The New Way To Covid-19 Herd Immunity?

Eat venison (well maybe only venison from select whitetail deer from among 40% of the population)! It may not be a foolproof way to get herd immunity, but maybe - just maybe it might work as side plot cure for what ails people in a Covid-19/Zombie movie. In actuality, who knows, it might do nothing or might be a way to contract Covid-19.

 

Folks, it seems that scientists (those guys often referred to as egg-heads) have discovered that 40% of whitetail deer populations have anti-bodies for the virus that causes Covid-19. The researchers who discovered this are worried that the virus, if in other beasties as in other than human beasties, could evolve to newer and deadlier strains unchecked and cause a threat to humanity. Don't believe me, then read about it at the source. Of course, with as much as the so called experts change their minds about the Novel Corona Virus (aka: Covid-19, aka: The China Virus, aka: The Wu-Flu, aka: Rona V) you may decide they are full of shit or at least as full of themselves as is the ultimate so called expert Dr. Fauci. He is both full of both himself and of shit. Oh wait, saying that was redundant as those are one and the same, are they not - Fauci = himself = shit!

 

As for me, I may go poaching hunting real soon. A venison steak sure could hit the spot and if it might make me immune to the latest strain - what one are we at now - D isn't it - that would be grand! I must point out, with all seriousness, if up to 40% wild deer populations have antibodies, meaning they were infected at one time or another by being close enough to spread it among themselves - just imagine how many swine (by the way which is the farm animal most like humans) and domesticated cattle have had it as well and thus how many of them may have antibodies and/or may also be carriers capable of spreading the virus to people. My guess would be the numbers would be higher, much higher, for them than for deer because they are kept in much closer proximity to each other and in higher numbers, than wild deer are in proximity to one another. 

That could be bad or could be good as far as domestic livestock and our economy go. If enough people think that eating them would be a way to acquire the antibodies in their systems - pork & beef prices will hit the moon. If, on the other hand, enough folks think holy crap - they have it too and eating them may be spreading it to humans - demand will plummet and I may once again be buying chuck steak for stew at .59 cents per pound and rib-eye steaks at $1.99 per pound. Then again, some arsehat politician maybe will demand the execution of every porker and beef head in the good old US of A - for our good of course. What would be next - family pets!

 

With this greatest and latest news from the experts, I am again wondering (as I kind of, sort of, just about really wondered - way, back close to when we in the USA were first hearing lots about the Novel Corona Virus - here & here) if this truly is about to become our 12 Monkeys moment. The 12 Monkeys moment being TEOTWAWKI or even our extinction and the our referring to the human race.

If anything, it has not been boring this novel corona virus, seems there is always something new about it!

All the best,

Glenn B

The Deer Were Left Laughing In The Wood Again...

As He Slumerbered in The Wood

The Deer Were Left Laughing In The Wood Again
at the lack of prowess of the hunter right then.
They had little fear of this hunter or his gun
And soon they knew it would their time for fun.
They sent in small spies to see if all would be clear
you see deer are not dummies even with no fear.
Chickadees flittered and fluttered through the trees,
As the mighty hunter's head nodded toward his knees.
They saw his rifle already resting on the side of a tree
You could get the idea that the hunter knew what would be.
Next in they sent a spy of a larger and different demeanor
Who could certainly take care of a hunter by getting meaner.
The black bear ever so quietly sniffed, listened and looked
He liked the deer too much to see them by a hunter get cooked.
He gave a soft snort to indicate the coast was all clear
then the deer slowly and softly started to draw near.
They jumped when the mighty hunter began to snore
but soon they realized it was a snore - nothing more.
The hunter was slumbering soundly against a tree
and now was there time to frolic in fun while free.
Only one danger from this hunter they need fear
and that would be an ache from snores in an ear.
So they came in close to him as was allowed by reason
and danced round his stand this last day of hunting season.
In too came some squirrels, some turkeys, and bobcat
All just in time to see the hunter loose his orange hat;
as the wind had stirred while watching this commotion
and off blew his hunting cap, flying in a circular motion.

