Author: Carolina Fish and Hunt

NC mallard limit increase

The NCWRC has released the season dates, bag limits and other regulations for the Old North State’s 2023-24 waterfowl seasons, along with the same information for doves and other webless migratory game birds, and for the extended falconry seasons.

Click here for a complete list of those dates, which will also be published in North Carolina’s 2023-24 Regulations Digest later this year.

Hunters will notice very little variations for the majority of season dates, but two limit increases are important and notable.

  1. The daily bag limit has been increased from two mallards (only one hen) to four mallards (only two hens).
  2. The daily bag limit for Canada geese or white-fronted geese in the state’s Northeast Canada Goose Hunt Zone has been increased from one to two.

If you’d like to see more information on North Carolina’s migratory game birds, click here.

Alleged SC turkey poacher busted

SCDNR officials busted a turkey hunter in Saluda County for numerous violations.

After receiving a tip of a possible trespassing to hunt violation in Saluda County, SCDNR Region 3 Officer Alveshire and PFC Miller located and checked the hunter in question.

They learned that the land the hunter had permission to hunt the land he was on when they located him. But after calling in PFC Moon and K-9 Blade, they were able to determine the path the hunter had walked, which showed he had been trespassing previously.

The game wardens continued their investigation, finding numerous other violations.

They found the remains of two turkeys the poacher had killed in recent days. Neither turkey was tagged, and he failed to report either turkey. They also found a substance which appeared to be fentanyl.

SCDNR confiscated the poacher’s firearm and hunting gear, and booked him into the Saluda County Detention Center.

Grandma of 6 wins Dixie Deer Classic Best in Show Award

Karen Nielsen killed a giant buck in Alamance County, NC during the 2022 deer hunting season. She hauled her mount of the buck to the 2023 Dixie Deer Classic where it officially scored 170 4/8 inches.

Nielsen won the Best in Show Award for the buck, as well as the Female Muzzleloader Award for Nontypical deer. The hunter, from Burlington, NC, killed the buck, a 10-pointer, on Nov. 5 with a 25-yard shot from her Wolf .50-caliber muzzleloader.

SCDNR press release on Tyler Doyle search

The following is a press release issued by SCDNR on Feb. 13, 2023:

S.C. Department of Natural Resources continues its ongoing search for Tyler Doyle and reiterated its position that the case is a hunting/boating accident.

SCDNR’s investigation indicated that at about 4 p.m. on Jan. 26, Tyler and a friend were duck hunting in a 16-foot jon boat at the Little River jetties. The jetties are rock structures near the South Carolina/North Carolina line that extend from shore out into Little River Inlet and help boats navigate the swirling tides and currents.

A small-craft advisory was in effect that afternoon, meaning seas were rough and not conducive for smaller vessel operation. Tyler initially dropped the friend off on the north jetty and then moved away in the boat to scout and put out some duck decoys. They stayed in contact on the phone, although the friend said he lost sight of Tyler as he went around the south jetty. Shortly afterwards Tyler called his friend stating the boat was having mechanical issues and he couldn’t keep the motor running and the boat was taking on water.

Another boat was flagged down by Tyler’s friend and attempted to get to Tyler but had to return because of rough sea conditions.

A 911 call initiated a multi-agency search including SCDNR, North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue and the Coast Guard. An Horry County Fire Rescue boat was on scene within nine minutes of being dispatched. Tyler’s friend was rescued from the Little River jetties and they were able to locate Tyler’s boat, which was submerged with the bow up and motor down, with only a foot of the boat showing above water. Rescuers noted the water temperature was 50 degrees, and the air temperature was 39 degrees.

SCDNR’s lead investigator for this case, Ronnie Floyd, confirmed numerous calls were made by Tyler and his friend to 911, as well as family and friends seeking assistance. Location data from Tyler’s Life360, a location-sharing app, which was provided to investigators by Tyler’s family corroborates the independent carrier location data obtained from Tyler’s phone carrier.

SCDNR investigators say the phone records, coupled with the data location information, witness interviews, a boat inspection and recovered items currently indicate this to be a hunting/boating accident and no foul play is suspected at this time.

Rumors regarding pending criminal charges against Tyler are unfounded.

Weather conditions that day, coupled with boating mechanical issues, appear to be the predominant contributing factors.

S.C. Department of Natural Resources remains committed to continuing the search as conditions allow. The agency currently has assistance from Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, N.C.

Wildlife Resources Commission and help from the nonprofit search-and-rescue organization Wings of Hope. SCDNR wants to thank all agencies that have assisted.

“We mourn right alongside Tyler’s family and our officers have been with them throughout this process,” said SCDNR Investigator Ronnie Floyd. “We want to bring them closure, and that’s why we are working every day to try and find him.”

