Nov. 10, 2011
• yANCEY cOUNTY nEWS 11
Outdoors
Deer suffering from hemorrhagic disease
Perfect conditions can mean vastly different things. Perfect conditions for deer hunting would include several days of rain followed by the first really cold spell. However, this summer provided perfect conditions for something else. Across North Carolina, the hot dry summer followed by the onslaught of rain from storms such as Irene provided perfect conditions for flies and gnats. These insects are the carrier for the virus that inflicts hemorrhagic disease in deer, cattle, and sheep, amongst other animals. Hemorrhagic disease - encompassing two sub-infections known as epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and blue tongue disease - is well known in hunting circles and has been spotted throughout North Carolina this season. An infected deer may lose its fear of humans as it becomes obsessed with finding water and shade in order to combat high fever. Symptoms include cracked hooves, bloating, thinning, and weakness, especially if the deer has suffered for an extended period of time. Swollen lips and tongues with a blue color, hence the name blue tongue disease, may be seen but are not necessarily present. Often dead deer will be found near rivers and bodies of water.
Bill Howard’s
Outdoors
The last major outbreak was in 2007, with five notable outbreaks since the 1980s. Deer presumed to be infected can still be harvested by hunters, as the meat and hide are still safe to eat and use. The disease cannot be transferred to humans; the only passage of the disease is through midges (flies and gnats). The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is requesting any
deer displaying such symptoms, or found dead or dying, be reported to the Division of Wildlife Management at (919)707-0050 or wrccomments@ncwildlife.org. As mentioned in many arguments as a reason to hunt, diseases that can damage herds such as hemorrhagic disease are primarily reported by hunters and outdoorsmen. In 2007, for instance, an outbreak of blue tongue disease was initially spotted by hunters scouting land near the Asheville area. Hemorrhagic disease has been known to strike deer populations with as much as a 30 percenr mortality rate in local areas, so you can see why it is important to be reported. If a deer survives through the disease, it develops immunity to future outbreaks. Counties affected by hemorrhagic disease this season include Yancey and Cherokee, and northeastern counties such as Halifax, Edgecombe, Northampton, Bertie and Gates. Bill Howard is a Hunter Education and a Bowhunter Education Instructor, a wildlife representative and the BCRS program chairman for the North Carolina Bowhunters Association, and an avid outdoorsman. He can be reached at billhoward outdoors@gmail. com.
Regional tournament on Lake Hartwell features top boaters, anglers David Williams of Maiden won the Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL) Regional on Lake Hartwell Saturday with a three-day total of 13 bass weighing 39 pounds, 10 ounces. For his victory, Williams won a 198VX Ranger boat with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor plus a Chevy 1500 Silverado and a berth in the BFL All-American presented by Chevy. The regional tournament featured the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from the Choo Choo, Gator, North Carolina and Shenandoah divisions of the circuit. “Fall fishing is not like fishing any other time of the year,” Williams said. “The fish scatter and could be anywhere, you just don’t know. I covered a lot of water during the tournament and if it looked good I fished it. I caught bass on docks, points, brush piles and schooling.” “I was using spinnerbaits and jigs all week. Most of the bigger fish came on a jig in shallow water. It was just typical fall fishing for me; I tried to cover more water and make more casts than anyone else. You had to struggle for every bite, but it worked out real good for me.” Williams said that he is looking forward to fishing the BFL All-American at the Potomac River next May with his dad, Gerald Williams, who finished fifth in the co-angler division to qualify as well. The remaining top six boaters who also qualified for the BFL All-American were: 2nd: Eddie Bussard, Sanford, Fla., 13 bass, 31-13, $1,500 3rd: Chris Baxter, Winder, Ga., 15 bass, 3110, $1,100 4th: Brian Tidwell, Seneca, S.C., 15 bass, 30-6, $1,000 5th: Steven James, Easley, S.C., 15 bass, 30-6, $900 6th: Conrad Bolt, Seneca, S.C., 15 bass, 30-6, $800 Rounding out the top 10 boaters were: 7th: Randy Childers, Anderson, S.C., 15 bass, 30-3, $700
8th: Johnny Patterson, Grant Ala., 15 bass, 28-3, $650 9th: Kelly Logan, Morganton, N.C., 15 bass, 27-13, $600 10th: Johnny Price Jr., Brookwood, Ala., 14 bass, 27-7, $550 Kurt Moser of Max Meadows, Va., won the Co-angler Division Saturday with a three-day total of 11 bass weighing 23 pounds, 9 ounces. He took home a 198VX Ranger boat including a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard motor along with a berth in the BFL All-American presented by Chevy. The remaining top six co-anglers who also qualified for the BFL All-American were: 2nd: Mark Belew, Palmyra, Va., 15 bass, 21-10, $750 3rd: Wayne Smelser, Rural Retreat, Va., 14 bass, 21-2, $550 4th: Donnie Woody, Marion, N.C., 15 bass, 21-1, $500 5th: Gerald Williams, Maiden, N.C., nine bass, 20-0, $450 6th: Jerry Comperatore, Tarentum, Pa., 14 bass, 19-12, $400 Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were: 7th: Bryan New, Belmont, N.C., 15 bass, 19-6, $350 8th: Mike D’Angelo Sr., Remlap, Ala., nine bass, 17-5, $325 9th: Derek Brown, Charlottesville, Va., nine bass, 17-3, $300 10th: William Wood, West Palm Beach, Fla., 11 bass, 16-1, $275 The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for one of six regional tournaments and are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy.
Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
Kennedy promoted to major by wildlife commission The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission has promoted Todd Kennedy to the rank of major, with responsibilities for field operations within the Division of Law Enforcement. Kennedy will supervise a statewide hierarchy of some 200 wildlife officers, who enforce fish and game regulations and boating laws. He was previously the captain and a lieutenant in District 5, a jurisdiction that includes Alamance, Rockingham, Orange, Granville, Durham, Person, Caswell, Randolph, Chatham, Lee and Guilford counties. He had been stationed in District 5 for the past 16 years. “I look forward to this service and the challenge of the job,” said Maj. Kennedy. “The men and women wearing the uniform are important for conservation and public safety, through education and enforcement. I value being a part of the tradition of being a wildlife officer in North Carolina.”