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Hawkins: There's no place like the sea at dawn
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Words fall short when trying to describe the coast at dawn.
From early in the morning, when the sun is but a faint flicker of a small candle on the horizon, a new day begins. The travel by boat across still waters beckons a thousand adjectives.
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Hawkins: Big fish and small fish
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6.8.2008 : 12:11 am
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The bream was smaller than the palm of my hand. The fish had nibbled the final segment from a red worm and managed to get himself hooked.
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Hawkins: The price of fishing
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5.31.2008 : 11:26 pm
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Typical conversations these days are flavored with adjectives to describe cost.
From the refined oil we bleed into our tanks to the nickel-and-dime increase in a gallon of milk, the cost to live and survive is a topic of conversation.
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Hawkins: A simpler time
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5.24.2008 : 11:19 pm
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There is not one fiber of my body that is old yet.
I remind myself of that when I commence to thinking back. Those thoughts usually occur when I believe my son has grown between blinks.
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Hawkins: Fishing catches us all
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5.17.2008 : 11:19 pm
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Fishing sometimes catches you when you least expect it. And the least expected occurred when he shuffled through the front door.
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Fishing for moms as anglers
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5.11.2008 : 12:19 am
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Behind and beside every good angler, and even those anglers that are really bad, is a mom. Too often we align fathers and sons and daughters as the proverbial example of an angling family. The image of a young kid from Mayberry strolling along a gravel road with his badge toting father is the image most conjure when they think of taking a child fishing.
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Hawkins: Fishing season begins with a tangled line
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5.3.2008 : 11:42 pm
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I stand before an assortment of collectibles.
It is late in the day and the warmth of the sun from the sky has stirred me.
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Hawkins: Luck and awe with the outdoors
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4.26.2008 : 11:47 pm
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The bird glided against a pristine Carolina blue sky. From right to left, surfing the currents of the wind, I followed its course. I was looking skyward to something I've never seen. Before me, an albino red-tailed hawk danced in the wind.
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A tear and a feather
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4.12.2008 : 11:09 pm
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The ground by the grave marker was dry.
The last name on the marker was the same as mine. You are humbled when you read your last name on a grave marker, trust me. Below the marker, a date of birth and a date of death were engraved. Life is unpredictable on occasion and too short when unpredictable.
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Hawkins: Advertising places for hunters, anglers
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4.5.2008 : 10:57 pm
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Recently my family traveled to the great Midwest, specifically, Oklahoma.
Our purpose for travel was to introduce a new generation to a not-so-new generation.
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Hawkins: Turkey hunting mostly about the gobble
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3.29.2008 : 11:50 pm
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It was 6 a.m. Sunday morning as I stood in the backyard of my home.
Craning my head to hear, I removed the hood from my head. For twenty minutes I stood.
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Walking softly as a gun owner
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3.23.2008 : 12:36 am
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Walk softly and carry a big stick.
Most of us have heard this phrase, a phrase that instills confidence and courage.
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A life path that leads to a hill
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3.16.2008 : 12:34 am
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Occasionally I find that, to appreciate the outdoors, one must be humbled by what is not found in the outdoors.
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Hawkins: Celebrating the diversity of hunting
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3.9.2008 : 1:04 am
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ou may or may not know the following characters, even though they may be fictional.
Stewart is 45 years old. He is married, his wife is a homemaker, and they have two boys in middle school.
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Hawkins: We are all predators
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3.2.2008 : 12:06 am
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The outdoors in March represents one of the most challenging months to write about for an outdoors writer.
This is a time of transition for outdoor folks, and a time to plan and look forward to April's warmth, the rise of a spawning bass and the sounding call of a lovesick turkey.
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Hawkins: A good dog Sam
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2.24.2008 : 12:11 am
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Gene Solomon said this of Sam, "On days that were bad, I would go to the pen, which is almost my entire back yard, and lay on the ground with Sam and hold and rub him. I'd go out there when it was dark, when I hurt, during depression and when I was lonely. I cried to him and laughed with him."
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Not just a dog
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2.10.2008 : 12:27 am
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He had not slept now three nights in a row. His gait was unsteady. His eyes were weak and tinged with streaks of red. Across his chin and cresting to his cheeks, the stubble of a forgotten shave shadowed pale skin.
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Hunting not measured just in the harvest
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2.2.2008 : 10:41 pm
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Surrounding this column are sure to be stories and commentary on why teams may have lost or should have lost.
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Hawkins: A snow connoisseur
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1.26.2008 : 9:58 pm
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Sometimes you just have to get outside. There is a thirst inside my body that likes to be quenched. Luckily, the thirst I maintain is one for the outdoors.
