“There he was”, A fine 8 point standing in the gap”

By Mac Moad

The first week of October was finally here.  The first three days were spent in my favorite stand watching 3 raccoons in which I had named Larry, Curly, and Moe.  The mother raccoon was slightly bigger than the two younger ones, and seemed curious to every movement surrounding them.  The days here in eastern Oklahoma in October were still in the 80’s with mosquitoes buzzing everywhere.  I was wondering if it were still to hot to hunt and questioned myself again over and over.  Each day so far, I had hunted morning and evening with only a few does showing up.

Our family is one of three families (all related) that live on the mountain with about 360 acres of land owned by our families.  Each year we hunt, we always establish the rules.  {8 Point or better for the husbands} {Wives and kids, buck or doe} Now last year I hunted all year and didn’t harvest one deer, but I had seen enough antlers to keep me excited.  Every time Bill and Grover, my brother in-laws, sure let me know how I got spanked on last years hunt.  Both are avid rifle hunters and tagged out the year I brought home nothing.  I was thinking about this already early in this season while elevated about 18 feet up in my climber.  I wondered, as every other hunter does, will this be my year.  As I looked down from my stand at the raccoons again on the 4^th morning of October 2007, I was once again thinking of how pretty they were and how every day I am in the woods, I look for the highlight of the day.  Whether this was the highlight of the day again, or was an owl going to sit on the limb next to me, a squirrel sitting on my boot, quail leaving a fast trail for a coyote, bobcats on the prowl, turkeys rustling, what was going to be the highlight?

Then, I saw movement directly in front of me.  I was a deer for sure, and no does were present yet.  I had placed my stand in what my wife calls the quiet spot.  High cedars with no brush, not to thick, but perfect for a good bow shot.  A well used doe trail to my right, and another trail coming in from the left, thicker trees to my front.  I could see about 40 yards around me with a creek bed behind me on a down hill gentle slope. The deer in front of me wasn’t spooked or aware of my presence as it slowly made its way directly toward me.  Sun to my back and the breeze in my face, finally, I could see him completely.  “Very nice buck” I was thinking.  As he moved closer and closer, I could count 4 on one side and 4 on the other.  Not sure if I wanted to take the shot just yet, I moved into position just in case.  Standing now and ready to draw, I used the bow as if I was hiding behind its small limbs.  The buck was much bigger than I originally thought the closer he moved to my stand.  20 yards and still coming, 10 yards and still coming.  He stopped, head concealed by a large cedar tree.  I came to full draw and picked my shooting lane.  As if knowing I was now ready to shoot, the 8 point stepped from behind the cedar and moved closer, directly into my shooting lane.  7 yards, I picked my hairs on the buck, just behind the shoulder and quartering down.  I could sense the raccoons to my right and felt a sense of calm, took a large breath, let it out half way, became steady as a rock and released.

{‘Wham”}  I dropped him in his tracks.  I intended to penetrate spine, heart, and lung if possible for a deadly and swift kill.  My broadhead did exactly that.  I stood for a moment and watched the buck lie still and quiet.  Larry, Curly, and Moe were nowhere to be seen.  I called my wife using my cell phone and quietly whispered I had a good buck down, her response to me was “why are we whispering”.  Laughing a little I said, I am in the quiet spot.

After checking the buck in and heading to the processors, I continued to hunt the evening in another stand.  Each day I hunted, I elected to use my climber instead of pre-placed stands used each year.  October the 7^th, 3 days after my first buck of the year, my 14 year old son was ready for action.  This would be his first year bow hunting, and he practiced every day for the last two months.  He was actually quite good shooting the pillow target and 3D’s, in which I was very proud.  Sunday after church, he would be in the woods with me for the evening hunt.  Everything seemed to go wrong.  I found out he was afraid of heights the hard way, but patiently, I assisted him into a lock-on stand with steps, explained the safety belt, strapped him in and climbed down.  I hooked his bow on the bow string and up and away the bow went.  While the bow was being pulled up by my son, I was watching all around me, trying to quiet down the woods, when {Wham}!!!!  My right hand was numb.  I looked at my hand and there was a deep cut to the bone on the top.  My son had almost had the bow in his stand when the bow string slipped.  The bow caught me square across my hand.  Seriously nervous and seeing the blood, my son asked if I was alright and maybe we should just go home and get the hand took care of.  He said he was so sorry and it just slipped, and…………  I assured my son everything was fine, helped him get the bow up the stand, and assured him he was ready to hunt.  “Don’t worry about me son, you just keep your eyes out for the big one.  I will be about 100 yards straight across the creek.”  I pointed with my other hand where I would be, wished him good luck, then started walking away from his stand. After crossing the creek and out of sight from Chase, I stopped and looked at the top of my right hand.  I was hurt pretty good, and I still couldn’t make a fist yet.

Not wanting to leave the woods with my son still in a stand, I elected to set up on a trail I knew of and wait it out.  I pulled off the climber from my shoulder and worried a little about if I could even use the stand to climb or not.  After setting up the stand at the bottom of the tree I picked out, we were going to find out if I could climb with one hand.  It actually wasn’t that bad.  Up the tree I went, got situated, smiled a little at how stupid I was to stand directly under my sons stand when he was raising his bow then shrugged it off as “my stupidity, my fault.” Now situated and seated in my stand, I wondered if I could even draw my bow back with the bum hand.  So, I stood up quietly, drew the bow and wow, man did that hurt.  I sat back down and thought once again, I hope a big buck goes by my son instead of me this evening.  Not real sure I could even draw again.

45 minutes later, about 6:05pm, I caught movement from over my right shoulder.  Yep, you guessed it.  It was a buck, but a very small buck.  Knowing that early in this season the bucks were still traveling together, I stood, turned and prepared.  Sure enough, 5 yards behind the 4 point, was a small basket 8 point.  Immediately I decided not to shoot this small 8.  To my surprise, directly on his heals was a really nice 8 point.  Now I was getting excited.  By the way, the first buck in front had walked directly under my stand and was now in front of my stand.  I drew slowly, aimed center mass of the shooting lane in a gap in the brush.  The small 8 point buck walked through the gap, and then “There he was”,  A fine 8 point standing in the gap.  Once again, I picked my area of hair behind the shoulder, quartered down, controlled the breathing, paused, and slowly squeezed the trigger release.

