The News Reporter’s
Outdoors
Hunting & Fishing in Columbus County
August 28, 2014
Page 2 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
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Trapping on the rise in Carolina By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer Trapping for furbearers in North Carolina appears to be on the rise. Despite fur markets that rise and fall almost daily, the high cost of fuel, and national efforts to ban the sport, state officials say fur trapping is holding its own and even gaining a few new converts almost every year. North Carolina allows trapping for a number of species. According to the Wildlife Resources Commission, 44,586 animals were reported trapped in the state last year, by 3,900 licensed trappers. Catches included beaver, raccoon, opossum, gray fox, muskrat, coyote, otter, nutria, red fox, bobcat, skunk, mink and weasel, in that order, according to the commission. The N.C. Trappers Association, a non-profit organization now in its 42nd year, holds three basic trapping classes
Rhonda Weaver began trapping with her husband, News Reporter writer Jefferson Weaver, during the 2013-14 season. She’s pictured with her first coyote, taken on a bait hole where a road crosses a ditch in a field. The 36-pound yote was trapped in a Minnesota Brand MB-550 RC foothold, using the carcass of a pigeon for bait.
and one master class annually. Each of the basic courses held in recent years were filled, and in the last two held in Columbus County, more spaces and classes were added. The NCTA provides the classes free of charge, in cooperation with the Wildlife Commission. Columbus County’s beaver bounty program was credited for adding to the local ranks of trappers over the past two years. Low prices for furs—especially those from warmer regions like North Carolina—have discouraged many trappers from taking to the field in recent years. This led to an upsurge in the beaver population, and Columbus County was just one of several to institute a bounty program. Plans are in place to bring back the popular bounty system this year, in an attempt to keep the beaver population in check. At this year’s Cape Fear Wildlife Expo, members of the NCTA handled dozens of ques-
tions about trapping wildlife. Coyote and beaver were the top two problem animals in the area. An invasive species, coyotes were introduced both by trappers selling imported coyotes to fox preserves, and by a natural migration that has been following deer herds eastward since the 1930s. The year 2000 is often called the “Year of the Coyote” in North Carolina, since that was the first year the species was documented in each of North Carolina’s counties. Filling the ecological niche once held by wolves and cougars, coyotes have adapted to become the number one predator of whitetail deer—far outdistancing human hunters. Coyotes also prey heavily on red foxes (also an imported species), as well as pets, small livestock, and wild game. North Carolina requires that all traps, exce pt for drowning sets, be checked
See Trapping, page 19
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Page 4 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer When Lionel Keaton dropped a massive eight-point buck in Freeman township, he was satisfied he earned the deer. “I couldn’t believe it when I looked down and all I saw was antlers,” Keaton said. The local native, who now lives in Charlotte, harvested his 200-plus pound eight pointer from a stand he sited, on a lane he cleared, along a trail he had scouted and watched via game camera for three years. He recently shot his first deer, a smaller buck, from the same stand. Keaton grew up in a family where some of the boys would hunt before breakfast, in hopes of adding meat to the crowded table on the Columbus-Bladen county line. When he grew up and left home, fishing and golf replaced hunting. “I still love to fish, and I’m an avid golfer,” Keaton said. “I just wanted to get back into
Hunter’s hard work pays off
Lionel Keaton’s first buck was trophy to remember. hunting. It was calling to me.” When Keaton went in, his sister Ear nestine said, he went in “all the way. “Every time he comes home, he’s looking at the pictures from his game camera on the computer,” Earnestine
said. “He worked on that hunting place, and he is just as avid a deer hunter as I’ve ever seen. He is all about deer hunting and the woods.” Keaton’s boyhood friend, Leonard “Pappy” Hall, is a well-known outdoorsman in
the Sandyfield and Freeman area. “We’ve been buddies since we were little,” he said, “and he took me under his wing.” Even though it hadn’t been that many years since he’d hunted, Keaton quickly found out modern deer hunting is different from the traditional subsistence hunting of his childhood. He bought a treestand (“Lugging that thing into the woods and setting it up was a lot like work,” Keaton laughed.) and with Hall’s help, situated a cornpile and the stand to take advantage of the prevailing winds. His wife’s family has a tract of around 30 acres, and Keaton decided he should take advantage of the property, rather than counting on the hospitality of others. “Nobody minded,” he said, “because we’re a community, but I wanted to do this on my own.” On the Saturday before Halloween—the first truly cool morning of the season— Keaton was on his stand well
before daylight. The wind was perfect, and he had settled in for another relaxing morning on the tree stand when he heard deer hounds in the distance. “At first I thought, ‘Well, that’s it for today,’” he said. “I know a lot of still hunters give up when dogs start running through a block. But I remembered what Pappy had told me, that sometimes an old buck will sneak across really quiet ahead of the dogs, so I decoded to stay put.” It was a good choice. Hall advised Heaton to stay in his stand at 8:30 a.m.; 20 minutes later, Keaton saw movement out of the corner of his eye. “I turned real slow,” he said, “and all I could see was horns.” Like many hunters, both new and veteran, Keaton found himself suffering a bad case of buck fever, the trembling excitement that comes when a hunter spies a
See Hard work, page 18-A
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August 28, 2014 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – Page 5
Treestand safety vital before, during the hunt Treestands are an integral part of the hunt for many area sportsmen, and they often get the least attention. “As hunters begin to set up tree stands as part of their preparation, safety is still rule number one,” said Travis Casper, the state hunter education coordinator. “Whether you are scouting a location, trimming shooting lanes and putting up your tree stand, even on a trial basis, use the same precautions you would during hunting season.” Casper recommended using a lineman-style belt in addition to a full-body harness when first putting a treestand in place. “This minimizes the chance of falls and potential injury,” he said. “And always select a healthy, straight tree for placement.” Other Home From The Hunt™ recommendations: Never carry anything as you climb — use a haul line to raise and lower equipment. Maintain three points of
Selina Surles took this seven point buck while still hunting in October 2013. She proudly noted that she didn’t use a bait pile. contact when climbing. Follow manufacturer instructions. Don’t exceed manufactur-
er’s maximum height settings. Have an emergency signal device with you. Tell someone where you
plan to go. As with any piece of equipment, tree stands need inspection before use. Replace rusted bolts, frayed straps or, if needed, buy a new tree stand. Leaving a treestand up from one season to the next has some inherent problems that outweigh any convenience. When a tree stand is exposed to the elements due to long-ter m placement, it may have damaged straps, ropes and attachment cords — any of which may potentially lead to breakage and failure. Per manent stands need maintenance as well—ladders can become loose or rotten, and wildlife ranging from yellow jackets and wasps to squirrels and raccoons can make their home inside.