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Hawkins: Going for a nice winter journey
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1.19.2008 : 11:29 pm
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The 20 minute walk from my home barely drew a bead of sweat. I was deep in a stand of timber that resembled a wooden skeleton. It is quiet here.
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It starts with squirrel
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1.13.2008 : 12:00 am
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Nobody really hunts squirrels anymore.
You won’t find television shows or new products on the market that give an edge to squirrel hunters.
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Hawkins: Where I come from
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1.5.2008 : 10:12 pm
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Where I come from, the smell of cured tobacco rides an afternoon wind. The wind must be from the west, entering through an open door at the apex of a hand-laid wooden barn.
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Hunting for balance
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12.29.2007 : 7:37 pm
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I was twenty feet up a cedar tree last week when I summarized the year outdoors.
I replayed specific events, noted moments, priceless opportunities, and the highs and lows of the year.
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Gift of respect
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12.22.2007 : 11:51 pm
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The wheels had barely stopped when he opened his car door.
"Son, please wait until we stop before getting out -- it's dangerous," his mother asked.
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Hawkins: The Caldwell Hunt
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12.15.2007 : 11:51 pm
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The following is the fourth in a series highlighting handicapped hunters who participated in the Caldwell Community Hunt on Nov. 15-17.
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The Hunt for Freedom: Part III
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12.8.2007 : 11:26 pm
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This is the third installment in a series, highlighting handicapped hunters who participated in the Caldwell Community Hunt on Nov. 15-17.
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Hunting for freedom: Part II
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12.2.2007 : 12:37 am
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This is second in a series, profiling hunters participating in the 1st Annual Caldwell Community Hunt with the Caldwell Hunting Club, November 15-17, 2007. These hunters are citizens or veterans with permanent or severe injury wounds that changed my vision of freedom and the outdoors. This is their story.
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Hunting for freedom with a paralyzed Marine
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11.24.2007 : 9:27 pm
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hawkinsoutdoors@msn.com -- This is first in a series, profiling hunters participating in the Inaugural Caldwell Hunt with the Caldwell Hunting Club November 15-17. These hunters are citizens or veterans with permanent or severe injury wounds that changed my vision of freedom and the outdoors. This is their story.
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Hunting for freedom
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11.17.2007 : 10:16 pm
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hawkinsoutdoors@msn.com -- Freedom is a powerful word.
History on this continent and around the globe hinges on the swinging door of freedom.
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Hunting for native integrity
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11.10.2007 : 8:51 pm
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There was a time when integrity and hunting were synonymous. From the early annals of history through modern times, integrity always accompanied hunters.
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Hunters: Pump your fist inside, please!
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11.4.2007 : 12:08 am
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I found myself on the couch recently nursing a sick 4-year old. Our oldest, was sent home from school early that day, "He's with fever," said his pleasant teacher. From school to the local MD to the drug store and then to a vanilla milkshake, our travels ended with the two of us sitting on the couch. We don't watch TV often; just when we are sick or it's raining (again, not often).
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HAWKINS: Messages from the wind
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10.27.2007 : 11:29 pm
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I got a message from the wind late this past week.
The message, wrapped in an envelope of cooler temperatures with a stamp of falling leaves, told me something I've known for nearly 27 days: October has arrived.
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Not all of life's worth is measured in dollars
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10.20.2007 : 6:31 pm
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Instead of grabbing the cookies from the table and tossing his books to the floor in a rush, the boy walked past the kitchen and into the living room.
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HAWKINS: In desperate need of rain
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10.14.2007 : 12:18 am
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The dust from my footsteps told a mournful story. With every step I took, clouds of virgin soil rose and drifted away.
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Hawkins: Remembering Willie Lee
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10.7.2007 : 12:30 am
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The young fellow looked up from his sandwich as the screen door slammed shut.
His dad entered the porch and greeted his son and wife with a subdued hello.
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HAWKINS: Another fall option
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9.29.2007 : 9:21 pm
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I waited patiently in the shade of the maple studying every detail of the field. This was a field where corn once stood -- the golden hue of stover painting poetic backdrops against the blue Carolina skies.
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HAWKINS: Outdoors with Elmer Fudd
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9.23.2007 : 12:34 am
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I’ll admit to being a fan of Elmer Fudd.
This nimrod was a dedicated hunter in search of that famed, “rascally rabbit.” Yet, despite his best intentions, Ol’ Bugs Bunny always gave him the slip.
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In pursuit of a true challenge
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9.8.2007 : 9:31 pm
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Of all the receipts we inherit from the outdoors, none is as great as the pursuit of a challenge.
