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.

Hunters Should Be Cautious As Remnants of Ida Grip the State

Late season hurricane Ida hit the gulf coast earlier this week but the remnants of this storm our now stalled over North Carolina and the Mid Atlantic states. Parts of North Carolina are expected to get up to 7 inches of rain before this system clears out. In addition to heavy rains the state is experiencing high winds with gusts in excess of 45 mph. This is a deadly combination as trees are toppling over after ground saturation erodes the integrity of the root system and the high winds just push the trees over.

Chilly, windy, rainy

“It’s going to be chilly, windy and rainy today,” said WRAL meteorologist Elizabeth Gardner. “It’s the gusts that are really kicking up out there.”
Wednesday was the third-wettest day recorded at Raleigh-Durham International Airport since 1944, according to WRAL meteorologist Nate Johnson.
The storm that started the week as Hurricane Ida weakened Tuesday after making landfall in southern Alabama. It was downgraded to a tropical depression as it moved east over the Florida panhandle.
Moisture from that system joined forces with a cold front and a separate low pressure system off the coast of North and South Carolina to produce a nor’easter that will continue to dump rain on the eastern half of the state into Friday.
“The rain will probably be lighter and spotter on Friday, but still there,” said WRAL Chief Meteorologist Greg Fishel.

WRAL

With signs of the rut beginning to kick in as well as it being the week of muzzleloader season across the center part of the state many people including myself has taken this week off to hunt. Hunters hunting from treestands should be aware that the tree they are hunting out of may not be stable and could potentially topple over. Other hazards include flash flooding as rain continues to fall.

People need to be safe and carefully consider whether or not hunting in their particular area can be done safely. I did not hunt yesterday nor did I venture out yet this morning. I do have plans to hunt this afternoon but if conditions are not safe I will forgo the hunt to be safe.
People should be cautious and carefully check things out before driving across any flooded areas and before climbing into a tree.
Be Safe

Massive Black Bear Killed In North Carolina

The second all time heaviest bear in North Carolina was taken this week and most likely the heaviest black bear any hunter in North America will take this year. This bear tipped the scales (certified) at 760 lbs making it the largest bear any hunter has taken while hunting with Conman’s Guide Service in Creswell North Carolina.

As I write this story I don’t have a lot of details but I’ll give you what I know so far. The hunter is Noel Harvey and the bear was taken on November 9th which I believe was the opening day of the bear season. The guide service is Conman’s and Mike Noles runs the business with his wife Connie (thus the name Conman’s). I’ve known them for a number of years and have hunted with them a number of times.

In April of 2008 I did a story on Bruiser Bruins in the Old North State featuring two massive bears that Mike had walking on his land. One of them they named “Maximus” and they estimate he could be 800 or more pounds. This bear that was killed this week by Noel Harvey is not one of those two bears. That is unbelievable when you think about it that there is a few of these massive creatures walking around. A black bear this size is bigger than a lot of the brown bears you see out west. That is just amazing when you think about it.

The hunting style for the most part is stand hunting over travel routes and food plots. Baiting of bears is only legal for those hunters who utilize hounds ( crazy rule) and Conman’s does not use hounds.
I hopefully will get a few more details on the hunt and hopefully a few more photos of this magnificent creature when I get back in from my own hunting adventures.

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.

Update on I 40 Rock Slide

Last week I reported on a massive rockslide blocking I 40 a major travel route through the mountains of North Carolina. What was initially thought would take crews 2 months to clear now is estimated to be a 4 month project.

The rock slide more than a week ago will keep the interstate closed for at least four months. N.C. Transportation officials say the cleanup could cost $10 million, and Gov. Bev Perdue has declared the slide an emergency.

WRAL
Anyone planning travel through the mountains along I 40 corridor in and out of Tennessee should review travel routes to get around the slide.

Dog Hunting Declining Across the South East?

I’ll admit that I’ve never hunted deer with dogs but I’m hopefully going to get out on a dog hunt this season and see what it is all about. In the local newspaper this week Fred Bonner talks about the decline of this sport. This is the second article I’ve seen this season about this topic and it is sad to see a local cultural hunting tradition go by the wayside and the poor economy seems to be hasting its demise.

For the deer hunters who chose to have their hounds chase the deer the conditions couldn’t have been more ideal. It was damp enough that the deer’s scent hung close to the ground and it was cool enough to make it comfortable for both the hunters and the dogs.

That’s why I was surprised to find relatively few deer hunters out there with their dogs on the opening day of the season. Ordinarily we’d see truck after truck loaded with dog boxes, two-way radio antennas, tracking antennas and elevated stands lining the roads in the more rural areas Down east. I started to wonder just what was wrong here.

He goes on a bit later in the article to point out some of the pressures on this sport.

