The Clouds have lifted...

And then there was sunshine....After a weekend and Monday full of mist and cool temps, the sky has broken and the sun has passed through. The seasonal temps will be around for quite some time, too. Tyrrell County is beautiful this time of year...The cypress trees have shed their feathery leaves, the poplars and swamp maples are ablaze in orange, red, and yellows, and the wildlife is on the move. The North Carolina Eastern Whitetail Deer season is in full force, and hunters are everywhere - and so are the deer. The Eastern Bear Season is just a few days a way - I hope those that enjoy chasing the bruins get their fill - bear hunting is not for me. But I like that bears are hunted - as it is a great management tool. Our black bear population is one of the densest in the world. The bears are also very healthy, as the weaker bears are generally the ones that are harvested by hunters.

The Eastern Bear Season runs from November 9-14 and December 14-26. Only about three weeks - but that is plenty of time for hunters to find a bear and harvest the animal...they also have time to cook it, which, to me, is a fabulous idea. Bear meat, when cooked properly is very good. Often, it has to be boiled (and that STINKS), but that makes it more tender and less gamy. Folks from all over the country come tou our neck of the woods for a crack at a truly massive bruin. Bears range from 80-800 pounds, but the normal bear is about 200. Of all the bears my buddies have taken, they have all been between 400-600 lbs. MASSIVE! The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission intensively manages for bears, and harvest records are kept. You can read reports on bears at their website (link here).

There are some important things to know about black bears before you go fearin' 'em. Learn these facts, quiz your buddy (or your enemy), and then call them dumb when they miss all of the questions!

1) A Female bear is called a SOW.
2) The world's heaviest wild bear ever harvested was taken in CRAVEN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.
3) Black Bears are only black...FALSE, THEY COME IN BLONDE, CINNAMON, BROWN, AND BLACK WITH A WHITE CHEST BLAZE.
4) Bears once lived in every state except HAWAII.
5) Bears can sprint at 35 MPH.

Now - here is a good bear recipe...

Two 3 pound rocks
1 old rope
large boiler
Ten Pounds of Bear meat

Fill boiler half way, bring to boil.
Place rope, rocks, and meat in boiling water, reduce heat and cover.
Cook for 2 weeks.
Throw out bear meat, enjoy ropes and rocks with cocktail sauce.

Just kidding, but that's an old joke about bear...here's a legitimate recipe that I like:
Three pounds of ground bear meat
Three cans of Fench Onion Soup
Three eggs
1.5 Cups of Oatmeal
One 10 can of mushrooms
Quarter cp of Ketchup
A little (or a lot) garlic powder
Black Pepper to taste

Just mix it all together and cook at 350 for about 2.5 hours...you can also use swan or snow goose in this recipe!

Enjoy the feast...