Take away the reasons you hunt or fish. Remove all outside influences.
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Summer passage: Part VIII
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9.1.2007 : 10:22 pm
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It happens in a pasture along a fence row just below a walnut tree.
It happens on the edge of a pond where towering pines provide little shade from the burning image to the west.
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Planning ahead changes outdoor experience
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8.25.2007 : 9:57 pm
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If the wind is blowing in a favorable direction, you may smell it.
If the sounds of society grow uncharacteristically hush, you may hear it.
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Outdoor legend to speak at sportsman's banquet
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8.18.2007 : 9:02 pm
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It isn't often that local hunters and anglers have a venue in which to gather and meet.
Routinely we find company at usual locations like stores, tailgates, a gate, the boat ramp, and occasionally a back porch.
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Hawkins: The lesson that keeps on teaching
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8.12.2007 : 12:16 am
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A raspy voice to his teary eyed son, “now, take your fishin’ pole.”
The image of a great man fighting for life was cemented in his mind late that night. For the next three days amid preparations, hugs, baskets of fried chicken and pie, he tried to distract himself from the emptiness that was burning in his chest.
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It's never too early to develop hunter safety
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8.5.2007 : 12:31 am
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I was in Dave Gibbs class at Orange High School the first time I saw the dangerous result of a careless hunter.
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Hawkins: Inhale and exhale
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7.28.2007 : 9:49 pm
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From the garage down the road, the mechanic closes his eyes, then he inhales and exhales.
The garage could be in Durham, in Roxboro, behind a building, attached to his home, beside a parts store or simply under a tree. From Monday through Friday, with an occasional Saturday and Sunday by need, this mechanic works. He lies on his back, leans over the grille, pulls transmissions, rotates tires, changes oil, and rebuilds engines.
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Hawkins: A classic reel
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7.21.2007 : 10:02 pm
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Standing in the shadows of a great man, I nervously held the short rod and reel over my right shoulder.
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Angling for a good meal?
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7.7.2007 : 11:18 pm
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Few anglers these days practice the art of fishing as sustenance.
Rightly so, we have trained our wasteful ways to adapt a catch phrase of "catch and release."
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A cheerful toast to The Antler Shed
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6.30.2007 : 11:59 pm
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Cabela’s carved its way into the outdoor equipment world from its humble beginnings in Sidney, Neb. In the shadow of big trees and deep woods of Freeport Maine, L.L. Bean created clothing and outdoor gear that helped hunters and anglers alike, hunt and fish better — or at least do so with better style.
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A walk, a farm and a fine harverst
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6.23.2007 : 10:30 pm
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Sunrise came early for the farmer.
By the early break of dawn over the eastern sky, he was walking the dusty road to retrieve the morning paper. His steps followed a familiar path that he traversed from childhood through his middle adult years. This was a time for brief reflection for him, on this walk to the end of the road.
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The woes of the beached angler
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6.17.2007 : 12:12 am
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About this time each year many of us make tracks to the beach.
For most this is the promise land where warmth, sand and the wasting of time occupies us for a week or a weekend.
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Hawkins: Into the blue
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6.9.2007 : 10:55 pm
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I've seen drama. I've seen every element of man's emotions from happiness to joy.
I've seen a great struggle, a valiant fight, and a glance skyward for reason. I've seen respect and admiration and laughter and compassion.
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Memories of misadventure on the coast
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6.3.2007 : 12:05 am
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Of the many adventures and misadventures that I have witnessed, the most memorable have occurred on the coast of North Carolina. It is there, where big water meets historic sands and a thousand coves and backwater hides hold fish and hidden treasure alike that I find even distant memories alive today.
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Hawkins: When fishing was fishing
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5.26.2007 : 11:59 pm
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The mail doesn't run on Memorial Day.
So when the rural carrier tapped on the door that Monday morning, she was surprised to find a letter home.
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Sportsmanship at dusk
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5.20.2007 : 12:08 am
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Much is written about how our days begin outdoors.
We speak of awakening well before the sun teases the Eastern sky, when civilized people are asleep. We talk of early morning encounters when game and fish are hungry and moving, thus rewarding our predawn presence.
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Salute to mothers who encourage outdoorsmen
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5.13.2007 : 12:27 am
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For all that is written in these pages each Sunday, it's less my experiences in the outdoors that speaks than the stern direction of a good woman.
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Hawkins: The sweet sound of the wild turkey
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5.6.2007 : 12:45 am
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Off to my left, there are birds I cannot identify singing.
At first, the sounds are solitary, and then they multiply as other birds join.
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"Come fish with me, Polly"
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4.28.2007 : 11:56 pm
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"Come fish with me, Polly."
