Wildlife Resources Commission has everything for your outdoors person

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on November 28, 2008 1:46 PM

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N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission

RALEIGH -- This holiday season, be kind to wildlife and your budget by shopping at www.ncwildstore.com.

The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission's online N.C. Wild Store carries a wide variety of products -- from books to posters to clothes -- that cost under $40. Even better, proceeds from many products go to support a correlating wildlife project or program.

For example, proceeds from the book and CD set "The Frogs and Toads of North Carolina" support projects that benefit nongame wildlife in North Carolina, from bog turtles in western North Carolina to red-cockaded woodpeckers in the Sandhills to loggerhead seaturtles along the coast.

Likewise, sales from the "Trout Fishing Maps of North Carolina" go to the Wildlife Resources Commission's six trout hatcheries and stocking program.

More than 70 products are new this year, while others are perennial favorites that appeal to hunters, anglers and other wildlife enthusiasts of all ages.

One new publication sure to get that avid angler on your gift-giving list off the couch and on the water is the "Fisherman's Guide: Fishes of the Southeastern United States," reprinted from the hugely popular 1984 edition. The 362-page hard-cover book includes information on 250 fish species, their habitats and distribution, and methods of catching and preparing fish. Fish species are beautifully illustrated by renowned wildlife artist Duane Raver.

White-tailed deer hunters will enjoy "Twenty-Five Years of Trophy North Carolina Whitetail Deer: A Compilation of Records, Articles and Photographs" -- a summary of the Dixie Deer Classic trophy deer records from North Carolina from 1981 through 2007. The 103-page paperback, which sells for $15, compiles the data from nearly 11,000 deer and more than 100,000 data points that have been collected for the last 25 years.

Inspire youngsters to get outside and explore nature with "Lost in the Woods -- The Movie." The 40-minute video, which won the Widescreen Panda Award for the best children's wildlife film world-wide, tells the story of an old box turtle and a lost raccoon that discover the magic of spring and learn what happens to a young fawn alone in the woods.

Birders, young and old, will appreciate copies of "The North Carolina Birding Trail -- Coastal Plain Guide" and "The North Carolina Birding Trail -- Piedmont Trail Guide," two publications that highlight 205 favorite birding sites in the Coastal and Piedmont regions.

Both guides are on sale for $10 each.

"We know that folks are tightening their budgets this year, so we have a lot of quality, wildlife-related apparel that is either on sale or priced to sell," said Clayton Wilkes, the Commission's retail business manager. "A sweatshirt silk-screened with a strutting tom turkey painting by Duane Raver is only $20, with proceeds from the sales going to support the Commission's wildlife programs."

New this winter are zip-up hooded fleece jackets in red and black ($25) with matching fleece sweatpants ($19.95), both featuring a silk-screened North Carolina Wildlife design.

In addition to new products, the N.C. Wild Store has available long-time favorites, such as the award-winning magazine, Wildlife in North Carolina ($12 for one year; $30 for three years), and the 2009 Wildlife Calendar ($6), which features 12 months of beautiful wildlife art, a detailed almanac and wildlife-related information and tips.

A lifetime sportsman license is a terrific buy-it-once, buy-it-for-a-lifetime gift. The license, which ranges from $15-675 depending on the age of the licensee, provides a lifetime of hunting and fishing privileges in North Carolina, even if the holder moves out of state.

"Like many other products from the Commission, your purchase of a lifetime license helps fund wildlife conservation efforts that affect everyone," said Theresa Castro, the agency's direct sales manager.