Outdoors: Deer hunting season is upon us

Monday morning, Massachusetts deer hunters headed to their favorite areas at first light, dressed in hunter orange for the traditional opening day of the year 2012 deer season, always the first Monday after Thanksgiving.Because of the mild winter conditions of last year, wildlife managers are predicting a record-breaking seasons. If the amount of shooting I heard on Monday morning is any indication of this, I think the biologists are correct. I heard a lot of shooting on Monday morning.The thrill of the chase for big game here in the Northeast can be an exciting and enjoyable experience.There is nothing better than planning out a hunt and being successful with the plan. Scoping out an area to determine what the deer are doing, where they are bedding, where they are eating, where they are coming from and where they are going is time consuming and rewarding.Once you’ve decided where you want to be, the real work starts. Packing in a tree stand and picking out the right tree that will provide cover from as many deer vantage points as possible without giving up shooting lanes, is all part of the chase.Making sure your safety harness is secure is the most important consideration. Once you’ve hung your stand, there are the little things that you must take into consideration. You need to plan how you will approach your stand in the dark so make sure you mark the trail with illuminating tacks or ribbons.Both the wind direction, and where the sun comes up all become factors and don’t forget the waste jug because you’ll be in your stand for quite a while. Make sure you have a small rope to attach to the stand to pull up you weapon.uWhy am I telling you all of this? Well, I just described how I spent last Sunday in preparation for Monday’s opening day. I loaded my truck with all my hunting gear the night before, early to bed was in order. Monday morning at 5 a.m. I was on the road. Just over an hour later I was climbing into my stand with my harness on, well before first light, I’m so glad I marked my way with tacks.I clipped myself in, raised up my unloaded weapon, settled down and waited for the woods to come alive with all of its wonderful creatures. A red fox was the first to wander by, nose to the ground looking for breakfast.A day in a tree wouldn’t be complete without the alarming rustle of leaves from behind as I got ready, only to be disappointed by two grey squirrels. A few chickadees later I heard a few shots off in the distance that broke my comfortable spell.Twenty minutes later I heard another volley of shots that were closer this time. After a while I settled in again and an hour or so passed. On one of my slow pans left and right I picked up movement in a group of stick trees off to my right. I looked closely to identify it but I lost sight of the movement. Then it was there again. It looked as if the thin tree was sliding to my left.I peered closely through the branches and noticed what looked like a deer leg and it suddenly moved. I stared at that spot for what I thought was an eternity and a few minutes later a beautiful deer stepped out. I waited for the open shot as it quartered away from me to the next opening. A single shot was all it took and a few minutes later I found it by the edge of the swamp.Now here is the part of the story when the real work begins. No one ever talks about the field dressing and the work of dragging it back to your vehicle.But that’s okay because for me it’s part of the whole experience. Hopefully anyone starting out will now have better understanding of all the preparation one must go through to be a deer hunter.uOn November 21, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department purchased a private marina known as Downing’s Landing at the southern tip of Alton Bay. That means Fish and Game, after many years, has finally acquired a boat access facility on Lake Winnipesaukee, the state’s largest lake.”This is exciting news for New Hampshire’s outdoor enthusiasts because it creates the first state-o