It was after midnight on the fourth floor of the hospital. The hallway was dim, yet a light shown from an open door by the steps at the end of the hall.
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Fishing always is fun, but ...
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4.22.2007 : 12:21 am
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Inside the aluminum hull, I had placed three rods, a tackle box, a frozen bottle of water and a can of worms.
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Hawkins: Passion, pursuit
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4.14.2007 : 11:37 pm
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hawkinsoutdoors@msn.com -- The phone calls began in earnest three weeks ago. Over the past week, in checkout lines, at the tire store, at two restaurants during a meal, and while running the treadmill, someone brought it up.
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Passing down traditions
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4.8.2007 : 12:08 am
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The first Saturday in April this year was designated as "Youth Turkey Day" in North Carolina. This special day presented the opportunity to take a child out to hunt for America's greatest game -- the wild turkey.
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The rebirth of the outdoors in springtime
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4.1.2007 : 12:03 am
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Rejuvenation: In the outdoors, many of us find it in the pursuit of game and fish. From season to season, journey to journey, and across our outdoor milestones, we get invigorated with each trip we make.
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Hawkins: Anglers, hunters are athletes
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3.24.2007 : 11:08 pm
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You will not find us in Cameron Indoor Stadium, between the hashes on Soldier Field, down the third base line at Fenway Park or even on the west side at East Carolina's Dowdy-Ficklen stadium.
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Hawkins: The other March madness
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3.18.2007 : 12:42 am
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There will be no bracketology. There will be no Cinderella story. There will be no 16-over-1 upset. And, certainly, there will be no sweet, elite, or final anything.
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The tragedy of the lost dog on point
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3.4.2007 : 12:14 am
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Great mystery writers pride themselves on their ability to leave an audience in suspense throughout and at the completion of a book.
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Mourning the loss of a tradional hunt for a covey of quail
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2.25.2007 : 12:21 am
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Did you know that the obituary page is the most-read section of the daily newspaper?
From the obituary pages, we carefully review death notices, study genealogies and even make plans to bring warm casseroles and sweets to nourish mournful souls. I routinely have read obituaries in my lifetime to check on whether there has been the passing of someone I know.
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Hawkins: Craving the outdoors while stuck at home
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2.18.2007 : 12:39 am
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The pain of boredom eventually overtakes us all.
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Hawkins: For Pops, there had to be one last hunting trip with his dogs
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2.3.2007 : 11:13 pm
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In the end, disease brought him into this final place of rest.
On the southwest side of the wing, at the end of the third floor, two nurses wheeled his gurney into a dark and cold room. He was the only one in this double room, and so without asking, they chose the side with the window.
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Spending time scouting in an unusually warm season
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1.28.2007 : 12:05 am
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I suppose it's been the weather -- something about the lack of cold days this past December and the dander of snow that fell upon the landscape. Then, just this week, as I scanned the headlines of a Jan. 25 newspaper, I looked up and saw a cherry tree starting to bloom.
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Best days in woods spent without purpose
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1.21.2007 : 12:09 am
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From atop the hill, only two things were visible -- his breath meeting the cold air and a warming glow from the east. A blanket of quiet and calm covered the earth.
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Hawkins: Recollections of a loyal friend
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1.14.2007 : 12:01 am
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It was on a warm spring day back in 1993 when I picked my most loyal friend. He was furry, black and white, with six black dots on the left side of his nose. He stood low to the ground and had brown eyes that demanded love from friend and stranger alike.
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Hawkins: Lifelong friends from the fields
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12.30.2006 : 10:36 pm
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A faded photograph is proof that one friend placed me in the saddle of a horse for the first time at the age of three.
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Hawkins: How Walt would have wanted it
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12.24.2006 : 12:12 am
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Writer’s note: This is the second in a two-part series. To read the first part, please go to www.heraldsun.com/sports/outdoors.
The graveside service was held at just past three o’clock in the afternoon.
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Hawkins: Tracks in the snow
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12.16.2006 : 11:40 pm
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Writer's note: I annually provide a column at this time of year that reflects the spirit of the outdoors and the spirit of the season. I hope you enjoy this first part and the conclusion on Christmas Eve.
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Hawkins: Nothing beats a warm meal
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12.14.2006 : 11:09 pm
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We've all been there before, staring through the dim light, surveying the area and waiting for our reward to arrive.
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Hawkins: Rekindling the thrill of the hunt
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12.10.2006 : 1:04 am
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It was a personal goal set way back in January of last year. Fresh off what was a good season of hunting deer, I felt there was something missing.
