STL - Hunting Edition by Bradford Publishing

ASP plaque marks contribution to turkey trap-transfer program

Archery calls to us

A trophy hunterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise: Valley View Whitetails

Hunting mature bucks in McKean County

Coyotes have noticeable presence in area

Sighting in your rifle

Autumn â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hunting season in the Twin Tiers is practically synonymous with this colorful season. As the days begin to cool and the hustle of summer ends, local sportsmen and women are drawn to the forests of the region hopeful to fill their freezers with fresh meat for the winter. Abundant game, plentiful public land, and affordable lodging make this region one of the top hunting destinations on the East coast. Some of the largest bucks ever bagged in the state of Pennsylvania were from McKean county. Many bears across Cattaraugus and Allegany counties weigh more than 500 pounds. The entire area also features a mix of small game and birds. The vast outdoor recreation opportunities throughout the Twin Tiers is a huge economic driver for the area. Tourists from around the country come to appreciate all the wonderful offerings of the neck of the woods we are lucky enough to call home. This edition of our popular STL magazine is dedicated to hunting and the outdoors. I hope you enjoy it. Good luck with your hunt!

Chelsea Place Special Sections Manager Bradford Publishing

ASP plaque marks contribution to turkey trap-transfer program By Rick Miller Special to Southern Tier Living

RED HOUSE — A new monument stands in a clearing off France Brook Road in Allegany State Park that is a tribute to the state’s Turkey Trap and Transfer Program started in 1959. The monument, a cooperative effort between Allegany State Park and the National Wild Turkey Federation, was recently completed by park mason Randy Sipko and his assistant, James Clement. A grounds crew was landscaping around the monument on Tuesday as Jay Bailey, the regional parks administrator, stopped by to inspect the project. The turkeys trapped in Allegany State Park over the years have repopulated the wild turkey in New York, New England and other states in the Northeast, as well as southeastern Ontario, Bailey said. The monument is just one facet of the recognition of Allegany State Park as the source of turkey that have repopulated the Northeast, he added. An interactive state park museum display is being readied. It includes photos of some of the early turkey shoots, where the birds were trapped in nets, and other exhibits. Bailey said he was glad the park and

National Wild Turkey Federation could cooperate on the monument and other recognitions of the park’s part in the turkey trapping and transfer program. The plaque on the monument reads: “Allegany State Park, founding site for the NYS Conservation Department Wild Turkey Trap and Transfer Program. Birds trapped at this site helped reintroduce the Eastern wild turkey to the Northeast U.S. and Southeastern Canada in 1959.” Fred Evans was a 31-year-old Department of Conservation employee given the task in 1957 of finding someone who would let the state trap turkeys that were

migrating northward from Pennsylvania. “My boss, Dick Hyde, sent me to South Valley, where there were reports of turkey tracks,” Evans said. “I found the turkey. They were coming across the border.” Hyde wondered about a way to speed the turkeys’ migration through a trap and transfer program. The same cannon nets used to trap Canada geese were just the thing for turkeys, Hyde said. “You figure out how to do it,” Hyde told Evans. Next, Evans was tasked with finding someone who would let the conservation department trap the turkeys. That wasn’t the hard part. No one seemed to mind if the state trapped and tagged their turkeys, but moving them — that was another thing. “The first shot was on Floyd Putt’s farm on Birch Run in Allegany,” Evans recalled. “We got six nice toms. He said to leave them.” At least they knew the system worked. Evans said he went all over “hell’s half-acre” looking for a property owner who would let the state take the turkeys they trapped. Evans then contacted Leigh Batterson, the Allegany State Park regional administrator, asking if he could trap some of

7 the turkeys migrating through the park. He promised to keep only half of what they trapped. Batterson said he’d have to make a presentation to the State Park Commission. Members voted 11 to 1 to permit trap-and-transfer, Evans recalled. Bill Shirey, a former Pennsylvania State Game Commission employee, came on board as Evans’ assistant at that time. “I learned a lot about turkey,” Evans said. “I literally lived with the birds for 27 years.” Evans, who has seen the monument, said it exceeded his expectations. “Allegany State Park deserves credit for the program that repopulated turkey throughout the Northeast,” he said. “No one else would let me trap. … That first trap and transfer was in March 1959 at the site off France Brook Road. We trapped 10 birds. The first five, two toms and three hens, went to Cooper Hill in Humphrey. That was close, so we could keep an eye on them.” “Then we went north and east, west to Chautauqua and across New York

state” with the trapped turkeys, Evans said. The birds were released in habitat deemed suitable for the turkey. Then, turkeys were transferred to New Jersey, Delaware, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. The Canadian government then asked about getting some turkeys, and Evans went to Ontario to scout out suitable habitat. Turkeys are now in seven of nine Canadian provinces. “The monument was more than I expected,” Evans said, who went to the site recently. “We’ve been working with the National Wild Turkey Federation and park officials for a few years. Park Administrator Jay Bailey was very interested in the project and promoted it.” “It’s the original site of turkey trap and transfer in New York.” Evans and Bailey said a museum display is being assembled, but probably won’t be completed until spring. It will include a background of a photo taken at the first turkey “shoot” in the park back in that March of 1959.

Evans said two of the original cannons used to shoot the 60-by-40-foot nets over the turkeys were recently found in South Carolina and are being brought to the state park soon for the display. Randy Opferbeck of Allegany, a local representative of the National Wild Turkey Federation, helped Evans, whom he considers his mentor when it comes to turkey hunting, to bring the project to park officials’ attention. “I shot my first gobbler in Allegany State Park near the Stone Tower,” Opferbeck. “You don’t realize how important this project was. It increased turkey populations across the state. Turkey that came from Allegany State Park were the basis for the expansion across the state and the Northeast. “In addition, Evans, who was a pilot, personally flew many of the turkeys to where they were released,” he said. A dedication of the monument and museum open house is planned for this spring.

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es. direction at all tim fe sa a in d te if in o p zzle! Keep it t be loaded, even h ig m It . n u g ed 1. Watch that mu e a load ith the respect du w m ar re fi y er ev 2. Treat e eyond it. Know th b d you think it isn’t. an it f o t n o fr is in have an adequate r target and what u yo re su e ak M t. 3. Be sure of you hun s of the game you ater. identifying feature , hard surface or w at best fl a at t o o sh ’t n shoot. This is the to y ad re backstop—do l ti n u d guar outside the trigger er g n fi r u yo p ee 4. K of cidental discharge. ac an t n d action are clear ve an l re p re ar to b e way th re su ake d ammunition. M an l re ar b r u for your firearm. n yo io k it ec n u m am 5. Ch er p s carry only the pro rry firearms in case ca d an , en p obstructions, and o s n o acti not in use. Leave en h w s m ar re fi ad . 6. Unlo the shooting area m o fr d an l horseplay with to al ed id ad vo A t. o o and unlo sh tend to something you in at ly n o m ar re fi a 7. Point you ad a firearm before lo n U a gun. . m ar re fi ed load not p, or climb with a d you by the butt, m ar ju w , n to ru m ’t ar n re o fi D a . ll 8 . Pu ee, or jump a ditch tr r o ce n fe a b im cl each in a secured re to S . ly fe the muzzle. sa d an ately ammunition separ d an s m ar re fi re careless adults. d 9. Sto an n re d il indch f o e reach ting. Also avoid m o o sh g n ri u location beyond th d r o efore holic beverages b co al e m su n co t o n 10. Do edicines or drugs. m g n ri te al rio av or beh

Archery calls to us

Photo by Wade Robertson Archery success probably depends more on a good location than any other thing. Finding an area does like to hang in year-round near a food source is very important, especially if it is not large. Place your stand where the bucks pass by, the downwind side close to the heaviest cover, and don’t move — stay put all day — many bucks do most of their roaming from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This buck was cruising and looking at 1:30 p.m. in 74-degree weather.

