Hunting Season

laurae@herald-mail.com DOWNSVILLE - Charlie Settle of Downsville didn't much mind that he came back empty-handed on the first day of Maryland's firearm deer-hunting season. At age 62 and retired, Settle figures he has two weeks to land "the big one," a 10-point buck he's been eyeing. Those trophy deer always show themselves before and after the hunting season, but darn it if they don't seem to hide when hunting season comes around, he said. "He didn't get to be 10-point for being dumb," Settle said with a chuckle.

The following are key dates for the next hunting season in Maryland: · Whitetailed deer bow season Sept. 15-Oct. 17, Oct. 22-Nov. 23, Dec. 10-14, Dec. 31, 2007-Jan. 3, 2008 and Jan. 7-31, 2008. · Deer muzzleloader season Oct. 18-20, Oct. 22-27 (antlerless only) and Dec. 15-29. · Deer regular firearms season Nov. 10 (youth only), Nov. 24-Dec. 8 and Jan. 4-5, 2008 · Wild turkey Fall season: Oct. 27-Nov. 3. Spring season: April 12, 2008 (youth only)

WASHINGTON COUNTY -- Maryland's most popular hunting season starts Saturday, and Sgt. Kenneth Turner of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police said officers are expecting a busy weekend. The two-week period for deer hunting with modern firearms runs through Dec. 13. During the 2007-08 deer hunting seasons -- which included bow, modern firearms and muzzleloader -- Washington County hunters bagged 7,205 deer, according to state data. Of those, 5,448 were killed using modern firearms and muzzleloaders, and 1,757 were killed during the bow season.

The numbers from every state show that the opening day of the deer firearms season is the biggest day of the season. Some events, such as a day-long rain, will cause the opening-day kill total to be down, but normally the total will be more than half of the overall kill for the season. Still, there are plenty of deer left in the field and forests after opening day, leaving you with the task of changing your hunting approach when you find yourself with a tag to fill when the opening day excitement passes.

CLEAR SPRING - They call it golf for rednecks. About 30 people picked up bows instead of clubs Sunday and arrows instead of golf balls, and took aim at life-size replicas of animals at the Izaak Walton League's Washington County chapter. They were preparing for the upcoming bow hunting season, which begins Saturday in Maryland. Tom Forman, vice president of the chapter, said archers aim at 30 targets, depicting deer, bears, turkeys, elk and other animals. Different points are awarded for hitting specific parts of the animal.

bonnieb@herald-mail.com FORT LOUDON, Pa. - It's easy to tell when deer hunting season is approaching in Franklin County. Pickup trucks cruise the roads slowly at night, their occupants shining spotlights into farm fields. The air is filled with the sound of hunters firing their rifles at targets to be sure their scopes are properly aligned. Keystone Country Store in Fort Loudon swarms with hunters purchasing licenses, clothing, accessories and guns. Pennsylvania rifle season opens Monday and ends Dec. 11. Both bucks and does are legal targets.

CLEAR SPRING - Fairness and safety issues prompted the mayor and Town Council to take a new approach to allowing hunting this year on town-owned property surrounding the reservoir west of town. A spirited debate led to a unanimous vote at Monday night's monthly Town Council meeting to issue temporary archery hunting permits only for the property when the season opens on Sept. 15. "I'm not taking the telephone calls at home this year," Mayor Paul Hose Jr. said. In years past, hunting permits were issued for town residents whose names are on water bills issued by the town.

Following are key dates for the next hunting season in Maryland: Whitetailed deer bow season Sept. 15-Oct. 19, Oct. 24-Nov. 25, Dec. 12-16 and Jan. 2-31, 2006. Deer muzzleloader season Oct. 20-22, Dec. 17-30 (antlered only), Dec. 31. Deer regular firearms season Nov. 12 (youth only), Nov. 26-Dec. 9 (antlered only), Dec. 10. Wild turkey Fall season: Oct. 29-Nov. 5. Spring season: April 15, 2006 (youth only)

By BRENDAN KIRBY Staff Writer SHARPSBURG - The persistent rain that battered Washington County Sunday mostly washed out the sight-in at a local hunting club. The rain even drove an official from the Maryland Wildlife Division away from the Western Maryland Sportsmen's Club. But Larry Reynolds and his family refused to be deterred. "You hunt in the rain. You might as well shoot in it," he said. "It's really nice to let us go down here. There's not too many places to shoot anymore.

