Features from December 2023
Many hunters give up on deer once the rut is over, but they can still have success with these late-season strategies.- Duck hunting preserves were once widely frowned upon, but it’s simply a way to offer access where wild duck populations are limited.
- Santee’s slab crappie are bunched up in big numbers during December, and these fish are hungry and perfectly willing to bite.
- With deer season still going, many hunters forego the chance to hunt squirrels in December, but they are missing out on plenty of fun.
- Cure your itch for small game hunting at these public lands in the Carolinas, with tips from wildlife biologists.
Columns - December 2023
- Anglers can have a field day with catfish and stripers at Santee in December, and deer hunting in the area can be top notch.
- A couple of Christmas puppies left a lifetime of memories for the author, and a lifelong love of training other dogs.
- Using electronics to stay with migrating baitfish is the best best for bass anglers in December.
- Managing the dolphin fishery has become quite a challenge for fisheries biologists and regulatory agencies, for a number of reasons.
- Many hunters are ditching high-tech archery gear and picking up traditional bows and arrows.
- Kayak seats can make one of the biggest differences in how comfortable an angler is, and how long they’re willing to stay on the water.
- Planting winter rye grain during December will be a huge benefit as the deer hunting season winds down, and into the spring as well.
- These venison sausage biscuits are the perfect Christmas morning breakfast, and they also work for holiday treats and even supper.
- Whitetail deer are the most popular game animals throughout the southeastern United States.
Outdoor Update - December 2023
- With the purchase of the Taylor Tract, SCDNR has doubled the size of Congaree Creek Heritage Preserve.
- The NCWRC has confirmed the existence of CWD in Johnston County after testing a hunter-harvested deer.
- Laura Tucker’s Warren County wide-racked buck helped her win our October Bag A Buck Contest.
- What a great month for sportsmen in the Carolinas! December has a little bit of everything for us, including some down time from work, hopefully, for everyone.
- A 2020 fatal boating collision has resulted in NC’s firsst conviction of Death by Impaired Boating.
- The NCWRC is reminding successful bear hunters that submitting a bear tooth to the agency is mandatory.
Hot Spots - December 2023
- Oriental’s speckled trout head to deeper holes in the backs of creeks during December, looking for bait and warm water.
- As the water cools down in December, the redfish bite heats up in the saltwater flats around Cape Romain.
- Even when December’s weather turns especially nasty, Santee’s catfish bite like crazy.
- December can be one of the best months to fish for trout in Western North Carolina’s lower elevations rivers and streams.
- As the water begins to cool down in December, Lake Keowee’s crappie move from deep brush to open water, feeding heavily.
- The Tar River is a hot spot for striped bass anglers using soft plastic swimbaits from December through March.