Hunting, fishing on posted land? Get written permission

A new North Carolina law requires hunters and anglers to obtain written permission from a landowner or leaseholder before hunting or fishing on privately owned posted property - including land, waters, ponds or legally established waterfowl blinds.

The Landowner Protection Act also provides two ways to post land: by using vertical purple paint marks on posts or trees, or, as in the past, by placing signs or posters.

The act specifically relates only to hunting, fishing, or trapping on posted lands. It clarifies an existing requirement for written consent by specifying that written permission, dated within the past 12 months and signed by the landowner, leaseholder, or agent of that land, be carried and displayed upon request of any law enforcement officer. If a hunting club has leased the land, a person shall have a copy of their hunting club membership and a copy of the landowner permission granted to that hunting club.

The Landowner Protection Act does not change general trespass laws.

The act takes effect on Oct. 1. Violation is a Class 2 misdemeanor. Observer News Service

Scamp, triggerfish, state records certified

There are two new listings among South Carolina's saltwater fishing records - for scamp and queen triggerfish.

The scamp was caught June 14 by angler Ross Holmquist of Beaufort, S.C., and a tie for state record queen triggerfish was caught June 15 by James Hunter Woodberry of Lake City, SC.

Holmquist was fishing aboard No Worries with boat owner Mike Sackman of Beaufort when he caught the record-breaking scamp about 45 miles offshore. Back at Port Royal Landing Marina, the fish was weighed in at 26 pounds, 15 ounces. It beat the previous record, set in 2007, by 1 pound, 6 ounces.

The record queen triggerfish was caught off Georgetown by Woodbury, 12, while fishing from a boat owned and skippered by his dad, Tony.

He hooked his big fish near the popular Georgetown Hole while fishing in 175 feet of water.

His catch weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces, beating the 5-year-old record by 1.88 ounces, but falling short of the 4 ounces required to supplant a historic record. Hunter now shares the mark in the listings. ONS

Eggert, Hansen win shooting club's 'Sizzler'

David Eggert of Tega Cay and Peter Hansen of Mint Hill are the champions in the Charlotte Rifle & Pistol Club's "Summer Sizzler Protector Shoot" at the organization's range near Waxhaw.

The two shattered 46 of 50 clay targets.

Don Rouse of Monroe and Tom Monzitta of Greenville, S.C., finished second with 43 of 50.

"In a protector shoot, a team of two fires at targets from the 27 yard line," explained club official Jerry Levan. "A clay target is called for and the designated first contestant shoots. If he misses, his partner may shoot and if he misses the target is lost. Kicker is, if the first shooter breaks the target and the second shooter still shoots it is lost also. It's great fun. Tom Higgins

Catches of the week

A 57-inch tarpon estimated to weigh 100 pounds at Oak Island Pier by Shelby Kotler-Ross, 13, of Concord.

Two sand tiger sharks, measuring 9 feet and 6 feet, in the surf at Duck by Scott Wahl, fishing from the beach.

Limits of 10 hybrids each on three successive evenings at Lake Thurmond by Henry Newton of Mint Hill and his grandson Blake Russ, 10, of Matthews.

A 5-pound, 5-ounce largemouth bass at Union County's Lake Lee by Wes Brooks of Monroe.

Limits of trout up to 5 pounds on several successive nights while fishing against the dam at Fontana Lake by Rosie and Jim Warren of Graham County.

A sailfish boated and released off Hatteras Village by Duane Boston of Claremont.

Sheepshead of 9 and 8 pounds, respectively, at Oregon Inlet by Eric Baughn and Caleb Moore.

Twenty-two dolphin and three sailfish by a party trolling from the Critter Gitter off Georgetown, S.C. The sailfish were released.