Nothing gets me pumped like an email from my buddy in South Carolina that reads, “Want to go hog hunting this weekend?” That’s exactly what Doubletough contributor Ceth Land of Manning sent me earlier this month and not being one to turn down an invitation, I jumped on it. Waking up at 4:30 on the first Saturday morning of February, I hopped in the truck and by 7:30 was at Bojangle’s to meet the hunting party.
In the past we’ve hunted club property in what has become a spring ritual: bring in some locals with dogs to clear out as many of this nuisance as possible. There is no season for hogs in South Carolina and in a state that allows baiting for deer, they can wreck a small fortune in corn and food plots. I was thankful to be asked since getting the first hog on a hunt (and my personal first) a couple years ago, the subsequent times I’ve been down there we haven’t seen anything. I had been teased as bringing bad luck so a chance to redeem myself was on the line. It wouldn’t take very long for redemption to come.
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Hog & Boar
dogs, hogs, knives, South Carolina
Looking for something to do this weekend? Grab your coat and head to the South Carolina Lowcountry for the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition! You and over 40,000 others can enjoy one of the most anticipated shows of the year, featuring 500+ artists and exhibitors.
I’ll be there as an exhibitor, showing off Anchorpoint and Trophy Score in the Sporting Village. No, these aren’t dog names, even though the DockDocks competition and retriever demonstrations will be going on there as well. Trophy Score is the only big game scoring app for the iPhone approved by Boone and Crockett and SCI, while Anchorpoint hosts a full-featured hunt club manager along with the database of trophies generated by Trophy Score. Stop by and say hello inside the tent located at Brittlebank Park along the Ashley River.
The Expo is open to the public 9 am – 6pm Friday & Saturday and 9am – 5pm Sunday. The event calendar is chockful of great stuff, from a Birds of Prey Flight Demo, presentations by Jack Hanna, Cast Net and Fly Fishing demonstrations……whew, there really is something for everyone.
Tickets are $20 Friday & Saturday and $10 on Sunday with kids under 10 free all weekend.
Asides
Anchorpoint, South Carolina, tradeshows, Trophy Score
My wife was raised in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina but will not swim in the ocean. Sure, I’ve managed to coax her in but the slightest touch of seaweed, undulation of the bottom or, god forbid, she steps on a crab, and she is outta there. To much out there with teeth and she can’t see any of it coming and that’s that.
You can imagine the conversation when I showed her this story:
Bill Hedden, 59, was snorkeling in a South Carolina lake on Sunday when the 12-foot-long gator attacked, according to witnesses.
Campfire Stories
Alligator, attack, South Carolina
You don’t have to venture out of the big city to find industrious good ‘ol boys. Not far from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, Doubletough contributor Ceth Land found these new-fangled deer stands converted from port-a-johns.
Note the fine craftsmanship: custom deer, deer head, duck and palm tree stencils, hinged shooter winders (aka windows) and toilet paper holder. Skip the $175 reinforced steel, 20′ ladder stand and grab one of these handmade-in-the-South, weather resistant deer closets for $250. They’ll even throw in a free Go Cocks! bumper sticker for the ride home.
Gear Review
deer stand, South Carolina
Surf fishing off Cape Romain in South Carolina draws anglers from across the state, including the winged variety. This bald eagle latched on to a one fisherman’s catch and stuck around long enough to pose. Note: this is no trained bird, that line runs to the fish.
Thanks to Beach Billy!
Fishing, Sightings
photography, South Carolina
**UPDATE** The good folks of Cordray’s mentioned this post and were kind enough to point out an incorrect weight which we have corrected below.
Gator season ended its second season in South Carolina in October and there were some impressive animals taken. Maybe you read about the cheerleader who got a 10-footer with a crossbow in USA Today. But did you hear about this monster taken in Lake Marion?
Weighing in a whopping 1,000 850 pounds and measuring 14 12 feet, 2 inches from tip to tail, it has turned quite a few heads of those accustomed to the great fishing and boating on this popular lake. Cordray’s of Charleston handled the processing and taxidermy. Check out more photos after the jump.
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Uncategorized
South Carolina
Doubletough contributor Ceth Land sent in this photo of his daughter after she knocked down her first deer ever. After getting through my amazement, my college buddy let me know hers was a doe, not this bruiser that happened to be at the processor when they dropped hers off. The 12-point was taken somewhere near Manning, South Carolina.
Another photo after the jump.
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After the Hunt, Deer
kids, South Carolina, whitetail deer
