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.

Some Deer in Bad Predicaments

In this day of photo shopped photos and internet rumors it is often hard to determine what is true an what is made up. The email photos of the doe with the arrow through her nose is a true story. Colorado officials had to euthanize the doe after attempts to capture her failed. Unknown who shot her and the circumstances around how she ended up the way she did. There has been countless posts across the hunting forums about whether it was an ethical shot or not. While the end result is not what any of us would like to see unless we know how it happened we can’t be sure if it was purposeful, negligent, or just a freak accident. I’m glad the authorities were able to find her and end her suffering.

In a story from here in North Carolina there is a buck that has gotten himself entangled in some barb wire. One of the hunting forums I frequent there has been some conversations and a few photos around this buck. It is reported that this buck was seen sporting this additional head gear back around the first of November and now game camera photos shot around Christmas show he is still running around with barbwire fencing. Unlike the doe that was obviously in distress and unable to eat or drink the fencing does not seem to be preventing this buck from doing those activities. Bucks lose their antlers every year in the winter so soon he’ll shed both antler and fence.

180 Class Deer Taken In Yadkin County

What a hoss of a buck and I’m afraid I have none of the details. These images were posted up on NC Hunt & Fish and I’m pretty sure this is an actual NC Deer and not an internet rumor. One of the regular posters over there has posted his own game camera shots of this buck and it was taken within a 1/2 a mile of where he hunts. I hope this deer shows up at the Dixie Deer Classic this year and I’m sure we’ll hear more about it and who the lucky hunter is.

Seems like we are seeing more and more big bucks in North Carolina these days and I attributed it to the two buck limit as well as more and more hunters willing to let small bucks walk.

Post by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Impact Of Chronic Wasting Disease And The Elk Of Cataloochee

I got side track this week but wanted to get back to the story about the experiment to reintroduce elk to the mountains of North Carolina. As I reported in the earlier story this is the eighth and likely final year in the experimental reintroduction. At the end of this study a decision will be made whether to continue with reintroducing the elk or to abandon the project. My hope is they’ll continue it.

Early on the plan was to bring additional elk in for a number of years to assist the herd in growing in the area however Chronic Wasting Disease brought these plans to a halt.

CWD has been around for a good number of years being discovered in Colorado in mule deer. At first it was thought that it might be limited to that particular specie but it has sense spread to whitetail deer, elk, and moose. There is no evidence that this disease can be transferred to humans. In 2001 when the elk experiment was in its infancy much of the outdoor world was in the frenzy of following the discovery of CWD in parts of Canada and the United States. 2001-2002 was when it was discovered in Wisconsin and a panic was set off with portions of the state under orders to completely eradicate the deer herd to stop CWD. Many dire warnings at that time were being made about CWD and false rumors of its transmission into humans was made. While this is a serious disease and we need to do all we can to prevent its spread the early dire predictions have just not proven to be true.

In response to CWD most states have outright banned the transportation of live deer, elk & moose and have specific regulations on the transporting of dead animals especially from states with outbreaks of CWD. For the most part you can’t transport spine or brain from these animals because of the concentration of CWD in those tissues and fluids. Hunters who wear gloves and debone the meat without cutting into the bones will have safe meat to eat. Additional and more detailed information for hunters is available.

Transportation bans have prevented additional elk being brought in even though there are herds that are disease free. CWD was though to be only west of the Mississippi River until New York discovered a deer with it in 2005. Since then West Virginia has discovered CWD as well.

At this time CWD is not known to be present in North Carolina samples of deer are tested every year. Additionally as part of the Elk Experiment all elk that die are given an autopsy at the University of Tennessee to determine the cause of death as well as the overall health of the animal prior to its death.