It landed there right on his overly large belly
and it was jiggled and juggled as if sitting on jelly.
Then in swooped an owl with nary a sound
grasping cap in talons before it hit the ground.
Suddenly the hunter muttered and turned just a bit
and the deer and other animals thought this was it!
They all softly made their way back into the wood
but of their visit left sign never to be misunderstood.
The hunter in a dream to rustling footsteps awoke,
grabbed trusty rifle and waited not quite getting the joke.
For there all around him as he soon would certainly see
were tracks of bobcat, squirrel, bear, deer, and wild turkey.
Yet he waited with hopes of getting a clear shot,
on a deer that another hunter had not yet got;
but the light was fading, the day soon would be ending
hunting season was closing, aches needed tending.
So the old hunter got up and as he gathered his gear
and was amazed at the tracks all round him so near.
Bear, bobcat, squirrel paws all had marked the snow
deer also had have to have come and to go.
All while he uneasily slept and had a fabulous dream
of forest animals having fun, all working as a team.
He reached for his cap, his head cold,
He wondered had the animals truly been so bold.
As he looked for his cap he searched all around
then seeing some small feathers there on the ground
he looked way up to the branches of a tree
and there was his cap almost too far to see
Thunderstruck, realizing it was no dream as he slept
He made up his mind it was his secret to be kept.
For truly no dream were these tracks in the snow
But who on earth would believe him if he told them so.
Then when he was leaving he turned and gave a last look
And they were all staring at him from every forest nook.
Hundreds of forest creatures from far and near
Had come to laugh and to give him a sneer.
So he raised his hand slowly, then gave them a salute,
and unloaded his gun, he would not shoot.
The season had ended this year the animals won
but someday he'd be back and he'd again bring his gun.
He told them next year he would sure to again stop by,
and promised next year he'd have a more vigilant eye.
He would be certain next year to remain wide awake
and to his prowess as a hunter make no mistake.
Fair warning he gave to all those forest creatures
but it did not change one thing about their features.
He swore they were laughing at him as he spoke
and having fun at his expense over their joke.
The deer he left laughing in the wood right then,
all waiting and wishing he would visit again.

All the best,
GB

Spent A Day Hunting...

...and sleeping in the woods on Saturday; all the deer just laughed at me probably thinking I would be out cold like RVW for about 20 years or so. I almost did it too, that is stayed asleep for 20 years. I left home at about 12:30 or 1:00 AM, got to the selected happy Hunting Grounds by about 3:00 AM, slept fitfully in my car to the music of Traffic, and Black Sabbath, was awakened at about 5 by a car load of hunters who were yakking away outside my window as they geared up in the icy cold of the predawn morning, slept another half hour (really maybe 10 minutes dozing on and off), a finally got my butt in gear at 0530. I was in the woods by 0545 with sunup and legal shooting time at 0702.

I sat in my portable sport chair for almost 4 hours. It was chilly out, even fairly cold, I guess in the 20s. Just sitting there and the cold gets to your bones even if dressed as warmly as was I. I have to say though that once the sun got around to shining my way, the warmth was wonderful, and I nodded off not for the first or last time while on my stand. After a while longer, I took a walk around for an hour or so. Then back to my stand where I sat (sitting on a stand - what terminology) for a couple more hours. Then I again took a walk. Found another hunter just outside the woods in an overgrown area of a farmer's field. He was completely in camo; and that was a surprise. He did not move a muscle as I walked up from behind, and I noted his shotgun was grounded so I was not expecting him to turn and aim in on me thinking I was a deer or something. Once I was abreast of him we had a short talk, and I headed back from where I had come not wanting to be out in his line of fire. Nice guy, but wearing all camo in firearms deer season!!! Oh well, his hide not mine.

Back on stand until sundown, well actually until at least 20 minutes after sundown. The last thing I remember was looking at my watch and thinking I had 20 minutes left to hunt. I rattled and used my deer calls. Then sat back and waited. I was somewhat hopeful because I had heard a doe bleating in the woods earlier, and she was walking around in circles. I was thinking she might respond to my calls and rattling. As it turned out, an army of deer could have come by, had a few beers few apples from the nearby apple tree, and sniffed at me with the residual deer scent on my gloves. I was happily sound asleep. I don't know exactly when I nodded off, but do know that when I opened my eyes it was well into twilight and the vampires would be out soon. If I had fallen asleep right after looking at my watch - which it the last thing I remembered - then I had slept for about 40 minutes. Oh well, I have slept on deer stands before only to be awakened by an approaching deer that later was my dinner so sleeping is okay by me while hunting. This time though the deer just laughed at me once again. At least my brief naps helped revitalize me for the ride home. Still though, I have to do something about this insomnia thing that only allows me to get sleep in spurts. I could surely use a nice long nap, maybe though not quite as long as good old Rip Van Winkle.

Sunday, I spent the day at The New York Metro Reptile Expo in White Plains New York. I helped man the Long Island Herpetological Society tables. Spoke to a lot of people about how to take care of this or that, and had a good time as usual with the regular society members who show up for this event. I did not even consider buying any animals while there this time around though, something different from the norm for me. What with the prospect of being detailed to my employer's HQ in Washington, DC for 3 to 6 months looming, well I figured I may have to get rid of a lot of my critters so why add any now. I'll find out for sure in January sometime if I am going on that assignment. By the way, on he ride home, I saw a nice 6 pointer on the back of an SUV. Maybe that was one of them that laughed at me - who knows.

After the reptile show I came home to a nice dinner of Pot Roast, homemade red cabbage, oven baked potatoes (like french fries but done in the oven and covered with oil and spices - mm good), and asparagus. It was one heck of some good cooking, as my wife can do when she pleases. Well that was it for the weekend for me. Right now, as you can guess, I am at the keyboard because sleep once again eludes me. I am getting a bit weary being it is after 0200, so I think I'll head off to the sack. Sleep well...

