Sunsets over Big Pine Key

I’ve been scarce this summer, I know. I’ve been super busy running around the Florida Keys working, educating, learning, playing, and soaking in the sunshine.

Sunset as seen from the Port Pine Heights neighborhood, July 2014

Sunset as seen from the Port Pine Heights neighborhood, July 2014

Highlights of my summer have included watching a pair of Anhingas court, build a nest, lay eggs, incubate, and now care for their 2 chicks.

Anhingas on the nest, Blue Hole, Big Pine Key, FL

Exploring Long Beach

I developed and help run a 6 week guided nature walk series throughout the summer. It ran Wednesday evenings, which quickly became my favorite time of day to be outside. The temps are lower, the sunsets are beautiful, and the bugs aren’t that bad! We’re finished now, as the kids here are back in school, which has surprised me! In NY I didn’t go back to high school until after Labor Day Weekend.

Our 6 weeks of walks had a different theme. Week #1 brought the group to the Long Beach part of the Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge. This is an ocean-side (as opposed to bay-side, this is Keys lingo) beach. It’s not very pleasant for us humans, as there is a lot of vegetation, coral, rocks, and sea grasses. It’s fun to explore the intertidal zones, watch for birds, and run into Key deer along the way. We scooped up handfuls of sand, and realized that it’s not born from granite and quartz, like on the East Coast beaches, but it’s biological in nature. We could pick out tiny shells and bits of corals, which was really neat.

Gambusia sp. or more commonly known as Mosquito-fish, 

are dumped in the freshwater wetlands by a mosquito 

control company. These fish are used as a biological control 

for mosquitoes, which eat the larvae, and therefore help make 

the Keys liveable.

On our second guided walk, we ventured off the beaten path and explored a hidden freshwater wetland. People are surprised to hear that we have an abundance of available, fresh water. But, that’s a reason why we have wildlife like Key deer, marsh rabbits, wading birds, and amphibians. Personally, I wanted to find frogs during this trip. I spent a lot of time online the day before, looking up documented NATIVE species of frogs found on Big Pine Key. I even spoke with a herpetologist who had done work in the Keys, and was familiar with local critters. Unfortunately, we were skunked, and did not catch any frogs. We saw a couple, but they were much too quick! The kids thoroughly enjoyed it though, getting wet, catching fish with little nets, and I think just being outside!

Green Heron seen at the Blue Hole during the photo safari!

Week #3 brought us to a popular place on the Refuge, the Blue Hole. This is an old limestone quarry, and has filled in naturally with freshwater. Alligators, fish, turtles, birds, deer, lizards all spend a lot of time in and around Blue Hole. There’s a nice gravel patch that walks you through the trees, and out onto a wooden observation deck to view the pond. We encouraged our guests during this trip to take pictures. We called it a “photo safari”, and when we were finished, we returned to the visitor center to view everyone’s pictures and to print a couple of the best ones out.

Myself and a male fiddler crab! 

You can tell it’s a male, because of that 

one very large claw, used for defense and courting.

Week #4 wasn’t really a walk per se, but an adventure! We used seine nets at a boat launch area, to try and catch some little fish, crabs, or whatever else was present. The kids were really into it! We caught 2 different kinds of crabs (and these may not be 100% accurate names); mangrove crab and fiddler crab. We also caught a few species of “bait” fish which was awesome! We talked about the importance of mangroves, and the ethics of handling live animals. The weather was “mild” (as mild as it can be in the FL Keys in July… so, not SCORCHING), the sunset was gorgeous, and the kids got soaked! All around a great night, one of my favorites this summer.

These tree snails (Liguus fasciatus), are listed as species
of special concern in the State of Florida, and were almost
 completely wiped out due to over-collection.
We were lucky to spot some on No Name Key!

