Wildlife Management News 3rd 2016 by Wildlife Management News

Wildlife 3rd Edition 2016

Management News

3RD ANNUAL DR. DEER FIELD DAY SEPT. 10TH 2016 BINGHAMTON, NY PRESENTED BY WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT NEWS SEE DETAILS & REGISTRATION CARD INSIDE SIGN UP NOW! LIMITED AVAILABILITY

IT’S ALL ABOUT DATA

WHY YOU NEED TO BE COLLECTING DATA BY DR. JAMES KROLL

DEER HUNTINGS LIQUID GOLD

DEER URINE BASICS, USE THE RIGHT URINE AT THE RIGHT TIME BY JOSH LANTZ

TRAIL CAMERA BUYER’S GUIDE

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BY JIM STICKLES

www.wildlifemanagementnews.com www.drdeer.com www.cfd.coop www.buckforage.com

Sponsored By

Photo By Mark Peretore

The Runnin and Gunnin Tripod

got its beginning in the South Texas brush country over 40 years ago. Its light weight and ease of portability made it an instant success with Texas hunters and beyond. Our mission today, as it was in the beginning, is to deliver to our customers a quality product STILL made in Texas that provides years of dependable service and enjoyment.

AMERICAN PERSIMMONS The Essential Food Plot Tree

AMERICAN PERSIMMON Dr. Deer Messageor call 570-934-2625 Find out more at NutraDeer.com

THE DEER CANDY TREE

• 2 NEW GRAFTED FEMALE VARIETIES: DEER CANDY EARLY DROP AND DEER MAGNET LATE DROP • DEER LOVE THE SWEET TASTE • VALUABLE SOURCE OF NUTRITION • RIPENS SEP-NOV • EARLY AND LATE RIPENING CULTIVARS • BEARS EVERY YEAR, STARTING IN 3-5 YEARS • HARDY ZONES 5-9 EW

ORDER ONLINE OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A LIST OF RETAILERS FOR 2016 CHESTNUTHILLOUTDOORS.COM CHESTNUTHILLOUTDOORS@GMAIL.COM (855) 386-7826

| 2 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

A Letter From the Editor – Mark Peretore Thank you for Subscribing to Wildlife Management News Magazine. We would like to take this time to welcome you to our community of dedicated hunters and land managers. We are committed to bringing you the most truthful and insightful information regarding land and wildlife management practices and products. With that being said, we strongly encourage you to get actively involved in the magazine by submitting questions, photos, feedback and even articles. It is for you that we publish this magazine, and we welcome any input from you to improve and add to it. As hunters and fisherman we make up the greatest power behind wildlife conservation. We contribute the largest portion of funding to all state conservation programs. With nearly 1,000,000 million hunters and fisherman per state, we make up the largest workforce to get the job done. We commend you on taking the next step, putting your boots to the ground, and actively participating in wildlife management. We here at Wildlife Management News are committed to keeping you informed on making the right decisions and following the best practices to improve your habitat and wildlife for generations to follow and to protect the heritage of hunting and fishing for years to come. As outdoor enthusiasts and hunters, we believe strongly in the way of the land. The mechanism that compels us to the great outdoors and the game that thrives on it is in our hearts and souls. It cannot be described and can never be replaced. We live and breathe to do what we do, to carry on the heritage and traditions of those in the past and to pass on our insights to the next generation. To pay homage to what the Lord has given us. Nature has a way of teaching us all. It cannot be tamed and it cannot be controlled, we can only live within it. Wildlife management is a passion of ours and yours, and we hope to continue to bring you to that peaceful place with each edition of Wildlife Management News.

Table of Contents Ten Tips for Asking for Permission............ 4 Trail Camera Buyer’s Guide....................... 6 Becoming Big Brother................................ 8 Deer Hunting Liquid Gold........................ 14 Keep The Bugs at Bay.............................. 18 Decoy Tricks for Waterfowl...................... 20 Ducks Unlimited Invitation....................... 22 Traveling with Firearms............................ 18 It’s All about that Data.............................. 26 Lyme Disease and Coinfections................ 31 Dr. Deer Field Day Registration............... 33

We sincerely thank you, Mark Peretore CEO and Editor

News Alert On September 10th 2016 Wildlife Management News will be hosting our 3rd annual Dr. Deer Field Day. We hope that you will join us, as this years event will be open to the public! We will be limiting our guest to only 100 people (first come first serve). For your convenience there is a registration card on page 33. The team at Wildlife Management News and Dr. James C. Kroll will lead your through a new property of ours, and show you first hand how to develop a management plan as we begin to lay the ground work for the years to come. You will learn about designing a plan, creating habitat, planting food plots, planting orchards, creating and managing bedding areas, herd management, and age and sex structures. Dr James C. Kroll known worldwide for his years worth of work with whitetails, and now you get the chance to meet and ask him questions face to face. We look forward to seeing your there, and cannot wait to open your eyes to to the world of Wildlife Management. If you have any questions please direct your calls to our office at 570-432-0912. Thank you. Mark Peretore | www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 3 |

10 Tips on Asking for Permission to Hunt Submitted By Bob Wagner

he reality for many hunters today is they must seek land to hunt on. Some own land, some lease land, and most seek the opportunity to hunt on someone else’s land by receiving permission from the landowner. Hunter access was identified as one of the largest issues impacting the future of hunting at a recent Whitetail Deer Conference Summit. East of the Rocky Mountains, most hunting occurs on private land, and this is especially true in states like Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska and Texas where 97 to 98 percent of the land is in private ownership. Where housing/building development, anti-hunting sentiment among some landowners, and competition from other hunters occur, it can be downright difficult finding a place to hunt. In decades past, many hunters

could walk out the back door, cross several property boundary lines during the course of a hunt, and never worry about upsetting the landowners or being arrested for trespassing. Unfortunately those days are long gone! Here are 10 tips to help you keep on good terms with landowners and maybe secure a spot to hunt. 1. Ask permission well in advance of the season. Don’t show up the week before opening day and expect a positive response. It may happen, but increase your odds by asking weeks or months in advance. 2. Make a good first impression. Don’t show up dirty from work or in hunting attire. A shower and clean (non-camo) clothes can go a long way toward receiving permission. 3. Be polite and respectable. Language and behavior can be the deciding factor, so don’t blow it before you even make “the ask”. Continue being polite and respectable even if the answer is no. Thank the landowner for his/her time and leave on good terms. Doing so can turn a “no” today into a “yes” in the future. Being impolite or disrespectful is a guaranteed continual “no.” 4. Take a child with you. It’s amazing how a well-behaved child can help create a great first impression or enhance an existing relationship with the landowner. Some landowners are also far more likely to allow you to hunt if they feel they’re helping a child.

| 4 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

5. Offer to help the landowner. Let them know you’re willing to help them for the opportunity to hunt. You can offer to help cut wood, fix fences, pick up trash, or anything else they may need help with. I have personally secured permission to hunt by offering each of these tasks as well as helping ranchers work their cows and even just keeping an eye on their land for them. You can also offer to help plant trees, pick rocks, and mark or paint boundary lines. If you’re not willing to help the landowner, don’t expect them to be willing to help you. 6. Start small. Small game, that is. Many landowners who wouldn’t let you hunt deer on their land may let you hunt squirrels and rabbits. Use this opportunity to mentor a child and develop a positive relationship with the landowner. Doing so could be your ticket to a future deer stand on his/her property. 7. Give them your information. Hand them a business card or note card with your name and contact information. Landowners like to know who is on their property and how to contact them if necessary. This is also important if the landowner initially declines your request but reconsiders at a later time or knows another landowner that he/she can pass your information to. 8. Offer to provide and pay for insurance. For as little as a few cents per acre you can get (hunting land liability insurance through QDMA) that covers you, any guests, and the landowner. Many landowners deny permission to hunt for fear of liabili-