{Wham} I dropped him in his tracks.  I intended to penetrate spine, heart, and lung if possible again and sure enough, the broadhead did the work.  Can you believe this, 6 yards, another nice buck on the ground, just laying there.  I stood in amazement, I was shocked.  This was a really nice buck, pretty wide and may score as well.  The odd thing about this was, “dropped in his tracks.”  The very thing every hunter hopes for is to find the deer, or even better a swift and clean kill.  Well, not only did I find the deer three or four days ago, I found this one too.  I was like a dream.  Two 8 point bucks, both bow kills, both in the same week, both dropped in their tracks. I realized after a brief moment of silence, that my hand did not hurt anymore, and to make things even better, my son was on this hunt with me only 100 yards away. The two bucks that were in front of this one, there would be a good chance Chase saw them or even may get a shot.  But what will always cross my mind is how big was the buck that was still coming in from behind the buck I harvested.  I saw him jump when I released.  I climbed down and walked to Chases stand, walked cautiously up to the side of him and told him we had a good buck down.  Excited, he said he saw two bucks running and asked how big my buck was.  I told him, “well, I don’t know really, maybe you should help me track him”.  Chase was so excited when he walked up to my tree, buck in plain site.  “Man, I’m gonna get me a buck like that” I went to retrieve the 4-wheeler, we loaded the deer and headed to the house.  I was kind of in a hurry as the darkness was starting to set in, and I still needed to check this buck in too.  Arriving at our home on the mountain, my father stepped out on the deck and observed our approach.  My father had just come in from out of town that day to visit us for a week, so that was kind of cool him seeing me bring in another deer.  He was a big deer hunter with hunting skills that I always admired.

As far as the wife goes, she was so excited.  Not so much that I had gotten a nice buck, but that I had gotten two nice bucks with a bow in the first week of hunting season.  She rubbed it in real good to her two brothers whom still hadn’t harvested anything.  The next morning, as I watched the brother in laws roll out to the woods to deer hunt, I told them the same thing I always told them.  “Good luck and I hope you get a big one” Every bit of this is true, and I honestly believe this will be hard for me to beat next year.  After all, now my season just went from deer season, to “dear” season.  Being tagged out in the first week of bow season is a sure sign that honey-do’s will be a major part of the rest of my season.

Whether hunting public or privateland, the fundamentals of calling elk remain the same.

By Michael Waddell

We heard the bull bugle at first light and snuck into his core area. When I hit a lick on my bugle, the bull simply came unglued and stormed our position like a tank, crashing through brush and small lodgepole pines like they were atchsticks. Before we could react he was in our lap and we were pinned down, myself hiding behind a camera, too afraid to even touch the tripod for fear of my shaking hands would run the footage. All I could see of my partner edged against a stunted pine was the tip of his undrawn arrow shaking uncontrollably on the rest. Before a shot presented itself, the bull smelled a  rat and disappeared as quickly as he arrived.

While this experience didn’t result in a dead elk, it did hopelessly addict me to calling them. It seems that in all walks of life, be it the animal kingdom or humans, communication is a key ingredient for all social interaction. However not all living things communicate to the same degree. If you ask my wife, I am sure she will tell you I lack in the communication department, in fact I am sure she believes I don’t listen to her at all, but when it comes to communicating with animals I can barely shut up. Of all the animals I love to communicate with elk rate right at the top. By nature elk are very vocal. The uninitiated often simply think of bulls bugling, but cows, calves and bulls make all sorts of noises year around. If you encounter a larger herd of elk while you might not hear a thing from a distance, if you get close you will hear lots of subtle vocalization. Most of the time these are sounds of contentment, but depending on what’s happening the vocalization reflects it. Elk can convey contentment, danger, curiosity, or a cow in heat. Bulls for instance only bugle primarily in the rut, but they also communicate to establish a pecking order. After spending a considerable amount of time chasing the mighty wapiti, I’m convinced every elk in the herd knows each other by sound alone. This happens with the cows as well as the bulls and based on my evaluation somewhere in this mix is the deadly secret to calling elk archery-close.

Imitation Is The Sincerest Form Of Flattery

It seems that the more vocal a herd the better the odds are for success at calling them. Some cows call subtle, while others are loud-mouth ladies actively looking for a date. By listening it gives you a better opportunity to imitate the particular tones and intensity of the herd. By calling we are automatically intruding into the social club without an invitation. The closer we can sound to a known elk, and match that intensity the better the odds are of filling a tag. Even though we may sound like an outsider to the herd, luckily for us, love crazed bulls are not looking to be intimate with just one or two cows they are looking for all the love of every cow in the world, so taking advantage of their sexual frustrations and promiscuity is what we aim to do. It doesn’t take a world champion elk caller to trick bulls within range. By simply paying attention to the herd and understanding simple elk rhythm, tone and more important volume when calling, a hunter can depend on an elk call to be a valuable asset to dulling broadheads.

Public Versus Private Land

Since I started hunting elk 16 years ago, on private as well as public ground, I have realize that comparing these two different types of ground are like comparing night and day and it is all about the amount of pressure each receives. Generally speaking private ground bulls are way easier to call than public ground animals, but this is not always the case. Some private land does get a lot of pressure, which can make for some pretty tough calling duels with elk that can serve you up a humble pie every time you bust out a call. While conversely some public land either through sheer remoteness or hard-to-get tags is like calling the best private land in the nation. Hunting un-touched land and cow calling to bulls that have never heard a Hoochie Mamma would obviously be nice and it wouldn’t take long working over these uneducated elk to start feeling like an elk calling pro only to be deflated the first time we went to the national forest and mixed it up with bulls so well-known by local hunters that they have knick names. However, regardless of where you hunt the basics of calling remain the same. Start with mastering the cow call and all its various inflections. Your basic reed type calls are the easiest to learn as well as get proficient with. You will find two kinds; both are bite down reed-type of calls, one being enclosed and the other having an open reed or reeds. These calls make a very realistic sound and before your wife can run you out of the house you will master the basics.  I rely heavily on the cow call and think most of the time hunters are better off sticking with it over a bugle no matter where he is hunting. But learning how to make a basic bugle is important, especially for locating bulls at a distance before getting close and working him with your cow call. In addition, sometimes it is the bugle that finally provokes a dominant bull to commit, especially during the early season when bulls are still sorting out their peckin’ order.

Earning Your Public Ground PhD

Lets face it, unless you have deep pockets much of the private ground in the West is pretty much off limits, so you have to learn to hunt public land. This is not a bad thing as public ground comprises millions upon millions of acres across the West and happens to have some of the biggest bulls found anywhere. While it can be tougher than private, once you learn how to hunt it you won’t be disappointed. Over the years, one of my favorite places to hunt is the Gila National Forest, in New Mexico, and even though this is a trophy area tags are fairly obtainable through application. In the Gila, the trophy potential is off the chart, sporting some of the biggest bulls in the country, but just because the big ones live there doesn’t mean thatyou automatically make one call and they come running to get in the back of your truck. These mature jokers have a PhD in avoiding hunters. Over the last six years I have hunted this area religiously and have had the opportunity to shoot some nice bulls all by using elk calls as an aid to close the coffin. Notice I said, “as an aid”, meaning the call was just one thing in a bag of tricks to help smoke these monarchs. My biggest bull that came out of the Gila was a 378 P&Y bull that had earned the name Professor because he always seemed to take you to school when you applied too much pressure. However, this bull was vocal and would bugle his butt off. He also seemed to be fairly easy to find, not only by his gnarly, raspy bugle that set him apart, but frequently he could be found early in the morning in a large meadow just south of a particular water hole that always attracted a large herd. The Professor was not the only bull in the area that had large headgear, but it was The Professor that seemed to call the shots. I had caught this bull in the open several times, but calling seemed to really make him uneasy when you were in close. The Professor however would bugle hard to distant cow calls and seem to be whole heartedly interested, but had a sixth sense when you moved in for the attack. Final we decided to have a caller stay behind as we worked him coming off the meadow at daybreak. By doing this we could keep him interested and bugling as we stalked in closer. The caller always was no closer than 80 yards behind me. While the caller kept him occupied, I slid within 50 yards and gave him a G5 Tekan right behind the shoulder. This hunt was really a stalk, but the call and caller had a big part to do with his demise. Once we started quartering the bull up, we found a piece of an old arrow lodged just below the backstraps, so obviously someone had him in close before and gave the Prof and education, which explained why he was so wary.

