I’ve had few opportunities to meet other outdoor bloggers but yesterday Rick Kratzke of Whitetail Woods and I met up at the Cabela’s in East Hartford Connecticut. We have both been blogging for a number of years and talked on line but have never met face to face. My route home from my New England trip took me right by the Cabela’s and the opportunity for us to finally meet.

We had a great time walking around the store looking at stuff with many of the objects prompting one of us to tell a story or two. The time passed to quick and I had to get back on the road and headed home. Pretty amazing that a couple of deer hunters meet up on the internet a number of years ago and become friends. Technology is great.
The Cabela’s in East Hartford is a bit tricky to find, especially if your brand new GPS dies on the trip (future story), because it seems to be in an odd place and not visible from the highway. Once you find it you won’t be disappointed. There is some spectacular displays in there…. My favorite was the two bull moose fighting.
If you’ve never checked out Whitetail Woods blog you should go over and checked it out. Rick has some great info and stories over there as well as some great recipes.

I had a great trip and have some more photos and stories to share with you but right now I got to get some rest because Monday morning will be here before we know.

In January it was reported that hogs were on the outskirts of Charlotte in Cowans Ford Wildlife Refuge believed to be from an illegal release. Authorities there are now reporting that all but one boar have been captured.

Based on images from motion-detecting cameras, biologists first believed one sow with piglets, possibly a second sow and a boar were in the lake area.

Late last month, they trapped a sow – weighing in at a hefty 220 pounds – with eight offspring. The animals were tranquilized and euthanized by injection.

“She was the one we worried about,” said Chris Matthews, the park department’s natural resources manager. Female hogs can start reproducing at 7 months old, giving birth to up to 12 piglets once or twice a year.

Biologists continue to set traps for the lone boar, a little smaller than the sow, that they believe is still in the area. He’s the only hog that cameras are still photographing.

Charlotte Observer

Eliminating them now before they get a foothold is the way to control them, once established hogs are a destructive creature that is nearly impossible to get rid of.

Maine’s infamous Pulp Truck

Striper fishing on the Roanoke opens next week a sure sign that spring is upon us.

2010 Striped Bass Season for Roanoke River Opens March 1

RALEIGH, N.C. (Feb. 18, 2010) – The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will open the entire Roanoke River Management Area to striped bass harvest from March 1 through April 30. The Roanoke River Management Area includes the Roanoke River and tributaries from Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam downstream to Albemarle Sound, including the Cashie, Middle and Eastmost rivers.

The daily creel limit within the Roanoke River Management Area is two striped bass per person. The minimum length limit is 18 inches, and no striped bass between 22 and 27 inches may be possessed at any time. Only one striped bass larger than 27 inches can be included in the daily creel limit.

Anglers are required to use a single barbless hook or a lure with a single barbless hook when fishing in the upper Roanoke River from April 1 through June 30. The upper Roanoke River is defined as the main river channel and all tributaries, upstream from the U.S. Highway 258 Bridge near Scotland Neck to Roanoke Rapids Lake Dam.

While anglers can make their existing hooks barbless by crimping down the barb with pliers, the Wildlife Resources Commission, in partnership with Eagle Claw, is handing out barbless circle hooks to anglers fishing on the upper Roanoke River this spring. Informational cards with a single barbless hook attached are available from Wildlife Enforcement officers, fisheries biologists and creel clerks working in the vicinity of the river from now until the end of June.

Striped bass anglers are encouraged to use small, non-offset circle hooks, preferably ones with the least amount of distance between the hook point and shank.

Studies show that striped bass caught on small, barbless circle hooks are usually hooked in the jaw, which means they have a much greater chance of survival after being released than fish hooked in the throat or gut.

For additional info on Striped bass please check this page from the NCWRC out.

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Massachusetts is a barrier island that I visited a number of times in my youth. I don’t recall it being called that we just knew it as Plum Island. I hadn’t been back there in close to 30 years but an encounter one wintery day back then has stuck in my mind and now calls me back. One winter day, I suspect it was a Sunday, my Dad took us for a ride down there and we saw a magnificent Snowy Owl. As a kid I recall how amazed I was looking at that large white snowy bird. Now years later as a photographer my dream is to capture some of those images that forever play in my mind when I think of Plum Island.