Week #5 took us onto the No Name Key, and the goal was to learn about and hopefully spot a White-crowned Pigeon. This is a very cool bird that is elusive, and wary. In the United States, it’s only found in South Florida, specifically the Keys. It is found through the Caribbean and Bahamas as well. Of course along the way we saw other cool critters like the tree snails, Key deer, spiders, and other birds! We had an assortment of folks join us throughout the summer, but had 2 families stick with us for the entire series. On this night, one of our youngest, a 6 year old little boy, led the pack. He was outfitted with a flashlight, binoculars, stainless steel forceps, and a “poker” stick. This kid cracks me up, but I’m refreshed by a kid who LOVES the outdoors and nature just as much as I do. His 3 year old sister as well was really into it. She collected every little thing she found to show me, and it was adorable.

Our final walk led us to find this rare Key ringneck snake 

presented itself to us. At first, I thought it was a juvenile, 

but after some research, it may be an adult! Very small, 

and that ring as seen on other ring-necked snakes, is faint.

The final walk was my favorite. We had perfect weather, the humidity seemed to slack off a little, and the sun was low. We took this walk to get folks out into the pine rockland habitat, which Southern Florida used to be in abundance of, especially the Keys. We saw birds a-plenty, and hoped for Lower Keys marsh rabbits and Key deer, but I think our group was a little too rambunctious!

The summer is winding down here. Even though this is the land of perpetual summer it seems, I can feel a difference in the air, the water looks different when I’m snorkeling, and the days are shortening. My time here as well is dwindling. It’s bittersweet, as I’ve made some great friends and contacts, and truly enjoyed the Keys lifestyle. But, I’ve landed another temporary position within the National Wildlife Refuge System, this time in Alabama! I’ll be journeying to NY the end of next month to visit friends and family (including the Albany area!), and to retrieve my dog Addie. Then Addie and Alyssa will make the journey south, once again! Alabama, here I come!

Sunset over the pine rocklands on Big Pine Key, August 2014.

Warning: CUTE factor!

Photo credit: USFWS – Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge. 

A LKMR as seen on a research camera on Big Pine Key, FL

Big Pine Key, where I live and work, is home to several endangered species. One that I’m interested in, because they’re often forgotten because they aren’t large and exciting mega-fauna, is the Lower Keys marsh rabbit (Sylvilagus palustris hefneri). The LKMR is a subspecies of the marsh rabbit, which is not considered endangered, but because these are only found from Big Pine Key to Key West, they have that subspecies designation.

There are volunteers at our Refuge who have told me they’ve never seen a LKMR. I think that is for two reasons: 1) LKMRs are few in number and very skittish on Big Pine and 2) You have to know where to look! They aren’t as common as Eastern cottontails, like I know back in New York. And they certainly are too shy to be in your yard nibbling. Where I have seen them most, is driving down a dead end gravel road at dusk, or I surprise them as I come around a corner on the road, and they’ve been grazing on the shoulder. As soon as they think they’ve been spotted… off they go!

Fun fact: In the 1980′s Hugh Hefner’s corporation donated money to their research and conservation efforts, thus their subspecies name: hefneri!

Four LWMRs grazing on a dead end road. No through traffic, and the houses that are on this road, seemed to be closed up for the season. (Yes, there are 4…the blob furthest to the right is 2 rabbits close together)

LKMRs are considered endangered because their population numbers have dropped very low due to habitat destruction and fragmentation due to commercial and residential development: the same old sad story, right? There is also worry of feral domestic cats hunting and eating LKMRs, which doesn’t help their situation. Naturally, these rabbits have few native predators. The only noted mammal that I suppose MAY harass them, are the raccoons. But I highly doubt a raccoon would take a rabbit and eat it. There are no foxes, wild cats like bobcats, or coyotes. There are predatory birds like hawks, owls, and eagles, but the LKMRs live in dense vegetation, which would make it very difficult for a bird to see from above, and have access to catching them.

Premium habitat includes “higher” elevation (so in the Keys, only several feet above sea level, usually the center of an island), freshwater wetlands, hardwood hammocks, and they require dense grasses and sedges for feeding, cover, and nesting. The few times I’ve seen them out in the open, dense cover has been only a few bounds away.

