It was a very good opening weekend at deer camp
It wasn’t opening day yet.
It was the Thursday afternoon before.
Several of the guys got down to camp early to get in a final day or two of bow hunting, or just to loaf around in preparation for the gun season.
We were sitting in the living room yakking, and one of the guys went outside, then came running back in hollering that there was a big buck in the lane that leads out of the backyard. He grabbed his crossbow, drew it, someone handed him an arrow, and he rushed back outside.
The buck was disappearing into the undergrowth by the time he got into position, but a flat top was standing there, so it became the target. The shot was made, the deer took off, and a bit of an adventure began.
Four of us began tracking that deer, three in our street clothes. I don’t always like tracking because it can be frustrating, it sometimes is the result of a bad shot, and the end of the line might be a lost deer. However, I do love it in a way because it takes some skill and knowledge, plenty of perseverance, and, often, a great deal of luck. Luck increases, however, the harder you work at it.
There also is the responsibility to the animal and to the sport. We’ve tracked quite a few deer over the years. It’s just part of the deal. It didn’t hurt that this time we had a very pleasant afternoon to work in.
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We had trouble picking up the trail right away, but we managed to find it heading out of a food plot. The deer meandered quite a bit, but made general headway for several hundred yards out to the east, then button hooked back toward the house. The trail then crossed the lane, going downhill through a jungle you wouldn’t think a rabbit could manage, heading toward the county road. We lost it many times, but would circle or step off to the side, and then find more drippings, sometimes as small as, you know, a nail head.
The deer eventually crossed the highway, and the trail disappeared. Somehow, we found it again after a few minutes, and it led into a solid wall of vegetation. It didn’t seem possible a deer could get through that, but we all know they do it all the time. This one did. We lost the trail again, but then finally stumbled onto the deer piled up about five yards short of our cut cornfield.
It felt good to find that animal, which turned out to be a young buck with the shortest spikes I’ve ever seen. It took diligence and determination to get it, and I think such things are just as much a part of hunting as seeing the animal and taking the shot in the first place.
That was the start of a great weekend. The weather was cold but mostly clear, with just a dusting of snow up high and about an inch Saturday night. We managed to avoid the bombing that Buffalo and the not-so-far-away communities in the snow belt were subjected to. And the deer were moving.
The results weren’t spectacular, but good enough. There were five bucks taken, including big eight-points by John Schiro Jr. and Tony Marchetti. (Last year I reported that John Schiro Jr. shot a four-point and his brother Vinnie shot an eight-point, but it actually was the other way around. These young hunters have been well-trained by their father and grandfather.)
This was in addition to the five bucks taken during bow season, including John Schiro Sr.’s big 8-point.
As always, we ate very well. Thursday six of us went to Marino’s Restaurant in Hornell. We’ve eaten there plenty of times, but we don’t know the owners, or if there are still any Marinos associated with the restaurant, so this is completely unsolicited, but … I have never had better linguine with clam sauce anywhere, ever. It was perfect.
The next night at the camp we had tenderloins with green beans, potatoes, and salad, preceded by shrimp cocktail and an assortment of olives, cheeses, and cold cuts, plus wine, beer, and soda, although I don’t think anyone drank all three.
Saturday morning we had our traditional big bacon and eggs breakfast, and after a day in the woods we had a big dinner – penne riggies with homemade meatballs and sauce, salad, all kinds of appetizers, with cheesecake for dessert.
A big breakfast Sunday after early hunting, then we did our annual drive. That didn’t produce anything except a coyote and three does that avoided being shot at.
And that was camp, although some of us might get back there the last week.
Hope everyone out there had an enjoyable opening weekend. If you have an interesting tale to tell, let me know.
Write to John Pitarresi at 60 Pearl St., New Hartford, N.Y. 13413 or jcpitarresi41@gmail.com or call him at 315-724-5266.
NOTEBOOK
MTO comes up with new lure design
Bill Alexander, the Sylvan Beach lure manufacturer and competitive angler, has come up with an idea he thinks will be of major interest.
Long known for his beautifully tied bass and walleye jigs, Alexander is now making plastic baits with a twist – an internal structure that keeps them on the hook longer and extends their life and usability.
“These baits will last four or five times longer,” Alexander said. “We are putting a lot of plastics in the water, usually you catch one or two fish per bait. We are getting eight or nine fish per bait.”
Alexander pointed to cost, durability, environmental issues, and the American-made factor as selling points. A patent is pending on the new lures, marketed as Xstended Life Baits from MTO Lures.
“We feel we’ve improved plastic baits,” he said. “There is no loss of action, and we have a dozen varieties with more to come.”
Several videos on the new lures are available on YouTube at North East Bass Fishing Xstended Life Baits.
Alexander and partner Paul Williams have opened a shop at 1682 Solsville-Augusta Road (County Road 10) at the corner of McLaughlin Road in Oriskany Falls, and have a large selection of baits available. Store hours are unsettled at the moment, so you can call Alexander at 315-520-9820 or Williams at 315-244-3180 for availability.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: NY deer camp's opening weekend a success
