Deer Hunting

Maryland's two-week deer firearms season, during which hunters usually take nearly half of the annual harvest, opens Saturday. The state is divided into two regions, each of which includes a portion of Washington County. Region A includes Allegany and Garrett counties, and the western portion of Washington County, or Zone 2. Zone 2 lies west of a line beginning at the intersection of Md. 494 and the Pennsylvania line, south on Md. 494 to Md. 57, south on Md. 57 to U.S. 40 at St. Paul's Church, west on U.S. 40 to the junction of Big Spring Road and U.S. 40 in Clear Spring, south on Big Spring Road to the junction of Md. 56 at Big Spring, following Md. 56 west to the junction of Charles Mill Road, then south on Charles Mill Road to the Potomac River.

Most hunters would still agree that the highlight of the deer hunting season is the general firearms season. I say still agree because for many hunters, recent opportunities such as the early muzzleloader seasons now offered in many states and the bow season are the true highlights of the season. We are now in what many hunters consider to be the key period of the fall deer hunting season. Most hunters refer to it as the rut period. This is the period when a majority of the deer breeding takes place, and also the period when many older bucks are taken.

laurae@herald-mail.com For the first time in Maryland history, hunters will be allowed to shoot deer on Sunday. Gov. Robert Ehrlich signed a bill Tuesday to allow deer hunting on the first Sunday of bow season and the first Sunday of firearms season, but only on private lands in rural counties. Sunday hunting will be permitted in Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties. Ironically, a statewide hunting group led by a Washington County resident did not support the legislation.

The last of the deer season opening days will occur Monday in Pennsylvania. This period of three opening days in eight days - including West Virginia last Monday and Maryland on Saturday - represents the busiest time of the year for outdoor sports. Wildlife managers are hoping for anther big deer kill. In nearly every area the deer population is at or near maximum capacity. As this firearms seasons arrives, and begin to wind down, it's worth remembering that there are still plenty of late season opportunities for hunters to fill a deer tag in 2003 or, in some cases, early 2004.

When Hunter Paylor takes to the woods to hunt, a lot of things excite him. One task, however, clearly does not. "How to gut the deer," Hunter, 12, said, shaking his shoulders as he recalled the unpleasantness of that task. The firearms season of deer hunting began Saturday in Maryland, with hunting permitted today on private land. Hunter and his father, Todd Paylor, of Clear Spring, were picking up some needed items Friday at Keystone Sporting Goods in Hagerstown. They bought two cans of "The Buck Bomb," a scented aerosol designed to attract deer, and a plastic device that stifles coughs, since Hunter has one. "Quiet.

ANNAPOLIS - Washington County moved one step closer on Wednesday toward some Sunday deer hunting. Washington County would be added to the counties permitting bow-and-arrow hunting on private property the last three Sundays in October and the second Sunday in November. The bill, sponsored by Del. LeRoy E. Myers, R-Washington/Allegany, was approved 126-5 by the House on Wednesday evening. It now goes to the Senate. - Andrew Schotz

laurae@herald-mail.com ANNAPOLIS - A Senate panel defeated legislation Tuesday that would have permitted residents of far Western Maryland to kill nuisance bears but advanced a separate Sunday deer hunting bill. Without debate, the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee voted overwhelmingly to kill legislation crafted to help Garrett County residents who testified they are being terrorized by bears. The bill, which passed the House of Delegates earlier this session, would have allowed residents to get a permit from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to kill a nuisance bear.

ANNAPOLIS - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has announced that archery hunting for deer opens Sept. 15 and continues through Jan. 31. Several changes have been made regarding deer hunting in Maryland for the upcoming season. Two deer management regions have replaced the original four regions (Regions A, B, C, D) established in 1998. Region A now consists of Allegany and Garrett counties and Region B includes all of the remaining counties in Maryland. Region A's white-tailed deer archery bag limit is two deer, and no more than one of them can be an antlered deer.

The calendar says it is still mid-October, but the chill in the air the past couple of days tells us that fall is really here and it's time for the many deer seasons to hit high gear. Deer are literally found everywhere now. This past week I counted three road kills in the short section of I-81 starting at Halfway Boulevard and ending at the bridge over the Potomac River. There is not a lot of deer habitat in this area, but the deer are there. In our area, a lot of the deer hunting takes place on farm grounds.