All the best,
Glenn B

The Hunt Is On

o , o , RHINEBECK, NEW YORK Astronomical Applications Dept.Location: W073 55, N41 56 Rise and Set for the Sun for 2008 U. S. Naval Observatory Washington, DC 20392-5420 Eastern Standard Time
Day Nov.
15 0646 1634
16 0647 1633
17 0648 1633

All that the above gobbly-goop means is that the days are getting shorter; and that where Brendan and I will be hunting on opening day of the firearms season for deer the sun will be up at 0646 and set at 1634 or 4:34 PM. That means we will have to be up well before, maybe by 0400 and at our stand by about 0500 to 0530 at the latest. Hopefully there will not be so many other hunters in the area as for us to be stumbling over them, or them over us. Then again, since it was a full moon on the 13, the moon light on the early morning of the 15th will probably be sufficient to see without artificial light while making our way to our stand. The moon will still be up, it will not set until about 0900.

As for those other hunters, anyone want to take bets on how many shots we hear before sunup and the official beginning of the season on Saturday morning. Brendan and I will await the legal shooting time no matter how tempting a shot may present itself before then, but I am pretty sure someone else in the area will not, happens every year.

We leave for the hunting grounds early this morning - one day in advance of the season opener. Who knows, maybe we will get lucky and bag a turkey on the last day of the turkey season later today. Heck, I just realized it is this morning already, I need to hit the hay.

All the best,
Glenn B

Preparations For A Safe Deer Hunt

Deer season is almost upon us and if you are a deer hunter then you hopefully have already picked a place to hunt that will hold a decent deer population. I used to do almost all my deer hunting on my uncle's farm near Windsor, NY but since he sold the farm several years ago I now have to hunt on public lands. Thankfully NYS has a good amount of public hunting land, and also has Cooperative Areas that are privately owned but which have been opened to the public, by nice land owners, for hunting. This year as in the past several years I will be hunting on public land owned by the state. Brendan will be hunting with me. Will we be going to a State Forest, specifically a Multiple Use Area.

As a matter of fact I have been up there a few times now to scout out the area for deer sign. Yesterday I made what was probably my final scouting trip to the area. On the first trip, back at the very beginning of September (the Labor Day Weekend) I picked out what I thought would be a good spot to set up a stand. I marked off the stand, and a trail leading to it from the highway with reflective thumb tacks. That way, when walking to the stand at oh-dark-thirty (probably around 0430AM) we will be able to see the trail easily with our Mini Mag Lights illuminating those tacks, which are made specifically for that purpose. The spot I picked is not one that looks all that much like a text book example of a good location for a deer stand. Why not? Well, I suppose because it is not right on the edge of a clearing, and because there are a lot of saplings and bushes to make getting a clear shot not all that easy, and because it simply does not look like the best of spots. The thing is though it is a good spot for deer albeit one that will make a shot difficult because of the undergrowth.

Why is it a good spot. Well it is adjacent to a small field that deer frequent coming and going on their way in and out of the forest. That field is full of deer sign, the best being a well used deer trail that leads right into the area of our stand. I don't think that the deer stop in that clearing to eat what they can find. There was a lot of deer droppings as evidence of that. They also probably go through this way to the farm field a bit further down the hill and across the highway. I have seen them there, saw one there on my first scouting trip. Another reason that it is a good spot is because it is a transition point between the field and the heavier forest above where the deer bed down, and where they also can find an abundance of things to eat like acorns. Furthermore it is a good spot because it acts as sort of a funnel for the deer as it is a relatively easy place for them to make that transition from the lowland to the higher elevated forest. Yes there are a lot of saplings, but almost no brambles that are all around the rest of that small clearing I mentioned. That is important, deer and other animals usually like to take paths of least resistance. This area has had a lot of deer traffic, there were a lot of dropping around to make that evident. There is one other reason I thought this a good area. There was a nice sized couple of scrapes, one under a Hemlock or other evergreen tree, and one a bit further down the deer trail. They are both active scrapes; and I can only hope a bow hunter does not take the deer that made them before I get a shot at it in the regular season. Now I suppose I am setting myself up for that chance by writing this blog, but there is always a chance someone will see my stand and make use of it before the regular deer season (firearms season). I set up our stand about 25 yards from that spot. Since the area is shotgun or pistol only, that is a good distance considering the undergrowth.

Below, I have embedded a video (part one of two) of the stand I set up for our hunt. We will be hunting from the ground either sitting against trees or standing (or maybe sitting in a nice portable chair since this is not all that far from the road and a chair would be easy to bring in). The main point of the video is not so much to show why I think the area is a good one in which to set up a stand, but rather to show the precautions I have taken to assure we have a safe hunt. Safety is paramount when hunting, and I want to make darned sure that when on public property, the other hunters in the area will realize we are there. Of course we will wear hunting clothing with lots of blaze orange (yes deer are color blind), but I have also placed a lot of blaze orange tape on trees around the stand. Those markers are all temporary mind you, and before we leave for the season I will take all of them down. I placed them in a perimeter around the stand so that other hunters will have lots of warning that we are nearby. It is not like it is private property so I suppose that someone could just show up there and plop himself or herself right down where we intend to hunt but I am hopeful that other hunters who may scout or hunt the area are respectful of all the effort I went through to set up that area for use by Brendan and I.