Having just a few hours to explore around I knew my chances were slim but I hoped to find a snowy owl. A hike down on to the beach proved productive with my first ever encounter with a wild seal in the Atlantic Ocean. The seal lying in the surf enjoying the balmy 30 degree weather seemed oblivious to the strong wind and the occasional wave that soaked him. He hung around for a few minutes so I could capture a few photos before he returned to the warm Atlantic Ocean.

As I made my way around the island it was obvious that there was a few other folks looking for the owl just like me. I hiked into a number of likely places and scanned the areas pretty good with my binoculars not really seeing much of anything out on the snowy fields and marshes. I met an older couple from New Hampshire that regularly come to the island to see the owls, they told me that it seemed that there was only one owl wintering there this year. They suggested a few other spots for me to check out but to no avail the owl was nowhere to be found.
I photographed a few other birds along the way but the quest for the snowy owl will have to wait for another day.

That’s what a few people said when they heard about my plans to head north for a few days to get away and relax. From some of the conversations I had it would seem a lot of folks would see a few days where it is warm and sunny as a place to relax. A trip to Northern Maine in February doesn’t fit that bill usually. I love cold weather and find large amounts of snow to be rather pleasant. I love the feel of icy daggers in your lungs when you breathe in deep on a cold icy morning a feeling that tells you are still alive.
The trip north proved more daring in the southern and mid Atlantic region where excessive amounts of snow made traveling a bit more of an adventure than usual. On the other hand most of Maine has far less snow then the Washington DC area with only the farthest parts of the state having ample amounts for snowmobiling ( snow sledding).
This is a solo journey for me but I will be seeing lots of family and friends on the way. I won’t be hunting on this trip or at least not in the traditional sense; I have my camera and will be looking for some things to photograph along the way.
Hopefully I can post a number of stories from the road but internet access may prevent me from posting regularly so you may get these stories in batches but we’ll see. I’m already a few days in having made it all the way to Aroostook County and I can see posting stories will be difficult. I suspect that Daytona may have better net coverage then Northern Maine but it doesn’t have the beauty of a New England winter and that is what I need to recharge my batteries. So I guess if that means I’m crazy so be it but I just love winter.

North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has set the dates for the district Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournaments with winners advancing on to State tournament.

The 2010 District Tournament schedule is:
District 1 (north coastal) – Saturday, March 27 at Eastern 4-H Center, Columbia
District 2 (mid-coastal) – Saturday, March 13 at Camp Boddie, near Chocowinity
District 3 (eastern Piedmont) – Saturday, March 27 at Old Hickory Gun Club, Rocky Mount
District 4 (south coastal) – Wednesday, March 3 at Coharie Shooting Range near Clinton
District 5 (central Piedmont) – Saturday, March 27 at Alamance Wildlife Club, Graham
District 6 (western Piedmont) – Saturday, March 20 at Camp Barnhardt near Badin
District 7 (north mountain) – Saturday, March 20 at Hunting Creek Preserve, Harmony
District 8 (central mountain) – Saturday, March 20 at Catawba Valley Wildlife Club, Vale
District 9 (western mountain) – Saturday, March 20 at Polk County Gun Club, Columbus

The skills that they will compete in are;

The Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournaments are an incentive component of North Carolina’s Hunter Education Program, provided as an opportunity to showcase outdoor skills and demonstrate safety, with events in rifle, shotgun and archery marksmanship, as well as an orienteering challenge and a wildlife knowledge test.

I had the opportunity a few weeks ago to observer some young outdoors men honing up on their skills in preparation for the upcoming Competition. I was impressed with the knowledge and safe gun handling they exhibited as well as their shooting ability as they shot skeet and rifles.

Competition is held nation wide so even if your not in North Carolina check with your state game department to see if they host a similar event in your area. Youth are the future of our sport so do all you can to encourage them and to get involvled in the great outdoors.

Ricky Marlow Woodell Jr. died Monday from injuries sustained on Saturday night when a car load of poachers ran him down while he stood in his front yard in Gaston County. Ricky hearing multiple gun shots near his home went out in his yard to investigate when a car full of low life poachers lost control running through his yard striking him.

