Rutherford Weekly

Thursday, April 29-May 5, 2021 www.rutherfordweekly.com 828-248-1408 Rutherford Weekly - Page 9 Email: Email: events@rutherfordweekly.com events@rutherfordweekly.com Mail or Drop-Off: Mail or Drop-Off: 157 W Main St, • Forest City, NC 28043 157 W Main St, • Forest City, NC 28043 *Publisher has fi nal decision of which photos appear in print, per available space. We Want Your Kids Sports Photos! •Basketball •Baseball •Softball •Soccer •Archery •Equestrian •Etc! We Want Your Outdoor Photos! We Want Your Outdoor Photos! Hunting, Fishing, Playing Ball, Etc. Hunting, Fishing, Playing Ball, Etc. Sportsman's Corner Sportsman's Corner Email: events@rutherfordweekly.com Mail: 157 W Main St., Forest City, NC 28043 Phone: 828-248-1408 *Publisher has the fi nal decision of which photos appear in print, per available space. I hustled to make it to my second set- up that morning. I was trying to get in a quick hunt before attending my church service. I thought, for sure, my initial location would be my best opportunity. The toms are there most every morning, and I had arrived about an hour before daylight. But to my surprise, I never heard the fi rst gobble. After realizing time was running out, I made my way back to my truck and traveled another 20 minutes to give it one last shot. As I got closer to my desti- nation, the fog got thicker and thicker. And even though the sun was burning it off quickly, it was lingering in the bot- toms. I parked, got out of my truck, and immediately heard a gobbler a few hundred yards away, on the edge of a fi eld. I decided to forgo stealth and head straight for him, hoping the fog would keep me hidden. So far, so good. As I ar- rived to the top of the far hill, I realized the bird was farther away than I originally thought. I started calling aggressively and he began answering aggressively as well. After a few minutes of this back and forth, I came to the conclusion he was not going to make the effort to come my way. However, about that time, the fog lifted just enough for me to see him with my binoculars, in the distance. He was coming my way! I watched him until he dropped under the hill below me. I got ready. After a few minutes, I heard a gobble to my left. I thought he had been detoured by another hen. My chance had slipped away. I slowly stood up behind some briars and carefully scanned the hill in front of me. There he was. His white head gave him away. The gobble I heard to the left was another tom. I eased back down and waited without calling. He was gobbling but I was not going to give away my location. So, I let him look and look as he got closer and closer. Finally, he came within a comfortable range, and I bagged my bird. By the time I tagged him and got back to my truck, I was going to have to forgo a shower and shave to make it to my 10:00 a.m. service. And my camo hat would also have to be my Sunday morning accessory. I made it in time and was thankful I looked no different than many oth- ers who were there. Jesus said, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." I think Jesus would say the same thing about Sunday, the day most Christians set aside today. That is, I'm sure he would be happy for any of us to enjoy what- ever we want to do on Sunday, as long as we don't neglect the opportunities to come together for our encouragement. It's okay. I promise. By By Gary Miller Gary Miller Aiming Outdoorsmen Toward Christ GARY MILLER Contact me to speak at your next event. www.outdoortruths.org gary@outdoortruths.org GARY MILLER NORRIS MERCHANDISE 2011 S. Lafayette St. (Hwy. 18 S) Shelby, NC • 704-482-8464 www.norrismerchandise.com Hours: Mon - Fri 8am - 5:30pm • Sat 8am - 3pm RIS Conceal Conceal and and Carry Purses Camoufl age Camoufl age Purses Purses YETI Roadie YETI Roadie Pink Ice Pink Ice y Purses y Purses Bell Bell Bottoms Bottoms up to 3x up to 3x # ALL HAIL For the women working the toughest job on earth Better Buildings • Better Prices • More Choices Better Buildings • Better Prices • More Choices RENT TO OWN 2640 College Ave., Forest City Located across 74 Bypass in front of Ingles 828-382-0455 View more inventory: www.buildingsrusllc.com NO CREDIT CHECK Amish Built Amish Built Buildings Buildings ©Community First Media Community First Media Regular Style Carport Regular Style Carport 18x21x6 18x21x6 DELIVERY DELIVERY TIME: TIME: 2-6 WEEKS 2-6 WEEKS NO CREDIT CHECK RENT TO OWN NEW INVENTORY ARRIVING DAILY! WE SELL CARPORTS & METAL BUILDINGS! BUY A NEW BUILDING OR GARAGE TODAY! 