A Western Maryland legislator is trying again to gain passage for a bill that would allow bow-hunters to carry handguns while hunting in some areas of the state. Sen. George C. Edwards, R-Allegany/Garrett/Washington, has introduced a bill similar to one filed last year that passed the Senate but did not get out of committee in the House of Delegates. “(Hunters) are allowed to carry a handgun as they hunt with a rifle … but you cannot carry a handgun and hunt deer with a bow,” he said.

Mr. John F. Poffenberger, 79, of 11800 Orchard Lane, Waynesboro, died at 10:22 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2012, at Meritus Medical Center near Hagerstown, Md. He had been critically ill for the past three weeks.  Born Sept. 17, 1932, in Hagerstown, he was the son of the late John R. and Lavinia (Jackson) Poffenberger.  He lived his early life in the Hagerstown area.  He was a member of the Hagerstown High School and Williamsport High School, Class of 1951.  Mr. Poffenberger served with the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from January 1952 to December 1955.

“A reduced federal budget would be easy to achieve. Find the right percentage amount and cut everyone that amount. The Republicans, however, are pursuing the route of using their hit list. Do you like clean air and water? They don't. Do you think certain business elements require oversight? They don't. Their financing overlords are playing the tune they dance to. The party of Richard Nixon lives.” - Boonsboro “What is with all these Christmas lights this year? Don't get me wrong, I really like to see them, but since they were put up at Halloween, I'm kind of tired of looking at them now. The ones at City Park are beautiful.

Maryland's two-week deer firearms season, during which hunters usually take nearly half of the annual harvest, opens Saturday. The state is divided into two regions, each of which includes a portion of Washington County. Region A includes Allegany and Garrett counties, and the western portion of Washington County, or Zone 2. Zone 2 lies west of a line beginning at the intersection of Md. 494 and the Pennsylvania line, south on Md. 494 to Md. 57, south on Md. 57 to U.S. 40 at St. Paul's Church, west on U.S. 40 to the junction of Big Spring Road and U.S. 40 in Clear Spring, south on Big Spring Road to the junction of Md. 56 at Big Spring, following Md. 56 west to the junction of Charles Mill Road, then south on Charles Mill Road to the Potomac River.

When many people hear the phrase “hunting season,” the first animal they think of is deer. Deer hunting is the most popular form of hunting in this area, and Washington County is a hot spot for it. According to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 8,587 deer were harvested in the county in 2009, the most of any county in the state. But there are plenty of other hunting opportunities that residents can take advantage of in the area, from game birds to small mammals to larger mammals.

The calendar says it is still mid-October, but the chill in the air the past couple of days tells us that fall is really here and it's time for the many deer seasons to hit high gear. Deer are literally found everywhere now. This past week I counted three road kills in the short section of I-81 starting at Halfway Boulevard and ending at the bridge over the Potomac River. There is not a lot of deer habitat in this area, but the deer are there. In our area, a lot of the deer hunting takes place on farm grounds.

In French, a "canard" is a duck, but in modern English, the word has come to have a much different meaning. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary notes that while the English meaning is derived from a French expression vendre des canards moiti - to cheat, literally, to half-sell ducks, canard means something different today. Now the dictionary defines it as a "groundless rumor or belief. " Like what? Like "all politicians are crooks" or "no woman knows how to parallel park. " Then there's my least favorite: "You're just doing this to sell newspapers.

ANNAPOLIS - Washington County moved one step closer on Wednesday toward some Sunday deer hunting. Washington County would be added to the counties permitting bow-and-arrow hunting on private property the last three Sundays in October and the second Sunday in November. The bill, sponsored by Del. LeRoy E. Myers, R-Washington/Allegany, was approved 126-5 by the House on Wednesday evening. It now goes to the Senate. - Andrew Schotz

Hunters need to clean up after field-dressing a deer To the editor: I can't possibly tell you all the things I have come to love about living in rural Washington County - the friendliness of the people to even total strangers, the relaxed pace of life, (these two are probably highly correlated), the beautiful scenery, etc. However, there are two things that I have observed that sadden me. I like to take my dog for long walks frequently and our route is usually at least in part along country roads.