It’ time to plant my wheat so I pulled up the almanac to refresh my memory (happening more and more).

Bob Sanders
FishingWithBob
Edisto Inshore Charters
Big Fork Farms LLC
Real Estate Sales
803-300-2780
803-584-5211
www.fishingwithbob.com
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The Phases of the Moon

The moon has four phases or quarters lasting about seven days each.The first two quarters are during the waxing or increasing light, between the new and the full moon. The third and fourth quarters are after the full moon when the light is waning, or decreasing.

Planting by the moon is an idea as old as agriculture, based both in folklore and superstition, but there are scientific ideas to back it up The Earth is in a large gravitational field, influenced by both the sun and moon. The tides are highest at the time of the new and the full moon, when sun and moon are lined up with earth. Just as the moon pulls the tides in the oceans, it also pulls upon the subtle bodies of water, causing moisture to rise in the earth, which encourages growth. The highest amount of moisture is in the soil at this time, and tests have proven that seeds will absorb the most water at the time of the full moon.

At the new moon, the lunar gravity pulls water up, and causes the seeds to swell and burst. This factor, coupled with the increasing moonlight creates balanced root and leaf growth. This is the best time for planting above ground annual crops that produce their seeds outside the fruit. Examples are lettuce, spinach, celery, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and grain crops. Cucumbers like this phase also, even though they are an exception to that rule.

In the second quarter the gravitational pull is less, but the moonlight is strong, creating strong leaf growth. It is generally a good time for planting, especially two days before the full moon. The types of crops that prefer the second quarter are annuals that produce above ground, but their seeds form inside the fruit, such as beans, melons, peas, peppers, squash, and tomatoes. Mow lawns in the first or second quarter to increase growth.

After the full moon, as the moon wanes, the energy is drawing down. The gravitation pull is high, creating more moisture in the soil, but the moonlight is decreasing, putting energy into the roots. This is a favorable time for planting root crops, including beets, carrots, onions, potatoes, and peanuts. It is also good for perennials, biennials, bulbs and transplanting because of the active root growth. Pruning is best done in the third quarter, in the sign of Scorpio.

In the fourth quarter there is decreased gravitational pull and moonlight, and it is considered a resting period. This is also the best time to cultivate, harvest, transplant and prune. Mow lawns in the third or fourth quarter to retard growth.

Rut Started in Barnwell County, SC
October 18th, 2009
With the rut in Barnwell starting about a week ago, I thought I would post this history of the SC Whitetail.

Bob Sanders
FishingWithBob
Edisto Inshore Charters
Big Fork Farms LLC
Real Estate Sales
803-300-2780
803-584-5211
www.fishingwithbob.com
www.southcarolinalandonline.com

History of White-tailed Deer in South Carolina

In pre-Columbian times much of South Carolina’s landscape was composed of mature hardwood and longleaf pine forest habitats. Deer were statewide in distribution but their overall densities could best be described as moderate. These moderate densities resulted from the lack of optimum habitat diversity, for deer, that was associated with historic, mature forests. Also, predators like the cougar, red wolf and American Indian helped to keep deer numbers regulated. Higher deer densities occurred in areas where disturbance created early stages of ecological succession. These disturbed areas provided an abundance of new, 4 succulent growth close to the forest floor and within reach of browsing deer. Deer became locally abundant in areas where disturbance opened the forest canopy and allowed sunlight to penetrate and stimulate new growth. Natural disturbances that opened the forest canopy included lightning fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. The impact of a storm like hurricane Hugo on pre-Columbian forests would have created an immense area suitable for an abundance of deer. Similarly, the native American Indians understood this relationship and used fire frequently to create habitat suitable for larger numbers of deer.

The coming of the colonists had little immediate negative impacts on white-tailed deer. Although firearms facilitated the harvest of greater numbers of deer, clearing of land for small communities and farms created habitats that allowed for increased numbers of deer. Overall, during the early colonial period there was a general equilibrium between the colonists (and Indians) use of deer and the benefits that deer populations received. However, by the 1800’s the value associated with deer, improvements in firearms, extensive agriculture, and unrestricted market hunting began to severely limit deer and herds declined drastically in South Carolina. Domestic use of deer hides was great and in addition, annual exports of deer hides from Charleston approached 150,000 during the mid to late 1700’s. The terms “bucks,” “doe,” and “skins” persist to this day as monetary references reflecting the historic value of deer in our heritage.

The early 1900’s marked the low point for deer in South Carolina as it did across the country. However, because of public concern for conservation things began to change in a positive direction for deer. The Lacy Act was passed by Congress in 1900 placing regulations on the interstate trafficking of wildlife and in 1923 South Carolina passed the buck law which prohibited the harvest of female deer. In 1937 Congress passed a sweeping piece of legislation called the Wildlife Restoration Act or Pittman-Robertson act. This act, named for the Senator and Congressman who sponsored it, authorized the setting apart of a tax on sporting arms and ammunition to be used in cooperation with states in wildlife restoration projects.

Also important to the recovery of deer in South Carolina were widespread changes in habitat that benefited deer. Although clearing for agriculture was greatly responsible for low deer numbers by 1900, the habitat began to change for the better in the 1920’s. Years of signifi5 cant drought and the impact of the cotton bowl weevil were devastating to farming. With this reduction in farming came a trend of people leaving farms prior to and especially after World War II. Mills began to operate in many parts of the state and a large amount of agricultural land began to revert back to forest land. So at this time we had laws that offered protection for deer, funds to implement wildlife management and research, and improvements in habitat for white-tailed deer in South Carolina.

Although delayed by World War II, restocking efforts began in earnest in the early 1950’s. Deer were virtually non-existent in the piedmont and mountains of South Carolina and there was little if any deer hunting in those areas. Fortunately, good residual populations remained in the river swamps of the coastal plain and these strongholds of deer became the source for restocking. The fact that all restocking that took place in South Carolina used native deer as stock places our state in a unique position with respect to genetic integrity. The characteristics of native South Carolina deer evolved due to environmental, behavioral and genetic pressures exerted for millions of years and we are lucky to have only native deer in South Carolina. Most, if not all, other states that had restocking programs received deer from other states.

In both the central and western piedmont, where deer were rare, wildlife biologists restocked approximately 100 deer during the early to mid 1950’s. Deer numbers rapidly increased and by about 1960 the first deer hunts were held in these areas. In each case, the first hunt was a 3 day buck only hunt and in each case 1 buck was harvested. In contrast, the combined deer harvest from the Central and Western Piedmont Hunt Units in recent years has been approximately 120,000 deer annually. In much of the coastal plain, deer numbers were sufficient to allow hunting even when there was no hunting in the mountains and piedmont. Today the statewide deer population is approximately 750,000. Huntable populations exist in all 46 counties in South Carolina and the annual statewide deer harvest is approximately 225,000.

Three generations, all throwing topwater, and the bite was on at the first stop! It doesn’t get much better. Topwater plugs catch a much bigger size fish, at least for me. I like Super Spooks, Super Spook Jrs., and Rapala Skidderwalks in bone or mackerel (normal conditions) or black w/chartreuse head(for low light or muddy water). These are what we call “one knocker” plugs, for the larger ball bearing inside, whose sound I feel imitates a shrimp popping. I add a split ring to the line tie and change out the hooks. A GLoomis cranbait rod, Shimano Curado w/ 50# Power Pro braid and we’re ready to “walk the dog”. Bob

Bob Sanders
FishingWithBob
Edisto Inshore Charters
Big Fork Farms LLC
Real Estate Sales
803-300-2780
803-584-5211
www.fishingwithbob.com
www.southcarolinalandonline.com