Ed Daly entered the woods on a cold day in mid-December he
Ed Daly entered the woods on a cold day in mid-December he
Ed Daly entered the woods on a cold day in mid-December he
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W<strong>he</strong>n <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ed</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Daly</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>entered</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>woods</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> a<br />
<strong>cold</strong> <strong>day</strong> <strong>in</strong><br />
<strong>mid</strong>-<strong>December</strong><br />
<strong>he</strong> could not<br />
possibly<br />
have known<br />
that his<br />
muzzleloader<br />
hunt<br />
<strong>in</strong> Tolland<br />
County<br />
would produce<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state’s<br />
largest<br />
gross-scor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
buck of<br />
2007.<br />
12<br />
Fall 2008<br />
Nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast BIG BUCKS
C<strong>on</strong>necticut’s<br />
Best Bucks<br />
T<strong>he</strong> C<strong>on</strong>stituti<strong>on</strong> State offers<br />
great trophy opportunities<br />
for New England’s deer hunters.<br />
Extended early and late arc<strong>he</strong>ry<br />
seas<strong>on</strong>s sandwic<strong>he</strong>d around<br />
a peak-rut gun seas<strong>on</strong> and an<br />
early <strong>December</strong> muzzleloader<br />
seas<strong>on</strong> make for some great<br />
hunt<strong>in</strong>g under a variety of<br />
c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. Add to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> mix <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
state’s liberal bag limits and you<br />
have <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> mak<strong>in</strong>gs from some<br />
great trophy hunt<strong>in</strong>g, especially<br />
for those hunters who can atta<strong>in</strong><br />
permissi<strong>on</strong> to hunt private land.<br />
T<strong>he</strong> 2007 seas<strong>on</strong> was def<strong>in</strong>ed by a pair of<br />
absolutely out-stand<strong>in</strong>g bucks for this state<br />
– <strong>on</strong>e taken dur<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> muzzleloader seas<strong>on</strong><br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> o<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>r dur<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> firearms seas<strong>on</strong>. In<br />
total, <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state’s hunters took 11,062 deer<br />
<strong>in</strong> 2007, down significantly from recent<br />
seas<strong>on</strong>s. But plenty of trophy-class bucks were<br />
taken. T<strong>he</strong> Nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast Big Buck Club – <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
regi<strong>on</strong>’s whitetail scor<strong>in</strong>g and record keep<strong>in</strong>g<br />
organizati<strong>on</strong> – reports that more than 65 bucks<br />
from 2007 have been scored and <str<strong>on</strong>g>entered</str<strong>on</strong>g> to<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> NBBC record books – bucks that score<br />
100” gross Bo<strong>on</strong>e & Crockett or better. For<br />
all harvest categories (<strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g bow, gun and<br />
muzzleloader) this state’s hunters took 8 bucks<br />
with gross B&C scores of 150” or better! Read<br />
<strong>on</strong> for an <strong>in</strong>-depth look at <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> best bucks that<br />
fell <strong>in</strong> this state <strong>in</strong> 2007.<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued <strong>on</strong> next page<br />
From T<strong>he</strong> 2007 Seas<strong>on</strong>!<br />
by Jeff Brown<br />
www.bigbuckclub.com Fall 2008 13
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued from previous page<br />
C<strong>on</strong>necticut’s Best of 2007<br />
It is important to note that at <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> time this article was written (Summer 2008) some<br />
great bucks from <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 2007 seas<strong>on</strong> may not have been officially scored. So what<br />
follows may not be <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> f<strong>in</strong>al tally of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> best bucks from <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 2007 seas<strong>on</strong>s, but it<br />
certa<strong>in</strong>ly gives us a reas<strong>on</strong>able means of assess<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 2007 arc<strong>he</strong>ry, firearms and<br />
muzzleloader seas<strong>on</strong>s. T<strong>he</strong> results were very impressive, with many outstand<strong>in</strong>g<br />
trophies taken from every county <strong>in</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state. Accord<strong>in</strong>g to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> NBBC, <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> gross<br />
B&C scores for <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> biggest bucks taken <strong>in</strong> C<strong>on</strong>necticut dur<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 2007 seas<strong>on</strong><br />
were:<br />
Rank Score Harvest Cat. Rack County Name<br />
