Tom Harrison's Mattamuskeet Bear Hunt

We had unseasonably mild weather for the first half of our first split of bear season with highs approaching the 80’s and a plague of mosquitoes.  In the 20 years of bear hunting at Mattamuskeet the most bears I have seen sitting on a stand in bear season was nine.  Opening morning I saw 32!  We have more bears than ever before, but we are overwhelmed with sows and cubs.  Although we did not see a big bear, Hunter Park’s guest Mike Fulcher took a 574 lb. bear with hounds opening morning!  Later that day Mike shot a nice 8 point buck, so they had a great time.  Hunter’s second guest shot a management sow, as did one of Bill’s guests.

However, it wasn’t until yesterday that I saw what I had been looking for on 4th Ave. at Chip’s Hole, (what we used to call the Hedge Row Impoundment).  I going to put my shooter, Ed Beam, at the end of the strip of pines where most of the bears were crossing while I sat in the stand at the bridge at Chip’s Hole glassing the corn field.   A mutual friend, Sam Bennett sat with Ed.  Sam is from Asheville.  He is a pastor, videographer and co-founder of 4Outdoorsmen Ministries.  He and his partner Brent Besosa are in their 3rd year of filming a Christian outreach video on hunting the world’s largest black bears.Yesterday morning before daylight we drove down 4th Ave. from the lodge and stopped a quarter mile short of Chip’s Hole before silently padding down the dirt road to our stands.  As we climbed into our respective stands, it was light enough I could see a sow and 2 cubs in Chip’s Hole.  Sam and Ed went further down to the end of the strip of pines and got in their stand.  I told them if I saw something big I would let them know.

At 6:38 am I saw a lone bear ¾ of a mile away walking toward 4th Ave. on the dike on the east side of Chip’s Hole.  I signaled Sam and Ed to come down and join me.  The closer the bear got the more interesting he looked.  He went from being a possibility, to a sure bet that this was the bear we wanted.   By the time he was within 200 yards I was about ready to come out of my skin this bear was so big!

As long as he stayed on the dike, he was ours.  But if he stepped off into the myrtle bushes on the east side we would lose sight of him until he crossed 4th Ave into the timber.  Fortunately, like huge bears do, he chose the path of least resistance and stayed on the dike and walked right into our lap.  At the shot he turned and bolted off the top of the dike.  But he was done.  One shoulder shot from Ed’s 30.06 and the big bruin never made it any further than the edge of the canal alongside the impoundment.

I was ecstatic!  I hadn’t been as excited since my then 13 yr. old daughter Rebecca shot her big bear last December (see story here).  When Sam played back the video, I was even more exuberant.  He was a huge beautiful bear and to have that memory captured on video is priceless.  The story unfolds in pictures below.

November 26, 2011 Outtakes: Psam 93:4

"The Lord on high is mightier and more glorious than the noise of many waters, yes, than the mighty breakers and waves of the sea."  

Psalm 93:4

Rusty Asble's Him & His Way

Respect, ethics, example and honesty are words that I have learned and actions that describe many outdoorsmen that I have had the pleasure of meeting, hunting and fishing with over my 44 years of existence.  Many of these men, and women, have taught me a great deal and invested the love and desire to pursue, within the legal limits of the law, many great North American game animals.

Many times however, I come in contact with people that do not share this same viewpoint. One such incident just recently happened on November 2 in

South Carolina.  It was a three-day-rut hunt that I have looked forward to all year. This was personal property that my dad and I have had since 1989.  It is a small piece of approximately 27 acres that has an internal field of 15 acres.

I arrived that afternoon around 2:30pm from Tennessee. I drove through gate and stopped in my normal parking spot.  As I was sitting in my truck I noticed the Gum tree in front of my truck limbed up.  As I walked around the briars there was a climbing stand (#1) at the base of the tree. It is amazing the emotions and feelings that surge through your body when you encounter a wrong like this.  I began to walk this path and found climbing stand #2 60 yards further away.  A little further than that and I found a make shift ground blind with a new camo chair in it. I am now beside myself in disbelief.

Wanting to hunt that evening hunt and watch the place I went to the stand.  It was an unusual evening due to that when the does stepped out, only three, they kept looking weirdly in different directions.  I have never seen this behavior on this property, so I chocked it up to the rut being on.  

