Hunting Guide Fall 2015

Hunting Guide Fall • 2015

Inside feature: Making the right decisions in the woods/page 16

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

Hunting Guide

Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

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When you should be bowhunting

Timing can be everything

By STEVE SHERK

I

t seems like every archery hunter you talk to says the best time to bowhunt trophy bucks is during the first two weeks of November. In the Northeast, the rut almost always begins sometime in this 14‑day span. This is the time when big bucks are on the move constantly, especially during the daylight hours.

I must say, I myself get really fired up to hunt those first two weeks of November, but I don’t believe it’s the best time to be in the deer woods.

Why not November?

You ask why isn’t early November the number one time to kill a mature buck?

Because at this time bucks are more unpredictable Please see Bowhunting, page 4

The area you hunt may be littered with all kinds of buck sign, but during the heat of the rut, that sign doesn’t always guarantee buck sightings. The pre-rut period is when you should concentrate heavily on filling your tag.

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Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

bowhunting Continued from page 3

than any other time of the year.

The rutting urge causes bucks to leave their main areas in search for estrous does. Breeding is a buck’s main concern during the rut, and a breeder buck will travel great distances in search of mates.

The area you hunt may be littered with all kinds of buck sign, but during the heat of the rut, that sign doesn’t always guarantee buck sightings. The bucks that made the sign you are hunting may be several miles from your location.

Hunting buck sign during the peak of the rut is sort of like being on the trail of a criminal. A good detective knows the best way to catch his criminal is to figure out his next move. During the rut, you can’t predict a buck’s next move!

I don’t want to confuse any-

one about hunting during the rut — it is a time when your odds are extremely good. But it can be tough to figure out just where those bucks will be on a daily basis.

Late October

As I look back at my past bow-

hunting success, I’ve killed more bucks during the latter part of October than at any other time.

I don’t consider this being luck, either. I’ve found there is sort of a magical window of time to be in pursuit of big whitetails and that is the last 10 days of October.

An experienced archer knows

that killing a mature buck during the middle of October is a rare occasion. Most older bucks move very little during the daylight hours at this time. But there is time period during late autumn when bucks start to go crazy waiting for the does to go into heat.

At this time, bucks start getting extremely territorial, constantly making rubs and scrapes. I believe bucks have a sense when does are just getting ready to come into heat — and to me, there is no better time to be on stand than this.

This pre-rut period is when you should concentrate heavily on filling your tag, especially on one particular buck. During the prerut, bucks often have particular routes they take each day. Their home ranges are still fairly small.

They will often be in the same places each day. They also See Bowhunting, page 23

Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

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The

Everyday Hunter Priceless inheritance from those before usse before us

By STEVE SORENSEN

W

hen people snapped those old hunting photos from years gone by, few realized what a treasure they would become. Timeworn blackand-whites bring back memories of the hunt and stimulate conversations about our traditions.

They also remind us how much clothing has evolved. Styles, colors, fabrics, footwear—everything has changed.

Please see Sorensen, page 6

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

Hunting Guide

sorensen

Page 5 Photo

when I could recycle plastic bread bags? We were masFor footwear, in my first ters of recycling back then.

A young Steve few years as a hunter I Under everything I wore Sorensen is didn’t wear boots. I wore waffle-knit long johns, critishown followgaloshes made from thin cal to cold-weather comfort. ing his father, rubber with slotted metal Thousands of little squarish who took a buckles that fastened in pockets of trapped air kept front. Galoshes go over regu- nice buck, me warm. If temperatures lar shoes—in my case a pair in 1958. Sorensen (inset) were especially cold, my believes something rubbed next layer would be quilted of well-worn Red Ball Jets off on us as we followed in nylon leggings plumped canvas sneakers. the bootsteps of those who with polyester fiber insulaNeither my galoshes nor went before us. my Red Balls offered any tion. Then came wool pants real support, but my feet which wore like iron and feet dry because the thin were young and strong. rubber was easily punctured. shed water like a canvasGaloshes weren’t warm, but I solved that problem by back duck. They had to be layers of socks kept my little slipping plastic bread bags red plaid and we referred piggies from freezing. And to them as “Richies,” even over my socks. Why buy galoshes couldn’t keep my though the real Woolrich expensive waterproof boots

Continued from page 5

brand was a little too upscale for us. The red plaids of my wool jacket and pants didn’t match, but so what!

I don’t remember ever having new hunting clothing back then, but I didn’t want new ones anyway. New had no tradition, no lore associated with it, no mystique or any secret ability it could impart to its wearer.

