November 07
November 7th, 2007
Our first snow came on Saturday, well at least the first amount that one could measure. The forecast was calling for a total of up to 2 feet Saturday and Sunday! I was not prepared for a snowfall of that magnitude, I was not in the right frame of mind for it yet. We are supposed to get a couple of small storms to condition the body and mind before dropping something like that in our laps!
Maybe it was just the guys at NOAA testing their "winter storm watch" button on their computer as we only got an inch or so right here. I got the report from our hunters that just a few miles further up the road there was 5 inches.
With this snow came deer. Two of our guests got deer on Monday. Tuesday we had a bunch of rain and it took most of the snow off the ground and just left patches here and there. It was spitting snow tonight, but I do not think we will get much. The ground is not frozen and it makes quite a mess when you get snow on unfrozen ground. We do need some freezing weather to set the ground before we get too much snow. The good part is that if we do not freeze the ground too hard then spring comes earlier, with less mud!
Tuesday was voting day, so that meant a trip to town to exercise a privilege that many countries do not have. We can thank lots of men and women for this right to vote, even if sometimes it appears that it does not make a difference. Thanks all you people in the armed services, both those serving now and all of you whom have served in the past.
Speaking of serving, did you realize that if you shoot a deer in many states and you do not wish to keep all of the meat that you can donate it to different programs? In Maine I found 2 organizations that will take the extra venison you may have and get it to food pantries and others in need. One of the groups is called "Maine State Hunters for the Hungry" and can be reached at 888-4DEERME, (888-433-3763) The other group is called "Sportsmen Against Hunger and they can be reached at 207-846-2166. So if you would like to donate, contact one of these groups and help out those who might appreciate some quality food.
Tonight I was sitting on the dam making phone calls and this fox came running across the dam. I had the headlights on and we could see it just as plain as could be. It made it almost up to the truck and I opened the door and it stopped and looked, turned around and started back the way it came. Then it turned around to try again, changed directions once again and went back across the dam from where it started. Charlie wondered why it was crossing the dam and I told him it was because it wanted to get to the other side! There is a lake on one side of the dam and a river on the other side. Just about every animal will cross the dam if there is no one in the way to interrupt their crossing.
Then on the way back into camp we saw a nice 6 point buck in the road. It just stopped and watched us when we got up beside it. Charlie commented that they do not stand around like that during the day when they have been seeing them. He said that they take off and do not stop!
Most everyone is seeing deer although many of the deer they are seeing are UNK's. (No, this does not mean that they are seeing your Uncle Fred while they are hunting) This is a new term concocted by the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. It is a term on the deer and moose survey card, that due to space limitations, caused the term "unknown" to be shortened to UNK. These are the deer that you cannot tell if they are bucks or does, such as when you jump then in the woods and cannot get a good look at them. (A typical experience for me at times)
I will be going out soon myself, to see if I can get a glimpse of an UNK, or better still a buck like I saw last fall that I thought was a moose! Now that is one that I would like to hang up on the game pole. But to even see one of those sized bucks is a treat all in itself. Better still when I saw it last fall, Jed was with me and saw it too! I did not hear of anyone getting something that large in the area so who knows, perhaps I will get a chance to see it again this season. Who knows, this may be the year for me to make the record book! (Or at least put some extra meat in the freezer) GT
November 2nd, 2007
I guess it has been a bit since the last entry! I got the "are you still ok up there" email from one of our guests. I am fine, I just have been trying to get everything ready for hunting season.
It is here now and our guests have been seeing deer, so that is a good thing. They have not connected yet, but that is just part of hunting. These critters have the ability to disappear while right in plain sight! I saw one today and once it stopped moving I lost sight of it and had to look real hard in order to find it again. If you take your eye off them for a second, they have the home court advantage!
This one turned out to be a doe, so it was just a teaser to me. I did see a nice buck that was safe, as it was after dark and it is against all good ethics to shoot after dark. (It is also a few days in jail and a big fine as well)
I did see a couple of Eagles today, which is always nice. One of them was a juvenile and the other was an adult. The loons are calling on the pond tonight, that will be just about the end of that enjoyable sound for this year. They will leave when the pond starts to freeze and I will not see them again until spring.
The leaves are all gone off the trees and now and they look like gray skeletons. This is the way they will remain there until the spring, when the buds start to swell and give things a red, then green tint. Sure seem like a long way off, but they will be green again before you know it.
The great part is that there is no grass to mow for a few months! I have my seeds all set for the spring and next spring I WILL get my garden in. This spring I just could not get to town when the seed store was open and before I knew it, it was July and time for a frost again!
GT
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