Stealthy hunting tips sought

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It’s midweek, your hunting’s going great, mine is going nowhere, and I’ve got a lot of ground to cover. Let’s get started.

First, if anyone is offering “stealth lessons” for deer hunters, I’m game. I’m into the odor-reduction thing now (which, I’m sure, my co-workers probably appreciate). I’ve become aware that deer are very motion-sensitive, and when I see them looking at me, I ought to not move a muscle.

But stealth is proving to be a bit harder to come by. I blame this on the fact that I have very small feet which are hard-pressed to hold up my considerable bulk, resulting in my dogs having to support more pounds-per-square-inch than any other hunter alive.

Of course, it may have something to do with the bull-in-a-china-closet phenomenon, too.

I’m practicing. I’m thinking about my stealth. And I still end up sounding like a 225-pound box of Rice Krispies snapping, crackling and popping my way through the forest.

Deer, you can imagine, don’t like that too much (though I think I’ve seen a few, hiding behind trees, stifling a chuckle or two).

Any suggestions, save walking around barefoot, would be appreciated.

Seen at my local polling place on Election Day: a petition-gatherer for the organization looking to ban bear hunting by bait and hounds, and to stop bear trapping in Maine.

Even opponents of that initiative have largely conceded that actually getting the signatures would likely not be a problem, and I’d imagine you can expect an announcement in the not-too-distant future that confirms that.

After that? Well, there’s plenty of time for both sides to get their messages out, and I’m sure they’ll pull out the stops to do just that.

News item: While signature gatherers were out in force on Tuesday in an effort to put bear baiting, hound hunting, and bear trapping on next year’s ballot, one related issue made a brief splash in a national publication.

In the Nov. 3 issue of Newsweek, writers Lynn Waddell and Arian Campo-Flores produced a 10-sentence news brief that detailed a concern one state has with bear baiting.

It seems North Carolina’s bears are developing a bit of a sweet tooth because of the half-ton blocks of candy some hunters have been using at their bait sites.

A brief excerpt:

“One bear was ‘just walking around in circles,’ says David Cobb of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. A pair lying near a candy block ‘kind of moaned and woofed at us.'”

Among the health concerns in North Carolina: cavities, hair loss and lethargy.

While many who haven’t baited bears may assume that donuts are the bait of choice in Maine, some guides who maintain a large network of baits opt for surplus candy that they receive in bulk directly from manufacturers.

According to the Newsweek story, that practice may be less common in the future: The story reports that Hershey Foods says it will not sell candy to anyone suspected of using it to lure bears.

It remains to be seen how that new policy will affect Maine bear guides.

Over the past few weeks I’ve received several e-mails asking me the same question: How’d the moose hunt turn out?

Until now, I didn’t have the answer … but I promised you I’d update as soon as the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife compiled its figures.

Well, the state released those numbers yesterday, and (forgive me if this sounds familiar) 80 percent of the lucky permit-holders succeeded in bagging their moose.

The rate is identical to the 80 percent success rate last year.

During this year’s two-week split-season hunt, 2,075 of 2,593 permit-holders ended up with a moose.

If you’re like me and your only moose-hunting experiences this year revolved around heading to the tagging station and listening to stories, remember one thing: We can always borrow a phrase from the Red Sox while we wonder if we’ll be drawn in 2004.

Wait until next year.

While we’re on the topic of moose, an important public hearing is taking place in Aroostook County tonight, and you might want to stop by. It’s at 6:30 p.m. at the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club on Parson’s Road.

The DIF&W is proposing a rule that would increase the number of moose permits available in 2004. The proposal would increase permits by 550 in Wildlife Management Districts 3, 6 and 11 in eastern Aroostook County.

Those unable to attend the hearing can be heard by e-mailing their comments to Andrea.Erskine@maine.gov, or by writing to Andrea Erskine, Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 41 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333.

Coming up: I’ll take you to Hartland and take you to a hunting camp worth noticing. Barry Welch and his cousin, Lewis Elliott, are enthusiastic about their hunting. Family members share their passion for the sport and flock to the simply named “Whitetail Deer Camp” each year to relax, unwind … and target a deer.

Barry’s daughter, Tatum, already bagged her deer (as it turns out, she’ll be glad to tell you all about it, again … and again … and again).

As of Tuesday, the rest of the family was still hopeful.

At Whitetail Deer Camp, tales are told (some of which are even publishable). Friendships are renewed. And memories are made.

I look forward to taking you there.

John Holyoke can be reached at jholyoke@bangordailynews.net or by calling 990-8214 or 1-800-310-8600.