Rutherford Weekly

Thursday, October 20-October 26, 2022 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. It was a cold October day. The fog wouldn't lift until late morning. It was the opening day of Kentucky's muzzleloader season, and I was high atop a mountain looking for a buck making his way back to his bedding area. The day was perfect for deer movement, and it wasn't long until the action began. It didn't quit until about 11:30 that morning. As soon as daylight broke, I began to softly rattle just enough to let the neighborhood deer know there were two bucks around. I especially wanted the boss buck to know that he had two intruders. At 9:00 I spotted antlers about 45 yards away. The buck stood at that distance for a minute or two, long enough for me to get a decent glimpse of the size of his head gear. I was in big buck territory, and I had my hopes set on a wall-hanger. This buck was close to being just that. As he looked up toward me, I quickly appraised the width of his rack. He was a good buck; not exactly what I was looking for, but nevertheless a good buck. That's when the temptation began. For the next ten minutes I watched that buck through my scope. I counted eight points and no brow tines. He came as close as 25 yards. I wanted to pull the trigger so bad, but I also wanted to wait. I knew in Kentucky a hunter has only one buck tag, so whatever I took would end my season in that state. In a matter of a few short minutes I argued, debated, and weighed my options. I was torn in so many directions. I could settle for what was sure and safe or I could wait with no promise of ever seeing anything bigger the rest of the season. I passed. I'm glad that deer didn't stick around much longer. After he left, I thought about what had just transpired. I was reminded that my life and yours is made up of the same choice I just made. Most people go through life settling for what is safe and sure while God has something so much better for them. This happens because the lure of the good in our sight is stronger than the lure of the best just out of our sight. Are you settling for what is good because you can see the outcome? It may look good, but it may be keeping you from a great gift God has just for you. By By Gary Miller Gary Miller Aiming Outdoorsmen Toward Christ GARY MILLER Gary has written the Outdoor Truths article for 20 years. He has also written four books which include compilations of his articles and a father/son devotional. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men's events for churches and associations. gary@outdoortruths.org Duck Hunting Season Dates Inland Zone Fri., Oct. 21–Sat., Oct. 22 Sat., Nov. 5–Sat., Nov. 26 Sat., Dec. 17–Tue., Jan. 31 Coastal Zone Fri., Oct. 28–Sat., Oct. 29 Sat., Nov. 5–Sat., Nov. 26 Sat., Dec. 17–Tue., Jan. 31 Be Prepared! To hunt waterfowl in North Carolina, those 16 years of age or older must have the following: • Valid hunting license. • HIP (Harvest Information Program) certifi cation. • State Migratory Waterfowl license (included with sportsman and comprehensive licenses). • Federal Duck Stamp. All of the above are available online, at a local Wildlife Service Agent or by calling 888- 248-6834, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm. HIP Expiration Changes The expiration of the HIP certifi cation has changed. Instead of a 365-day issuance period, certifi cation will now expire on June 30 after each hunting season. This change will improve federal annual estimates of waterfowl hunting activity in North Carolina, improve hunter compliance and reduce confusion, as your certifi cation will not potentially expire during the hunting season. All licensed migratory game bird hunters, including lifetime license holders, are required to have HIP certifi cation. Safety on the Water Basic safety precautions could save your life when hunting from a vessel. Of the 23 people who died on the water in 2021, 16 were not wearing a life vest. The Wildlife Commission's Home from the Hunt campaign recommends waterfowl hunters to: • Wear a personal fl oatation device at all times, even before you get in the boat. • Alert someone to your whereabouts and an approximate return time. • Understand that small, fl at-bottom vessels are prone to capsizing and swamping. • Stay with the boat and use it as a fl oatation device if it capsizes or swamps. • Keep hunting dogs in the center of your boat. • Don't overload the boat, especially with passengers. • Store equipment properly and keep it evenly distributed. • Never move about the boat with a loaded shotgun. • Dress appropriately to avoid hypothermia if there is an incident. Wool or other synthetic materials are great choicesety Pro Tip: Know Your Waterfowl A comprehensive waterfowl identifi cation guide is available as a .PDF through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, authored by Bob Hines at: https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/ files/documents/ducks%20at%20a%20 distance-ocr.pdf Duck Hunting in North Carolina Your 2022-23 duck hunting guide Article by: ncwildlife.org. This 1846 replica colt revolver will be on display at the Rutherford County farm museum for the month of October. Admission is $5 for adults and free for children. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 9AM to 3PM. The museum features thousands of historic items from Rutherford County. Article Provided By: Pat Jobe Do you know a local adult who has never gone to college? Isothermal Community College is trying to get feedback on these individuals to determine how the college might better serve them. The college is hosting a series of online and in-person discussions on October 27. All participants will receive a $25 VISA gift card upon completion of the discussion. Eligible participants will be selected on a fi rst-come, fi rst- served basis. To be eligible, a person — -Be 18+ years old -Never attended ICC -Have no college degree from any institution -Live in Rutherford (NC) or Polk (NC) Counties To sign up visit https:// isothermal.edu/focus, or call 828-395-1302. Focus groups will be held at one of three locations on October 27: Isothermal Community College's Spindale Campus, Polk Campus, or the Golden Valley Community Club. Space is limited so those interested are asking to sign up immediately. Never been to college? Isothermal is looking for you Article Provided By: Jean Gordon The Rutherford County Carolina Bass Club had 20 anglers to fi sh Lake Rhodhiss Saturday October 17. This was the last tournament for this year, the season comes to an end. Here are the tournament results: 1st place--The team of Richard Young and Josh Perkins with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 9.00 pounds. 2nd place--The team of Stan Brackett and Aaron Ruff with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 8.91 pounds. 3rd place--The team of Doyle Hudson and Brian Branch with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 7.05 pounds. 4th place--The team of Phil Murray and Dean Ford with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 6.63 pounds. Doyle Hudson won the big fi sh of the day award with a 2.66 pound largemouth. Richard Young won the 2nd big fi sh of the day award with a 2.39 pound largemouth. The Carolina Bass Club will have their annual fi sh- off November 5 at Lake James and November 6 at Lake Norman. Article Provided By: Rutherford County Carolina Bass Club Fishing Report YOUR LINK TO YOUR LINK TO LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS Carolina Carolina CLASSIFIEDS .com

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