The Double Team

As this old bull showed, hunting with a partner can work extremely well. It not only puts the hunter out in front of the call, but it gives the hunter a chance to move and adjust the angle based on where the bull might be approaching. Likewise, the caller has the flexibility to move as well and apply a lot of different calling techniques. The double team plan worked again on another hunt. It had been hot and the bulls were only bugling early and late. As soon as the sun would rise the elk woods would turn in to a ghost town.
Just after daybreak on the fourth day of our hunt we heard this bull bugle. He hit it only two times, both very weak and he sounded like the littlest rag horn in the land but with no other game in town we went after him. Getting as close as possible to where we thought the bugle came from I eased up and sat down by a pine stump while my buddy moved back and to my right about 40 yards. Neither of us were very optimistic about our chances. My buddy made one or maybe two very soft cow calls on a two reed diaphragm then he started raking a tree and rolled a few rocks. We sat there for possibly 10 minutes in silence, then out of nowhere appeared a wide 340 inch 6 x 6 coming directly to us, at 25 yards the bull let out a soft chuckle, looked over his surrounding and kept walking in the direction of where the last rock had been rolled, which led him 16 steps from my pine stump. By now I was at full draw waiting for a broadside shot. When the arrow left my bow, I knew we had killed a call shy monster by keeping it low key and staying patient. Needless to say, I was never convinced by the two times he had bugled earlier that he was a shooter. This was a lesson in itself. Never judge a bugle until you can see what is making the sound.
The most exciting way to bag a bull elk is to get him in close, and the best way to do that is with a call. Confidence in your call is critical, because if you’re insecure about using your call there is a good chance you will spook elk. Have confidence in your calling ability and become just another elk in the herd where you are hunting. Find a call that works for you and not what works for some else. Think like an elk and do as elk do. Realism, rhythm, and volume control can make the difference between bringin’ them in or running them over the next ridge. And remember its not always about calling, it can be just patiently listening to the sounds around you and applying minimal calls, while practicing good woodsmenship, and stalking skills that could help you put that monster on the back of the truck.

By Michael Waddell

This is a warning to outdoor users about a potentially deadly biological event that could result from one’s curiosity to poke at and kick through scat from wolves, coyotes and foxes. Of course not everyone knowingly does this but many hunters, trappers and simply the curious, want to know what these animals have been eating.

Back in the end of November I gave you a link to a story, “Of Wolves and Worms”. That story introduced many of us to the subject of worms being found in wolves in the Greater Yellowstone area.

According to a new study out in the October issue of the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, three-millimeter-long tapeworms known as Echinococcus granulosus, are documented for the first time in gray wolves in Idaho and Montana. And the authors didn’t just find a few tapeworms here and there… turns out that of 123 wolf intestines sampled, 62 percent of the Idaho gray wolves and 63 percent of the Montana gray wolves were positive. (Ew!) The researchers wrote: “The detection of thousands of tapeworms per wolf was a common finding.” (Again… Ew!!) This leads to the interpretation that the E. granulosus parasite rate is fairly widespread and established in the Northern Rocky Mountain wolves.

There is discussion about how some think the worms ended up in the wolves in this region but the article tends to downplay any serious concerns people should have from coming in contact with these tapeworms and the eggs they leave behind.

In the comments section of the article, Will Graves, author of the book “Wolves in Russia: Anxiety Through the Ages“, left his thoughts on his own research discoveries about the dangers to humans of these parasites.

In the first paragraph in my letter to Mr. Bangs dated 3 October 1993 on the DEIS (Draft Environmental Impact Statement) which was titled “The Reintroduction of Gray Wolves to Yellowstone National Park and Central Idaho,” I warned about the damages and problems wolves would cause to Yellowstone and other areas by carrying and spreading parasites and diseases over larger areas. Some of these parasites are damaging not only to wild and domestic animals, but can also be dangerous to humans. One of these parasites is Echinococcous Granulosus and Echinococcus M. Since 1993 I have been working to tell people what I have learned from about 50 years of research on the characteristics, habits and behavior of Russian wolves. From that research I came to the conclusion that one of the most serious consequences of bring wolves into the US would be the wolves carrying and spreading around damaging/dangerous parasites and diseases. I did my best to explain this in my book titled, “Wolves in Russia – Anxiety Through the Ages” edited by Dr. Valerius Geist. Details about my book are in my web site: wolvesinrussia.com.

After several years effort, I finally recently obtained help from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Parasitic Research Center in Beltsville, MD. This research center will try to conduct research on the blood taken from wolves in our western states. Oneparasite they will be researching is to determine if wolves carry and spread the parasite Neospora Caninum around. It is established that coyotes and dogs carry this damaging parasite.

I remember that about two years ago there was a report about one wolf carrying Echinococcus Granulosus in Montana.

Much more research is needed about the danger wolves bring to our environment. Some of the parasites carried by wolves are dangerous to humans.(emphasis added)

Around this same time that Will Graves posted his comments, he contacted me by email and asked if I could somehow be of assistance to him in obtaining blood samples from wolves taken during the Idaho and Montana wolf hunts. The word went out quickly and hopefullyGraves gets what he needs to help him in his research. This can become extremely valuable information for all of us.

In the meantime, Dr. Valerius Geist, professor emeritus University of Calgary and Dr. Charles Kay, of Utah State University, who holds degrees in wildlife ecology, environmental studies and wildlife biology, exchanged thoughts on the discovery of worms in Yellowstone wolves in emails I received.

Well, Charles? What else is new? What did we warn about, how we were censored as alarmists………………………
And yes, a colleague assured us that all that is not a problem for us, but for some native types. Nothing to worry about, really. Remember how, early on, we put out a warning – do not kick dry wolf feces or poke about in such looking for evidence of food habits. Do not handle wolf feces as it will disturb the tiny Echinococcus eggs that float up like little dust cloud to envelop you, and you are very likely to ingest some of that “dust”. This know-how, which we older Canadian types carried away from our parasitogy lessons was poo-hood by some American colleagues. Wolves are after all, harmless! Remember the question we posed: is it really such a great idea completing ecosystems when the progression is herbivores, carnivores, finally diseases and parasites?

It is not my intention nor that of Drs. Geist and Kay to attempt to instill unnecessary fear in people but to educate, as it was back in the day before wolf reintroduction. There are very important lessons and warnings that all should heed and take into consideration when in the woods or maybe even in your own back yard.