Despite the lack of brining in the number of elk they wanted to it would appear the herd is growing slowly and steadily. There was 51 elk stocked in and now the herd is over a hundred even with the deaths of some of the original 51 and some of the elk born in North Carolina. I hope the population continues to grow there is something special about traveling into the valley and seeing these majestic creatures. To improve the experience of the visitors as well as to help educate people there is a special group of volunteers in the valley. Next up I’ll tell you who these folks are and what exactly they do.

Story & Photos by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Bow Hunting and Muzzleloader Season Maybe a Thing of The Past

Wildlife Commissioners are proposing to revamp the deer hunting season to improve hunter retention as well as increase the annual deer harvest. Under the proposals the deer season would become uniformed across the state of North Carolina rather then the four geographical seasons we currently have. Additionally on private lands hunters could choose any weapon they would like and not be restricted to archery only or a muzzleloader only season.
I had heard a rumor that sweeping changes would be proposed but I thought it was just a rumor. I was caught off guard when I read the list of proposed changes in today’s N&O;

* Create a single deer season for the state. Now, there are four main regional seasons. The new season would be the same as the current Eastern Deer Season, which this year runs Sept. 13 to Jan. 1.
* Allow bow hunting and falconry on Sundays on private land.
* Allow hunters to choose any weapon (bow, muzzleloader or center-fire rifle) from the start of the hunting season when on private land.
* Move the opening of turkey season to the first Saturday of April statewide, which would extend the season by about a week.
* Ask the legislature for the authority to regulate deer hunting with dogs, and possibly fine dog owners when hounds trespass on private land.
* Allow the hunting of coyotes at night with the use of artificial lights.

I’ve been thinking about many of these all day and talking with folks about them. I’ll be curious to hear what the biologists think about this. In the past there has been a huge disconnect between the professionals that have been hired to do the work and the political appointees that develop the rules. Looking at this I think the divide among these two groups has got to be bigger then ever.

You can bet we’ll continue to follow this story and to see the reactions of the different stakeholders like the NWTF & the NCBHA.

Story & photo by Dan McLaughlin AKA Moose

Go West Young Man… To Texas

Rumors on the net fly and right now many of our email boxes are being filled with a “Rare Black Buck from Michigan.” This buck is not from Michigan but rather Texas hill country in January 2004. Gordon Gouldin was the hunter who took this rare deer and this famous photo is Gordon’s wife with the black buck. NA Whitetail has the story so check it out.

Some other Black Buck stories I’ve seen are;

Andrew Hargrove shot this rare melanistic buck in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in 2002. The only white on the deer is the underside of the tail.

Bobbie Fain took this “black” buck in Dimmit County, Texas. Most melanistic deer live in Texas, with the highest number being around 150 miles northeast of this ranch. Photo by Gordon Whittington.

NA Whitetail

Brendan Pearson poses with the black whitetail deer he shot in Idaho state hunting Unit 8A, in potlatch, Idaho, in October 2007. The whitetail buck is exceptionally dark with a black head, black tongue and dark underbelly. Its legs also are dark and, aside from the white tip, its tail is all black. The first recorded report of a black deer came from New York in 1929.

Magic Valley

Bert Buegeler III black buck he took in Texas Hill Country

Hunting Lease Magazine

Donnie Rodriguez took this Texas Buck in 2005

Rising Sun Outdoors

Well these are the photos I often see and I suspect some of you do as well. I think there is little doubt that Texas is about your best chance to bag one of these rare deer. So next time you get a black buck photo maybe you’ll know the real story.

Rumors Fly That Giant’s Backup Quarterback Anthony Wright Killed in Hunting Accident

Anthony Wright Giant’s back up quarterback and native North Carolinian has been rumored to have died in a tragic hunting accident near his home. Super Zipper Blog ( Link Removed because I have serious doubts about this story) has posted this information but as of yet no major news source has posted any thing about it. I was alerted to this rumor by a post Tom over at the black bear blog posted. My researching I have found a photo of Anthony Wright from the 29th Jan 2008 media day that would seem to dispel this rumor.

Will Update as information becomes available.