Photo By Jim Holbert

ty. Offering to provide this insurance policy can make all the difference with your request. These last two items pertain to situations where you receive permission to hunt. 9. Get details on where, when and how. Be sure to ask the landowner where you can and cannot park, when you can and cannot hunt, and how you may hunt. Some landowners don’t like rifles. Some may not want you there on a special weekend their son and daughter-in-law visit to hunt. Oblige them and just hunt with your bow or hunt elsewhere when their family is in town. Follow their wishes. Be sure to close each gate you go through and pick up any litter you find on their property. 10. Give back. Hunting on someone’s

land is a big privilege, so give something back to the landowner to show your appreciation. I’ve shared turkey and venison with generous landowners. Thank-you cards, Christmas cards, and other tokens of appreciation go a long way toward receiving permission again in the future. I hope this information helps you gain permission to hunt new land this fall. Be sure to mentor a youth or new hunter this year, and good luck in the woods. These “tips” were suggested by the national staff of the Quality Deer Management Association. (www. qdma.com ) There are 11 “Local” Branches of QDMA in Pennsylvania with the Susquehanna Branch 674 Mitchell Rd. Meshoppen, Pennsylvania 18630

Contact: Mike Koneski (570) 9652176 – Phone; Cowanesque Valley Branch 4508 RT 49 Knoxville, Pennsylvania 16928 Contact: Scott Beebe (814) 326-4172 – Phone, being in Northeast Pennsylvania. There are 15 “Local” Branches in New York State with the Southern Tier & Finger Lakes Branch Contact: Mike Edwards (585) 813-2021 – Phone and the Seven Valleys Branch 3160 S. Hill Road McGraw, New York 13101 Contact: Jesse Wildman(607) 345-8595 – Phone being the closest to the Binghamton, NY area. Original article compiled by the QDMA national staff. Local information added by Bob Wagner

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 5 |

A Trail Camera Buyer’s Guide By Jim Stickles

rail cameras are by far one of the most important tools in any hunter’s arsenal. There is no such thing as having too many trail cameras. They make fantastic gifts. However, there are many different companies, styles, and camera features available that it is easy to get overwhelmed. Fear not! Hopefully this guide will help you shop for the right camera. Warranty I cannot recommend one camera company over another. In my experience, every camera company runs into technology issues, which is why a good warranty and superb customer service is just as important as the camera purchase itself. This is primarily why I do business with Trailcampro.com. Most cameras

needs another year or two.

purchased from them come with 90day no questions asked returns, free 2-year warranty, free shipping, and a free SD card. You cannot find a better deal than that anywhere. They have a good selection of top brand name cameras, and each year they test and review all the camera types they keep in stock. Their customer service is second to none, and their knowledge about trail cams is far beyond my own. If you have questions, they have answers. I have done a lot of business with them in the past, and they have always treated me right and answered all of my questions. Megapixels (MP) – Don’t fall into the “more is better” trap. For most hunting applications, 5MP will provide sufficient picture quality, and even 3MP is enough to decide whether or not a buck is a “shooter” or if he

Batteries – AA batteries. They are light weight, easy to find, and cheap if you buy them in bulk. Further, alternative options such as rechargeable batteries and lithium batteries are both readily available in AA sizes. Detection range – This is another category where you don’t want to fall into a “more is better” trap. The best pictures generally occur in the 10 to 20ft range from your camera, so you don’t want your camera snapping a picture until the animal is fairly close. Another problem with longer detection range is that the camera may detect movement or heat contrast of background vegetation, which can result in a lot of photos with no critters. This eats up battery life, memory card storage space, and wastes your time as you filter through blank pictures. Trigger Speed – Faster trigger speeds

I found the Browning Dark Ops camera easy to set up. There were very few photos without having some animal in the frame. The photos were clear at night and during the day. I am still using the same batteries after hundreds of photos. I am very happy with the camera’s many features and small compact size. The green tree strap and camo color blends well into the surroundings. I have recommended this camera to a friend, several clients and would purchase more of these for myself in the future. Matthew Sellers, Enhanced Habitat

I really like the Browning cam!! Battery life is still over 80% and I put it out a few days after you dropped it off. The camera takes some really nice pix. This Browning Dark Ops is the best camera we run right now. We have a bunch of different Moultries, which have been my favorite. We use one Cuddieback and absolutely hate it. Nothing but problems – I’ll never buy another. We have one WildGame Innovations and it’s OK at best. Good daytime pix but very grainy IR pix. We had one Stealth Cam and got rid of it. Batteries would last three days at best and when it took pix they were not very clear. Michael Koneski

CFD Featured Product

We have five different brands of trail cameras in use. The new Browning Dark Ops camera is one of the easiest to set up, the instructions are clear and easy to follow. Photo quality is excellent, both day and night and we do not even have it set up with the highest resolution. The nighttime photos are great – on some of our other cameras the pictures are so grainy you can’t tell if you are looking at a buck or a doe. The photos are clear out to a greater distance as well. There doesn’t seem to be any sound with this camera, so that means that it is probably going to last as far as bear contact. Browning has a winner in my book! Dave Sienko

I have recently transitioned my focus on trail cameras towards the product line that Browning offers. With being an avid bow hunter, I rely on my trail cameras to help with my overall success from season to season. Whether I am hanging them on a food plots, travel routes or other food sources, my Browning trail cameras provide me with the highest quality trigger speed, recovery time, detection width and overall range. With the combination of quick trigger speed (.7 seconds) and 2.3 second recovery time, Browning trail cameras ensure that your game will be detected. The thing that impressed me most with the Browning cameras was the detection range. Compared to other brands I have used in the past, the Browning trail cameras trigger pictures of animals as soon as they cross the detection zone, which helps prevent blank pictures. The overall quality of photos is outstanding, both daytime and especially the night pictures taking into consideration the no-glow infrared technology. The overall clarity, focus and brightness of the photos are top notch. In my opinion, Browning has surpassed many of its competitors with the Dark Ops model!

Chris Jeffers, Woodsfield, Ohio

| 6 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

is almost a guarantee that if your camera is discovered, it’s not going to be there the next time you check it. Time Lapse or “Plot Watcher” Mode – You may not use this option much, but when you do it’ll be to figure out some of the most important information you need to know as a hunter. Specifically, it can help tell you when and where critters are entering large open areas. This can help immensely with stand placement and determining what time to be in your stand.

Trail camera security box secured to the tree from the inside with lag bolts (indicated by yellow arrows).

Video Mode – Most cameras >$100 come standard with some sort of video mode. In my opinion, this feature that is not necessary Camera with full security box protection. for patterning wildlife, and therefore is not a “deal breaker,” but it can be fun for recording behavior.

(<1 sec.) allow for more camera versatility as they can be put on trails and capture images of animals on the move. However, if the camera is going to be over a bait site or a sign post (scrape, scent post, etc.), then slower trigger speed cameras will suffice.

Burst Mode – Some cameras come with a “burst mode” option that shoots 3-5 pictures each time the camera is triggered. This is another feature that is not necessary for patterning wildlife, and therefore not a “deal breaker,” but it can be useful for identifying individual animals during a Flash – For most hunting applications, other than official trail camera survey trail camera surveys, an infrared (IR) or black flash camera is the way to go. Internal Memory – In my opinion, internal memory is a pointless feature. Camera cards are cheap. There’s no reason you can’t buy a few extra camera cards to keep in your vehicle just in case you forget your primary camera cards at home. Security – Theft is a big problem for trail camera users. Password protection does not prevent a camera from being stolen, so physical protection is more important. Select a camera that is compatible with a lock-box, and lock it up with a very heavy-duty lock. I prefer a lock box that can be secured to the tree with lag bolts from the inside of the box. In addition to deterring theft, lock boxes can help extend the life of your camera by helping to protect it from rain and curious, destructive critters like bears. Finally, don’t forget to register your camera with the company, that way if your camera is stolen at least law enforcement has a way of finding and contacting you if it is found. Even with all of these security measures, a determined thief may still get your camera, but they are going to need to work for it. Taking no security measures at all | www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 7 |

Becoming Big Brother

locations, place your cameras with care. Plano Synergy pro, Jonathan Turner, reminds hunters that vegetation can grow quickly. Just because your camera’s frame was clear yesterday doesn’t mean it will be today. “Keep your frames free of vegetation that can be moved by the wind and repeatedly trigger the shutter,” he says. “It’s unnecessary, annoying and drains your batteries.”

