PINETOPS —
Christopher Rowland can now turn his attention to building an addition onto his Wiggins Crossroads residence.
“I want my living room back,” said his wife Amy. “It’s full of animals and even has a swan suspended from the ceiling.”
The living room is full of trophies because Chris, 40, and Amy, 39, go hunting and fishing every chance they get.
They have been to Newfoundland for caribou, Wyoming for elk, Oklahoma for deer and orxy and nearby Aurora for bear.
Their most recent trip was to Florida, between Palm Bay and Fort Pierce on Lake Switch Marsh hunting for alligators.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission only allows 19 permits per year for hunting on this particular lake.
This year, the state is offering 6,260 permits statewide, entitling a holder to kill two gators. Last year, hunters harvested 7,844. Gators as small as 18 inches can be taken, but most hunters want a trophy. The state record exceeds 14 feet.
Rowland’s permit costs $1,065.
The Rowlands hunted on this lake two years ago with a guide and bagged two gators, 10-foot, 5 inches long and 8-foot-9.
No guide this year and after three nights of hunting, they had nothing to show.
“We didn’t see as many gators this time,” Rowland said. “They told us it had been heavily poached. Poachers can sell gator hides for $30 per foot.
“We were starting to get a little frustrated.”
On the fourth night, just after dark, Rowland spotted a huge gator and shot it with his Matthew bow, 70-pound draw using a standard fishing rig.
Hunters are not allowed to use guns. Instead, they may use a pole, spear, bow and arrow, or rod and reel to catch the animal, then use a bang stick – a pole with an explosive charge on the end – to dispatch it point-blank before bringing it into a boat.
The monster was 11-foot, 11 inches long and weighed about 400 pounds. Later, around midnight, Rowland bagged an old male, 12-foot-1.
“The wildlife biologists told us he was over 65 years old,” Rowland said.
“His bumps (on his armor-like back) were all rubbed down.
Rowland gutted the gators and brought back two skulls, about 70 pounds of meat and hides he will tan and make a coat, vest, boots, belts, wallets and a gun holster for a friend and pocketbook for his wife. He will use the teeth for buttons.
“We worked hard to get them boys,” Rowland said, grinning.
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Amy and Chris Rowland bagged these two alligators at Lake Stick Marsh in Florida last week. The one at left was 11 foot, 11 inches and the other 12- foot-1 and more than 65 years old.
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DAR Micajah Pettaway Chapter sees fashions and styles of Jackie Kennedy Onasis
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To The Editor
To the Editor:
A recent news story about the Montford Marines honors the important and too-often forgotten group of men. However, some of the statements in the story were wrong and need correction.
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Summerlin/Moore
Scottie and Jeanette Summerlin are proud to announce the engagement of their daughter, Jennifer Summerlin to Allen Moore
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Use Your Summer Tomatoes
One of the most wonderful things about summer is fresh tomatoes. I could eat them three times a day. The tomatoes that we find in the market during the winter just aren’t the same. They don’t taste like they are even in the same family. Of course that’s because they are picked green and shipped all over the country. However, during the glorious days of summer, we can find fresh, ripe locally grown tomatoes almost anywhere. Do you have tomatoes yet? We don't and I can hardly wait! Our plants look great but alas, no tomatoes yet.
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- Events
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May 23 - June 2, 2012
MAY 20-26
Public Works Week
Please recognize our Pulbic Works Employees during this week with our Annual Public Works Equipment Show, to be held at the Environmental Services Complex located at 1221 Thorpe Road in Rocky Mt., from 4-6pm.
MAY 23
Depression
Recognizing and Treating Depression from 5:30pm-6:30pm at Vidant Family Medicine in Pinetops. To register or for more information call 252-641-7126.
Stroke Camp
For survivors and their families from 2-6pm, at the E.L. Roberson Center. Get your FREE Stroke Screening. Sponsored by Vidant Edgecombe Hospital.
Golden Kiwanis
Meets at E.L. Roberson Center at 9:45am. The speaker is Cathy Webb and she will discuss “Early College”.
Biking Club
Tarboro Parks & Recreation will be holding an interest meeting for all those interested in biking. Come out and share your thoughts and ideas on how to enhance a fun, exciting, and fit biking club. “Ride On” At the Braswell Center 6pm.
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May 23 - June 2, 2012
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Edgecombe Garden Club learns horticultural tips
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