Moose Droppings

Well as I promised I’d tell you all about my muzzleloader hunt. I had planned to take the entire week off and just hunt but my best-laid plans did not work out. I had work as well as other commitments that forced me to return home for part of the time. I know weather wise I missed some of the best hunting time that week but what are you going to do? I saw deer mostly a couple of little bucks that kept me entertained the whole time because they were pretty unpredictable when and where they would show up. One in particular was pretty oblivious to most things around him and was living on the edge with the risks he seemed to be taking. Check out my post about Educating a Young Buck.
The Bad
My intention was to get some meat for the freezer so I was hoping some does would show up and give me the opportunity to drop one or two of them. I saw some does but for the most part they stayed outside the reach of my muzzleloader. It was fairly warm and the end of the week rain and high winds set in making the hunting difficult.

The season ended on Friday and I had not even burned any powder but Saturday the rifle season opened and all these does I’d been seeing at 150+ yards would now be reachable with my rifle.
The Ugly
I guess the final kicker on the season was during lunch on Saturday I decided I’d better shoot my muzzleloader so I could clean it at home and put it away. I had two caps go off with out setting the charge and on the third time it was a hang fire but it did go off. I had tried hard to keep my powder dry despite the wet conditions and really thought I had but obviously not. I guess I’m glad Mr. Big Buck didn’t step out on Friday cause I’d of been mad if my gun had malfunctioned.
The Good
Although I was disappointed I didn’t get to shoot a deer that week I did enjoy a number of sunrises and sets along with a bunch of other things. The turkeys were spectacular and fun to watch. They are all flocked up for the winter and it is deafening the noise they make coming through the woods.

No deer with the muzzleloader lets hope the rifle season I have a bit of success.

Post & Photos by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Last year Eric York a biologist for the National Park Service died from the plague after doing a necropsy on a mountain lion that died from the same disease inside of Grand Canyon National Park. A year latter a report has been completed on his death;

National Park Service investigators found unsafe work practices, violations of federal labor regulations and park policy failure in the death of wildlife biologist Eric York, 37, who was found dead Nov. 2, 2007.

Their report recommended additional supervisor oversight and further safety requirements for handling dead animals.

York — who was not wearing gloves when he conducted a post-mortem examination of the cougar — died alone on a couch in his house on the canyon’s South Rim sometime between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2 from an advanced stage of pneumonic plague, The (Flagstaff) Arizona Daily Sun reported.

UPI
The National Park Service over the past few years has really been stretched and one has to wonder if the strains on the system has put workers at risk. A very tragic situation and even harder to think that this may have been prevented had the NPS management been giving employee’s appropriate supervision.

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.

Step aside Jared Subway may have a new spokesman…..

Then again Jared’s job is safe after the police killed the bear. If he had only learned to sit at the table and not chase the help into the restroom maybe it would have been a better outcome.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Another important landmark in North Carolina is now protected from development with the addition of Grandfather Mountain to the state park system.

Gov. Mike Easley announced Monday that the state will pay $12 million to acquire Grandfather Mountain, one of North Carolina’s signature landmarks and most popular tourist attractions.

The nearly 6,000-foot tall peak and 2,600 surrounding, undeveloped acres will be turned into North Carolina’s 34th state park.

“Today, Grandfather Mountain and all its scenic beauty becomes a state park,” Easley said. “This is an extremely important habitat, and we will take good care of it. The dreams of many North Carolinians and Hugh Morton will be met: North Carolina will protect and preserve Grandfather Mountain forever.”

WRAL

Much like the purchase of Chimney Rock a few years ago to protect another important landmark this is great addition to the NC State Parks.

Aside from being one of the signature landmarks in our state, Grandfather Mountain is a premier natural resource, boasting 16 distinct ecological communities and 73 rare species and is an International Biosphere Reserve.

NC Parks

Story & Photo by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Darlene & Avery getting ready in predawn hours for our annual swan hunt

Darlene Wyrick left this life Tuesday but her memory will live on forever. Whenever we gather around the campfire of hunting camp we’ll remember her. I’ve been a friend with her husband Avery (Hawkeye) for a number of years hunting and fishing all over the state with him. The last few years Darlene started joining in and she became another one of the guys at hunt camp.

Darlene tagging her swan.

I loved to hear her tell a hunting story and then hear Avery tell his side. Darlene told me about a duck hunt her and Avery went on, they had asked a guy if they could hunt his pond and he gave them permission. It turns out it wasn’t his pond and the real landowner showed up while they were hunting. A few tense moments but once Avery explained what was going on the landowner relaxed and they talked it out. Latter I talked with Avery about this story and found out Darlene left a part of the story out it seems when this landowner showed up Darlene slipped away and got in the truck. Avery said that once the initial tension was over he looked up and saw Darlene sitting in the truck. To hear her tell it you’d of thought she was right there to hear it all. Boy we laughed about that story a number of times.

Last year on the swan hunt Avery handed Darlene an unloaded shotgun while we were hunting so the click on the empty chamber was all we heard as her turn to shoot a swan happened. Of course we all believed that Avery did that to her on purpose so she wouldn’t show him up.

