2022 Lowcountry Landowner Association - Niederhof Seed Orchard

The Lowcountry Landowner Association was formed in 2018 to serve Colleton, Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper Counties in the field of forestry. The 2022 meeting at Niederhof Forestry Center in Tillman, brought together private landowners to learn about the S.C. Forestry Commission's seed orchard work. Subjects including the grafting of pine trees to produce superior seed, and how they gather the pine cones each year in order to extract a crop of seed to sell to anyone planting pine trees. They conduct test plots of planted pines all across this large tract of land, and evaluate which methods work the best. The subject of flex planting in a pine plantation, and pine straw raking were also covered. 

To view past blog entries from the Lowcountry Landowners Association click on 2020 - 2019 - 2018 

2022 LLA Mtg. attendees by Longleaf Pines

To view past blog entries on landowner meetings click 2016 Kershaw County Landowners - 2016 Longleaf Alliance - 2014 Quail Habitat Workshop - 2011 Tri-County Forestry Association - ACE Basin - S.C. Prescribed Fire Council - Savannah River Preserve - Herbicide - Mayfield Garden Club

To view past blog entries about Tall Timbers Field Day click on 2017 -  2013 - 2011 - 2010

To view past blog entries about controlled burning click  2015 Prescribed Fire Council Meeting - 2015 Prescribed Fire - Plowing Firebreaks - 2014 Dry Weather Fire Threat - SCDNR Prescribed Fire - 2013 Prescribed Fire - 2012 Prescribed Fire - 2009 Wildfire - 2009 Prescribed Fire Council 

2022 Lowcountry Land Trust - Sporting Clays at Brosnan Forest

Staff, Volunteers and Shooters all enjoy the outdoors

The weather in October of '22 has been great for the Fall calendar of events, and attendees at the LLT Sporting Clays Shoot enjoyed two great days at Brosnan Forest in Dorchester County. The Lowcountry Land Trust works diligently all year to protect available lands for conservation measures, but also to monitor past conservation easements. The Sporting Clays event is a fundraiser, but the event at Brosnan Forest also allows them to revisit and showcase the largest easement in the history of the Lowcountry Land Trust. The Norfolk and Southern Railroad owns the 10,000-acre + parcel and maintains it as a retreat for company employees, and back in 2008 they committed to conserve the majority of acreage with LLT, securing an important part of the Four Holes Swamp watershed, and preserving rural aesthetics.

Sporting Clays incorporate the natural surroundings

Brosnan Forest even offered a Deer Hunt on the Auction

The facilities at Brosnan Forest are top notch, and the shooters, sponsors, volunteers and LLT staff all enjoyed the avenue of longleaf pines on the drive in, and the series of scenic fishing lakes. Some were able to glimpse bald eagles and other wildlife simply while passing time. A shooting safety meeting takes place before each flight of sporting clays competition, with one group of 15 four-man teams shooting in the morning and another shooting in the afternoon, with a communal lunch hour in-between. Southern fare such as fried and baked chicken, string beans, macaroni and cornbread made for a memorable meal. After shooters completed their round, they were welcome to try The Angel Oak wine or another beverage of choice during fellowship. There always seems to be an interesting mix of long-time patrons and brand new ones, so the formula of raising awareness about conservation while embracing the shooting sports remains intact.

Shooters enjoyed vistas like this in-between stations

To view past blog entries from the LLT Shoot click 2021 White House Plantation

To view past blog entires from LLT click on  2011 Picnic at Lavington Plantation - 2011 Annual Meeting - 2010 Picnic at Center for Birds of Prey - 2009 Annual Meeting - 2009 Picnic at Brosnan Forest / More Brosnan Pics - 2009 Colleton Soil and Water Awards 

2022 CJ Cup in South Carolina - Rory McIlroy Wins

Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler at Congaree

The 2022 CJ Cup was played in South Carolina at the Congaree Golf Club, because title sponsor CJ Group of Korea was unable to host the event due to travel restrictions related to Covid-19. The 2021 CJ Cup faced the same issues and was played in Las Vegas, where Rory McIlroy won. McIlroy was able to defend his '21 title in S.C. by winning the CJ Cup for a second straight time. His bogey. bogey finish on 17 and 18 on Sunday, did not undo his stellar play all week and he was able to hold off Kurt Kitayama. His win secures his return to the Number One spot in the Golf World Rankings.

Live Oak with view of the 18th Green

The CJ Cup is the start of the PGA Tour calendar year, and it featured a 'No Cut' format. The PGA Tour announced other changes this week, including that the 2022 RBC Heritage will be an 'Enhanced' tournament with a higher purse that likely will entice the world's top golfers to make the short commute from The Masters in Augusta, Georgia the week before. The PGA Tour will return to the Southeast Coast on November 17, 2022 for the RSM Classic at Sea Island, Georgia.

