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Festive Holiday Thread

This is an email I sent to Bob, 2 weeks ago? In way of preamble though, I allowed myself three hours this morning to 'scout' for the next deer season starting Monday. Half a tank of fuel, and 4 wheel drive and front chains for a good portion of that trip. Parts of two counties, farm land and deep deep too. I quit counting deer at over 50. (how many is that come May?) Tracks across the road ways indicate generally five times what I saw in all the areas covered. And that was divided by two, just in case they were traveling 'both ways'. Fresh tracks were easy to distinguish because of the weather here. In addition I stay in touch with a lot of superb whitetail hunters all across this state. They are all hunters who would be as good at what they do anywhere whitetails are found. and as "good' as anybody anywhere. Almost without exception they are seeing what I am. Here's the email copy.

Bob, making a moment to send you an email. I'm embroiled in a most serious preparation for what I Have every reason to believe is going to real WINTER here in the Northern tier, after I anticipate better than even odds of one more high water next week, then a progressive slide into a deep winter w/ old time snow accums into late March. So sayeth my favoratly read climatologists, my favorate Old Men weather Gurus, all of Ma Natura I see/Absorb. We have 10 " snow here, up to 14" a mile north of here to the state line. Up to 6" more coming starting Friday night...and then rain. It's akin to feeling..ummm, to being shot at? And I can't stop thinking about deer:)

To wit: on a trip to Montoursville (2.7 mi.) yesterday, I 'observed' over a hundred sets of deer tracks crossing 87. The first 30 were across my lawn between house and 87, the next 30 between my driveway and Farragut (.2 mi.) From there right to and including the interchange cloverleaf I counted by '5s', and double checked on my way back. I had a total of neatly close to a hundred sets, and if in ratio is of same number as out, as at my driveway was...that's fifty deer in 2.7 mi.! And the deer from the valley's hemming ridglines can also go a short distance to food west and east respectively, and are... in similar numbers. If snow were to come and stay my stand behind the house becomes very valid again.

The firearms season was a disaster here. I have never seen lower participation on a first day, repeated both Saturdays.Half the backcountry is inaccessible by road result October's flash flood. Bob I really believe there as many deer right now(before fawn drop) as there were in 1985! But an entirely different animal. Simply because of an advanced age structure, they are now a savvy, tough, and more resilient whitetail:) And man are they covering more territory as a result. There are now adults in the mix that remember very well where which food source is to be found under which circumstances, when:) I think what we have here is a runaway train situation which we couldn't control if we pulled ALL the plugs (which are up buttholes in most cases), and threw everything we could at 'em. Unfortunately food will again be the determining factor and landscapes revert to umm. 'previously experienced conditions'? Unless, unless that insignificant 1 degreeF av, 'warming' induces a more consistent mast crop in the oaks? We are now back to back for three years, majority of species included, if ya know where to look. Years ago I asked the PGC deer team to take a look at harvest to predicted harvest w/ relation to mast crops. The answer was not a surprise.

Well, I must toddle along, I am kitchen boy today. freezing carrots/beet greens/etc. Pulled (actually dug) the last of our carrots and beets last evening by flashlight. and prepping dinner for the Lady of the house whilst at it.

It is always good for me to talk w/ or write you. You seem one of a mere handful of people who do understand what I'm trying to say...and that delights me more than you can imagine:)

It is always good for me to talk w/ or write you. You seem one of a mere handful of people who do understand what I'm trying to say...and that delights me more than you can imagine:)

Sounds like an epilogue to a cheech and chong film... Damn near like up in smoke.

I often wonder what Ed's parents were like...:)

And has he always talked to himself, only to amuse his soul train:)

ED, READ THIS, as many times as it takes.

I will understand... I thunk...

http://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/projects/deer/news/2016/i-knew-i-forgot-something?utm_so

?

Two of my favorite guys. 3 if I would have got to know Bob before I moved back to the country. I was a little surprised to hear that info, Ed, but makes me think. Some of the plain folks have surrounded us on half our borders a couple years ago and I expected a decline in dear population. The last 2 years of trail cam pics disagreed with that in both numbers and buck size/age. My past 2 bow seasons were fun. The rifle seasons were quiet. Found a dozen great sheds last winter and looking for a great shed hunt this winter. Last Friday and Saturday I too drove around, the farm at least, looking at the tracks in the snow and there appears to be no shortage of deer remaining around here. The deer are digging thru the snow where grass is growing around the field edges and they are browsing on the shrubs. I keep a double wide trail mowed with the 5 foot brushhog around the fields so no mater what gets planted there is a little buffer between woods and crops where a variety of brush grows that the deer chomp on. Acorns here were great again as wel as apples. For a treat the deer come to my yard and eat chinese chestnuts, sawtooth oak acorns and crabapples. I also discovered back in bow season that one of my most productive tree stand locations is in the middle of a mushroom plot that has 3 or 4 different species growing there. I stayed out of there early and was surprised to see so many as it got lighter the morning I discovered them. (I have to get Jeff Durnell back there next year.) Lots of tracks in the yard too. Cannot wait to get back home and start scouting after the first of the year.

Art, thinking of you and your family often, everyday: ) <<< and that, too is a very simple, and a very complex sentence too..as if you..didn't know :)

Thanks Ed.

Thought I was going to open this and see Merry Christmas but instead found the deer count in Montoursville.

Woke up this morning to 66 degrees on the way 82. Sunshine and beautiful. May never go home or may make this my home. :)

For a few days deer are the last thing on my mind.

Merry Christmas everyone!

FINALLY.................

A post that makes sense.. Merry Xmas, Phil...

Remember Old Timers ramblings that seemed to go on into infinity?

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