A Brunswick County hunter was injured in 2009 when he opened the door of his box stand and discovered a coon had taken up residence. The hunter sustained minor injuries as well as coon bites when he fell from the tree. A local hunter also fell from his stand recently after disturbing a nest of wasps that had moved in since the previous year. Treating permanent stands with insecticides before deer season also gives the hunter a chance to check for broken floorboards, loose rungs on ladders, or other hazards. Damaged or dangerous stands should be repaired or replaced well before the season starts. For more on tree stand safety, go to ncwildlife.org.
WILDLIFE ACTION The local members of Wildlife Action wish to say “Thank You!” to all our community friends and associates who have worked so hard and given selflessly of their time and money throughout the years. Your volunteer efforts have been the key to making our family and children’s educational programs and activities successful! We appreciate and are grateful for all that you have done!
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Wildlife Action, Inc. is a non-profit (501-C (3)) volunteer organization dedicated to raising public awareness of the many threats to our diminishing wildlife habitat and natural resources. Our primary focus is on children’s education programs. We share with our youth the outdoor traditions that we have enjoyed and together work to protect those traditions for future generations through programs such as “Take a Kid Fishing Day,” camping, boating and hunter safety classes, summer camps with canoe trips, and archery, bluebird and duck box building days. To fund these programs we rely solely on member dues, charitable donations, and fund-raising events. We are currently developing and building the new Helms Nature Preserve & Resource Education Center in Whiteville in order to better serve our community and provide increased resources for our many children’s programs and activities.
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Page 6 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
Buzzards cause problems at some boat ramps nWildlife officials urge
boaters to keep areas clean. By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer While the problem hasn’t become rampant in southeastern North Carolina, boaters in the Piedmont are reporting problems with buzzards at boat ramps. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is requesting public assistance in the battle against the scavenger birds. Buzzards, which are also known as vultures, have damaged cars, trucks and boat trailers at some Piedmont boating access areas. The problems arise when fishermen clean their day’s catch at the boat ramps, and don’t clean up the mess. Buzzards are the only birds with a highly developed sense of smell, and once they identify the location of a regular food source, they come back for
American turkey vultures like this one, as well as the smaller, more aggressive black buzzard, are reportedly causing problems at public boat ramps in some areas. The birds are attracted to the leftovers when fishermen clean their day’s catch. They can damage vehicles and boats with their droppings and sometimes aggressive behavior. more. Some birds have begun taking up residence near the Lake Waccamaw boat landings, as well as both official and unofficial landing sites along the Waccamaw River. someplaces where hunters illegally dump carcasses in deer season are often near similar bridge crossings, making for a smorgasbord for vultures
when fishermen clean their catch along the riverbank. Flocks and colonies numbering in the thousands have been reported near meat processors, such as Smithfield Foods at Tar Heel. The birds generally eat in one area, then roost—and defecate— elsewhere. They can become destructive during breeding
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season, ripping seat cushions, car moldings, and other soft surfaces in a display of dominance. Vultures are scavengers, but they also are federally protected birds of prey. Two species are found in North Carolina — the red-headed turkey vulture, common in the mountains and Piedmont, and the black vulture, most common in the eastern region. While considered by some ornithologists to be an adapted invasive species, the latter birds are still protected under state and federal law. The all-black vulture, with its distinctive white wings, is the smaller but more aggressive of the two. Black vultures, sometimes called white winged vultures, have been known to attack deer, goats, sheep and cows during childbirth, crippling the mother and killing the newborn. Damage and nuisance issues created by boat ramp buzzards include scratches on vehicle hoods and roofs, exte-
rior moldings pulled apart and windshield wipers torn away, as well as large amounts of highly-acidic — and odoriferous — droppings and vomit. To scare vultures away from boat ramps, Wildlife Commission staff is using visual and audial deterrents, including pyrotechnics and replicas of dead vultures. The commission requests the public assist in the effort to reduce vulture visitation by keeping access areas clean and removing trash and food remnants. Anglers should not leave behind fish guts, unused bait and fish carcasses, including in the nearby waterway. Many boaters are covering vehicles with tarps or covers to prevent damage. Others are using alternate public boating access areas to reach the same waterway. For more information on recreational boating and public boating access areas, visit www.ncwildlife.org/boating or call 919-707-0031.