By Wade Robertson Special to Southern Tier Living

I can’t help but notice the red leaves on a few maples, see the tall ferns turning a rich, golden tan and catch flashes of yellow from the aspens quaking in the wind. True, unseasonably warm air has been flowing up from the South, but the sunlight has different look and feel to it and you know that soon steadily cooler temperatures will be headed this way, the leaves turning into a riot of gorgeous fall beauty. Archery season is here and if you haven’t been practicing, now is the time to start. The bow needs dusted off, perhaps a drop of oil here and there, the sights checked, screws tight, the rubber

peep sight alignment looked at carefully for any signs of breakdown, the arrow rest examined and release tested. Your arrows need a very careful and thorough examination. Check for cracked knocks, loose fletching and especially any tiny cracks in carbon fiber arrows. Your broadheads are next on the list. Make sure none have rusted and that the blades are razor sharp. If you’re not up to re-sharpening them yourself, replacement blades are usually available for purchase. Always be very careful and take your time with broad heads as it’s very easy to cut yourself. After some nicks and cuts myself it finally dawned on me how to handle these situations safely. When working on broadheads, if you find yourself putting more than gentle pressure on the blades or head, twisting,

shoving or pulling, stop immediately! Grab the needlenose pliers and complete your task using the pliers to hold the blade. If your fingers slip under pressure, striking that razor sharp edge you’ll be cut, perhaps seriously. Whenever I find myself using any type of pressure on broadheads, I imagine in my mind the poor finger or hand slipping and then hitting that wicked, slicing blade. That usually is enough to grab my attention, causing me to stop my foolish and impatient actions and grab the pliers. A good shot is critical and following bow basics when shooting puts venison in the freezer. Very quickly, the basics of shooting a bow follow. Your bow-hand hip should be pointing at the target, a line drawn across the tips of your toes also pointing at the

11 target. This allows your body to absorb the pressure from the bow and pushes the arm directly back into your body allowing it to hold the bow easily and with the least effort. Your bow hand should hold the bow in a relaxed manner. Gripping the bow hard twists the grip and is unnecessary. Always use a kisser button or place your thumb against your jaw or face in the exact same place. This is your anchor point, assuring your eye, peep sight and front sight are always aligned properly. Always stand with your feet slightly apart, your back perfectly straight and head erect. This aligns the muscles and bones throughout your entire body in a uniform manner without twisting yourself up, down, left or right. Draw your arrow, find your anchor point, take a deep breath, and let it half out. Align the sights, steady yourself and gently, but firmly squeeze the trigger off. You have 10 seconds to shoot, then your oxygen levels run low and your chances of a perfect shot plummet drastically. Practically, when hunting deer from your stand you may have to hold your bow at full draw for some time. Practice holding your bow and timing yourself to increase that interval. However, as you hold the drawn bow, watching for a shot, breathe as deeply as you can and only look through the sight when ready to shoot. Trying to follow the moving deer through the sight for a long period causes eye strain, it only takes a second to realign the sights again and squeeze when ready. Again, squeezing the trigger means you know “about” when the arrow will release. The shot itself should always surprise you. Punching the release causes other arm and body muscles to move, ruining your shot placement. Follow-through is critical; the arm must remain motionless until the arrow has left the bow. If you don’t squeeze the trigger, follow-through is impossible. Hopefully you’ll squeeze the release perfectly, the bow fires surprising you, the arrows gone before your other muscles

move; the arrow strikes the center of the target. A good practice technique for controlling your nerves under pressure would be running out 25 yards and then back as fast as you can, without the bow of course. Your heart will be pounding and your breathing rapid. Safely grab your bow, knock an arrow, position your feet and body, draw and shoot in 10 seconds. The bodily change caused by running will force you to master yourself under stress, developing discipline and control in a situation simulating the pressure of shooting at a big buck. If you’re in great shape run further before shooting. Stress yourself, be able to draw a labored breath, let it half out and with your body screaming at you to take another, calmly align your sights, aim, squeeze, follow through. If you’ve never shot a deer before I recommend this drill highly for it gives you some idea of what it’s like to have buck fever. Of course we have to check our stand, move it, trim brush or put up another. Trail cameras help pattern deer or let you know the number and size of bucks in the area. The odds are you’ll never see a huge old buck, they avoid cameras; but you just might get one picture before he’s aware it’s there. Big, smart bucks smell everything — plastic, battery oxidation, things we are not even aware of. Always remember that. A lot is said about scent killers. If you kill 99 percent of your body odors a deer can smell you as easily as you see cars on Main Street at noon on a sunny day. It may make them wonder how far away you are or just how old the scent is, but they smell you all right. Get 20 feet in the air, that’s the secret and remain as scent free as possible on your feet and hands. Rubber boots are great. I like to walk a stream to my stand, its waters washing them the entire way. Wear latex gloves or don’t touch trees. Place your stand downwind from the expected path of the deer. Be aware of scent, but height is

your only real insurance in my experience. Hunting on the ground scent control is much more important than from a tree stand. Ground blinds help contain your scent to some degree and the ozone machines work well I’m told, but I refuse to pay that much. We are, after all only hunting deer for crying out loud; you have to contain your expenses to some degree. The first week of archery is your best chance at a big buck still on his summer pattern and somewhat predictable. Fall brings a lot of changes and bucks can change from the summer pattern to wandering overnight. A trail camera, patience and some luck are your best allies this time of year. I am getting to the point in life I really like my crossbow. Creaky shoulder, aches and pains pretty much have eliminated a high draw weight bow. I suppose there will always be friction between bow and crossbow hunters, but my main concern over all these years is getting a good hit and recovering the deer. If a hunter uses a crossbow, shoots, finds and eats his deer I’m happier than if a bow hunter hits and wounds a deer and can’t find it. If a deer goes to waste any other arguments disappear in my opinion. There are a lot of broad heads out there. Some mechanical broad heads of the cheaper models occasionally don’t open. I use Rage and am astonished at how well they work creating a devastating wound channel and I have yet had a deer go over 100 yards. So archers, the time is upon us to prepare. Sitting in a tree stand during a warm October afternoon watching the chipmunks, squirrels and birds is a relaxing and soul satisfying experience I love, it can be so beautiful. When the rut rolls around you just never know what may happen next, a giant buck may suddenly appear without a seconds warning. It’s that possibility that keeps us hunting those long hours. Prepare, practice, stress yourself and good luck to one and all.

