the acorns as they worked their way towards me. The brush was thick and while they were about 40 or 50 yards from me I needed them to step into one of my shooting lanes if I was going to get a shot. The smaller deer had stepped through and stood in some of my shooting lanes a number of times before the doe stepped in to one of the lanes. As I eased the hammer back the smaller deer stepped between the doe and my blind blocking my opportunity.

What seemed like an eternity but in reality was just a few minutes the doe gave me the shot opportunity I was looking for. As the smoke cleared I could only see the smaller deer running through the brush back the way they came. I got out of the blind and went to the spot where the doe was standing and I found some blood. I went back to the blind and reloaded my gun and waited for 30 minutes so I wouldn’t push her.
I got on the blood trail and it went straight down the hill towards the swamp. I had to fight my way through some thick brush but I was rewarded with a nice doe about 100 yards downhill from the blind. The trail crossed an old trail from a hunt a number of years ago but I knew it was close to a clear path. I got the deer out and with the heat I knew I wanted to get it quartered and on ice quickly.
Registering my deer was a bit complicated because my Blackberry phone does not have letters on the numbers like a typical phone. So when NCWRC prints their number as 1-800 I Got One without the numbers it makes it difficult to call it in. Luckily a call to my wife and she help decipher the number 1-800 446-8663. So there’s a good tip for you if you got a blackberry save a copy of the numbers and the letters they correspond with so you can use the phone in check system. It’s not enough to just have the phone number because you got to also type the county in as well. I was able to guess but it took a couple of tries.

Once registered I quickly got it cut up and on ice. I’ll age it in the cooler and finish processing it this week. A great start to the deer season.

Tree Full of Bears In Rockingham County A Publicity Stunt?

What some might think for a second as a publicity stunt was probably just a bit of lucky timing as a sow and three cubs showed up only days after NCWRC announced the next free wildlife lecture. “Black Bear Research and Management in North Carolina: 1970s Through the Present”. Bears are expanding their range in the state and how is North Carolina going to deal with the increase bear human conflicts that will certainly rise as well?

 

This video from Fox 8 certainly will give you a taste of the conflict as people remain in the area keeping the bears treed.

Part of me thinks NCWRC bigger job will be managing people not so much the bears.

Hot Diggity Dog I Got Drawn

I got drawn for a Tundra Swan Permit. I can hardly wait.

NCWRC has posted the draw results.

Coyotes Are Problematic For Farmers In Cape Fear Region

The Fayetteville Observer is reporting an ever increasing conflict with farmers and coyotes in their area as the coyote population solidifies its presence in the state.

Cumberland County farmer Tracy Gardner figures that coyotes have killed as many as 30 of his calves in one winter.
Clifton McNeill Sr. said that over a period of three to four weeks recently, he has lost six or eight watermelons a night to the animals.

The coyote is certainly a critter of opportunity and it will prey on whatever it can find to eat be it wild animal, livestock, or family pet.

“There ain’t no telling how many calves I lose with them,” said Tracy Gardner, who is 53. “It’s a mess. It’s been a mess for the last 10 years. They’re here. You can hear them, and you can see the tracks.”
Livestock farmers on River Road have found calves killed by coyotes in pastures, according to Eastover Mayor Charles McLaurin, who owns Eastover Artworks and Furniture Sales.
“One was killed here maybe a month or two ago below a house on Baywood Road,” he said. “It was about 40 or 50 pounds.”
“We hear about them all the time, and we have for years. It’s not just started happening.”
Much of the attention the coyote gets is from its tendency to prey on cattle. Small farm animals such as goats, sheep and foals may be at risk as well.

The coyote will also target crops like the watermelons in this story or the figs I reported on a few weeks ago.

“They’re hard to see,” said McNeill, an 82-year-old produce farmer in Gray’s Creek.
Protected by the night, the animals can destroy a watermelon patch. “Those strong teeth and jaws they have,” said McNeill, “they’ll bite right into a watermelon and ruin it. They eat what they want and leave the rest.”
Likewise, he has seen the damage they can do to a field of sweet corn, tearing down the stalks.