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August 28, 2014 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – Page 7
Farmers Manage Deer gearing up for new season By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer An effort to put excess deer on the dinner tables of the needy made a stop at Lake Waccamaw Wednesday. Far mers Manag e Deer (FMD), a cooperative effort between the state and multiple non-profits, held an informational meeting at Lake Waccamaw Baptist Church. The church operates a food pantry in cooperation with almost every other church at the lake, feeding dozens of families each week. Every week, the group assembles bags of groceries filled with staples for needy families in an assembly-line style nondenominational time of work and fellowship. Organizers hope to add high-protein, low-fat, all-natural venison to the menu this fall. The goals of Wednesday’s FMD meeting were to help hunters, landowners and
Chandler Worley turns over one of the first of hundreds of pounds of venison collected and packaged through the Farmers Manage Deer program after a special doe hunt on his farm near Fair Bluff last fall. The meat went to a local food pantry. farmers promote harvesting of excess does, while encouraging hunting tourism as a new revenue source. Last year was the first season for the FMD program in Columbus, and hundreds of pounds of venison were donated to food banks and soup kitchens throughout the area. This year, FMD hopesto
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expand the program even further. Several initiatives are planned for this deer season, including a free dropoff during October doe days and the countywide youth doe donation drive. One of the biggest goals of the program, organizer Judy Gardener said, is to build com-
munity support for a centralized dropoff location for the coming deer season. “We are always seeking community support for both ongoing donations to pay for venison processing of meat donated, and to sponsor the potential purchase of a refrigerated trailer to serve the county,” she said. Farmers Manage Deer was established last year as an effort to increase hunting opportunities, control the doe population, and assist food banks and charities. The program is funded in part by the Tobacco Trust Fund Foundation. Participating farmers and landowners can allow hunting on their property for a small fee paid to the landowner. Organizers hope the program, now in its test phases in eastern North Carolina, can be expanded statewide and help provide a revenue source for farmers as well as reducing the number of does,
thus improving the overall health of the state’s deer herd. Another meeting is set for Aug.26 at the cooperative Extension office in Whiteville, Gardener said. The meeting is open to the public, and starts at 6:30 p.m. There is no charge, but advance registration is required. Call 910 640-6605. Gardener said the program is designed to help both the individual and the community explore new ways to make hunting profitable for the landowner, both in the short and a long run. Chandler Worley signed onto the program last year, she explained, both to help promote hunting tourism and to control an overpopulation of deer that was destroying his crops. “We’re trying hard to help farmers and landowners find a new revenue maker,” she said, “while maintaining a healthier deer herd. The seminar will give people a chance to learn ways manage wood-
See Farmers, page 19
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Page 8 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
A dog with a coat of gold By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer Toni has a certain look about her that makes me think she might be the one. She’s part Plott hound, part traveler. Her mother is a grand dog, but Cleo has never really been interested in hunting. Toni looks like any other yellow mongrel, but the way her eyes follow me when I pick up a gun or put on hunting clothes, she makes me think she may be the next candidate. Something deep in her family tree is reminding her that Plotts were bred to be the original all-purpose North Carolina hunting hound, and she has some work to do. I haven’t had a real hunting dog (that hunted) for years. Biscuit was the last, but genetics conspired to take him much too early in life. He left behind a son, also via Cleo, but Sonny was stolen before he was fully trained up. That incredibly long-eared yellow puppy, with his father’s col-
lard green eyes, had serious potential. My time in the woods and fields is always special, and I prefer to spend most of it alone. However, when I was first becoming a timberbeast, I was a shy, portly little kid who went to a different school than the other boys. It was natural that my dog would become my best friend. Dudley was special; a halfLab, half-golden retriever, he had some of the golden’s coat but the nose of a black and tan hound. Dudley would retrieve a duck, but he oddly enough wasn’t really keen on swimming. He didn’t mind picking up a dove, either, despite the fact that a dead dove’s final revenge comes in the pound of feathers shed by each bird. At the same time, he would tree a possum and even bay a squirrel. Dudley was like Robert Ruark’s Mickey, a wideheaded cocker spaniel from the time before everything was bred out of the cocker save the yip and the yap and
the snap, as Ruark put it. My old dog was a grand friend for a little boy whose kingdom was lonely, even though it encompassed the entire great outdoors. Biscuit was almost another all-around dog; he had wide flews that whuffled before he barked or spoke, big fat lips that gave him a mouth like Grandpa without his dentures. Biscuit would halfway point a quail (although there were darn few quail where we lived at the time) but he loved a dove field, especially a half-cut cornfield where the doves would light infuriatingly in the center. Whether by design or accident, he would sneak through the corn, following a scent only he knew about, until he came upon the dove’s bastion, which he then pounced into. He even usually managed to break some of the flock toward me, but not always. Often as not, Biscuit would get lost in the corn, and come slinking up after a while, head down in shame until he
saw me and began dancing happily. Biscuit also loved to chase deer. Although he was never meant to be a hound, an artist would weep to see how motion and color and light came together when the gangly puppy found his form and everything came into place. There is no way to describe the picture he created, much less illustrate it. There have been other dogs of the fall fields along the way of course; Dixie, the fat black Lab who couldn’t be trusted around a lunch bag, comes to mind immediately. She was far above retrieving a dove, but like any true Labrador, she was at her best when the water was flirting with frozen and a duck somehow flew into my shot pattern. Then there was Dan’ l, the black and tan who disappeared while on an unauthorized coon hunt. Toni has some of all of them in her. She isn’t gunshy— indeed, gunfire makes
her happy. We’ll have to see how she does when the silvergrey rockets flash over golden fields in the coming days. I am a dove hunter above all other birds, but if Toni is interested, maybe we’ll experiment with some of those noisy, noisome, nuisance Canada geese as well. My coonhunting is usually done with other folks, so Toni’s best chance of treeing will be more of a critter of opportunity than of design. It’s rare that I have time to pursue the gentleman of the fields, Mr. Bob White, Esq., but I know a covey or two that might be a good test for Toni. She’s already a chaser, and this appears to be an exceptional year for cottontails, so we’ll have to see what she thinks of brush-busting for bunnies when the leaves have fallen and the air is crisp with November. Regardless of how Toni turns out – or if she even turns out to be a hunter at all – there is something special
See Dog, page 18
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August 28, 2014 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – Page 9
Safe boating program under way The “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign, a multi-agency initiative designed to combine law enforcement resources to ensure everyone can safely travel on highways and waterways during summer months, continues throughout Labor Day weekend. “There are dangerous consequences when an impaired driver gets behind the wheel of a car or boat,” said Capt. Todd Radabaugh with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “Think before you drink. Have a designated driver for the water and the road. Don’t let an arrest or accident spoil your end-ofsummer fun.” The “On the Road, On the Water, Don’t Drink and Drive” campaign concentrates on three major holiday periods: Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day. There is an increased law enforcement presence on and around popular recreational boating areas across the state during these
John White of Rico Road didn’t let the stifling heat of recent days deter his angling. He caught these catfish Thursday, Aug. 21 holidays. The campaign is supported and coordinated by the Wildlife Commission, State
Highway Patrol, Alcohol Law Enforcement, Forensic Tests for Alcohol, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Gover nor’s Highway Safety Program, U.S. Coast Guard and local police and sheriff ’s offices, along with participating nongovernmental organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Boat operators charged with operating while impaired (OWI) must make a court appearance and could face a maximum $1,000 fine and jail time. There are more than 200 wildlife officers across the state who patrol 5,000 miles of inland streams, rivers, lakes and coastal waterways and instruct certified boating safety education courses. The public can assist officers by reporting boating violations to 1-800-662-7137. For more information on boating safety and regulations, visit www.ncwildlife. org/boating or call 919-707- Sherman Surles doesn’t limit his fishing to local waters— 0031. he caught this mahi-mahi on a trip to Costa Rica.