Never Give Up By Steve Sherk Special to Southern Tier Living

rememIt was the coldest November morning I could ever degrees. Most ber being in the woods. Temps were well below 20 d normal beyon was deer hunters love hunting cold fronts, but this etely shut down. for this time of year. Deer movement was compl with just The prior day’s hunt I covered over 10 miles of ground Yes, we had two deer sightings and a hand full of fresh tracks. on their bellies. snow. But the extreme cold temps put the deer to continue I knew my best chance to kill a good buck would be bed. Which is still-hunting, but surely, I’d have to catch him in his an advantage no easy task! But the ridge I was climbing gave me sides that ofover the deer. It was a narrow ridge with steep on. A plentiful lay fered the deer several comfortable benches to as well. I’d white oak acorn crop was also available in this area and was scouted this spot several times through out the year impressed. where As I moved along up the ridge, I saw several spots ent confid was I night. deer had been feeding on the acorns over I liked most that I would have deer sightings eventually. What t anything withou about this ridge was I could walk up the middle seeing me, and if I was careful, I could peak over the sides to try and spot deer before they saw me. The wind was coming out of the east so I

did favor the east side just for that reason. My instincts told me the deer would be bedded

on one of the higher benches on the east side because there was a consistent breeze at the higher elevations. Deer will often bed high on the windy side of the ridge because the breeze is constantly blowing scent in their direction. Big bucks especially use this for survival amongst predators and hunters as well. As I got about three quarters up the ridge, once again, I glanced over the east side to spot deer. Just 60 yards below me, I noticed

tunity was a wide buck and a doe bedded on a bench. The oppor rest on the perfect. I had an extremely clear shot and a solid . A rare event side of a red oak tree. It was an easy opportunity the safety clicked for a deer hunter. So I took a deep breath, ated a loud off, and squeezed the trigger. Of course, I anticip buck would be bang, followed by a shout of joy from me when the all. My firing dead in his bed. However, this was not the case at the gun never pin was froze! I tried three different times and nt. went off! The pin was only working about 10 perce deer did not The only fortunate thing that happened was the I was at least spook. I snuck away withou t really intruding them. g back to half a mile from my truck when this happened. Walkin It was down. me let the truck, I was really upset. The gun didn’t simply forgot to my fault. I left the gun in my truck over night. I moisture on the bring it in. Somehow, there must have been some firing pin.

hunting I assumed my hunt was over for the day. I was d shotguns and Alleghany State Park, which at the time only allowe was the only slug muzzleloaders to be used during gun season. This gun I had and my muzzleloader wasn’t sited in. Just a few hundred yards before I got to my truck, I decided to test the gun out one more time. I

didn’t want to fire a shell in fear of spooking deer, so I un-

loaded my gun and dry fired it. Crack! I couldn’t believe it. The

firing pin somehow thawed out in just the matter of minutes. I was back in action. A thought then came to my mind. What are the chances I can climb back up the ridge and catch that buck still laying in his bed? Not good, I thought to myself. But it was worth a try. So I followed my tracks right back up the ridge. But

with a slight change of plans. Maybe I should peak over at a different location this time? Just in case the deer

...continued on page 14

14 caught a glimpse of me as I was sneaking away earlier. So this

a doe when I saw him before.

I knew he couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be far. So I waited there. Probably five min-

time I planned on peaking over abou t 50 yards sooner. It took

utes later, I see another deer approaching the doe from behind.

zero effort to climb that ridge. My adrenaline must have been

My scope was on it in faster than

kicking in knowing for sure a big

you can blink an eye, it was the buck I had seen before. Just like

buck was in the area.

As I got to my peaking

earlier, the safety went off, but for a brief moment I was in a

point on the ridge, the excitement started to flow through

lot of fear wondering if the gun would go fire. I tried my best

my body, just praying that buck would still be there. I did every-

to not think abou t it. I slowly applied pressure to the trigger,

thing I could not to screw this opportunity up. I nearly crawled

to the point where I wanted to scan

the hillside. Finally I made

it to the edge. I could see well over a 100 yards both to my left and my right. Then reality set in, the buck was gone. I figured I must have spooked him somehow . Then suddenly I see a deer moving. It was feeding. Quickly, I raised the gun to get a better view through my scope. It was abou t 75 yards away. The deer lifted up its head, it was just a doe. However, that buck was with

then bang! It fired! The buck ran 30 yards showing no sign of being hit, then suddenly he took a nose dive to the ground. He expired. There was no tracking job on this hunt. The buck took a fatal double lung shot. When I got my hands on him, I was very pleased with both his body and rack . He was a mature 8-point with abou t an 18-inch spread. A grea t buck for Allegany State Park. A hunt that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll surely neve r forget.

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A trophy hunter’s paradise: Valley View Whitetails By Deb Everts Special to Southern Tier Living

RANDOLPH — A trophy buck awaits the serious hunter looking to score big at Valley View Whitetails Hunting Preserve in Randolph. Judging by one of the breeder bucks at the deer farm, the challenge is high and the reward is great. Wayne Hettenbaugh pointed out a buck in the fencedin field scoring a 250-inch rack and weighing about 220 pounds. He said this deer’s brother is pushing a 400-inch rack. Valley View Whitetails was founded in 1999 by the late Don Hettenbaugh and his sons, Wayne and Ken. Currently managed by Wayne, the deer farm specializes in white-tailed deer trophy hunts, breeding stock and scents. Hettenbaugh said as he, his dad and his brother decided to get into the business, they visited several farms. One was in Indiana where they bought several of their original deer with typical, clean lines of genetics. “They were nice deer but as the farms evolved, everybody got bigger deer and started breeding for bigger deer. It’s hard to believe how far this business has come because back then you wouldn’t see a deer like this,” he said

Press photo by Deb Everts Wayne Hettenbaugh has a passion for the deer he raises at Valley View Whitetails. The deer farm has breeding stock and the trophy bucks are at his preserve down the road. Shown are Wayne and Donna in front of the business sign.

as he showed the magnificent antlers he had on display. “In 2012, he was probably the biggest deer in the country scoring 655 inches. Now there are a couple of other bucks that have reached that 650 or 660 range, but there are only two or three that have exceeded this rack.” According to Hettenbaugh, the current market is looking for huge, wide typicals (referring to the antlers) and they’re looking for 30 to 35-inch wide antlers. Using buck sperm from Texas, his facility is artificially inseminating for 35 to 40-inch wide antlers this year. Hettenbaugh said when they began breeding deer, they already had a 175acre hunting preserve started and they knew it would take a few years to get established. He said they were growing some nice deer, but it took three or four years to get them that way. “Through extensive research between 2010-12, we purchased a number of whitetails with superior genetics. We spent a bunch of money on some really good does. Then we kind of jumped the herd up big. I went out and bought halfinterest in that deer,” he said pointing out another set of huge antlers mounted on a stand. Hettenbaugh currently has about 50 adult deer and 20 fawns. He and Donna

are bottle-raising some of their better genetic fawns. Once they mature, the fawns will be used as breeding stock. The deer kept on the farm for breeding are fed a nutritious blend of alfalfabased pellets with 18-20 percent protein and all the trace minerals. They eat grass and tree boughs as well and they are also given alfalfa hay in the winter time. According to Hettenbaugh, the deer are not tough to handle if confined. Once they get the deer into a chute system, two or three guys can artificially inseminate as many as 20 does and have them in and out of the handling facility in no time. “We’re required by the State of New York to have a handling facility because the deer now have to be tuberculosis (TB) tested. The state requires it every two or three years and we have to run the deer through the chutes to get blood samples for the test,” he said. Hettenbaugh also does scent collection. The female deer are brought into the handling facility and CIDRs (Controlled Internal Drug Release) are inserted in them. Two-weeks later, they are pulled out. According to Hettenbaugh, a CIDR is like a tampon that slowly secretes progesterone into the bloodstream after