Whatever I knew about hunting (and I thought I knew more than I did), wearing experienced clothing could only be a plus.

Please see Sorensen, page 7

Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

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SorensEn also wanted the knife he used to field dress It might bring me that buck. I wanted something intanto absorb whatever gible to make up for power might come anything I lacked in with anything connectskill or luck in the ed to his success. deer woods. Or so I In contrast to those believed. days, modern highWhatever else I tech fabrics have wore, I wanted to wear mostly replaced wool. a piece of clothing my We’ve swapped our Dad had previously waffle-knit long johns worn. The fact that it for high-tech moisturewas too big or needed wicking undergear. repair didn’t matter. I We’ve traded our red believed it held some plaid for fluorescent kind of residual power orange and photoput there by the best realistic camouflage. hunter I knew, the Waterproof boots guy who killed the costing a couple of big buck back in ’58. I Ben Franklins now

Continued from page 6

make tracks where galoshes lined with plastic bread bags once roamed.

High-tech brands including Under Armour, RealTree, ScentLok and dozens more are household names among today’s deer hunters. The benefits they offer have downgraded former favorites to secondclass status. We now enjoy better comfort and more warmth, and can become virtually invisible to deer. We stay dry longer, and reduce our deer-repelling scent. Those are

the gains, and they are big ones. But does anyone ever ask whether we have lost anything now that we have a diminished desire to give old clothing new life?

Wearing an older hunter’s tattered reruns never did impart to us his hunting skill, but it did bond us to the hunting past and maybe something really did rub off on us as we followed in their boot steps. Yes, some of today’s clothing absorbs our See Sorensen, page 23

STEVE SORENSEN

Whatever else I wore, I wanted to wear a piece of clothing my Dad had previously worn. The fact that it was too big or needed repair didn’t matter.

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Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

PGC stresses need for awareness of avian influenza HARRISBURG, Pa. — While Pennsylvania has not yet been impacted by the high path avian influenza (HPAI), state officials continue emphasizing the need for vigilance against the deadly poultry disease. Officials from the state Department of Agriculture and the Game Commission are ensuring hunters understand the seriousness of this virus and know the signs to look for when out this hunting season.

“We understand the importance of hunting here in Pennsylvania and don’t want to discourage anyone from enjoying this recreational pastime,” said Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. “However, we want hunters to be aware of the signs of HPAI. If any hunters were to come in contact with an infected bird, we’d want them to know the signs to minimize the spread of the virus.”

Avian influenza or bird flu is a respiratory disease of birds caused by an influenza Type-A virus. The virus can infect poultry including chicken, ducks, quail, pheasants, guinea, fowl and turkeys as well as some wild bird species such as ducks, swans and geese.

The high path strain, which is extremely infectious and spreads rapidly, is often fatal to domestic poultry.

Signs of HPAI in poultry include: sudden death, marked loss of appetite, reduced feed consumption, cessation of normal flock vocalization, drops in egg production, depression, coughing, nasal and ocular discharge, swollen face, cyanosis of comb/wattles, diarrhea (often green in color), and nervous signs such as paralysis.

Historically, HPAI in wild birds has been very rare; however, the H5 HPAI virus strains that circulated in North American wild and domestic birds last winter and spring caused disease in certain species of waterfowl and raptors. For waterfowl, HPAI virus infection in ducks is usually asymptomatic, whereas geese are more likely to show signs of disease.

Hunters are asked to follow these tips when handling their harvested birds: • Dress your wild birds in the field whenever possible.

• If you must dress wild birds at home,

clean them in an area poultry and pet birds cannot access.

• Do not eat, drink or smoke while cleaning wild birds.

• Wear rubber gloves while cleaning wild birds or cleaning bird feeders.

• Wash hands with soap and water immediately after handling wild birds or cleaning bird feeders. If soap and water are not available, use alcohol wipes.

• Wash all tools and work surfaces with soap and water. Then disinfect them.

• Double bag the internal organs and feathers. Tie the inner bag, and be sure to take off your gloves and leave them in the outer bag before tying it closed. Dispose of the bag with trash to ensure it ends up in a landfill.

• Avoid cross-contamination. Keep uncooked game in a separate container away from cooked or ready-to-eat foods.

• Cook game meat thoroughly; poultry should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill disease organisms and parasites.

Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

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Restrictions on bringing in out-of-state deer carcasses to NY remain in place ALBANY — Hunters who live in New York state are reminded that state regulations prohibiting the transport of full carcasses of deer, moose and elk from several surrounding states in an effort to keep chronic wasting disease out of the state.

