Fish dinners every Friday in April !!!

 Fish dinners every Friday in April!!!!

Doors open at 5 pm.

Ducks Unlimited Wood Duck Box Green Wing Event

Saturday March 10th Ducks Unlimited and Seneca Meadows are sponsoring a wood duck nesting box building event at Kuneytown. This is a Greenwing event so if you know a kid that would like to come out and learn a little about building wood duck boxes and why it is important to provide nesting places for these birds come on out and enjoy a nice lunch and help us build 12 wood duck boxes.Event Time is 10am to 2pm if you have a cordless drill please bring it along.

See you at the Club Eric

Venison & Meat Preparation workshop

Venison and Meat Preparation Workshop Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension is hosting a venison and meat preparation workshop on Saturday, March 10th from 10AM-noon in their conference room located in Waterloo (308 Main Street Shop Center, 3rd floor). Venison is a healthy, lean source of protein that is very tasty if properly prepared. Seneca County and the surrounding Finger Lakes area have abundant populations of white tail deer to hunt. If you love eating venison or if you have had an unpleasant experience eating venison and have the notion that the meat is gamey or tough (or others in your family feel this way), then this hands on workshop is for you! Learn ways to tenderize deer meat with proper marinades, cooking methods, and meat preparation. We will also discuss the important science behind safely canning meat and making jerky. Learning to safely can animal products is a great solution to limited freezer space when considering buying local meat or hunting. Participants will learn how to can meat and also taste samples during this hands-on workshop. They will also receive a recipe book. Thanks to support from the Delavan Foundation, the cost is only $10.00 per person. Space is limited and advanced registration is required, so please call Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension to register: 315-539-9251 by March 8th. If you would like more information about consuming wild game and fish, Seneca County CCE, in consultation with Cornell’s Department of Natural Resources, created an educational web resource to offer recipes, nutrition facts and information based on fish and game that is currently or soon to be in season. The Wild Harvest Table website can be accessed at http://senecawildharvest.blogspot.com. For nearly 100 years, Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension has served the people of the County, putting to practical use the scholarship and research of Cornell University and the national land grant system in the areas of agriculture and food systems sustainability; families, nutrition, health and safety (human ecology); youth development (4-H); environmental and natural resource enhancement; and community and economic vitality. The office is located at 308 Main Street Shop Centre in Waterloo. For more information on this and other programs, please call the office at 315-539-9251 or e-mail Seneca@cornell.edu.

Squirrel Derby #2 Feb 19

Club OPEN for Superbowl!!

Feb 5, 2012.

Doors open at 5 PM.

Kick-off  is at 6:30 PM.

Bring a dish to pass, or your favorite SuperBowl specialty to share.

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/46

Go Giants!

SQUIRREL DERBY SAT JAN 28TH

Don't miss the first Squirrel Derby of the season coming up this weekend Saturday January 28th hope to see a lot of members and kids participate. Contact Eric at 315-730-2257 to enter or stop in the club this Friday night to sign up. Club opens at 6pm Friday stop in for happy hour and join the squirrel derby.

2011 Buck Pool Results

The results are in:

• 1ST PLACE Dave Spogen 26 1/4 (a); 8 points x 18 1/4 spread
• 2ND PLACE Eric Riegel 20.5 (r); 9 points x 11.5 spread

GAME DINNER DEC 10th

Please make plans to attend the annual Kuneytown Game Dinner.  Dec 10th- Tickets are on sale now.  Only $10 for a ticket which qualifies you for a raffle drawing.  Only 300 tickets sold.

1st prize- $500.00 Bass Pro Shops gift certificate
2nd prize- $100.00 cash
3rd prize- $50.00 cash
4th prize- $25.00 cash

ATTENTION KUNEYTOWN MEMBERS:
Member attendance has been very low at recent club functions.  Please remember that your membership involves, first and foremost, SUPPORTING YOUR CLUB.  Please make every effort to support our club with your attendance, or better yet, your participation in putting on our events.