19 insertion. The hormone slows down their reproductive system and puts them in estrus, so they cycle and come into heat at the same time. Their urine is bottled at the facility. “In about 50-60 hours, the does are spanning estrus which is the peak breeding time, usually the first week in November. That’s when we artificially inseminate them,” he said. According to Hettenbaugh, no deer can be brought into New York State because of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), but they can bring semen in. His genetics are getting to be topnotch and he has a market at places that need good breeders. He said there are only a handful of Whitetail breeders that are doing artificial insemination in New York. Hettenbaugh said he has a herd of approximately 30 deer at the preserve that’s breeding and raising already, but he adds a group of mature bucks to the herd every year. From time to time, he also puts does into the preserve for breeding and to help with better genet-

ics.

watching them grow and sharing his time

“On the preserve, we make it as wild and as much of a challenge as we can,” he said. “That’s why many of the same guys always come back every year — some for as long as 8-10 years — because they know it’s wild. It’s definitely a challenge here and that’s what makes our preserve different than maybe some of the other ones around the country.” He said the deer were placed on the preserve Oct. 1, down the road at another location. The process of transporting the deer is not an easy one and they usually have to be tranquilized. He said they are using a new drug that has the deer down in minutes and once they are given the reversal, they’re back on their feet within minutes. Hettenbaugh is passionate about his deer and he’s keeping his father’s passion for the deer alive with the farm and the preserve. “My dad would be proud of where we’re going with this business. He worked hard here raising these deer,

with the hunters,” he said. The Hettenbaughs are pretty busy with the hunts from October to December and they still have openings. They offer a comfortable and convenient lodge at the deer farm where hunters and guests may stay while visiting. Hettenbaugh has a full membership in the New York Deer and Elk Farmers Association (NYDEFA) and is on the board of directors. Both Wayne and Donna work in the educational field. Wayne teaches special education and earth science, as well as one self-contained class at Jamestown High School. Donna is also in the special education field. Valley View Whitetails is located at 4279 Route 241, in Randolph. To find out more or to book a hunt, contact Hettenbaugh at (716) 499-9367, whett6@ hotmail.com, or visit online atvalleyviewwhitetails.com and Facebook.

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Hunting mature bucks in McKean County By Steve Sherk Special to Southern Tier Living

I spend a lot time deer scouting and running game cameras, more than 300 days a year, no joke! If I’ve learned something through all this time and effort in the field, it would be that mature bucks are extremely elusive animals, especially ones that live on public hunting land. Most hunters have no clue just how smart an old whitetail buck is. Over the past several years, I’ve found out the hard way that mature bucks don’t put up with any hunting pressure. I’ve also learned that bucks 4 years of age and older become ghosts for about 90% of the year. If it weren’t for game cameras, I’d be settling for any legal buck that presented me an opportunity. One particular buck I’ve been getting on game cameras for the past four years has taught me a lot. This buck is six to eight years old for sure, I’m confident that he’s likely closer to seven or eight years old. I’ve scouted this buck’s territory countless times over the past four to five years and I’ve only seen him with my eyes once. Granted I have hundreds of game camera pictures of him. The one time I saw this buck I was actually checking my camera and he came walking down the trail that passed in front of my camera. When the buck got within 30 yards of me, he bolted away like someone smacked him with a baseball bat! Through out the rest of that year, this buck never showed up on any of my cameras during daylight hours. That one experience was enough to make him go into survival mode and mainly move through that area only during the cover of darkness. Another old buck I’ve been watching on my cameras the past three years taught me another lesson this summer. On my way to check a camera I busted him out of a tiny patch of brush in some

extremely wide open woods. I believe if I didn’t head towards that patch of brush, that buck would have let me walk by without me ever knowing he was in there. I’m starting to find out that some bucks will hold tight and let hunters walk right past them if they know they can get away with it. No surprise to me, this was the only time I’ve ever seen this buck in person and since then he’s only showing up on the camera during night hours. Boy did he look even bigger in person! I’ve also learned that mature bucks will have different core areas and home ranges through out the year. And during the rut, a buck’s territory becomes

Photo submitted Steve Sherk Jr. is shown with a deer. The author is well versed in hunting.

limitless. I am now starting to believe that areas that have lots of buck sign (rubs and scrapes) are often only visited at night except during the rut and when certain weather conditions get the bucks moving. By placing cameras in areas with literally no buck sign, I tend to get more daylight photos on my cameras. Why? Well during the day mature bucks do not move much except during the rut. When bucks aren’t moving, they aren’t making rubs and scrapes. I also think areas with food sources give mature bucks more of an urge to mark their territory. Where

there’s food, you’ll find other deer. Mature bucks want to make their presence known in those areas. But in their bedding areas, I think it’s the complete opposite. A wise buck doesn’t want to be known when he’s in his bedding area. That’s his safe place! If you want to kill a mature buck early in the archery season, try shifting just outside of the feeding areas and all the buck sign, mainly the routes the buck is taking to the food source. A little trick I’ve learned is that if you find a route a buck is using in between a feeding and bedding area, creating a mock scrape can make the hunt much more exciting. Just because there’s no other scrapes or signs in the area doesn’t mean the mature bucks won’t visit your mock scrape. In fact, with less scrapes in that area, it’s more likely they will visit the mock scrape. For some strange reason, cold weather will get bucks on their feet in a hurry. Sure, by moving the bucks will create body heat to stay warm. But I believe there’s more to it. There’s no doubt in my mind that there’s something inside a every deer’s body that gets activated during a cold front. Something that gets them moving. Particularly during the beginning of the front. Most archery hunters that hunt big bucks spend most of their time on stand in November, a time when big bucks are cruising during the day. However, October cold fronts have led me to harvest two really good bucks in the past two seasons. What is a cold front? To me, it’s when the average high temp drops at least 10 degrees. Cold frosty mornings can be really good, but that’s not a true cold front. Furthermore, the past two bucks I’ve killed in Pa. were during October snowfalls. Granted, the snow did not really accumulate, but it definitely was the cold front that got me those bucks. My saying is, “If there’s October snow, I must go.”

