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Author: Kacie Cotter-Harrigan

Grateful for Day’s End

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Families Today.

Everyone hates changing the clocks, right?
I’ve found it to be so hard on the little ones—for a solid week after the time change, my little boys tend to be not tired when they should be or they’re very tired and I’m trying to keep them up for just one more hour. It messes with naptime and bedtime and the morning routine, and I’m always grateful when that week comes to an end, because we’re usually all back on track by that time.

But one thing I really love about the time change in the fall is the early darkness. We have quiet time until around 5 p.m. (naptime for the baby and a snooze on the couch for myself as well; quiet play and/or a movie for the middle kids; homework for the big kids), and by that time, after the Fall Behind, the house has darkened, and the first I thing I do when I get up from the couch is pull the curtains, turn the lights on, and heat up a cup of coffee to get me through dinner and bedtime. I sit back on the couch with my hot mug, and little boys snuggle with me while we all reanimate after our cozy quiet time. 

More than just the increased coziness of the lights being turned on and the curtains being closed is the lovely feeling of securing us all in for the night. I’ve always loved when all of us are finally home after our day of busyness, and the relief of changing into pajamas for the rest of the evening since we’re done going and doing and seeing other people. It feels safe, and like a sigh of relief. It’s different in the spring and summer—the evenings still hold possibility with their late sunsets and warm temperatures—but the cold and dark of the fall and winter lend itself to hunkering down. Do you know that word “hygge”? That’s what fall and winter evenings at home are for me after we’ve locked our door for the night—warmth, coziness, contentment.

Not to say that our evenings are always calm and serene—there are the evenings when everyone behaves while I’m making dinner and then they get caught up in quiet activities after dinner like Legos, reading, and homework, and those are the very best (in fact, life never seems more perfect than those times), but more often (much more often) the boys are amped up because they’re hungry and then Dad gets home and even with full bellies after dinner it seems like the perfect time to wrestle and annoy each other. I don’t sigh with relief at this time of day because everyone is calm and quiet, but rather because I love the feeling that we’ve met our outside-the-house requirements for the day and we’re well within reason to decide we’re done until tomorrow.

I should also mention that I don’t hate evening activities—trick or treating, high school basketball games, holiday dinners with friends and family, checking out the city’s Christmas lights, going out for evening snow shoveling and playing, heading out in the dark to pick up the boys from friends’ houses or school functions are all things I think of when this time of year comes around, and I look forward to them all! But on those days, as much as I love those activities, I still feel such a welcome “unwinding” when we’re finally all home for the night.

It’s no surprise to me that I’m feeling this all more profoundly right now, when being outside the house and among other people—even loved ones—represents an increased risk of spreading sickness, which is stressful in and of itself, even when the risk is necessary and worth it (church, grocery store, school, the family and friends in our “bubble”). And of course, with the stress and contention of election season and even now in the wake of Election Day, “outside the house” especially includes social media, which is harder to shut out, but so worth trying to do—a virtual “turning off the porch light” if you will. I like the quote attributed to William J. Bennett: “Home is a shelter from storms—all sorts of storms.” I guess that’s what I’m getting at, in my usual wordy way. 

One of my very dearest hopes is that when the clocks change again in the spring, the longer days and increased sunshine run parallel to increased hope in regards to the pandemic, increased safety outside the house, decreased social unrest, and less of a desire to hole up and hibernate at home. In the meantime, I’m so grateful for days that end with cozy nights at home with my loved ones, and I hope for the same for you all. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Kate and her husband have seven sons ages 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, and 2. Follow her at facebook.com/kmtowne23, or email her at kmtowne23@gmail.com.

November is Long-Term Care Awareness Month

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Families Today.

Seven-in-ten retirees will need some form of long-term care, which means that, for couples, there is a 91% chance of one spouse needing care. 

November is Long-Term Care Awareness Month. Let’s talk about how you can provide for your care, while protecting your family and assets from the risks associated with long-term care. This is an issue that will affect nearly everyone.