A Lower Keys marsh rabbit seen on Big Pine Key, FL.

 I quite enjoy seeing these small rabbits. Some people may say “Oh a rabbit is a rabbit”, but it’s just not true. In Alaska I was captivated by the behaviors and physicality of the snowshoe hares, and in NY, even though they’re very common, I love to learn about the Eastern cottontails. A past professor of mine, John (he who inspired me to blog!), just recently wrote an blog entry about small mammal live-trapping. He began by explaining that most of us, when asked to think about mammals, immediately think of our pets, farm animals, or zoo animals! In fact, this is a skewed representation of our mammals on Earth. Most of our critters are small and maybe don’t seem as “cool” as glamorous as lions, and tigers, and bears… I do like to learn about them, photograph them, and be allowed to see them in their native habitats.

A wonderful resource, although perhaps a little dated, is the Lower Keys March Rabbit Species Profile, that was written by biologists at the Refuge I’m interning at: Lower Keys Marsh Rabbits.

Since I arrived here, I’ve been trying and trying to capture my own camera trap images or videos of these bunnies. I was finally successful, although the video isn’t the greatest. I will share it though, because darn it! I finally got one!

Enjoy!

The continued "tail" of the squirrel...

Last week I posted a camera trap image (seen at left) of a stray cat with a strange looking red squirrel in it’s mouth. Red squirrels are mostly…well, red. Of course there are variations, and they’re not ALL truly red. But this was really something, the body appeared (in this picture) to be either naked of fur, or covered in a very light coat of white fur. Strange color variations can occur in all mammals like leucism (lack of pigment in localized areas), melanism (excess of pigment), and albinism (complete lack of pigment: all white/blonde fur, pink skin and eyes). If it was anything, I guessed this squirrel was leucistic through it’s trunk/abdomen area. Other theories were that this was a baby squirrel, it was albino, it had an ectoparasite like mange, it was shaved, and/or fur loss. Having only this grainy, unfocused camera trap picture to go by, we could only guess.

Then, yesterday morning I opened the back door to let the dog out, and there was ANOTHER “white” red squirrel in my backyard, this time alive, and happily feeding on bird seed. I quickly got my camera and started taking pictures.

A side by side of the front and the back of Squirrel #2.

As you can see, he or she appears very healthy and is gorging on black oil sunflower seeds. You can also probably see that this squirrel IS covered in fur, but just a fine downy layer. It was suggested, and I agree, that this squirrel appears to just be missing the guard hairs, but the downy undercoat is still there. If you have a dog or a cat, part their fur and you’ll likely see a color difference in the coat. Longer hairs also are longer and coarser than the fine down.

So, are these squirrels just shedding or molting? It’s the strangest thing.

I stuck my camera trap back out to try and get some footage of them. Here are a few of the images.

 

Then, this morning I sit down at my kitchen table, at which I have a great view of the backyard, and there are TWO of these strange-looking squirrels now! So a total of the strangest looking red squirrels I’ve ever seen, end up in my back yard!

Two “white” red squirrels in my yard, Schoharie, NY

The bar you see in the above picture is part of an old porch swing frame that I use to hang my feeders from.
I’ll leave you with this video of Squirrel #2 yesterday afternoon. Feel free to comment with ideas. I’ve sent pics in to the DEC and am awaiting a response!

 

Guest post: Hello, herpetofauna!

James and I met several years ago as FLCC students, on a Wildlife Society club trip to the Adirondacks for a weekend. All I knew of James was that he was quiet, but really smart. Over the next year or so, we got to know each other better (while struggling through chemistry classes), and since we’ve graduated and split to different SUNY campuses, have remained in touch. James asked me about blogging, and put out a feeler on Facebook to see if his friends and family would be interested in a reptile and amphibian themed blog. I offered up my blog for a guest entry, and so here we are. Please welcome my friend James Beach!

Meet James, a Finger Lakes Community College 

alumni, and friend of mine.