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Hawkins: For Renn, taxidermy is about more than mounting prize catch
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12.3.2006 : 1:01 am
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Preserving hunting memories and milestones is an age-old tradition for hunters.
History tells us that hieroglyphics were used to illustrate successful bounty. Our past shows us that jewelry crafted from hunted game frequently adorned hunters. And throughout time, hunters who could not paint or craft used the power of written expression to describe encounters with trophy game and even dangers from each continent.
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Hawkins: Camping out where it counts
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11.26.2006 : 12:09 am
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Certainly, your eyes and ears have been inundated in recent days with the sights and sounds of the holidays.
While you may think I am drawing reference to carolers, decorated trees and a guy clad in red with a belly that shakes, the sights and sounds I refer to are the persuasive ads and jingles meant to spur purchases and the spending of money.
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Cold comfort in the woods
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11.18.2006 : 9:36 pm
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"It's cold."
At some point in your life as a hunter, you have heard that phrase, and you will certainly hear it again in the future.
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What's in store for the future?
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11.11.2006 : 11:34 pm
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It was the only place around where a hunter could buy a can of gas, a tin of Vienna sausages and some crackers and down a bottle of cold Coca- Cola.
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Hawkins: Traditional hunt
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11.5.2006 : 12:26 am
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The cadence of rings from the faded brass alarm clock eventually woke him from deep sleep.
Straining to make out the time was unimportant as he trusted this "ticking" relic of the past. Within the darkness of the plank-board hallway, his eyes trained attention to the fullness of the moon while his senses swayed him to stoke the embers from last night's fire.
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Hawkins: Traditionalist at day's dawn
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10.22.2006 : 12:42 am
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"Footsteps in the frost are reserved to only lucky mortals."
The framed print was placed just to the left of the handcrafted door molding, hung from an old rusted nail. It was the image of a duck hunter and his old lab, walking away from a cabin and into the darkness. A full moon shone on their footsteps.
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Hawkins: Lack of time always a problem
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10.8.2006 : 12:41 am
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The late Johnny Cash sang about an old grandfather clock in one of his songs. With that unmistakable tone in his voice, Cash repeated the line, "Tic-tock. Tic-tock." These days, many hunters might be hearing the same sounds.
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Hawkins: First day of October always memorable
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9.30.2006 : 11:56 pm
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DURHAM -- Special times outdoors range from early morning walks through the woods, when a modest snow has fallen the night before, to a random walks to the water on spring mornings, when the bass can fall prey to an angler's trickery.
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Hawkins: Nothing beats a simple bedtime tale from a hunter
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9.23.2006 : 9:20 pm
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For every hunter and angler, there exists on paper and in conversation, countless reasons for why they hunt and fish. For this hunter and angler, my reasons for hunting and fishing could be interpreted as obsessive-compulsive behavior that frequently and consistently overtakes my life.
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Hawkins: Archery hunting offers challenge
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9.16.2006 : 10:52 pm
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Perspiration ran down my arm and towards my wrist. When I brushed it away from my watch, I noted the time -- just shy of 4 o'clock.
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Hawkins: Doves mark end of summer
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9.9.2006 : 11:53 pm
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DURHAM -- At some point, between tackling the debate about Sunday hunting, organizing fall fishing plans, tuning a bow and looking for a hat, I managed to get out and dove hunt this past week.
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Hawkins: Sunday hunting a matter of faith?
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9.3.2006 : 12:25 am
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Usually, I reserve the first Sunday in September for reflections about the opening of dove season, but this year, the season starts with discussion of a controversy instead.
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Hawkins: The Sunday hunting debate still raging
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8.26.2006 : 11:35 pm
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The year was 1868. Game and fish abounded in this seemingly young country known as the United States. It was the year our 15th President, James Buchanan, died; the year Andrew Johnson was acquitted by one vote in the Senate for impeachment; and the year Ulysses S. Grant defeated Horatio Seymour for the Presidency. Wyoming became a U.S.territory, Memorial Day was first observed and Mardis Gras became the first parade to use floats.
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Hawkins: A little competition
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8.19.2006 : 11:20 pm
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DURHAM -- We've all tried various forms of motivation. We offer cookies to get a child to clean a room. We pick up the tab at lunch for a potential business partner. And we dangle roses before our spouses' eyes to convince them that a fishing trip next weekend is a worthy cause.
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Hawkins: Annual respects paid to fly fishing
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8.13.2006 : 12:02 am
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Out of all the adventures that I seem to find, none strikes me as humorous or as technically challenging as my attempts to catch a fish on a fly.
