As you read this the regular northern zone deer season will have been over for two days. Hundreds of thousands of housewives and deer will be thankful and happy to lead normal lives again. For me it is a dramatic turning point in my life. I once lived for deer and grouse hunting but that has to change. Physically I am no longer able to be at the top of my game and if I ever hunt deer again it will have to be in a different mode than I ever did in the past. I knew that time was near but have put off admitting it to myself for a long time.

It did not stop me from trying once more even if it was in a less challenging manner than I preferred in the past. Circumstances have changed dramatically in the 75 or so years since I began hunting. Access to better deer habitat and greater numbers of deer make it much easier for hunters my age to hunt. I had good hunting with my grandsons Forrest and Tecwyn Williams and their father Jim the opening weekend in the southern tier. We were guests of my good friend Wally Ifflander at his hunting camp in Allegany County.

First let me tell you about Allegany County. It is rugged, hilly, semi agricultural and sparsely populated making it ideal deer habitat. Wally’s camp and woods is on the border below Wyoming County between the hamlets of Bliss and Centerville. The area is not typical of the rural areas we are acquainted with here in the northern tier. The elevation of his land and camp is in the 2000 foot range with weather conditions similar to ours. It is a four hour drive from Thendara and that in its self is pleasurable and fulfilling if you take your time and enjoy the diversity one can expect from a 200 mile road trip.

Better than half of the highway most convenient for the trip is via the New York Thruway which many may call uninteresting if they are driving but not for my grandson Forrest who is a new driver and happy to be driving in the big leagues. The whole route is entertaining for me since I have time to look out of one eye while watching Forrest out of the other. The rest of the time I spend pointing out the high points of the various scenes we passed that played a role in my time beginning at his age.

We get off the Leroy Thruway exit and head south going through Wyoming were I pointed out to him that it is Al Stripp’s home town. It’s the town where he became the valedictorian of his high school and mowed every lawn in town at least once. We stop in Warsaw for supplies and lunch before making the last leg of the trip. Wally’s is only a half hour drive from there and several wind turbines reminiscent of Tug Hill line the rest of the way to camp.

There are miles and acres of the towering turbines that may ruin the view of some but look pretty darn good to landowners many of who are on the cusp of losing the property to the tax collector. If they have an adverse affect on the resident wildlife you would never know it based on the behavior of the deer and coyotes.

The balance of the day is spent searching out runways and erecting tree stands from which the unsuspecting deer can be waylaid. I never have to look far for my stand which is any on the ground location with a clear uninterrupted view within sight of the truck. By the way I will not be using a tree stand an old lawn chair does it for me.

We have a big spaghetti supper after which talk is all about the next day’s weather and chances of harvesting that trophy buck. I am the first one up the next morning and the last out of the camp. I am the cook and someone else gets to do the dishes. Everyone in our camp is on watch before daylight when the first shot is heard heralding the beginning of another season.

At the end of the day we have scored three deer, plenty enough to fill the freezers and take the pressure off leaving the rest of the season open for a chance at a trophy buck. The next day is Sunday and everyone but me is back out after the big one. At noon we reassemble have lunch, load up and head for home. Everyone is tired after the early rising and except for a few gestures from passengers in passing cars showing their objections to hunting the trip is uneventful. When we reach home Grandma has a leg of lamb and all the fixings ready for a supper topped off with apple pie.

PS. I forgot to mention that Centerville, three miles directly south of Wally’s camp, is famous for two things. It is a hamlet surrounding five corners and was the birthplace of another long time Old Forge resident Faith Norton retired Town of Webb school nurse. Also that I had one of the best times I ever had.