Turkey Shoot Oct 30th - 11:00 AM

Kuneytown Sportsmen’s Club

Oct 30^th, 11:00 AM

Please make an effort to support your club through your attendance at this event.

Don Lipker Jr. Memorial Dinner

A ziti dinner is planned in memory of Don Lipker on Friday October 7^th, 2011 at Kuneytown Sportsmen’s Club.  Don was a hunting member of the club.

All proceeds go to the family.  $8 per dinner  from 5 pm to  ?.

Please come spend the evening celebrating Don’s life and supporting his family.

Kuneytown Annual Patriot Day Youth Hunt

On or about September 11th each year, the Kuneytown Sportsmen's Club joins forces with Charlie and his great staff at Whispering Pines Hideaway Shooting Preserve to remember the 2,977 Americans killed during the attacks of September 11th, 2001. At the same time, we honor the many soldiers, sailors, law enforcement personnel, emergency responders, and others who daily risk their lives, and sometimes sacrifice it, for our protection and the protection of our

freedoms.

We take this time every year to be grateful to be Americans, to make a point of acknowledging our Constitution and the Bill of Rights and to be sure to never take for granted our rights to keep and bear arms.

This year, we were honored to share our celebration with veterans of current wars, all Purple Heart recipients, associated with the group Wounded Warriors in Action. It was a moving and proud moment, after a group photograph, to observe the youth of Kuneytown approaching the soldiers and offering them a handshake and a heartfelt "thank you for your service."

When you have a chance, say thanks to Steve Sandroni and Eric Riegel for coordinating the hunt, and to Charlie Buisch of Whispering Pines for donating pheasants and creating a great space for the hunt and picnic to take place. Tell your kids that you are proud of them, and that you are proud of our servicemen and women.

Perhaps most importantly, drop my friend John McDaniel, Lieutenant Colonel (retired) US Army and founder of Wounded Warriors in Action a line at info@wwiaf.org -- tell him thanks or donate to a great cause.

Thanks to Elon Weinstein for the photograph. More photos can be found and downloaded here:

https://www.dropbox.com/gallery/19404134/1/Pheasant%20Farm%20-%20September%202011?h=4ee6d4

YOUTH PHEASANT HUNT

Once again it is time for the Kuneytown youth pheasant hunt. The hunt will be September 10 th Saturday at 9:30am. A few changes this year due to sparse cover we will be hunting at Whispering Pines Hideaway in Lyons . The hunt is limited to the first ten youths to sign up so please get back to me asap.We will hunt all morning and then have lunch at Whispering Pines compliments of R.E. Kelley inc. Thanks Steve.We can meet at K-Town and car pool if needed or I can get you directions.

Contact: Eric Riegel at 315-730-2257 to sign up remember first ten so call soon.

Thank You Eric

See You In the Pheasant Fields

A big Thanks to Charlie Bisch at whispering Pines for having us

It's a BOY!

Everyone meet.......John Stanley Presnar Jr

Aug 30 8:04Am 8lbs13oz 19.5in

Iceland

Hey folks, just got done hanging out in Reykjavik, Iceland. These pics are of the Blue Lagoon, a geothermic water pool. What can I say the pics say it all.

Later,

Puddle Pirate

Hi K-Town Family

Hello my K-Town Family, Just wanted to say HI from London, UK! I see you have another golf outing planned. Sounds like another woderful time wish I could be there. Have a drink for me? Sorry, my fault you are planning a non-alcohol golf event!!! Here's Idea...the 1st hole could be called the Puddle Pirate Hole.

Take care all, miss ya!

Puddle Pirate

KUNEYTOWN GOLF OUTING

Greetings Kuneytown Golfers!

Please join us for our annual Kuneytown Golf outing on the 25^th of June! We will meet at the Bonavista golf course around 8:30. Tee-off is at 9 am sharp!

