2012 Warrior Tribute in Santee Delta

A happy guest, an active service member, and a retired SEAL

These Wounded Warriors share stories in front of the fireplace

There are never enough opportunities to thank U.S. servicemen for the years of their lives that they give so that others may enjoy the taste of freedom. The 2011 Inaugural Warrior Tribute event and duck hunt was a landmark success, and the Georgetown Chapter of Ducks Unlimited made it a priority to once again offer hospitality in the form of a duck hunt on private plantations. About twenty servicemen from Fort Bragg in North Carolina, with six to ten support personnel, came to Estherville Plantation on December 14 for an oyster roast, and a chance to have fellowship in a relaxed civilian environment. Each visiting Warrior was given a duck blind bag, a duck call, a duck stamp, a camo shirt and hat and whatever else they might need to have success the following morning in the duck blinds of the Santee Delta. Enjoy these photos and look for my feature article in the next edition of the Charleston Mercury newspaper.

Ken Barnard thanks host Dan Ray

Four servicemen enjoy the oyster roast 

To view blog entries from the 2011 Warrior Tribute event click here.

S.C. Tarpon Tagging Update in All At Sea

December cover

Photo By Capt. Steve Roff

The conversation about S.C. tarpon continues into December with researchers at the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust accumulating tracking data from tag and release tarpon. Look for more tarpon talk coming up later this month.

To view my tarpon article click on All At Sea.

To view past blog entries about tarpon in S.C. click here.

Man Drives for end of deer season

The man drivers who pushed this doe towards my stand in 2009

Deer hunters of the Lowcountry will be trying to squeeze in an extra day in the field during the last two weeks of the year. Work schedules may bend to fit in a half-day in the office of the outdoors or what Sunday a.m. sportsmen call the "cathedral of nature." Gathering friends together for a man drive can produce memorable action, and may also serve as the only way to hunt thickets known to hold deer. Family time and church attendance during Christmas are imperative for spiritual nourishment of course, but the pull of a deer hunt in open woodlands will provide a healthy option for sport.
Those hoping to conduct a man drive should remember to wear blaze orange, and to do enough hollering so that everyone knows your position. The deer do not get up and run because of noise most of the time, rather it is more a matter of proximity, so always use your full voice for the benefit of safety. Man drivers are often happy in their work of walking the woodlands, and the memories they create validate outdoor traditions as a worthy part of the holidays.

Three woods walkers ready to push through dwarf palmettos

Regrouping while deep in the woods, to draw up the next plan

To read my feature article on man driving for deer during the holidays click Charleston Mercury.

To view past blog entries about man drives for deer click here.

TIDE magazine - Wahoo article

Nov. / Dec. issue of TIDE

The November / December 2012 issue of TIDE magazine features a camouflaged flounder on the cover. The issue holds several fine feature stories, making it a pleasure to read from cover to cover. Tales of the Traveling Tripletail by Georgia's Spud Woodward involves data that will help manage the "3T"in the future as recreational pressure continues to ramp up. Georgia was also recognized for the good work they are doing with oyster restoration. My interview with Capt. Dale Lackey focused on the Need For Speed off the coast of South Carolina  - that is, high-speed trolling for wahoo during November, December and beyond. Find a copy of TIDE so that you can read about how going too fast is never a problem for tangling with monster wahoo. They love to chase down a hot lure on a cold day!
The Nov. /Dec. recipe from CCA is Flounder Au Gratin.

Big 'HOO on the Carmaba

Wahoo lures rigged by Capt. Lackey

HUGE  'HOO

For past blog entries about TIDE magazine click here.

Lowcountry Saltwater Fishing Report - 12/11/12

Fishing Report for the Coastal Lowcountry of South Carolina:

Nice tailing redfish depiction by artist Heather Jones

Charleston Inshore Report: Scott Hammond at Haddrell's Point West just returned from his HONEYMOON! That's right, Scott reeled in a keeper, and his customers could not be happier for him and his new wife Ann. CONGRATS!! Besides being greeted by a stack of emails upon returning to work, Scott was inundated with reports that the trout bite is still WIDE OPEN. Water temps have actually been rising a few degrees, but the trout have not missed a beat. Shell rakes and creek mouths in 4 to 7-feet of water are still holding quality fish that are more than willing to inhale a live minnow or shrimp. On the artificial side try a four-inch paddle tail grub or a hard bait like the 17MR mirrolure. Reds are schooling in tight numbers on the shallow mud flats, and while some are reporting the fish to be a little finicky, the best reports were coming from those throwing Gulp shrimp and Zman Paddlerz. Scott relays that of course some good ole cut mullet is hard to beat, just remember to clean up the smell before heading home to the WIFE! Sheepshead are still biting on live fiddlers fished around bridge pilings and rock piles. Smaller sheepies seem to be prevalent right now, with only a few of the big fellas getting hooked up. Remember to catch and release for the future of sport fishing! For all the latest seminar information visit the Internet at Haddrell's Point.

