In this Issue
January 2005

Fin, Fur & Feathers
By John T. O'Leary, Jr.

John T. O'Leary, Jr.

Can't say the winter is coming too fast or too slow... it's kind of half fast. Mild temperatures let undisturbed deer bed down for long periods of time, make that all day, if undisturbed, in their wonderfully warm winter coats. Hunters seeking to awaken them for an exercise period are probably faring better than those that sit on a site hoping one will pass by. Those tracks he or she is sitting near were most likely made in the dark hours, and it seems they are bedding in the closest really gnarly, thick cover to oak trees that still have some acorns on the ground. These trees are a distinct minority this year. Some deer are still feeding in the fields, probably due to a lack of nuts in their area. The good news is that there is enough browse out there, thanks to wood cutting operations of a few years ago, to feed a herd ten times the size of the herd we have.

It's interesting to observe the twists of luck, or fate, that occur in the deer woods. Someone who is outfitted with the best equipment and takes particular pains to keep their scent under control, and noise level down, may consistently find himself playing a distant second fiddle to someone who takes no precautions whatever. I know of such a fellow as the latter. He smokes, hasn't washed his deer hunting clothing since, well probably ever, is constantly on the two-way radio, and is inclined to avoid heavy cover at all costs. Deer flock to him, perhaps knowing that his marksmanship skills give them at least a ninety percent chance of escaping with a hide free of any bothersome perforations. Having a highly developed curiosity factor, maybe they come from far and wide to check out the source of all the noise, and those repugnant, but really weird odors. At least the fellow who takes precautions gets as many deer, with only ten percent of the opportunities.

Deer aren't the only wildlife we see out there, by a long shot, pardon the pun. A cow moose, a young bull moose, turkeys galore, coyotes everywhere, (we even named one cart road Coyote Rd.), partridge, all sorts of birds of prey, and pheasant round out a partial list. You really never know what lies across the swamp or over the next hill. The only way to find out is to get out there and keep your senses open.

It seemed odd to watch bass fishermen in a boat at South Pond having some luck, then saunter into the woods nearby and an hour later be dragging out multiple deer, but that is what the weatherman has given us, so that is what we deal with.

Rafts of Mergansers and other diving ducks are sharing local waterways with Mallards down from Canada. They never look finer than now with the full winter plumage. You might wonder why I categorize some of these as diving ducks. There are two general groups of ducks that feed differently. The common mallards, blacks, teal, and woodies feed on land, in shallow marshes, or in any water they can tip up to feed in. Divers literally have to dive to reach the vegetables, grasses, clams, and small fish they eat. If the weather holds they'll be with us until we get solid ice.

Two gifts that will be used all of next year are just stocking stuffers. A Massachusetts Sporting License from the town clerk’s office, Wal-Mart, or your local sporting goods dealer, entitles the bearer to fun all year long, and is the monetary wellspring that funds the purchase of lands outdoors for all to use. A Redi Edge sharpener will find frequent use on kitchen knives, pocket knives, and broadheads. As a guy who has spent a lifetime trying to find the fastest, easiest, way to keep a sharp edge on domestic and sporting cutlery, I can truthfully say this is the best tool ever. From ocean-going sport fishing boats, to groups of fellows who have a lot of meat to cut, every person that has used knives sharpened on this sharpener has ordered one or just had me sharpen all of their knives. At least one local club that has a weekly meat raffle has had me get them a sharpener to have on hand, and these guys cut hundreds of pounds of meat a week. They claim their knives have never been sharper. R & R Sport Shop in Belchertown has them in many models, and don't count on spending over thirty dollars.

May your holidays be …….priceless.

All The Best, JTO

Read previous columns by John T. O'Leary, Jr.