People generally plan for their long-term care for two reasons. First, they want to make sure that they receive the best care available, by qualified caregivers. Second, they want to make sure that their assets are protected so that their spouse will be able to continue his/her standard of living. The average widow outlives her husband by twelve years – what will those years look like if the couple’s nest egg was spent on her husband’s long-term care?

In this part of New York, long-term care can cost upwards of $10,000/month.  With an average nursing home stay of more than 2.5 years, you can see how quickly assets can be depleted. So, what is a person to do?

Some people are adamant that they will take care of their spouse in the event they need care. This strategy is well-intentioned, but generally not the best. Often care begins with one spouse providing it, but the needs can quickly outpace the spouse’s ability or skill level.  Could your spouse pull you out of a bathtub today? Could they do it twenty years from now? Are they the most qualified person to provide care?   What if your spouse pre-deceases you? Who will take care of your spouse after you die?

Gifting and trusts used to be a popular way to protect assets, however uncertainty in the legal landscape makes this a risky strategy. There is currently a five-year look back period for gifts, and it’s very possible that period could be extended. Will you know when you’re five years from needing care? What if the look back goes to ten years? Today, we see this type of planning used when a more effective strategy isn’t available. 

Bar-none, the most effective strategy for planning for the day your health changes is private long-term care insurance. Insurance can provide the flexibility of receiving care from a qualified professional caregiver in your home, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home, or in all three setting as your needs change. This means that you can still be surrounded by your loved-ones, without burdening them with your care.  We feel the prime age range for securing coverage is in your mid- to late-50s, while you’re still healthy enough to qualify, although your needs may differ.

Here’s what to look for in a long-term care policy:

1. A good insurance policy should include an inflation protection component, so that the policy’s benefit will increase as the cost of care increases. These inflation protection benefits are generally available with between 3% and 5% annual increases. 
2. A policy should allow you to receive care where and how you like: in your home, an assisted living facility, or a nursing home, as your needs demand.
3. Many policies will offer a cash benefit; a portion of your benefit paid directly to you rather than to your care provider. This benefit can be used for in-home modifications and other expenses related to your needs.
4. Your policy should provide a daily benefit large enough to cover the cost of care in the region you plan to receive it. Remember that any shortfall will have to be paid out-of-pocket.
5. Make sure your carrier has a high credit rating. Since any guarantees are based on the claims-paying ability of the carrier, you’ll want to be confident your carrier will still be around when it comes time to pay for your care. 

When you’re young and providing for a family, the risk to your family is that you’ll die prematurely. Once you’re retired, the risk is often no longer death, but the day your health changes.  Do you have a plan to provide for your care? Long-term care insurance is not the only way to plan for your care and associated expenses, but it is the most foolproof.  If you don’t qualify for insurance, then trust work or gifting may be necessary. 

At the very least, you should be discussing your needs with your family and your Certified Financial Planner® professional to ensure that you know your options, and are able to make an informed decision on a strategy.  Your advisor is the best person to educate you about the options, based on their understanding of your unique circumstances.

 Stephen Kyne, CFP® is a Partner at Sterling Manor Financial, LLC in Saratoga Springs and Rhinebeck.

Students Ready for a Change?

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Education.

Now that the first quarter of the school year is coming to a close, districts across the region are making changes to their instructional models and giving parents the option to switch how their children are currently learning. 

CUSTOMIZING PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Each school district has taken a different approach to hosting in-school learning while also maintaining the option for students to opt-out completely from their in-person or hybrid options and be fully-remote learners. 

Staying flexible enough to adapt to these uncertain times has provided our public-school students the opportunity for a customized learning experience.

REMOTE, YET REACHING OUT
As they come to the close of their first marking period, the Ballston Spa Central School District has an average of 24 percent of their more than 4,000 students who are fully-remote. 

“Each week it changes. There was a three-week period where we had 100 appeals from parents to move their students to fully-remote learning,” said District Superintendent Ken Slentz.