There is a 25 dollar sign up fee, plus 17 dollars greens fees. Your 25 dollars includes food, a gift, and a chance at prize money! You must sign up in advance to participate. Please contact John for more details at: 315-651-9742.

See you on the course!

For inspiration, here is a picture of pro golfer Anna Rawson. Check it out, then, show up and get your game on! It's a co-ed sport!

Quebec Fishing

Kuneytown Sportsmen's Club members and friends, on a recent fishing trip in the northern reaches of Quebec, in the Reservoir Gouin area. Lots more pics here.

YOUTH TRAPPING CAMP!

Youth Trapping Camp

Continuing with the success from last year's inaugural Youth Trapping Camp, the New York State Trappers Association (NYSTA) is proud to announce that once again the camp will be held over the Columbus Day weekend at Camp Rushford in Alleghany County in western New York again this fall. In addition, due to overwhelming need, a 2nd youth trapping camp will be held concurrently in the Eastern part of the state at the Twin Rivers Council Rotary Boy Scout Camp. These camps, which are the first of their kind for the northeast United States, are sponsored by The New York State Trappers Association (NYSTA) in cooperation with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The Youth Trapping Camps will be held October 7th-10th, 2011. All Campers need to plan on arriving between 4-6PM Friday night and they will be released after 1PM Monday afternoon.

The NYSTA has designed these Youth Trapping Camps to extend and enhance the State's current 8 hour long Trapper Education Class, which is required of all new trappers regardless of age. The program will allow for in-depth education of various trapping and outdoor related topics; history and ethics, types and correct uses of traps, disease and biology of management of fur bearers as well as the humane treatment of our naturally renewable resource. The DEC will issue permits to set traps and possess fur bearers for processing so youth will have the full experience of trapping. There will be an experienced trapping mentor for every one or two youth to insure close hands-on lessons.

The Youth Trapping Camps will be for 12-15 year-olds only and we are pleased to announce that we have a limited number of openings for returning campers at both locations. Those in attendance will not be required to have a Trappers Education certificate before the camp begins, as there will be the chance to obtain it through the scheduled weekend activates.

The NYSTA is extremely excited about offering this one-of-a kind opportunity for young outdoorsmen/women at a time when there are so many other activities being offered youths which draw them away from learning about the heritage which founded not only our state, but country. There is a nominal fee of $40.00 per student to cover the cost of food and supplies. State policy states there is no charge for instruction for the Trappers Education Class given by NYS volunteer instructors. There is a limit of 26 new students for each camp location as well as positions for 11 returning campers. The NYSTA is also requesting donations to help defray the costs of running these camps.

The camps will be staffed by NYSTA members, many of whom are certified NYS trappers training instructors, with DEC assistance where their expertise is better used. Last year's camp received very positive feedback from not only all the campers in attendance, but the mentors as well. Applications for the Youth Trapping Camp as well as additional information such as directions, where to send donations, or if you would like to sponsor a camper, can be obtained from Patricia Arnold at patriciaarno@gmail.com or by phone at (315) 644-4643.

DEC PROPOSES TO OPEN NEW AREAS FOR BEAR HUNTING IN EASTERN NEW YORK

DEC PROPOSES TO OPEN NEW AREAS FOR BEAR HUNTING IN EASTERN NEW YORK
Proposal to Also Change Bear Hunting Season Dates In Central and Western New York

(5/22) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens today announced proposed changes that would open new areas east of the Hudson River to black bear hunting and establish uniform bear hunting season dates across the Southern Zone beginning in the 2011 hunting season.

“The proposed adjustments to bear hunting in the Southern bear range are part of our continuing effort to better manage bear populations and provide excellent hunting opportunities in New York State,” Commissioner Martens said. “Black bears are thriving in New York and have expanded their range considerably in recent years. Increasing opportunities for bear hunting in the Southern Zone will help alleviate agricultural and homeowner conflicts with bears, provide recreational opportunity, and facilitate wise use of bear meat and hides.”