Turner offers a similar tip Game camera network strategies for Orwellian-level surveillance of your hunting property regarding the sun: “Position your cameras to protect them By Josh Lantz from the sun, which can also trigger some infrared cameras.” This, ecome the totalitarian of Location and placement too, can deplete your batteries and your hunting property. Just Place cameras in key locations along serve as another source of frustration; as George Orwell’s notorious trails between bedding and feeding but the sun can also actually damage character, Big Brother, tracked his areas, at natural funnels, next to a camera’s critical components. “Like subject’s every move in the classic scrapes, and high-use daytime brows- point-and-shoot cameras that lack a novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four, you ing areas. Such prime spots will viewfinder, most game cameras keep can keep tabs on your deer with a produce the most usable images and, the shutter open with no mirror to well-planned game camera network. therefore, provide the best inforredirect the sun’s rays. If your game Follow a few key suggestions. mation about your deer herd. Don’t camera is pointed towards the sun for disturb bedding areas. Instead, place any significant amount of time, you More is better your cameras along the trails leading are probably causing damage,” says A single game camera provides a in and out of these sanctuaries. Turner. wealth of information, but is limited to one location. Today’s hunters Stay organized and keep good reSelect the right cameras are demanding multiple, compact, cords. Ralph Cianciarulo, co-host More high-quality game cameras highly capable models at increasingly of the popular Archer’s Choice and are available over a range of prices competitive prices. A full-featured, The Choice television programs on and performance features today than affordable camera gives hunters the Sportsman Channel, employs a simever before. Identify and map your option of placing more units in the ple system. “We keep all our cameras preferred camera locations first, then woods, which provides increased and supplies organized inside a dedi- select the appropriate camera for each information at multiple locations. cated Plano Sportsman’s Trunk,” says location based on your specific needs Cianciarulo, who also tapes a map relative to range, flash type, media Use enough cameras to cover the crit- showing all camera numbers and type, viewing options and cost. ical areas of your hunting property. locations inside the lid. “This helps That may mean one on a relatively us plan the least intrusive route while Each camera has a maximum efsimple 20-acre property, or up to a checking them, but also provides a fective range, usually limited by the dozen on larger, more complex prop- great reference for understanding and flash, which is typically between erties. Let a hunting tract’s size and mapping the travel habits of individ40-100 feet. Consider the maximum individual features dictate the numual bucks.” distance you need to cover at each ber of cameras employed. camera location and make selections Once you’ve identified key camera accordingly. Some cameras also offer

| 8 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

RST manufactures PREMIUM 23/4” and BEST GRADE 2” & 21/2” shotgun shells, offering the widest range of loading available for classic older guns and shooters seeking performance and reduced recoil.

570-553-1651 www.rstshells.com

Aluminum & Fiberglass Boats Truck Caps & Accessories Snow Plows & Spreaders All Types Engines Repaired

Allen Coy RR3 Box 142, Montrose, PA 18801 570-967-2109 • 1-800-453-3820 email: scmarine@epix.net

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 9 |

Photo By Mark Peretore Bedrock Big Bucks Outfitter November 2015 adjustable fields-of-view, as well as multi-directional image capture. Today’s game cameras largely employ one of two primary flash types: either a standard (white) LED array, or an “invisible” (black) infrared LED array. A standard LED flash is visible to deer. There is debate among hunters on whether or not traditional white flash cameras spook deer, and there is additional debate concerning whether or not deer can perceive a black, “invisible” flash. Firsthand experience is the best teacher, here, but flash range remains the most important factor. Traditional white LED flashes generally have longer ranges than “invisible” black LEDs. Select a camera with an appropriate range for each set-up and form your own opinions and preferences regarding flash type. Game cameras capture still images at

different resolutions. A 20-megapixel camera may take beautiful, high-resolution images, but those images may come at the expense of reduced SD card capacity and battery life. As a rule, a 5-to-8-megapixel camera will provide extended battery life and take more photos per SD card, while still delivering acceptable image quality for most purposes. Video capability is another consideration. Cameras that take short video clips can provide additional helpful information that isn’t always discernable from cameras limited to shooting stills. Small food plots, mineral sites, and game trail intersections are great locations for video cameras, because they can provide more clues on overall behavior and direction of travel. But be warned: Repeated recording of videos can negatively impact battery life. In this situation

| 10 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

Time Lapse Technology, which provides a variety of different user-defined settings to capture still images or videos at predetermined intervals during key game movement periods might just fit the bill. The manner in which captured photos or videos can be viewed is also a critical consideration. While nearly every camera writes images to an SD

or Mini SD card, some offer on-board viewing screens and some don’t. The ability to view photos or videos on the camera in the field is a bonus, as the hunter can simply delete unusable images from the camera without ever removing the card. When good images are found, the hunter can take the card home and dump the photos to a computer, or – better yet – quickly transfer the images to a mobile device in the field. A final viewing option is available on cameras that send images wirelessly via MMS or email using a built-in transmitter or a SIM card from a cellular carrier. These cameras are more expensive and may require a dedicated data plan, but provide real-time monitoring and preclude the need to visit cameras as often. They’re also wonderful for nabbing trespassers, as images are transmitted in as little as 60 seconds. Do your homework before purchasing these models, as there is a wide divergence in compatibility with various mobile devices and providers. Timing and maintenance Many hunters place cameras in the early spring in order to monitor deer throughout the full antler-growing cycle, but the weeks leading up to the season opener are most important for observing deer for hunting. Cameras placed in the springtime will require fine-tuning throughout the summer. Don’t assume previously placed cameras will continue to deliver good performance. Trim vegetation, replace batteries and make any other necessary adjustments early enough to avoid altering natural deer behavior in the days leading up to hunting season. Carry pruning shears and a small limb saw during each visit to your camera sites to keep

them tuned up. Ameristep sells a handy Pruning Kit that includes both of these key tools in a practical belt sheath for under $20. Camera type and a bit of common sense will dictate how and when one should visit cameras for maintenance or to retrieve SD cards. Plan visits and specific routes to minimize potential conflicts with deer. Avoid peak activity times like early morning and late evening. Use stealth and take precautions to control scent. First-generation game cameras were bulky, drained batteries quickly and, frankly, didn’t work that well. Thankfully, those frustrating days are long gone. Scouting cameras have evolved to a level that was unimaginable only a few years ago, and have become standard equipment for anybody who needs to be there… but can’t really be there… just like Big Brother.

Hunter’s #1 Choice!

book now and save! DEER

FOX

TURKEY

Also providing

CUSTOM LASER ENGRAVING

logos for businesses and organizations! Top Outdoor Products 22 Kelley Street • Renovo, PA 17764 Toll-free: 888-609-0012 www.topcalls.com

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 11 |

By Mark Peretore News | 3rd Edition 2016 | | Photo 12 | Wildlife Management

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 13 |

Deer Huntings Liquid Gold Deer Urine Basics Use the right urine at the right time By Josh Lantz

eer pee. It’s the only scent product many deer hunters use. But a variety of urine products are available, and knowing what to use and when is the key to unlocking the full potential of this liquid gold. The correct product used at the proper time will put deer at ease and pique their curiosity – a condition that can lead to a successful hunt. The wrong ones, however, create an unnatural, olfactory alarm that puts deer on high alert and may cause them to avoid or even flee your hunting area. Deer Urine Basics Whitetail deer urine products come in a variety of formulations. This article covers the three most basic – doe urine (non-estrous), estrous doe urine, and dominant buck urine – as well as when, where and how to

use them. These products come packaged in different ways for alternative delivery methods. Some are designed to hang and drip, releasing product slowly. These are great options for keeping real scrapes or hunter-created mock-scrapes fresh. Others come in standard bottles or bags designed to administer product directly or via scent wicks that are dipped and hung from a branch near one’s hunting site or dragged from a hunter’s boot to create a scent trail. Aerosol bombs create a fine mist of atomized product that becomes airborne and is dispersed downwind. Choose the packaging type that best meets your needs, but pay close attention to the lid or cap. The last thing a hunter wants is smelly deer urine leaking inside his or her hunting pack. Early Season Deer are largely relaxed during the

