Photo by Joe Forma New York state hunters will be looking for Mister Buck this Saturday when the state’s regular big-game firearm season opens. Legal shooting time begins at 30 minutes before sunrise.

For many hunters, there is one day each year that every hunter looks forward to — it’s the opening day of the big-game season for whitetail deer and black bear in New York with a firearm.

Adventure, excitement, proper preparation and camaraderie are each a part of the captivating anticipation that precludes the opening day of the regular big-game season. This Saturday, at 30 minutes before sunrise, about 600,000 licensed New York state big-game hunters are allowed to hunt as the NYS Southern Zone regular big-game season with firearms will open. Guns, safety, warm comfort and caution in the woods become essential for opening-day participants and for the rest of the big-game firearm season in New York. The regular firearm season will end on Dec. 10.

Opening day for veteran hunters is a day of hopeful and anticipated success in the woods. Depending on where your hunting activity takes place and how much time you put in with scouting and trail cameras, many hunters may already know the specific deer they are looking for. They may also know the rough number of deer in their hunting area and that they can expect or not expect to score on opening day. The day that hunting big game with a firearm in NYS is lawful.

For newbie hunters, first-time hunters in the big-game woods on opening day, be cautious and aware of your location. Do not hunt alone. Be mindful of the physical effort required to hike to where you find yourself in the woods. Downing a big-game animal 2 miles from the nearest road could provide a big challenge, so plan your location for success, including a plan for easy transport of the game harvest to your vehicle. One good trick is to carry an emergency plastic blanket. They fold up so small they fit right into your pocket. Besides their compactness and possible need for use, they are very durable and become a slippery sled surface for pulling your deer out of the woods with ease; especially if there is snow. Simply field dress your deer (or bear), tie him up to be compact and fit the plastic emergency blanket under the animal. Truss it around the animal, then use your drag rope to move your harvest back to your cabin or vehicle. It works. We learn things like this from hunting with others who have mentored us through the years.

Among the most essential hunter traits is patience. Learning to sit and wait without fidgeting is hard to understand, but it is crucial. In a tree stand, ground blind or sitting on the ground with a fallen tree for your backrest, remaining motionless is a requirement for success, especially if you are sitting on the ground. If you do need to move, move slowly, very slowly. You will see deer come your way because others in the woods do not remain still. Many hunters walk, talk and move quickly, looking for deer.

Such hunters unknowingly never see the deer they search for, but the deer do move through the woods ahead of such hunters. So, to sit and watch is what good hunters do to score.

One year, when I was new to deer hunting, my tutor was a World War II veteran from Elma. Approaching 94 years old today, Russ Johnson, a whitebeard, was usually willing to share tips and tales to help others be successful. I was among the lucky souls to know this veteran hunter, and one year after we had first met, we talked about how to hunt.

“Most hunters never really know how little they need to walk to find deer,” Johnson said. “No matter where you sit in the woods, other hunters, especially on opening day, will push the deer around the woods to you. You gotta sit and be patient.”

That year, it was a frigid opening day with single-digit temperatures in the Southern Tier. As we drove his trusty 20-year-old Volvo to one of his favorite hunting areas near Allegany State Park, he suggested we sit in the car, sip some coffee and train our eyes on the road ahead and behind.

“You will see what I mean,” Johnson said. “Other hunters, especially on a cold day like today, will walk the woods to stay warm. They’ll push those deer all over the place.”

Sitting in the car that first three hours that day, we watched seven deer cross the road up the road and four deer down the road. I was amazed. The lesson for me that day was simple, and I’m sharing it because Russ Johnson would have done the same for every new hunter. Sit, wait, watch, aim, look beyond your target to ensure it is safe to fire and take the shot.

All hunters in NYS must pass the Hunter Safety Course before purchasing their license. The course teaches newbie hunters much about safety while hunting but only a little about how to actually hunt. For that detail, we need mentors. My dad taught me the most about hunting, but my uncles and other family members were hunters, too. My generation learning to hunt was more than 60 years ago. Many others from that “greatest generation” took the time to share what they knew individually. It’s hard to find that today. Today, we have blogs, podcasts, YouTube, Facebook, websites, Instagram and other ways of finding information that helps in a big way. Streaming these resources is usually excellent, but walking the woods in step with a mentor is different. It is unforgettable.

More than 220,000 deer kills are expected from the NYS big-game hunter corps this year. Be safe and look beyond your shot to ensure you do not endanger anything or anyone beyond your target. Dress adequately in layers to keep from becoming cold and uncomfortable. Keep your feet warm. Wear a hat to keep your head warm. A cap, gloves and socks made with merino wool will help. Based on the warmer-than-usual forecast for opening day, we may need to dress without layers. Watch the weather, dress appropriately, and wear some hunter orange color to be sure other hunters can recognize you as a person in the woods.

Here is to wishing every hunter a safe hunt and the best of luck in the big game woods this year. God bless America.

CALENDAR

Nov. 17: Last day of the NYS Southern Zone big-game early archery season.

Nov. 17: Last day of the NYS Southern Zone big-game crossbow season.

Nov. 18-Dec. 10: NYS Southern Zone big-game regular first arms hunting season.

Nov. 21: Children-In-The-Stream-Youth 4H Fly Fishing Program, free, SUNY Fredonia Rockefeller Art Center, 7-8:30 p.m., info: Alberto Rey, 716-410-7003

NOTE: Send in your fish and deer pictures, your thoughts on outdoor issues, and news of outdoor event details for the outdoor calendar to forrestfisher35@yahoo.com.