The specific changes proposed for the Southern bear range would:
• Open Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 3F, 3G, 3N, 3R, 3S, 4C, 4K, 4L, 4T, 4U, 4Y, 4Z, 5S and 5T to black bear hunting for the archery, regular and muzzleloading seasons. This would include all of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Columbia, Rensselaer, and Washington counties, and the portion of Rockland that was not already open for black bear hunting. Season dates for these units will be the same as those in place for adjacent units already open to bear hunting in the Southern bear range.
• Establish an earlier start to the existing regular black bear season in wildlife management units in parts of central and western New York by removing the 7-day lag that has previously existed between the start of the regular deer season and the regular bear season in this portion of New York. This will provide a uniform bear hunting season framework for all bear hunting in the Southern Zone.

Bear hunting is the only viable and cost effective tool for managing bear numbers on a landscape scale. However, DEC also encourages public understanding and tolerance of bears through various educational efforts. Additional information about black bears is available at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6960.html including tips for living with bears. DEC has also helped produce and distribute a DVD, “Living with Black Bears in New York,” which is available in most schools and public libraries throughout the state.

To see more detailed descriptions of the proposal, including instructions for providing comments, go to www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/propregulations.html on the DEC website. The proposed rulemaking can also be viewed in detail in the May 18, 2011 publication of the New York State Register, which will be posted at http://www.dos.state.ny.us/info/register/2011.html.

DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposal through July 5, 2011. A map of the proposed area expansion is attached.

YOUTH TURKEY SEASON

Kuneytown is having a youth turkey hunt. Open to members, if you have a youth hunter ages 12-15 and want to get them in the woods for the youth turkey hunt contact Eric at 730-2257. Limited space available, please contact me asap. We will hunt Saturday April 23rd. There will be a meeting Thursday night, April 21st for parents and hunters. Please get a hold of me asap if you want to participate. If you don't have a youth hunter but would like to guide a youth or have a good hunting spot we can take the kids to, please contact me asap also. See you in the turkey blind. Eric

BULLHEADS ARE HERE

STARTING FRIDAY APRIL 8TH FISH DINNERS BEGIN FOUR WEEKS ONLY

DON'T MISS OUT

Bullheads

Fried haddock

Don't like fish? Burgers will be available. Get out to the club and enjoy a great dinner and the company of your fellow members. See you at the club,

Eric

Ducks Unlimited Event at Kuneytown!

Canoga Creek Clean-up a Success

Thanks to all the members that participated in the 2011 Canoga Creek Clean-up. There were more than 20 people involved, from the Finger Lakes chapter of Trout Unlimited and Kuneytown Sportsmen's Club, with support from Cayuga Lake Watershed Network. We are well on our way to establishing the Canoga Creek Conservancy Consortium (C4).

7 bags of trash were collected, as well as at least as many tires and even an old TV set. A great deal of effort was expended removing the invasive and noxious Multiflora rose. The removal of this invasive species will allow greater access for anglers as well as for future conservation efforts to address erosion, improve in-stream habitat for brook trout, and reforestation activities in the state-owned Canoga Creek Wildlife Management Area. A special thanks to Andy Buss for bringing his enthusiasm and skills to the project, and to Eric Riegel for hauling the refuse and the use of his business' dumpster.

Band Night at Kuneytown- April 23rd 9pm til ?

Its time to ROCK! Fight the cabin fever by coming to Kuneytown Band night, April 23rd from 9 pm until ?

Tickets are $5 (in advance at the bar).

There will be two bands. The first band is REPEAT OFFENDERS and the second band is Raised on Radio.

Stay tuned.

There will be pizza and of course the bar will be open for business.

K-Town & Finger Lakes TU to conduct a Canoga Creek Clean-up

On Saturday March 26^th, at 9:00 AM, Kuneytown Sportsmen’s Club will work in partnership with the Finger Lakes Chapter of Trout Unlimited to conduct a Canoga Creek Clean-up.