Every year around this time I anticipate the emergence of the local herpetofauna that surrounded my urban apartment. The many wetlands within a 15 minute drive from my apartment are home to an abundance of species, from frogs and toads, turtles and snakes, and last but not least, the salamanders and newts. To me, the emergence of these animals a reason to celebrate! Hearing the symphony of wood frogs and spring peepers signifies the end of winter and the start of longer days, but beyond that, it also rejuvenates my spirit.

My love for reptiles and amphibians began when I was a small child in the late 80s and early 90s. I would spend my free time in a stream behind my parents’ house in rural upstate New York. Although my identification skills were not yet developed, I would try as hard as I could to learn as much as possible about these marvelous creatures. It was that small stream, the memories it helped create, and all the beautiful animals I found, that stayed with me into adulthood and shaped my career and personal goals of getting as many people as possible interested in herpetofauna. I am currently perusing a bachelor’s degree at SUNY Brockport where I am majoring in Environmental Science with a focus in wetland ecology.

Spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer)
Photo credit: Melissa Fadden, SUNY ESF

March 20th typically marks the start of the “herping” season. For those new to this term, herping is the nickname for the activity of searching for reptiles and amphibians. It’s fun, easy to get involved in, and can be done almost anywhere. Many children growing up find many species in their backyard, as well as ponds, streams, swamps, marshes, and ditches. I cannot begin to explain how many different species I used to bring home to my mother, asking, “Can we keep it?” Usually she would say NO, but on occasion she would oblige my interest as long as it stayed outside. This is probably a typical scenario for many kids growing up, but what are the consequences? Is it okay for children and adults to take animals from the wild and bring them home, thinking that they can somehow provide a much better environment than its natural residence? It is this question that I seek to answer with this blog post.

Midland painted turtle (Chrysemys picta marginata) 

Photo credit: Melissa Fadden, SUNY ESF

How we interact with nature is in essence a reflection of our values: if we value nature, which I think we all should and mostly do, then it should be in our interests to leave whatever creatures and natural objects where we find them. We can instead pay homage to nature by storing beautiful sights in our memories, drawing pictures, or taking photos. Herping is a great activity in which to get family or friends involved, and it’s rewarding for both the young and the old. But to be ethical about it, there are a few questions one should ask.

First, how do you do it, and where and when do you go? Herping is a fairly inexpensive hobby requiring only a field guide, headlamp, snake hook (this item is optional and can be found at most pet stores), a first aide kit, rain gear and warm clothing.

Eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis) 

Photo credit: Melissa Fadden, SUNY ESF

The easiest thing to do is find a wetland around you and go a half hour after sunset, when it’s raining lightly and not terribly windy. You’ll find that the first spring rains are the best time to get out there because this is when many salamanders are on the move and begin breeding. Salamanders will leave the forest floor where they are hardly ever seen, and migrate to wetlands to begin mating. The sounds of wood frogs and spring peepers will also begin to be heard around this time. There’s a short window of opportunity, but by mid April the chances of finding some of the less common species begins to decrease. I have been in wetlands where hundreds of spotted salamanders are abundant and are moving into wetlands, and no one would ever know if they weren’t out there on those chilly rainy nights. If any of these animals are present you will see them.

The next question one should ask before herping is, how should these delicate animals be handled, if they are to be handled at all? Amphibians breathe through their skin, and because of this, are susceptible to toxins from pollution. It is okay to handle them very gently. I recommend that the best way to do so is to wash your hands in the wetland first to make sure you don’t transfer any toxins to them. If you smoke or put on any hand sanitizer, you should refrain from handling them, because the toxins on your hands could potentially kill them.