1. 184 5/8 Muzzleloader N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 12-Po<strong>in</strong>t Tolland <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ed</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Daly</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
2. 178 3/8 Gun N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 13-Po<strong>in</strong>t New Haven Mark Page<br />
3. 163 1/8 Muzzleloader N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 14-Po<strong>in</strong>t Hartford Re<strong>in</strong>hart Hermann<br />
4. 162 4/8 Gun N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 11-Po<strong>in</strong>t Tolland Bob Robb<strong>in</strong>s<br />
5. 159 0/8 Gun N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 11-Po<strong>in</strong>t Litchfield Scot Leavitt<br />
6. 158 0/8 Arc<strong>he</strong>ry Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t Hartford John Miller<br />
7. 154 4/8 Gun Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t Litchfield Robert Jensen<br />
8. 149 0/8 Arc<strong>he</strong>ry Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t Middlesex Ted Berry<br />
9. 148 2/8 Muzzleloader Typical 9-Po<strong>in</strong>t New Haven Kyle Berggren<br />
10. 148 0/8 Gun Typical 8-Po<strong>in</strong>t Middlesex Joseph Wojtusik<br />
14<br />
Fall 2008<br />
Nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast BIG BUCKS
For comparis<strong>on</strong> purposes, <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> gross B&C scores for <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> biggest bucks<br />
taken <strong>in</strong> C<strong>on</strong>necticut dur<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> previous 2006 seas<strong>on</strong> were:<br />
Rank Score Harvest Cat. Rack County Name<br />
1. 175 5/8 Gun N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 12-Po<strong>in</strong>t New Haven Jeff Savarese<br />
2. 165 4/8 Arc<strong>he</strong>ry N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 13-Po<strong>in</strong>t Fairfield Ted Reutter<br />
3. 165 1/8 Gun Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t New Haven James Christiano<br />
4. 164 2/8 Arc<strong>he</strong>ry Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t Hartford Tim Hogan<br />
5. 163 6/8 Gun Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t Fairfield Alex Rocchi<br />
6. 163 2/8 Gun Typical 9-Po<strong>in</strong>t Hartford Dave Farley<br />
7. 162 0/8 Arc<strong>he</strong>ry Typical 9-Po<strong>in</strong>t New L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong> Mike Smolicz<br />
8. 156 2/8 Gun Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t Litchfield Robert Turt<strong>on</strong><br />
9. 155 5/8 Arc<strong>he</strong>ry N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 14-Po<strong>in</strong>t Tolland Michael Hevey<br />
10. 155 0/8 Arc<strong>he</strong>ry N<strong>on</strong>-Typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t Middlesex Robert McCarthy<br />
As you can see from <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>se scores, this states’ muzzleloader<br />
hunters took three of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> top ten bucks, after not even appear<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> top ten for 2006. Firearms hunters did well also, but arc<strong>he</strong>ry<br />
hunters posted fewer top end bucks. A strange “reversal of<br />
fortune” for <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state’s hunters, who typically load up <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> top ten<br />
with arc<strong>he</strong>ry bucks. Is this <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of a new trend, or just a<br />
<strong>on</strong>e year anomaly? I guess <strong>on</strong>ly time will tell!<br />
Here is a roundup of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> best bucks taken <strong>in</strong> C<strong>on</strong>necticut dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
each of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> separate seas<strong>on</strong>s, plus some detailed <strong>in</strong>formati<strong>on</strong> about<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> #1 buck from <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state <strong>in</strong> 2007!<br />
CONNECTICUT’S BEST BUCK of<br />
2007:<br />
T<strong>he</strong> 184 5/8” <str<strong>on</strong>g>Daly</str<strong>on</strong>g> Buck – W<strong>he</strong>n <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ed</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Daly</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>entered</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>woods</str<strong>on</strong>g> <strong>on</strong> a <strong>cold</strong> <strong>day</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>mid</strong>-<strong>December</strong> <strong>he</strong> could<br />
not possibly have known that his muzzleloader hunt <strong>in</strong><br />
Tolland County would produce <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state’s largest grossscor<strong>in</strong>g<br />
buck of 2007. And for that matter, this impressive<br />
buck is <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> largest gross-scor<strong>in</strong>g whitetail taken anyw<strong>he</strong>re<br />
<strong>in</strong> New England dur<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 2007 seas<strong>on</strong>! This giant buck<br />
has some eye-popp<strong>in</strong>g characteristics. At first blush <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
rack looks very “typical” – <strong>in</strong> fact it has just three abnormal<br />