The national economy is playing a large part in having a change in the way deer hunters carry out their sport. This seems to be particularly true in the case of the deer hunters who choose to hunt with the aid of dogs.

Dog owners who formerly owned several trained deer hounds found the price of keeping these dogs was getting really expensive. Between the price of dog food and the medications that keep the dog healthy the hunters simply found themselves in a financial pinch. When it comes down to a choice between feeding and keeping healthy their families versus several large hunting dogs, the families won out.

Garner News

Dog hunting is a long standing tradition in this part of the country and it would be a shame if that tradition was to be lost. Even hunters like myself who don’t use hounds to hunt deer should tread lightly as dog hunters get squeezed out because we could be next. I realize that there are issues around the use of hounds. Most often conflict arises when the dogs get off the land they are suppose to be on and run on land they are not suppose to be. Unfortunately the hunters causing the conflicts are often the ones that draw the most attention and thus cause negative prejudices against this hunting tradition.
Read the whole article Fred Bonner wrote and see if you can learn a little bit about this tradition. I hope to get out an experience a hound hunt this season and I’ll report back here on my experience.

“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?

Massive Rock Slide Blocks I 40 In North Carolina Mountains

A massive rock slide has blocked all four lanes of I 40 on the North Carolina Tennessee border at mile marker 2.6. The slide happened overnight being reported around 2am Sunday. Unknown is if there were any vehicles in the area when the slide happened and if they are buried under the massive amounts of rocks.
North Carolina Department of Transportation report that it could be a couple of months before the highway is cleared and reopened to traffic.
This is an important travel route for western NC and important to the local economy that depends on tourism. The detour around this slide is one hundred and forty miles!!! While there is never a good time for something like this to happen during the fall when people are traveling to see the fall colors and not to mention that Thanksgiving travel will be upon us soon.

UPDATE
A few new videos shot from the scene has been added that give you a pretty good idea how massive a slide this is. It would appear that the remoteness and the early morning hours kept anyone to be passing by at the time the slide took place.

Black Powder Season Opens Tomorrow

Nothing like Muzzleloader Eve as we all sit around and hope that at daybreak tomorrow we see a deer or two under the tree for us. The Eastern part of North Carolina has an earlier opening to firearms seasons so if you are like me and have hunting lands in both parts of you get to Muzzleloader eves each year.
I have a new muzzleloader this year deciding to buck the trend and get a Thompson Center. I know you can hardly watch a show and see another maker of muzzleloaders besides Thompson Center. I picked up an Omega from Cabela’s a few weeks ago for a pretty good deal.
I took the Omega out yesterday and sighted it in so hopefully I’m ready to roll in the morning. I’ll be hunting in some thick woods in Johnston County and I’ve opted for a ground blind over a treestand. There is a pretty good double tree canopy with a lot of hollys and dogwoods under the mature hardwoods. To hunt from a treestand I’d have to be pretty high to see around much of the clutter. My shot opportunities will be 50 yards at the max.
The weather is not the greatest with the temperatures predicted to be in the 80’s it is only going to get down to the lower 70’s over night. The promise of some light showers may help because it seems the deer move around a little bit more it seems when it’s like this.
I hope everyone going out has a safe and enjoyable hunt and who knows maybe in the morning there will be something under the tree for ya.

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.

New NC Record Non Typical Velvet Antlered Buck Taken?

Rumors and this photo are circling around the net indicating that a state record may have been taken in Stokes County. The NC Sportsman Magazine reports that a story about this buck will be in the next issue. This is what was reported on NC Hunt & Fish;

The deer that was killed was a non typical velvet deer the green score was 145 7/8. My good friend killed this deer a day after I saw it with him. It was around a 25 yd shot and about 150 yard recovery. Its an awesome and should beat the previous record that stands with nc bow hunters which I believe is 132. After 60 days it will be scored again by 3 more certified scorers. So I think the most it will lose is 5 in beating the previous record by 8 in.. If left anything out just let me know. Oh yeah it was his first bow kill!!!

I guess I’ll have to sit by my mailbox and wait to read the full story in NC Sportsman.

Herd of Pigs Take Over North Carolina School’s Playground

 

Fox 8

What is probably a sign of what is to come a small herd of pigs has taken a likening to a Guilford County School’s playground. Stokesdale Elementary school has had to cancel outside recess at the school until animal control can rid the playground of pigs. It is unclear if these are pigs that have escaped from someone or if they are feral pigs.
Feral pig populations across North Carolina and really the southern United States is exploding and growing virtual unchecked. Pigs are very prolific and will multiply quickly as well as very adaptable and hard to eradicate once they become established. Many hunters will look on the pig as a blessing because of the added hunting opportunities it provides however once established many of these hunters and landowners will see the pigs as a curse as they destroy the land and many native species. Hogs should be viewed as an invasive species and dealt with as such.

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