Wood frog (Rana sylvatica) Photo credit: Melissa Fadden, SUNY ESF

 How do you find specific snakes, lizards, and turtles? This is a tough question to answer, because it largely depends on luck along with knowing the habitat of the target species. The best time to search for turtles or snakes is early in the morning around 7am until 1 or 2 in the afternoon throughout the breeding season, although some, like painted turtles, will stay active beyond that. Many of the more secretive species will be hard to find after that point. Mornings that reach temps in the early to mid 60s with lots of sunlight are great for getting outside and seeking out the turtles in your area. Many species will begin to bask once they emerge from hibernacula, and can easily be spotted as they purge their system of the lactic acid that has built up over the winter. If targeting snakes, one can try to manipulate the habitat a bit by putting large objects around the area for the snakes to hide under. Checking these locations every couple of days should yield great results, and you’ll begin to be more conscious of the species located around you that perhaps you had no idea existed.

If a child asks to take any of these animals home as a pet, what should the response be? It should always be NO! In New York State, all of our native species are protected, and it is illegal to take any of them from the wild. If the child is interested in having a pet, please do some research and consult a pet shop. Beyond that, these animals are also important members of their local ecosystem, and it’s extremely important that they remain there for others to enjoy. Currently, herpetofauna are experiencing a huge decline due to habitat loss, fragmentation, invasive species, chemicals, climate change, and poachers. These species are very important to scientists as they are viewed as environmental indicators, meaning their presence in a wetland will show what kind of condition their environment is in. If the area is severely degraded, these species will be absent.

A common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) and spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata) Photo credit: James Beach

Please keep all of these things in mind when herping. It’s important to have fun, and also to recognize the importance and aesthetics these animals have. If looking to become more familiar with frog and toad calls in your area, I have posted a link that will get you started: USGS Frog Quiz. I have also included links to books and audio CDs that aide in identification: The Amphibians and Reptiles of New York State and The Frogs and Toads of North America.

Thanks for reading, and of course happy herping!



*All comments and questions will be relayed to James!

Finicky fisher-- no more!

When I moved east to Schoharie County almost 2 years ago, I had a mental bucket list of critters that I would like to encounter while living and going to school here. Although I lived in rural areas in Western, NY, there are several animals in lower density there, than are found here. Primarily, the fisher and the bobcat. Both animals, historically, ran rampant across the entire state. But, as the old story goes, over hunting/trapping, development, habitat destruction etc, drove these animals almost to extinction in New York. Here, just north of the Catskills, you have seasons to hunt/trap both the fisher and the bobcat. While some may not LIKE this, this means that biologists know the populations to be viable, and sturdy enough to withstand harvest. Sometimes it’s almost necessary, to make a population grow. Think of a rose-bush. You have to prune it, right? Then the following year it should come back bigger and bushier, with new growth. In the finger lakes, the numbers of fishers and bobcats are lower, but on the rise. Since I moved from there in 2012, the instances and stories I’ve heard about both bobcats AND fishers being spotted (with eyes and cameras) has increased steadily.

When I first moved here, I set up cameras in the fall of 2012, in my backyard. I also had some classmates set their cameras up too. Almost immediately, both of them snagged pics of a fisher, the same on in fact, minutes apart but on different cameras:

A fisher caught on camera trap, Schoharie, NY. Photo credits: Courtney Stein, Adam Rogers (respectively)

Fisher in Schoharie, NY

It took me over 2 months longer to FINALLY get a fisher on camera in my backyard, on Christmas morning! Merry Christmas to me, indeed! I don’t know why these large members of the weasel family were able to escape the ever-watchful eye of my camera traps, but it took 3.5 months of active camera-trapping to finally catch one. And what a picture, too! Well, soon this fisher (or perhaps more than one?) were regular visitors to the scraps I threw out in the woods in front of my camera. I also often use scent lures (nasty concoctions of unspeakable bits) to draw them in. I don’t want to say I got BORED of the fisher(s), but after a while, I like to see some variety. Or… I’d like to catch a glimpse of one myself. Right now, I live at the base of a north-facing slope. Night “falls” here about 2 hours earlier than elsewhere. It’s dark, and shady, and cold. Nice in the summer, depressing this time of year. This also means that I have significant amounts of snow still, and probably will til May! I can see from where I sit now, at my kitchen table, right up the hill. The stark snow gives a great background to track movements of critters. I’ve seen rabbits, squirrels, deer, and many birds up there. I’m still waiting on my fisher.

