Evening star., 1959-11-27

segment OF the George wash
ington National Forest.
Pendleton,. below Hardy. also
has sections of the George
Washington Forest as well as
part Of the Monongahela Ma
tional Forest, which covers
portions of Randolph. Poca-
hontas, Webster, Nichols and
Greenbrier Counties as well.
All these are rated excep-
tional deer hunting areas. Don't
forget that in the National
Forests you will need a special
81 stamp.
Since West Virginia reports
a good deer crop. all counties
mentioned except Nicholas will
open with four days of hunters
choice. meaning that does as
well as bucks may be killed. For
the final two days of the sea-
son, only bucks having one or
both antlers 8 inches or more
in length may be taken.
State Parks Closed
In Nicholas County, only
bucks may be killed the entire
six days. Hunters in bucks-only
counties have one consolation.
They may also hunt small
game, the hunting of which is
barred during the deer season
in the others.
All State parks and Stated
owned as well as privately
owned State game refugees and
breeding areas are closed to
hunting. Marked with official
Conservation Commission signs,
these include Horner Game
Refuge, French Greek Game
Farm, Beaverdan breeding
area and Greenbrier State
Forest.
In Virginia. deer hunting
continues generally east of the
Blue Ridge until January S.
In Maryland, the season Is
December 5 through IL.
The State has q long bow sea-
son, extending through Decem-
Der 81. Latest figures show a
total bag of So deer with nom
residents getting 26. Among the
counties, Hardy leads with 22
and Pendleton next with seven.
AS in Virginia and Maryland,
the hardness Of the trees in
shedding their leaves has made
for poor hunting. Last year bow
hunters killed lit deer in West
Virginia.
West Virginia makes it a Sc
riouS offense, punishable by a
fine of up to $1,000 plus up to a
year in Jail and five years sus-
pension of hunting privileges for
negligently shooting another
hunter.
Sinful indeed is the dim-wit
who shoots at a sound in in the
forest, but almost equally as
bad is the hunter who fires at
an object without waiting to
identify it.
In public areas crowded with
other hunters, we personally
don't like to go of on stalking
trips of our own on the chance
that we might meet the type
of lame-brain mentioned above.
Safer to Take a Stand
It's good hunting practice
and safer to find a well-trav-
eled deer trail, pick a hiding
place behind some brush or a
big tree, and take a stand to
wait for your deer. Brush the
dry leaves away from your feet
so that in shifting about to
ease any cramps you won't
make a noise.
Avoid any movement in the
brush, particularly. It's better
to hunt than be hunted. Wear
bright clothing, Of course, and
If you spot another hunter,
make sure he knows your posi-
ton. A deer springing UP might
put you in line of fire.
Taking a stand is good in
the early morning and late
afternoon when deer are NOV
ing about to feed. When heav-
lily hunted, they seek shelter
in a thicket during the day and
then must be driven out.
1t takes from IL to 20 men
to organize a drive with half
doing the driving and the other
half stationed to intercept the
deer.
This practice is safe enough
III each hunter knows the
whereabouts of his companions.
i Virginia's season west of the
Blue Ridge apparently was
successful. We know Of one
Bath. County party of 80 hunt
ers that killed "a deer.
! We did our hunting, unsuc-
ceSsful, on Shawneeland's 5000
acres a few miles beyond Win
chester. There, Owner Don
Lamborne has just blasted out
a road up Great North Noun
tain for the eventual purpose
of building a golf course and
J country club.
i The ridge has plenty of deer
and many Of the hunters were
1 fortunate, some 40 being taken
that week.