po<strong>in</strong>ts total<strong>in</strong>g just over 14”. So as a typical 9-Po<strong>in</strong>t it scores<br />
a whopp<strong>in</strong>g 170 3/8”! But <str<strong>on</strong>g>Ed</str<strong>on</strong>g> chose to enter <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> buck to<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> Nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast Big Buck Club record book as a n<strong>on</strong>-typical,<br />
giv<strong>in</strong>g it full credit for all twelve of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> po<strong>in</strong>ts <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> rack.<br />
T<strong>he</strong> f<strong>in</strong>al gross n<strong>on</strong>-typical score was 184 5/8”, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> net<br />
B&C score, after asymmetry deducti<strong>on</strong>s, is 171 4/8”. T<strong>he</strong><br />
buck has a great <strong>in</strong>side spread (over 19”!) and ma<strong>in</strong> beams of<br />
26 5/8” each. T<strong>he</strong> l<strong>on</strong>gest t<strong>in</strong>es are 10 5/8” (right) and 12 6/8”<br />
(left) and bases are massive at 5 3/8” and 5 4/8”. It would<br />
be hard to imag<strong>in</strong>e a more impressive frame for this great<br />
animal. T<strong>he</strong> state of C<strong>on</strong>necticut should be proud that such a<br />
magnificent animal came from with<strong>in</strong> its borders, and is <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
largest gross-scor<strong>in</strong>g buck from anyw<strong>he</strong>re <strong>in</strong> New England <strong>in</strong><br />
2007 accord<strong>in</strong>g to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> NBBC records!<br />
BEST MUZZLELOADER BUCKS of 2007<br />
It has been quite some time s<strong>in</strong>ce C<strong>on</strong>necticut hunters<br />
experienced an “<strong>in</strong>spir<strong>in</strong>g” muzzleloader seas<strong>on</strong> such as<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y did <strong>in</strong> 2007. In fact, you have to reach all <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> way<br />
back till <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 2000 seas<strong>on</strong> to f<strong>in</strong>d a muzzleloader buck<br />
am<strong>on</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> top five killed <strong>in</strong> a particular seas<strong>on</strong>. And<br />
even more impressive fact – <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Daly</str<strong>on</strong>g> and Hermann<br />
bucks listed <strong>in</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> top ten from 2007 are currently<br />
ranked #2 and #3 All-time <strong>in</strong> this state for n<strong>on</strong>-typical<br />
muzzleloader bucks, beh<strong>in</strong>d Henry K<strong>on</strong>ow Jr’s 206<br />
3/8” 19-Po<strong>in</strong>t from <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 2000 seas<strong>on</strong>. This is a very<br />
impressive show<strong>in</strong>g for <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> states smoke-pole hunters.<br />
We menti<strong>on</strong>ed <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Daly</str<strong>on</strong>g> buck above, so we should<br />
give some “props” to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> Hermann buck as well. This<br />
wild-look<strong>in</strong>g 14-Po<strong>in</strong>t n<strong>on</strong>-typical has an amaz<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>side spread of 26 6/8”, and sports six abnormal po<strong>in</strong>ts<br />
total<strong>in</strong>g more than 23” of abnormal growth. T<strong>he</strong> buck<br />
is massive with bases over 5”, and has excellent t<strong>in</strong>e<br />
length with two t<strong>in</strong>es that almost reach <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 10” mark. This is truly<br />
a unique trophy. Let’s hope <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>se great muzzleloader bucks from<br />
2007 are <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g of trend that will see this state c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to produce some of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> Nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast’s best primitive weap<strong>on</strong> bucks!<br />
BEST ARCHERY BUCKS of 2007 – T<strong>he</strong> 2007 seas<strong>on</strong><br />
produced fewer outstand<strong>in</strong>g arc<strong>he</strong>ry bucks for this state than<br />
usual. Typically <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> “top 10” for any seas<strong>on</strong> is dom<strong>in</strong>ated by bow<br />
bruisers, but this was not <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> case last year. As we menti<strong>on</strong>ed<br />
above, <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> largest bow buck of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> year fell to an arc<strong>he</strong>r John<br />
Miller <strong>in</strong> Hartford county. T<strong>he</strong> massive typical 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t had bases<br />
of over 5” each. It ranks as <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> #16 typical arc<strong>he</strong>ry buck of all<br />
time <strong>in</strong> this state. One o<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>r impressive buck cracked <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> top 10,<br />
and just missed <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 150” mark – Ted Berry’s 149” 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t from<br />