Many hunters who hunt deer in Pennsylvania should particularly note that the restriction applies to all deer taken in the Keystone State. Ohio, Michigan, West Virginia and every state west of the Mississippi River are on the list, as well as the western provinces of Canada, where CWD has been recorded.

Deer, elk or moose taken in those states or regions must be fully butchered before the owner may transport parts into New York. It is OK to bring meat (without the backbone, the cleaned hide and cape, skull plate and/or antlers cleaned of all meat and brain tissue, the upper canine teeth and finished taxidermy mounts or tanned hides home.

New York residents may not bring home a deer head that includes the brain, tonsils and eyes, as well as the lymph nodes in the neck, the spinal cord/backbone, spleen and intestinal tract.

More about CWD can be found on the state Department of Environmental Conservation website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/

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Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

Outdoor briefs A third of moose hunters successful at start of hunt

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire’s Fish and Game Department says the opening weekend of the nine-day moose hunt season achieved a 33 percent success rate.

A total of 36 moose were taken by hunters statewide on Saturday and Sunday. There were 108 hunters. The largest moose checked in was a bull with a dressed weight of 810 pounds taken by David Smith Sr. of Franklin.

Last year, 39 percent of moose hunters were successful during the opening weekend.

This year, more than 9,500 people entered the moose hunt lottery for a chance to win one of the 105 permits drawn. Two permits were auctioned off by the Wildlife Heritage Foundation of New Hampshire, and one was given to a young person with a serious illness through the “Hunt of a Lifetime” program.

NY state park campgrounds set attendance record in 2015

A record number of visitors stayed overnight at New York’s 66 state parks during the 2015 camping season.

According to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office, 2.008 million people have camped at state parks in 2015, up from the previous record of 1.965 million people set last year.

The additional visitors also set a new record for most overnight stays.

New York state park cabins, campsites and cottages were booked for more than 618,000 nights this year, up from 594,400 in 2014.

Cuomo also touted his NY Parks 2020 plan, which will invest approximately $900 million in state park improvements through 2020. This year’s budget included $110 million for various park projects.

Most state park campgrounds have closed for the 2015 season. There are a select number of campgrounds still open, including Long Point State Park in Aurora. Long Point’s camping area is open through Nov. 1. The campground at Robert H. Treman State Park in Ithaca will stay open through Nov. 21.

Hunting Guide

Deer drives and the wind

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

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By WADE ROBERTSON

O

ver the years it has surprised me how many hunters still ignore the wind when stillhunting, despite the fact they really know better. Many put up treestands knowing it provides scent control, but put them on their feet in the big woods with other hunters and it seems the same principles no longer apply.

Despite the scent-neutral clothing, washes, and even scentkilling deodorant, a careful hunter can’t ignore the wind. Hey, I find myself not paying proper attention occasionally, but you simply must watch the wind at all times for it almost always decides whether you are successful or not.

The wind, with your scent, is the determining factor in your hunt.

It is also surprising the wind apathy that can so easily take over when a group of hunters get together to put on a deer drive.

Please see Deer drives, page 21

Watching the wind is critically important when deer hunting. You must always keep an eye on its direction and use it to your advantage, if possible, when stillhunting or putting on drives. This buck was sneaking along the edge of a clearcut, but by keeping the wind in his face the author was able to get a shot without the deer winding him.

Wade Robertson photo

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A last-minute fall turkey is something to celebrate

By WADE ROBERTSON

L

ast hunting season found me in the Chipmunk area in pursuit of my favorite game bird, the wild turkey.

I had found a turkey or two hunting squirrels and knew where they Should be.

Well, as is often the case, the turkeys thought otherwise and vanished.

Late in the morning I called yet again, despairing of receiving an answer. To my surprise I received the weirdest conglomeration of sounds in reply that I have ever heard in all my years of hunting!

Bill Robertson photo

The author is shown with an 18-pound gobbler shot as daylight faded from the sky the last day of the season in New York state. Thanks to a mysterious prompting, his cousin was able to help him bag this bird, ending a long, hard season with last-minute success. A 3-inch Magnum 12-gauge with Winchester No. 4 shot was used to bag the flushed gobbler.

Whatever it was sounded like one-third turkey, one-third raven and one-third ostrich.

