Rutherford Weekly - Shelby NC
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1501875
Thursday, June 22-June 28, 2023 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. Results from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's 2022 annual bear harvest summary show that hunters statewide recorded the highest harvest total on record at 4,056 bears — an 11% increase compared to the previous season. Record-breaking harvest totals were recorded in the Coastal and Mountain Bear Management Units (BMU), 2,533 and 1,468 respectively. The Piedmont BMU experienced its third-highest recorded harvest of 55 bears. "The increase in the harvest in the Mountain BMU likely refl ects the infl uence of the poor acorn crop we observed in the fall 2022 in this region," said Colleen Olfenbuttel, the black bear & furbearer biologist for the Commission. "Acorn production has been surveyed by the Wildlife Commission for 40 years and when acorn production is poor, bears will move more in search of fall foods, making them more vulnerable to both vehicle mortality and legal hunter harvest. For the Coastal BMU, the record harvest refl ects the continued interest, both locally and nationally, in bear hunting in this region due to its reputation for large bears and, in some areas, high bear densities." Most of the bear harvest occurred in the Coastal BMU (63%), followed by the Mountain BMU (36%) and Piedmont BMU (1%). This is a trend that has stayed the course since the mid-1990s. Other season results showed: • Statewide, most bears were harvested on private lands with 16% of the harvest occurring on Commission game lands. • In the Mountain MBU, 34% of the harvest occurred on Commission game lands. • Most successful hunters used the assistance of dogs for harvesting bears; however, the number of still hunters increased, with 41% of successful bear hunters reporting they used still hunting to harvest their bear in 2022. This is the highest percentage since the Commission started requesting this information via the Big Game Harvest Report in 2009. "Bear hunting seasons are highly regulated and play a key role managing local bear populations, helping to resolve agricultural damage, reinforce a bear's natural fear of people, and providing wild game meat to communities and families," Olfenbuttel said "The 2022 bear harvest produced an estimated 591,700 plates of food, providing an important source of sustenance for many North Carolinians." Commission staff closely monitor trends in the harvest, including the female bear harvest, which was up 11% in 2022, comprising 40% of the statewide reported harvest. Since the 2015 bear season, the Coastal BMU had the highest ratio of females (43%) comprising the harvest among the three BMUs. "The Commission works continuously to assure bear hunting seasons remain sustainable so that we can continue to maintain our successfully restored bear population," Olfenbuttel said. "Based on our most current data, we are meeting the population objective for the Coastal BMU, which is to stabilize population growth." Biologists conduct research and monitoring efforts in all BMUs to have the best science to evaluate and inform current and future management decisions. This includes a bear population and density study they recently conducted in the Mountain BMU and a similar study currently being conducted in the Coastal BMU. "These studies, in addition to other data, will assure our continued success in meeting our goal for the bear population, which is to use science-based decision making and biologically sound management principles to manage black bear populations in balance with available habitats and human expectations to assure long-term existence and hunting opportunities," Olfenbuttel said. Mandatory Bear Tooth Submission Program Helps Biologists Monitor Bear Population Trends In 2021, with support from the N.C. Bear Hunters Association and the state's bear hunters, the agency began requiring bear hunters to submit a premolar tooth from their harvested bear. The data gained from the tooth provides the Commission with information about the age structure of the harvest, which is used to monitor trends in the bear population and evaluate impacts of current and proposed changes to hunting season structures. After submitting their harvested bear tooth, hunters receive a hat and the age of their harvested bear. "The mandatory tooth program has been enthusiastically embraced by our bear hunters, who for decades, have played a key role in assisting with our agency's efforts to restore, and now manage, North Carolina's bear populations," said Olfenbuttel. The Commission posts its annual harvest summaries on the black bear webpage under the Surveys and Reports section. A comprehensive Bear Annual Report is published in the late fall. The report is available at https://www.ncwildlife.org/Portals/0/ Hunting/Documents/Bear/NCWRC_ A n n u a l _ B e a r _ R e p o r t _ d a t a _ through_2021.pdf. North Carolina's Bear Harvest Sets Record for 2022 Season Article by: ncwildlife.org. The Rutherford County Carolina Bass Club fi shed Mt. Island Lake Saturday, June 17. We had 24 anglers fi sh in some clear skies and clean water. The water was 75- 78 degrees. The boat traffi c was typical for this time of year. Fishing was good, most of the anglers caught fi sh. Here are the tournament results: 1st place--The team of Josh Goode and Seth Simmons with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 8.60 pounds. 