Middlesex County. This buck dressed 195 lbs. O<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>r impressive<br />
2007 bucks <strong>in</strong>cluded Thomas Van Leeuwen’s impressive n<strong>on</strong>typical<br />
from Fairfield County scor<strong>in</strong>g 146 4/8”, and sport<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a 6 4/8” drop t<strong>in</strong>e, and Mike Zan<strong>in</strong>ni’s 138 1/8” 9-Po<strong>in</strong>t from<br />
New L<strong>on</strong>d<strong>on</strong> County that dressed 190 lbs. Notice also that <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>se<br />
m<strong>on</strong>sters came from counties all across <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state!<br />
BEST GUN BUCKS of 2007 – Gun hunters took <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ir share<br />
of bucks <strong>in</strong> 2007 that made <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> NBBC records, with four bucks<br />
that cracked <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> 150” mark, and five <strong>in</strong> total that made <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> top<br />
ten list<strong>in</strong>g for <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> year. T<strong>he</strong> best firearms buck of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> year – Mark<br />
Page’s 178 3/8” n<strong>on</strong>-typical 12-po<strong>in</strong>t – ranks #13 all-time for this<br />
state’s firearm n<strong>on</strong>-typicals. Page’s buck was very impressive all<br />
around, with a 17 4/8” <strong>in</strong>side spread, beams over 25”, several t<strong>in</strong>es<br />
<strong>in</strong> excess of 10” each, and bases of about 5” each! T<strong>he</strong> New Haven<br />
county m<strong>on</strong>ster dressed 180 lbs. An<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>r impressive n<strong>on</strong>-typical fell<br />
to Bob Robb<strong>in</strong>s <strong>in</strong> Tolland county (162 4/8” 11-Po<strong>in</strong>t) and Scott<br />
Leavitt <strong>in</strong> Litchfield Count (159” 11-Po<strong>in</strong>t). Leavitt’s buck dressed<br />
214 lbs as well! T<strong>he</strong> best typical firearm buck of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> year fell to<br />
Robert Jensen <strong>in</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> western porti<strong>on</strong> of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state. His Litchfield<br />
county 10-Po<strong>in</strong>t scored 154 4/8”. Notice that <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>se great bucks<br />
were taken across <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state, from counties east to west, and north<br />
to south. Like <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> arc<strong>he</strong>rs, gun hunters found good success <strong>in</strong> just<br />
about every acre of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state, which c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ues to produce some of<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued <strong>on</strong> page 37<br />
www.bigbuckclub.com Fall 2008 15
Adventures of <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> Rough Cuts<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued from page 35<br />
Gramp and Harold did <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> dragg<strong>in</strong>g.<br />
Back <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>n, any game <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> wardens<br />
salvaged <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y could sell, so <strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> way<br />
back to camp Gramp asked if <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y could<br />
buy <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> doe for some camp meat and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
warden said that <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>re was a wait<strong>in</strong>g list.<br />
“But see<strong>in</strong>g you fellows <strong>he</strong>lped and all, I’ll<br />
sell it to you. It will be five dollars for a<br />
doe that size.<br />
Back at camp <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> warden came <strong>in</strong> to do <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
paper work and paid Gramp and Harold<br />
five dollars for <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ir <strong>he</strong>lp.<br />
Will had d<strong>in</strong>ner all ready and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y<br />
<strong>in</strong>vited <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> warden to set. After d<strong>in</strong>ner,<br />
Will brought out a gall<strong>on</strong> of his legendary<br />
hard cider which lit <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> warden’s eyes<br />
up. He was known to like a dr<strong>in</strong>k now<br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>n. It took a while to do <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> paper<br />
work and every time <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> warden’s glass got<br />
empty <strong>he</strong> would smack his lips, say how<br />
good that cider was, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y’d pour him<br />
ano<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>r. F<strong>in</strong>ally <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> paper work got d<strong>on</strong>e<br />