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Page 12 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014 2014-15 Hunting Seasons
2014-15 Hunting Seasons
Non-migratory game birds Species
Open dates
Possession
Doves (mourning and white-wing)
Sept. 1-Oct. 11 Nov. 27-Jan. 15
45
King and clapper rail
Sept. 8-Oct. 11 Oct. 27-Dec. 1
45
Sora and Virginia rail
Sept. 8-Oct. 11 Oct. 27-Dec. 1
75
Gallinule and moorhen
Sept. 8-Oct. 11 Oct. 27-Dec. 1
45
Woodcock
Dec.18-Jan. 31
9
Common snipe
Nov. 14-Feb. 28
24
Resident Canada goose
Sept.1-30
45
September teal (east of U.S. 17 only)
Sept. 6-24
Big game species
Consult the regulations digest for bag limits and other regulations. Always wear hunter orange when in the field or the woods. Whitetail deer Eastern season
Archery Black powder Gun
Sept. 3 - Oct. 3 Oct. 4-17 Oct. 18-Jan. 1
Black bear
Southeastern Columbus, Robeson and Brunswick counties
Nov. 10-Jan. 1 Dec. 1-20
Wild turkey
Youth only Regular season
April 4-10 April 11-May 9
Feral hogs
No closed season or bag limits.
Note—other waterfowl seasons had not been announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as of presstime.
2014-15 Hunting Seasons
Small game and other species Gray and red squirrel
Oct.13-Feb. 28
Fox squirrel Rabbit
In select counties. Check your area.
Oct. 13-Dec.31
Including box trapping season
Nov. 22-Feb. 28
Raccoon and opossum
Oct. 13-Feb. 28
Bobcat
Oct. 13-Feb. 28
Armadillo, groundhog, striped skunk, nutria rat and coyote
No closed season Refer to regulations digest
Beaver Pheasant
Blaine Littrell’s smile is almost as big as that of this gar he caught while bowfishing in Lake Waccamaw. Bowfishing is a popular activity at the lake, in part due to big catches like this gar.
Nov. 15 - Feb. 1 Nov. 22 – Feb.28
Quail
Oct. 13 – Feb. 28
Grouse
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday of each week between June 4 and Feb. 28, plus Labor day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, MLK Day, and July 4
Crow
Trapping Columbus County (except beavers)
Other areas
Local laws prohibit setting of foothold traps before the end of deer season in Columbus County.
Jan. 2 – Feb. 28
Nov. 1 - Feb. 28
Beavers may be trapped or hunted, with the landowner’s permission, any time of the year, if there is documented damage. Dates have not been set for Columbus County’s beaver bounty season. For more details, go to www.ncwildlife.org.
Landis Marlowe was the top winner at this year’s Carolina Youth Coon Hunt challenge at Hallsboro. Landis and Carolina Hardwood Easy, his prize hound, took top honors with more than 750 points. The 10-year-old is the son of David and Charmin Marlowe of Clarendon. A Williams Township Elementary School fifth grader, he has an abiding love for the outdoors that has been passed down through the generations of his family. Landis’s great-grandfather, Italy Marlowe, resided in Lake Waccamaw and was a local fur-buyer for many years.
August 28, 2014 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – Page 13
Bear hunting rules loosened By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer This season marks the first time many North Carolina deer hunters may be able to legally take a bear. Earlier this year, the Wildlife Resources Commission gave hunters the right to harvest bears over bait. For years, do ghunters could release hounds near bait piles to chase bears, but stillhunters could not shoot bears over the same piles. This has been a topic of discussion at nearly every public hearing held by the WRC for the last decade. The ruling means hunters can harvest bears that feed off of deer corn piles, as long as the bear is not eating at the time. Deer hunters have complained that bears monopolize feeders and corn piles set up for deer, frightening the target species away and ruining their hunts. T he proposal received mostly positive comments
during the recent series of public hearings, as well as during the online comment period. Previously, hunters could be charged with a misdemeanor—and face hefty fines—if it could be proven they killed a bear off of a bait pile. A number of such cases were thrown out in recent years when bears were shot going to or from bait piles by hunters on foot. The new rule does have some limitations—bears may not be in the act of eating when they are harvested. Only unprocessed foods, as defined by the WRC, may be used. This includes corn, sweet potatoes, raw peanuts, and similar crops. Syrups, doughnuts, candy and other processed foods popular with bears are not allowed. Bears are omnivores—they eat acorns, berries, carrion, corn, fish, frogs, fruits, grasses, grubs, honey, insects, larvae, leaves, nuts, peanuts, reptiles, roots, seeds, small mammals, soybeans and wheat.
