RALEIGH
Record set for turkeys
The five-week wild turkey season had a record-high harvest, according to the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, as 24,089 birds were harvested this year, surpassing the previous record of 23,341 birds from 2020.
To put the harvest into perspective, biologists compare it to the average annual harvest over the previous three years. The total harvest was 9.5 percent more than the average of the previous three years, with harvest during the week-long youth season increasing by 11 percent and harvest in the mountains increasing by 5 percent.
The commission reported that the increase in hunting came from trends in the southeastern part of the state, where harvest increased by 14 percent.
RALEIGH
Record bear harvest held
Results from the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission annual bear hunters summary showed that hunters statewide recorded the highest state total on record as 4,056 bears were harvested, an increase of 11 percent from 2022.
The Coastal and Mountain Bears Management Units accounted for almost all the bears, with 2,533 coming from the coastal unit and 1,468 coming from the mountain unit. Only 55 came from the Piedmont Bear Management Unit.
“The increase in the harvest in the Mountain BMU likely reflects the influence of the poor acorn crop we observed in the fall 2022 in this region,” said Colleen Olfenbuttel, black bear and furbearer biologist.
PEACHTREE
Color Run on July 22
The Tri-County Community College Foundation will host its second 5K Color Run on the college’s main campus off of U.S. 64 East Alternate in Peachtree on Saturday, July 22, to raise funds for scholarships.
The event has a $40 registration fee, with each participant being given a T-shirt that will be decorated with powder at the start of the race. All levels of runners are welcome to participate. Register online at tricountycc.edu.
MURPHY
Throw camp set July 24
Murphy High School will be holding a camp for interested track & field throwers in grades 6-12 from 9 a.m. to noon Monday, July 24, with registration starting at 8:30.
The cost of the camp is $25. To register, scan the QR code on the flyer on the Murphy High School Athletics Facebook page or use the link provided in the flyer.
Compiled by Sports Writer Justin Fitzgerald.