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Hawkins: Fond remembrances of an old fishing rod
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8.5.2006 : 11:53 pm
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I'm often intrigued by what anglers keep in tackle boxes, tool boxes and the various other boxes on the shelves in the garage.
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Hawkins: Fishing near old cabin still brings back memories
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7.29.2006 : 11:38 pm
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Sounding like the cadence of a woodpecker on a hickory trunk, the rain taps upon the rusty tin roof.
It is August, and summer's wrath reigns. But thanks to the early morning storm, you feel relief from the heat and misery.
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Hawkins: Water's reflection
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7.22.2006 : 11:45 pm
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DURHAM -- The reflection of the two occupants is plainly seen behind the dirty, sun-glared windshield.
As the truck slowly wrestles through each rut and dip of the road, the sound of old shocks and an aged chassis disturbs this section of land.
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Hawkins: Anglers' debates rage on between bites
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7.16.2006 : 12:01 am
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DURHAM -- Debates come up among friends and foes all the time.
Are you a Ford or Chevy guy? Duke or Carolina? Republican or Democrat? Is the glass half-full or half-empty? And on and on.
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Hawkins: The small moments of summer
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7.8.2006 : 11:30 pm
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DURHAM -- Summer is the time where we dive into chlorinated water amidst the aroma of aloe and coconut oil. It's the time that we sip lemonade while sitting in rocking chairs on the front porch, counting cars as they pass in the late evening.
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Hawkins: Reel Time's happy ending
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7.2.2006 : 12:28 am
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DURHAM -- In last week's column, I re-introduced you to the crew of the Reel Time, who competed in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament two weeks ago in Morehead City.
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Hawkins: Six men trying for a piece of fishing glory
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6.25.2006 : 12:43 am
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Editor's note: This is the first in a two-part column. The second half will appear next Sunday.
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Outdoors: Unforgettable lake
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6.18.2006 : 12:07 am
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DURHAM -- It was a typical summer afternoon, with barely a breeze and the heat and humidity heading for triple digits.
I was about to step into my first "John Boat" for what promised to be the first of many trips in the vessel.
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Still in search of the fish of your dreams?
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6.11.2006 : 1:12 am
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DURHAM -- For most local anglers, catching the fish of your dreams is a lifelong pursuit. Regardless of the species, the size or the location, you fish every fish until the "dream fish" takes the bait.
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Hawkins: Have to start somewhere
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6.4.2006 : 12:19 am
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DURHAM -- In every angler's life, there has to be a beginning, a time when the common toys, games and activities are replaced by another of life's necessities: fishing.
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Hawkins: Use the force -- but don't forget worms
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5.28.2006 : 12:39 am
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DURHAM -- It is said that we all remember our first experiences of something.
Anglers certainly recall their first trip to the water's edge, the first time they pulled a five-pound bass from the farm pond down the road, the first
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Hawkins: Bait shop with a soul
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5.14.2006 : 12:43 am
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DURHAM -- On the winding road of life, one occasionally happens across a place, moment or setting that demands a respite. You find yourself surrounded by something greater than you imagined, lost in nostalgia and welcomed by strangers ? and all because you just happen to carry a rod and reel.
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Hawkins: Eyes on the prize
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5.6.2006 : 5:58 pm
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DURHAM -- Historically, columns appearing on this page during the first week of May have been tales of "close calls" and "almost" when speaking of hunting wild turkey.
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Hawkins: It's only a matter of time
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4.30.2006 : 12:51 am
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Several variables factor in to your success or failure in the outdoors -- although it depends on what you mean by "failure."
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Hawkins: The history and condition of Falls Lake
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4.23.2006 : 12:22 am
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Anglers have long known that some of the best fishing in the area is located at Falls Lake.
For the crappie angler, nothing is finer than moving into a quaint cover on the upper end of the lake and pulling 10 slabs off the east bank in under an hour.
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Hawkins: Coyotes ruining turkey season?
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4.15.2006 : 11:40 pm
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DURHAM -- In the animated world of cartoons, the coyote is most famous for not getting the bird.
"Beep Beep?." went the bird as it avoided traps, trickery and the amateur hunting skills deployed by the bumbling Wile E. Coyote.
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Hawkins: Lessons learned from the turkey
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4.2.2006 : 12:25 am
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DURHAM -- The first weekend of April means the pinnacle of all times to be outdoors is upon us. Reports from the water, both fresh and salty, indicate that hungry fish are biting enticing baits. Fishing soon will dominate and encapsulate this space for the warmer months to come, but we must pay attention and homage to the turkey season that is upon us.