| 14 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

early part of the hunting season. They aren’t interested in breeding and follow fairly regular bedding, feeding and travel routines. Daily deer movements are short, primarily limited to travel between bedding and nearby feeding and watering locations. Mature bucks will create and maintain rubs along these routes, which are intended as territorial signposts to other bucks. Avoid the use of any estrous doe urine products during the early season. It’s an unnatural scent at that time and is more likely to cause alert than intrigue. Basic doe urine, however, is an effective cover and curiosity scent during the early season. While it may not draw deer to a hunting site, it’s a natural smell that can calm and reassure any deer passing nearby, and may cause them to investigate and

linger. Drippers and wicks, as well as squirting products, are all effective delivery systems. Dominant buck urine is often overlooked by early-season hunters, but can be very effective for bringing bucks within bow range. All deer are curious, and the scent of a mature buck in another’s core area provides definite cause for full investigation. Dominant buck urine deployed via boot drags, wicks, drippers and aerosols can be a deadly tool at this time of year, as it appeals to a mature buck’s need to investigate his competition. Pre-Rut The pre-rut period kicks in as days get shorter and temperatures start to drop. These cooler conditions allow deer to travel longer and more frequently. Does aren’t quite ready to breed, but the bucks are growing decidedly anxious. They begin getting serious about making scrapes, and may patrol them for clues with the ire and intensity of a psychopathic ex-boyfriend.

Mature bucks typically use their own trails, generally downwind and parallel to the main trails used by does and young bucks. Active scrapes along a mature buck’s trail are superb pre-rut hunting locations – especially when located near intersections with other trails, funnels or other natural pinch points. Urine products like Wildgame Innovations’ Dominant Buck Dripper are ideal for keeping these scrapes fresh, thereby challenging a mature whitetail’s dominance and possibly causing him to investigate more frequently. Unfortunately, it doesn’t ensure he’ll visit during hunting or even daylight hours. That’s why savvy pre-rut hunters take things a step further, deploying an aerosol product like Wildgame Innovations’ Dominant Buck Bomb while onstand. This airborne delivery system carries the apparent scent of an unwelcomed intruder far downwind, where it may catch the nose of an attentive buck sticking close to his scrapes.

Rut The rut begins when does start coming into estrous and the bucks begin chasing. At this point, a hunter’s best strategy is to hunt areas that have the highest concentrations of does. Now is the time to unleash a high-quality estrous doe urine. Deploy ample quantities of estrous doe scent around your stand with drippers, squirts or bombs. Boot drags are also highly advisable, as they can lead a mature buck directly to your stand. Saturate a lure with a mixture of estrous doe urine and dominant buck urine for a one-two punch intended to pique both his excitement and anger. Post-Rut When bucks stop chasing, it’s a sign that does are no longer in estrous. Bucks that have expended valuable energy during the rut may appear run-down and will feed heavily on waste grain or other available food

Hunters should use deer urine scent strategies during the pre-rut similar to those employed during the early season. Stick with basic, non-estrous deer urine to instill confidence in passing deer and dominant buck urine to create intrigue and attraction. Hunters enjoy two primary benefits during the pre-rut period that weren’t in play throughout the early season. Deer are moving more frequently and may be ranging farther, while an abundance of scrapes provides hunters with focused areas of deer activity on which to concentrate. | www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 15 |

sources to regain body mass before the winter hardship period begins. At this point in the hunting season, it’s best to revert to basic doe urine as a cover scent. The use of dominant buck urine during the post-rut period can be risky. While a true boss buck may still come to investigate the scent, bucks – even giants – may be more likely to avoid any possible confrontation at all, having just endured the significant physical demands of prolonged chasing, breeding and fighting. Many experienced hunters avoid dominant buck urine or tarsal gland products during the post-rut for this reason. Don’t put the estrous doe urine away just yet. Some does will come back into estrous approximately four weeks after the peak of the primary rut. Hunters should watch both their calendars and deer behavior closely, | 16 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

and be ready to deploy estrous doe urine if the conditions are right. One of the great joys of hunting – or any outdoor pursuit, for that matter – is learning. And one of hunting’s great truths is that nothing works all the time. Effective scent strategy is a powerful tool that deer hunters can learn and use – independently or in combination with other productive and exciting techniques like calling and decoying – to coax deer within range. Follow the basic deer urine tips outlined herein, experiment with different products, and record your own observations from the field to become a more effective hunter and enhance your deer hunting experience.

It’s not just any oat!

products.

Buck Forage Products the preferred forage for whitetails

Oats • Clover • Chicory Buck Forage Products provides successful food plot results.

Fall Planting

Year-Round Planting

• Superior Winter Tolerance • Better Forage Quality • Proven Preference WWW.BUCKFORAGE.COM | www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 17 |

Keep the Bugs at Bay

Don’t let Mosquitos and Ticks Ruin Your Hunting Season By Kipp Adams

s deer hunters we put ourselves at risk every time we hit the woods. I’m not referring to firearms or archery accidents as they are actually quite rare. We stand a much better chance falling out of a tree stand. In fact, research from Wisconsin shows tree stand accidents are the largest source of hunting-related injuries and deaths in the United States. Stands, ATVs, and mountains aside, we also put ourselves at an increasing risk of disease from mosquitos and ticks. Last year most deer hunters hadn’t heard of the Zika virus. Now the World Health Organization considers it an international public health emergency, and the mosquitos that carry it are found in most states that are home to whitetails (see map). In addition to Zika, we also need to be cognizant of West Nile and Dengue. The best ways to protect yourself while hunting is to cover all exposed

skin and use a repellent(s). Gloves, headnets and facemasks can all help, and Thermacells and spray on repellents can be your best friends. If those diseases aren’t bad enough, we’re also susceptible to numerous others carried by ticks. Lyme disease is now the most common illness transmitted by bloodsucking bugs in the United States, and it’s a distinct minority of hunters that don’t get at least one tick bite annually. Lyme disease continues to spread in the United States, and it’s carried by black-legged (aka deer) and western black-legged ticks. Unfortunately, in addition to Lyme these ticks can also carry Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis, and the blacklegged tick can also carry Babesiosis. You don’t want any tick-born disease, but Babesiosis can be one of the worst. It can be similar to Malaria, and it’s most common in the Northeast and upper Midwest. Ehrlichiosis is most common in the Southeast and | 18 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

Southcentral United States. A final disease is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and it’s carried by the American dog tick, brown dog tick, and Rocky Mountain wood tick. Dog ticks are present nearly everywhere whitetails live (see map). This disease can be fatal, and despite its name the majority of cases occur in Arkansas, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Tennessee. Collectively, these states are home to over 2.5 million hunters so there is a lot of potential for tick bites and disease. The best way to protect yourself while hunting is to treat your clothes with permethrin and spray repellent on any exposed skin. Once back to camp strip down and check for ticks, and pay particular attention to your groin, armpits, and the back of your knees. If you find a tick remove it with tweezers and keep it for your doctor if a rash develops at the site or you get an unexpected illness. Don’t let these bloodsuckers keep you from enjoying the woods this fall, but be cognizant of them and protect yourself before heading afield. The only blood you want to be concerned with is what’s in the trail leading to your prized venison. Good luck and be safe.

ANDRE & SON, INC. www.andreandson.com Store Hours: Mon - Fri 7:00 am - 6:00 pm Sat 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Moultrie Feeders Game Cameras Deer Minerals Game Plot Seeds Deer Feed

WE HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR FOOD PLOTS!!