Our mission is to clean up trash and junk that has accumulated in and around the creek as well as to remove the invasive species “Multiflora Rose” from the stream bank, which is limiting stream access and preventing native species from re-vegetating the erodible stream banks of the creek.

We need members and their families to come get involved in conservation work to enhance our neighborhood trout fishing resource. Please come in work clothes, and bring your tools- ie machetes, pruning shears, work gloves, etc. You may want to bring high boots or hip waders as well if you plan on wading to remove trash. Trash bags will be provided.

We will meet at 9:00 am in the state parking area near the Canoga Cemetery. We will focus our efforts on the section of the stream that is public, east of Rt 89. This section of the creek is scheduled to be stocked with brook trout again this year by the Trout Unlimited folks before opening day (April 1).

Please come and take advantage of this great opportunity to represent your club’s efforts to protect and enhance our local natural resources. It is a great opportunity to get to know Canoga Creek!

See you there on Saturday.

PRIME RIB DINNER

Coming Soon Prime Rib Dinner March 12th 6pm Don't miss this great time and great food.You need to pre register by March 5th so stop at the club this Friday night and sign up and enjoy the company of your fellow members.

See You at the Club Eric

SQUIRREL DERBY RESULTS

Kuneytown's 2nd derby this year was a great success. We had 16 registered hunters.Unfortunately the snow storm Friday slowed down the hunting. The animals and the hunters were reluctant to move Saturday morning but a few of us got out and were successful. Moira Tidball from the Seneca Wild Harvest Table of Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension was there to demonstrate how to prepare and cook rabbits. She also was a registered hunter in the derby. Thank you Moira, the rabbit was excellent. The winners were:

Heaviest bag, Squirrels: Tom Grasek 7.11 pounds

Heaviest bag, Rabbits: Danielle Riegel 2.15 pounds

Lunker squirrel: Danielle Riegel 2.00 pounds

Lunker Rabbit: Danielle Riegel 2.15 pounds

Thanks to everyone for their participation.

See you at the club.

Eric

Kuneytown Regulars on the Cover of a US Fish & Wildlife Program

Forest health, deer population, etc.

I have been part of many conversations around the bar at K-town discussing the pros and cons of deer harvest management in our area. The arguments generally tend to end up around conspiracies that "They" are allowing too many deer to be killed, resulting in hunter satisfaction decrease because hunters "aren't seeing" hundreds of deer a day like they used to.

Please see the interesting report here:

http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/newyork/files/forestregenfactsheet.pdf

Pay special attention to the photograph taken in Seneca Falls and think about where your deer stand is. Do they look similar? If yes, ask yourself about the bigger picture of deer management, and more importantly, forest management (where ALL of our wildlife live)-- there are reasons why we aren't seeing a hundred deer a day anymore. Good ones. If we don't get these forests back on track, it won't just be deer that we are seeing less of... food for thought.

MEETING NIGHT CHANGE

THE MONTHLY MEETING WILL NOW BE ON THE FIRST MONDAY OF THE MONTH MARK YOUR CALENDAR 3/7/2011
See You at the Club Eric

SQUIRREL/RABBIT DERBY 2/26/2011

To end the small game season, we are having a combination squirrel/rabbit derby. Hunters will weigh in the total rabbits and squirrel bag separately. We will pay out first place and lunker in both categories. Please contact Eric at 315-730-2257 or stop at the club on a Friday night to enter and enjoy the company of your fellow members. Don't forget to enter the kids. This is a great event to involve young hunters.

Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension will again be conducting processing and cooking demonstrations.

Flyer with rules coming soon.

See you at the club.

Eric

Squirrel Derby Results

Despite frigid arctic temps, the Kuneytown Squirrel Derby was a success. Two out of three of the winners were YOUTH members! And we all enjoyed squirrel hors doeuvres while celebrating with the winners.

Thanks to Seneca County Cornell Cooperative Extension, who provided a processing and cooking demonstration.