The coyote’s adaptability has certainly help it expand into the eastern United States and will pretty much guarantee it is here to stay. In North Carolina there is no closed season on coyotes so hunters can pursue them year round. As with any wild animal the coyote population needs to be kept in check and hunting and trapping is the best cost effective means to do that.

While I do not see the coyote as a positive addition to the wildlife scene in North Carolina I also do not see it as the worst or most destructive. I believe the rapidly expanding feral hog will be a bigger nemesis to farmers and landowners and will overshadow the coyote in ten years or so.

Want to Learn About Bears & Bear Management in North Carolina?

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission biologist Colleen Offenbuttel will be presenting a free lecture on Black Bear Research and Management in North Carolina this month. The lecture will be held on Wednesday the 14th of October at the Centennial Campus at 4pm.

“Black Bear Research and Management in North Carolina: 1970s Through the Present” will examine the modern era of black bear management. Olfenbuttel will discuss projects and cooperative agreements with various universities, including N.C. State University; research on the demographics of the bear population and how monitoring efforts provide a basis for making sound management decisions; and adopting regulations to benefit bear populations and habitats.

North Carolina has bears mostly concentrated in the west and the eastern part of the state but bears are apt to pop up almost anywhere in the state as the population expands. The bears in eastern North Carolina can grow to some massive sizes as you can see by the photo I posted. Earlier this summer I talked with Mike Noles of Conman’s Guide Service and as far as he knows this bear Maximus is still walking around. Mike offers stand hunts for bears but the most common method for hunting bears down east is with hounds.
As the human population expands and the bear population does as well what will NCWRC response be to deal with the conflicts that will arise. We’ve already seen some issues in the mountains, the Piedmont, and right here in the triangle.

The Centennial Campus Center for Wildlife Education is located at 1751 Varsity Drive, Raleigh.

Is Corn a 4 Letter Word?

That is the question Deer & Deer Hunting Magazine is exploring this month and next and one that has been on my mind as of late as well. The topic comes up often in deer camps, message forums, about anywhere hunters gather.
North Carolina allows baiting or supplemental feeding of deer and hunters use a variety of items as bait but corn is probably the most popular item. The topic of baiting is real hot right now in the counties that have bear seasons because it is illegal to take a bear over bait unless it is being pursued by hunting dogs. Having sat in the Big Game Committee Meetings at NCWRC I can tell you there does not appear to be any commissioner that wants to touch the deer baiting rules.
I urge you to go read the article in Deer & Deer Hunting they have a pretty good synopsis of the corn debate and I won’t try to rewrite it. Hunters need to decide for themselves whether they’ll hunt over baits or not much like many of the other choices we make when it comes to hunting.
I use corn for a number of different reasons and sometimes the property dictates the use. One place I hunt we use corn to supplement because the landowner doesn’t want us planting food plots so we set up a number of feeders on the property. Another place we hunt we use corn to keep the deer on the property because surrounding properties use corn as well. Then another place I hunt the landowner wants some deer killed because of destruction of vegetation but because of safety concerns there is limited hunting spots on the property. Corn helps position those deer so we can safely remove them and they don’t end up getting killed under a depredation program where the meat more than likely will not be used.
I’ve heard a number of people say this and my experience seems to support it that big bucks will not hit a bait pile usually during daylight hours. My experience has been smaller bucks, does and fawns seem to be the ones that utilize along with a variety of other critters including turkeys.
I don’t have an issue with the use of baits in areas where legal. Though I do think if that is the only way you feel you can hunt that you are severely limiting your options.

Budget Cuts At NCWRC Eliminates Store at Centennial Campus

As the state budget crisis continues more things have to give and that appears to be the store on the first floor of the NCWRC building in Raleigh. I was over that way yesterday and saw the signs that everything was marked down to 50% off. Certainly the sign of the times these days it seems.

I believe the store was a bit obscure to the general public given it was on the first floor and most of the public entered the building on the second floor. The store had a good selection of books and resources about wildlife and the environment here in the state as well as more artistic items and of course hats and t-shirts.

The impact of the closing I suspect to the average person will be unnoticed but I’ll admit I’ll miss the opportunity to see all those resources together in one spot. The store closes for good on Wednesday at 4pm so if you want to visit it you better hurry.

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