Government officials ignore fish and game
July 2009
I think the one aspect of representative government that upsets citizen voters the most is we elect politicians to represent us wisely — hey, sometimes folks want laws passed that aren’t good ideas, and our politicians must make the final call — but too often they ignore us when we’re in the right because we ain’t got the cash to change their minds.
Loopy bills just keep on coming these days
June 2009
“You cannot administer a wicked law impartially. You can only destroy, you can only punish. And I warn you, that a wicked law, like cholera, destroys everyone it touches — its upholders as well as its defiers.”
— Spencer Tracy as lawyer Henry Drummond in “Inherit the Wind”
Why prime pump when well is dry
March 2009
March is upon us, and some cold weather remains. But cold-weather fishing has become popular and very productive, especially for blue catfish, crappie and bass. For many years, anglers have fished the Santee Cooper lakes of Marion and Moultrie during the winter and made outstanding catfish catches. Now, they’re working to catch a variety of species.
Sportsmen not likely to forget
February 2009
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve watched many of the treasured qualities of youth erode. Can’t turn on a fastball; takes me longer to read the newspaper; can’t play hoops at the YMCA for two hours and skip lunch.
Our change not for change’s sake
January 2009
I was intending to talk about North Carolina Sportsman’s new look last month, but if you stumbled across this page in the December 2008 issue, you know I had other topics on my mind.
Come to a WRC hearing for a change
December 2008
My original intent this month was to write a Christmas column, but, as one national political candidate said, gosh darn it, wink, wink, more pressing topics have arisen.
North Carolina’s sportsmen have a month before the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s January public hearings begin, meetings to hear comments about proposed changes of 2009-10 fishing, hunting and trapping laws. That’s happened for years, and we’ve been to plenty of these meetings. But this one will be decidedly different.
Sportsman voters: check pols’ records
November 2008
Americans have been bombarded for months by mind-numbing political advertisements, enough Internet lies and personal assaults to float the U.S. Pacific Fleet in the run-up to November’s presidential, vice-presidential and state elections.
The towing veto, change at WRC
October 2008
Two problems in state government were washed away Aug. 27, just as remnants of Tropical Storm Fay swept Raleigh’s gutters clean the same day.
Circle-hook fight and D.C. gun vote
September 2008
We published a story during August about red drum fishing at Ocracoke. Writer Mike Marsh described an “Owen Lupton” rig the featured angler, guide Charles Brown, used for drum fishing. We also published a photo of two Lupton rigs with two hooks (one an “octopus” and one an “octopus-circle” hook). Yes, octopus hooks can be circle hooks and recommended for catching drum.
Stepping in it on purpose?
August 2008
One of my favorite movies, “Forrest Gump,” has scenes in which actor Tom Hanks, playing the title role, runs across America. People follow him, thinking he’s a guru because he crisscrosses the country continually, east to west and vice versa, for 3 1/2 years.
The sounds of silence at OBX
July 2008
Anyone who hasn’t visited the Cape Hatteras National Seashore has missed a treat.
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