FIRST PLACE- Danielle Riegel

SECOND PLACE - George Havelin

THIRD PLACE- Aric Stuck

Squirrel Derby Registration Form

Kuneytown Big Buck Challenge 2010 final results

CONGRATS TO THIS YEAR'S WINNING SPORTSMEN!

1st Place Deloss Stuck 10 points, 16 1/8 inch spread- 26 1/8 total points

2nd Place Donnie Stuck 7 points, 18 inch spread- 25 total points

3rd Place (Tie) Eric Riegel 7 points, 16 1/8 inch spread- 23 1/8 total points
Keith Tidball 9 points, 14 1/8 inch spread- 23 1/8 total points

Aging White-Tailed Bucks on the Hoof Using Antler Characteristics

Here's an article for those interested in better judging deer on the hoof, and/or for those practicing QDM on their properties... enjoy!

By Wayne Masters

The Masters' Main Beam Method

With the growth of more progressive deer management more emphasis has been placed on managing for age and not just antlers. Using selective criteria of "number of points on a side" (typically 3 points or 4 points) for passing bucks leads to the possibility of "high-grading" and also not managing for the greatest potential. This has opened dialogue that centers on educating deer hunters to methods that will enable them to actually judge the age of wild, free-ranging whitetail bucks "on the hoof" using various antler and body characteristics.

We must remember throughout any of these discussions that when we "set the bar" at any stage of antler and body growth, we put an excess of hunting pressure on the very next available age-class or portion of an age class based on the criteria; thus high-grading (harvesting the best of) a portion or all of that age-class. Any movement of whitetail bucks into age classes older than yearling should be considered a step in the right direction in terms of managing for an older buck age structure. However − being skilled at field-judging all age classes of bucks allows you the freedom to choose exactly where you want to set the bar for your club or cooperative.

A different method of field-judging whitetail bucks for age started developing in central New York in the mid-90s, was practiced, and continued to be refined, and is used successfully by many private deer managers and deer hunters throughout New York State. I believe it is an easier and better way. I call this method the "Masters Main Beam Method" and it relates directly to the position of the tip of the main beam in relation to the eye & the nose of the buck. Let's take a look at how it developed.

In 1993, I was part of creating a progressive deer management cooperative of approximately 9,000 acres for private landowners in Otisco Valley in central New York State. The use of Antler "width outside the ears" was chosen as their criteria for passing younger bucks, a method that would protect virtually all yearlings. Early on in this effort one of the more avid hunters in this cooperative began noticing that harvested and "ground-checked" (aged by tooth wear) yearling bucks had antler tips that did not extend forward of the eye, regardless of number of points. Furthermore he felt that most 2½ year-old bucks demonstrated antlers with the tips (or forward-most point of the antlers) slightly forward of the eye. This was potentially important information, because at that time little thought was given to a "more balanced buck age structure" and moving all yearling bucks to age 2½ was the shared goal. Several local cooperatives saved lower jaws and those were aged by certified agers from New York's Bureau of Wildlife using tooth-wear and replacement techniques. In the ensuing years a concerted effort was made to compare age with antler-tip relationship to the eye.

It should be mentioned here that they never considered a judgment of actual main beam length in inches as the criteria and still do not think of it that way. Talk of judging "inches of length" only makes it seem more difficult to the average deer hunter. Relationship to the eye sufficed to give them the decision they needed. Obviously this was a huge step in a positive direction because now it gave them criteria using a front view (width outside the ears) and a side view (antler tips forward of the eye) to accurately judge bucks on the hoof and protect all their yearlings, including the high end ones − the potentially best bucks of the future.