Soil Analysis Pesticides Fertilizer Lime

OW D A SH N T E R HU S BLIND IN ! STOCK

ANDRE & SON, INC. Farm & Home Agricultural Supplies 17150 SR 706 Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801

570-278-1131

FAX: 570-278-3835 Mark Andre mlandre@andreandson.com | www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 19 |

Decoy Tricks for Early Season Waterfowl

a a s o s s r o

How to stay ahead once the pressure sets in

Th d d fi m

By Sammy Bruce

“ a p c m

eptember is right around the corner, and skies are filling with waterfowl. And, although early season hunts occasionally involve uneducated birds willing to commit to any spread, rarely are things that easy. It’s incredible how fast ducks and geese get wise to hunting pressure. A true credit to the resilience of nature, these birds often change daily patterns immediately with the first sign of hunting and become reluctant to land anywhere but in the neighborhood park. Hunters can up their odds in a number of ways. Staying concealed is always the first order of business when waterfowl hunting, and accurate gunning is a key component to putting birds on the strap. But first, however, ducks and geese must buy what we’re

selling, and decoys are central to this grand scheme of deception. Along with good calling, it’s decoys that catch the attention of the birds we hunt. Moments later, the same decoys convince the birds to take a better look. And, in the end, it’s our decoys that bring our quarry, feetdown, into gun range. Today’s blocks are the most realistic ever built, but there’s more to sealing the deal than seductive poses and pretty paint. The real key to decoy effectiveness isn’t their individual appearance; it’s their overall look.

record and study images of live birds. “When scouting, take pictures of birds in the field you’re hunting,” he advises. “This allows you to see the numbers, locations and positions of individual birds.” By basing his decoy spreads on his photos, Dietz knows he’s exactly mimicking the real thing. Early season groups of geese usually contain numerous small family groups that often land and feed on their own. Decoy spreads should match, with small clumps of a half-dozen phonies spaced throughout a field.

This is the time of year when feeding The Look is heaviest, as geese are hitting numerous food sources and packing on We all want our decoys to look like the pounds while the weather allows. real birds. Marty Dietz, a Minnesotan For this reason, veteran goose hunter with a bad case of goose fever, says Dee Draper of Utah does all he can the best way to accomplish this is to to match such feeding scenarios. He

| 20 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

M b s a n

advises mimicking live birds in the area, and key observations help do so. “A tighter spread indicates a lot of food, while an open and scattered spread indicates less.” When representing heavily feeding birds, Draper recommends using a high proportion of feeding, head-down decoys. The overall look of an individual decoy is largely determined by its design, manufacturing process and finish. These variables are, perhaps, most important in the early season. “With a lot of sun in the early season, and the light dew around dawn, a painted decoy will shine as the sun comes up,” Draper claims. This immediately educates honkers Michigan’s Joe Robison, a waterfowl biologist-turned-hunter, agrees. “On sunny days, fully flocked decoys absorb sunlight and appear more natural than painted versions.

While the ultimate goal is to set your blocks on The X – that spot on the spot where birds always seem to want to land – that’s not always possible. When he can’t be right on the mark, Draper presents two other decoy rigs to fool birds. The Loafing Rig Big western river systems often congregate birds between feeding stops. Draper scores big in such locations by creating a resting-type atmosphere on a sand bar or island. Draper advises that, especially early in the season, geese like to drink and rest in areas just out of the water, and are often on low alert while doing so. Mimicking such mid-morning loafing activity often brings geese in on the first pass. The Traffic Rig The right decoy spread in the right location can cause passing geese to

change their plans. Draper and his hunting companions often employ a traffic rig to bring in geese traveling between their roost and primary feeding grounds. Again, utilizing fully flocked decoys, Draper attempts to create a scenario mimicking a group of birds on a hot feed. To do so, he uses a larger number of tightly-spaced decoys. The spread employs mostly feeding poses along with a single, head-up sentry. “An effective traffic rig portrays a lot of food,” says Draper. Early Ducks Geese aren’t the only game in town during the early season. To consistently score on teal, realistic decoy set-ups are just as crucial. While teal come and go quickly, they do so across the entire continent, and often see multiple decoy spreads in a single day. For these reasons, teal become educated extremely quickly, adding to their already jittery behavior.

Photo By Bill Borne | www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 21 |

Please JoinUs for A... ! r e n n i D ! s e l f f Ra ! s e z i r P

F O

FUN-FILLED EVENT supporting a great cause

O R P

BC Chapter Duck Unlimited

Annual Evening of Conservation When: Thursday, September 22, 2016 Where: Holiday Inn Arena, 2 Hawley St Binghamton, NY Doors Open At 6:00 PM Cocktails At 6:00 PM Dinner At 7:00 PM Auction Following Dinner Side See Other

for thedinner, Details! Your ticket includes event attendance, and a one year membership to Ducks Unlimited

| 22 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

A BOOT for every HUNT

Fieldblazer II All-Terrain Sport Boot

find us on facebook.com/muckboot

MUCKBOOTCOMPANY.COM

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 23 |

Adam Campbell of Louisville, Kentucky gets his fair share of bluewings in the late summer period, but does so by going against the grain, and matching the birds. “I use Avian-X Early Season Teal decoys,” he states. These blocks have an overall drab appearance to perfectly match September conditions. “I tend to stay away from full plumage drakes, as we get mainly blue-winged teal, and the males are not in plumage.” Campbell’s teal spread is meager in comparison to those of the honker hunters. “I only use six to 12 decoys and a single spinning wing decoy,” he says. Teal are generally suckers for motion, and the spinner helps draw them in from long distances. In jurisdictions where spinners are illegal, a jerk string can often be magic to teal that otherwise buzz around without committing. Decoy placement is important, espe-

cially as it relates to shooting angles for each hunter in the blind. To maximize your take on teal, have as many barrels on them as possible once they get in close. Dee Draper has it down to a science. “I prefer to shoot finishing birds crossing, not facing,” says Draper, who does so by utilizing clumps of decoys, spaced with numerous landing holes in between. He hunts from a crosswind set-up, so landing birds approach from left to right, or right to left, rather than directly towards Draper’s hiding area. This focuses the birds on the decoys, rather than on the hunters. Do it right, and as the birds settle into the landing zones, each member of the hunting party is presented with an easy shot directly in front, maximizing the barrel-tobird ratio. Novice waterfowl hunters imagine skies filled with stupid birds during

| 24 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

the early season. Veterans, however, know the truth: Oftentimes, the jig is up by day two. To prolong opening-day success levels for weeks to come, take a lesson from the birds. Focus on what’s most important to them. And remember, all eyes are on the decoys.

BIG&J®’s protein-based, nutrient-rich, moisture-tolerant formula attracts deer from farther away thanks to our powerful and intense aroma! THE AROMA IS SUPER STRONG. THE RANGE IS SUPER LONG!

“BIG&J’s variety of products help me attract and hold deer on my farms year round.” - Shawn Luchtel

BIG&J® “long

range” attractants draw deer from far and wide!

bigandj.com

ttractants are only as good as the distance deer can smell them. The farther away an attractant can be detected, the more deer will come. BIG&J® long range attractants draw deer from far and wide. Even humans can smell BIG&J® from a relatively long distance. Once they arrive, deer can’t get enough of BIG&J®’s protein-based, nutrient-packed, moisture-tolerant formula. Their bodies crave what BIG&J® provides so they stay longer and come back more often!

651 641 0226

job #

BB2 - Granular attractant you pour onto the ground.

28319

account exec

The Cube Compressed block that lasts longer in the ﬁeld.

Walt Larsen

revisions

XX - Concentrated attractant designed to mix with corn.

2/6/2015

Liquid Luck The long range attractant you pour on logs, stumps, or on the ground.

Meltdown Just add water and this mineral mix melts down sending oﬀ vapors.

Legit The only true mineral (not gloriﬁed salt) that’s also a long range attractant.

Deadly Dust Made from real sweet corn which is 5x sweeter than ﬁeld corn.