21 Also, don’t overlook the challenge of hunting mature bucks during the rut. They still have the edge on you. There’s no hunter that is smarter than an old big woods buck. But if you are like most hunters, you know your best odds to take a mature buck are during the rut. Mainly during the first two weeks of November. This is when most does are bred. But, does will continue to be bred right into December. And if a hot doe passes by you, 9 times out of 10 a good buck will be on her trail. And if you know for a fact that doe is in heat, hunt that area the next day as well. She will lure in many other bucks while she’s in heat. In fact, it’s been documented that bucks sometimes follow a hot doe for up to 72 hours. I must agree to that. Four years ago I saw 18 different bucks in three days in one spot. Then the fourth day in that stand, I didn’t see a deer. From what I could tell, there were two hot does that those bucks were tending. Although I didn’t kill one of those bucks until rifle season, it was probably the best three

days I’ve ever had bow hunting. Every one of those bucks would have scored between 100-150 inches. After the first day or two of rifle season, harvesting a mature buck gets extremely difficult. This is when mature bucks play the “ghost act” the best. My tip is to find where these bucks haven’t been pressured as much. And once again, don’t hunt them in the areas you are seeing a lot of big buck sign. Those bucks are likely bedding in places where few other deer are living. If you’re a stand hunter, the first and last hour of day light are probably the most likely times to get an opportunity. If you’re a still-hunter, without snow it’s nearly impossible to see an old buck before he sees you. But with snow on the ground, he will stick out like a sore thumb. And if you do jump him, you can track him. It’s amazing the effect snow has on the deer harvest in this area. My guess is the kill numbers go up 50% when snow is available during the first two days of rifle season.

Overall, the amount of mature bucks in this part of Pennsylvania is way underrated. Not only is it underrated but it’s a huge secret that may never be revealed due to the elusiveness of the bucks we have. Without game cameras, many hunters, including myself would never have a clue of the high number of mature, trophy bucks that roam in this part of the state. I’ve learned that big woods combined with low hunting pressure produces mature bucks. In my early days of deer hunting I never imagined Pennsylvania producing these kind of whitetails. I know there’s a lot of unhappy hunters that are disgusted and have practically given up because there’s fewer deer. And that’s just an opinion and argument for another time. But it’s these types of hunters that help these bucks reach the age class to become trophy’s. With fewer hunters, a buck has more room to hide and can get away with making mistakes. All in all, in the public lands of McKean County, I don’t believe there’s a better place to hunt mature bucks.

Crossbows vs. Compounds By Wade Robertson Special to Southern Tier Living

I find it interesting that archers seem to gravitate into three different groups. The traditionalist bow hunters who use longbows or recurves, compound users and lastly the crossbow users. Each has strong feelings on their choice. First, what do you consider a bow? Crossbows must be bows – look at their name. But, I find the word “bow” in many cases may have lost its meaning, or has it? I believe a bow, a real traditional bow, must be made of wood. You can front or back it with fiberglass or fiber, but wood must be the heart of the matter. After all, the Mongols used horse hoof glue and hide or sinew to give their bows more power ages past. Crossbows long ago were so potent they required a winch to pull the string back. Of course, they were shooting iron tipped bolts intended to penetrate heavily armored knights and horses, but they are almost as old and traditional as the English Longbow. Today, what we call bows don’t look like bows at all; they’re machines in the general shape of bows. Even the traditional shape’s disappearing as the compounds become shorter, squarer looking with the newfangled parallel limb designs and the cams grow larger. Wood has long been set aside and the very latest metallurgies and carbon fiber developments are constantly being integrated into the newest models. Space shuttle technology to hurl an arrow 300 or even 400 feet per second; incredible! Wooden bows were traditionally long to prevent your fingers being pinched severely while drawing the bow. It’s impossible to shoot today’s powerful, short-arrow machines with fingers, at least not accurately or for more than a

few shots, you’d be bleeding from your fingernails, literally. Today’s bows are constantly evolving, complicated technical wonders. So, compounds versus crossbows with their long history, is there really any difference? Why should one be legal and one not in different states? It appears to me that the almighty dollar, corporate strategy, sales advertising, greater profits and the prestige of owning the best and newest gadget rule the archery market. This seems inevitable and with hunting overall on the decline, actually positive, if new “technoloving,” hunters join our ranks. The biggest, challenge in archery hunting can be finding your deer. Despite the advances in broadheads, arrow speed, releases and improved sights, arrows are arrows, hunters fallible, conditions variable and often a fatally hit deer seems to vanish. Many deer are never found because of the difficulty in tracking an animal which is bleeding internally leaving little or no blood trail. This, logically, would lead a responsible hunter to use the most-efficient method of harvesting his or her deer, a crossbow. Yet, on the other side of the coin, it appears even today’s compound bow machine hunters feel compounds retain a certain degree of challenge that crossbows eliminate; a greater difficulty in mastering their bows and becoming a successful hunter. Perhaps, they feel this degree of dedication is critical to archery hunting as a whole and crossbows simply eliminate the challenge they feel defines the sport. However, this challenge constantly declines with technological advances. When looking at a large cross section of humanity, you find all types of people. It is impossible to eliminate those who will not take the time and effort to become truly proficient with their equipment. Even those who do may hit a twig, pull the shot, be struck with buck fever

or take a shot they really shouldn’t. It follows that the border line, less dedicated, perhaps first time archery hunter would almost certainly choose a crossbow if given the choice. Crossbows are powerful, use scopes, are easier to shoot accurately, less likely to wound a deer. What’s wrong with that? Such a hunter, after a successful season or two may wish to try a compound or even use real bows; a recurve or longbow. Today, society is all about instant satisfaction; few have interest in increased challenge, traditional methods, dedicated practice, study and all those little things which together can define a sport and create strongly held core beliefs. Hunting shows on TV depict deer with huge racks and Boone and Crockett scores. Racks like that are simply impossible to achieve in numbers without “growing” big bucks like a crop. Posted land, controlled harvest, food and nutrient supplements all year long. In my opinion it’s more about marketing than hunting and far from what I knew as a youth when someone could still be very proud and excited about shooting a 4-point with a recurve. Simple, unsophisticated joy has gone out of too many aspects of our lives. Are crossbows that much of a sure thing, cheating? Should a potential archery hunter be denied the choice of a crossbow and be forced to buy a compound bow that’s slightly more difficult to master? Does legal crossbow hunting really lessen archery hunting as a sport? Would allowing crossbow hunting increase the number of hunters? Is there really that much difference between a crossbow hunter and a compound machine bow with a mechanical release? Would allowing marginal hunters the right to use a crossbow lessen the number of wounded deer? Here’s a great idea! Let’s outlaw all crossbows and compounds and go

23 traditional; long bows and recurves only, just how archery season was originally intended to be. After all, a compound or crossbow is technologically far above a recurve. How many hunters would continue archery hunting if this took place? Pennsylvania allows the use of crossbows, the Game Commission will do anything to sell another license, but I can’t say I see that the sport has suffered at all. New York has a large group of savvy and politically connected dedicated bow hunters with an ethical base and strong convictions against crossbows, but are they helping or hindering archery hunting’s future or, in reality, being hypocritical using today’s compounds and releases? However, no matter what type of arrow thrower you’re using, Saturday is the first day of archery season. Hopefully you’ve taken the time to shoot some and get dialed in no matter what you’re using. Your longest range shouldn’t be further than you can hit a nine-inch circle every time. This early in the season you may catch a buck in his summer pattern before they start wandering the ridges eating acorns and then really begin moving around the county during the rut. However, every deer is individual and you may be able to pattern him or just get lucky. I’ve seldom seen a year for apples like this. Almost every tree is bent down and groaning under its load, there’s apples everywhere it seems. Apples are always a good bet for deer and no doubt many of you already have stands up by apples. Where does are, bucks can be also.