“This was awful,” said Brodhage. [NC Highway Patrol] “It happened right there in the man’s front yard. What are you going to do?”
Woodell’s two daughters and a son, the oldest just 13, watched as emergency workers cared for him as his life began slipping away. Woodell remained on life support until his death, Brodhage said.
Another Gaston County man, William Adam Payseur, 39, of 3106 Wesleyan Church Road, faces charges of felony hit and run and driving while impaired. He remained in Gaston County Jail late Monday under a $100,000 bond.

What a horrible senseless crime and how terrible that a family has to go through this hell.

All four left the scene, but one of the men returned and told troopers what had taken place, Brodhage said.
Officers would find the other three at a house less than two miles away. Two of them had fallen asleep. Payseur was awake and taken into custody without incident, Brodhage said.
At 1:28 a.m. Sunday, troopers requested Payseur submit to a chemical analysis of his blood, Trooper K.L. Cornwell wrote in a warrant affidavit.
Payseur had red, watery, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech and a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, Cornwell wrote. Troopers did not use a Breathalyzer test on Payseur.
“There might be other impairing substances that a breath test wouldn’t detect,” Brodhage said. When troopers might have the result of Payseur’s blood test was not immediately known.

Gaston Gazette

Poaching deer, discharging firearms, drunk driving, and using other substances is activities that a civilized society cannot tolerate but the senseless killing of another person is beyond the pale. Today the District Attorney added a 2nd degree murder charge which certainly seems warranted.
I hope they throw the book at these guys it won’t bring Mr. Woodell back but maybe it will cause others to stop and think before they do something as stupid as this.

Some sad news this morning on the passing of Capt Phil a star on Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch show that follows real live Crab Fisherman off the coast of Alaska. One of my favorite shows and Capt. Phil will be missed by a lot of fans the world over as well as his family and friends.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Phil Harris, the fishing boat captain whose adventures off the Alaska coast were captured on the television show “Deadliest Catch”, has died, the Discovery Channel said Tuesday night. He was 53.

Harris suffered what his family described as a massive stroke on Jan. 29 while the fishing vessel he captained, Cornelia Marie, was in port at St. Paul Island, Alaska. The fisherman was flown to Anchorage for surgery.

AP

While reports after the initial stroke seemed uncertain late last week things had seemed to take a turn for the better. Unfortunately that was not to be and Capt. Phil lost the battle.
The following is the statement posted on Capt. Phil’s website

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our dad – Captain Phil Harris. Dad has always been a fighter and continued to be until the end. For us and the crew, he was someone who never backed down. We will remember and celebrate that strength. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers. – Jake and Josh Harris

Statement from Discovery – Discovery mourns the loss of dear friend and colleague Captain Phil Harris. He was more than someone on our television screen. Phil was a devoted father and loyal friend to all who knew him. We will miss his straightforward honesty, wicked sense of humor and enormous heart. We share our tremendous sadness over this loss with the millions of viewers who followed Phil’s every move. We send our thoughts and prayers to Phil’s sons Josh and Jake and the Cornelia Marie crew.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Josh and Jake at this difficult time as well as the rest of the family and friends that knew Capt. Phil.

Washington DC Police Office Pushing Cruiser Out of Snow Bank

From the You Can’t Make This Stuff Up File today’s announcement is a hoot.

NOAA, part of the Department of Commerce, is going to be providing information to individuals and decision-makers through a new NOAA Climate Service office. “More and more, Americans are witnessing the impacts of climate change in their own backyards, including sea-level rise, longer growing seasons, changes in river flows, increases in heavy downpours, earlier snowmelt and extended ice-free seasons in our waters. People are searching for relevant and timely information about these changes to inform decision-making about virtually all aspects of their lives,” the release says.

WSJ Blogs

Needless to say I’m not convinced that Global Warming is man made nor are is the cost some want us to pay to less man’s impact is really worth it. I’m sure the folks in the mid Atlantic states hope it warms up soon. I guess the groundhog was right when he said 6 more weeks I bet the 3 ft of snow on top of his burrow is keeping him pretty warm.