Ballston Spa’s hybrid setting has been organized based on the number of students they can accommodate in their buildings and on the buses. Currently, all grades are remote on Fridays and on days when enough in-person educational space isn’t available. 

Grades K-5 are in-person Monday – Thursday, grades 6 – 8 are divided by alphabet (with half in-person Monday and Tuesday and half in-person Wednesday and Thursday). The high-schoolers, grades 9 – 12, are in-person every other week (with grades 9 and 10 in-person Monday – Thursday one week and grades 11 and 12 the alternate week). 

“It’s so new, we really don’t have ‘best practices’, but we do have ‘promising practices’ in place. One of these is that on Fridays we reach out to our remote learners who haven’t been participating in the way we need or want them to. Our counselors are using this time to get connected to the extent that we can,” said Slentz.

READYING FOR THE WINTER
This week, it was announced that the New York State Public High School Athletic Association has delayed the start-date for “low-risk” winter sports including bowling, skiing and boys swimming/diving and may not allow “high-risk” sports such as basketball, ice hockey and cheer/dance this season. 

Additionally, it was announced that out-of-state holiday travel will require the proof of two negative COVID tests or a mandatory 14-day quarantine before students are allowed back at school for in-person learning. 

“Parents are very well informed and I do expect, as the numbers of infections continue to rise and parents are hearing that there’s not going to be sports, to see there are more opting for fully-remote in the coming months,” said Slentz.

For everyone at school, the district continues to emphasize the importance of adhering to the health protection procedures they’ve put in place. 

“Particularly with the virus growing in-state and in the country, it’s just not the time to relax procedures. We have to maintain healthy habits and remain disciplined,” said Slentz. 

Ballston Spa will no longer switch-off accepting appeals to change student learning models on November 20. Parents can take advantage of their new rolling appeals deadline until at least December 18th. If they’d like to change their child’s learning model, they can contact their building’s principal or go to www.bscsd.org for more information.

Ways You Can Help Save Our Locals

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Business.

Starting in late-March as our economy was shut down, the Chamber has teamed up in an unprecedented fashion with Discover Saratoga, the Saratoga Springs DBA, the City Center, and the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership to do everything we could to help our local businesses to survive the COVID 19 pandemic.

We’ve helped hundreds maybe thousands of local businesses across Saratoga County. We’ve served members and non-members seeking to help everyone in this crisis. We’ve been relentless in our communications keeping people informed and answering their questions. No one’s done more promotion of local businesses than we have collectively. We’ve been advocates at the Federal, State, County and local levels. We’ve helped promote local efforts and programs designed to help local people from hospitality workers, to essential workers, to health care workers, and first responders.

Darryl Leggieri, Deann Devitt, Ryan McMahon, Shelby Schneider and I have dozens if not hundreds of thank you notes, emails and texts from those we’ve helped. I can’t speak for them but I know that I have worked harder in these last 8 months than I have in my entire 25-year career in chamber work. The work we’ve done, however, has been humbling in that those in need really needed our help. Their businesses and their way of life was at risk. The safety of their employees and their customers was at risk. With every call we took, you could hear the anxiety, the fear and the determination thankfully.

We’ve said throughout this process that we’re Stronger Together. Now that winter is here and COVID 19 is likely to be around for some time, this will be even more important going forward. We’re already seeing businesses close or announce plans to shut down for the winter. Those who remain in business are likely to still be restricted as to the number of customers they can serve at any one time whether they are barber shops and salons, yoga or fitness studios, museums or restaurants, clothing stores or flower shops. These restrictions to keep people safe are limiting the ability for local businesses, in particular, to make money and to sustain their operations.

So our five organizations have now formally launched our SAVE OUR LOCALS campaign. This campaign is an invitation to everyone in our communities locally to help. Shop local. Dine out or do take out local and remember to tip big. Hire local contractors. Purchase every product or service you need at home or at your place of business locally. If you must shop online, try to do so locally too. Our local businesses are counting on you and me to spend whatever discretionary monies we have at local businesses. Help the local businesses you love before they are gone forever.