Hearing held on Sunday hunting By RICHARD F. BELISLE / Staff Writer, Waynesboro Hunters have stalked game on private property in Berkeley County on Sundays since 2001 but the Berkeley County Commissioners could decide next week whether to give voters a say in the matter. continued If the commissioners vote against putting the issue to a countywide referendum, hunting on Sundays during hunting season will continue. If they vote to place the matter on the ballot, voters will decide whether Sunday hunting will continue to be allowed.

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.

o Read more Anne Weatherholt columns at washingtoncountyliving.com Special services If you are reading this on Thanksgiving morning, you might still have time to attend one of the two special worship services that will be held in our town today. At 9 a.m., the Rev. Jack Lombardi will celebrate the Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Peter Catholic Church, 16 E. High St. At 10 a.m., historic St. Thomas' Episcopal Church will host Thanksgiving Communion with traditional hymns of the day. The Rev. Allan Weatherholt and the Rev. Steven McCarty invite everyone to join them in giving thanks on this national holiday.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. -- West Virginia's deer-hunting season that begins today could not come fast enough for Jefferson County farmer Lyle "Cam" Tabb. Tabb is looking for help to stop droves of deer, sometimes up to 80 in a herd, from decimating his crops. Tabb said he has three farms in the county where he can no longer grow soybeans because of deer, and he has received crop damage permits that allow hunters to kill larger numbers of deer on his property. But the permits have barely put a dent in the problem, Tabb said.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. ? There was a lull in the arrival of deer Monday afternoon on the first day of deer season at the Blue Ridge Grocery until Mitch Jackson made it come alive. Several hunters were talking about how foggy conditions made it difficult for them to kill a deer when Jackson pulled up with a huge 10-point buck in the back of a pickup truck. "Wall hanger, baby," one hunter yelled out to Jackson. "That's the best one I've seen today," said hunter George Breeden.

CHARLES TOWN, W.VA. ? There was a lull in the arrival of deer Monday afternoon on the first day of deer season at the Blue Ridge Grocery until Mitch Jackson made it come alive. Several hunters were talking about how foggy conditions made it difficult for them to kill a deer when Jackson pulled up with a huge 10-point buck in the back of a pickup truck. "Wall hanger, baby," one hunter yelled out to Jackson. "That's the best one I've seen today," said hunter George Breeden.

The following are key dates for the next hunting season in Maryland: · Whitetailed deer bow season Sept. 15-Oct. 17, Oct. 22-Nov. 23, Dec. 10-14, Dec. 31, 2007-Jan. 3, 2008 and Jan. 7-31, 2008. · Deer muzzleloader season Oct. 18-20, Oct. 22-27 (antlerless only) and Dec. 15-29. · Deer regular firearms season Nov. 10 (youth only), Nov. 24-Dec. 8 and Jan. 4-5, 2008 · Wild turkey Fall season: Oct. 27-Nov. 3. Spring season: April 12, 2008 (youth only)

CLEAR SPRING - They call it golf for rednecks. About 30 people picked up bows instead of clubs Sunday and arrows instead of golf balls, and took aim at life-size replicas of animals at the Izaak Walton League's Washington County chapter. They were preparing for the upcoming bow hunting season, which begins Saturday in Maryland. Tom Forman, vice president of the chapter, said archers aim at 30 targets, depicting deer, bears, turkeys, elk and other animals. Different points are awarded for hitting specific parts of the animal.

Before there was a resident Canada goose season, mourning dove season in September was the first hunting season of the fall. It's still tied for the earliest opener and this year will be a split season in Maryland. The three segments run Sept. 1 to Oct. 13; Nov. 10-23 and Dec. 22 to Jan. 3, 2008. Shooting hours for the first segment are from noon until sunset, but move back to one-half hour before sunrise to sunset in the final two segments. The bag limit is 12 birds per day. A large number of resident birds that live and nest in this area and most of the shooting opportunities in the early portion of dove season will be for resident birds.

Well, here it is, the end of another strenuous three-month work year for old Syd. These are my last picks of the season. Prognosticator's log, Star date: Kate Smith ... I mean, Anna Nicole Smith ... I mean, Nov. 30, 2006. I was getting ready for a hard-earned, nine-month vacation when I got the call. I was selected to be the grand marshal of the Dargan Christmas parade. And I get to light the tree, too. I was honored, but there was a catch. I had to plan the whole darn thing.