Bears prefer large expanses of uninhabited woodland or swampland with dense cover. In Columbus County in 2012, the latest available figures show 32 bears were harvested during the two-week December season, with all but one being taken on private lands. Of those, 18 were male, and 14 female. In Brunswick County, 43 were taken in the same time period. In Bladen County, 91 bears were harvested, while the harvested number in Pender dropped during 2012 to only 45. Hunter success rates, based on the number of reported kills and time spent hunting, averaged the same in Columbus, Pender, Brunswick, and Bladen counties. Biologists use success rates and reported harvests as one population indicator. Biologists estimate there are 10,900 to 12,300 adult black bears in the coastal plain. Statewide, 2012 was a record year for harvests, with hunters taking 2,287 bears,
an increase of two percent from the previous year. The numbers included a 15 percent increase in the coastal plain. A total of 332 bears were reported killed by hunters during the 1998-2012 study period. Dogs were used for an average of two to one versus still hunters. Statewide, 71 percent of bear hunters use dogs to pursue bears. Boars are taken twice as often as sows on average. State harvest reports show that those bears which are harvested tend to be big. Between 1976 and 2012, 946 bears over 500 pounds were taken in the east, compared to 40 in the mountain districts; 196 weighed over 600 pounds, 15 over 700 pounds, and one behemoth weighing over 880 pounds, which was killed in Craven County. Several 600 to 800 pound bears have been reported harvested in Columbus, Pender, Brunswick and Bladen counties, but since the bears were not weighed on certified scales, their weights
were not entered in the state’s records. Tooth analysis shows the average age for harvested males is 5.1 years and 5.5 years for females taken by still hunters, while the average for houndsmen is 4.7 years for males and 5.5 for females. Weights tend to even out between houndsmen and stillhunters, with males tipping the scales in the 330-340 pound range and females, 175-210 pounds. Auto collisions and illegal kills accounted for 200 bear deaths in 2012, with most of those animals being dependent cubs or adolescents killed on roads while seeking new territory. June is the worst month for bear-car crashes, and it’s also the busiest time for bears, as sows send adolescents out to make their own way and make room for the new cubs of the year. October and November are also busy periods for
See Bear hunting, page 19
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Page 14 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
Cranking for cats n Met hod comes as a ’shock’ to catfish. By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer Although the practice is considered controversial in some quarters, electrofishing or “shocking” is becoming more popular in Southeastern North Carolina. Small generators—antique telephone boxes are the most popular—are outfitted with long electrical leads that are lowered to the bottom of a creek, lake or river. A special device license is required. Only hand-cranked electrofishers of 300 volts or less may be used in North Carolina. The angler spins the generator, and uses a dip net to scoop the stunned fish from the water. Only shocked catfish may be kept—other species must be allowed to regain consciousness and swim away. The method has been used by biologists for years for fish
Ashton and Kolton recently tried electro-fishing with stepfather JD Blackburn at Black River counts and other research. Electrofishing critics have complained at every public hearing held by the Wildlife
Resources commission for the last ten years, since electrofishers became legal tools in North Carolina. They claim
the method cleans out all catfish in a body of water, while proponents of the method say they only take larger fish. J.D. Blackbur n of Lake Waccamaw and his stepsons Ashton and Kolton recently tried their hand at electrofishing, and the boys are hooked. Lewis Sellers and Brad Edwards loaned the family some electrofishers, and they went to work on finding some big flathead cats. “When the electricity hits a fish, he’s stunned and floats to the top,” Blackburn said. “Then you scoop it with a net.” Blackburn said electro-fishing was something the family hadn’t tried, but likely will hit it again. The entire family enjoys spending time in the outdoors, and he especially tries to encourage Askton and Kolton in their outdoor pursits. “I like to expose the boys to all different kinds of activities on the water or in the woods,” he said. “Teaching them how
to be good sportsmen is something I believe they will value in the years to come.” For more infor mation about electrofishing, go to ncwildlife.org.
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Wildlife is an important aspect of the land that farmers must manage. If left unchecked, wildlife can reduce your farm’s bottom line. If managed, wildlife can provide a substantial amount of new farm income. Recreation is an activity people will pay for even in hard financial times. Hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, and nature photography are each recreational activities that people are willing to pay to do. The sale of services associated with these activities - catering, on-site lodging or camping facilities, and guide services - can further expand income potential. A 2011 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation reported that in North Carolina, hunters spend $224 million on huntrelated trip expense, which can revitalize your local community as well. Private lands that are convenient and accessible, have high quality habitat, and low sportsmen densities, are “ideal” in the eyes of a sportsman. Relaxation, the opportunity to view and hunt a variety of wildlife species deer, turkey, rabbits, ducks, squirrels, dove and/or quail, and group camaraderie made more enjoyable because basic creature comforts are provided, are also key. The more amenities offered, the higher the income potential. Facilities don’t need to be fancy, just safe and comfortable. Depending on the conveniences provided: Day hunts typically range from $75 to $350 per day Annual hunting leases start at $7 or more per acre Camping and lodging facilities at $20 per night and up Bird watching and nature photography Fishing pond tours formed thru cooperatives with neighbors The North Carolina De-
partment of Agriculture and Consumer Services estimate that $30 million are lost annually by North Carolina row crop farmers alone, with the vast majority of that loss caused by deer. Managing the number of doe in your area is the key to managing deer populations. Setting and achieving doe harvest goals every year will offer the greatest impact in this case. Doe harvest goals in farming communities are usually more aggressive than the average number of deer a hunters need for their own families, however. To achieve these goals it’s important to have a community network in place. North Carolina Hunters for the Hungry ® can help. NCHFTH now offers two new programs that make delivering ground venison to those in need easier than ever. A 6 x 12’ mobile cooler is available at no cost to qualified groups to collect, cool, and transport donated deer to the nearest NC Hunters of the Hungry Processor. A Community Deer Donation Program will also help qualified groups set up a local cooler for easy hunter drop off of extra deer harvested More information about these innovative programs can be found online at www. nchuntersforthehungry.org or by calling Guy and Judy Gardner at 919 250-8441 or 919 608-3386. Topics will include farm visit ventures, timber management, hunting program development, and various assistance programs being offered to get you started. Speakers include the North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s Farmers Manage Deer program, a sponsored project of the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission, the N.C. Cooperative Extension, the Natural Resource Conservation Service and NCDA’s Agritourism. Meet at 45 Government Complex Rd, Suite A, Whiteville, N.C. 28472. Register by calling 910 640-6605