The importance and value of the SAVE OUR LOCALS campaign was made clear to me because of a call from Anita Daly, the Chair of the Saratoga County Capital Resources Corporation (CRC). The CRC wanted to support this campaign. She asked for details on what we would be doing and how they might help. I told her that we hoped to raise $10,000 to support this campaign. A few days later, she called to tell me that the Saratoga County Capital Resources Corporation voted to donate $10,000. They wanted us to be able to do everything we planned. They wanted to go big in the effort to support local independent businesses across Saratoga County. Besides this donation, the Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association and the Mechanicville-Stillwater Chamber of Commerce also signed up to partner with our five organizations. 

You can see how these funds are being used by going to www.saratoga.org and clicking the SAVE OUR LOCALS button. From this page, you can get a list and links to local stores and businesses offering online gift cards. You can see an updated list of local restaurants doing take-out. We have a web page with links to local nonprofits who need our support as well. Visit us on social media to see the hundreds of posts we’re doing every week to promote local businesses, their hours of operation, their products, their specials and their Holiday gift ideas. We have SAVE OUR LOCALS posters too. We’re producing videos as well with tips and suggestions on how to SAVE OUR LOCALS. We’ve set up a help line for business owners to call to get answers or to get help. Our volunteer SCORE business advisors are ready to help business owners to adapt and to pivot their business plans, marketing, or operations to survive.

Like the Capital Resources Corporation, we’re going BIG to SAVE OUR LOCALS. We’re all wearing masks to keep each other safe and healthy. We all need to support local businesses as well to keep our local economy healthy too.

Major Calvin W. Preston of Galway: Soldier & Hurricane Survivor

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in History.

On the sunny morning of October 21, 1861 – to cheers from tens of thousands of citizens, with bands playing and the roar of cannons – Calvin W. Preston, Galway farmboy boarded a towboat-drawn barge at the Albany, NY docks with other soldiers of the Ellsworth Avengers regiment for the beginning of a dangerous and arduous journey that would lead to perhaps the most important battle of the Civil War: Gettysburg. 

Born on February 28, 1845, he was the fifth son of Dr. and Mrs. Calvin Preston.  The Prestons, originally from Antwerp, NY were attracted to Galway by family connections and the potential for a thriving medical practice. They settled on East St. in the 1830s where they built a six bedroom home and raised a large family.

Caught up in the furor over the death of Elmer Ellsworth, Mechanicville native, Abraham Lincoln confidant and the first Union soldier to be killed in the Civil war – at age 16 Calvin enlisted in the 44th New York State Volunteer Infantry Regiment, aka Ellsworth Avengers on September 2, 1861 as a drummer.  He was active in General George McCellan’s ill-fated Peninsula Campaign, a failed attempt to occupy Richmond, Va. – capital of the Confederacy.  At the campaign’s end he contracted dysentery, was sent home for the “Northern Cure” returning to his regiment in time to participate in the Battle of Gettysburg. In the aftermath he assisted in the care of the wounded and the seemingly endless task of burial of the dead.

Mustered out on October 11, 1864, he trained as a druggist and in 1866 joined his brother James, who had served in the Confederate Army, in Galveston, Texas.  Four years later James passed away under mysterious circumstances and shortly afterward Calvin married his widow. Calvin became a prominent citizen of Galveston operating a drug store at a location in the business district referred to as Preston Corner, was a high ranking member of the Free Masons and Texas Society- Sons of the American Revolution, and a member of the Texas Volunteer Guard with the position of Major and Inspector General.

On September 8, 1900 with no advance warning a hurricane passed through Galveston.  Looked upon initially as routine flooding in a city whose maximum elevation was 8 feet above normal high tide 8000 lives were lost; it remains the worst natural disaster in US history. 