The Downside of Killing A Trophy Buck

Ashley Gilliam’s Harnett County Buck Photo Courtesy of N&O

The thoughts of killing a huge buck one day is the dream of many of us that hunt but have you thought any about the downside? I’ve heard a number of stories through the years that may make you think twice. I know that with in the state of North Carolina that there have been some deer taken that would be record book racks but they are never submitted.

If you kill a big buck the property you hunt will most likely become heavily pressured by both “legal” & “illegal” means. If you own the land the surrounding land will see a increase in hunting if they can find ways to access it. If you don’t own the land but lease it there will be attempts by others to lease it out from under you. Although these are legal means I’m not sure they are the most ethical. There will also be some that will take the illegal means an trespass or even drive the area at night looking for an opportunity to poach a deer.

The other very common thing to have done is to have your reputation questioned by rumors that you illegally took your trophy. Why some people feel the need to do that is beyond me but Alex Webb of the N&O had such a story just the other day.

When Ashley Gilliam pulled the trigger on a huge buck with a trophy-sized rack on Nov. 1, his emotions ran high, but that high did not last long.
He learned success doesn’t always guarantee happiness, especially in the outdoors.
As news of Gilliam’s buck spread, rumors began to circulate that the buck may have not been a legal kill, perhaps shot after legal hunting hours.
“I think there may have been some jealousy on some people’s part, and they started the rumors. This was the lowest point I had ever felt because I knew it was legal,” Gilliam, from Angier, said.

The entire story that Alex has laid out is fascinating and you should read it but I’ll focus on the ending to make my point. The rumors got so bad that Mr. Gilliam ended up getting up with the local game warden and taking him out to the area he killed the buck and walking him through what happened. Mr. Gilliam provided the game warden with a print out of his cell phone bill from that day where he called to get help loading his trophy deer and a receipt from a store he stopped at shortly after dark. Now none of this was required by the NCWRC but I’m certain that Mr. Gilliam didn’t want the local Harnett County Wildlife Enforcement Officer thinking he had done something wrong.

If the day ever comes that you cross paths with a trophy you may face some of the same unwarranted scrutiny and pressure so what will you do? Show that trophy off or not? Me I’ll show it off but I guess I’ll keep the receipt from my celebratory RC Cola & Moon Pie.

Plans For Buckhorn Village Show a Cabela’s Sign

The massive retail plans for the proposed development off Buckhorn Rd in Orange County include among other things an illustration of signage, which includes “Cabela’s.

It’s also too early to say if the anchor tenant will be Cabela’s, Parker said. Although “Cabela’s” appears on an illustration of the plan for the anchor store’s parking lot. Parker said that should not be taken seriously at this point.

The Times News

This is certainly in the very early stages but with a lot of folks speculating and Cabela’s even being included in such a small way in the plans it suggests to me that there is a strong likelihood that there is some truth to the rumor.

Developing…

Cabala’s Coming to North Carolina?

Rumors have been flying around for some time and they now seem to be getting some legitimacy to them. Mebane NC seems to be the likely spot on the site of the old flea market on Buckhorn Road. Someone wants to build 1,000,000 sq feet of retail space there and although no one is saying for sure there seems to be a lot of speculation.

One owner Tommy Ellison said there was a potential buyer, but he could not say who.
“We don’t know ourselves,” Ellison said. “Nobody tells us nothing.”

Ellison would not say how much he and his partners stood to make on the deal.

Richard McClellion, another of the current owners, told the Times-News in March that mega sporting goods store Cabela’s offered him $6 million for 120 acres of the mostly unused land the market sits on. He said it was not enough. Cabela’s did not confirm his story, but rumors the retailer is going to buy the land are persistent.

Cabela’s spokesman John Castillo said he had not heard about the project.

“That is not to say that our real estate department isn’t working on something,” Castillo said.

