Yep - I guess she figured up in the Refuge it wouldn't matter so much - It's a little further between folks -       .

you guys in N.C. have it all. just got back from a vacation in the outerbanks bout 3 weeks ago. unreal what a great state! deer? i hear your herd is up to one million onehundred thousand animals!! bow hunters only take around 8,500 animals a year. the fishing was great also.just might have to retire down there. coming home we took the hurricane evacuation route 158 couldn't beleive the farms and the historical sites on that road the wife got stopped for speeding in conway. got off with a warning.went looking for the wild horses of corrolla lots of sign no horses.had a herd of deer roaming around the development. grey fox red fox wow! love it .

It's a pretty good ol' place to settle down (from a boy raised in New England), as a lot of folks have found out.

Hey guy's , dont let a little ol' snake scare ya off ! I been hunting the refuge about 12 yrs. straight and havent been bit... YET. Most of the snakes i see are lying in the paths in the afternoons trying to get a little last minute heat for the nights hunt. However it pays to be cuatious, the scary part is that some snakes dont rattle, even some rattlers strike w/out warning.....even caught one that had 3 fangs !What scares me is those danged chiggers at pungo    ...he prolly wieghed bout 100 pounds. Always an adventure!!  

I've only hunted the actual refuge a handful of times, most of my hunting is done north of Albemarle Sound but I do go down there from time to time, enough to make some suggestions to any newcomers.

I would strongly suggest anyone going, take a good supply of Permanone and don't sit on the ground. Bugs of some sort are likely the worst pest you'll encounter.

Dry ground = red bugs/chiggers
Wet ground = snakes& skeeters

The refuge looks a lot more snakey than it actually is, I mean there's not one behind EVERY tree. Mossicans are mostly nocturnal but some days in fall they seem to be out in force. Even I get a little heeby on those days as they can be aggressive snakes about their turf. Usually if you see one, you'll see more if you look around.

I wouldn't track a deer after dark without chaps down there and feel very good about doing it.

Bears? There's bears down there?  :D

I've been trying to kill a bear with a knife for over 20yrs and am yet to find one that'll let me get close enough. If you find one that wants to fight, call my cell.  

I've hunted bear a few times but, believe me, if I find one that wants to fight you will hear me scream from wherever - cell phone or not   :eek: . I hate Redbugs (chiggers) too - tell me again why I am even thinking about going up that way again???   :D

Bernie, forget the critters......we'll be chippin' rocks and Hopefully meeting some new friends.

QuoteOriginally posted by ncboman:
If you find one that wants to fight, call my cell.    

Where they got you locked up, Partner?    

...those Rocky snakeboots start to feeling mighty low on the leg around a snake like that one.  :eek:

We got a few o dem boys round tha house, seems like they run in groups, a local farm that i hunt always seems to hold more copperheads than any of the other places around it.

yeh, I think they do tend to "Yard up" - LOL (like the deer in winter up North)

If anybody plans to hunt/ knapp with us this year , how 'bout bringing some of yer traditional handycrafts for conversation and possible swapping? I look forward to meeting you guy's.

That sounds like a good idea, though I don't know what I'd bring - other than my chatter - LOL.

Chattter sounds like real good trade fodder, that stuff is priceless. The good thing about camp stories is that all of them are one of a kind and last a lifetime.

Well, I guess there's certainly truth to that, sm       . I used to do a lot of crafts (and art also as seen on my web page) but not much anymore. Well, except for some wing bone Turkey calls and now I'm working on the knapping.

If one of you guys could bring some extra chert or other easily knappable material, I will gladly buy at reasonable prices.

Never busted a rock in my life so I'm a pre-beginner but I have a burning desire to learn.

BTW, ncbowman, did you do any good on the Turkeys this Spring, or did you even get to go (I didn't   :(  )

no turkeys this year.

----------------

I stopped by Conman's yesterday and he asked me to post that you guys might contact him and let him know your plans so he knows what to expect and there's no disarray.

thanks,

Do you need to make a reservation for camping too - or just for cabins? (I'm a camper -  and ain't really sure for positive yet - if and when - still trying though.)

Normally not, but opening day and during the bear seasons it's probably courteous to check in beforehand and run your plans by him.

He's such a good guy I like to see things go his way.  

Makes sense.