An awful sounding “yakork-surch” echoed through the trees and left me wondering if an alien creature had landed. Still, it might be a turkey, I have heard gobblers especially make some pretty awful sounds in my life, so, somewhat dubiously, I set up against an old oak.

A few moments passed and it called again, sounding, if possible, even worse than the first time. Now, if I had been positive that this was a turkey I would never had called again, knowing gobblers as I do, but that thing couldn’t be a turkey, could it? Like the fool I often am, I called back. The bird

had me pinpointed now and walked a half-circle all around me, calling every 5 minutes or so. He even sounded like a turkey every now and then.

I sat fuming, absolutely furious with myself. My, oh my, but I hate turkeys!

Little did I know that that humbling experience with the big gobbler would be the highlight of the next couple weeks. I hunted and I hunted hard after that for days, and all to no avail. I even spoke to the local oil pumper at the time, but I just couldn’t be in the right spot at the right time even with his help. Suddenly, it was the last day of the season. Time was running out.

Please see Fall turkey, page 14

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

fall turkey Continued from page 13

That last Saturday I climbed some steep hills near Knapp Creek, but noon found me at home, empty handed. On an impulse I called my cousin, Bill Robertson.

I found that he had taken a bird that very morning. Get over here fast, he said, he knew where they were!

I knocked on his door 30 minutes later, breathing hard. He shoved a sandwich and a Pepsi into my hands and I ate hurriedly on the way. Though I was really tired from the morning hunt, I found myself again trudging up yet another hill off Four Mile. Bill cut off to a nearby clearcut to hunt grouse and promised to check on me later. At least there was some snow.

I followed his morning’s tracks to a steep ravine with plenty of white oak and acorns on the ground — the turkeys had torn up a 50-square-yard area, scratching through the snow and leaves. Bill shot his

bird here, the spot marked by a pile of feathers. I walked downhill in the direction the birds had flown and finally found some fresh tracks as the sun touched the hilltops. The chase was on!

This turkey, a big gobbler by his footprint, led me on a merry chase. After half a mile his tracks joined up with another gobbler and together they crossed the valley. Then my luck turned for the better when they joined up with 15 or 20 other birds. Yes! Up the valley the flock headed, crossing some small but nasty deep ravines and beech brush before heading straight up a near vertical sidehill covered with small hemlocks and mixed hardwoods.

I looked up that steep hillside in despair. I was really beat, my legs felt like lead and I was huffing and puffing from the fast pace. Now I had to climb a near cliff? I glanced at my watch: 4 p.m. and darkness was not far off. Gritting my

teeth, I started up the hill.

After only 100 yards or so the birds slowed and began scratching, digging up big piles of oak leaves in the snow, but necessarily moving slowly.

Good, so was I! Slipping and sliding in the snow, I peeked carefully over every bench and brush pile. They were close, no doubt about that. I could feel them almost, but was unable to get even a glimpse of one of the birds. They were still industriously scratching, so hadn’t spotted me as yet, but several times I’d seen a leaf shift downward on the piles, the scratching was so fresh.

My legs ached and I grabbed saplings to help me up the hill, but there wasn’t much hillside left; the top was only 100 yards above me. The crisis was approaching, something had to happen soon.

Please see Turkey, page 15

Hunting Guide

turkey

Continued from page 14

At the top of the hill I found myself looking intently into a room of huge hemlocks; visibility should have been great, but one of the fallen giants blocked a clear view of the forest floor in front of me. The birds had stopped scratching, I’d been spotted, but no matter how hard I looked in front of me, the fallen hemlock blocked my view. They were probably running by now and I gritted my teeth in anger. This wasn’t fair.

Deciding my only chance was to run quickly up to the windfall and hopefully force them to fly, a sudden shotgun blast sounded in front of me and the air filled with flying turkeys — there must have been 30 of them.

The great majority were 70 yards away and barely visible but three of the birds, beating their way up through the tall hemlocks, were angling my way. Catching only glimpses of them through the thick

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

evergreen branches, I saw one opening in the trees almost directly over my head. Suddenly a turkey appeared in it high above me and I swung desperately through him and fired.

To my delight, he collapsed in a cloud of feathers, his momentum carrying over me and down the steep hillside behind me to land some 35 yards away. I slide down to him in glorious disbelief. I had actually taken a turkey, and it was a gobbler. What luck. A glance at the watch showed it was almost 5 p.m.

Suddenly a head popped over the ridge and Cousin Bill came striding down to greet me.

“I knew that was you who shot,” he said simply and with conviction, admiring my 18-pound gobbler. “I told you you’d get one.”