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Hawkins: Bass madness
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3.26.2006 : 12:30 am
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DURHAM -- For the college basketball enthusiast, the sounds of March are like reaching that proverbial sports mountain. For eleven months out of the year, life is traversed in a methodical and mundane fashion as these "zombie" types awaken for the madness known as March.
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Hawkins: Falling for Falls
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3.19.2006 : 1:03 am
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DURHAM -- You usually don't read about falling in love in an outdoors column, and ordinarily I'm not the one to give advice on the subject.
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Hawkins: Fishing anxiety?
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3.12.2006 : 12:21 am
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Anxiety is a medical term that may be defined as an unpleasant emotion associated with the anticipation of misfortune. Anticipation, depending upon context, is an act of predicting or expecting "something" to occur or happen.
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Hawkins: A Turkey Day in March
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3.5.2006 : 12:24 am
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March, to a hunter or angler, is like the preseason basketball tournaments in November.
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Hawkins: Ducks Unlimited about more than birds
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2.26.2006 : 12:22 am
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The word "unlimited" conjures up the image of an eternal or overabundant supply.
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All walks of life gather at Southern National hunt
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2.19.2006 : 12:21 am
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DURHAM -- The setting sun provided the only movement on this late February afternoon, and from the moment I stepped out of my truck, the evening air was filled with the baritone howl of hounds.
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Hawkins: A different kind of hunt
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2.12.2006 : 12:37 am
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While the regulations digest clearly identifies in print the season openings and closings, there is another season that deserves your best hunting skills.
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Hawkins: Old boxtrap holds cherished memories
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2.4.2006 : 11:45 pm
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DURHAM --
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Hawkins: The perfect birthday gift
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1.29.2006 : 12:45 am
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A long, long time ago, in an era known as the 1970s, an important date occurred in my life.
On Jan. 29, 1972, a young family drove through the snow and found themselves in the delivery room at what was then called the Watts Hospital in Durham.
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Hawkins: Celebrating the squirrel
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1.22.2006 : 12:18 am
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At one time, the squirrel was the most pursued game in North America.
A plentiful game year-round, it warmed many bellies on cold January nights and filled many pots of stew at harvest time each fall.
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Hawkins: Hunting on Sunday?
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1.14.2006 : 10:46 pm
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DURHAM -- Have you ever wondered how the seasons and regulations for game and fish are established? Have you ever wished to voice your thoughts and opinions on hunting, fishing and the outdoors?
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Hawkins: Pondering good times in January
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1.8.2006 : 12:04 am
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Throughout my years in the outdoors, I have found that January is the appropriate month to assess where I have been and to plan for the future.
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Hawkins: A passion rediscovered
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12.24.2005 : 5:29 pm
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Editor's note: This is the second in a two-part series.
With the truck lumbering slowly across the bridge, Ben cleared his throat and said to his grandson, "What do you know about a dog?"
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Hawkins: Belle's Bridge
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12.17.2005 : 8:35 pm
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DURHAM -- Editor's note: This is the first in a two-part series.
From atop the old cherry bureau in the corner of the room, the soothing baritone voice from the radio provided the morning weather report.
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Hawkins: An unforgettable day
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12.10.2005 : 8:59 pm
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Sometimes an event occurs in your life that you dare not forget. These events are powerful and life altering, and they demand proper preservation as they are important moments in our lives.
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Hawkins: Peace of mind
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12.4.2005 : 1:00 am
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Look for sanity, and you'll find the outdoors. It's all a state of mind.
Take, for instance, the darkness that a deer hunter faces on cold winter mornings.
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Hawkins: The Thanksgiving hunt
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11.26.2005 : 7:52 pm
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In the outdoors world, we hunt for nostalgia, heritage and tradition.
At no other time in the course of the season are those traditions more evident than at Thanksgiving, from that last serving of pecan pie to the feel of gripping an heirloom shotgun the following morning.
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Hawkins: Finding your way
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11.20.2005 : 12:45 am
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Nothing wakes up the night like the howl of a coon hound on the trail of a masked bandit.
The hollows, ridges and creek bottoms of standing timber are transformed into a chorus of howls and which stimulate man and dog.
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Hawkins: Why it's deer to you
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11.13.2005 : 12:39 am
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In some places in America, they shut down industry and arrange teacher workdays around it. In homes big and small, rented and owned, constructed under renovation, spousal rights and duties will be assigned and challenged because of it.
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Hawkins: Hunt for albacore
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11.6.2005 : 1:00 am
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For an angler, the pinnacle of all dreams is to stand above a feeding frenzy of fish and cast empty hooks into starving mouths. Cast follows cast as our dream species of fish engulfs and pulls at outstretched arms and nibbles at a well-fed soul for years to come. In short, we anglers live and breathe to find ourselves in a situation, either by accident or skill, where we can do no wrong and hoist fish after fish into either waiting arms or chilled coolers.
