|
By Jamica C. Ashley, The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, N.C.McClatchy-Tribune Regional News Sept. 09--TARBORO -- Does outdoor recreation destination come to mind when people think of Edgecombe County? That's
the sentiment that a handful in Edgecombe County plan to make a reality as more work goes into making the county a tourist stop. Local officials visited one such attraction Wednesday afternoon to get more of a concrete idea of the county's untapped resources. Huckleberry Ridge Hunting Preserve on U.S. 258 is one of 10 hunting outfitters in the county that allows patrons to pay to hunt and experience what some believe makes Edgecombe County unique. "It's more than just hunting," said Eric Evans, community development administrator for Edgecombe County Housing and Economic Development. "It's getting away from home and being able to help all of the county's hunting outfitters by tying them in with other activities." Evans along with Tarboro-Edgecombe Chamber of Commerce President Bobbie Martin and Scott Kiser, soil conservationist with the Edgecombe County Soil and Water Conservancy visited Johnson's preserve to assess what it offered to tourists and how it can be packaged with other pasttimes in the area. Labor Day weekend brought in a few hundred hunters and the ensuing hunting season promises to bring in more each weekend. Huckleberry Ridge offers patron the chance to hunt dove, quail, pheasant, turkey, deer and duck. Bear hunting is available through Huckleberry Ridge's Hyde County location. In addition to hunting, patrons get to stay in the historic Batts House, are provided home cooked meals and other comforts associated with southern hospitality like rocking chairs on the front porch, shady magnolia trees and a quiet place to relax. The hard wood floors dotted with area rugs and the buck, turkey and other animals that decorate the interior of the Batts House remind visitors that hunting is a priority and so is simple living. Joey Godly, farm manager at Huckleberry Ridge, explained that hunters come from as far away as Boston, Canada, New York and Florida to hunt in Edgecombe with equally as good a turnout for the horseback rides across the preserve and along the Tar River. "This is definitely a tourist destination," Godly said. "We have a lot of father-son hunts too." Patron who stay for some of the longer hunting trips are treated to catered meals and can either camp on the grounds the old fashioned way, sleep in their trailers or stay in the Batts House. "This is a locally unknown resource," Kiser said. "There is a lot of misconception that this an old fashioned hunting club but it's not." Most of Huckleberry's clientele comes from out-of-towners, not people within driving distance. "Most local folks have a local place to hunt," said Kiser. An annual draw to Huckleberry Ridge is DaHunt for the Cure, an event that raises money for the National Lukemia and Lymphoma Society. In the three years the event has been in place, $30,000 has been raised. "We want to get more than just one chapter involved," Johnson said. "This is an event that's going to continue to grow." Currently scheduled for Jan. 23-30, this DaHunt for the Cure may be expanded by a week per patron request. In lieu of all that is being offered, Johnson wants those who visit Huckleberry to come back to his preserve but also enjoy Edgecombe County. "We'll do whatever we need to to keep them (hunters/outdoorsmen) happy and occupied," he said. Part of that, Johnson discussed with Martin, is providing activities for the wives and girlfriends of those who come to hunt. This will be part of the job of the tourism office the county is seeking to establish with $30,000 granted by Golden LEAF. Evans said that Huckleberry Ridge and the other hunting outfitters in the county are doing well despite the economy. href="#license-dailysoutherner-x1951975718" id="#license-dailysoutherner-x1951975718"> Copyright 2010 The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. src="http://analytics.apnewsregistry.com/analytics/v2/image.svc/dailysoutherner/RWS/dailysoutherner.com/MAI/dailysouthernerx1951975718/E/Prod/PC/Basic/AT/A" alt="" height="1" width="1" /> ----- To see more of The Daily Southerner or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://dailysoutherner.com/. Copyright (c) 2010, The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544). NYSE:JCI, |
