Youth Prevails in Hog Hunt



Savannah Cade with first hog

Another hog taken by Chris Cade with 1863 Sharps Rifle

Hogs at feeder

Hog taken with 1863 Sharps rifle

Chris Cade recently enjoyed a hunt on Alexacarri Plantation in Abbeville, Georgia, with his daughter and friends on a family-oriented hunt for hogs. Owner Tim Beach had invited them to bring their kids for a fun hunt for hogs.

Savannah took her first hog with one shot at forty yards with a custom AR-15 and some custom handloads by her father. Two other girls also took hogs on the hunt.

Not to be outdone, Chris took three hogs on the hunt. Two were taken with his 1863 Sharps rifle and one with his Thompson Center .44 mag.

Abbeville, Georgia, has a tremendous hog population and was a featured location on the TV feature titled "Pig Bomb" that aired a few years back.

It is good to see kids getting involved in outdoor sports and Chris said, "We had a blast."

Outdoor Dream Foundation Events

Enjoy the company of former Atlanta Braves first baseman and outdoorsman at two great fund-raising events for the Outdoor Dream Foundation. This non-profit group provides outdoor experiences for children with life-threatening or terminal illnesses.

Saluda River Archery Club offers a first-class range that simulates real hunting conditions with lifesize animal targets. Russell Cooper has established an excellent resource for archers and this is a good opportunity to participate in an event and see firsthand the course and the fellowship of members.

The event at the Anderson Civic Center will give  you a chance to meet and talk with Sid Bream and enjoy a great sporting oriented event with dinner, live auction and drawings.

What better way to support kids unfortunate to have illnesses and bring some joy into their life with outdoor events such as hunting and fishing trips sponsored by Outdoor Dreams.

Having a "primitive" day

It was a great day to be outside. I experimented with a couple of primitive craft ideas that were new to me. The first was a "figure 4" deadfall trap. This took a little time to get set up, but is very simple. There is a variation that uses a cord and trigger mechanism that I will try soon.

The second project was to make a bark basket. As you can see, I peeled the poplar bark and formed it, but will need to finish it after it dries in the sun and stiffens. I will drill holes and lace the edges together and use a split green shoot to reinforce the top.

These items are not required in today's world, but by doing this, we gain a greater appreciation for how our ancestors lived and the challenges they face to sustain life.

Get outdoors and try something new. You will be surprised at the pride you will have in becoming more self-sufficient.

Palmetto Dock Dogs Event

 These neat photos were provided by Erin Owen to illustrate the intense competition of these dogs in an exciting new sport. Dogs of all breeds are invited to join Palmetto Dock Dogs to be able to compete in events such as "Big Air", "Extreme Vertical" and "Speed Retrieve".

Anderson Civic Center will be hosting an event on Saturday and Sunday, August 25-26 that will include Palmetto Dock Dogs. The event is a Premier Outfitters Sportsman's Weekend and will have

Erin Owen is the President of Palmetto Dock Dogs and is excited to help bring this event to Anderson. She said, "It's an awesome sport. My Chesapeake Bay Retriever has been dock diving for three years and we have traveled to several states, and we are excited about being a part of a Premier Outfitters Sportsman's Weekend and bringing the sport to the upstate of South Carolina."

If you have a dog and are interested in joining Palmetto Dock Dogs, visit www.palmettodockdogs.com or email palmettodockdogs@gmail.com.

The Sportsman's Weekend event will feature national and local businesses in the hunting, fishing and outdoor industry. A wide array of state-of-the-art products will be on display and available to attendees. Outdoor personalities will be present and it will be a day of entertainment as well as instructional information about outdoor activities.

A day on Clark's Hill Lake

Chris Cade with bow-fishing rig

It was a cool day last Wednesday, June 6, and Chris Cade and I decided to try our luck with archery and atlatl for carp and gar.

As luck would have it, the fish were shut down due to the cool snap and cloudy conditions. Very few were near the surface.

We only had one opportunity and I missed with the atlatl rig that I have hastily put together and Chris stuck one, but it pulled free.

It was great to be on the lake and we had a good time. We went to his farm and checked food plots, shot his rifle and had a lazy day.

I will definitely try the atlatl again. That would be a great way to take a big fish.

Tight lines to all!

Egrets on lake

L. Ross with atlatl fishing rig

May has been a great month

Not only have I had a great time in God's great outdoors, but have managed to snap a few neat photos such as a water snake basking in the sun, a goose on a nest of eggs, my buddy smoking a stogie and enjoying his kayak while we fished and also catching some shellcrackers, bluegills and bass.

The moon will be in perigree this weekend, meaning that it will be very close to earth in its elliptical orbit. The full moon is Sunday, May 7, and I have been seeing bream on the bed. It should be as good as it gets for bream this weekend.

If you are not a kayak angler, you are missing some great fun. Kayaks allow you to fish spots that you could never reach with a larger boat. We fish a spot that requires a short walk from a secluded road, and no access for large boats. We catch bass, bream and shellcrackers and often are the only people fishing the spot.

In addition to the fishing, the photo opportunities from a kayak are great two, as evidenced by the goose and snake photos above. Animals are less disturbed by humans approaching quietly by kayak than by walking near them. For one thing, you present a much lower profile and are perceived as less of a threat.

Many retailers of kayaks have special days each spring and summer at local lakes where you can try out several models and find one that is perfect for you. Get out there and join the rest of us on the water in kayaks.

Catching Big Catfish

Chris Cade, Steve Parker and unidentified friend with hefty catch of catfish
Photos courtesy of Chris Cade

Chris Cade is an accomplished outdoorsman. He is not only skilled in the ways of hunting with bow and flintlock, but he is well versed in primitive craft skills.

He and friends are also having considerable good luck in catching large catfish this spring. Cade ishown above with a fish approaching 40 pounds and also another large catch of fish with friends at Clarks Hill.

Chris enjoys jugging and trotlines for catfish and soon will be on the water with his bow in pursuit of large carp and gar.