0 % down on sheds CALL FOR CALL FOR PRICE! PRICE! If you suspect bats may be living in your home, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is asking that you relocate them responsibility before pup rearing season begins on May 1. Bat scat, called guano, is the most obvious indication that bats may be living in the gable vents, behind a shutter or in another nook around the outside or inside your home. If they're getting inside, a licensed Wildlife Control Agent can safely evict them for you. You can fi nd a list of licensed professionals on the Wildlife Commission website, NCWildlife.org. Bats hibernate or migrate south during the winter, which is why you may only start to see them now. They are ecologically and economically valuable, providing free pest control as they nearly devour their own body weight in insects nightly. Their appetite increases even more during pup-rearing season, which runs May 1 – July 31 across North Carolina. "Young bats are fl ightless for three to four weeks after birth and depend on their mother for survival during that time. If a homeowner waits until May to install an eviction device on the opening that the bats have used to get to their roost, female bats will not be able to get to their young, leaving the pups to starve to death or try to fi nd other ways to escape, including entering the homeowner's living space," stated Katherine Etchison, wildlife diversity biologist with the Wildlife Commission. If you are unable to remove the bats before rearing season, it is best to leave them in their roost until the end of July. However, you can still ask a Wildlife Control Agent to seal off entryways that lead into the living space of your home to minimize the chance of human interaction. If a bat does enter the living space, it's imperative to determine if human exposure occurred. If someone did come in contact with the bat, or might have done so, contact your county health department to get the animal tested for rabies. Bats return to the same roost each spring, so it's important to maintain your home after evicting them. You can provide alternative roosting space by installing bat boxes 12 to 20 feet high in a place with at least seven hours of direct sunlight in the summer. For tips on building, buying or installing bat boxes, visit batcon.org/ about-bats/bat-houses. If you have questions about interactions with bats, contact the Commission's NC Wildlife Helpline, Monday through Friday, 8am–4pm, at 866-318-2401 or email anytime at HWI@ ncwildlife.org. Prepare for Bat Roosting Season Now Article provided by: ncwildlife.org. This brown bat is nursing its young in its roost. As part of its litter removal efforts, including the ongoing Litter Sweep, N.C. Department of Transportation crews, contractors and volunteers have now collected more than 4 million pounds of litter from roadsides this year. "Only a week in, and already the Spring Litter Sweep has helped tremendously in keeping our roadways clean," said state Transportation Secretary Eric Boyette. "Keeping North Carolina clean requires everyone to do their part, whether that's volunteering in the ongoing Litter Sweep or simply securing your load when you drive." NCDOT reports that the agency and its partners have removed 4 million pounds of litter since Jan. 1 and more than 1 million pounds since April 1. North Carolinians who wish to help keep roads clean can volunteer for the ongoing Spring Litter Sweep, which run until April 24. NCDOT's litter management programs are multifaceted. The department makes use of state-owned forces and contract services statewide. NCDOT's Sponsor-A-Highway Program allows businesses, organizations and individuals to sponsor litter removal along roadsides. NCDOT is also proud to partner with the more than 120,000 participants in the Adopt-A-Highway Program, where volunteers pledge to clean a section of our highways at least four times a year. Litter is unsightly, costs millions of dollars to clean up and can hurt the environment, tourism and the state's quality of life. Everyone should do their part by: • Securing their loads before driving. Unsecured trash can fl y from a vehicle and end up as roadside litter. • Holding onto trash until it can be disposed of properly. Keep a litter bag in your vehicle so you can properly dispose of trash later. • Recycling when possible. Recycling protects the environment, saves landfi ll space and keeps the community clean. Litter Sweep Pushes Roadside Litter Collection Past 4 Million Pounds Article Provided By: ncdot

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