Bill continued, saying he was on the far side of the ridge when a strong feeling came over him to head my way, that it

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was urgent to do so.

“I cut across the hilltop, saw the turkeys, like I somehow knew I would, and shot over their heads to flush them, figuring you weren’t far behind,” he said.

“It was inspiration; this was supposed to happen. Can you believe it?”

I was filled with happiness and thankfulness almost to the point of bursting. I tried to think of something witty to say and couldn’t, but Bill’s sensitivity to a strong prompting made my success possible. We shook hands and grinned at each other, both appreciative of this very special, last-minute triumph we were sharing.

Bill and I hunted long and hard for our birds last year and it was long past dark when we reached the car. I was exhausted and thought shooting a gobbler the last 10 minutes of shooting light was cutting things pretty close, but you have to admit, the remarkable season had a storybook ending.

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Hunting Guide

If you have the means to plant food for deer, is that acceptable behavior or unethical baiting?

Decisions in the woods

By ROGER SAGER

A

bout this time each year, we are bound to hear lots of conversations about the upcoming hunting season. Where that big buck was seen, the size of the bear raiding the neighbor’s garbage, the caliber of that new rifle. The topics are nearly endless.

Thinking back, some of the most energetic discussions I’ve heard involved hunting ethics. We seldom use that phrase to describe behavior in the woods, but I guess it could be a catch-phrase for some real emotionally charged subjects.

Recently, one hunter was describing a successful hunt with a new crossbow. Being an older hunter, he was appreciative of the opportunity to hunt in the good weather of October with a weapon that didn’t require a lot of upper body strength. He was also obviously happy with the performance of the crossbow, achieving a quick, humane kill on a deer the previous fall. Overhearing this conversation, another person chimed in loudly, stating that crossbows should be illegal.

Please see Decisions, page 17

File photo

A hunter goes up a treestand, carrying a modern crossbow. Years ago, the crossbow — even the treestand — would have been considered unethical by some hunters. Times have changed.

Hunting Guide

decisions of personal decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Thus began a brief but liveMost hunters would agree ly discussion that ended like that baiting bears on a spring many others; each person has wilderness hunt in Canada is to decide, within legal bounds, different than dumping a pickwhat is ethical and acceptable up truck full of apples or corn to them. to attract deer in Pennsylvania I remember the debates or New York state — or is back in the 1970s when it it? After sorting through the became obvious that comlegalities, there are still lots of pound bow technology was opportunities for debate. destined to be the future of A friend has two apple trees archery hunting. Some folks that are maybe 60 yards apart. thought the bows with “pulSome years, one tree only proleys” gave an unfair advanduces a handful of apples, and tage to the hunter, as opposed the other is loaded with fruit. to the traditional longbow or The deer travel between and recurve. around the trees. If the barI also recall the first treesren tree provided a better site tand I ever saw as a youngto ambush a buck, would it ster. Before the days of porbe very wrong if some of the table stands, it was erected plentiful apples found their maybe 10 feet off the ground way to the other tree? and looked pretty flimsy to If you watch any of the me. The old timers I was with hunting shows on TV, you suggested it must have been might soon conclude that you put up by a guy too lazy to have to own several hundred walk in the woods. Worse, it acres of land and have good was near some scrawny apple food plots with perfect blind trees which made it more dis- set-ups to have a chance of tasteful to them and somehow killing a deer. Luckily, it hasn’t unsporting. How times have come to that just yet. But if changed. I wonder how those you have the means to plant hunters would have reacted food for deer, is that acceptto the widely accepted use of able behavior or unethical radios, cell phones, GPS units baiting? and trail cameras as hunting I’ve heard arguments for aids. decades regarding suitable The seemingly easy way calibers for deer hunting. Like out of these debates is to archery equipment, clothing proclaim that if the hunting color requirements, baiting method is legal in your area, definitions, blinds and other then it should be allowed regulations, what is legal has and accepted by all involved. changed considerably over Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem the years. What is suitable to be that simple. For examand ethical is still subject to ple, if you really want to get debate. people worked up, mention Since I was a kid, the use of bait to attract game Pennsylvania specified that animals. Looking at hunting .22-caliber centerfire cartridges regulations in different states were the minimum for deer will certainly provide lots of hunting. definitions and specific regulaPlease see Decisions, page 18 tions on the subject, but a lot Continued from page 16

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

decisions Continued from page 17

This gave rise to much gnashing of teeth and loud opinions from at least two opposing schools of thought.