Be sure and give your bow a good going over, perhaps a drop of oil here and there. Check your knocking point, kisser button, sight alignment tubing for dry rot and your string. Better now than in the stand when it’s too late to do anything about it. It’s always good practice to shoot at 15 and 20 yards ignoring your sights. Things go wrong, break, twist, fall off or become misaligned. Just look straight down your arrow, point it directly at the bullseye and shoot. If you have equipment failure and a trophy buck is very close, the ability to shoot accurately without your peep or front sights is a real plus. The biggest buck I’ve ever seen shot was harvested under those exact conditions. The peep sight fell off and the monster was standing only 18 yards off. The archer kept his cool, aimed straight down his arrow and harvested perhaps the biggest buck of his life. Make sure your broadheads are razor sharp and working as they should. Watch out for any bulky sleeves that may catch your string and trim away any brush and limbs that could interfere with your arrow – it’s a declared law that everything that can go wrong will go wrong at the worst possible time. Well, shoot straight, good luck and great hunting no matter what your bow of choice. Early fall has a charm all of its own.

Photo submitted Archery season starts Saturday. Mike Boser shot this buck with a traditional recurve bow. Recurve bows are slow, harder to shoot with fingers instead of a release and truly increase the challenge of hunters. Traditional archery hunters are definitely the minority. What bow should you shoot, recurve, crossbow or compound, an interesting question.

Spare no effort to find your deer By Wade Robertson Special to Southern Tier Living

The buck appears out of nowhere. You pick up your bow, wait until he’s in the clear and stops. You aim carefully, try to slow your hammering heart and shoot. The buck jumps and runs — you believe you had a solid hit, but it happened so fast. Now what do you do? What steps should hunters follow religiously after firing at game, especially with a bow? Steps outlined here are those any responsible outdoorsman must always remember to follow in respect for the animal and the ethics to which hunters must hold themselves accountable. After taking your best shot, especially in situations in which there is no snow, it’s critical to mark the exact spot you shot from — Marker 1. In archery it is most likely your stand. If not, use a tissue, ribbon, glove, hat, pile of rocks, sticks or piece of plastic tape and hang it in an elevated position, if possible, where it can be easily seen. If unsure of your shot with a bow, wait an hour. Make up your mind right now, before you have even begun to hunt, to wait an hour even if you se e the deer fall. Leave it to bleed out; it doesn’t cost a cent to do this and it’s the CRITICAL DECISION. Keeping your eyes fixed on the exact spot the deer stood, hurry down and place Marker 2. Once it’s clearly marked in an easily seen manner you can begin looking for blood, hair or tracks. Archery hunters, if you can find your arrow, look it over for blood and other signs of a hit. Don’t move around much, stay still, avoid scuffing up the leaves or soil and look very closely before moving. Taking only a step or two at a time, looking carefully, scour every inch of the terrain. Even obvious sign can be easily overlooked when you’re excited, the adrenalin’s up

Photo submitted Matt Knowlson is shown with a giant 10-pointer shot last archery season. After the shot, finding your deer can be a difficult task. However, by following some basic steps and taking your time, you can greatly increase your odds of finding your deer, just as Matt had to do to find his trophy which took an unexpected turn just after vanishing from sight.

and your heart’s pounding. If you don’t find sign immediately within a 10- to 20-foot search, return to Marker 2 and begin searching again, re-examining every square inch for tiny clues, a few scattered hairs, minute blood drops, the scrape of a hoof or overturned rock. I find myself always rushing at first, but if I lose the trail, I quickly return to my marker. It’s much easier to remain patient the second search, methodically breaking down the area before me, knowing the signs will not be obvious. Most animals react to being hit, flinch, jump or kick, but not always. It’s uncommon, but animals occasionally show no signs of a hit, even if it’s a fatal one. This can be brought about by a bullet that fails to expand, an arrow zipping completely through, so don’t give up on your search too quickly or, worse, you don’t search at all. Begin by combing the direction the animal ran or was last seen if you don’t find tracks or a blood trail. Don’t become flustered or panicked, remain calm.

Animals often don’t bleed at first, even when fatally hit, especially with an arrow. If no sign appears within a short distance from Marker 2, you may wish to walk directly to the spot the deer was last seen and hang a third marker. Now, by looking back at Marker 2, it’s possible to establish the direction the animal ran with more exactness and slowly return to Marker 2, searching for sign. Using your markers intelligently, along with a thorough followup, is critical to finding your animal. A good friend of mine and his guide lost a moose — yes, an entire BULL MOOSE — in a large, waist-high, brushy- covered clear-cut simply because they didn’t mark where they shot from. One early autumn, as the sun sank through the colorful leaves, I released an arrow at a deer. I saw the flash of the fletching as the arrow arched through the air, heard it hit and saw the deer jump and then run. Climbing out of the stand I found a good blood trail, which I followed easily for some 200 yards. It began growing

25 fainter and fainter and soon stopped all together. I stopped and, looking back, saw the deer had run in a perfectly straight line, usually a sign of a fatal hit. The terrain was level and open, but the forest floor was covered in ferns some 15- to 20-inches high. I picked a tree some 50 yards in front of me following the line the deer had run and at the base of the tree found the deer. He’d simply run out of blood, but managed to make it farther than I would have believed possible. The route an animal runs can be influenced by many factors, including but not limited to the presence of other animals, the severity of the wound, the type of terrain, cover or the individual animal. As a tracker you examine the last tracks or blood and search carefully in the direction the animal was headed. However, keep in mind that deer many times turn sharply to the side just before they drop, not making your job any easier. MATT KNOWLSON was just about to head home. He looked behind him

one last time and was shocked to see a gigantic buck step into the open. At 15 yards Matt drew, his heart hammering so hard his ears roared, and released. He didn’t see the arrow flight but the big buck flinched, ran to the edge of the hill and vanished from sight. Resisting the urge to follow immediately, he marked the spot and left. An hour later Matt and his friends returned with flashlights, very concerned, for the weather forecast called for storms within the next hour or two, and Matt felt a tremendous pressure in his temples and a pain in his stomach. What a magnificent trophy, could they find him in time? He’d done all that he could, waited for the deer to expire, marked the last location and gathered friends to increase the probabilities. Would it be enough? At the spot the buck was last seen, the blood trail petered out. Matt continued straight in the direction the deer had run while his friends spread out searching in the same direction. After 200 yards and no sign they returned to the spot

the buck was last seen. This search they spread out in a fan shape to cover the thicker bottom. The minutes dragged by, when, suddenly, his buddy called out, “I have blood!” Matt rushed over and in a few yards the faint drops rapidly became bigger and bigger, then gushes of blood appeared on the ground and trees on both sides of the trail. Less than 50 yards ahead lay a magnificent 10-point, his beautiful antlers shining in the flashlight beams. The buck had turned 90 degrees at the bottom of the hill, heading for the thickest cover. Matt almost collapsed at the sight of those horns and, with relief at finding such a rare and valuable animal, almost wept with happiness and joy. Good hunting, and don’t lose that hard-hit trophy simply because you didn’t follow a few simple steps that can spell the difference between finding your deer or not. The rewards, morally and spiritually, are worth your every effort.

