East Aurora Advertiser

Column: Santa was Good to Some Deer Hunters



According to Bond’s Meat Packing near Springville, the 2018 deer season was great for hunters, with many big bucks brought in during the last week of the season. Overall in Western New York, many hunters with hunting experience measure the goodness of their hunt by the number of deer they see while out hunting. If you were hunting in an area where there were few deer trails and you did not try another location, shame on you. The deer-vehicle collision rates show that there really are lots of deer in many places around WNY, but so many less than five years ago.  For some, many more than vehicle drivers care to see.

When my better half and I moved to East Aurora farmland more than 20 years ago, it was common to see two or three dead deer per week, yes – per week, laying along Center Street on the drive down to town from Darien Road. These last few years, we might see one deer every three or four weeks. There are certainly less deer! Insurance companies like it, but folks that have lived here a while ask, what has happened? Where are the deer? Are they sick or diseased? Answer to that is no. The organic, chemical-free meat from deer is very healthy and priceless to many.

For the old timer folks that haven’t moved south yet, many have sold off their extra lots and extra land to young folks to survive the New York tax economy. The number of new houses constructed in East Aurora and nearby towns is rising each year. These are lots of new hunters and so many friends of new hunters, some trespassers too, that localized deer populations have been reduced that way.

Backyard bird feeders become more important and fun to watch as we enter the winter season.
Photo by Forrest Fisher

Many of these “new neighbor hunters” shoot any deer that travels to their area. A fawn, a doe, an 8-month old buck, and you get it. “Brown is down,” they proclaim. Hence, many less deer. On the other hand, private land with fences and posted signs are areas that deer seem to know about somehow. Yes, deer can read, I swear. No hunters there. These areas become deer-season sanctuaries and deer seem to stay there until darkness. One such area is the large field located east of Underhill Road that forms the western border of Emery Park. Each night, drivers by will notice 15 to 25 deer there, mostly does, but a few bucks show up every now and then. Another area is the Mill Road Scenic Overlook looking west at sunset where visitors see as many as 30 deer on some evenings.

Nearby hunter neighbors quip that, “The deer are gone.” Well, they’re not, but deer are nocturnal by their nature and, instinctively, they learn to survive once they figure out they are a preferred target.

For some that can’t harvest a deer through normal hunting, sadly, they believe they are above the law and they turn to poaching. Despicable in my view. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation police charged two Potter County, PA, residents and one Steuben County, NY, resident with several violations in connection with a recent deer poaching incident where eight deer were taken after dark using firearms and headlights. The offenses include 38 Environmental Conservation Law (ECL) misdemeanors, one New York Vehicle and Traffic Law misdemeanor, and one Criminal Possession of a Weapon misdemeanor. These offenses occurred on Dec. 8 and 9 in the town of Woodhull. Lock ‘em up and throw away the key!

The challenge to be successful becomes more difficult once the deer hear the sound of firearms in the woods. Hence, during archery season it is easier, not counting skills required, to see deer and score.

No matter, last Tuesday, Dec. 18, was the last day for the late extended big game season that included archery, blackpowder and crossbow hunting in the southern tier of New York State. Big game hunting is closed for the year here. The snowmobile fun season now turns on, ice-fishing too, a happy time for so many outdoor reasons.

Wishing everyone a happy and blessed Christmas holiday!

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Share life with others, make new friends in the outdoors, lead by example. Send comments to nugdor@yahoo.com.

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