Proponents of the small calibers, such as the .222, claimed great success with the little bullets. They harvested venison and cited accuracy and light recoil as positive factors, especially for older or young hunters, or folks using one rifle for say, woodchucks in July and deer in December.

This group claimed that the small-caliber, high-velocity bullets killed with lightninglike efficiency.

The fans of big bore rifles believed that such pee wee rounds, even including the medium calibers, like the .243, were only suitable for shooting garden pests. They believed that a deer shot with anything less than say, a .30-06 was doomed to be wounded and lost.

As in most arguments, the truth probably lies somewhere between the two extremes and probably has a lot to do with shot placement and confidence, as well. In the past few years, Pennsylvania has apparently expanded the legal calibers for deer to include even more diminutive bullets.

The wording in the regulations now specifies the very general term “Manually operated centerfire rifles.” I assume this means the newer .20-caliber and some .17-caliber bullets are now legal. The debates will surely continue.

How about “etiquette” in the woods? A few years ago, I had done some scouting, set out a trail camera and had a spot picked out for the first morning of buck season. Dawn found me sneaking to my chosen spot and I quietly sat down for my first stand of the firearms season.

As it got lighter, I heard a voice above and behind me, “Are you comfortable?” Another hunter had got into position even earlier than me and was well camouflaged high in a treestand.

I simply got up, waived an acknowledgement, and moved off a couple hundred yards so as not to interfere with the other hunter.

Unfortunately, not everyone I’ve encountered has been as considerate. I’ve heard lots of discussions about what’s the “right thing to do,” from taking running shots on deer to the use of ATVs, to blinds, to long-distance shooting, what age to start a kid hunting … the list goes on.

There are even regional ethical standards as well as written laws to consider. In some states, the first hunter to hit a deer and is actively following it is regarded as the owner of that deer, even if it is finished by another hunter. In other places, it’s the last shot fired that determines ownership. It takes little imagination to think of all the conflicts arising from multiple bullet holes in a game animal. Hopefully, personal ethics and conscience play a role in these issues. I have seen hunters offer to share venison or a buck’s antlers regardless of who fired the first or last shot. I’ve also heard of unpleasant confrontations over the same issues. Again, there are decisions to be made.

No one makes the right call all the time; I surely don’t. But more than 50 hunting seasons have given me lots of experiences and lots of decisions to reflect on. None of this is meant to promote my own ideas or ethics on anyone; this is just an attempt to stir up some thoughts. Here’s hoping for good luck and good decisions this season for everyone.

Hunting Guide

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ANF with plenty to offer for the hunter and non-hunter

By KATE DAY SAGER

O This is just one of the beautiful outdoor scenes that visitors will see in the Allegheny National Forest this winter.

utdoor enthusiasts will once again find plenty of recreation and activities this fall and winter in the Allegheny National Forest, said Ruth Sutton, public affairs officer for the forest.

Sutton said visitors who enjoy traveling on the driving tours of the forest will likely see some late fall foliage as well as wildlife moving about before winter sets in.

She said some of the All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) trails on the Marienville Ranger District reopened over the Columbus Day holiday, so ATV enthusiasts can come out and enjoy the fall scenery on those trails.

“All the hiking trails are open and you can see the beauty of the Allegheny National Forest at a slow pace,” Sutton said. As for camping, she said most of the campgrounds close by Columbus Day, but there are some sites that stay open through mid-December such as Minister Creek, Tracy Ridge and Kelly Pines. The latter is open all year but has no winter maintenance.

“Horseback riding is allowed in most places across the Allegheny National Forest as long as riders do not mark, build, maintain or tread-in a trail,” Sutton continued. “A popular trail is Spring Creek Horse Trail area, at the Kelly Pines Campground area.”

Sutton noted there are several boat launches open all year, however there is limited winter maintenance services.

Please see ANF, page 22

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Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

ASP: Plenty of fall offerings

By RICK MILLER

RED HOUSE — Fall is a time to reflect in Allegany State Park.

Gone are the busy days of summer with a park full of people.

After the leaf-peepers are gone, things slow down even more in the 65,000-acre state park — New York’s largest.

If you are not a hunter, there are still a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities.

There is no Sunday hunting in the state park.

“This is a great time of the year for mountain biking on park trails,” said Adele Wellman, of the miles of trails in the Red House area of the park. “You can see farther without all the leaves on the trees,” she said.

Mountain bikes aren’t limited to named trails either. France Brook Road and Baystate Road — both dirt roads — take mountain bikers to some pretty parts of the park that aren’t on everyone’s radar.