2nd place--The team of Jason Funderburk and Richard Young with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 8.13 pounds. 3rd place--The team of George Crosswhite and Jason Price with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 8.13 pounds. 4th place--The team of Phil Murray and Dean Ford with a 5 fi sh limit weighing 7.12 pounds. Jason Funderburk won the big fi sh of the day award with a 3.14 pound largemouth. George Crosswhite won the 2nd big fi sh of the day award with a 3.00 pound largemouth. The Carolina Bass Club fi shes Lake Rhodhiss July 15. Article Provided By: Rutherford County Carolina Bass Club Fishing Report I have hunted big game most of my adult life. I have written about my experiences over 20 years. Those experiences are not spectacular. Most of them have come in random places at random times, and without the resources to make them anything special. That is, I have only paid for one hunt but have relied on special friends for the opportunities I have been given. I have no trophies that would cause anyone to think I am some special or gifted hunter. I am a blue-collar, mediocre private land hunter. Don't get me wrong, my Midwest opportunities are special, and they create for me an opportunity that many don't have. But even these only come because of special friends and their unmerited graciousness to me. I have also made ministry to men the biggest part of my life for these past 20 years as well. During that time, I have traveled and spoken at places I would have never dreamed. But again, most of the places fall within what most of us would call normal churches and venues. None of them fall into stadiums or coliseums. I have written 5 books. Four of these are compilations of my articles. Again, nothing outstanding. And their sales? Mediocre at best. But compared to some others, I have been beyond blessed and extremely successful. Why am I telling you all of this? Because I want us all to see that privilege and blessings are not always by our good decisions. That our positions, prosperity, and health are not all actions of our decisions or our free will. Some things – in fact many many things are pre-determined by God. For instance, we had no say in what country we would be born in, what race we would be, what would be our mental capabilities – or incapabilities, or who, or what our parents would be. We had no say if our mother would be a drug addict, or our father would begin abusing us as a child. These were forced on each of us by God and by a sinful world. Why? I don't know. But what I do know and believe is this. Jesus sat and ate with tax collectors and "sinners." He was criticized for it because everyone believed, at that time, tax collectors were dishonest and sinners were well, sinners. And those who were born blind or had other handicaps, were believed to be that way because of their sin or the sin of their parents. But Jesus knew better, and that's why he went to them. He understood that many of their predicaments had nothing to do with any decision they made. It had everything to do with what God determined and what sin in general, destroyed. He went to the hurting, hungry, and handicapped, and healed, fed, and restored. And then told his apostles to do the same. He used this sentence. "I desire mercy and not sacrifi ce." He was telling the religious crowd that while your religious activity was fi ne and your spiritual sacrifi ces were okay, the compassion and kindness you show to those who have not had your privileges are the best. Remember, if you are one who God has blessed with basics or abundance, fi nd those who seemingly haven't been. It will remind you to be humble in your position and thankful for your determined and unmerited blessings. And perhaps who will be the one God uses to heal, feed, and restore – until God makes everything right in heaven. By By Gary Miller Gary Miller Aiming Outdoorsmen Toward Christ Gary Miller has written Outdoor Truths articles for 20 years. He also speaks at wild-game dinners and men's events for churches and associations. gary@outdoortruths.org GARY MILLER WE OUR READERS