Dr. Geist emailed me the other day and asked me if I would be kind enough to post this information so that anyone and everyone will be aware of the potential for some very serious health issues.

Urgent: could you make a point of it that now, that we know that the majority of wolves are infected with Echinococcus, that all hunters control their curiosity and not poke about in wolf or coyote feces to find out what these predators ate. these feces are saturated with tiny, lightweight Echinococcus eggs that rise like dust plume from the disturbed feces and envelop the poking hunter. If the air-born eggs are ingested, the an infection is possible, and having Echinococcus cysts grow inside oneself is not a desirable condition. Trust me!

He followed that up with more information about the dangers.

As to the pathogenicity of Echinococcus granulosus: Yes, I noticed that Foayt, leaning on Raup’s research in Alaska, toned down the dangers from this northern form. My understanding based on what we learned from an old, experienced parasitologist at the University of British Columbia is that it’s nothing to fool around with. It’s serious! In my career as a biologist in touch with the north, I have heard nothing else. I have not, however, done a recent literature search. Foayte’s assessment may be on even though it conflicts with mine. Either way, getting an Echinococcus cyst of any kind is no laughing matter as it can grow not only on the liver or the lungs, but also in the brain. And then it’s fatal.

There is however, another much more alarming angle. Echinococcus multilocularis is a nightmare, and much more virulent than Echinococcus granulosus of any strain. We cannot encapsulate this cyst, and it grows and buds off like a cancer infecting different parts of the body incessantly. Were some of the wolves infected with multilocularis? Coyotes and foxes carry it and it has been spreading. Do canids in Idaho, Montana, etc. have it? It’s found in Alberta. Regardless, now is the time to send out an SOS to ALL outdoor users. Hold your curiosity in check, do not poke into the feces of wolves, coyotes and foxes. If you do you will release clouds of Echinococcus eggs which will envelop you, and you may ingest the eggs, bring the eggs home and endanger your family. This is nothing new to me and I have lived with this constraint on my curiosity for over 40 years. This is just a know how that maintains your personal and your family’s safety. Also, never feed uncooked offal to your dog as it may become infected with Echinococcus and infect you and your family. Echinococcus cysts love to be in lung and liver, and if consumed by dogs you have a health hazard on your hands. And such cysts now grow in deer and elk where you live. Somebody should take a second look searching out Echinococcus multilocularis.

You and I probably have no idea in the world whether these worms exist in the woods we hunt, trap, hike, etc. but good advice given by Dr. Geist should tell us it’s not something we should mess around with. Squelch the curiosity to dig in the poop and just assume there could be hidden danger.

I want to take a moment to thank Will Graves, Dr. Val Geist and Dr. Charles Kay for caring enough about the rest of us to be willing to share their findings and experiences.

Send Pictures to:

Todd Krater
U.S. Hunting Today
Managing Editor
todd@ushuntingtoday.com

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All I need is a digital picture in any PC compatible format and a description of the picture. You can make the description as long or short as you would like. If there is a story behind the picture we would love to hear about it.

Send Pictures to:

Todd Krater
U.S. Hunting Today
Managing Editor
todd@ushuntingtoday.com

Note: If you want a picture posted and do not have a digital copy I would be willing to scan it for you. Please contact me for details.

US Hunting Today reserves the right to refuse any picture for any reason as well as edit it where appropriate.

Each call comes complete with an instructional dvd, a surface saver cover, two strikers and a surface conditioning kit. There are two surface choices, crystal and anodized aluminum. Either one will be devastating on gobblers in your neck of the woods this spring.

Scott Ellis

© Copyrighted

Several years ago I was bitten by the “exotic” hunting bug. Since then I have been on several of these hunts, and for the most part I have really enjoyed them. Whoa!, you say, “Exotic hunts, what in the world is this guy talking about?” Well, for those of you who do not know what “exotic” hunting is, I will try to explain before getting on with the rest of my article.

The exotic species of game animals available for hunting in the US today are the offspring of animals that have been introduced into this country in areas where they are a non-native species. Examples of this are the blackbuck antelope and axis or chital deer from the Indian sub-continent, fallow deer from Europe, oryx, wildebeest, kudu and nyala from the African continent; even Rocky Mountain elk on a Michigan or south Texas brush country ranch.

Once again sportsmen have led the way in this effort to save non-native species, as back in the early part of this century several of these species were introduced into the south Texas brush country in an effort to save them from extinction. For example the blackbuck antelope was all but extinct in it’s native habitat before several south Texas ranchers purchased some of these animals, brought them to the US and turned them loose on their expansive ranches in the 1930’s. Over the years, through a controlled breeding program, these animals not only survived, but grew in such numbers that in 1971 these same conservationist were able to start a restocking program to ship them back to their homeland. Today, these animals have expanded their range to include much of the central Texas hill country and other isolated areas of the US where they have also been introduced. Other examples of the successes of conservationist, ranchers and sportsmen are the addax, nilgai, axis deer, sika deer, Pierre David Deer; the list goes on and is quite impressive.

Today many of these species are available in huntable numbers on some of the better managed ranches. Besides being an attractive trophy, these animals can also be quite a challenge when hunted in a fair chase situation, especially for the blackpowder or bow hunter. Fair chase situation, isn’t all hunting fair chase? Well, as in many aspects of life, yes and no. Fair chase hunting is defined as a hunting situation in which the game animal has the opportunity to avoid the hunter by entering into adequate cover in order to avoid detection and then making good it’s escape unhindered.

As in all industries there are those unscrupulous individuals out there who are only out to make a quick buck. So as with all of our big game hunting, it is imperative that you check into the background and hunting philsophy of any exotic hunting outfitter before spending your hard earned dollars.

One of the non-fair chase “schemes” on the market today is the coupon or T-shirt hunt. Several outfitters are promoting the, “buy my T-shirt for $15.00 and receive a coupon for a free hunt worth “$250.00″ scheme. This is the old come on ploy. To the first time exotic hunter this seems like a really good offer as the animals to be hunted are usually Corsican, Mouflon, Catalina, Texas Dall, Black Hawaiian or Four-horned rams.

Once on the ranch you are driven through an area in which you will see “trophy” quality animals of the species mentioned on the coupon. After being impressed with these animals, you will then be driven into an area in which the coupon animals are located. These will usually be young immature animals. At this point you will be offered the chance to upgrade your “hunt” for an additional fee. Even then, this is not really a hunt. These animals are in a small enclosure and usually do not have the opportunity to escape or avoid the hunter as there is little or no ground cover. As with native big game hunting, any time an outfitter guarantees you a particular animal, an animal of a particular trophy size or makes any other such impossible claims, be wary. This is usually not a fair chase hunting situation.

There are several sources that you can check with to determine if an outfitter is ethical and what kind of hunting situation he provides. The first is the local game warden in the area in which the outfitter provides hunts. The second is the local law enforcement agency while the third is the local district attorney. Of course, you should always check every reference that the outfitter provides of previous clients. You can learn a lot from these previous clients if you will only listen to their comments. Then you can determine if the types of hunts that the outfitter provides are what you are looking for.