To view past blog entries from The Masters click 2021 - 2019 -  2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2009 

To view past blog entries from the RBC Heritage click on  2022- 2021- 2020- 2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015- 2014 - 2013

To view past entries from the PGA Championship click on  Ocean Course at Kiawah 2021 - 100th PGA Champioship- Quail Hollow at Charlotte 2017 - Ocean Course at Kiawah 2012 

To view past blog entries from the Wells Fargo click 2019

To view past blog entries from the BMW Charity Pro-Am click on  2018- 2016 - 2015 - 2014 

To view past blog entries about the RSM Classic click on 2012 - 2011

To view past blog entries from the Champions Tour click on 2014 - 2013

To view past blog entries about golf click on Ryder Cup -  S.C. Golf Association - Forest Hills - Augusta National - Barnsley Resort 

2022 Crappie Camp at Clarendon Club - Filming Father and Son Outdoors TV

Fishing for crappie on the Santee Cooper Lakes in the Fall is always a good idea, especially if you can stay in ‘Fish Camp’ for a couple of nights to really dial in on the fish.  

What began with a phone call from Capt. Joe Dennis, ended up with a chance to fish with Pro Angler Whitey Outlaw and his son Matt, filming for an episode of Father And Son Outdoors TV show. These two Outlaws caught crappie so fast, one after the other from the front of the boat, it was like an Army Drill instructor calling out Left, Right, Left, Right as they took turns reeling in a crappie. 

Not everyone at the 2022 Crappie Camp caught fish like the Outlaws, but those two gunslingers were on their home range waters, and most anglers were visiting from other lakes. Catching crappie on camera for Father And Son Outdoors TV show, which airs on the Pursuit Channel, was just one of the goals of crappie camp. Santee Cooper Country tourism bureau and the Clarendon Club facility teamed up to help promote the easy access to nearby boat ramps like the ones we utilized to fish Taw Caw Creek and Potato Creek. Fishing Tackle reps brought their gear to share with the pro anglers who came from Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. And Destination Clarendon County and Lone Star BBQ teamed up to bring supper to crappie camp, adding good food to the healthy dose of fellowship.

“I have been fishing crappie tournaments across the U.S. for the past 42 years,” said Whitey Outlaw. “I grew up right near here in St. Matthews and have a love for the outdoor heritage in this area. In fact, my grandfather used to be a deer hunting member at Clarendon Club, and I have hunted ducks all around this lake my whole life.” Crappie fishing has been the overwhelming favorite passion for Whitey, so much so that he has become more than an angler, he is now a leader in fishing tackle innovation. He partnered with Catch The Fever and helped design a new line of crappie fishing rods called Precision Cast Rods and a new monofilament called SlimeLine.

To view the entire Crappie Camp story click on the October '22 issue of Trilogy Outdoors. 

To view past blog entries from Trilogy outdoors click on Blessings of a Sporting Father

To view past blog entries from Fishing Camps click CCA Summit in Rockport, Texas - Hobie Kayaks in Panama City, Florida - Southeast Outdoor Press in Lake Charles, Louisiana - DOA Lures in Jensen Beach, Florida - Barnsley Resort in Adairsville, Georgia - South Holton River Lodge in Bristol, Tennessee - Trout Unlimited / Rivercourse at Lake Logan, North Carolina

2022 Edisto Belles Beach Walk - It's a Pink Thing

For past blog entires click on 2021 Edisto Belles Beach Walk

As featured in the October 2022 edition of Edisto News 

2022 Donnelly WMA - Deer Draw Hunt Report

Brad Frazier with his nice 10-point buck

The Donnelly Wildlife Management Area (WMA) opens for public deer hunting in September for Archery hunting only, and then in October for Lottery Draw Hunts for rifle hunting. The very first deer draw hunt dates on October 3 - 5 were simultaneous with the oddly cooler weather that was ushered in by Hurricane Ian. The popular thinking was that the storm winds would have caused a lot of acorns to fall to the ground, and that hunting under or near to oak trees might be productive. Most of the 30 draw hunters saw deer movement, and the unofficial total of 12 harvested deer included several large bucks.

A Safety Meeting precedes Draw Hunts

Hunters on field edges seemed to have success by catching the deer moving in typical patterns associated with low hunting pressure. Other hunters on bushhog trails in the woods seemed to capitalize on the older bucks starting to rut, and breaking cover just before darkness. Brad Frazier from West Ashley scored a big 10-point buck on Tuesday afternoon deep on the woods, and he had to take a tough shooting stance while leaning out from his tree stand, whicb always makes for a good hunting story! Frazier was hunting with a group of friends including Adam Miller and they were using the primitive campsite at Bear Island WMA during the Donnelly draw hun. 

To view past blog entries from SCDNR draw hunts click on 2013 Donnelly WMA -  2012 Bear Island Droptine Buck - 2012 Palachucola WMA 

To view past blog entries about big bucks click on 2012 Halloween Buck - Hurricane Matthew Buck - 2011 Late Eight-Point - 2011 Youth Hunter - 2013 Cooper Buck -  2012 Cedar Knoll Ten-Point - 2012 Twelve-Point Buck - 2014 Gnarly Buck - 2009 Dog Pen Buck - 2011 Rosser Buck - 2012 Crandall Buck - 2011 Man Drive Buck - 2011 Birthday Buck - 2010 Bricketto Buck - 2010 McCarty Buck - 2009 Blogger Buck - 2011 Bowen Buck - 2011 Thanksgiving Buck - 2011 Savannah River Site Bucks - 2011 Santee Delta Man Drive - 2009 ACE Basin Driven Hunt - 2009 Thanksgiving Buck-