BWHH GO TO MAINE AND RETURN
THE 2011 BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS MAINE 2011 HARE HUNT,
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Executive High Hare Man bags first snowshoe hare in Maine during the BWHH Maine Snowshoe Hare Hunt 2011.
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Interstate 84 got a little rough on the return trip home.
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Mike (L), Wayne and Andy prepare for a day of hunting hare in the beautiful Western Mountains of Maine.
(left)Gracie (L), Speckles and Kipper had a great time running the magnificent snowshoe hare of Maine.
(right) LTC Gracie needs no snowshoes on the hard packed snow of Maine.
(left)
The snow pack was four feet deep in some places. Here the snow pack was only three feet. The Ski pole is four feet long.
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Andy (L) and Wayne enjoy a break on Hill 16 during the BWHH 2011 Maine Hare Hunt.
(above)Wayne (L), Joe and Andy enjoy a break during the 2011 Maine Hare Hunt.
(BELOW)
An almost spectacular view from Hill 16 during the BWHH Maine Hunt of 2011.
RETURN FROM MAINE 2011
Andy, Wayne and I (“Ol’ Jim was unable to go along this year) returned from a spectacular week (six glorious days) of hunting for the magnificent snowshoe hare in the wilds of Western Maine on March 21 (March 14-19). We enjoyed what some called, “The best week ever!” I must concede and agree. The weather was good considering it is almost spring with a hard snow pack on most mornings. Most days the snow pack would be turning soft by afternoon. There seemed to be lots of hare this year as many “side-jumpers” were seen on all chases. The three of us shot five or six hares. Wayne did not buy his license until Friday and waited until Saturday, our last day of hunting, to shoot his two hares with my Contender. Wayne is now two-for-two with the hand gun. I shot the first hare on Monday with the Contender but missed several also. But non-the-less the Contender did bag a few.
On Friday, with Master Maine Guide Bob Howe as our Guide, we suffered a slight snowmobile wreck on the way in to a hunting sight. The sled on which I was riding behind the snowmobile tipped over and I went flying into the soft snow. Bob was not going slow. The hounds, which were riding in a box on the sled, did not suffer any and hunted outstandingly the rest of the day. Andy bagged one. The wind picked up in the afternoon and hearing the hounds was impossible so an early quit was in order. On the way out the snow pack was even softer and the snow machine tipped over two times. Of course, this time I was riding the snow machine with Bob. We all had a good laugh and made it out without injury of course.
The first four days Heath Howe was our Guide and we hunted some of our favorite hunting areas. We have a favorite place along Route 16 so we hunted there on Monday and Tuesday. Usually the hare take the hunters and hounds to the top of the mountain where the view is almost spectacular but on Monday we did all of our chasing on the low ground. On Tuesday we made it to the top of the mountain. Everyday we had “many, many” chases. At times too numerous to count.
“Wild March Hare” were an exciting if not exasperating “problem” on a couple of days. The old saying, “There’s nothing crazier than a March Hare” proved to be true. The hounds would start a “March Hare” which would end up a mile or more away with hunters in tow. Andy and Wayne both employ the latest in technology, the Garmin Astro, and we all use the Garmin Rhino GPS so we are in constant contact with each other and the hounds. I continue to use the Tracker Radio collars and Andy is using both the radio collars and the Astro on his hounds. About the only time Andy really needs all this stuff is when his hounds hit a March Hare. The rest of the time he owns the most reliable and best trained hounds of all of us.
Andy’s hounds, Nellie and Molly, did an outstanding job during the six days in the Western Mountains of Maine. I wish I could say the same for the hounds I carted to Maine. Poor old Gracie tried her best and on a few occasions did well, but played out early towards the end of the week. Kipper tried, this being his first year, I think. He seems to have the stamina. Males always have more stamina than the females. If he would just show more brains and nose. Tia and Speckles, well, it was hard to tell what they were doing. Tia was always in the chase and helping out on checks. Wayne’s hound, Freck did a great job with his big ball voice always making the chase exciting. Therefore, with the vote in, Andy’s LTC Nellie wins MVH (Most Valuable Hound) of The Hunt for 2011 and Wayne’s Freck gets it for Most Improved Hound (MIH) of the Hunt for 2011. LTC Kipper will be awarded, reluctantly, Rookie Hound of the Hunt for 2011. All will receive a citation and a generous cash award, Ha! Ha!
The Pine Grove Lodge was fabulous as always, with Andrea cooking up some absolutely grand tasting meals and always breathtaking deserts. Generous portions of NHL hockey was served up on the new wide screen TV. The hounds enjoyed the use of the kennel at the Pine Grove Lodge. Gracie was the only hound to chew her way out. This being the fist day I left her behind.
The road trip home proved to be a little treacherous at one point with an Early Spring blizzard slowing our progress. While crossing the mountain between the Hudson River and the Delaware River in New York the interstate became clogged with spun out vehicles. Wayne and I got off the road while Andy had to wait in traffic and we were lucky enough to enjoy a nice breakfast near Port Jarvis. As Spring weather would have it the icy roadways did not last long and we were on our way and made it home without anymore incidents.
All had a great trip. All men and hounds returned home none the worse for wear. Next year's hunt to Maine is already booked and I am almost ready to go. It looks like March 12 through the 17th, 2012.
There is a lot more I could say, but.....
Thanks to Andy, Wayne, Heath, Bob and Andrea for helping me enjoy a great time!
Fraternally In Beagling and Hare Hunting,
Joe