One of the main reasons that I like to hunt with Doug, besides the excellent lodging, quality managed ranches and some of the best food around, is his dedication to game management and conservation. Besides being an outfitter, Doug has been on the board of the Exotic Wildlife Association and their Trophy Game Records of the World trophy scoring system. Doug is one of the few outfitters that I know who will turn down a hunt if he doesn’t feel that he can adequately meet the hunters needs and expectations. He is also one of the few that I know who will book hunts for the physically challenged hunter or the younger hunter who is just beginning his hunting career. My 9 year old son James’ first ever big game hunt for blackbuck with Doug is a perfect example of the latter type of hunt, but that is a topic for another time.

Due to our continuing relationship, Doug knows to call me when he runs across an animal that has exceptional or unusual trophy potential and can only be hunted in a true fair chase situation. Several times I have come home empty handed from our hunts, but I always had a really good time doing so.

When Doug called to tell me about what would prove to be our next adventure together, I was cleaning the White Muzzleloading System Super-91 .50 caliber blackpowder rifle that I had been working hunting loads up for. As Doug went on to describe the old Beisa Oryx bull and the ranch to me, I knew that this would be the perfect opportunity to try out the Super-91 on a hunt.

My range work with the Super-91 involved all three of the SuperSlug enhanced lead conical bullets weights available for the .50 caliber rifle, 430, 480 and 600 grains. For my propellant I had chosen to use Pryodex RS from Hodgdon Powder company. After several sessions at the range I had settled on a hunting load of the 480 grains White SuperSlug enhanced lead conical bullet and 123.2 grains of Pyrodex RS. This was the most consistent and accurate load that I could come up with. It produced muzzle velocities of 1435 feet per second and energy of 1970 foot pounds. At the 100 yard mark this would translate into around 1180 fps and 1347 fpe with an average group of .768 inches. I felt confident that this load would work on an animal the size of an oryx.

The Beisa oryx is only one of the sub-species of oryx that inhabit the African continent and the middle east. Some of these species are the Arabian, scimitar horned, Beisa, fringe eared and Gemsbok. These beautiful animals are predominately a sub-desert or dry grass land inhabitant whose range, depending upon the sub-species, extends from Arabia to South Africa. Their physical appearance is basically the same for all sub-species, in that they have small round ears and a cow like face with a dark muzzle. Most of the differences between the various sub-species are related to size and color. The one noted exception to this is the curvature of the scimitar horned oryx’s horns, which is much more pronounced then the other species whose horns are practically straight.

The scimitar horned oryx’s color is at one end of the spectrum in that their bodies are cream colored with a rust colored neck, a brown vertical stripe through the eyes and brown legs. The Gemsbok is on the other end and is fawn gray with a dark spinal stripe and has a white face with a black “harness” starting with a black patch at the base of the horns and a black blaze on the nose. Another black band separates the lower flank from the white belly while the legs are separated into two sections by a black stripe on the upper portion of the leg.

The tail of an oryx is “tufted” and will reach down to the hocks. The shoulder hide is exceptionally thick and is tough enough to have been used for shields by tribesmen. In more modern times the beautifully patterned facial skin has been fashionable as rifle butt coverings.

Oryx have 2 very long and slender pointed black horns that are banded at the base and diverge into a classic V shape. These beautiful ringed horns can average 40 inches at maturity while the longest documented record that I am aware of is 50 1/8 inches. The horns of the females can be longer than those of the males, but are smaller around and much sharper pointed. One advantage to hunting oryx is that at the kill sight, their horns can be used as a handy honing surface to put a fine edge on the cutting instrument being used for field the dressing. Males reach maturity at around 3 1/2 years and, depending on the sub-species, can weight up to 600 lbs., stand 3 to 4 feet with a slight hump at the shoulder and can live to be 20 years old.

These graceful creatures tend to group themselves into small herds of 10 to 15 members. Male dominance within the herd is established by engaging in horn to horn conflict which mainly results in much pushing and shoving. Throwing their weight around, so to speak. Injuries from these dominance or from the mating ritual very seldom occur.

Being basically a sub-desert beast, the oryx lives in dry open country moving from one semi-desert pasture to another. These are beasts of endurance, being able to go long periods without water and withstanding temperatures from freezing to 140 degrees by regulating their own body temperature. Since oryx do not have the ability to sweat, it is necessary for them to elevate their body temperature to avoid losing vital moisture.

During the day an oryx will seek shade and dig a small trench to lie in. Being a night browser, they feed on fresh vegetables, tubers and succulents full of evening moisture. As with most heat resistant animals, they crave salts and minerals.

The desert tribesmen, from Sengal to Sudan, believe that killing an Oryx, while alone and by spear, proves manhood, much like the Masai’s better known test of killing a male lion in the same manner. It is believed that this feat genuinely tests the hunter’s skill by being able to overcome an animal with such speed, strength and toughness. Some of the Near East tribesmen believed that the hunter would inherit the animal’s courage and vigor.

The different sub-species of oryx react differently to danger. The scimitar horned oryx will usually run in a straight line away from their enemy or a perceived danger, but once cornered or wounded, they will not hesitate to turn and charge. They have been known to kill a male lion with their horns and should be approached with great to caution. On the other hand the Gemsbok will explode into action when threatened. They characteristically twist, turn and zigzag in an attempt to out maneuver their enemy. In Africa, the main predator of the Gemsbok is the cat family. They often have to give up the chase as the Gemsbok has the endurance to out run them.

Oryx not only make graceful mounted trophies as, once tanned, the thick shoulder hide should be utilized as any beautiful leather. The meat is considered by knowledgeable gourmets world wide as excellent eating. (The author agrees with this conclusion. The big grained meat makes excellent table fare) As a side note, the sub-desert tribesmen use the fat, blood and fluids for snakebites, aching joints and aching muscles.

Our hunt took place the last weekend of 1994 on a 3500 acre ranch that is located in the “mountainous” country around Leakey, Texas. These mountains are from 1500 to 2500 foot tall and are rugged, steep sided lumps of rock that are covered by a variety of cactus, evergreens, live oaks, scrub oaks and mountain laurel. Now is true that these are not mountains in the sense of the Rockies, but they are not the soft, rolling hills that one would normally associate with the hill country. To add to the difficulty of the hunt, it had been raining for the 2 days before our arrival. The only thing that was in our favor, is that due to the time of year and the weather, we wouldn’t have to worry about the big diamond backed rattlesnakes that are also known to inhabit this area. We had scheduled 3 days for the hunt and as it turned out we needed all three.

The first 2 days or our hunt were spent slopping and sliding around the sides of the hills on the ranch. (I prefer not hunt from a vehicle. It just doesn’t seem fair.) It had continued to drizzle and rain off and on the entire time. So as the morning of the 3rd day of our hunt dawned wet, cool (mid 40’s) and slightly windy, we set off toward an area of the ranch that we had not yet hunted. Doug said that he felt like the recent deluge of rain might have driven the oryx down off of the hill sides and into the creek bottoms. The trees were taller there and along with the creek banks and heavey brush, would provide better shelter from the winds and rain.