From 2001 to 2005 I was involved in deer research in Cayuga County New York that required countless hours of daytime and nighttime observations, including repetitive spotlight surveys to get a handle on herd composition and buck age structure. The field sheet for those spotlight surveys was formatted for three columns to include bucks of ages 1½, 2½, 3½ and older, and three more columns for does, fawns and unknowns. Separating bucks into those three age categories required me and my technician assistant to have an adequate method of field-judging bucks for those age categories. By then I was very familiar with the techniques used for recognizing the antler characteristics of yearlings and 2½s and quickly trained my assistant in that method. As other antler (and body) characteristics became evident we put them to use and soon had antler characteristics for 3½ and 4½ year-old bucks that we felt were reliable. When you are doing repetitive spotlight surveys on a specific area you soon become familiar with individual bucks and their favored core areas. Many of those bucks we observed (and videoed) were harvested and brought to our check station during the fall hunting seasons. This provided a wonderful opportunity to check our previous age determinations and substantiate our theories of field-judging bucks for age.

That research project was on an area of approximately 4,000 acres, but within a Wildlife Management Unit of 357 square miles − more than 200,000 acres. As a certified ager I was also required as part of my routine duties in the fall hunting season to visit meat processors and collect age and beam diameter data for that WMU. Obviously I also noted and recorded the relationship of the tip of the antler beam to eye and nose for all those bucks aged − yearlings to age 4½. We don't see many 4½s in New York State and 5½s are rare. Meanwhile the deer hunters on those locally managed cooperatives were saving lower jaws and making the same observations for me. Now I have deer hunters in clubs and cooperatives across New York State using this method. Thousands of aged bucks later, we have developed a very reliable method for the deer hunter to age bucks in the field! While all field-judging methods are subjective I feel that the one I'm going to describe here is the easiest and most reliable.

As a whitetail buck grows from age 1½ to age 4½ his new set of antlers changes each year and that change very much resembles a blooming flower, in this case opening forward and down and out to the side and down. Think of it as going from up and tight to down and out.

In earlier times deer hunters thought that a whitetail buck added extra points each year and that "number of points" was an indicator of age. As it works out number of points is a very poor indicator of age and we regularly see a yearling buck with 8 points and on occasion one with 10 or more. Although width of the antlers can be a useful tool for passing younger bucks, it also is a poor indicator of age in 2½ and older bucks. I have aged 2½s with inside spread ranging from 14" to 23". And height (as judged hurriedly in the field) is not something to use for judging the age of whitetail bucks. Many times I have had a deer hunter (who was intent on passing younger bucks) show up at the check station with a nice 8 point yearling whose rack was up and tight and say to me "His rack looked really high, so I shot him".

Using The Main Beam Method: Of the antler position indicators you can use for field-judging a wild, free-ranging whitetail buck, the relationship of the tips of the antlers to the eye and the nose is the best.

While this is best judged with the buck's head up, we have found that any deer hunter can soon get a handle on this regardless of head position.

Using the jaw bone-line as the base, visualize a perpendicular line from the jawline up to the antler tips.

Where does that perpendicular line lie in relationship to the eye and the nose?

1. Regardless of number of points, most yearling bucks have antlers with the tips behind the eye.

2. Two and a half year-old bucks usually have antler tips that are slightly ahead of the eye.
3. Three and a half year-old bucks usually have antler tips half way from the eye to the nose.
4. Four and a half year-old bucks or older usually have antler tips right over the tip of the nose.

I have purposely not mentioned antler beam length. You are not judging the length of the beam. You are judging where the antler tips come in relationship to the eye and the nose.

This method is exceptionally easy when a buck is broadside (which coincidentally is the preferred position for shooting, but it is also very easy to use regardless of the head position. By always using jawline as the base, then you can easily "draw" that imaginary perpendicular line and estimate where you believe the antler tips will be when the head is turned. If the jawline is the basis of your entire determination, and you then visualize a perpendicular line down from the antler tips to the jawline base...then it will never matter what position the head is in!

Let's look at a few examples of this method with the head NOT broadside. These illustrations will allow you to clearly imagine where the tips will be in relation to the tip of the nose:

1.5 years old: when this deer turns his head broadside that tip will be behind the eye, as it is a vertically oriented beam.