There’s plenty of hiking and biking along the Red House Bike path as well.

“It’s a great time for hiking too,” said Wellman, who heads the environmental education and nature programs in the state park. “It’s cooler, so dress in layers. But you have to think safety, too, so wear orange and plan to get out of the woods before dark.”

There’s plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities as the leaves are falling, she said. “There’s lots of squirrel and deer. Their food is often close to the road, so they are easy to spot.”

On a nice day, kayaking is a great way to see the colors around Red House and Quaker lakes.

A hike to The Bear Caves in the Quaker Area, or Thunder Rocks in the Red House area are also great at this time of year, Wellman said.

It’s a great time for camping — whether it is one of the 400 park cabins or at the Red House Tent and Trailer campgrounds, which closes in November.

The Quaker Museum is open weekends till the end of the month, and it’s not too late for a lunch or dinner at the Red House Restaurant in the Administration Building.

Hunting Guide

deer drives

Continued from page 11

It doesn’t seem to matter if you bring up the fact the wind direction is wrong for that particular drive. Once the wheels are in motion, the wind takes a back seat far too often.

After having witnessed this behavior year after year, I believe I understand why the wind suddenly takes second place to the drive itself. Up to a point everything planned makes perfect sense, but then

logic is lost.

How does this happen and what do you have to watch out for?

Drives are intended to flush the deer out of the thick cover difficult to hunt any other way. Those organizing the drive know where the deer are at a particular time of day or where they usually run when flushed from their hiding places.

They know the escape routes, where to place the drivers and standers, the easiest trails to walk, where to position the vehicles and all the organizational details even a simple drive entails. So far, the human mind is hitting on all cylinders — everyone knows what to do and where to go — but if the wind is wrong when you arrive at your hunting spot things begin falling apart.

Suddenly the drive, already a logistical, organized entity, should be totally reversed in direction.

The drivers need to go where the standers were to be, the standers to the area the drive was to begin.

Perhaps there is no good spot to park the trucks now, there is no easily found trail for the watchers to walk in on and spread out along. Instead of a flat, easy walk for the out-of-shape or older hunters, a steep hill must be climbed or thick, rocky cover traversed. The entire drive is suddenly thrown into disarray and the effort needed to reverse what had been so carefully planned cancels any changes.

It is simply too complicated to reverse the drive; people don’t know where to go, how to get there, where to meet.

So everyone follows the original plan, but the traitorous wind blows

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2014

the watchers’ scent straight into the area being driven, the deer scent them before the drive begins or smell them when they run closer.

When the deer get a nose full of Jim’s old hunting clothes and perhaps the jelly on his gloves, they cut to either side, sneak out before the drive begins or hook back through the drivers. In fact, the drivers have a far better chance of seeing deer than the watchers since the deer can’t smell them!

The only solution is to have several drives planned that take into account the wind direction.

This can be difficult without driving long distances. Well, I never said it would be easy.

Another aspect that must be taken into consideration is the fact deer hear very well, very well indeed. When you pull the truck off the side of the road, gravel crunching and popping under your tires, the wise old buck’s head shoots up and he immediately knows what direction he won’t be running. If your hunting partners talk in other than a whisper, don’t walk as silently as possible and stand in wide open areas, your odds of success plummet amazingly.

If you find yourself asking how in the world you are supposed to gauge the wind direction before you get to your driving area, position watchers in rugged or thick territory, keep everyone quiet and hidden, and park your vehicles without making any noise, including slamming the doors — why, now you know why so many drives are not successful.

If you can gauge the wind, organize the drive, put the right people in the correct spots, keep the watchers from giving away their positions, keep the drivers within sight of one another and hope everyone can shoot straight, driving is a great way to bag a deer.

But it can be very challenging, to say the least. If you’re driving for deer, it’s likely time is running out, deer season is drawing to a close and everyone could use a little luck at this point in the game.

Keep an eye on that traitorous, swirling wind, it can be your greatest ally or your worst enemy.

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anf Continued from page 19

“All the campgrounds that you can access by boat are open until mid-December,” she added.

The forest also offers plenty of crisp, exhilarating exercise for those who enjoy crosscountry skiing and snowshoeing, Sutton said.

Visitors can explore 53 miles of ungroomed trails that can be used for cross-country skiing.

Snowshoers can also use any hiking or crosscountry ski trail.