As you watched the video, I guess it was pretty apparent that you could see the marker tape from a distance, and that it showed up very well against the background. Anyone who hunts deer or other wild big-game animals with firearms from a stand who does not mark the stand area like this is, in my opinion, being quite foolish. There are only a few exceptions where I would not mark and area in a similar fashion, and one would be predator hunting where camouflage is key to a successful hunt. Turkey hunting also requires the hunter to be camouflaged, but I have seen many successful turkey hunters who use this tape around their stand for safety. As far as deer hunting goes, I think you are being less than a safe and responsible hunter if you fail to use a lot of blaze orange. It does not guarantee there will not be a hunting accident, but it sure increases the odds toward having a safe hunt.

All the best,

Glenn B

Just Got Back Home...

...from a couple of days in the hills Catskill Mountains and thereabouts. I went on a deer scouting trip, did some hiking, did some fishing, took in the sights, and camped out under the stars. Oh, my aching back! More later...the car needs washing.

All the best,
Glenn B

The Laughing Deer - A True Story

Rifle season for deer in NYS is now closed, or will be as of sundown today. Any deer that were anywhere near me today during my hunt needn't have had a fear, not that I think they were any too worried mind you.

I set up a stand at the base of a huge old oak, out out some scent trails, sat at my stand for awhile. Since I had figured I would give a hunt one last chance today, I was also determined to use my tried and true method of getting a deer - SLEEPING, then I quickly sort of passed out a la Rip Van Winkle. I managed to nod on and off, in great comfort sitting on my hunters pad on the snow covered ground, for the next three hours or so. The thing is today, the woods must be a little noisier than in Rip's time because I kept waking up every few minutes or so. It seemed there was an awful lot of fluttering of Chickadees' wings, and the rustling of a crow landing in a tree almost directly over me, and the pecking of woodpeckers on old trees, and the squeaking squeals of chipmunks all around me. As a matter of fact, once today, as I was groggily be again awakened from my uneasy slumbers, I thought I heard some deer, and was sure I heard the sound of footsteps and crunching in the snow and leaves. Just as I began to open my eyes, I heard a strange shrill laughter/grunting noise from not too far off within the shadows of the forest. If you have heard it before, then as am I, you are assuredly aware is the laughter of deer snickering over the foibles of a less than proficient hunter. I strained my eyes searching for the poor soul at whose expense they the deer were making fun, but could see no other hunter in the woods. I wonder if he was wearing camouflage, or had left the woods just before I awoke. Chances are his fumbling through the brush is what I thought was the footsteps of deer, and they were snickering at how much noise he made as he went along his way. When I think of it, I am more than ever convinced that the other unseen hunter, with all his noise making, kept the deer away from my stand, and why I saw none today! But then I did hear them laughing, so I do know it was a good spot in which to hunt them. Oh, and if you don't think it can happen, that is deer laughing at a hunter, then you have not deer hunted often enough.

As it turned out, I got 40 winks on and off over those 3 hours in the woods, and felt somewhat the better for it - you know getting away from the wife, and the chores around the house, sort of just like good old Rip. Lucky for me though that tales like those about Rip Van Winkle are just fantasy, I mean whoever heard of falling asleep in a forest glen to be awakened by a bunch of dwarves playing nine pins. Absolutely absurd sort of stuff - isn't it? Next thing you know someone will tell you about talking forest animals or something like that, all just balderdash as far as I can tell. Oh well, as for me, maybe a squirrel and or rabbit hunt or two before the Spring Turkey Hunt. By the way, none of those little critters are quite as rude and inconsiderate as are the laughing deer who mock hunters; these little guys just chitter-chatter, hop, gobble, and mind their own business.

All the best,
Glenn B

Regular Deer Season - One More Day Left To Hunt...

...and if I get my act together, get some work done around the house; then get to bed early enough, in order to wake up by about 0400 - I may just take a ride upstate to get in a few hours of frustration. Better that than working though. A nice walk through the woods, sitting on my stand (never quite figured that one out, you would think one has to stand on a stand), enjoying the sights and sounds of the forest in the very late fall - not really frustrating at all, that is unless I see a 12 pointer and don't get a shot. Heck I am not worrying about missing, I'd hate to see one and not be able to shoot for whatever reason. It has happened before and will again. Then again, this year I have not even seen more than a flash of white tail in the woods, so tomorrow maybe, just maybe... Who can tell.

Well I can tell one thing, if I don't get my behind in gear tonight and get some chores done, none of that will happen tomorrow. I can tell you one other thing too now that I think of it, I'll be debating, with myself, which gun to take as I get my work done tonight. I have a choice between the Remington 870, with rifle sights, or the Marlin 336 scoped. Decisions, decisions.......