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Page 16 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
What does deer management really mean? By GUY AND JUDY GARDNER N.C. Wildlife Federation Farmers Manage Deer Program
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Mobile cooler makes donating deer in Eastern North Carolina easier to do than ever before North Carolina Hunters for the Hungry has recently launched an innovative new program that will not only help groups to achieve their annual deer harvest goals but make delivering ground venison to those in need easier than ever. Qualified organizations and hunting groups may reserve a 12’ x 6’ mobile walk-in cooler at no charge, and use this cooler to collect, cool, and transport harvested deer to the nearest NC Hunters for the Hungry processor. They will then work with area non-profit food distribution networks to ensure that this meat is donated back to their community. Community champions are being sought to help raise the money needed to pay for deer processing – every $50 raised will provide 160 meals, and could be tax-deductable. North Carolina Hunters for the Hungry, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, has been actively involved in the fight against hunger and malnutrition in North Carolina for more than 20 years. Dona-
tions are accepted online at nchuntersforthehungry.org/ Donate.html or by mail to P.O. Box 99108, Raleigh, N.C. 27624 A second program, also being piloted in 2014-15 by North Carolina Hunters for the Hungry, will place stationary coolers within a limited number of communities, allowing non-profit groups to set-up and manage drop sites for donated deer. Both initiatives are the result of a program being delivered by the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, “Farmers Manage Deer,” a sponsored project of the North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission. The North Carolina Wildlife Federation has donated the mobile cooler, which will be managed by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. More infor mation can be found online at www.nchuntersforthehungry.org or by calling Guy and Judy Gardner, NCWF Farmers Manage Deer Project Managers at (919) 2508441 or (919) 608-3386
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What does “deer management” really mean and how do I begin? At a top level, deer management means managing the area’s doe or antlerless deer population. While most hunters realize the importance of managing “antlers” on their property, many fail to realize the importance of managing antlerless deer as well. Remember that doe can return 30 deer to your farm over the course of five years when its offspring and their fawns are included in this total. There are many benefits of implementing an adequate antlerless harvest, all of which can ultimately improve the buck population: a balanced sex ratio (equal numbers of bucks and doe), shorter and earlier breeding season (fewer fawns lost to predators), increased reproduction (more bucks), and improved herd health, are just a few. Hunters and landowners are often reluctant to harvest does because they are afraid there just aren’t enough deer. This is where a good educational program on deer management can provide a world of difference. Most wildlife biologists recommend that if your goal is to increase the deer herd, harvest fewer than 25 percent of the does. If your goal is to decrease the herd, harvest more. By performing a trail-camera survey you can develop a reasonably accurate target number of does to remove. Once harvest goals are set for the year, stick to it. Do not reduce your target based on hunter sightings (or the lack of) unless hunters find a lot of dead deer due to hemorrhagic disease or other natural causes. One aspect of the herd dynamics that is positively impacted by doe harvest is the adult sex ratio. If there is a significantly greater number of doe than bucks in your deer herd it is common that all doe may not be bred on their first estrous cycle. There are not enough adult bucks in the population to breed all doe. The result is a long drawn-
out breeding season . These late- born fawns struggle with poor quality browse as plants are getting ready for winter and are lower in protein, less palatable and less digestible. Poor nutrition with many late born bucks also results in poor antler development as yearlings, with spike antlers being very common. Too many does also result in a less intense rutting period. Bucks don’t need to do much searching for, nor do they have to compete as frequently for, estrous doe, so they travel less, reducing a
hunter’s chance of spotting that buck. The number of rubs and scrapes observed during the rut also drops as result. After a few years of aggressive doe harvest, the number of doe observed may decline. Many hunters feel fewer deer being observed is the result of overharvesting, but more often, it is simply that remaining deer are more wary and therefore more difficult to observe. Whenever harvesting doe, care must be taken to avoid
See Deer, page 19
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August 28, 2014 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – Page 17
Toothy troublemaker tempts, tests anglers By JEFFERSON WEAVER Staff Writer Blackfish have almost as many names as they have teeth. A prehistoric predator, blackfish are also known as bowfin, mud bass, swamp trout, beaver fish, chopique, and grindle. The latter name was given to the homely, illtempered critter in colonial times, after a well-to-do Virginia gentleman developed an inexplicable passion for blackfish, and his slightly embarrassed friends tried to make the fish more socially acceptable. Whatever the angler calls a blackfish (amia calva) they readily take a hook, make for a challenging fight, and according to some folks, are actually quite tasty. The state record for bowfin tends to stand for years, since most anglers consider them trash fish, and never bother to take the toothy varmint
to a certified weigh station. Currently, the record belongs to Gregory Demery Sr., who caught a 17-plus pound blackfish on Black River in 1997. Larger fish have been caught in Lake Waccamaw and the adjacent river, as well as in the Black, but since those fish were never weighed, they became fish stories instead of state records. Blackfish, according the fossil record, once swam with the dinosaurs, and haven’t really changed since that time. They have a big appetite, and are efficient users of everything they consume—and blackfish will eat nearly anything they find. Bream, bass, catfish, crappie, minnows, ducklings, goslings, baby muskrats and nutria, snakes, small turtles, frogs, even mice can be taken by a hungry blackfish. Bowfin can survive out of water for brief periods, and can even propel themselves on their dorsal fins, although not with
A North Carolina Blackfish the efficiency of invasive species like snakeheads. Blackfish are often caught by young anglers, especially those working cane poles or light spinners close to shore. Bowfin regularly hunt weedbeds and other dense structure used as fish nurseries, and as such, find themselves tempted by a spinner, minnow or juicy worm.