Several weeks ago, my buddy Tyler and I took a drive up to some local state land (see the first part of that adventure here: Neature is Neat) for a weekend reprieve from school work, and to get out and enjoy the outdoors. It was a balmy (35*F), sunny day. We drove as far up the unplowed, seasonal roads would take us. We saw tons of tracks, and other signs that despite the heavy snowfall, wildlife was still out and about.

Fisher track highway. Click to enlarge.

As we’re driving over snow-covered roads with snowbanks 4+ feet tall, admiring the hemlocks and pines, watching sun filter through the needles…it happened. My moment and a MAJOR bucket list check happened. A FISHER came out of the trees on the right, ran across the road, jumped up the snow bank where it perched for a moment to look at me, then took off to the left into the hemlocks. It all happened in about 1.5 seconds. Poor Tyler, I screamed and simultaneously slammed the car into park (while still moving forward) and leapt from (a still moving?) the car. Tyler was focused on…something else…at the very moment of my excitement, and once he figured out what I was screaming about, he also jumped out and took off into the woods in the direction of the fisher. I have NO idea what he was hoping for. A sighting? A run-in? To catch it? He went tearing through 2+ feet of snow, through a thick blow down. I stood on the snow bank looking at the tracks, and trying to calm myself. Did I really just see a fisher? Did I just see a squirrel and freak out? No. I was staring at FRESH fisher tracks that had been laid down about 10 seconds ago. For a snow tracker, it was ideal conditions. Crunchy, hard snow with a 1/4″ light dusting on top. PERFECT.

About 5 minutes later, Tyler came huffing, puffing, and swearing back in my direction. He missed it totally, and was really bummed out. He kept asking me “Why didn’t I see it? What was I even looking at?”…. Um, I don’t know.

While he had been gone, I got my camera out to snap a few pics of tracks.

A mish-mash of tracks, possibly from different animals or different events of travel.

Fisher hind right track I believe. The smallest toe (thumb) is on the inside for a fisher. Someone please interject if I’m incorrect!

Winter tracking is such a treat, and a look inside the lives of our wild neighbors. Without snow, a skilled tracker, or lucky novice will be able to find tracks. I’ve been out in the woods with people who are seeing things in the leaf litter that I’ve looked over before. But, in snow or mud, I’m your girl!

Tyler and I were so excited by this experience, that we returned the next day to this spot to hide camera traps. We took a risk, and left them on public lands. But, they’re tucked away in safety of the hemlocks, and are only staying up for 1 more week. We’re hoping for some great fisher pictures, but I also wouldn’t turn my nose up at a bobcat either!

Do good, little Bushnell.

Spring! (err- fox urine) is in the air!

Addie thoroughly enjoyed a romp and a friz toss yesterday!

For me, one of the signs that spring IS coming (and I know, it’s only mid-January), is catching a whiff of red fox urine on the air while I’m out hiking. This is a strange thing to recognize and almost enjoy, I suppose, but it’s like the scent of skunk spray, wood smoke, pine sap, etc. It’s a natural smell that is nostalgic for me.
Yesterday, in Cobleskill, it was right around 50 degrees out. Lovely weather to take the dog for a walk at my favorite place in town, the Town of Cobleskill Resevoir. It’s a nice place to let the dog off leash to sniff smells, run, gallop, roll, and just be a happy, young dog.

While I was walking in a field, prime red fox hunting land, I caught that unmistakable scent. It’s musky, it’s acrid, it’s wet dog-like. I can’t really explain it, but you’ll know if you smell it. It means spring to me, because the frequent urination of foxes this time of year, is not because their bladders are full, but they are scent-marking to deter competition, or lure in a mate. It means breeding season is on the way, and then kits are born, and we’re in full blown spring!

Fresh red fox scat found by Addie, photographed by me.