The next morning I was back in the stand hunting and watching.  Again, the does came out but were skittish and did the same weird behavior as the night before. About 10:00am I got down and walked that part of the field where they were looking. I could not believe it there they were, climbing stand #3 and further down climbing stand #4 and just about another 100yds climbing stand #5.  All 6 stand locations all within 250 yards of each other. UNBELIEVEABLE!

After coming to my senses, I began trying to formulate a plan of action. I contacted the neighboring landowners to start discussions with them and to inquire who the heads of their leases were. I also made contact with the South Carolina DNR Wildlife Officer just for safekeeping and communication insight.  It was easy to find out who they were due to three of the five stands had names on them.  I won't say much about that.

Over the next 4 hours we had discussions on ethics, legal law enforcement steps and property boundaries. This involved future consequences and contact with the South Carolinas' Operation Game Thief avenues.  I gave all the equipment back as a handshake of respect given - and hope of future respect received.

That evening my brother-in-law and good friend came up from Florida to join me.  Though disappointment set in about not being able to hunt over an unspoiled area, I knew this little area always produced.  Over the next day and a half more does began to be seen.  I freshened up the existing scrapes and began to use some Tinks Scent bombs.  However, still no bucks.

It was Saturday, our last morning to hunt.  I got the guys in the stands an hour and a half before daylight.  The days before the weather had changed from cool and still, to warm, then to rainy, then to very windy and now back to windy and cool.  We were to get down at 9:00am to pack up and head home.I came down from my climbing stand at 8:45am and was back at the truck.  At

8:55am, I heard my brother-in-law shoot.  Within in minute he was trying to contact me by phone.  After 3 failed call attempts, he texted me " Big 8 let's find it".

I drove the truck into the edge of the field and saw he was walking towards me.  He shared that he put his head down to thank Christ for a great hunt, a beautiful morning and just to have the ability to hunt.  When he lifted his head and looked to the left there he stood. A quick shot and it was over.

We drove to the area where the deer was last seen. There was no sign of blood and no hoof prints. They began to search the field and I noticed a lot of pine needles pushed up on the edge of the field.  I walked into the edge of the woods and saw more pine needles pushed up approximately 20 yards further.  Stopping at that area, I knelt down to survey the area, there he was - big, beautiful and massive.  Calling for my brother-in-law and friend they came running.  There lying before us was a 190lb 10 point buck.

Wow! What an emotional experience.  Through all that mess of discussing trespassing, poaching and meetings, and then being given a complete opposite opportunity in success at harvesting the largest buck ever taken from the property. I realized real quickly I had put Christ in a box.  I realized that I was trying to do it in my power and not His. He showed up and brought with Him Mr. Big.  He does things like that every day and in all areas of our life.  We just have to be open to Him and His way...yes, even in and through the great outdoors.

November 13, 2011 Outtakes: Psalm 98:7-8

"Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, the world, and those who dwell in it!8  Let the rivers clap their hands; together let the hills sing for joy."
Psalm 98:7-8

November 2, 2011 Outtakes: Genesis 27:3

"Take your bow and a quiver full of arrows, and go out into the open country to hunt some wild game for me." 
Genesis 27:3 NLT

October 11, 2011 Outtakes: Psalm 97:4

"Clouds and darkness are round about Him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. Fire goes before Him and burns up His adversaries round about. His lightnings illumine the world; the earth sees and trembles.  The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.  The heavens declare His righteousness, and all the peoples see His glory."

Psalm 97:2-6 (Amp)

September 28, 2011 Outtakes: Luke 3:9

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Luke 3:9 (KJV)

September 7, 2011 Outtakes: Luke 5:11

"When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him."

Luke 5:11

September 1, 2011 Outtakes: Genesis 1:20

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly and swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly over the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.  Genesis 1:20 AMP

Upcoming Event: Sportsmen's Banquet

If you're near the Piedmont Triad in North Carolina on Tuesday, September 13, don't miss the Sportsmen's Banquet & Wildgame Tasting at Life Community Church.  This is always a great event.  For more information visit their website and click on the Banquet button.   

August 20, 2011 Outtakes: John 15:16

"You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you."

John 15:16 (NASV)

August 1, 2011 CTO

We love to promote other great outdoor ministries and Cross Trail Outfitters is perfect example. 

In their own words, "Cross Trail Outfitters is a relationship-based Great Commission ministry. We make disciples of young men - and through them their friends, families, and communities - by building life long, one-on-one friendships with them through a common interest in hunting and fishing.

Through these friendships, we work to elevate their Skills, Leadership, and Relationship with Jesus. We seek to lead them toward the attainment of a biblical vision of Christiian manhood, and equip them to passionately pursue a lifetime of service to Jesus Christ and fellowship with Him and the outdoors.

