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

Happy Hunting I Will Go

For the first time in several, maybe even many, years - I have applied for and been selected for a Deer Management Permit in my preferred public land hunting area. That put a big grin on my face and I gave a hearty out loud "YEAH" of satisfaction; I literally almost jumped out of my seat. I also applied for and received a second DMP in another area several miles north of there (that was my 2nd choice, a back up in case I did not get my first choice). Now while neither of those DMPs (aka: antlerless deer permits) guarantees I will get a deer but my chances of scoring one should increase if I do everything else right.

I've already been up there scouting out the area. I found a good deal of deer droppings where I expected to find deer sign I am guessing that later this month the bucks will start to make rubs to rid themselves of the velvet on their antlers. Those rubs will be another very helpful sign when hunting and of course by the time of the rut there should be scrapes in evidence too. I am hoping to go on several more scouting trips before the crossbow and regular deer seasons begin. I will likely get in some bear hunting during the early bear season and some small game hunting as well. While I hope to make at least overnight tips to the hunting grounds; this year, I have made up my mid that if need be I will make day trips too. As for the regular hunting season, I've already made a motel reservation for five nights, two days before opening day through three days after. I was thinking of maybe renting a small cargo van or RV until I saw the prices of a van far exceeded the cost of a motel stay - so a cheapo motel it will be for me.

This coming weekend, I may drive up there to do some scouting and camp out since it is state land and camping is free (oh my aching back).

All the best,
Glenn B

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

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