ENHANCED HABITAT Matthew Sellers enhancedhabitat@gmail.com

570.533.1145 Montrose, PA

Offering the following wildlife habitat enhancement services: • • • • • •

• • • •

Custom food plot planting, tree and shrub planting Apple tree daylighting and pruning Food Plot Soil Samples Lime and fertilizer spreading Sales and rentals of electric fence systems to protect crops from deer Hinge cutting and clear cutting trees to create bedding cover, travel corridors and provide late winter food (browse) for deer. Removal of trees that compete with oak, hickory and fruit trees Access road, logging road and natural gas line planting, tilling, clearing and re-grading PA licensed herbicide applicator Small watering hole excavation Custom built hunting and small equipment sheds

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 25 |

DR. DEER’S

Management Calendar by Dr. James Kroll

It’s All About the Data! Why you need to be collecting data

fter more than four decades of managing deer on private lands, I can say with all authority the greatest problem I have with landowners, and even some deer managers, is their unwillingness to collect sound data and records on their deer herd and habitat. Record-Keeping is perhaps the most unexciting aspect of deer management, yet you never will succeed without good records! Without good records, you have no idea whether or not you are achieving your goals and just treading water; trying one new management fad after another. The worst offenders are hunting clubs with several members. Often there are “political” factions in clubs, each with their own special opinions about managing deer on that property. Without records, everyone’s opinion is as good

as any other. For much of my career, I have adhered to many “laws” of management, and have even named some of them after my colleagues. One of these is Wilson’s Law, named after a Texas quail biologist named Don Wilson. Don was a master at quail management and a great communicator with people. Wilson’s Law simply states: “If I hadn’t believed it, I wouldn’t have seen it with my own eyes!” Folks come up with their version of the facts, then look for information to substantiate their position. That leads to another friend’s law, Williams’ Law: “Many a beautiful theory has been murdered by a ruthless gang of facts!” You would not start a business without having a good business plan and some way to monitor your inventory, sales, debts and income.

| 26 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

Likewise, there are diagnostics we use in deer management that tell us a great deal about the health of our “Deer Factory.” I learned early on that the deer and habitat are perfectly willing to “tell” you how they are doing; provided you ask the right questions. The right records provide the answers to the questions. I have repeatedly likened deer management to a three-legged stool: one leg representing people management, another habitat management and the third population management. My analogy to a three-legged stool is obvious, in that if you take away one leg, you fall on your rear end! More often than not, the leg receiving the least amount of attention is people management. That exactly was the problem I encountered during my stint as Deer Trustee for Wisconsin. The DNR repeatedly declared that they were a “science-based” agency; yet on thorough inspection, it turned out that there were little data to support decisions. And, the one most neglected was information about what landowners and hunters wanted and their satisfaction (or in this case dissatisfaction) with management progress. Their entire program was tied up with a spreadsheet population prediction model that had an accuracy of ±123% The first step in managing any deer herd, whether on a small private landholding or larger public lands, is

to develop a sound goal for management. There is a difference between a goal and an expectation. When asked about their goals, most individuals present an expectation! “We want to shoot more bucks,” is NOT a goal, it is an expectation. “We want to harvest 5 bucks a year that are 3.5+ years of age,” is a measurable goal. The next step is to develop a management plan to achieve your goal. The last step is develop a record-keeping system that will assess progress toward that goal. Another term for record-keeping is databasing; that is creating sets of records that are collected annually and stored in a simple data base system. A set of spreadsheets suffice for record-keeping. There also are good computer applications such as Game Management Systems’ (http:// wildlifemanagementsoftware.com/) program that allow you to create databases on everything from what you have done for food plots to infor-

TRAIL CAMERAS

BOX BLINDS

mation about the deer you harvest. Some systems are so elaborate they even include maintenance data on your equipment! For the purposes of this column, however, let’s keep it as simple as possible. First of all you DO NOT need to know, or every need to know, how many deer you have on your property! There are a host of time and money-wasting methods that have been used to obtain an accurate estimate; ranging from track counts, fecal counts, aerial surveys, spotlight counts, and models. None of these really work. The closest we have come to an accurate estimate is our trail camera technique, but it requires many cameras and a lot of time. The proper “questions” to ask your deer herd are:  How is herd health?  What is the demographic structure of the herd?  How productive is the herd?

SAFETY HARNESSES

HANG-ON’S & CLIMBERS

CLIMBING SYSTEMS

Each of these is relatively easy to answer. First, herd health is assessed by collecting data on the dressed weights by age of deer you harvest. Second, the amount of kidney fat late in the season is a key diagnostic to herd health. Deer harvested during late bow season or during muzzle loader season are a wealth of information on health. Learning to age deer both alive and from their jawbones is a skill anyone can master. We have a course (drdeer.digitalchalk.com) online you can take which will teach you exactly how to do this. Aging teeth tells you the age structure of your harvest. Aging live deer, either while in the field or using trail cameras, tell you the age structure of the “standing crop” of deer on your land. There are two diagnostics concerning productivity of your herd. First, you can collect incidental sightings data from everyone hunting your land, including bucks, does and

LADDERSTANDS

TRIPODS & QUAD-PODS

GROUND BLINDS

GROUND SEATS • FEEDERS • GAME CARTS • SHOOTING BENCHES • TARGETS • CAMERA ARMS • GENERAL ACCESSORIES

GOMUDDY.COM

CONNECT

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 27 |

IT BLOWS AWAY TRADITIONAL SCENTS Margins over 40%

fawns seen. You also can conduct question, “How is the herd doing?” a trail camera survey in late AuIf dressed body weights fall from one gust-early September over a two year to the next for the same ages, week period; from which you can es- then there may be a problem. If the timate the doe:fawn ratio. The “fawn trend continues the third year, then crop” is a percentage figure, calculat- we really do have a problem. Looked as the number of estimated fawns ing at the demographic structure per 100 does. If you have 222 phoof the harvest and deer living on tographs (even repeats) of does and the property, a herd with old does 176 photographs of fawns during and young bucks is NOT a natuyour trail camera census, then the ral deer herd. Again, if over time, estimated fawn crop is 79.3%. The age structure of bucks continues to second, and most important dimove toward younger bucks, you are agnostic is “true recruitment,” the harvesting too many bucks! Lastly, if number of fawns born this year that our recruitment data over time conare alive at one year of age. Using tinues to decline, we have a problem. another camera survey in late winA deer herd in trouble has declining ter-early spring, you add up photos age-related dressed weights, poor of does and fawns, then divide does buck age structure and low recruitinto fawns. For example, if you have ment. 181 doe photographs and 35 fawn We also can ask, “How is the habitat (coming yearling) photographs, the doing?” The best indicator of habitat estimated recruitment is 19.3%; far quality is the abundance and use of different from fawn crop! quality deer forages. The first thing So, our population database includes you need to do is learn what browse the above data and answers the (shrubs and young trees) plants are | 28 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

preferred by deer in your area? We classify them into three classes: first, second and third. The best deer foods usually are quite rare, so we tend to focus on the second choice or “mainstay” species. We use the term mainstay because these are the plants used in proportion to their abundance, and do the lion’s share of supporting your deer. The “deer zone” is from the ground to 4.5 feet above ground; that is about the height a white-tailed deer. Everything a deer needs has to be in the deer zone, when deer need them. If you walk over your land, paying attention to which browse species are abundant and how much of each, on average is being eaten, you can determine how your habitat is doing? We do not estimate how many deer are on the land, rather how fully stocked is the land with deer? If 3050% of your mainstay plants are being browsed, you have a well-stocked property. If the estimate is 50-70%, it

is a fully stocked property; and if the percentage of use exceeds 70%, the property is over-stocked with deer. The difference between stocking and deer density is important to understand. Deer density is the number of deer per square mile in larger landscapes and acres per adult deer in smaller acreages. Stocking is not a density! Suppose you have two properties, one to the north of a road and another to the south, each the same size. The first has a deer per 20 acres and the second a deer per 10 acres. A browse survey shows that each is fully stocked; in spite of having two different densities. Why would they both be fully stocked, yet have different densities? Well, one may have more browse, or have better soils, or adequate food plots; there are a host of possible reasons. Using these diagnostics, your next step is to critically analyze your property to determine how you can increase the stocking level, without damaging your habitat. The last diagnostic involves people. You should collect data on how many hunters you have on a specific property; and, how many hunter-days of hunting pressure are being applied annually? You also need to determine what each hunter expects from the management program? And, how satisfied are the hunters with the program? Using data for each of the three legs of the management stool, you can “fine-tune” your management program over time. If the goal is to harvest 5 bucks 3.5+ years of age each year, you have 200 acres and 8 hunters, you have a real problem. Each hunter obviously expects to harvest a mature buck! Yet, your data shows a herd that

