Curmudgeon

I have no idea how long this has been around but it is a hoot! Merry Christmas everyone. https://youtu.be/NjLj0P7Ox1U

This is an article in today's Times on feral hogs and their movement north into Canada. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/16/science/feral-pigs-canada-texas.html?algo=identity&fellback=false&imp_id=330648652&imp_id=447823382&action=click&module=Science Technology&pgtype=Homepage Some long-time members might recall the eradication of hogs near Hancock, NY back around 2014. They had escaped from a game farm there. We found were APHIS dumped some of the dead pigs when we went looking for a Golden Eagle we were tracking. The eagle's last known location was in sight of the pig pile. Then, it dropped off the face of the earth. A Bald Eagle had been found dying of lead poisoning within a mile of the pig pile a week earlier but at that time no one made a connection. This was late winter so the poisoning wasn't from deer gut piles. Of course APHIS uses lead ammo and will not switch. Our eagle was presumed dead and on its back because its tracker battery died very quickly (solar cell charges it). We searched the area but didn't find it. APHIS had a contract with DEC to kill the pigs and remove the carcasses for burial or incineration. Someone got lazy and the landowner said they could leave them in a pile where he dragged dead livestock. APHIS got its wrist slapped.

I wonder if there are data? There are certainly fewer deer regionally than before the bad winter kills of 00 and 01. That's about the time Otsego County went to rifles. I never drew any connection between population and implements. In the late 90s, herds of >100 could be observed at times. Those numbers made hardwood regeneration impossible. This line of thinking leads to a debate about what is the appropriate deer density. Foremost for me is forest health.

Correlation, okay. Causation?

My hope is, this was a peculiar year. That it was temporary. That the extreme cold and noisy snow reduced hunter movement opening weekend - the best 2 days of the year for kills. That food sources were unusual. That things will be normal next year.

I'll send you a personal message.

Several things here: 1 - What you said is not inconsistent with what I'm hearing. Success rates have been low, with many people doing poorly opening weekend of rifle. However, the bucks that were harvested seem to include a pretty high percentage of older deer. Why, in my unscientific sample, we should be seeing increasing buck ages is interesting. Is this do to less overall hunting pressure? These are not AR units I'm discussing. Or, are the individuals and various groups of cooperating neighbors who are voluntarily passing on young bucks making a difference? 2 - That your butcher can't handle more deer could easily be due to that crook in South Edmeston being banned from cutting deer. He was the biggest processor in a large region. The hundreds of deer he did each season went somewhere. 3 - The Davenport buck is both an aberration, and in a Delaware County an AR unit. My data may be unscientific but one buck is one data point. While on the topic of older bucks, the largest buck in living memory in my neighborhood was taken within a stone's throw of Virgil's cabin this season. It was killed by one of the large group that conducts drives around here. With 25 or 30 hunters, there is a much better chance of moving a deer like that out of it daytime haunt. It's likely someone had to almost step on it to move it. A common concern is that too few hunters are moving deer. Those large drives move deer but can be a blessing or a curse.

You are absolutely correct. I've been hearing that but it slipped my mind.

Some thoughts on what I have been hearing lately. Some of you know I have a Christmas tree farm. One of the benefits is talking to many local hunters during and immediately after rifle season. I've probably spoken to 60-70 local hunters so far. I'm near the junction of units 4F, 7M and 7P. Customers come from nearby parts of those units. Almost everyone I speak to is unhappy with the season this year - including me. People haven't been seeing deer as they are used to. I know there is no lack of deer around me. I attribute the lack of universal success to multiple factors, some very local, some regional. In my immediate neighborhood, land use changes around me seem to have had a dramatic impact. About 60 acres was heavily logged on my north side this year. 22 sets of tracks went into that property just before dawn the second Sunday of rifle season. I could get close to deer down there when the snow was quiet but the logging slash made it impossible to get clear shots. Further evidence of good deer numbers were the 17 grazing in the open across the road the second week of rifle in what I call the local deer sanctuary. Another day, a rack buck was grazing over there in broad daylight. On my south side, 10 acres of abandoned pasture was reclaimed. Deer cover became short grass with a herd of cows. Opening weekend here was quiet in regards to shooting. However, the walking was really loud. Crunchy snow and bitter, single-digit cold made for a difficult and uncomfortable weekend. There was less shooting than I ever remember. Some people didn't go out, especially some older guys I know. Late Sunday I walked around about 150 acres on my neighbor to the west and found no human tracks. No one was moving deer down there. There was considerable bow hunting pressure south of me through the season, and some across the road where hunting is permitted. I don't know if that pressure contributed but many of my does and fawns went nocturnal in mid-October. A collection of maybe a half dozen little bucks stopped showing up on the cameras around the same time. It coincided with the mature bucks starting to show up at night. People are telling me they saw few deer during bow season. Some say the usual deer runs were not used. A skilled hunter who hunts bow and rifle told me he has not seen a mature buck while hunting all fall. There are the regular complaints about the Amish, especially in the Unadilla Valley. One guy showed me a night photo from one of his cameras with Amish with a rifle. He complained to DEC about the night hunting. An ECO patrolling the area found some at night with a loaded rifle in the buggy and a spotlight. They claimed to be coyote hunting. I hear it is not illegal to have a loaded rifle in a buggy since it is not a motor vehicle. Just some random thoughts on what for us was the worst season since I moved to this property in 1982.