SCDNR is providing regular updates on Twitter @SCDNR.

No foul play suspected in missing duck hunter case

Last week we shared a story of missing SC duck hunter Tyler Doyle, complete with conspiracy theories posted on numerous social media pages. But as the search for Doyle continues past two full weeks, law enforcement agencies have said no foul play is suspected.

Several state and local agencies are continuing the search for Doyle, and this week, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit organization called Wings of Hope Search and Rescue joined in. This group brought in boats equipped with underwater sonar and 3D imaging, drones, and cadaver dogs.

Whatever conjecture has come from numerous armchair private investigators on social media, law enforcement and rescue agencies believe Doyle disappeared in the exact manner as reported on Jan. 26, when Doyle’s hunting partner called 911 after seeing Doyle’s boat, which had become disabled, taking on water outside of the jetties connecting Little River to the Atlantic Ocean.

The hunting partner was standing on the north jetty when the first rescue team arrived, having been dropped off by Doyle earlier. Duck hunting from these jetties is not uncommon, and leaving one hunter in one spot, then boating to another spot in order to cover more water or to set up decoys is also a fairly common practice.

Doyle’s neoprene waders, which are capable of floating for an extended period of time, were found by family members during the first couple of days after his disappearance. His wallet and some decoys have also been found.

New Orleans’ Big Bass Rodeo and Fishtival is March 25

The 74th Big Bass Rodeo and Fishtival is slated for March 25, 2023 in New Orleans.

The 74th Annual Big Bass Rodeo and Fishtival is scheduled for March 25, 2023 at New Orleans City Park.

The Big Bass Rodeo is the oldest freshwater rodeo in the United States, and features numerous divisions, including Adult, Junior, Kayak, Student, and Team. A Fishtival will take place the day of the event, featuring activities and entertainment throughout the morning, along with a visit from Robbie the Redfish and Parker the Raccoon.

If you’d like to get ready for the rodeo, the LDWF is offering two free bass fishing courses at the park on Feb. 25 and March 24. Courses will include bass behavior, proper handling of bass, and lure preparation and use. Click here for more info and to sign up.

North Carolina stocking F1 bass

The NCWRC is set to stock F1 bass into three North Carolina lakes, and the private sector is invited to help.

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission is gearing up to stock F1 bass into three of the state’s lakes. And for the first time ever, they will accept private funds to help finance the project.

The state is going full steam ahead, stocking even if no money is donated by the private sector. But for every dollar private citizens give, the federal government will triple it. F1 bass fingerlings currently cost about 50 cents apiece to stock. So one dollar from private funds would normally result in two fish being stocked.

But thanks to the government matching these funds at a 3-to-1 ratio, one dollar raised will result in eight fish being stocked. That’s a big deal!

It’s the perfect storm, in all the right ways, for the stocking program, said Marty Stone, a former professional bass angler who teamed up with two other bass fishing gurus to form the NC F1 Bass organization, which will help educate the public and funnel private funds to the NCWRC for the stocking program.

Stone and his partners have set the organization up as a 501(c)3, so all money donated will be tax deductible. And they’ve vowed that every dollar donated will go directly to NCWRC for the F1 stocking program.

So what is an F1 bass? It is the offspring of a Florida-strain bass and a norther-strain bass. This results in a fish with the exponential growth characteristics of a Florida-strain bass, coupled with the aggressive nature and extreme weather tolerance of a northern-strain bass. It’s the perfect fish to combat the influx of Alabama spotted bass that have been illegally introduced into many of North Carolina’s waters over the years.

The three lakes that will receive the first stockings of the F1 bass are Gaston, Jordan and Norman. These three lakes have three different water-quality ratings, which will help fisheries biologists gauge how well the F1 bass perform in varying conditions.

If you’d like more information on the program, click here to visit NCF1Bass.org.

NC angler breaks white grunt state record

New NC state white grunt caught on Jan. 2, 2023.

Logan Ennis of Red Oak, NC was fishing near the 14 Buoy off of Morehead City on Jan. 2, 2023 when he caught the new North Carolina state record white grunt.

Ennis’ fish weighed 4 pounds, 13.6 ounces. He caught the fish on a Daiwa Saltist 35HG reel mounted to a Star Rod jigging rod. He was using squid as bait. The fish was 17.5 inches long (fork length), with a girth of 16 inches.

Chasin’ Tails Outdoors weighed the fish and helped Ennis contact the Marine Fisheries headquarters to confirm the measurements.

The NC Division of Marine Fisheries certified the fish as the new record, besting the previous record of 4 pounds, 8 ounces, which was caught off Cape Lookoot in 1969.