We will take this ministry across America and around the world by developing the call, training, equipping and leading men and women, on a local basis, to serve the Lord in this way.

We will succeed in this by committing our work to the Lord and doing everything according to His divine principles, with faith, love, passion and excellence." And that's exactly what they do!
Check CTO out by visiting their webpage and get involved today.  

July 1, 2011 Outtakes: Psalm 75:1

"Your wondrous works declare that Your Name is near..."  

(Psa75:1 AMP)

May 11, 2011 Outtakes: Psalm 50:1

THE MIGHTY One, God, the Lord, speaks and calls the earth from 

the rising of the sun to its setting.  

Psalm 50:1 Amplified

Outtakes: Isaiah 45:18

For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (He is the God who formed the earth and made it, He established it and did not create it a waste place, but formed it to be inhabited), "I am the LORD, and there is none else.

Isaiah 45:18 NASV

2011 Oxford Children's Home Fishing Tourney

Volunteers from Hope Baptist Church of Sophia have joined with The Oxford Children’s Home in Oxford, North Carolina to host the:

6th Annual
Oxford Children’s Home Fishing Tournament
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Buggs Island Lake

"Our goal is to support local orphans with lots of fun times and the greatest love ever known to mankind, the love of Jesus Christ. We believe reaching out to them through the fishing tournament may bring them into a real relationship with Jesus Christ that would change their life forever and possibly spark a lifelong love of fishing."  

To support this great event through donation or through volunteering contact Mike & Paris Routh.

Rebecca's Big Bear

On December 14, 2010 my 13 yr. old daughter, Rebecca and I received a blessing from God and friends alike.  Rebecca had the privilege of bear hunting with my dear friend and awesome man of God, Mike Johnson.  We were joined by two other good friends from Asheville, NC, Brent Besosa and Sam Bennett, (as well as Sam’s son, Drew), with 4 Outdoorsmen Ministry that came to film our hunt.

I think all of you know how passionate I am about photographing bears year-round.  They are magnificent animals that thrill me every time I get close to one.  I had scouted during the pre-season and photographed these bears of Mike’s and more or less picked out the bear I hoped Rebecca would shoot.  I had identified and patterned the bears. I had a plan. But as the Scottish poet once wrote, “The best plans of men and mice often go awry”.…God had another plan.

First, arctic weather came to eastern North Carolina with 25 degree temperatures plus 25 mph winds – not good for bear hunting!  We saw just a small fraction of the number of bears that were usually there and we didn’t see the one I was looking for.  The first day we passed up a 550 lb. bear, because I knew there were bigger bears there and I had one picked that we didn’t see that morning.

The second day, before we left the warmth of the truck, Mike prayed for our hunt.  Then we braved the bone-chiiling wind walking in the dark toward the field where we were going to hunt.  Just as we got to the corner of the field we saw two smaller bears slip out of the field and into the safety of the swamp.  …Then nothing.  No more bears.

So we silently padded down the road along the edge of the field and I was feeling slightly disheartened.  I thought this was the end of our hunt.

Then I spotted a bear! - or at least what looked like a bear laying down in what was left of some standing corn.  It was 66 yards away.  I immediately motioned for everyone to sit down where we were.  Movement is what really scares game more than shapes or colors so I didn’t want us to take another step as we were already in range.  As it got lighter, we felt more exposed sitting in the road, but we stayed put.

The bear finally got up but it was difficult to judge it standing in the tall corn.  In addition, it didn’t offer a clear shot standing amongst the corn stalks.  Then the bear laid back down!  As a matter of fact, he got up took a few steps and laid down again 8 or 10 times over the next 20 minutes!  It was as if he saw us, but just laid back down to feed some more while hoping we would move along.  Because of the standing corn, I couldn’t see enough of his body to judge which bear this was or how big he was.  I could see he had a big head and decided that I would have Rebecca shoot it if given the opportunity. Each time he stood up, Rebecca got ready to shoot.  Finally the bear decided to take a few more steps into an opening in the corn field so he could see exactly what he was dealing with as we were between him and his bed in the swamp.  As he stood facing us he offered a clear frontal shot and I told Rebecca to shoot!

Outtakes: Proverbs 22:29

"Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings..." (Prov.22:29 ESV)

Outtakes: Genesis 1:21

"And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.” So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds..." (Genesis 1:20-21 NIV)