Unlike other predator fish like bass, they don’t have the same good manners of other members of the upper rungs of the foodchain. A blackfish that’s hunting frogs and fingerlings has no problem hunting, attacking and eating a bass or catfish, given the right chance. Some biologists estimate that half the game fish kills which are
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attributed to snapping turtles are actually bitten by bowfin. If you’re interested, check the shape of a turtle’s mouth, versus that of a blackfish. The turtle’s triangle “beak” is designed for gripping and tearing, and the turtle will continue to eat until he’s full. The bowfin will casually take a semi-oval shaped killing bite out of a crappie and move on. If you catch a blackfish, don’t just kill it and throw it away. The meat is, according to some devotees, firm and somewhat off-white, but tasty. Fish markets once kept large live tanks of blackfish at the request of customers, and the fish were fattened up and kept for weeks at a time — if they didn’t get sold first. Blackfish do need to be cleaned and cooled immediately, or kept in a live-well until the end of the day (without other fish, obviously). Unlike many popular species, icing
See Blackfish, page 19
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Page 18 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
Hard work Continued from page 4 good buck. As he ran down the factors in his mind, Keaton said he realized everything was in his favor. “Pappy had showed me how to make sure my stand was in the right place to take advantage of the wind, and still allow me a good shot,” he said. “There was no way he could smell me, but if he saw me move, I knew he was out of there.” Keaton calmed himself down, and watched as the deer came down the trail toward his stand. “I knew he had a really good chance of seeing me if I moved,” Keaton said, “It was all I could do not to jump right up and start shooting, but I wanted to be sure I had it right.” The deer passed directly under his stand, and Keaton said he was shocked at the antlers. “We don’t have many deer like that near where I live,” he said. “You really don’t see them like this here. They don’t usually get old enough. “What was worse was that I could have jumped out and landed on his back,” Keaton said. “He was that close, and didn’t see me.” Keaton let the deer move further along the shooting lane. “I wanted to be sure he didn’t see me,” Keaton said. “I knew, when he showed no signs of alarm, that he hadn’t noticed me.” As he lifted his shotgun, Keaton said, the deer moved again—tur ning for a good broadside shot. He squeezed the trigger, and the buck crumpled. “I couldn’t quite grasp what I had done,” he said. “All this work, the help from other hunters, all this time—I’d finally done it. The first thing I said was ‘Thank you, God!’ ” He first sent a message to Hall, but Hall didn’t answer. Not sure what else to do, Keaton called his wife to give her the big news. “She was home in Charlotte—she couldn’t help,” Keaton laughed, “but I had to tell somebody.” He finally made contact
Dog Continued from page 8
with Hall, who came to the woods to help get the deer out. “I had to tell him-we weren’t just dragging this deer out. This was a big deer,” Keaton said. “He didn’t believe me til he saw it, and he just gave me a big ol’ hug right there in the woods. We were laughing our heads off.” With the deer loaded into Hall’s truck, the men set out to show off the trophy en route to cleaning it and preparing the meat. They stopped by the Riegelwood barber shop first, emptying the business on a busy Saturday morning. “I couldn’t help but be a little proud,” Keaton said. “The barbers, even the guys in the chairs were getting up to come outside and see it and snap pictures.” Someone mentioned the Big Buck Contest at Brown’s Outdoor Headquarters in Delco. Keaton said he was willing to try. “I was starting to calm down, and even though it was a big deer, I knew someone had to kill one bigger,” he said.
“When we got there, people started gathering around, taking more pictures and talking about it. The lady behind the counter looked at me and told me I might have the winner for the day, but I didn’t believe it.” The eight-point buck scored 122 6/8—by contrast, a buck scoring 90 or above is often considered unusually large for this area. “I was really shocked when they called me from Brown’s that night and told me I’d won,” Keaton said. “I asked what I had won, and it was a treestand. Now I have to find a place to set it up, too.” The eight-pointer also gave no evidence of having enjoyed a diet replete with mineral blocks and supplements designed to make antlers grow faster. “He was a good six years old, at least,” Keaton said. “He’d been around a while, and I hope he fathered a lot of other good, big, smart bucks.” Keaton said he is now in a quandary—he had dropped off his first deer at the taxidermist for mounting, but asked that work not begin until the end of the season. “The taxidermist was, ‘Are you sure? This is your first deer’,” Keaton said. “I told him I had seen a big eight pointer on my game camera, and might want to mount him instead. I felt confident I was going to get another deer, and it would be better than the first one. We agreed to wait until the end of the season before he began work. “I’m glad we did,” Keaton said. “This deer, one like this, deserves to be remembered. I know I won’t ever forget him.”
about a good dog and a day outside that affects every hunter, no matter if he hunts every day or only a few times per year. Human companions are grand, don’t get me wrong—I would never trade the fellowship of my dearest friends in the fields and forests—but a good dog, especially a young one just growing into his or her feet, has a way of making the years pass away. The bones ache less when a dog’s voice changes from a yipe to baying a ringtail in a tree for the first time. The morning doesn’t seem as cold when the waters of a duck pond part with a thunderous splash of canine enthusiasm like the Red Sea Under Moses’staff. Trick knees are less crafty when you hear a “beetle-hound” bugle sounding in a thicket bursting with rabbits. We’ll have to see how Toni does; it isn’t often one can find a true multi-purpose dog anymore, but when you do,
there’s nothing like a good dog to add icing to the cake that is the outdoors. Shoot, just ruffling her ears and teasing her with a scrap of fur, reminds me of the time a portly little kid with very few friends was actually king of the world—a regent with a single-barrel shotgun for a sword, a sandwich to share for a feast, and a good dog with a coat of gold for his most trusted adviser, aide de camp, and best friend. Note to my readers: This column was printed a couple years ago; it was reprinted when I received a request from a fellow outdoorsman who was terminally ill, and wanted to read it one last time. He did have the chance to do so. I always feel like a writer is cheating when he re-runs a column, but some of you have told me you liked this one. With just a few days left until the start of hunting season, I thought you’d forgive me for recycling.
