Give the old guys a break!
Wouldn’t it be great if this unseasonable weather sticks around for the late hunting seasons? It was just a thought as I was sorting through the deer photos that were dropped off by successful hunters.
Some of the bucks they bagged are amazing.
Last year the bulk of the really big bucks we heard about came from Greene County.
This year, antler restriction finally caught up to the Fayette County deer population, which seems to have yielded more trophy bucks this year than it has for a while but most success stories come from lowland hunters, while those who hunted the mountains have mostly grim tales to tell.
At the same time, Greene County hunters were rather disappointed after a banner season last year.
Personally, I only saw some small bucks that I hope grow up a little before I see them again.
But, even with the successful hunters, many more were not successful and some I’ve spoken with since the season ended are very frustrated.
Some are upset because they didn’t see many deer at all, others only saw small bucks, and some saw no bucks.
Still others said they did not see a legal buck, but passed up shots at does because they have never killed one and are not ready to start now.
I, too, felt the same way; but, in the past few years, I came to believe that if I want a taste of venison, I had better take what comes along.
I’m not getting any younger, and I still have a few years to go before I’m eligible for a senior lifetime license.
I’ll admit I can’t hunt every day for two weeks straight like I used to.
I would give anything to be that spry again, but I’ll play the cards I’ve been dealt and just hope I can still climb the hills for few more seasons before I give it up.
Even if I don’t see anything, I won’t quit as long as I can walk the hills. Some say, “Why don’t you sit.”
I’ve never been comfortable sitting. My hands and feet get too darn cold. I’d rather be moving.
However, I have argued since the introduction of antler restrictions that senior hunters should come under the old rules, where one antler only had to be three inches long or more.
At first, Dr. Gary Alt even wanted to include the youngsters under antler restrictions. I argued face-to-face with him that seniors and juniors should be excluded.
At least some intelligent members of the Game Commission saw fit to stand up and nix the regulation for junior hunters.
To keep the youngsters interested, antler restrictions were waived for those under 17, and eventually even more special youth hunt programs were introduced.
I know of two or three healthy senior hunters who did not purchase a license to hunt this past year because they say they can’t count points, and I agree with them.
I heard of a couple hefty four-pointers that were killed by accident because the shooter expected more points on a rack that size.
A year ago, I wanted to put a third point on a couple of four-pointers in Quebec but, unfortunately, I couldn’t do so and had to let them go.
Like myself, those hunters don’t want to break the law so they just gave up hunting.
That is really unfortunate for, as I’ve said before, these senior hunters have given to the program all of their lives. A few small bucks killed here-and-there are not going to make a ripple on the deer hunting waters.
We are not only losing these senior hunters, but we are also losing many mentors who might have introduced their granddaughters and grandsons to the shooting sports and the many facets of the great outdoors one discovers while engaged in the sport of hunting.
More disappointment
I look to the hunters coming into KJ’s Kustom Archery in Carmichaels as my barometer on what is happening during the archery deer seasons.
Since those same hunters still hang out there after the season, I thought I’d check to see if they fared any better in rifle season than in bow season.
When I called, K.J. Polish and his buddy were measuring a couple of bucks they killed in Illinois last month – one of which would have been a 130-inch, 8-pointer had it not been for one broken tine.
“There was not much killed in rifle season either,” K.J. said when I asked how the gun hunters fared. “It was terrible. I hunted every day for two weeks and did not see a legal buck.
“I heard of couple big ones killed in Washington and Fayette counties, but there were few reports of really big bucks killed in Greene.”
K.J. then noted that the buck that won their annual pool was the smallest to earn that honor in years, although it was a very nice buck.
Another side
If you thought the hunter with the trophy buck at the top-center of the page looked kind of familiar – he should.
It’s Jason Knapp of Uniontown, and his picture has appeared on these pages before, but usually with a fishing rod in one hand and a large bass in the other.
Jason has been a regular on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour for a few years, and he also fishes Stren Series Tour events, plus a few others as time allows.
This past season he moved up from the co-angler chair at the rear of the boat to the professional spot on the bow.
Over the years, he has won more than $150,000 as a professional and co-angler with 2004 being his best year as he earned $50,200 as a co-angler.
Throughout his career he has two wins and nine top-10 finishes, fishing 87 events since 1999.
Annual Classic
Roscoe Sportsmen’s Association will host its annual Grouse & Small Game Classic on Saturday, Jan. 6.
There will be ruffed grouse and rabbit divisions. Grouse hunters will hunt as two-man teams, and rabbit hunters in three-man teams.
Entry fee is $25 per team for the grouse hunt and $35 per team for the rabbit hunt.
For entry or more information contact Bill Williamson at 724-938-3263 (after 7 p.m.) or call the club at 224-938-9080 (Wednesday and Sunday).
Contact Herald-Standard outdoor writer Rod Schoener on line at rschoener@herald-Standard.com