Coyotes have noticeable presence in area By Kate Day Sager Special to Southern Tier Living

In late August, Kevryn Boser was walking her two large dogs on Lafferty Hollow outside of Bradford, when she heard something moving in the weeds alongside the road. When Boser spotted a coyote staring at her she yelled “Hey” to scare it off, but to no avail. Instead the wild animal moved toward her and the dogs — and ended up chasing them. Boser’s story, as well as multiple carcoyote accidents on a stretch of Route 86 near Olean, N.Y., and reports of coyotes near residential areas, may have some wondering if they are on the increase in the area. While officials with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Pennsylvania Game Commission believe the local coyote population is plentiful, they don’t think there is a marked increase of the ani-

mal. They also believe the wild animals of the Canidae family, once referred to as the “small wolf of the Western prairies,” are here to stay. For Boser, an experienced hunter, the early evening encounter with an aggressive coyote was unusual and alarming. In recounting the incident, she noted she had forgotten to take her handgun and cell phone on the walk. When the 30- to 40-pound coyote continued to advance toward her, she began running with both her dogs up the road with the coyote in pursuit. “I ran around the back of a neighbor’s house to their back porch and began banging on their door,” Boser stated. “Thankfully their daughter was home.” Boser said after she called her boyfriend to come pick her up, she and the neighbor waited on the back porch. “It was sitting in the weeds just on the edge of their backyard and it was

howling at us, I was scared,” she admitted. “After we put the dogs in the back of my boyfriend’s truck (the coyote) actually ran alongside us in the weeds for a little way and was still howling.” Boser is uncertain why the coyote was aggressive, but allowed it could be because her one dog, a young female labrador retriever, had come into heat. The other dog is an older male golden retriever. Across the New York state line, several motorists have had different types of encounters with coyotes on a section of Route 86. On the morning of Sept. 19, Kim Survil was driving along Route 86 east to her job in Olean when a large coyote ran across the westbound lanes into the eastbound lanes and directly in front of her vehicle. As Survil was driving 65 to 70 mph, there was no avoiding the animal, which was struck and thrown over the guide rail near Exit 25, which leads to Buffalo Street in Olean.

27 “I didn’t think a coyote

population by providing year-

would be there, it was so fast,”

round hunting and trapping for

Survil said. When she took her

licensed individuals.

vehicle to Ayers Auto Body

At the Department of

Shop in nearby Allegany, N.Y.,

Environmental Conservation,

she learned the vehicle had

Region 9, in Allegany, wildlife

sustained $3,000 in damage.

biologist Jennifer Kurilovitch

Owner Dave Ayers said Survil’s

addressed the coyote accidents

vehicle was the third coyote-

on Route 86.

damaged vehicle he has re-

“At this point, the young

paired from collisions between

of the year are starting to

Exit 24 leading to Allegany and

disperse” from the family units,

Exit 25.

she explained. “They might just

Ayers, who has been in the business 35 years, said he typically repairs vehicles that have hit deer, bears and dogs, but rarely coyotes. “In all the years that I’ve been fixing cars, this is the first year I’ve encountered three within two months,” Ayers said. At the Pennsylvania Game Commission in Jersey Shore, Pa., Doty McDowell, wildlife conservation officer, said there hasn’t been anything out of the ordinary reported with the coyote population in the area. “I wouldn’t say we’ve had anymore coyote-related issues than we ever had,” McDowell said. As for the Boser incident, he agreed the coyote was not acting normally and could have been injured or rabid. “Coyotes get a bad rap. People see them as an aggressive predator, but they really

be more active now.” Kurilovitch said she hasn’t noticed an increase in the number of coyote sightings this year, but typically gets calls from people who have had interactions with the animal. “They’ll call and say the (coyote) has come a little too close for comfort,” she said. If that should occur, the agency has advice on how to discourage encounters with the animal. Key points include not feeding coyotes, either intentionally or unintentionally by leaving pet food outside, and not allowing coyotes to approach people or pets. Most importantly, if a hostile coyote approaches a person, one should display aggressive behavior by standing tall and holding the arms out to look large. Kurilovitch said the agency

aren’t,” he claimed. “Every

also tries to keep the popula-

once in awhile, you’ll get an

tion in check by providing

alpha male or alpha female

seasonal hunting of coyotes

that will act differently, but for

from Oct. 1 to March 26 and

the most part they’re like all

trapping from Oct. 25 to Feb.

wildlife and just want to be left

15 for licensed individuals.

alone.” He said the game com-

Both agency officials said they should be notified about

mission has addressed the

encounters with aggressive

issue of controlling the coyote

coyotes.

Sighting in your rifle

By Wade Robertson Special to Southern Tier Living

Darkness fell, gray shadows stretched across the valleys growing ever larger and darker until the hilltops were touched with the last golden rays of the sun. The western sky was a riot of pinks, reds and golds which slowly faded until darkness covered the land. As the darkness grew to blackness a far ridge became visible, its black edge increasing sharper as the sky behind grew ever brighter. Suddenly the thin edge of the moon showed, the startling bright orb climbing up into the nighttime sky illuminating the sleeping earth with its brightness and glory.

Individual trees became visible against the sky, open areas bright enough to easily walk, the moonlight bathing the earth with its brilliance. I marveled at the beauty of it all, shivering slightly in the cool September air, suddenly so aware that summer really was disappearing and the crisp feel of autumn growing steadily every day. Suddenly, as if in confirmation of my thoughts the loud clamor of geese floated down from the nighttime sky, their music haunting and stirring my soul with countless memories while indistinct promises of things yet to come hovered just beyond my grasp. Oh, the fall! How it stirs the hunters soul. Suddenly I became aware that now was the time to begin preparing for hunt-

ing season while it was still warm and light enough after work to still accomplish a thing or two. Perhaps this year I would really be proactive and sight my rifle in and be done with it, still allowing plenty of time to fix any unforeseen issues that may arise. Yes, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s do it now, right now and be ahead of the game for once. Jim Zirkle was of the same opinion and we both began scrambling, checking bullets, powder, and cases and primer supplies. A quick run to the sporting goods store soon brought us up to stock and reloading began. Luckily, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d had the foresight to clearly label each and every box with the correct information: bullet manufacturer and type, powder weight in grains for each caliber.