Last week we had FRIGID temps due to the polar vortex. Parts of the state got FEET of snow and 10′s of degrees below 0 in wind chills. Christmas is past, I’m not a skier- I say bring on the spring!

At one point, Addie stopped and found a nice little deposit, left behind by our friend, Vulpes vulpes. I’d love to stow a camera there on the property, but it’s open to the public, and I’m concerned someone might think “finders keepers” with my camera. But, I know they are there, and I know spring has to be on it’s way!

Flying squirrel video

After the last couple of posts, I decided to go for something a bit more pleasant for ALL, on Christmas Eve.

Minty things seem to please all cats, 

domestic and wild, according to many 

forums I’ve read. SO, I found a catnip 

spray for pets on discount at the local 

farm and garden store, and used up 

the last bit of toothpaste on my set.

I set up my Bushnell Trophy Cam HD at my home in Schoharie about 3 weeks ago, and made a “set” to hopefully lure in bobcat. Well, that didn’t work. All I captured were white-tails, crows, cottontails, and this 1 flying squirrel video. It’s not the best, but if you watch it several times, you’ll get to see him. To make the “set” for bobcat, which is a term that trappers (camera and otherwise) use when describing the area around a trap (camera or otherwise). I used a few things I read bobcats would be interested in. See picture at right.

Over a year ago now, in September 2012, I camera-trapped a bobcat in my backyard. Even though I hung a feather (which is a known visual attractant for bobcats), I think he or she was just passing through and got a picture taken. It’s a great “first” for me, but I want more! Anyway, I’ll ALWAYS take pictures or video of a flying squirrel. They are certainly a favorite of mine. For more information about them, please peruse my other flying squirrel entries.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Blessed 2014!

(by the way…the date and time are WAY off…I changed batteries and forgot to reset it!)

Thoughts on deer hunting: Part II

Last week I posted a blog entry with personal thoughts on deer hunting (Part I). People often ask me how I feel about hunting and trapping, because I am SUCH an animal lover, but I’m also realistic about wildlife management. So, please check that out. This entry is dedicated to the successful and ethical hunters and huntresses that submitted pictures of their deer takes during the 2013 bow and regular season in New York. Deer hunting season in the southern zone of NY ended on the 17th, and in the northern zone, it ended December 15th. Aside from Wildlife Management Unit 3S (Westchester County), all deer hunting is closed for the year in New York State! For more info: Deer and Bear Hunting Seasons – NYSDEC.

Thanks for submitting!

The first submission, which inspired me to start sharing deer take pictures, was when my aunt sent me these pictures of my Uncle Mark! He’s been a long-time hunter, and hasn’t gotten a deer in a few years. This year was his YEAR! He took 2 gorgeous, large bucks (one a 10 point, one an 8 point) during the bow season, and one during the regular season. Norwich, NY

Hunter Nick Gualtieri took this nice buck during the bow season in Yorktown, NY.

Rachel Slover took this 6 point on East Hill near Honeoye Lake this fall while hunting with her husband, Jerry.

Hunter Jesse Phillips took this massive buck that he’s been watching for awhile during the bow season in Baldwinsville, NY. We’re not sure if it’s a record or not, but what a rack!

Huntress Beth Burchill harvested this buck with her Winchester model 70 rifle , 25-06, in Claverack, NY!

Marion, NY Hunter Matthew Mayville (shown with sons Blake and Jacob (age 4) and Jackson (age 2). The Mayville Men pose with Dad’s buck taken during the archery season in Potter, NY. With dad as a hunter, hopefully these 3 little boys will grow up and fill his boots!

Huntress Michelle Uthe with her 11 point buck harvested during regular gun season 2013. The buck dressed out at 180 pounds, her biggest deer yet! This is her 3rd season hunting, and she shot him with one took him with her 270 rifle – her domestic partner, Arland Bradley, Jr., gave it to her for a Christmas gift last year. Prattsburgh, NY.