All the best,
Glenn B

No Dear...

...was the answer I would have given to my wife had she asked me if I had gotten a deer last weekend. When I told her I struck out she was ecstatic. Of course, Brendan was disappointed, but he gets his chance to strike out like his old man bag a buck this weekend. Whether or not either one of us gets a deer on this trip, the good thing about it is that we are going on a hunt together. The camaraderie developed on hunting trip is hard to match to that developed in other ways. Yes strong bonds can be, and are often are, developed in other situations, but none usually as strong, as rewarding, and as satisfactory as on a good hunting trip; and that includes even when the game gets away.

My solo trip over the past few days was a winner even though did not even see a deer while afield, and despite the fact that a normal person would have thought there were more setbacks along the way than was worth it all both while hunting and before the hunt. I started off my trip all packed and ready to go. The only thing I needed to do was stop at my bank to use their ATM. Of course as I drove right on by the bank I did not even think of cash because all I could think about was a monster buck. Oh well, I had enough in y pocket anyhow, and ATMs are all over the place. Instead of heading straight toward upstate NY, I made a detour to Glendale, my old neighborhood in NYC. I stopped at a local gin mill and had a beer while I talked to some old friends and dropped off some Forensic Psychology books for one of the barmaids. Small world, she goes to the same graduate school as did I, and takes the same subjects. After that I was off.

It was a dark and cloudy night when at about 1200 AM I got onto the highway. I drove along in relative bliss, and I was making pretty good time. I figured I would be up near the hunting grounds by 0300AM. Then Murphy struck. You know Murphy don't you, the guy who wrote that silly thing called Murphy's Law. The rains started to come down in sheets. Driving slowed at least 15mph for me, although some nuts kept going at 65mph (the speed limit on this stretch of the road) or faster. I kept it between 50 and 55, it was really hard to see. I didn't think it could get much worse, and then Murphy showed his ugly face again. Fog blanketed the road. I don't recall ever having seen a really thick fog covering everything at the same time that it was raining down in buckets. Then the rain slacked off and the fog got worse, so I guess Murphy prefers fog. Not me though, I hate it, and this was bad. I could barely see 100 yards. I pulled off of route 17 and pulled over to the shoulder on a side road, far over on the shoulder, put on my flashers, and promptly fell asleep. That was about 0130 or 0200. When I awoke at about 0700, the rain had all but stopped and there was no fog, so I drove on. I stopped off at Roscoe NY for a nice breakfast, and I also stopped by The Little Store, sort of a general store wherein they sell rifles, and hunting goods. I got to the hunting grounds at about 1100AM. Oh well, I just kept driving because by that time it had started to pour again and I did not need to hunt that badly that I needed to get soaked and miserable. I drove right to my motel in Binghamton, NY, good old reliable Motel 6. Yes this was to be a cut rate trip as usual because I don't like it when my venison works out to more than about $40 per pound.

The motel experience was okay. They checked me in promptly when I arrived. Not bad because I was there ahead of usual check-in time. They were courteous and helpful as usual, and i even got a room in the section of the motel where I had requested one. Murphy does not always stick his nasty nose into my business! After settling in, I went to a few stores to stock up on food (I would eat in the field or in my room), and I also picked up some hunting needs at Dick's Sporting Goods. What I picked up was not really a need, it was more of a luxury. I purchased a ladder treestand. I lugged that up into my motel room, and thankfully had an old timer hold open the entry doors for me. This was a small one, only 45 pounds in weight, though it seemed heavier while walking up the stairs. Thank goodness it was only one flight. I put the whole thing together in my room to make sure it was all there. No I could not stand a 15 foot tall treestand up in y room, but I put the platform section together with all the nuts and bolts, and I made sure all the other parts were there, which they were not, but I did not notice right away. All the parts to put it together were there so it looked good to me. Then I assembled my day pack with what I would need while afield. After that I watched some TV, and had dinner. The I fell asleep by about 8. Thank goodness for a good night's sleep.

I was up at about 0300 the next morning, Friday. I had a quick breakfast, and loaded up my car with my gear. Actually I had already loaded the tree stand back into the car the night before before it got too late so as to disturb the other motel guests. It seemed lighter going down the stairs, thank goodness for the laws of gravity.

