Mountain Gazette, December 20, 2012 edition, page 11

I contacted Brenda Boutin, owner of the Mountain Gazette, back in November with the idea of writing a recurring feature that focuses on outdoor news (broadly defined).  The idea is to try to capture all the local scenery that makes up what it is to hunt, fish, and enjoy the outdoors in Vermont.  I'll be reporting on local hunting and fishing news for Bolton, Cambridge, Jericho, Underhill, Westford, and Jeffersonville.  This will include interviews with outdoorsman and women, hunting and fishing insights, hunting and camp stories (some real), gun dog stories, game reports, and a smorgasbord of hunting and fishing stuff – whatever is in season.

This year I had my first deer hunting trifecta.  To most interpretations that would be getting a deer during each of bow, rifle, and muzzleloader seasons.  That didn’t happen.  My personal trifecta was not getting deer in Vermont, New York, or New Hampshire.  It takes a nice investment in out-of-state licenses and some planning to get skunked in three different states in the same year.  I’m proud to say I was up for the challenge and was not found wanting…I guess I was found wanting.  On the positive side, I was able to hunt with many fine people – my dad and his good friend Dick in New York; my friends Jim and Paul here in Vermont; and my brother, cousin, and brother’s friend Gary in New Hampshire.  It is great to get a deer, but it is also a lot of fun to get outside with family and friends or to have the opportunity to introduce or reintroduce people to the outdoor sports.

Fortunately many of the hunters in Vermont fared better than I did.  There are two big game reporting stations in our readership area, Jericho General Store and Cambridge Village Market.  Mel Mitchel, owner of the Jericho General Store, reports that the number of deer reported this year was up over last year, with a total of 412 deer reported in 2012.  The breakdown is 119 deer taken by bow, 36 deer taken during youth weekend, 181 deer taken during rifle season, and 76 taken by muzzleloader.  The largest deer reported was a 192 pounder taken during rifle season.  At the time this article goes to press, I am waiting to hear from Bruce MacMillan, owner of Cambridge Village Market.  I will include the information I receive from Bruce in a future column.  In addition, I still hope to hear from our local game wardens to get an informal report of notable deer season events… the good, the bad, and the just plain interesting.

My takeaway from deer season this year is that a GPS can save you from a lot of extra walking, but only if it doesn’t quit on you.  Second, always be ready for your GPS to quit on you and know how to use a compass.  And lastly, thanks L.L.Bean for exchanging my dead GPS for a brand new one.

Looking ahead to 2013, it would be great to match up some willing landowners and youth hunters looking for a chance to bag their first deer.  If you are fortunate enough to have some property that holds some deer and would be willing to let some young hunter hunt there, send me an e-mail and we can try to match up some opportunities.

There are some upcoming outdoor events on the calendar.  The 21st Yankee Sportsman’s Classic is scheduled for January 18th through 20th.  While the event is great if you want to book a trip, they also have many useful seminars on hunting and fishing.  It is a nice diversion between seasons and you always bump into good folks you know.  The Central Vermont Chapter of Trout Unlimited is having its annual banquet on March 23rd.  The guest speaker will be Lauri Simon, the Executive Director for Casting for Recovery – an organization that provides an opportunity for women whose lives have been affected by breast cancer to gather in a natural setting, learn the sport of fly fishing, and address quality of life and survivorship issues while gaining support from others in similar circumstances (http://castingforrecovery.org/wordpress/home/).  For information about Trout Unlimited meetings and other events, please go to http://www.vttu.org/.

If you have any information that you think is newsworthy or a hunting or fishing story that you just want to tell, please contact the Mountain Gazette.  You can also contact me directly through e-mail or by commenting on my blog.  I can be reached at Kristopher@SportingAfield.net or visit www.sportingafield.blogspot.com.   I promise not to give away a favorite hunting spot or fishing hole...but I am certainly willing to accept an invitation if one is offered. As my friends will attest, I am guaranteed to leave game in the field.  And please, send me a photo or two if you have them.  Happy days afield.