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Hawkins: Family unit may be solution to hunters
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10.29.2005 : 11:40 pm
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DURHAM -- With the falling mercury this past week, my mind should have been carried off into hunting rituals of the past -- into favorite deer blinds, duck blinds, behind towering oaks and behind slow-moving beagles.
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Hawkins: Teach the children well
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10.23.2005 : 12:58 am
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The quarterback for the city high school fails to connect on nine out of 10 passes. The point guard in practice dribbles the ball off his left foot each time he crosses over to the right. The pitcher, in the bottom of the seventh inning of the Fall Classic, loads the bases with his fifth wild pitch of the inning.
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Hawkins: Litmus test for hunters
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10.16.2005 : 1:07 am
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One day in science class, the teacher walked in with the lesson of the day.
In his outstretched hand was a thin and narrow piece of paper similar to a match found inside a matchbook. He identified this piece of paper as "litmus paper."
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Hawkins: Anglers have been 'old school' for years
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10.9.2005 : 1:11 am
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The idea of going "retro" has found its way into our culture in recent years. Disco halls in college towns advertise "Retro Night," playing hits from the '70s and '80s. Our clothing style reflects the trends that were popular three decades ago. You can watch "old-school" sports on ESPN Classic.
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Hawkins: Always something to discover
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10.2.2005 : 1:04 am
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The sky looked painfully blue in the late-afternoon light. That was typical for early October, and so was the temperature that peaked in the 70s and dipped into the 60s in the evening.
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Hawkins: Fishing and fellowship
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9.25.2005 : 1:11 am
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Sometimes, you feel humbled by an experience in the outdoors. You go through your list of adjectives -- extraordinary, special and great -- but none seems to fit.
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Hawkins: Bow season is a special time for any deer hunter
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9.18.2005 : 1:14 am
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Like a nervous Little League player in the batter's box, I was eager to see what pitch the final two and a half hours of the day would deliver.
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Hawkins: One trip afield led to lifelong passion
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9.11.2005 : 1:19 am
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It was the summer of 1984 when I first experienced those nerves in my stomach. It was the first time I was allowed to hunt dove alone.
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Hawkins: Revisiting the passage of summer
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9.4.2005 : 12:17 am
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Hunting begins every year at this time. It is a part of the fabric of the outdoors life. Our options are doubled, with hunting and fishing. Doubled, too, is our need to be on the water or in the field.
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Hawkins: Study hard so you can fish harder
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8.28.2005 : 1:25 am
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The vehicle passed by on that late August morning, slowing to a crawl as it rounded the curve. We all knew that seeing that ugly yellow bus meant that school was almost in session.
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Hawkins: Sharing a warm summer evening with some friends
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8.21.2005 : 12:18 am
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It was about 7 p.m. last Friday when I shut off the tractor. I had mowed most of the afternoon, and the last amount of perspiration was drying on my face.
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Hawkins: One halibut of a trip
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8.13.2005 : 8:35 pm
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DURHAM -- In this column in the past few months, I have chronicled anglers young and old -- families and strangers and even a humble 4-year old -- showing off fishing accomplishments. This week, an angler shares his travels to the last frontier in search of fish and back to North Carolina in search of, well, fish.
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Hawkins: 'Big time' angler not necessarily that big
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8.7.2005 : 12:04 am
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When we think of "big-time" sporting events, we think of marquee athletes. They are the ones with the gifted attributes who get on stage all the time and perform at a high level to compete and win.
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Hawkins: Fishing for an audience
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7.30.2005 : 5:06 pm
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Your average Major League Baseball player is used to catching a pop-up fly in right-center under the watchful eyes of thousands of fans. A NASCAR driver is accustomed to circling the track while millions of fans are glued to his number. And for the PGA golfer on the 17th hole, two strokes down, making an eagle putt as fans assume a "hush" is just a part of the routine.
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Hawkins: Offshore fishing offers scenes to remember for a lifetime
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7.23.2005 : 7:32 pm
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There is a good chance that either you or some other landlocked citizen you know yearns to live at the beach. It's a place where you imagine the sun to be always shining in a cloudless sky, the sand littered with unique shells and the blue waves splashing.
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Hawkins: Fishing is more than reeling in the big one
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7.16.2005 : 11:44 pm
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DURHAM -- Many times on this page, I have written about the associations between life and the outdoors.
What I attempt to bring each week is a glimpse at how anglers, hunters and outdoors enthusiasts live life through being outside.
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Hawkins: Hooked on pan |