Once out in the field I looked for a good place to hunt deer and turkey at Quaga Creek State Park. I had previously scoped out this area, but actually found a totally new spot to hunt on this particular day. It was a good spot with some nearby deer rubs, a deer scrape, and three trails converging near a choke point by an old stone wall in the forest. It was also just off of a forest clearing. Prime deer country. It took me several hours of hiking around before I found this spot. I had lunch there; then tried calling in some turkeys to no avail. I had seen a flock when I had driven up to the park, and hoped they were still nearby, but it appeared I was the only turkey in the nearby woods at that moment. After a couple of hours at the stand site, I went back to my car, offloaded my shotgun and backpack, and took a rest. After about a half hour or so, I took half of the treestand out to the site I had found. Then back to the car for the other half. Amazingly I had remembered to bring along the two wrenches and directions for assembly. Yes I had assembled it the night before, but it had to be partly taken down to fit into the car. Not wanting to make any Murphy's that could result in a 15 foot fall for me, I was happy to have the instructions. I guess retrieving the ladder treestand and putting it together, and then actually getting securely against a tree took me about 2 hours. It was not easy getting that thing up against the tree by myself but I did it. I do not recommend it though since the instructions tell you to do it with two other people for a total of three. Alas there was only on knucklehead available and that was me. after it was just about altogether, I realized it was actually missing some parts. It was missing some pins that pinned the ladder sections to one another. Really though these were not necessary, except for safety (safety that the manufacturer would not be sued), and I figured what the heck. Really in my opinion they are not even necessary for safety, but that is just my uninformed opinion. They seem a redundant measure since the leg sections fit into one another when assembled, and the 5 or so inches of male sections that fits snuggle into female section is not coming apart when your weight is on it. I guess though if it starts to fall it will not come apart if pinned together as it should be, so it is probably much safer to use them; the thing was I did not have them.

Well once I had it up against the tree, sans pins, I had to climb it to secure it to the tree with a ratchet strap. That was scary, but I got it done, and it was secure after about the third or fourth attempt. This was the first time I had ever erected a portable treestand, and I think 3 or 4 attempts at securing it fast was a good number, not in excess. Did I say how heavy it was trying to lift it to place it against the tree; very top heavy with the platform sections up at the top. Oh my aching back. It was done though by about 1600 (4PM). I tested it a few times, and it was snugly secured to the tree, and that was good. I would pick up a set of pins at Dick's that night, or so I planned (I later forgot to do so). Being 15 feet up there, on ladder treestand with no side rails (this was just a seat platform and foot platform deal atop the ladder, was scary, but man oh man could you see better than on the ground. I imagined yes you could, but would later find out that was not always the case. These woods were thick with young new growth, under the mature tree to which the stand was attached, and that would come to be important the next day, the first day of rifle/deer season. Oh well, I was happy, tired, and ready to head back to town, so that is just what I did.

I made a stop at Dick's again, but somehow forgot about the pins. Oh well, that is muddled middle aged memory for you. Back to the motel where I had dinner. Then I rearranged the stuff in my backpack, taking out some items and adding others, this time for deer hunting. The next day would be the rifle season opener for deer. Again some television and off to slumber land for me at an unusually early hour. I was then up at at it at about 0300 the next morning. Sunrise would be about 0655, and I wanted to be out in the woods at least a couple of hours before that. A quick breakfast and I was off. The treestand, by the way, had been left out in the woods still up against the tree. I secured it with three cable locks so that all of the parts would be more difficult to steal - one never knows now does one.

I got to the parking area by about 0430, and I was at my stand by 0500. I put on my safety harness (did I forget to mention that - never use a treestand without a safety harness even if you are foolish as me me to use one without the pins) and was up on the platform in no time. Man it was chilly but I was pretty much dressed for it. At about 0630 or so, I am guessing at the time, I heard footsteps in the crunchy leaves. Amazing how dry leaves can become after having been soaked just a day and a half before. I thought maybe I was imagining things, but soon enough realized that yes what I was hearing were the methodical footfalls of something getting closer to me with each step. Whatever it was it was coming from my left, or from the direction of the parking area. Could it be another hunter, or was it a deer. After a few minutes I knew it was an animal, likely a buck because it was dragging its feet, then crunching down as it completed its steps. Typical behavior for a feisty buck during the rut when looking for a fight or a female. I had left a scent trail of doe and buck urine as I walked into my stand, and it soon it was evident that this deer was following that trail. When he got really close to me he veered off a little and kept about 15 yards from my stand. I had not seen him yet, but I could tell because of how much noise he was making, and I could see the top of the bushes and small trees shake as he walked beneath them. Remember how I said treestands are supposed to let you see a whole lot more, and I also said there was a lot of new growth in this forest; well thanks again Mr. Murphy because I could not see the darned thing (except for one grayish blur for about a second or two) since I was above and trying to look down through the tops of all those bushes and young trees. That really did not matter much, it had to be a good half hour before legal shooting time. I figured I would keep this guy in the area and gave a grunt on my deer call. He, or she, or whatever, stopped, then he started to move again a couple of minutes later. He just kept going and never looked back as far as I know. Gray ghost that he was I never got more than a look at a blur in the trees and bushes. I think now I should have used a doe bleat call instead of a buck grunt. My guess is that he was a smaller buck, and that he knew a larger buck had made scrapes in the area. He probably thought I was that larger buck. of course I could well have that wrong, he may have been the larger buck, but then I think he would have come in to challenge whatever buck he thought was there because I had grunted. Oh well, whatever the case, that is as close to getting a deer that I came. About 20 minutes later, still before legal shooting time by a few minutes, I heard a shot that I figure came from no more than a 1/2 mile to my right (probably closer like a 1/4 mile), the same direction in which my mystery deer had gone. My guess was that whoever took that shot got the same deer that had walked passed me.

