An Anson County deer harvest more special than most

The whitetail doe emerged from the woods and Pete Lee decided to harvest the deer, providing his family a choice of venison for Thanksgiving.

One shot is all it took.

Lee then used a length of nylon cord to safely lower his rifle from a tree stand 12 feet above the ground at the “Over The Hill Gang Hunt Club” property in Anson County.

Then he began the descent as a family member watched from a distance. Together they retrieved the deer’s carcass and soon began the dressing process.

Lee had driven that morning from his home in Charlotte to the location of the club, which he has led as president for 35 years.

Lee, worship pastor at Bethel Baptist Church for 50 years, greeted other club members, including his son James Lee and grandson Brace. In keeping with tradition, he led the men in prayer.

Then it was on to his ATV four-wheeler for a ride to the tree stand, which Lee ascended somewhat readily, according to an email from a family member relating the story. He used the nylon line to pull up his rifle, just as hunting safety experts recommend, and began the wait for game to appear.

Why is this story remarkable?

Pete Lee is 91 years old. Tom Higgins

Gastonia trio wins catfish tourney at Wylie

The bite was off a bit Saturday by Lake Wylie catfish standards.

Even so, the Team Good Times trio of Caleb Sturgis and Gary Morton Sr., and Gary Morton Jr., managed to boat the Catawba Catfish Club limit of three fish. The total weight of 70 pounds was good enough to win a club tournament and $1,350 for the Gastonians.

Finishing a close second with 69.7 pounds was the duo of Dale and Daniel Sturgis, who won $810. Third were Brandon Miller and Justin Barger, who received $546 for their catch weighing 67.95 pounds.

Anglers fishing from 31 boats took part in the tournament on a chilly, windy day. TH

Catches of the week

▪  A 30-pound wahoo off Ocean Isle by 9-year-old Mason Owens.

▪  Five king mackerel scaling 20 to 35 pounds boated by Mike Bonner, Dale Hall and Joe Zurad while fishing at the Shallotte Ledge.

▪  Sailfish boated and released off Hatteras Village by Adam Clough of Windsor and Mark Broom of Wake Forest.

▪  A 40-pound king mackerel off Hatteras by Hunter Hairr of Salemburg.

▪  A 38-pound king mackerel off Hatteras by Jared Green of Watha.

▪  A potential N.C. record white marlin of 128 pounds off Hatteras by a party fishing from the Fin Again with skipper Kenny Koci. The listed record for white marlin is 118 pounds, a catch off Oregon Inlet that dates to 1976.

▪  A 6 1/2-pound speckled trout in the surf at Kitty Hawk by Bob Rickenbaugh.

▪  A mixed limit of five smallmouth and spotted bass during successive days at Fontana Lake by Charles Lane of Robbinsville. The fish struck War Eagle spinnerbaits cast to points.

This story was originally published November 18, 2015 at 11:21 AM with the headline "An Anson County deer harvest more special than most."