As we topped out on the surrounding ridgeline I noticed that our new hunting area contained a wide relatively flat valley with a large creek drainage that ran down it’s middle. The bottom of the valley was relatively open with only a few trees dotting the grassy floor. Along the creek bottom there was a band of trees and brush about a quarter of a mile wide. It was along this band that Doug suggested that we concentrate our glassing effort. My Burris 8×40 binoculars, with the clarity for which they have developed a reputation, made my glassing effort easier.

We spotted several axis deer, Mouflon rams, red stags and blackbucks spread out across the valley floor. There were also several native whitetails who had taken their place in the grassy garden. However, it wasn’t until my son James asked what those big white animals were, that we spotted the first of the oryx.

It turns out that James had spotted a couple of scimitar horned oryx as they grazed along the valley floor. We watched patiently as they crossed one of the headlands between two branches of the creek drainage and wound their along unexcitedly. I don’t think that they were even aware that we were on the hill side watching them. But was the Beisa bull with this herd? Almost as on que, as we continued to watch, the old bull stepped up on one of the small hillocks in the drainage system and started grazing slowly along in the general direction of the other oryx.

The harness of black on his white face was a study in beauty as his distinctive markings made him stand out among his lesser scimitar horned cousins. It was quite evident that he would be a trophy to be proud of.

Doug pointed to a finger of brush that made it’s way out on to the valley floor, almost to the banks of the nearest branch of the creek drainage. “I think that we can make our way to that creek bed and make a good stalk without being seen.” I looked at James, and after a brief discussion with instructions on do’s and don’ts, we started on our way to what I hoped was a successful stalk.

When we made it to the foot of the hill, it became obvious that we the only way to make it to the creek bed in front of us was to crawl. The bushes that stuck out into the valley were only about 2 feet tall, so walking out to the creek bed was out of the question. After all, we also had to worry about the other animals out on the valley floor. It wouldn’t do to have one of them alert the oryx and have them run out of the valley without giving me a chance at a shot first.

As we slowly made our way out to the creek bed on our stomachs I turned to check on James and to see how he was taking it all. All I could see was a wide grin on his muddy face. I knew he was having the time of his life, especially since this was the first time I had been able to take him on one of my big game hunts.

As we continued on our slow crawl to the creek bed, I noticed that several of the oryx had come up on the other side and were grazing their way out onto the valley floor. If I was to get a chance at a shot we would have to hurry and get into place. Our plan was for us to ambush them as they came up the other side of the creek and cleared the trees. If everything went our way, I would have a clear shot at the old bull. However, we still didn’t know if the Beisa bull that we were after was still with this group or not, after all, he could have gone down the creek bed instead of coming up it.

As we neared the edge of the creek embankment, I noticed an old gray downed tree truck that I could use as a rest. After getting Doug’s attention, we moved over behind the old tree truck and took up our “stand”. The oryx still appeared to be unaware of our presence as we watched several more of the group make their way out on top of the opposite embankment. Each time one came up on top, my son James would grab my leg and point at it. I mouthed the word, “The gray one.” and he shook his head in understanding.

After about 30 minutes, we caught a glimpse of the old bull making his way through the thick brush on the opposite side of the creek drainage. He appeared to sticking to the same trail that the other oryx had taken earlier. Doug turned and shook his head yes to indicate that this was the one that we were after and that this was not a false alarm, so I made sure that the White Super-91 .50 caliber muzzleloading rifle was ready and laid it across the old tree truck. If the bull continued along the trail I would have about a 75 yard shot.

As with most of my well laid hunting plans, things didn’t work out as we had anticipated. The old bull moved into a clump of scrub oaks on the creek bed but didn’t come out the other side. The scimitar horned oryx that had been following directly behind him did, but he was no where to be seen. As we continued to glass the area for several minutes, my son tapped me on the shoulder. All I could think of was, please don’t let him have to go to the bathroom now! When I turned to see what he needed, I saw that he was pointing up the opposite embankment, much higher than the level of the trail that we were watching. When I followed his finger, I couldn’t have been prouder. Not being prejudiced by a grownup’s preconceived assumptions about what game animals should do in certain situations, he had been simply looking around and had spotted the old bull as he came out of the brush.

The old bull stood in a small clearing on a little hill on the opposite side of the creek bed, about 125 yards away. He was standing almost straight broadside to us and looking to our right at the other oryx out on the valley floor. I motioned to James and Doug to cover their ears as I carefully took aim at the lower third of his chest. That is where an oryx’s heart and lung are located and Doug had indicated that a heart shot would be best.

At my shot they were both up and trying to look past the smoke to see if my shot had been true. Being directly behind the firearm I had not heard the distictive slap as the bullet hit it’s mark. James yelled, “Dad, you hit him, you hit him!” As I stood up to reload, I saw the old bull try to turn around and head back into the thick brush at the bottom of the creek bed. Oh no, I thought, what if I only wounded him? What would I do with James if Doug and I have to track an animal that can prove to be very dangerous when wounded of frightened?

But I shouldn’t have worried. The 480 grain SuperSlug had taken him 3 inches up from the bottom of the chest cavity and had hit squarely in the heart. The old bull never completed his turn before he toppled over on his side and lay still. The White Suyper-91 and the SuperSlug enhanced lead conical bullet had performed perfectly. The exit wound that this load created was 4 inches in diameter. What better performance could you ask for?

As we watched the sun set, from the wrap around front porch of the 5 star lodge that we were staying at, and throw it’s colorful light over the surrounding hills, all I could think about was the completion a succesful fair chase hunt that ended in a well earned trophy and a cold drink. It was especially sweet since I had been able to include James in this adventure. Afte all, like the beer commercials used to say, It doesn’t get any better than this!

~Ever wonder why some set ups work and some don’t?~

As a die hard turkey hunter and seminar speaker for both “Hunters Specialties” and “Northwoods Adventures TV“, I get asked a multitude of questions each season on how to set up on turkeys. Do you use a decoy? Do you roost birds every time? Do you ever “run-and-gun”? How important is specific camouflage design? Well, for me, the most important aspect of the hunt is a good set up so let’s start there.

Here in the Northeast, our turkeys tend to start gobbling in mid-March and strutting activity becomes widespread about the same time. It’s then that I’ll put my scouting tactics into overdrive, even though the season doesn’t open until the very end of April. Why? Because good preparation will always tip the odds in my favor. I always recommend having several good sites scouted out, in the event my first set up gets busted by hunters, which happens frequently since I hunt an area in mid-coast Maine with very high hunter density levels. That, plus 90% of the properties I hunt are all public access land, so I’m almost always being stepped on by other hunters. That said, the first thing I do is get a good aerial photo of each property and formulate my plans.