I had done my homework, picked a good spot, set up my stand there, but had not considered that being in a treestand would have made it harder to see what had been making all the noise. Later on when on the ground again, I looked in the direction where the supposed deer had been. I could clearly see the trail it had taken while under the canopy, but had been blinded to it while in the standby the canopy of smaller trees and bushes. I went over to the trail and checked it and there were fresh deer tracks there. Then I saw why the buck which probably had been making all that noise had not stopped. There were two sets of tracks, so my bet is that he was tending to a doe, and following her with high hopes. I stayed on my stand for the rest of the day, but not in my treestand. While up there a couple of hours later, I heard a repeated clicking noise. It had sounded to be right behind me and at first I had no clue as to what it had been. I turned around to look, and the tree stand wobbled. Holy shoot, I knew what it was then, and I got nervous. The ratchet strap was coming loose because the ratchet was slipping. I adjusted it and a few minutes later or so, it came loose again. I tightened it again, and while tightening it it was slipping - just note holding. That was it for me in the treestand. Pins or no pins in the ladder sections, I am not staying up in one when its ratchet strap is not holding it to the tree.

I hunted from the ground until about 1500 (3PM), even though I think sundown (the limit of legal shooting time in NY) was not until about 1630 (4:30PM). I decided to take apart the stand and get it to my car while I still had light. After that I hunted a bit more, I still had at least a half hour of hunting time when I had completed the task. Nothing though., just 'No DEER' for me. After I left the area, I went back to the motel, showered up, put on fresh clothes and headed to Dick's Sporting Goods to return the treestand. Of course, that meant I had to sort of re-box it which I did in my room (after I cleaned it, which took at least 1/2 hour). I got almost all the parts back into the box. only the harness and the small box with the nuts and bolts did not fit. I arrived outside of Dicks and put the stand, and an armrest kit I had bought but not unpacked, into - or I should say onto - a cart. I was a bit apprehensive about them accepting a return since I had used the stand, but i figured what the heck I may as well try. Once inside the store I went to the Customer Service desk. The lady there asked me why I was returning it, and I told her about the missing pins and bad ratchet. She asked for my receipt, circled some numbers, and sent me to the register - all with a pretty smile on her face. In less than 5 minutes I had my money back. I have to admit that was just about the best part of my day, except of course for the exciting part when those deer had walked by my stand, and my confirmation when I saw the tracks that indeed it had been a couple of deer.

No I did not get a deer, but I had come close and that was fine by me even if I had not actually seen them. I may have even caught a glimpse of those gray/brown ghosts, I did see some sort of grayish blur through the trees, and even saw the tops of the saplings moving as the deer made through the bushes that were thick up against the trees. I have to tell you, a hunt does not get much better than that, except of course if you bag your game. Then again, bagging your prey is not the whole of the hunt, not by a long shot. The only way this could have been more satisfying without getting a deer, would have been if Brendan could have been there with me. As for that, that is his being there with me, we are leaving tomorrow night after Thanksgiving dinner to head up to the same spot. Maybe somebody else got one of those deer, and maybe not. Even if they did, it was a well used trail, and if does are using it, then bucks are sure to follow. Time, and our next hunt, will tell.

All the best,
Glenn B

Off To The Hunt...

The Spackling is dry,

Primed are the walls

So Soon I will fly -

a hunting trip calls.

The Gear is in a stash

In the trunk of my car

I'm off to get some cash

Or I won't get too far.

Then into the night

I'll head the old Ford

Oh what a site

an old fat man aboard

Well that would be me

headed off to the hunt

and quite hopeful to see

a deer that's not a runt.

All the best,

Glenn B

No blogging until Sunday...

It was a long rainy day...

...and the skies that were supposed to have cleared up by about 2 this afternoon were still pouring down on me, and everyone else up this way till well after 4. So if you were wondering what I have been doing at my computer writing this for you to read, instead of me being upstate to scout for deer, well that is most of the reason why I am still home. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I mind getting wet or anything like that when I am out scouting or hunting deer. As a matter of fact I like to scout on rainy days, and on days that are overcast and damp. The thing is though, I had chores to do, and they too about 2 hours longer than expected. Then I had to head into the west side of Brooklyn to pick something up (yes another snake that someone was adopting out, and I had promised to pick up), then I made a stop in my old neighborhood (I guess I had already sort of decided to delay the scouting trip by then), then I got back home and it was later than I had thought. Later mostly because of weather-wise traffic delays that I had hit along the way, but I will admit my hour stopover in the old neighborhood added to the delay; but as I said by then I was pretty sure the scouting trip was off for today. So I decided that it might be better to wait until tomorrow if I am up early enough, and feeling feisty enough, to make a 3 1/2 to 4 hour trip there, and then scout, and then make the same trip back, all in one day. If I don't go tomorrow, I am making plans to go next weekend regardless of the weather conditions (within reason), and then I'll go on Friday evening so I get all day Saturday out in the woods.