Finding deer in 2 feet of snow isn't that hard. Dragging a deer through 2 feet of snow, that's hard. A plastic sled helps a lot.

I look at it this way Bill: Some people consider missing a normal part of hunting - people like Larry. Others consider it a rare and unacceptable situation that needs to be analyzed and understood so it be avoided in the future. I appreciate all the sincere help I received from members. Thanks guys.

AT - Besides redtails, this was what was in my bone yard a few days ago. Ignore the location. For those of you who are not familiar with this bird, it is a golden eagle. Bald eagles show up more often than goldens. This is not Oneonta. I used the camera in Oneonta but forgot to change the setting. This is Otsego County NW of Oneonta.

Update: I've seen the doe I missed. She is healthy. I shot at her left side. From the right, she appears to have a quarter size hole in the hair above her spine. The look on the other side is much different. On the side I shot at, it looks like someone took a shear and removed a 6 or 8 inch line of hair. I could see no sign of bleeding or damage to the skin. This is on a curved surface. The removed hair starts below the spine and goes over the top. I now think the member who suggest the Rage blades deployed early was correct. Possibly the arrow was wobbling in flight and a one blade dragged along the skin, not cutting through but cutting the hair. Whatever happened, it is weird. That deer acting normal and healthy is a good end to a bad situation.

That's a great reason for using copper. The conservationists are concerned with lead poisoned scavengers, especially eagles. It has been a topic of conversation here for years.

Good to see a fair number of replies from people who have switched from lead to copper. Kudos to the conservationists among us.

"Their (sic) killing machines." I just wish they were better at killing deer.

Glad to hear some good news from LI. Maybe coyotes will help with the excessive deer and feral cat problem.

Not on this one. She was closer than15 yards, maybe 12. I put it dead center vertically and the entry wound is an inch or 2 higher than that. I do plan to aim lower on long shots. Another thing that may have affected the deer Tuesday, wind was swirling. The missed deer was nervous.

No Virgil. Different deer. I was hunting on your side of 51 today, watching where the deer exit our common neighbor's corn. They head north to the deer sanctuary first thing in the morning. On a south wind, they are vulnerable. I'm giving my blind another day of rest. Besides the miss, I was busted by another doe when the wind swirled around Tuesday. Tomorrow I've got to cut her up because it will be very cold. I'll probably go out on Saturday if Yosemite Steve will help me cut up the next one.

Things are better this morning. I took yesterday off. I planned to quit by 9 am this morning because of the forecast. She was hanging before that. After a tea break, I'll skin her out. She dressed at 115#. The conversion says 152 live weight.

I do not think so. Virgil - I didn't hit the blind though I appreciate any suggestions. Spin testing: I could pop them in a metal lathe pretty easy. However, if I know how each bolt behaves, and they are consistent performers, would I not use my best performing bolt because it isn't perfectly straight?

Mrs. C. Makes a squirrel cacciatore that is an all time favorite. Find a good recipe. Try it.

How do I spin check the bolts? Great idea on testing with the actual head. How do I do that with a Rage? I've patterned every one of them and always hunt with the one that is most consistent.

Yes, black tips on the hair. Very helpful. I can't remember deer hair at that detail. Maybe I should keep a skin around for reference. Next 30 yard shot I'll aim lower. Thanks.

Thanks guys.