Written by Frank Carbone Jr.
Opening Day and Buck Fever
Locally deer season opens in our region on November 18. The Catskill Bear Season opening day doesn’t coincide with the deer opener -- it happens on the first Saturday after the deer opener. Why this is I don’t know -- bears appear to be plentiful in our region of the state and especially New Jersey where there has been the reports of 54 Bear break-ins to homes this year so far. Hunting is still proven to be the best method of controlling the burgeoning deer and bear populations. Now if New Jersey can get its act together they may not have such a black bear problem. Recently laws were passed to prevent folks from feeding bears in their back yards. But I’m afraid this won’t stop folks who have been doing it for many years in many locales and other states .
Over the years I can remember many beautiful opening days while deer hunting in New York State and Pennsylvania -- the Adirondacks, Catskills and Poconos -- and all of the good times that comes with it. In the very beginning we all stayed in small cabins in the Adirondacks and the next year we camped out under the stars, in tents, old wilderness lean-tos, truck campers and trailers. The best times we had were when we packed-in all of our equipment and stayed in the wilderness areas and didn’t have to come out of the woods for about a week at a time. Even though we had a low success rate back then, of Adirondack Deer, we still had a great time. Most of us are now spoiled with modern deer hunting success rates today.
As I look back at old pictures, video and old movies and the many adventures with family and friends I often wonder about the good times, the quality times -- it isn‘t always the kill or the catch that makes for a successful hunting or fishing trip. It’s the friendships, the camaraderie, the cultural exchanges, the good food and if times permits the time spent around the old campfire after dinner.
I can also remember the time (as a kid) that my Mother took me down to the little old sporting goods store in my small hometown of Bristol, Pennsylvania to buy me my first complete hunting outfit and boots. I think I’ve still got the pants but they’ll never fit me again. Hunting equipment has come a long way since then with new materials that are lighter, water proof and warm.
It seems that the Cabela’s Catalog (hunting equipment outfitters) is getting to be as big as the old Sears Catalog.
A warm, comfortable hunter is generally a successful hunter. Being able to sit motionless in a tree stand or ground blind for long periods of time in the deer woods and you‘ll see many sights that you wouldn‘t see if you were walking around.
For the new hunters out there it is best to read as much as you can and try to join folks who have years experience deer hunting and a local club is the best way to go. Special clothing, firearms, boots and other equipment are expensive and it’s always good to know someone who has tested outdoor equipment before you buy it.
New hunters may also experience an episode of “buck fever” when they venture out for the first times while deer hunting. I’ve heard and seen many different kinds of “buck fever.” The new hunter who sees a deer in the woods for the first time and may not even raise the rifle or shotgun and the deer just walks away untouched and unknowing. Or the hunter may start shaking so bad that they have to put the gun down. One may even see signs of “buck fever” before the hunter gets into the woods. He may be so excited that he forgets his hunting license, his gun or his ammunition. And some hunters may always have some symptoms of buck fever even after many years of hunting.
One of my hunting buddies also lost a deer one time on the way to the butcher. The deer rolled out of the bed of his pick-up onto Route 17K and after going down the highway a few miles they realized the deer was no longer in the bed of the truck. They quickly turned around and found the deer laying in the middle of the highway. A lady motorist had stopped and thought that someone had just hit the deer with a car. She was very surprised when my hunting buddy (Uncle) came back to claim his tagged deer -- this time he closed the tailgate.
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The “3/2” system
I’m sure by now that most of you know that there are many changes this year with the hunting regulations especially deer, bear and turkey tagging, reporting, quotas etc. New this year is the term “3/2” System. This is as the result of legislation passed in 2002 and will change the way you tag, report and take deer and bear. A report on the DEC Website states “It is called the “3/2” system because hunters can purchase up to three tags for use during the different seasons. No more than two of those tags can be used to take a buck [a legally antlered deer], so the buck take bag limit for multiple implement hunters is two per license year as it is now. Limiting the number of bucks that a multiple implement hunter can take provides for more equitable distribution of the buck resource among the more than 600,000 big game hunters. It also encourages hunters to take antlerless deer rather than holding out for another buck to harvest.” More information about “3/2” can be found on the DEC website at http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/deer/32.html
And since this was reported there were many extra deer Management Permits still available in the the Western New York (DMU) Zones #8 and #9. Call your issuing agent and find out if they are still available and as always read your copy of the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Guide 2002-2003 before going afield.
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I recently discovered a tick on my body -- I won‘t mention where though. I’m not sure how long it was there, perhaps 24 hours, but it had already glued itself in. I flooded the area with Bactine and Alcohol before and after removing it. I was able to remove it with a fairly new tool that I had bought several years ago. It is an orange plastic spoon shaped tool about the size and shape of a small measuring spoon for baking. It has a fine slit in the spoon area and it it used to slide under the tick’s head to pop it out -- it makes no contact with the tick‘s body. I then covered the area with an antibiotic ointment (Bactine). I think it’s a good tool and it worked well for me.
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A very special get well wish for Anthony Crisci Sr. of the Town of Newburgh. I’ll never forget the good times while hunting with the Crisci, Cerone, Carbone families and friends over the years. I’ll especially remember Mr. Angelo Crisci Sr. and his endless supply of golden delicious apples that he would pull out of hunting jacket. We surely had a lot of fun while hunting and fishing together back then, even though we didn’t get that many deer. But that shouldn’t be a measurement of a good experience in the great outdoors anyway.
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Have a very safe, productive and bountiful hunting and holiday season and
have a Happy Thanksgiving!
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