Mount Pleasant Magazine Sept/Oct 2014

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be outside. Without hunters, there would be no
conservation; a lot of people don’t realize that.”
Charlie StapleS
trident emergency physicians
• Emergency Room Physician
Charlie
Staples has
spent a lifetime
hunting. He
began in the
woods of
Columbus,
Georgia, but
in the past
decade he has
hunted near
Huger and
Olar, South
Carolina.
“Hunting helps me get away from the
stress of normal life and enjoy nature,” Staples
explained. “It allows bonding time with my son,
daughter and friends as well as putting food on
the table.”
Staples hunts all things local, including deer,
doves, ducks, wild hogs and alligators.
“Alligator hunting is the most adrenaline
pumping. You are one-on-one, up-close and
personal. It is probably the riskiest hunting you
| | 42
Camaraderie of Hunting
Kenneth Cordray
Cordray’s Taxidermy, Cordray Farms and
Cordray’s Processing • Owner
Kenneth Cordray grew
up watching and learning
from his father process-
ing animals and has
now taken his love of
all things wild to a new
avenue: taxidermy.
“When I was about 4
years old, we would have
deer travel through our
backyard, and I couldn’t
get enough of them,” said
Cordray. “That was when
my father figured I was
ready to go hunting, and I haven’t stopped since.”
While attending Clemson University, Cordray appren-
ticed under a taxidermist before starting his own business
in 2007.
“I would work before, between and after classes. I was
always busy,” he remembered.
His specialties include deer, fox, coyote, alligator and
wild hog.
“I also see a lot of ducks because of our proximity to
the A.C.E. Basin,” he explained.
Cordray has advice for hunters who wish to harvest or
have their animal mounted.
“Know where to cut when skinning so the mount is
in great shape when you bring it in. Also, get the animal
cooled quickly. Gut it within two hours and refrigerate
within four hours,” he said.
Cordray truly lives, works and plays to his passion.
“I live and breathe it. I hunt year-round and am having
fun introducing my two young sons to hunting deer, tur-
key and ducks as well. I feel people hunt for the peace and
quietness. It’s a great way to spend time with family and to
Photo courtesy of Kenneth Cordray.
Photo courtesy of Charlie Staples.
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