truncates buck age at 1.5 years. Your doe demographic structure shows old, over-mature does. And, the recruitment estimate is a mere 19%. (It takes at least 40% recruitment to every have mature bucks.) It is clearly a time when “beautiful theories are murdered by a ruthless gang of facts!” The solution can be to reduce the number of hunters and hunting pressure, either by having fewer hunters or instituting a draw system for bucks, and liberalizing doe harvest. The solution also can be to increase recruitment by improving nutrition through habitat improvement and/or supplemental forage, or reducing the doe population (the ones putting pressure on the habitat). In most cases, it will take both! My experience has been that, once you get folks to collect good records on the above, you easily can change attitudes. It is hard to argue with data that you helped collect! That is the approach we now are using in Wisconsin, and it is working. We also involve the public in research projects such as predation impacts on fawn survival. When it comes to deer management,

it is an evolution not a revolution. One of the first things I am asked about deer harvest is, “How many does should we shoot?” My response most often is, “How many did you shoot last year?” If they have harvested any does at all, then that is the number to start with. However, this time you collect all the data from the does you shoot we need to assess herd health. If, the diagnostics say that the herd is not in good shape, then the next year will incrementally increase doe harvest, while taking steps to improve nutrition. Each year, we examine the data to see what they can tell us about the habitat and herd. Over time, we then can come to a sustainable management program that meets our goals. Successful deer management is not about culling bucks or planting “magic beans!” It is about developing a sound, long-term management program unique to your situation and achieves your goals. Without records, management leads to frustration and eventually giving up on trying to make your deer, habitat and hunting enjoyment better.

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 29 |

Lyme Disease Symptoms Please check if you have the symptoms listed below: • Stiffness of the joints or back? • Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations? • Facial paralysis - Bell’s Palsy? • Double or blurry vision, floaters, pain, light sensitivity? • Buzzing or ringing in ears, ear pain, sensitivity to sound? • Dizziness, poor balance, increased motion sickness? • Light-headed? • Confusion, difficulty thinking? • Difficulty with concentration, reading, or following plots? • Decreased short term memory loss? • Disorientation, getting lost, going to wrong places? • Difficulty with speech, think one thing and another word

comes out? • Mood swings, irritability, depression, crying for no reason? • Disturbed sleep - increased, decreased or nightmares, night sweats? • Exaggerated symptoms from alcohol? • Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel, Chronic Fatigue, Epstein Barr or M.S.? • Do you feel like dying? • Have you seen multiple doctors without success? • Do people say you are a “hypochondriac” or tell you it’s in your head? Dr. Gregory and Debra Bach

THE BRAVEST RESCUE PUPPY

• Unexplained fever, chills, or sweats? • Unexplained weight changes, gain or loss? • Fatigue, tiredness, especially around 3 P.M.? • Unexplained swollen glands? • Chronic sore throat or sinus infections? • Testicular/pelvic pain? • Unexplained menstrual irregularity? • Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction? • Sexual dysfunction or loss of libido? • Stomach problems? • Change in bowel function, constipation, diarrhea? • Chest pains? • Shortness of breath/cough? • Heart palpitations, heart block, racking heart, slow beat? • Muscle pain/cramps? • Joint pain/swelling that come & go - knees, hips, ankles, wrists? • Twitches of facial or other muscles? • Headaches, sometimes days at a time? • Neck creaks/cracks stiffness?

Edward

Tomilee

DR. GREGORY PAUL BACH D.O., F.A.A.I.M., P.C.

BOARD CERTIFIED FAMILY MEDICINE Board Certified Addiction Medicine • Board Certified Integrative Medicine • Congressional Medical Advisor 670 Mill Road, Hamburg, PA 19526 (Near Cabelas) By Appointment Only (610) 488-8030 • (610) 488-8048 Fax Founding Board Member of ILADS • Chair of Subcommittee on Education Governors Lyme Disease Task Force Act 83 | 30 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

o b 8 a p s t o i d i n A k d c 1 o t B E d a 1 t W c s t m w A D e A R A ( t

Lyme Disease and it’s Coinfections Possible Link to Heroin and Opioid Abuse By Dr. Gregory Paul Bach, D.O., F.A.A.I.M., P.C.

t has been known that patients affected by tick borne diseases (TBD) have a higher percentage of pain problems and exhibit OCD behavior (1),(2),(3),(4),(5),(6),(7),( 8),(9),(10),(11),(12),(13),(14). The article is being written to direct this possible link as a source of study to stem this epidemic crisis though out the US and the world. Just using our local paper, the Reading Eagle in PA, June 24, 2016, 47,055 people died from drug overdose in the US in 2014 according to CDC. This number is up 20% according to the Associated Press. (15) In Milwaukee County from 2011 to 2015 drug deaths have increased 41% to 254 including (110) heroin related deaths. 14% of the autopsies were related to overdose deaths in 2011 compared to 26% last year according to Dr. Brian Peterson, the County Medical Examiner. (15),(16) PA overdose deaths are up nearly 25% released in a report by the D.E.A. Tuesday July 12, 2016. (2014 – 27,042 compared to 2015 – 33,083). Why is there such a drastic increase in current times? A possible strong link may be environmental tick borne infections. (15),(16) 259 million opioids prescriptions were written by Pennsylvania Doctor’s, According to Physician general Dr. Rachel Levine, last year. That’s enough to provide every adult in America with a bottle of opioids. Recently, the health section of Allentown’s Morning Call, stated (Pennsylvania: Lyme Capital) “Leads the Country in Lyme Disease Cases.”

(17) The following case study supports that evidence. On April 5, 2016 a 35 year old white female presents to my office with multiple pain syndrome and history of Lyme Disease. Her family doctor had just treated her for 6 weeks with Doxycycline, but this was a very weak treatment for the multiple bacteria’s associated with this patients tick born disease coinfections. Patient was only tested for Lyme Disease, and not any coinfections. (8) Past medical history: Patient revealed after a lengthy history and physical exam, which took over on hour, that she had started using Heroin at age 14, using one bag of heroin per day. So over the next 20 years she was living a secret life of a Heroin abuser. She also revealed to me that the Friday before she met with me, she had shot up 7 BAGS of Heroin. She had built up a strong tolerance to the drug with a history of use, on again, off again over the last 20 years. But her main focus was she couldn’t handle her multiple body pain and was self-medicating. Having worked with thousands of Lyme (TBD) patients over the last quarter century and also being Board Certified in Addiction Medicine, I have seen this pain behavior multiple times, again and again. I have not only seen this with Heroin use but the other drugs such as Opioids, ETOH (Alcohol), (19),(20),(21) and basic OCD behavior over pain. In this case her physical exam and lab testing revealed that she actually was positive for the following mul-

tiple tick borne infections: Active + IGM Q Fever, + Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, + R. Typi, + Mycoplasma (PN), Thyroid dysfunction, + EBV , + CMV, + HSV1, + HSV2, + HHV6, + IGG Western Blot Lyme Disease, Active + Hep C, and abnormal EKG showing Supra Ventricular Bradycardia 51 BPM. Patients hand written symptoms list included PRN – pain, sweating, ear pain, post nasal drip, excruciating morning pain, swollen hands and feet, arms, legs, hand bumps, thyroid problems, bunions, fibromyalgia, excessive weight gain with loss of appetite. Patient was started on oral Azithromycin, reported to the Board of Health, referrals to Cardiology and Infectious Disease specialists for Hep C treatment along with a possible MRSA infection. Patient was give IM Rocephin, Bicillin, along with B12 and Magnesium. Patient was under care of pain management specialist without relief. *It should be noted that Lyme Disease lives on Magnesium and causes severe muscle pain and contractions while other bacteria’s are copper based and do not behave like that. Therefore, pain management won’t work until the underlying infection is diagnosed and corrected. I put the patient on Benadryl every four hours to reverse Herxhiemer reaction (flair up of symptoms) and control her pain, which it did. Benadryl stops the inflammation brought on by the swelling secondary to the infectious underlying disease which

