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Like other old men in these mountains, I lament the loss of our native gamebirds, the bobwhite quail and ruffed grouse that brightened our hunting days in the 1970s and 1980s.
The pointing dogs we treasured and worn boots and briar britches and favorite shotguns. Now we never see the birds, but sadly in their place we have coyotes and fire ants.
However, there is still wildlife to be spotted, pleasant surprises at any given time.
Bony fish good to eat
A species of sucker called redhorse, its color and shape of head like a horse, was enjoyed and eaten by both Indian and white alike for many years.
Just upstream from the new U.S. 64 bridge in Murphy is a jumble of huge rocks in the Hiawassee River. Old-timers always told me it is the remains of an ancient Indian fish trap, where redhorse suckers and other fish were netted for food.
Just up from there, beside the new Murphy Electric Power Board substation, lies Martins Creek, which drains a watershed probably seven or eight miles long.
Residents routinely harvested redhorse suckers when they came up the creek each spring. When my family moved there 50 years ago we joined in. Spearing with gigs and pitchforks, shooting them with a World War II surplus German rifle, snaring them with treble hooks.
Coming from clean, cold water, the flesh is white and flaky but full of Y-bones. We ate some, gave lots to family cats.
In recent years they were declared an endangered species. But last Sunday afternoon, I saw the most I’ve seen in years and right on schedule.
Young bear on the move
Earlier this month, I saw a young bear, maybe 80 pounds, running hard to cross U.S. 64 in Clay County near Hill’s Store. Full view in profile, not a cub any more but not a big, round, fat 300-pounder, either.
Called my friend the N.C. Wildlife biologist. Are the bears really starving, are they looking for the first blackberries to show up? Is that why they hit people’s bird feeders?
“No,” he said. “They’ve got plenty to eat. A bear will eat absolutely anything that won’t eat him. There is plenty of clover, and they will graze clover just like a cow …”
The biggest black bear I ever saw running around loose was also on U.S. 64, but below the Boyd Gap west of Ducktown,Tenn. It was crossing the four-lane highway near the Ocoee Whitewater Center that recently burned.
Traffic was running 70 mph, and there is no median there. It was so big and black at first I thought it was a Black Angus beef calf. Made it all the way safely across, estimated weight near 400 pounds.
Eagle flies past courthouse
Our American eagle is a beautiful bird and a fairly common sight on lakes in our region. They love fish and have been known to steal fish from the osprey here, the one old-timers call “fish
hawk.”
I hardly ever carry a camera at the ready, but one day I wish I had.
Standing at the historic Harshaw Chapel, I saw a big bald eagle flying low right beside our courthouse and its flag. The large predator had a furry animal in its talons. Great picture.
Lest I forget … go online to Asheville Urban Bear Study, which has been going on for several years. They put a radio collar on a young bear and tracked it. A born tourist, it wandered west from Asheville to Graham County, looked around and returned home – round trip, 160 miles.
Wally Avett first wrote for the Cherokee Scout as editor in 1969. His books are available as signed copies at the Scout office in Murphy. Call him at 837-5531 or email wallyavett@gmail.com.