Fresh Tracks: With the half-way point of deer season approaching, I checked a trail of tagging stations that started in Hampden and ended in Orrington. For the most part, deer-registration figures were below last year’s at this time. Not surprisingly, the reasons given were aimed directly at mild weather: “Too warm,” said hunters and storekeepers. “Deer aren’t moving.” Following are the numbers and comments bagged during my Nov. 10 tour of tagging stations.

Of the 12 stations checked, the only one ahead of last year’s mid-season count was McK’s Variety Store in Hampden. There, the obituaries of 42 whitetails were written in the registration book, 10 more than last year. The biggest buck registered at McK’s thus far into the 1994 deer season was a 208-pounder toting eight-point antlers. The ol’ baster was tagged by Duane Smith of Newburgh.

In McK’s parking lot, Dan and Sally McCallister of Hampden were watching the weigh-in of a 4-point buck shot by Mrs. McCallister at 6:40 a.m. She dropped the 120-pounder with one shot from her .30-30 Winchester carbine. Her husband, Dan, a former president of the Maine Trappers Association, allowed, “I’m glad we got that overwith early, now I can go check my muskrat traps.”

At the Newburgh Country Store, the count stood at 11 deer. “That’s down from last year,” said the storekeeper, Sheila Burgess. In addition, she said there seemed to be less hunter traffic but expected it would increase with the arrival of colder weather.

Twenty four whitetails were recorded at Nason’s General Store in Newburgh. The biggest buck was a 210-pounder lugging a 13-point hat rack. The woman tending the store – she didn’t want her name mentioned – also said there weren’t as many hunters as usual.

Oz’s General Store is located at the intersection of Routes 9 and 7 in Dixmont. There, proprietor Bill Osgood said the registration of 43 deer – 26 bucks, 17 does – was “down a lot from last year.” One of the deer registered, however, was an 18-point, 211-pound buck shot by Dave Valliere of Jackson – his first deer, no less. But leading the store’s “Big Buck Contest” is an eight-pointer whose fighting weight was recorded at 230 pounds.

In regard to the contest, Bill Osgood expressed disdain for a hunter who tried to enter a buck that was only partially field-dressed. “Only the paunch was removed,” said Bill. “I wouldn’t accept the deer that way, so he took it somewhere else.” I’ve heard of bird shot being poured into a fish to increase its weight but I’ve never heard of innards left in a deer for that purpose. Bill predicted that his store would show more deer tracks beginning this weekend: “This weather’s going to break off cold and when it does deer will start moving.”

Lorraine Hawthorne was tending the counter at The Village Store in Plymouth. “That’s down from last year,” she said referring to the 48 deer registered there. Joel Bailey, however, was interested only in the number 1. The 16-year-old hunter was registering his first deer, a hefty doe, shot while hunting in the Gifford Bog area with his father, Albert. “I don’t know what she weighs for sure,” said Joel, “but she sure dragged heavy.” His father agreed: “That’s a hellish place to haul one out.”

In Etna, 32 entries in the Country Corner Variety Store’s registration book told the story. The busy storekeepers allowed the count was down about 50 percent from last year’s mid-season score.

The death certificates of 41 whitetails were filled out at the Stetson Variety Store, nine less than last year’s same-date tally. “Hunters are saying the deer aren’t moving because of the mild weather,” said the clerk, Charlene Eells. “But yesterday we tagged all bucks, so maybe that’s a good sign.” The frontrunner in the store’s Big Buck Contest is a 225-pounder tagged by Tony Dearborn of Exeter.

Forty two deer – 26 bucks, 16 does – were registered at the Corner Country Store in West Levant. When I asked how that compared with last year’s count, the store’s crew agreed it was “about the same.”

“Any big deer?” I asked.

“A few 200-pounders,” was the reply.

Lisa Pinkham was tending to business at the Shurfine Yankee Store in East Corinth. In spite of the 77 deer registered there thus far, she said mild weather had reduced hunter success and she “didn’t think bucks were rutting yet.” While there, I talked with Gary Strout. The avid outdoorsman allowed that, while guiding bear hunters this fall, he didn’t see as much deer sign as usual.

The chart at the Bradford General Store showed the half-time score at 27-24, with bucks leading does. Also showing on the chart was a long trail of “almosts.” The store’s owner and short-order cook, Mary Randall, said she had tagged “some good-size deer.” The biggest was a buck shot by Richard Buber of Orneville.

Thirty three deer – 19 with antlers and 14 without – had stopped by Roger’s Market in Hudson. “About the same as last year,” said Roger Burnham, the market’s “head guide.” He alluded to the unseasonal weather by saying that he and his son-in-law usually tagged their deer during the first week of the season, with one or the other scoring on opening day. “But this year,” said Roger, “I’ve seen one flag – lots of signs, but no deer. They’re not moving much.”

My question, “How’re the deer hunters doing?” brought a one-word reply from the storekeeper at the Kozy Korner Variety Store in Orrington: “Slow.” There were, however, several healthy bucks among the 33 deer registered at the Orrington landmark. Gilbert Betts of Orrington tagged a 230-pound eight-pointer, Todd Simpson of Orrington and Bill Chute of Holden each registered 200-pounders.

There you have it, Sport. The numbers may not be up to snuff for this time of year but there’s a full moon in the making and that means weather turning colder and bucks getting bolder. Be sure of your target. Once you send a bullet on its way, there’s no bringing it back.