Calvin responded heroically in the rescue of his family, wading home from his office as conditions worsened, managing to borrow a rowboat along the way.  Upon arrival he found them standing on the dining room table.  Crowding them into the boat he pushed it through shoulder deep water to the nearby Rosenberg School, a 3 story, massive stone and concrete structure, with wind gusting to over 100 MPH.

The night spent there was not a comfortable one as the level 4 hurricane buffeted the structure with wind gusts of up to 180 MPH and a storm tide of 15-20 feet.  To make matters worse a lightning strike caused the internal collapse of a chimney flue, resulting in deaths of people huddled below.

Disposal of bodies was an overwhelming task, a description better left to other historical accounts. The effort to rebuild Galveston after the storm took several years and included the construction of a 17 foot high seawall to prevent future storm related disasters. 

For Calvin the aftermath was too much to bear, the memory of similar carnage and loss of life at Gettysburg still clear in his mind.  Two of his brothers – William and Platt – wealthy mill owners in Waitsburg, Washington invited him and his family to move there, providing him with a job in one of their businesses.  He again prospered and was elected mayor of the city.  His untimely death came 5 years later due to pleurisy.

Well liked and respected, the homage to him at the funeral service concluded with the words of William Shakespeare:

His life was gentle and the elements so mixed in him that nature might stand up and say to all the world, “this was a man.”

Cross Country Girls Rank #1 in U.S.

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Sports.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —Throughout the United States, cross-country competitions look very different this year, but the Saratoga Springs Girls XC team has been facing the challenges and defending their status as the top-ranked team in the nation.

“It’s very different this year but in spite of that, they’re doing a fantastic job,” said Saratoga Girls XC coach Linda Kranick.

GETTING THE JOB DONE
With many of their meets cancelled and those that weren’t being run in separate locations than their competitors, the cross-country team has had to rely on other forms of motivation to get the job done. 

“The most important thing is to be safe and healthy. The Suburban Council is being very cautious and proactive to ensure that happens. These girls are doing it all on their own and still are the strongest in the country,” said Kranick.

Linda Kranick and her husband, Art, have been coaching cross-country in Saratoga for 36 years. The Kranicks have helped guide generations of athletes to achieve greatness in their sport and led the Saratoga girls to earn their 10th national title last year (running under the name Kinetic XC) in Portland, Oregon. 

Their style not only creates amazing athletes but ones who continue to stay connected to the coaches who inspired them.

“It’s less about competing with each other and more about working with each other to improve and do the best we can,” said junior Ella Kurto.

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A WINNING ATTITUDE
It was an unseasonably warm, sunny afternoon on Friday, yet the Saratoga Girls XC excelled in their 15-50 dual meet win against Shenendehowa. 

The Blue Streaks took the top three spots at Saratoga Spa State Park with Ella Kurto running the 3.04-mile course in 17:50.1, junior Mackenzie Hart on her heels (17:51.8), and freshman Emily Bush coming in at 17:55.

Keeping a cool head and a steady focus (despite the unusual sports season and the temperatures) has been instrumental to their success. 

“We just try to stay positive, no matter what,” said Emily Bush.

Their dedication is matched only by their desire for continuing improvement. 

“We try to make goals and focus on them while also staying positive,” added Kurto.

The high school team’s success has been possible for so many years because of the encouragement they’ve experienced coming in from all sides. 

“This is a great group of girls, they’re very close. My husband and I are still enjoying it and have no plans of retiring. We’ve also had great athletic directors to support us, which includes Nicholas McPortland, who took over the position last year, and Peter Sheehan before him,” said Kranick.

The Saratoga Girls XC team has one more meet on their roster before their November 21st run for the championship title.

From Schuylerville Grad to College Soccer Standout

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Sports.

A readiness to embrace change set Ashley Flynn on her path of excellence. 

After Ashley Flynn graduated from Schuylerville High School in 2017, she was eager to begin playing soccer at Paul Smith’s College.