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 31 |

causes pain. NO SWELLING = NO PAIN. In the outcome of this case the patient’s pain subsided and the patient elected to go into rehab on her own, and on last contact was pain and drug free. A note of interest in this case the patient’s mother, a former nurse, was also diagnosed and treated for Lyme Disease and Mycoplasma also by me. Over the years the majority of my Lyme/TBD patient’s histories reveal at least one relative is suffering from alcohol or drug abuse which in some cases led to their suicide or death, besides the patient themselves suffering from drug and alcohol abuse. Two other cases to illustrate. A 60 year old white female, a Doctors mother, who was on pain Opioids for over 4 years could no longer sit due to severe pelvis pain, she could only stand or lay. After proper treatment for her Lyme Disease (TBD)s she was able to stop all pain medication over the next couple of months and lost her severe pain syndrome and returned to normal life. Another case recently of a builder in his late 40’s was on 6 OxyContin a day for pain. After being treated for a couple of weeks, stopped his treatment and was able to go off all pain medication and return to running his construction company. Again, this article is to send a SOS signal to the medical community and health officials. The major break down in our society with an increase of Opioids and Heroin abuse (21) may be in large part a result of Lyme Disease and tick borne infections. As I have written and published in the past, the local standard testing is inadequate and useless, (13) due to the abuse by the patent holders of the Elise Test being used currently. The medical community as a whole needs to wake up, focus on what is at

the real core of the problem. Footnotes 1. Melski Jw: Lyme Borreliosis Semin Cutan Meg Surg. 2000 Mar, 19 (1): 10-8 2. Flidisk R, Prokopowicz D.: Wiad Parazytol. 1999; 45 (2): 143-9 Clinical Picture of Lyme Borreliosis 3. Lipsker D: Med Mal Infect. 2007 Jul-Aug; 37 (7-8): 540-7. Epub 2007 Mar 27 Dermatological Aspects of Lyme Borreliosis 4. Dr. Mercola,: http://articles. mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2013/09/04/lyme-disease.aspx Prevalence of Lyme Disease om the US is 10-times higher than previously reported 5. NINDS, NIH,: http://www. ninds.nih.gov/disorders/lyme/lyme. htm NINDS Neurological Complications of Lyme Disease Information Page 6. Gelfand, Jeffery A., Vannier Edouard G., Mandell Gerald L., Bennett John E., Dolin Raphael. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 7th Edition (282) 35423544, Babesia Species. 7. Marrie Thomas J.,: Mandell Gerald L., Bennett John E. Dolin Raphael. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 7th Edition (189) 25112519 Coxiella Burnetii (Q Fever) 8. Steere Allen C.,: Mandell Gerald L., Bennett John E., Dolin Raphael. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett’s Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases, 7th edition (242) Page 3075-table 242-1: page 3077, Coinfections; Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme Disease, Lyme Borreliosis)

| 32 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

9. Bach, Gregory P, D.O.,: 14 International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease and other tick borne diseases: April 21, 2001: Recovery of Spirochetes by PCR in Semen samples of Previously diagnosed Lyme disease patients. 10. Gaito, Andrea M.D., Expert Rev. Anti-infect. Ther. 2(1), Suppl. (2004) Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy page S5 num.9 11. Bach, G.: Wildlife Management News. Feb-Mar-Apr 2016. Lyme Disease 103-Children and Lyme Disease.Page 31. 12. Fallon, BA. Neurology. Mar 25, 70(13): 992-1003. Fallon, BA Makousa M. Poster presentation. Drexel ILDS Symposium. April 3. 13. Bach, G.: Wildlife Management News, 2nd Edition. 2015 page 25-27. Lyme Disease 101-Part 2. 14. Reading Eagle, Reading Pa. Mon., July 18, 2016. Page B3 “Caltagirone Urges Suit Over Opioids” 15. Reading Eagle, Reading Pa. Fri. June 24, 2016. Many Thousands Die, (page A3) - the Assoc. Press. 16. Reading Eagle, Reading Pa. Wed. July 13, 2016. Page B8 by Ford Turner “Overdose Deaths Up Nearly 25%” 17. The Morning Call, Allentown Pa. Tues. Sept 15, 2015. (Life 1)Pennsylvania: Lyme Capital. 18. Reading Eagle, Reading Pa. Mon. July 25, 2016. (page B3) “259 Million Prescriptions for Opioids Written By Pennsylvania Doctors Last Year.” 19. Bach, G.: Wildlife Management News, 3rd edition 2015 (page 23) 20. Hajek et al., Am J Psychiatry 2002, 159: 297-301,: What Psychiatrists should know about Lyme Disease.

Wildlife 3rd Annual Dr. Deer Field Day

Management News Saturday September 10th 2016 468 Brooks Rd Binghamton, NY

L L O . KRtail

Only 100

C White S E Mmericanlam ch re A J R. rth A tail S esear h mo

o R te uc TttD for N of Whi il Deer d so m E r e E M Wri Host hiteta ist, an of w , Biolog r e h Fat ofessor Pr hor, t u A

Limited to Guests

$50

FOOD per person RAFFLE PRIZESS LUNCH INCLUDED

Please make Check Payable to Wildlife Management News LLC Mail to 29 Public Ave Montrose PA 18801 Or place your order online at www.wildlifemanagementnews.com Name: _____________________________________ Address : ___________________________________ Email: _____________________________________

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 33 |

Ameristep® is one of the leading manufacturers of tree stands, ground blinds and accessories with over twenty years in the hunting industry. These products are created with the ease of use, safety and durability to withstand harsh elements.

570-278-3511 Get Your Mulch

Plano-SHOT Daily-FP Ad.pdf

11/20/15

Sanctuary Blind 11:31 AM

CMY

| 34 | Wildlife Management News | 3rd Edition 2016 |

Premier From the RHL Mulch yard Folding Chair -Double & TripleBlind Ground Bark Doghouse -Playground Mulch -Natural Double Ground -Triple Ground Spire® ! NewDelivered Crossbow Delivered Or Or Case Installed Installed sportsman’s Large Large totes Quantity Quantity Discounts! Discounts!

Distributor of Petroleum Products & Propane 60 Post St., Montrose, PA 18801 Fax: (570) 278-4800

INDUSTRIAL · On & Off Diesel Fuel · Lubricants · Tank & Pump Service RESIDENTIAL · Heating · Air Conditioning · Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) H/O MART CONVENIENCE STORES 242 Church St., Montrose 519 St. Route 492, New Milford 1503 E. Main St., Susquehanna

570 278-3811

FELIX-HINDS GARDEN CENTER 1685 State Route 706, Montrose

DUKE TRAPS America’s Best Trap Value

Performance Tested Wildlife Management Equipment Duke manufactures over 30 different models of Coil Spring Traps, Long Spring Traps, and Body Gripping Traps for use in the harvesting and control of wild animal populations.

201

est

v Har

201

Heavy Duty Cage Trap - Single Door

ves

ar 5H

201

est

v Har

Whether you are a Professional Trapper, Part Time Trapper, Hobbyist, or Retailer, Duke Traps has the solution to take care of your needs. With the largest and most complete product line of game traps in the world, you are guaranteed the best selection and best value anywhere.

201

740-412-7191 Tyler Pritchard Circleville, OH 43113

ves

ar 5H

Top of the line Heavy Duty Cage Traps feature all steel rod gravity drop doors, bait protected cage mesh, and a complete internal steel rod frame; constructed to provide for exceptional durability with no harm to the animal; model #1112 is ideal size for Raccoon, Cat, Armadillo; 30” x 12” x 12” - Single Door

30” x 12” x 12”

| www.wildlifemanagementnews.com | 35 |

Wildlife

PRSTD STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT # 32 UTICA, NY

Management News

29 Public Ave Montrose, PA 18801

For an annual subscription, send a $14.99 check or money order to Wildlife Management News, LLC 29 Public Ave Montrose PA 18801 570-432-0912 wildlifemanagementnews@yahoo.com www.wildlifemanagementnews.com

IN GOD WE TRUST

PRAY FOR AMERICA www.wildlifemanagementnews.com www.drdeer.com www.cfd.coop www.buckforage.com ORDER YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AT WWW.WILDLIFEMANAGEMENTNEWS.COM

Hunts for Healing

Healing Wounded Warriors With Outdoor Challenges 3 Coburn Hill Road Laceyville, PA 18623

570.869.1233

Warriors Wanted! Thank You Sponsors!

Buck Forage Products

Distributors of Muck BootsTM and Aspen SongÂ® Wild Bird Food