Pennsylvania Game News - December 2012 - 48

hunter was a couple of miles away, watching the edge of a cornfield. The apple orchard he usually hunted was barren this year, so he had to find another food source to focus on for bow season. Acorns were on the ground everywhere, but with the corn still standing and the ears ripe, he decided the farm field would be the best bet. A buck came under our hunter’s portable stand one morning, but it was a 4-point. That same afternoon, as the shadows lengthened, he shot a doe. The hunter enjoyed taking a deer with his bow and this freed him, he always said, to concentrate on a buck during the firearm season. The hunter was doubly glad he had gotten a deer in the bow season, because his job became busy and he was working a lot of overtime. That meant good pay, but took away his Saturdays. He wasn’t sure if he could get the Saturdays that fell in deer season off and that worried him. His boss said he’d have to wait and see, but he’d try to work things out for the hunter. The buck was busy, too, chasing does and passing his genetic inheritance to the next generation. He lived by his nose, and that almost got him killed when he ran through the beams of a pickup’s headlights. Our hunter was driving and he got

a glimpse of antler and brown as the truck’s front bumper narrowly missed the deer’s rump. He thought the rack was a good one and as he usually hunted nearby, he hoped he’d meet the buck again in a few weeks. Seeing the buck cross the road put a capper on what had turned out to be a good day for our hunter. His boss had just told him that he didn’t need him for overtime work on the first Saturday of deer season. He’d have that day off. A small amount of time, but it could be enough. Trailing does had taken the buck away from his usual haunts, and just after dawn in early December, he found himself near the edge of a cornfield. The corn had been picked, but inside the woods edge were fat white oak acorns. He paused to eat a few, nibbling them up from where they lay on the brown leaves, hunger and the rut drawing him equally. A small sound, a click, made him raise his head and look in that direction. Nothing was seen or scented that was unusual. But he was a deer and he couldn’t be too careful. He waited, the long, patient wait of a whitetail, but there was no more. Twitching his tail, he took a step forward. That’s when the hunter shot. 

Trapper’s Tips… Baits for Dog Proof traps:

By Dan Lynch

Dog Proof traps (DPs) or species specific traps were designed to be efficient and specific for catching mostly raccoons. Because of their round or square pipe shape, the baits used are usually placed in the pipe and below the trigger that the raccoon needs to grab a hold of and pull or push to trigger the trap. Baits for these traps are evolving and the trapping supply manufacturers are selling many DP specific baits. These items include scented pellets or pastes that can be dropped down the trap opening and the trap is baited very quickly and efficiently. Savvy trappers can still use small minnows or pieces of fish, mini-marshmallows, pelleted trout food or even some of the small soft pelleted types of trout bait sold in sporting goods stores. If using these types of traps, make sure to include at least one swivel between the trap and your anchoring system, as well as making sure you have your DP trap anchored securely to the ground or large drag of your choice.
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http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/document/920435/trapper's_tips_pdf

Pennsylvania Game News - December 2012

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