“I was excited. It was going to be different. I’d be with a whole new team and I couldn’t wait for that,” she said. 

Flynn’s interest in the outdoors, academic aspirations, and personality made her a good fit for the school.

“I definitely look for hard working players with integrity and who will be coachable,” said Bailey Waterbury, Head Women’s Soccer Coach at Paul Smith’s College.

WELL-POSITIONED TO PLAY ANY POSITION
Now a senior, Flynn’s readiness to fill any open position on the team during her college career made her a standout soccer player. 

“I was really, really thankful she stepped-up and filled those positions. At practice she was giving 100 percent and had a good attitude. She’s been a great teammate both on and off the field,” said Waterbury. 

From striker, to midfield, defender, and goalkeeper, Flynn’s versatility transformed her into a natural team leader. 

“It was tough playing goal because I missed playing in the field but I had to step up and put my best effort into every game anyway,” she said. 

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EXPLORING NEW FRONTIERS
Exposed to leadership activities while in Schuylerville High School’s FFA program, developing these skills during times of change added tremendous value to the team’s experiences this year as well, despite competitive collegiate soccer being cancelled because of COVID concerns.

“She’s really come out of her shell and been a leader on our team. Ashley is one of those people the others girls can look to,” said Waterbury.

This year, the team started out their season with team bonding experiences including hiking, kayaking, and running.

Now, they practice three times a week and compete in weekly scrimmages against the Paul Smith’s men’s soccer team.

Knowing they can never take any day they are together for granted – whether it is for practice or for a game – the Paul Smith’s soccer team is looking forward to playing competitively again next fall, but will miss Flynn’s positive presence on the field.

“I wish Ashley the best and will miss her a lot, we all will,” said Waterbury.

After graduation, Ashley Flynn plans to move out West to become a park ranger. Her advice for other high school students looking to embrace change and compete on the college level is to start early.

“Contact the coaches, arrange for a campus visit and to meet the other players. Then, when you get to college, you’ll already know them and they’ll help you feel welcome,” she said. 

Breeder’s Cup: End-of-the-year Championship Race

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Winner's Circle.

Since 1984 the thoroughbred racing world has had its own end-of-the-year championship races.

First dubbed the Breeders’ Cup and then later changed to Breeders’ Cup World Championship, the two-day event to be run on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7 consists of 14 races in numerous categories for total purses of $31 million. The large purses offered lure the best horses from both the United States and abroad to determine champion status at year end.

The races are conducted in moving locations with this years’ renewal being held at Keeneland Race Course, without fans due to Covid-19 concerns, in the blue grass of Lexington Kentucky ­— the heart of thoroughbred breeding country. The races were designed to give thoroughbred racing a crowning year-end event similar to the Super Bowl, World Series or NBA or NHL playoffs. Due to the time of year and weather concerns Saratoga Race Course has yet to host the event but each year horses that raced here in Saratoga compete in these races.

This year’ renewal has a particular Saratoga influence as locally-owned Tiz The Law, this year’s Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes winner, will be competing in the Breeder’s Cup Classic for a purse of $6 million with the victor likely to garner Horse of The Year honors.  Run at the same mile and one-quarter classic distance as the Travers Stakes, this will mark the first time Tiz The Law has competed against older horses rather than the three-year-old crop he has exclusively faced this year. Typically, three-year-old thoroughbreds mature enough by the fall of their three-year-old year to compete against the older stronger horses and have fared well in this race, including winning last year’s running by Vino Rosso. 

Owned by a group of Saratoga locals led by Jack Knowlton under the same Sackatoga Stables name that owned 2003 Kentucky Derby winner Funnycide, Tiz The Law was born in New York at Sequel Farm in Hudson, New York rather than in the lush blue grass of Kentucky on March 19, (St. Joseph’s Day) 2017.  After spending the obligatory 90 days in New York to qualify as a New York bred for racing purposes he went to Kentucky to grow and develop. Tiz The Law returned to New York in August 2018 where he was sold at auction to the Sackatoga group at the Fasig-Tipton sales here in Saratoga for $110,000.