29 In a week I had the satisfaction of seeing our ammunition precisely loaded; nothing is quite as sleek and beautiful looking as a bright and shiny rifle cartridge, their satisfying lines flowing up, necking down and tapering to a perfect point. They look as fast as they really are and even better, are your own creation perfect in every way, uniquely yours. Next on our agenda was the traditional trip to the range to check our rifles and scopes. Jim had everything set up to perfection with 100-, 150-, 200-, 300and 400-yard targets set up. Today it’s pretty much the norm for many rifles to be equipped with scopes having holdover crosshairs out to 400 yards or even longer distances. However, these holdover points are set up for factory ammunition which in most cases isn’t that close to maximum loads. Allowing for differences in chambers, barrel diameters, head spacing, rifling and other variables they can’t possibly know what maximum loads will be for every rifle, so factory loads are lower pressure/velocity than they could be. Jim and I were shooting Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks bullets, our favorites, and pushing them just under maximum in various rifles. Shooting at 200 yards our shots were pretty much on the money for most calibers. However, when we began moving out to 300 yards the faster velocity began to show and that’s why you need to fire your rifle at longer distances if there’s a chance you may have to shoot that far. For instance, Jim’s 30-06 with 130-grain X-bullets and Hodgon 414 pow-

der was blasting along at over 3,100 feet per second. His scope holdover points were set for standard 30-06 loads, not these smoking custom hand loads. After several shots we discovered the increased velocity of his special hand loads demanded he improvise how he held. For 100 and 200 yards he simply used the 100-yard crosshair for both distances. At 200 yards, using the 100-yard crosshair, the 130s were only 2-3 inches low. Switching to the 300-yard target he used the 200-yard crosshair and was within 3-inches of center. Reaching way out to the 400-yard target Jim used, yes, you guessed it, the 300-yard crosshair and hit the 8-inch circle. The lighter bullets and higher velocity hand loads made his 06 shoot like a magnum with his Elite scope. The holds over points on my Redfield scope were a bit different than Jim’s with my 30-06 and 130’s pushed with Winchester 760, 64 grains of powder. My set up dictated I sight in at 200 with the center crosshair. The next point was 300 yards which was right on, but at 400 I was about 8 inches high, the added velocity showing up in a little different way. If I was to take a shot at 400 yards I’d hold on the bottom 1/3 of the deer and be fine. At 400 yards you’ll notice your bullet start drifting to the right. This is caused by the spinning bullet gripping the air enough to slowly drift over that direction at longer ranges. Shooting the .243 with 95-grain Nosler and 100-grain Hornady Interlock

bullets my Cabela’s scope was right on at all distances. Of course, these were standard bullets at the predictable velocities the scope was designed for. At 200 yards the plastic tipped Nosler shot a little higher than the lead tipped Hornady. When I fired at 300 yards the 95-grain shot 3” higher than the lead bullet. The 95 was faster to start and had a better ballistic coefficient. However, both would have killed a deer at the 300-yard mark. I only shot the 95-grain at 400 and it was maybe 5 inches to the right and 2-3 low, another dead deer for sure. Again, 400 yards is really a long way, but if you have a range finder with you, such a shot could present itself in a field and you need to be prepared if it does. If you don’t have hold over points in your scope, don’t despair. Simply zero your rifle 1.75 inches high at 100 yards; this will put you on at 200 and about 9-10-inches low at 300 with almost every high powered rifle caliber. If you see a buck at 300 simply hold on the top of his back and squeeze. If you’re a 30-30 guy and your rifle is sighted in at 100 yards a 170-grain factory load should drop 10 inches at 200 yards. Again, hold on the top of the back and squeeze. Ken Gerg of Emporium has hunted in many regions of the world and has a ton of practical experience hunting in all types of terrain. He has used a Leupold 3x9 scope on the great majority of these trips and Ken gave me some very good information that’s served him well over the years.

LOCAL EVENTS SHOOTERS WELCOME — The McKean County Rifle Club is seeking individuals interested in the shooting sports for participation in weekly practice and competition at the range at 1142 West Warren Road, Bradford (Route 770 near Marshburg). The range is open every Wednesdayfrom 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. for practice with .22 rifles and handguns. On Thursdays the club is open for IDPA-style pistol shooting beginning at 5 p.m. All interested parties are welcome. Membership information is available. For more information call Rob Drummond at 336-693-5012 or email r.drummond@atlanticbb.net. HIKES — The Pfeiffer Nature Center in Portville, N.Y. will host a series of nature hikes on the first and third Fridays of each month through the end of December. Each day’s hike will last approximately one hour (10-11 a.m.) and will cover the nature center’s Eshelman Tract and the Lillibridge Preserve area. Hikes will be held rain or shine, unless extreme weather conditions are forecast. For more information call the administrative office at (716) 9330187, or, go to:www.pfeiffernaturecenter.org HAYRIDES — Nightmare Hayrides will be held on the weekends in on Sommerville St., in Ellicottville, N.Y., the site of the annual Ellicottville Rodeo. Rides are scheduled 7:30-9:30 p.m. Friday,Saturday and Sunday. Visit the Gothic Chamber, Haunted Hayride, Vortex Tunnel, Haunted Barn and Wooden Haunted Maze. No reservations are necessary. Admission fee is $18, with children under five free. For more information call (716) 699-4839. PUMPKINS — Pumpkinville, located on Sugartown Rd. off Route 98 between Great Valley/Ellicottville, N.Y. and Franklinville, N.Y., will be open until Halloween. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.rain or shine. Pick your pumpkin, enjoy a

variety of fall food items including hot cider, fresh apples and more. Activities scheduled for the whole family. For more information call (716) 699-2205. TRAIN RIDES — The Arcade and Attica Railroad located in Arcade, N.Y., will offer a number of foliage excursions this fall. There is also a Halloween Haunted House ride in October. Also coming up are the North Pole Express in November and December that include visits with Santa Claus and his elves. Tickets for rides vary in prices. For more information contact the Railroad at (585) 492-3100. HAUNTED HOUSE — The Paranormal Investigation Tour (PIT) Society will be giving tours of the “Hinsdale Haunted House” located on McMahon Rd. just outside Hinsdale, N.Y. Tours are held on Saturday and Sunday, and space is limited. Several special guests are scheduled to be on hand this fall. Persons wishing to take a tour can obtain more information and/or make reservations by calling(716) 578-4586. TREE TALK — The Pfeiffer Nature Center located on Lillibridge Rd. near Portville, N.Y., has scheduled a program on the Eastern Hemlock. The program will begin at 10 a.m. on October 22 and last for approximately two hours. Officials at the Nature Conservancy will discuss the ecological and social values of this tree species. Sarah Johnson will conduct the discussion on the Hemlock, which have existed up to 800 years. For more information contact the Center at (716) 933-0187. TURKEY SHOOTS — The McKean County Rifle Club will be holding turkey shoots each Sunday in November at the club’s range on Route 770 in Marshburg (1142 West Warren Road). Event dates are Nov. 6, 13, 20 and 27. Shooting begins at 1 p.m. Prizes include turkeys, hams, steaks and jackpots. Events include rifle, handgun and shotgun with the closest shot to the center being the winner. All guns are welcome including semi-automatic rifles and pistols with any sight or optic. Slug guns and muzzleloaders can also be used. The club will provide all shotgun ammo. All shooting will be from the offhand position. Rifle events are shot from 50 and 100 yards, pistol events are from 50 yards and shotgun from 30 yards with supplied ammo. Each relay entry is $3. For more information emailbrockbyerley@rocketmail.com or call Brock Byerley at 814-598-8442. TRAIN SHOW — The TCA Toy Train Show will be held at the Jamestown (N.Y.) Savings Bank Arena on November 12. Hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. CELEBRATION — Celebrating “Mother Earth” over the holidays will be observed at the Pfeiffer Nature Center on Lillibridge Rd. near Portville, N.Y. The use of environmentally friendly products will be stressed by nature center officials. Some products will be on hand for participants to use. The program will begin at 10 a.m. on November 12 and last approximately two hours. For more details contact the Center at (716) 933-0187.