Fishizzle Tackle lights up King tourney

The new Fishizzle Flash tackle system helped the top two teams to victory during the 4th annual P.M. Avin Tournament held out of the Belle Isle Marina. The Susanna Jules came in first place with a 37.9-pound king, caught on a Fishizzle 'King Bling.' The crew consisted of Capt. Eric Heiden, Derek Heiden, Bobby Earl, Brad Prescott and David Martin. How Sweet It Is came in second place with a 29.5-pound king, caught at the Belkie Bear Hole using a Fishizzle Pink & White 'King Bling' skirt and a 'Plan B' head on the downrigger. The Fishizzle Flash system is based on the concept that baitfish flash when they are distressed, as a type of defense system to throw off the predator. Fishizzle Flash attempts to mimic this natural flash, drawing a reaction strike from nearby predatory fish like King Mackerel.

PhotosByMichaelBroach: The first place team of Susanna Jules (in daylight); the second place team of How Sweet It Is (at night)

SCDNR Take One Make One hunt

The first annual Daniel Douglas Jr. Memorial Youth Hunt was held in Newberry County on Dec. 4 and 5. The SCDNR's Take One Make One (TOMO) hunt coordinator Lynwood Kearse partnered with the Mid Carolina Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) to conduct the hunt on private lands owned by Eddie Wilson and Bobby McBride. Eleven youth hunters, including three females, were provided a guided deer hunting opportunity during the hunt. Daniel Douglas Jr. was just 19-years old when he lost his life in a tragic car accident on 11/25/08, but he was already an accomplished outdoorsman. Kyle Cannon is President of the QDMA branch and said, "I knew Daniel and we got along great because we both liked the same things - hunting and fishing." Plenty of Daniel's friends volunteered their time to make sure that the youth hunters were well looked after with a hotdog lunch and a barbecue chicken supper and bond fire.

To read my feature article in S.C. Wildlife Magazine click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: Youth hunters pose for the camera before the hunt, a female hunter from Summerville tells her story of shooting a hog earlier this year

Oyster Roast for Birds of Prey

Join the Center for Birds of Prey at their Avian Conservation Center in Awendaw this Sunday Dec. 7 from 1 to 4:30 p.m. for their third annual Oyster Roast. Tickets are for sale at $65 apiece and are available at (843)971-7474 and don't forget that children under the age of 12 get in for free. Ben Moise will be catering the oysters (complete with hot dogs and chili), and a beer and wine bar will be open. Walking tours of the conservation center will be conducted from 2 to 4 p.m. and a very special flight demonstration will take place from 3:45 to 4:15. Shuck some oysters 'For the Birds' out in Awendaw on Sunday - and enjoy the Lowcountry outdoors!

To view past blog entries about the Center for Birds of Prey click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: Stephen Schabel imitates a Peregrine falcon during one of his patented flight demonstrations; Two Harris Hawks perform together at the 2009 SE Wildlife Expo

Private Waters fishing at Hobcaw Barony

Thanks to Capt. Steve Thomas for the guided fishing at Hobcaw Barony Plantation in Georgetown.

PhotoByJeffDennis: Let Capt. Steve Thomas show you where to cast your fly

Bushnell gear for holiday season

Bushnell Outdoor products and optics is ringing in the yuletide season with some bonus offers for holiday shoppers. Purchase a Bushnell binocular, riflescope, spotting scope or laser rangefinder and receive a free fleece pullover jacket in RealTree AP camo. Or purchase a pair of Bushnell Excursion EX binoculars and get a Bushnell backpack for free - the one with all the right pockets for other hunting gear. There are cashback offers available for 'Chuck Adams' edition Bushnell products too, so check the Internet for all the latest Bushnell holiday deals.

Haddrells' Gator Trout Winner

Angler Craig Bradford won the first week of the Haddrell's Point Gator Trout Tournament with a 5.50-pound speck, and then won the Final Fish-off on 11/28 with two specks weighing 6.40-pounds together. Lowcountryoutdoors.com interviewed Bradford at Haddrell's Point duing the winner's presentation on the morning of 11/30. Bradford said, "I entered every week of the Gator Trout tourney but I did not get to fish as much as I wanted because of work. Lonnie East had a nice Gator Trout during week 4 of the tourney and I was fortunate to beat him in the fish-off with a couple of 3-pounders." Bradford did not celebrate long as he was getting on an airplane to start a new job in San Diego. Congrats to Bradford for winning the tourney and best wishes to him while fishing (in between work days) on the West Coast!

PhotosByHaddrellsPoint: Angler Craig Bradford with his Week One Gator Trout; Tourney Winner Bradford with his Fish-Off specks - good for oodles of free tackle from Haddrell's Point and bragging rights for one year

Holiday dove shoot

One of the oldest Thanksgiving Day traditions in the Lowcountry is an afternoon dove hunt. Cold weather had the birds congregating well in the prepared dove field in western Colleton County. A barbecue supper preceded the hunt which began at 2 p.m. when nearly 100 doves were flushed from the field as the hunters took their positions. When the doves started returning to feed, the shooting started and continued in waves as the birds paused and then resumed their attempts to get into the corn and millet over and over again. One of the best hunts of the year ended with many wingshooters taking their legal limit of 15 doves.

For past blog entries on dove hunting click here.

PhotosByJeffDennis: A youth hunter who attended looks at a pile of birds after the hunt; Tom Polk with his limit of 15 doves held by a WinnTuck game strap