Hillsborough-Orange County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Margaret Cannell said she did not know for sure Cabala’s was looking at the flea market but she did say, “I’ve heard that, too.”

“It’s somebody who’s been talked about for a long time,” Cannell said, “It’s retail use — destination retail.”

It is a vague description, but one that captured Cabela’s.

The Times News

Developing….

A Look Back at The Great Outdoors of 2007

In the world of the great outdoors 2007 was a very eventful year with lots of things happening. When I look back at what I reported on Moose Droppings these may or may not been the top stories you would pick but these are the ones I reflected on throughout the year.

I think 2007 will be known as the year of the Bear Mauling with multiple national & even international stories about problem bears. There were stories about brown bears as well as black bears and it was spread out throughout North America. This seemed to be a carry over from 2006 where we had a number of maulings as well. Bears like many other predators are opportunists as well as strong defenders of their young as many of these attacks resulted from these two factors.
Here are a few of the stories I did but by no means are these all the bear mauling s that took place this past year.
Wildlife Photographer Mauled for 2nd Time in his life… Yellowstone National Park
Grand Teton National Park Mauling
11 Year Old Killed by Bear in Utah
NC Man Knocked Over By Bear

As bear numbers increase across many parts of this continent we need to take a serious look at how we manage all predators especially bears. Hunting is the best management tool we have for two very important reasons, it controls the population and it also instills a natural fear of man, which can help reduce many of these deadly encounters. I’m certainly not advocating the eradication of predators but just a management plan that works and respects the animal as well as the landowner who has the critter on their land.

How about OSHA’s attempt to shut down the shooting industry? Regulation changes would of reclassified small arms ammunition as an explosive and made it impossible to ship it, store it, or sell it. Many of us bloggers and gun advocates came together to alert people to this end run that was being attempted and the emails and phone calls were successful in putting a stop to this asinine idea.
Another event in the blogging world that worked more as a wedge between hunters and target shooters was the Zumbo flap. No doubt Jim Zumbo’s ill thought-out post about Black Guns and questioning the reason individuals should own them set the net a fire and even made the National News for a while. Mr. Zumbo was thrown under the bus by many in the gun community loosing many of his sponsors, his TV show, as well as his writing gig with Outdoor Life. He has made some what of a comeback and is now back on TV. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies fighting amongst ourselves as our enemies just sit back and watch.

The story of the senseless death of Josh Leger, waterfowl guide, Avery Pro Staff Member out of Canada was a hard one to write about. He was shot by someone who stopped on the road seeing their decoy spread and then this individual shoot at the decoys with a rifle fatally wounding Josh. Such a senseless crime with far to high a cost just to kill a goose. I’ll never understand this. Much of the news reports on this story were in French so it presented a new challenge to me to translate them so I could help tell the story. Unfortunately this same scenario plays out all to often and we need to find a way to stop folks who illegally poach because it is not only game they are killing but they also kill and injury other people as well.

The last story or more accurately a theme was the whole rumors on the internet. Everyone hears about the biggest deer or the new monster bear and in many cases inaccurate information gets passed along. I doubt will ever get rid of the rumors on the net so I guess I’ll be forever running these stories down.

Running Down More Rumors …. Alberta Trophy Buck

There is another Email going around the net of a huge Alberta Buck taken recently and Brad posted it up on his site. Well I believe I’ve run down the story or the basics, it was actually taken last season and the photo is legit for the most part just the way it is positioned it does make it appear to be much bigger then it is. The buck was killed with the Diamond Willow outfitters out of Alberta.

Scott Yetman, from Newfoundland took this tremendous Alberta buck the third week in November of ‘06. He scores 212 gross

So once again you know the rest of the story.

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Even if you don’t want to buy your hunting and fishing equipment online you may find that doing some online shopping could help you in other ways, just as it could for buying golf clubs. One way is that by doing your shopping you can read consumer reviews of products before you buy them, for things from golf clubs to hunting equipment and more.

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