I did find something out today though that perked me up while I stopped in the old neighborhood. I spoke to another guy I know who hunts, and he reminded me it is archery season already. I may drag out my bow for some practice this weekend (whether or not I get upstate), and then try for some venison next weekend. Chances are though, I'll just wait for the firearm's season since I have not had enough practice with the bow in all to long. of course, if I shoot it like Robin hood tomorrow, who knows.

Oh well, there is always tomorrow or next week; but certainly not much time after that.

All the best,
Glenn B

Finally a Weekend For Some Scouting...

...deer scouting that is. I'll be leaving early tomorrow afternoon (yeah I have chores in the morning). I'll be heading up to around Windsor, NY, come rain or shine, to check on a few places I have hunted before. No luck previously at those spots, but I did have what was about an 8 point buck follow me out of the woods one evening as I left my stand. I guess I should correct my statement about no luck to just bad luck so far at these spots. They are on public land though, and I do not have the luxury of an uncle who owns a farm any longer. Nope I did not lose the uncle, but he sold the farm. I will try the lady who currently owns said farm, and I'll ask her for permission to hunt there this year. Maybe that will do the trick for some venison this year, that farm always has nice deer on it.

Hopefully I'll get a few nice pics of some deer up that way. It would be nice to have something to keep my son fired up over the prospects of this year's hunt. If I do get some pics, I'll post em here on Sunday or Monday.

As for Saturday and Sunday, I am afraid there will be little or no posting by me.

All the best,
Glenn B

Deer Scouting Part 2

Yes folks I do like to get some scouting in before the actual deer hunting season opens up. While Brendan and I have about 3 Doe permits between us this year, we would rather get a nice big buck. At least I would rather that he gets a nice buck. If he does get one, it would be his first deer in two years of deer hunting.

Last year I found some nice deer sign in the area that we hunted. As a matter of fact, there was a lot of deer sign, I guess they loved the acorns that were all over the ground just about wherever we looked. In case you were wondering what one looks for as sign of deer, you should look for: game trails, follow the trails and check them for deer berries droppings, look for scrapes (where bucks have scraped away the top layer of leaf litter with their hooves, and form a bare area usually under a bush or low branches of a tree, and into which the buck urinates), and you look for rubs (where a buck rubs the velvet off of its antlers usually before the hunting season, and where they sometimes take out aggression during the rut or mating period during the hunting season). The picture at the left shows a rub. This particular rub was well used, and probably by a bigger deer than most. A small one could have done this too, but small ones do not usually make ones that are quite that long from top to bottom. By the way, that is my boot in the pic, it is right against the tree, and it is a size 12 or 12 1/2 boot. Most rubs I have found are about 1/2 that size in length. I found this rub in the area we hunted last year. Heck I found about 15 of them within a radius of about 25 yards. I also found a few scrapes. So I settled Brendan down nearby to await a buck, or maybe a doe. No luck though, not with regard to seeing any deer for Brendan. I did get to see about 5 or 6 does, possibly followed by a buck, but they were in extremely heavy cover offering no shot to me (well others may have shot but not me in that situation, I take hunter safety very seriously). I had hoped to spook the deer to Brendan's stand, but they were not cooperative and sauntered away in the opposite direction from him. This year I am hopeful things will go a little bit differently. I am hopeful he at least sees one, let alone bag one. Of course, he if he gets one, that would be nice, and we will eat some well earned venison.

All the best,
Glenn B

Deer Scouting...

...is something I have done in the past on trips to my favorite hunting grounds. I didn't have to scout much because those happy hunting grounds were on my uncle's farm, and year after year, deer used the same trails for the most part. For the last several years though, I have hunted on public land since my uncle sold his farm (I should have bought it). Now I try to get upstate NY at least once or twice before the deer season to scout out some areas for deer sign, especially for sign of bucks. I can tell you though, it ain't easy getting away. This year I have not had the chance to get out at all. I am hoping that this weekend may present a chance for me to take a 3 1/2 to 4 hour ride up to where I intend to hunt with my son Brendan. If I am really lucky he will come with me. The idea of having an extra driver (now licensed instead of just a permit) is nice, and it would be nicer to have him with me so we can enjoy a day together in preparation for our hunt. It will be tight time wise this weekend, maybe we can leave Friday night, and come back Saturday night. I have other things to do Sunday, and Brendan works on Sundays.

If not this weekend, then maybe the next, or the next. Not much time after that as hunting season will be upon us before too long. Who knows, if Brendan does not want to make the trip, maybe I can talk my wife Linda into it. She does not hunt, but the promise of a nice walk in the fall woods could be something that appeals to her (yeah right). I can dream anyway.

Oh well....

All the best,
Glenn B