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August 28, 2014 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – Page 19
Trapping Continued from page 3 every 24 hours, and any animal in the trap must be removed. Trappers are required to have written permission of the landowner to set on any piece of property. Both foothold traps, which capture and animal’s paw, and bodygrip traps, which kill almost instantly, must meet state requirements for size, swivels in fastening chains, and other specifications. Traps must also be tagged with a waterproof tag showing the owner’s name. Foxes are covered by local Wesley and Evan Ward didn’t let the cooler temperatures deter them from fishing Eas- laws statewide. Refer to the
ter Sunday afternoon. Both boys used plastic worms and plugs to catch bass all afternoon at one of their favorite fishing holes, the farm owned by grandparents Mike and Mary Hyatt. The brothers, aged 10 and 7 respectively, are avid fishermen
Blackfish Continued from page 17 down a whole bowfin isn’t enough to keep the flesh firm and fresh until it’s time to head for the hill and go home. Another precaution about blackfish is their infamous teeth. They have a strong bite, and sharp teeth — a lot of them. Incidents of even two or three pounders biting through an unwary angler’s thumbnail have been documented. Blackfish can crush a turtle’s skull, so a human finger is no real challenge for a ten-pound terror.
Those teeth, and the accompanying armored jaws, make bowfin a challenging fish to hook. They usually manage to set the hook themselves, while making a slashing surprise attack on the bait or lure. A heavy leader is encouraged if you are intentionally targeting bowfin. Bowfin are also popular targets for bowfishermen, since the big fish aren’t unduly concerned by shallow water, and often work the surface of any waterway at night as well as
during the day. As with their second cousins, the garfish, use extra sharp fishing heads with good penetration capability, and never grab a grindle by the lip. If you clean him while he’s fresh, and take proper care of the meat, bowfin can be as tasty as any other freshwater fish. Observe mercury warnings wherever you fish, however, since predator species can have a toxic buildup of mercury absorbed from their prey.
make up less than 10% of your harvest, however. It is recommended that you begin your doe harvesting early in the season also because doe are less wary early on. By waiting until the end of the season to begin doe harvesting, you’re now hunting an animal as wary as your mature bucks and your doe harvest goals will be much more difficult to achieve. Don’t let your freezer space limit your ability to reach your harvest goals. North Carolina Hunters for the Hungry ® has been actively involved in the fight against hunger and malnutrition in North Carolina for more than 20 years. They
are offering two new programs that will help you to meet harvest goals and make delivering deer burger to those in need easier than ever. A 6’x 12’ mobile cooler is available for check out to qualified groups at no cost to collect, cool, and transport donated deer to the nearest NC Hunters of the Hungry processor. A Community Deer Donation Program will help groups set up a local cooler for easy hunter drop off of extra deer harvested. M o re i n fo r m at i o n c a n be found online at www.nchuntersforthehungry.org or by calling Guy and Judy Gardner at 919 250-8441 or 919 608-3386.
Deer Continued from page 16 harvesting buck fawns (“button bucks”). Hunters can easily learn to tell the difference between adult does and buck fawns by observing body shape and size. Harvesting doe early in the season makes identification of buck fawns easier as there is still a significant size difference between the two. Wait until several deer are present and compare size. The top of the head on most buck fawns is flatter than that of a doe and the “buttons” are often visible. Fawns are also generally more playful than adults and are usually the first deer to arrive at a feeding area. Mistakes happen - don’t sweat it. Button bucks should
Wildlife Resources Commission regulations digest for a county by county breakdown. Trapping season runs statewide from Nov.1 through Feb. 28 for all species except fox and beaver. Columbus County has a local law prohibiting use of land traps until Jan. 2. Beaver may be trapped Sept. 1-March 31, or with the landowner’s permission where damage is documented. For more infor mation about trapping furbearers, go to nctrappers.org or ncwildlife.org.
Bear hunting Continued from page 13 bears, due to hunting pressure and the need to search for food. In the east, lowland hardwoods, swamps and pocosins—all common features in Columbus County—provide good bear habitat. These types of habitat provide the necessary travel corridors, escape cover and natural foods that bears need to thrive in North Carolina. The adopted fishing and hunting regulations went into effect Aug. 1. The new rules will help maintain a healthy bear population in North Carolina, according to Dr. David Cobb, WRC chief wildlife biologist. The recommendations were the direct result of the state’s 10-year Black Bear Management Plan, which utilizes science-based decision making, biologically sound management principles and public
input to guide the decision process. The Commission also held a series of regional public meetings in October 2013 specifically to discuss the Black Bear Management Plan specifically, including the new Piedmont bear season. North Carolina’s bear population has exploded in recent years, to the extent that the bruins are considered a nuisance in some communities. Columbus and Brunswick counties still have the shortest bear season in the eastern half of the state. Efforts to change that rule this year failed. For more information on North Carolina’s black bears and hunting regulations, as well as bear research and management, go to www.ncwildlife.org/bear.
Farmers Continued from page 7 land to maximize both timber and wildlife production as well as develop hunting programs that will reduce crop loss and diversify your income.” Farmers Manage Deer will help the landowner examine various conservation programs that can help launch hunting tourism programs as well as animal damage control projects. FMD is a collaborative
project of the N. C. Wildlife Federation “Farmers Manage Deer” project; NSCU Cooperative Extension, Natural Resource Conservation Office, NCDA&CS Agritourism Office, and Wildlife Resources Commission; together with farmers who have successfully implemented these projects. It is sponsored by the Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.
Page 20 – The News Reporter’s Outdoors 2014 – August 28, 2014
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