2.5 years old: note the slight downward angle of the jawline, so the perpendicular line leans forward. Even if you erred and made the perpendicular line vertical to the ground, this rack tip wouldn't venture past the middle of the snout.

3.5 years old: head slightly down, and clearly past mid-nose, and approaching the tip.

4.5 years old or older: These bucks are turned 45% towards the viewer, but you can visualize a line between the tips, then the perpendicular from the jaw & tip of the nose, and clearly see that when the heads come back to pure broadside, they each will be forward of the nose.

Note: If you can't easily visualize this, do you remember the Body Characteristics of Harry Jacoboson? Deep Chest, Loose Skin at neck and brisket, thick girth at belly, broad hips.....? This says mature animal older than 3.5!

It is always recommended that you look at the body and the rack in conjunction to get the very best possible overall impression by which to base your final determination of age...especially when you are looking at bucks with larger racks. Many high end 2.5 year olds are shot mistakenly for 3.5 year olds because hunters see a large rack and shoot without truly assessing the body for proper confirmation of age.

We could stop right here. The average deer hunter, the non-professional, could use only this indicator for judging the age of wild, free-ranging whitetail bucks and probably be correct 85% of the time and I think most hunters would be happy with that. But let's add a few things to it to round-out our ability to judge bucks on the hoof.

Going back to our "flowering antlers", we have covered the "growing forward" with each new set of antlers. Another helpful indicator is that the main beams are coming down from that upright position and, in my experience, by age 4½ are typically horizontal, virtually parallel to the jaw-line. For those of you looking for a much older buck this horizontal "look" is a key to what you're looking for in the field. Looking at the main beam, from G-2 to tip, determine its angle in relation to the jaw-line.

• Yearling bucks have main beams that usually angle upward, closer to 90 degrees.
• Two and a half year-old bucks have main beams that are at a noticeably 45 degree angle.
• Three and a half year-old bucks usually have main beams that have come down to a point almost horizontal to the jaw-line.
• And four and a half year-old (and older) bucks have main beams that typically are horizontal - parallel to the jaw-line.

While this indicator is much less definitive than the first one, (some 3½ s still looking like 45 degrees), it is still a useful tool, with the "horizontal look" being a common characteristic of older age in New York State. And finally, from the front view, we are basically going to look for the same thing - antler beams that are developing out and down with each ensuing year of age. Looking at the part of the main beam from G-1 to G-2, (the portion most obvious to you as observed from the front) −

• Most yearling bucks have antler beams that angle upward.
• Two and a half year-old bucks have beams that exhibit a decidedly 45 degree angle.
• Three and a half year-old bucks usually have antler beams that are looking more horizontal, coming down closer to the ears.
• Most 4.5 year-old (and older) bucks have beams lying horizontal, tightly down over the ears.

This is the basic field-judging technique I developed and is backed by hundreds of tooth-wear aging checks by certified agers, including myself. I am deeply appreciative of all the deer hunters across New York State who use this method and have taken the time to have their deer aged, confirming the reliability of this technique. I am hoping other deer hunters across the country try this method, have their deer aged by certified agers and give me some feedback.

If our true mission is to create a more natural buck age structure, we could get there much more quickly by understanding and using this technique as a part of any management program. We know that legal hunting is the greatest form of mortality on whitetail bucks. If a buck survives the hunting season he has a very good chance of being there next fall. The latest research proves this to be true.

Therefore, depending on what age classes you choose to protect, you can add older bucks in large numbers to your woodlot if everyone is on the same page. It is truly a case of "the more you save, the more you earn"! A natural buck age structure would have 2½ and older bucks at more than 60%, with 4½ s and older at more than 20%! If we chose to pass bucks unless their antler beams looked horizontal from side or front view and unless the antler tips were over the tip of the nose, we would quickly approach a natural buck age structure in our woodlots. Gracious - what an idea!