Locating and Planning the Proper Set Up

Once I’ve become familiar with each parcel or property, via an aerial map, I’ll head right out and begin the process of locating birds. For me, the easiest thing to do is hit a likely spot, park my truck, and just listen for gobblers at the crack of dawn each morning. I’ll do that about two to three weeks before the season, making sure to hit each property individually, and since turkeys generally hold close to the same roost sites unless busted, I can get a good fix on where they are, to within a few hundred yards. Then it’s just a matter of putting in the footwork to find the best place to set up for each.

If at all possible, I’ll pick a site, listen for the gobbling to begin at daybreak, then sneak down the trails or through the woods to get within 200 to 250 yards of them and wait for them to fly down. If time is on my side, I’ll pay attention to where they’re headed and then, after they’ve moved off, pick the best spot for a set up for the next day. Here’s where careful planning comes in because there are several key factors involved if you want to maximize your chances for success.

First, locate the point of sunrise at that location and make sure to set up with it at your back or at least from either side. With the sun behind you, you’ll also have the tactical advantage over a turkeys superior eyesight. If you’ve ever set up in haste only to find the rising sun staring you straight in the lookers once it’s cleared the trees, you’ll know exactly what I mean; been there, done that! Next, based on where you feel the turkeys will be flying down, try to pick a spot about 100 to 125 yards away and choose a natural bend or indentation in the tree line that will keep you out of an incoming turkeys direct line of sight. If it’s possible, it’s always a plus if when a turkey first appears, it’s already within range.

I like to hunt without a blind, preferring to sit with my back against a tree, and at least 10-15 feet off the field or trail edge, utilizing the natural surroundings of the woods for the best cover. Sit down and find your sweet spot, then proceed to trimming out just enough brush to create good shooting lanes around you, being careful not to remove too much. Also, make sure there are no small trees or branches that will inhibit swinging your gun, should you need to adjust on that incoming bird.

When it comes to vision, it’s said that a turkey can see movement from hundreds of yards away so good camouflage is crucial. It makes no difference what brand or style you use, as long as it closely matches the immediate surroundings and blends into the background well. Sometimes I like to wear a green camo top to match the budding bushes around me, while wearing pants that may be predominantly browns and greys, to match the leaf litter of the forest floor. A stark contrast splitting your body can do wonders in breaking up the human form. One key element in using your camo effectively would be to always position yourself in the shade, because being exposed in direct sunlight can draw immediate attention to any and all movement you make.

Decoys

To use or not to use? I say, whenever possible…..use them. Decoys tend to draw the turkeys attentions away from you and gives them something to focus on. Some hunters believe decoy use can be a controversial issue at times, and to a certain extent I agree, however I feel that if you understand turkey biology in even the simplest form, it can be overcome.

I always place my decoys about 10-12 yards in front of me and for several reasons. First, if a tom has made the decision to commit, he will either come right to the center of the action or, if he turns out to be a satellite gobbler or insubordinate, he may hang up just a few yards behind them. I’ve seen seasoned pros set their decoys out to 25 yards, only to have such a bird hang up about 15 yards beyond them, making the hunter’s shot about 40-50 yards. Of course, with a good choke, that’s not unreasonable but why take chances? With my set up, even if one fetches up behind my decoys, chances are he’s still well within 25 yards and more than enough for even a youth with a much smaller gun.

I’ve also found from my own personal experiences coupled with mistakes I’ve made in the past, that there certainly can be times when the decoys will spook birds. Here’s what I would suggest; At the start of the season, go with a love scenario that includes an aggressive jake, (strutting decoys work the best), a standing “alert” hen, and a submissive hen, or one in the breeding position. About mid-way through the season I tend to either go with just a strutting jake and a feeding hen to only a couple feeding hens, the reason being that once the season is that far underway, many toms and jakes have had fights over dominance already, and have been whipped more times than they care to repeat. It’s at that time, and the end of the season especially, that I notice more toms, even mature birds, shying away from decoys if they show an aggressive jake. Sometimes if you don’t re-evaluate the time of the season, you could end up losing out on a good bird that you otherwise might have harvested.

Decoy placement can also be a factor, especially if you are hunting with your bow. Whether in a blind or not, drawing is always tricky to do when there is more than one set of eyes on you, and for that reason I like to set up my decoys in a specific manner. If I’m using a jake, strutting or otherwise, I try to set it up facing my position because a dominant bird will always come around to the front of the competition. By doing so, he’ll have his back to me and will give me the chance to draw unseen. Hen decoys can be set up in similar fashion because if a tom thinks she is walking away, he might be more apt to come in around her in an attempt to change her mind.

Calling

I like to set up in the blackness well before pre-dawn, and am often all settled in by 3:30 or 3:45am. I will not call, even once the hens start, as they will often call for a long period of time before fly down. I do like to get a position on where the gobblers are, and listen to how they interact with the hens, if present. When I feel fly down is close, I’ll add my voice to the others by means of very soft tree calls, increasing in volume only in response to that of the hens. Too much calling or calling too loudly too early can result in the hens either flying down and dragging the gobblers away quickly, or will result in leaving the toms treed longer than usual, as they gobble back incessantly, waiting to see the hen that’s making all the ruckus appear before they fly down.

I take special notice when a boss hen responds to my calling and will know her by the way she alone reacts. Such a hen, when encountered, should be drawn in if possible, because she will more times than not, drag several toms in with her. You will know her by her changing pitch and tone, because she will immediately become agitated at you, (the challenge hen), and will try to silence you by way of talking over you. I like to imitate her calls as closely as possible but I try to be more aggressive in my volume and added “cutting”. Usually, she will not stand for this and will come right to me. The plus side, as I mentioned, is that she will probably be bringing the toms with her, but the downside will be that she, (like an old smart matriarchal doe), will be searching for me, and if she sees me, will quickly alert the others and be gone. For that reason, I like to have at least one standing alert hen decoy present in my set up. With any luck she will focus on it and attack it, leaving me free to focus on the gobblers.

If you take the time to consider all the major components involved with making a proper set up, you have greatly increased your chances of putting a tag on a big old tom. A successful turkey hunter is one who has seen the gamut of all that can go wrong, has learned from his mistakes, and who has done his best to make adjustments in his favor. However, because a turkey’s attitude can change as often as the weather, none of us will ever have a fool-proof system, and quite frankly I’m glad we don’t. I personally love the challenge involved with each hunt, because elements and conditions are constantly changing, and to me, that’s what real turkey hunting is all about.

Fort Thomas, like thousands of other towns across American, has a deer problem. The town in trying to devise a plan to deal with it and because they are considering employing hunters to reduce numbers, the HSUS feels compelled to stick their nose in it. But like so many other times, they end up embarrassing themselves.

The Community Press writes that the HSUS is accusing the town of Fort Thomas of putting up “erroneous information” and for making comparisons that “do not hold up to scrutiny”.

Donald Elroy, HSUS’s director of Wildlife Advocacy, says that the town published accident information on their website that he says should have made comparisons nationwide.

Elroy said comparisons should be done with other types of vehicular accidents, which would show that, nationwide, deer-related car accidents are only a small percentage of overall car accidents.

An examination of the website of the town of Fort Thomas presents a different story.