Tiz The Law won the two big races run in New York for three-year-olds the Belmont and Travers putting him in contention for both three-year-old of the year and Horse of the Year honors. His performance in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic will determine those titles. As a well-bred classic winner, he most certainly will be a stallion prospect when his racing days are concluded. 

Tiz the Law is trained by Barclay Tagg and ridden by Manny Franco. He is projected to be among the middle betting choices in the race behind betting favorite behind the Bob Baffert trained entries – Improbable, Maximum Security and Authentic.

What Happens On A Hunt

Written by Kacie Cotter-Harrigan on . Posted in Home & Garden.

What Happens on a Hunt Will Always Make Its Way to the Thanksgiving Table.

The season of Fall brings us apple picking, scenic hikes, and my favorite, cider donuts. But as we enter November, no one tends to enjoy fall quite as much as the hunter.

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is time for every outdoorsman to gather their most intriguing stories to tell around the table. There is nothing like those moments when every family member’s eyes are either rolling or wide open, listening to the great stories from this fall. As we enter the month of November, hunters know this to be one of the most exciting times to be in the woods. It is time for “The Rut,” otherwise known as the time when the bucks are most territorial. Hunters refer to the rut as “The Greatest Show on Earth” because you truly never know what you might see when hunting in nature. During this time, the deer are most vulnerable because they become more active during the daylight hours than other times of the year.

Although not all of us hunt in the Fall, we have all been walking in the woods and have observed the subtle marks of frayed bark on a tree. We get to imagine the image of a buck lowering his antlers to mark his territory, but seldom actually witness it. Hunters have the opportunity to witness these incredible sights that most of us don’t get to see. 

Recently I had the chance to catch up with Justin Homburger, an avid hunter from Burnt Hills, who shared an experience he had on a hunt that would get any outdoorsman’s adrenaline pumping. Every hunter knows the feeling of waking up before daybreak or heading out after work, walking to their stand, and silently waiting and listening for the crackling of leaves: the thought that they may soon get their chance to test their marksmanship after months of target practice. Justin, feeling that strong impulse all us outdoorsmen feel, decided to drive three hours to his camp near the Finger Lakes. He walked to his stand at approximately 4 p.m., October 24, for his first sit of the year. It did not take long for him to witness a herd of doe that came and started feeding in the freshly cut corn field he was hunting. Not long after the does entered, a hobbling four-point buck entered the field and began feeding alongside them. All of a sudden, the four-point buck looked up and made a soft, but low roar. Suddenly the does quickly ran off and Justin had thought that the deer had caught wind of his scent. Then in an instant, a large eight pointer ran onto the corn field, which set the stage for a battle of territory between both bucks. Heads to the ground, they locked antlers and began sparring and fighting. The loud crack of antlers could be heard echoing through the field. Before long, the eight-point buck had won the fight leaving the discouraged and hobbling four-pointer to move onto a different area. Justin explained that he was in such awe watching, that he never even thought about taking a shot at either deer that day. He just sat back and watched nature at its finest. I’m pretty sure Justin will be back in no time to settle the score with that eight-pointer.

People tend to think that a successful hunt is judged by the deer you take. This is not always the case as it goes much deeper than that. When hunting, one tries to make themself as unnoticed as possible. For those of us who just walk the woods, we often miss these spectacles of nature. We are a visitor, whereas a hunter has the unique opportunity to blend in and become a part of nature. Hunters get to experience what most of us will only be able to imagine. So when we are gathered together this year for Thanksgiving, the hunters in the family will still most likely be trying to convince you and every relative that they are the most successful. With that being said, hopefully there will be some stories that will show a hunter’s true appreciation of nature’s incredible sights and will be enjoyable to hear. You just may finally hear an answer to why you found a broken antler on your walk in the woods.