and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y sat around tell<strong>in</strong>g stories and each<br />
time that warden’s glass got empty <strong>he</strong>’d spy<br />
that jug and smack his lips and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y’d pour<br />
him ano<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>r. T<strong>he</strong> warden downed about 3<br />
glasses to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ir <strong>on</strong>e, and w<strong>he</strong>n <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> jug was<br />
empty <strong>he</strong> started to leave but his legs no<br />
l<strong>on</strong>ger would support his weight and <strong>he</strong><br />
was <strong>in</strong>troduced to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> floor.<br />
Gramp and Harold <strong>he</strong>lped him up, got<br />
him <strong>in</strong>to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ir car, and drove him home.<br />
About <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> time <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y got him to <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> door it<br />
opened and his wife, a big woman, grabbed<br />
hold of him, yanked him <strong>in</strong>side, and<br />
slammed <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> door (a “true story.”)<br />
Gramp and Harold got <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ir butts out of<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>re fast, <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>y couldn’t <strong>he</strong>ar what was said<br />
but <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>re was an awful lot of yell<strong>in</strong>g go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>on</strong> <strong>in</strong> that house.<br />
T<strong>he</strong> next even<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> warden stopped at<br />
camp. “Will, hide <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> cider before <strong>he</strong> gets<br />
<strong>in</strong>side!”<br />
“Did you fellows pay me for that doe<br />
last night? It seems I am five dollars short.<br />
Harold said, “Sure we paid you, I’ve got<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> receipt right <strong>he</strong>re.”<br />
After <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> warden left, Gramp looked at<br />
Harold and said, “We never paid for that<br />
doe.”<br />
Harold said, “I know, but I got <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
receipt that says we did, why <strong>he</strong> drank<br />
more than five dollars worth of cider so that<br />
makes it even. “Will, get that back strap <strong>in</strong><br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> skillet!”<br />
C<strong>on</strong>necticut's Best 2007 Bucks<br />
c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ued from page 17<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast’s very best gun bucks.<br />
2007 Summary, and <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> Outlook<br />
for 2008<br />
Several nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>astern states set new state<br />
records dur<strong>in</strong>g <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> last several hunt<strong>in</strong>g<br />
seas<strong>on</strong>s. While this state has not establis<strong>he</strong>d<br />
new records, local hunters have taken<br />
many deer that score 170-180” or better<br />
dur<strong>in</strong>g that time period. T<strong>he</strong> nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast<br />
is poised to c<strong>on</strong>t<strong>in</strong>ue its’ <strong>in</strong>credible<br />
renaissance as a trophy buck hunt<strong>in</strong>g<br />
dest<strong>in</strong>ati<strong>on</strong>. In C<strong>on</strong>necticut it is obvious<br />
that we are experienc<strong>in</strong>g str<strong>on</strong>g trophy<br />
buck harvests across <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> state, and <strong>in</strong> all<br />
three hunt<strong>in</strong>g seas<strong>on</strong> segments (<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> arc<strong>he</strong>ry,<br />
muzzleloader and firearms segments). We<br />
can rema<strong>in</strong> c<strong>on</strong>fident that 2008 will produce<br />
opportunities for hunters <strong>in</strong> all seas<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
all counties.<br />
To learn more about <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> big bucks<br />
taken <strong>in</strong> 2007 throughout New<br />
England, Pennsylvania and New York,<br />
visit <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> Nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast Big Buck Club<br />
<strong>on</strong>l<strong>in</strong>e at www.bigbuckclub.com, or<br />
c<strong>on</strong>tact <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>m by mail at 390 Marshall<br />
Street, Paxt<strong>on</strong>, MA 01612; by ph<strong>on</strong>e<br />
at (508) 752-8762; and by email at<br />
<strong>in</strong>fo@bigbuckclub.com.<br />
In T<strong>he</strong><br />
Next Issue<br />
Our Big<br />
Sportsmen's<br />
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Across <str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g> Nor<str<strong>on</strong>g>t<strong>he</strong></str<strong>on</strong>g>ast<br />
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Seas<strong>on</strong>s <strong>in</strong> New England,<br />
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Bear Hunt<strong>in</strong>g!<br />
www.bigbuckclub.com Fall 2008 37