This buck was taken in Wildlife Management Unit 4C in the town of Pittstown NY by Josh Ten Eyck. He was taken during archery season with his G5 Quest bow. Photo credit to his father, Jeffery Ten Eyck.

Jack Van Niel has been a long-time hunter, and harvested this year’s buck on his Wayland, NY property during the regular season. Deer hunting has been a family affair for the Van Niel’s, and Jack’s son, John, helped set him up in a ground blind this year. Jack couldn’t manage climbing into a tree stand this fall due to a pinched nerve, but the ground blind seemed to work just fine! Congrats to both Van Niels.

Huntress sisters Lauren and Mady Richardson managed to take their first does of the season on the same day- opening day of the regular season! Hunting has also been a family affair with the Richardsons, and the girls have spent countless hours in the woods with relatives learning how to hunt, and the ethics and safety revolving around the sport. Congrats, ladies! Taken in Johnsonburg, NY.

A good personal friend of mine, Tyler Barriere, took this nice 8 point buck during the regular season in the town of Enfield, NY. Tyler also took 2 does this season, so his freezer is packed full of good venison!

SUNY Cobleskill classmate, and recent graduate, Corey Sullivan took this handsome buck during the archery season in Horseheads, NY. Congrats on your graduation and buck take, Corey!

Huntress Leslie Svoboda: “I am an avid hunter and fisher-woman. I have been gun hunting since I was a kid but recently, (last year) took up bow hunting. I love the quietness and solitude of bow hunting. On November 2, I shot my first buck, a 7point, and needless to say I am very proud of myself! I was all by myself on my dads property in Steuben County, town of Ingleside, and I called the deer to my stand and took the perfect couldn’t have asked for a better first Bow Buck! I believe in totally respecting the animal you harvest, so I like many of my fellow hunters, say a prayer and thank the animal. I also bury his heart. I am 47 and a grandmother of 2 boys (5 & 2) and am already teaching them about hunting and fishing.” Great story Leslie, and thanks for sharing!”

Mike Hedderick and sons Hunter (age 3) and Dominik (age 6) pose with Dad’s bow season doe. Here’s another great example of the tradition of hunting being passed along the family. Thanks to wife and mom, Amanda, for the submission! Manchester, NY

Another family affair! This time and Mother-Daughter duo. From Tori Penrod-Clark: “The little girl is my daughter, Adele Clark. She is 9 years old and hopes to be a hunter one day. She tracked this buck fawn out for my husband on East Lake Road in Honeoye. He shot it just before shooting hours closed and had to give up the search for the night. Adele was hot on it’s trail the next morning. The second picture is of me with my first buck. I started hunting turkey when I was 12 and deer when I reached the legal age limit for big game (the rules have changed since then). I am now 38 and I have not hunted in 8 years due to being a busy stay-at-home mother. First morning out in the season this year and I shot this 8-point at 8:18 in the morning in Springwater, NY!” Tori’s father is a retired NYSDEC biologist who definitely instilled the love and respect of wildlife. Glad to see Tori is passing this on to the next generation. Thanks for the submissions!

Yet another huntress, Kerri Reuter, shown with her first deer and her boyfriend Jesse Palermo. Kerri says, “Jesse and I were hunting the evening of opening day in Bloomfield, NY. We were hunting right by a corn field and the wind was directly in our face. To the right of us was a large thick bedding area where the deer usually come from in the evening to go eat in the corn field. The corn field was to the left and we hoped they would cross in front of us. Because the wind was in our face we positioned ourselves right on the edge of the bedding area so we could see any deer that came out to go to the corn field. At about 4:00 we spotted a group of does at the end of the bedding area about 125 yards away. The first two does that crossed were small and moved quickly. The third doe to come out was huge. Jesse positioned the camera on her and grunted to get her to stop. She did and turned broadside to us. It was then that I pulled the trigger on the Remington 270. I hit her right behind the shoulder in the heart and she walked 10 feet into the woods before she went down. It was as great hunt!” Congrats Kerri, and thank you for sharing your story.