Hilton Head Report: Josh Boyles at Southern Drawl Outfitters reports that the redfishing is like a broken record. The reds are schooled in shallow water, and are beating up on the artificial lures like a street gang. Speckled trout are biting DOA shrimp, Bass assassins and Gulp baits. For all the latest store info visit the Internet at Southern Drawl.

Offshore Report: Scott begins by saying that wind has kept many boats on the hill, but those who made the trip onto the ocean reported good numbers of triggerfish in 70 to 110-feet of water. Some quality grouper are coming from live bottom areas in 85 to 140-feet of water. There are no fresh trolling reports at this time, but water temps indicate that there should be some wahoo and blackfin tuna patrolling along the ledge. High speed trolling for wahoo at dawn is always a good option.

Josh reports that the gulf stream is holding wahoo, blackfin tuna and late season sailfish. Grouper have pushed into water as shallow as 80-feet deep and are chewing well. Try some blue water candy lures to see what color grouper you can bring up from the bottom.

To view past Lowcountry Saltwater Fishing Reports click here.

2012 SCWA Charleston Chapter at Alhambra Hall

Reid and Chris MacEachern head up t-shirt sales

Brodie Warren and Jessica Youngblood support waterfowling

The Charleston Chapter of SCWA experienced a growth spurt in 2012, and chapter advisor Mac Bagnal told me that a younger steering committee played a role. Will Freeman served as leader and and family and friends followed, but there were also long time supporters there too. One veteran hunter told me that in the early days of SCWA, thats 26 years ago, the top sales producers went to Canada to hunt waterfowl with Mr. Wielicki. Fast forward to 2012 and chapter leaders are invited to hunt at Camp Woodie during opening day, as a thanks for their volunteer efforts. Raising funds on December 5 began with t-shirt sales and continued with raffle tickets, silent auction, a 10-gun raffle and a brisk live auction. Specialty trips included a youth duck hunt with duck mount by Cordray's Taxidermy, an offshore trip on the Splitbill, a father and son/daughter turkey hunt, and an inshore trip with Graham Hegameyer. Books, cornhole boards, Big Lake duck calls, Duck Commander gear and plenty of other items were toted home by the large crowd that turned out for a night that included Beaufort stew and baked chicken served up by Jamie Westerndorff.

Decoy book on silent auction

Mallie Woodfin, Thomas Anderson and Boykin Foxworth

To view past blog entries from the Chalreston SCWA banquet click here.

Middleton Hunt Club visit with Bill Green

Horse driver on his 'paint' heading through the woods

Awesome buck rub at my stand location **

Despite a balmy 75 December degrees, about three pick-up loads of members and guests hit the woods at Middleton Hunt Club for a special Wednesday afternoon deer drive. As one might expect due to the weather that calls for snake boots and a Thermacell, not much wildlife was encountered. Despite nothing being harvested, the horse drivers and the deer standers enjoyed their time in the Lowcountry outdoors and are richer for the experience. Past huntmaster Henry Lowndes was in the saddle this day, as was Bill Green, his sone Jamie and two others. The deer standers wait with anticipation, with the understanding that it is the horse drivers that are the 'engine-room' for the driven hunt, and that they deserve many THANKS! Speaking for a minute with Bill Green, I find that we are both native to James Island. When I asked him if he could join me for a rabbit hunt and then show me how to cook one, he indicated that he is busy conducting drag hunts for the Middleton Place Hounds for the near future, a role that he has played for 40 years! Bill Green is more than a veteran horseman, huntsman and dog trainer though, he is also a gifted gullah cook. The members at MHC have enjoyed his tasty lunch offerings many times, and are his most devoted culinary fans. Green can also tell a story while cooking and here in this video he is compelling to watch - getting downright excited (about the six-minute mark in the video) when the shrimp gravy is being coaxed out of the Lowcountry shrimp before joining forces with Lowcountry grits. To view the video click here.

Bill Green tells me all about his Gullah Grub !

** On the second drive of the afternoon my stand location was along a hardwood drain that was clearly marked with buck sign. After all five horse drivers passed by me, I hadn't seen any deer. Five minutes later a small doe came galloping right down the trail. Seeing her clearly I judged her not to meet the minimum weight requirements and did not raise my shotgun. Getting back on the truck with my fellow hunters I relayed my close encounter story and one knowledgable member replied - "That will always get your pulse up, and it will keep you coming back for more." Indeed, the hunt is not always about the harvest!

Deer standers happy in their work!

To view past blog entries from Middleton Hunt Club click here.