Although I didn’t hunt a lot with Avery and Darlene we kind of did get the chance to sit in the deer stand some with them between the stories and the videos. Darlene will be missed a lot from us that knew her from the swan hunts and the get togethers we’ve had over the years. While she may of seemed quiet I’m surely going to miss her “Hey Moose how are ya?”

For I will turn their mourning into joy And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Darlene Hall Wyrick
November 7, 1962 - September 16, 2008

Till We Meet Again Rest In Peace
-Moose-

August was a record breaking month for us at Skinny Moose Media and for me personally on Moose Droppings. There was more then 900% increase in visitors in August over my July stats. With success came the spammers so for a while we had to shut down the comment feature on the blog. The comment feature is back up but for now you have to register in order to post a comment. Your comments are greatly appreciated so if you haven’t already please register and post them. Thanks again for visiting my blog.
-Moose-

I’m sitting in the Farm Bakery in Caribou Maine surfing the net and downloading this week’s radio show.

[quote] Greetings from Aroostook County Maine. Moose is on the road this week bear hunting in Northern Maine. This week show is an update on what has been happening in the woods as well as his trip to the new Cabela’s in Maine. So join Moose for his road show this week.
[/quote]

The coffee and the pastries are outstanding so if your ever in Caribou stop by.

Story & Photos by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Unknown Source for these photos

A couple of photos floating around the net. He certainly looks like he is ready for dinner.

Check Out “You Otter Be Clill’en” a photo I took on my trip to the mountains.

Winston Salem Journal Graphic

There is no doubt that North Carolina has a abundant deer herd in most of the state and steps need to be taken to reduce the population. NCWRC at their last meeting floated an idea to give private landowners the option to choose what weapons could be used rather then having a set archery, muzzleloader, and firearm season. Today’s Journal had a story about this proposal and not surprisingly many bow hunters and muzzleload hunters are opposed to it.

Bowhunters and muzzleloaders who traditionally have early deer season to themselves in the North Carolina woods are annoyed by a proposal to create a uniform season, which would extend the crack of the gun by 10 weeks, from early September through January.

“It would have a detrimental impact on the quality of the herd, the quality of deer and the hunting experience,” said Ramon Bell, the president of the N.C. Bowhunters Association. “It would pretty much eliminate bowhunting and muzzleloading hunting.”

The idea came out of a meeting last month of the big-game committee of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. It is not a formal proposal, state officials said.

A uniform deer season across North Carolina would allow hunters to hunt with a legal weapon of choice on private properties from early September through January. It would not pertain to gamelands, which would maintain traditional bowhunting and muzzleloading seasons.

WS Journal
I’ve given this some careful thought over the last little bit and I’ll admit I don’t see why this shouldn’t be tried. I think it will retain more hunters but in the firearm arena. Bow hunters & Muzzleloaders I’m sure would see a loss in the numbers of those participating. There is no doubt that some bowhunters and muzzleload hunters only do that to extend the season.
We need to reduce the herd down in many areas while this proposal might do that however there is also a logical argument that it won’t work because there are still many hunters that will not kill does.

While I see no reason to oppose it I do see the potential to reduce the overall participation in the “privative weapons” so I’ll offer a compromise. Why not set the private lands statewide up to the Eastern Season? “Primitive weapon” enthusiasts will still get their seasons and the overall firearm season will be increased. No matter what gets decided I believe the next NCWRC meeting will be one that is watched closely.

Statewide it is illegal to shoot game from inside your car or truck on the roadway but some areas an individual can exit the vehicle and shoot from the roadway and be legal. Local laws need to restrict this unethical practice and many already do but mountain counties have been slower to adapt this law.

Some hunters are just lucky. Like the guy driving down the road in Jackson County who spotted a deer in a yard and not long afterward drove off with the critter in his truck.
Call it mountain multitasking.
“It’s an easy way to take an animal,” said Sgt. Tim Lominac, of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.
In most of the state, it’s also illegal. Jackson last month became the 13th Western North Carolina county to take on “road hunting.”

Citizens Times

I don’t know many hunters that would call such individuals “hunters” never mind “lucky”. This is a dangerous practice because the shooter often does not know what or who lies beyond their target and is at risk of getting shot. I’m reminded of the tragic story out of Canada last fall where a guide was killed by a “road hunter”. There is no room in our sport for such slobs. It may not be illegal to shoot from the road surface but your ethics should prevent you from engaging in this practice.

Story by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

2007 was a pretty eventful year with some great things happening and some not so great things taken place. As is common at this time of year I’ll take a reflective look back at the year 2007 through the postings on the blog. This will be a 5 part post looking first at the top stories of the year from outside the borders of the State of North Carolina, the second part will be those stories from inside the borders of North Carolina, the third will be stories more closer to home or involving me, the 4th will be the stories that generated the most interest among you the reader and the 5th part will be what I see as important issues carrying over into 2008.

This will involve significant thought and writing on my part because I’ll have to review the entire year and that is over 350 posts so I guess I can’t commit to having all 5 segments out in the next 5 days. I got a goose and duck hunt to pull off as well and as you can see I still have my priorities.

So I don’t forget I’d like to wish each and everyone a safe and prosperous New Year. Thanks for reading my blog, your comments and emails uplift me as I do this. I think 2008 should be a great year. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!