More people are killed as a result of deer/vehicle collisions each year than by dogs, snakes, sharks, mountain lions, bears and alligators combined. On average 130 people are killed in deer/vehicle collisions each year, making deer the most deadly animal in the United States.

In Fort Thomas, between 2003 and 2006 there were 47 deer/vehicle collisions reported in Fort Thomas. This results in a yearly average of 11.75 deer/vehicle collisions in Fort Thomas. Most of the collisions occur along Memorial Parkway and Mary Ingles Highway. Due to the number of deer carcasses found along the wooded areas of the city it is obvious that many more such collisions go unreported. Based on statistics provided by the Kentucky State Police (www.kentuckystatepolice.org/deerauto.htm#totcol), each collision results in approximately $2,000 in damage to the vehicle, but more importantly, a collision puts the occupants of the vehicle at risk of injury or death. In an effort to reduce these risks, the city suggests that drivers implement the following defensive driving techniques:

Is the HSUS suggesting that it is more accurate to compare automobile accidents with deer to those of drunk driving than with other animals? Isn’t a deer an animal? I think it fair to say that when the town put up this information they were suggesting that dogs, snakes, sharks, mountain lions, bears and alligators are, for whatever reasons, better managed or more under control than Fort Thomas’ deer population. Isn’t this why they are meeting to decide what to do?

Elroy accuses the town of trying to employ scare tactics on its citizens. While presenting statistics from the Kentucky state police as fact is not only responsible, it is the truth whether we like it or not. Belittling the risks of deer/auto accidents by comparing them to other types of auto accidents and associated risks, is irresponsibly idiotic.

Elroy also declares that Fort Thomas is using scare tactics in stating that deer attacks on humans are on the rise.

Elroy said deer attacks on humans, which the Web site says are “on the rise”, “are so relatively rare that it should not be used as a justification for lethal methodologies and is simply a scare tactic.”

And what is really on the town’s website?

While deer appear to be harmless creatures, the number of attacks on humans by deer is on the increase. An attack by a deer can be brutal. Deer antlers can cause puncture wounds. On occasion, deer attacks have been known to result in severe and permanent injury to people and even death. To reduce the risk of being a victim of a deer attack, people are encouraged to observe the following suggestions:

The site responsibly goes on to list ways in which people can avoid a confrontation with a deer. Granted, attacks by deer on humans are rare but are we to ignore facts because we don’t like them? The reason that attacks are on the increase is because the combination of too many deer and too many people ups the odds considerably. What is Mr. Elroy suggesting the town do? Lie or just bury their head in the sand?

Then Elroy begins to nitpick. He accuses the town of telling false information by declaring the town is trying to scare people by saying that deer spread Lyme disease.

He also challenged information on the Web site that says deer carry and transmit Lyme disease.

Lyme disease is transmitted through infected black legged ticks, not deer, Elroy said.

So, who’s spreading misinformation? Elroy is suggesting that town officials don’t know how Lyme disease is spread. The Fort Thomas website says this about Lyme disease.

Deer pose a threat to public safety by the possibility of transmitting diseases to people. Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are known to be carried by deer. Laboratory tests indicate that these diseases can be transmitted to humans through contact with infected parasites such as ticks. To help reduce the likelihood of contracting one of these diseases the following measures are suggested: (emboldening is mine)

Once again the town responsibly list ways in which people can reduce their chances of catching the disease. I want to know where in that statement does the town say that deer “carry and transmit” Lyme disease? I believe it is quite accurate in its description that deer are the carriers of the ticks that carry the diseases. Talk about taking this out of context in order to spin a story.

I think the townspeople of Fort Thomas, Kentucky are very much capable of working out their deer population problems without the assistance of an organization bent on spreading more lies and filling the heads of the residents there with information that isn’t true.

As is typical of such organizations, they can seldom support their ideals on factual information so they resort to distortions of the truth while accusing others of doing exactly what they are doing – lying.

Tom Remington

To confirm the presence of the disease, blood and certain tissue has to be analyzed.

According to both the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Alabama Department of Conservation, dealing with EHD is quite routine. Charles Ruth, Deer/Turkey Project supervisor for the South Carolina DNR says flair-ups in that state seem to run in cycles of 3-5 years and there’s a reasonable explanation.

“This is probably related to the fact that once deer are exposed to the disease they are more resistant to it. Therefore, if you have disease one year the deer become exposed or inoculated to the disease and you do not see much disease activity until there is turnover in the deer population. After several years you are dealing with another cohort of deer and their systems are ‘naïve’ to the disease. The last time there was significant hemorrhagic disease activity in South Carolina was in 2002, therefore, disease activity could be relatively high this year.”

This theory is confirmed by a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

“We have some cases every year,” said Keith Guyse, a whitetail specialist with the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division in the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “In the Coastal Plain, the virus is there frequently enough that deer have been exposed to it and have some resistance to it.

Both representatives indicate that EHD in their respective states is pretty much routine only because of the build up of a certain degree of immunity. Therefore, these southern states don’t see wide outbreaks of the disease that often. When EHD hits the more northern climes, EHD seems to grab harder. Ruth explains.

Deer likely die in South Carolina each year from hemorrhagic disease, however, there is no indication that a major outbreak has occurred in the state since the mid 1970s. The disease is part of life for deer in the Southeast and fortunately it appears that Southern deer have acquired some immunity to the disease, said Ruth. Northern deer, on the other hand, are not exposed to the disease as frequently since the insect vector is not as common in cooler climates. For this reason, significant outbreaks and mortality from hemorrhagic disease are more likely in northern deer populations.

Guyse from Alabama makes reference to the same theory.

“Typically in North Alabama and above the fall line, they’re not exposed to it as often. So over a period of time you have a population that doesn’t have much resistance. When you have (outbreaks) up there, it tends to be more noticeable.”

This helps us understand why some states may have more severe outbreaks, killing larger numbers of deer, than others but why this year are outbreaks so widespread across the landscape of the country? Some have related it to the summer heat and drought. That may be true, I don’t know. It would be logical to assume that being that the virus is carried and spread by tiny midges or gnats, a larger than normal population of that insect would be directly proportional to the spread of the disease. Of course science isn’t that simplistic and we know that there are probably many more factors to consider or it could be just merely a coincidence.

However, Guyse from Alabama eludes to the theory of increased numbers of midges, somewhat.

“Auburn (researchers) had traps out to catch the flies and they might catch a few every once in a while, and then all of a sudden they catch hundreds,” Guyse said. “Much of that still is a mystery.”

Obviously, they don’t have a good handle on it either.

Hunters and others should be aware of the symptoms they may find on deer suffering from the disease.

Symptoms of hemorrhagic disease include poor physical condition, sloughing hooves, abrasions or sores on the brisket and legs, and ulcerations on the mouth, tongue, and rumen (stomach).

As I said earlier, verification of the disease has to be done in the lab.

If you see sick or dead deer in your travels, please report it to the appropriate authorities. It is highly recommended that nobody eats any of the meat from deer sickened by EHD.

Tom Remington