Big Fish Big Bucks Fishing Derby on Lake Marion, SC

Looking ahead, the Big Fish Big Bucks Fishing Derby sponsored by Santee Cooper Counties Promotion Commission on Lake Marion, SC, will be held March 28 - April 24. 2016. For more detail, go to www.bigfishbigbucks.com

One daily $100 prize and one weekly $500 prize will be given for the biggest fish of each species: Bass, Crappie, Catfish, and Striper. At the end of the tournament, the overall big fish of each species will win $5,000. If the big fish (daily, weekly, overall) has more than one winner the prize money will be divided evenly. The 4 Grand Prize winners will receive $5,000 - but they are all potentially subject to a polygraph test.

ONLY FISH CAUGHT ON LAKE MARION, LAKE MOULTRIE, AND THE 

DIVERSION CANAL ARE ELIGIBLE FOR PRIZES.

All Derby Participants, 16 and older, must have in their possession a valid South Carolina Fishing License. Children under the age of 16 are not required to have a South Carolina fishing license.

Registration fees: $10 per licensed adult, $5 per child under 16; these tickets are good for the length of the Derby. Fishing with a guide the ticket $5 and good for the length of the hire only. Registration ticket sales begin March 21. Again, for more detail go to www.bigfishbigbucks.com

 

Make sure you also visit the Santee Cooper Country web site at www.santeecoopercountry.org

 

Next Generation 'Smart' Guns are Almost Here

I don't know about you, but I'm in the market for a 'smart' gun. Forget the anti-gun nuts, I need one – even though I'm not quit sure what a 'smart' firearm is exactly. So I just did a little research online.

When I checked Wikipedia, it defined a 'smart' gun as a firearm that includes a safety feature that allow it to fire only when activated by an authorized user. These safety features can prevent misuse, accidental shootings, gun thefts, use of the weapon against the owner, and self-harm. It does this by using RFID chips and/or biometric fingerprint recognition technology.

However, I think Wikipedia's definition is way too limited. It represents the 1^st generation of crude 'smart' gun technology. I want a 'smart' gun that is so much more. Don't you? I don't just want a gun with a chip that simply unlocks the gun. I want a gun with some real sophisticated state-of-the-art 'smart technology'. Imagine a 'smart' weapon that includes:

• A precision tracking system that lets you lock on to a target 1000 feet away with a 'smart' scope and then fires a 'smart' bullet that goes around any obstacle and always scores a hit.
• A capability to detect nearby targets and uses video technology to identify the target, its height, weight, and potential threat level.
• A bluetooth interface to your 'smart' phone and/or 'smart' watch that lets you communicate with your nearby hunting party, in addition to using GPS to identify their positions.
• A capability to operate and be fired remotely, in case a target is detected while you are temporarily preoccupied getting a drink, eating, relieving yourself…

Of course, the 'smart' weapon will also need to have long lasting batteries to power the chips, maybe have a solar power capability, a camera and hard drive to capture your adventure, a small playback screen, a direct interface to the Internet… and what about anti-virus and hacking protection just in case… and an ability to track multiple targets, a capability to fire laser energy bolts. I wonder if the energy bolt could also cook a small target, e.g. bird, squirrel...?

According to an NBC News story, the U.S. Military is already testing TrackingPoint's 'smart rifles'. Unfortunately, these 'smart' rifles currently cost more than $10,000. See TrackingPoint's 'Smart' Precision Tracking Weapon on YouTube.

By now it should be obvious I'm not a hunter or weapons expert and don't really know what I'm talking about – except I do know technology and I'm sure the next generations of 'smart' weapons will contain many of these features.

Selected Links:

Armatix iP1 Cabela's Safe Gun Technology Co. Smart Gun News TrackingPoint Triggersmart

Gun Owners of America National Rifle Association National Shooting Sports Foundation SHOT Show South Carolina Sportsman US Firearms Association

* Read about Hunting Near Lake Marion Near Summerton and Santee, S.C. - and don't forget to also visit the Summerton SC: Nature & Outdoor Recreation web site.