Do you feel it? Are you seeing the signs? There’s no sense denying it, another summer is coming to a graceful conclusion as fall gathers momentum and draws us into a new season. We’ve had a great summer but it’s time for a change - let the new season begin!
I remember my mother telling me that time will pass faster as I grow older whenever I grew impatient, or I was bored and “didn’t have anything to do”. She must have been speaking from experience because, boy oh boy, was she right!
It seems like only yesterday that I was impatiently waiting for bass season to open and now deer season is almost here and I haven’t done all the things I had planned to do in preparation. Truth be told, I’ve done none of them… so I’m about par for the course. No worries though, I’ll rationalize my lack of preparation by taking satisfaction in knowing that I helped a lot of other people get ready for their fall adventures.
Early archery season begins statewide on October 1. If you were one of those who did your fieldwork and spent the necessary time on the range, I’m sure you will be rewarded with plenty of opportunities for success. Defining success can lead to vigorous debate and even recognizing it can be a challenge sometimes. When you’re at the moment of truth, experiencing towering elation or working through the devastating disappointment of what just happened, it’s easy to define success and failure. In most cases, you have to look for the silver lining, keep a good sense of humor and hope another chance comes your way. Luck is a funny thing though and it can be a long time between payoffs. But luck can also be improved with a few simple preparation steps.
With deer hunting - keep in mind that you are trying to sneak into the deer’s home. They can see, hear and smell what’s around them better than you and they know what belongs and what doesn’t. We all have access to the best camouflage and equipment that money can buy. We also have one thing in common… we stink!
Scent killing soaps, sprays and deodorants all help, as do cover scents that make us smell like something else, but it’s almost impossible to defeat a deer’s nose. Play the wind as well as using all the products at your disposal to reduce the chance of being detected.
In my experience, I’ve had deer look at and walk right up to me because they’re curious creatures. I’ve also had deer come to investigate me while I was making a racket preparing a stand location - but the second they caught my scent - they headed for the hills. The nose knows as they say so don’t let them smell you no matter how good you smell.
Try not to be over anxious about checking your trail cameras or scouting your hunting area. Time is getting short and you don’t want them to change their habits because you just had to get another look at them. Trust in your knowledge of the area and the deer that live there and keep out. If your spot has plenty of food, water and cover or is on the way from one of these key areas to another, the deer will be there so keep out until opening day. Finally, keep practicing on the range so that when the opportunity presents itself, the shot will be second nature and backstraps ‘n bacon will soon be sizzling.
Saratoga Tackle Tuesday Bass Challenge Championship
Sunday, September 13th, the ten top teams of our Tuesday Bass Challenge met for the final time of the summer and battled for six hours to see who would come out on top. It took a 15-pound bag to win and the team of John Jenkins and Dave Munger went home with the victory - and $600 to boot. Throw in another $200 for the lunker weighing 5 ½ pounds and you could say they had a pretty good day!
Second place, and $435 went to Scott Kingston and Mark Bogausch, who fished the whole season without a motor on their bass boat. $300 went to Tom Kail and Laurie Wells for their third place finish. Dan Dyer and Jeff Russell earned Angler of the Year honors for their outstanding efforts throughout the summer. I would like to congratulate and thank all who participated in our bass challenge this year and we at Saratoga Tackle are honored by the support they have given us.
It won’t be long now before the hills are ablaze with the colors of fall. You can start to see some of the maples starting to turn - soon they will be in their full glory. Plan on enjoying the changes that are coming soon.
A day trip to the Adirondacks or an autumn boat ride on Sacandaga or Schroon Lake are great ways to take in the sights and maybe catch a few fish if you take your poles with you. Don’t mourn summer’s passing - rejoice in the season ahead.
Tim Blodgett, owner of Saratoga Tackle & Archery, can be reached at (518) 584-3952. His store is located on Route 9P, Saratoga Lake next to the state boat launch. For further information, visit Saratogatackle.com or find Saratoga Tackle on Facebook.