“Visitors will enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing or hiking in this beautiful area that includes some old growth forest,” she added. “Some of the popular cross-country ski trails include Buzzard Swamp which has an 11.2 mile system of interconnecting trails.

“It’s also a great place to view wildlife as the area is cooperatively managed by the Allegheny National Forest and the Pennsylvania Game Commission.”

Another popular cold-weather activity in the forest is ice fishing, Sutton said, while noting ice fishing is permitted throughout the forest, but participants must have a valid Pennsylvania ice fishing license. She said

ANF facts Getting to know Pennsylvania’s only National Forest: ® Spread across the rugged plateau of northwestern Pennsylvania, the ANF is the largest natural attraction and only national forest in the state. ® The ANF is made up of 513,000 acres with more than 1,000 campsites and over 360 miles of marked trails. ® Within the ANF are the Allegheny Wilderness Islands, which give way to prime exploration, wildlife viewing an amazing scenery.

seasons vary according to species, and information on this can be found online at http:// fishinpa.com/ Some popular ice fishing locations include Kinzua Beach and Red Bridge Recreation Area.

Sutton said snowmobiling on winter ATV trails is also quite popular in the forest.

“The Allegheny National Forest has over 300 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in interconnected loops, and another 52 miles of

trails used for both snowmobiles and ATVs,” she said. “Generally, these trails are open each year from Dec. 20 to April 1, weather and conditions permitting.”

Sutton also provided a few winter safety tips for those venturing into the forest’s winter wonderland.

“Always wear clothing appropriate for your activity,” she advised. “Dress in layers and always wear hats and gloves.

“Use the buddy system and go with a friend, especially if you’re going at night,” she said. “If you’re using a trail during hunting season, wear bright fluorescent colored clothing.”

Skiers are also advised to carry extra wax for “sticky” snow conditions.

“If you see dangerous conditions, please contact the appropriate ranger district,” she concluded.

For more information about recreational activities on the Allegheny National Forest, visit the forest website: http://www.fs.usda. gov/main/allegheny/home or call the Bradford Ranger District at (814)362-4613 or the Marienville Ranger District at (814)927-6628.

Hunting Guide

MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015

bowhunting Continued from page 4

tend their scrapes very often. This is the best time to hunt around fresh buck sign, if you’re not too far from a bedding area.

A tactic I use often is hunting scrape lines near bedding areas.

I place a trail camera on one of the more active scrapes and check it about every three days. When I find a big buck working the scrape line during the daytime, I slip in on him. This trick got me a nice 10‑point last season.

The real key is to be near a bedding area. Most often, deer choose to bed in higher eleva‑ tions.

Hunting around buck sign that is in lower elevations will likely lead you to bad results. Most of this activity is at night. But the sign on the higher ridges is likely near a bedding area and this will surely produce daytime success.

Early Season

I know quite a few bowhunt‑ ers who don’t even hit the woods

until November. I also know a bunch that hunt the first couple days of the season, and then after not having much luck, they wait to go back out until the rut. But the truth is that first week of October can be a great time to fill your tag on a good buck.

During early to mid-October, bucks go into a rest mode for about three weeks. They do almost all of their traveling dur‑ ing the night. But I’ve found that there are some bucks that delay the rest mode and move quite a bit during the daytime in that first week of the season.

The best place for success dur‑ ing the early part of the season is around food sources. Mast crops tend to be the whitetails most preferred food throughout the fall and winter months, especially apples and acorns.

If I find big buck sign around food sources, I always give it a try early in the season. I’ve been lucky enough to shoot and even miss a few good bucks during that opening week.

sorensen Continued from page 7

scent, but maybe we absorbed something from those old repaired jackets and pants.

Maybe they taught us to see perfection in something even though it was almost worn out. As we adopted old cloth‑ ing maybe we soaked up some important lessons, took on the character of worthy men, and embraced a set of values that sustained us for a lifetime.

Those who introduced us to hunting lacked many of the advantages modern hunters have, but handme-down hunting cloth‑ ing symbolizes a priceless inheritance from those who

have gone before. And that leaves us with some impor‑ tant questions. What will be our bequest to the next generation of hunters? How will we transmit our values to them? And will we pass down something worth hav‑ ing that transcends a closet full of old hunting clothes?

(When “The Everyday Hunter” isn’t hunting, he’s thinking about hunting, talking about hunting, dreaming about hunting, writing about hunting, or wishing he were hunting. If you want to tell Steve exactly where your favorite hunting spot is, contact him through his website, www.

EverydayHunter.com.)

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Hunting Guide