THE LOYAL ORDER ON THE GREAT LAKES

TALLY HO!!

TO: THE LOYAL ORDER OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

FROM: THE HIGH HARE MAN AND CHAIRMAN

GREETINGS:

Last week, Wednesday and Thursday, several members of The Loyal Order ventured onto Lake Erie in search of that noblest of game fish, the walleye.

We certainly had a great time even though "Lady Luck" let us down on Thursday. We are planning another outing next year to try again.

Pictured Above: (L-R) The Chairman and BWHH

Joe Ewing, BWHH Chadd Murray, Fisherman Len Cherico,

BWHH and Board Member Ray Wolford and BWHH and

Board Member Bill Moreland. Not pictured but along

on the trip was Dick Derby.

On Wednesday, June 24, 2009 the Eagle Eye crew caught the walleye pictured above totalling

132 pounds. Certainly a nice catch. On Thursday the catch was down totalling only 70 pounds. A two day catch of 202 pounds is not bad but we have had better days and are looking forward to next year.

CLASSIC PEANUTS by Charles Shultz

PEANUTS by Charles Schulz

In case you can't read the small print.

Picture # 1: "ALL RIGHT, RISE AN'SHINE! IT'S RABBIT-CHASING TIME!!"

Picture #2: "OH GOOD GRIEF!"

Picture #3: "THE SNOW IS FRIESH AND THE AIR IS CLEAR...I PREDICT WE'LL SEE LOTS OF GAME!"

Picture #4: "WE'LL START HERE...THIS IS A BIG FIELD, AND YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PICK UP THE SCENT WITHOUT..."

Picture # 5: "WAKE UP!"

Picture # 6: "OKAY! HERE WE GO!!"

Picture # 7: "SNIF SNIF SNIF SNIF"

Picture # 8: "SNIF SNIF SNIF SNIF"

Picture # 9: "I GUESS WE'RE NOT GOING TO FIND ANY, SNOOPY, BUT AT LEAST WE TRIED..."

Picture # 10: "EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE FAILED, IT ALWAYS MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'VE DONE YOUR BEST!"

Picture #11: "I'D HATE TO DISILLUSION HER, BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT A RABBIT SMELLS LIKE!"

PICTURES FROM PAST ADVENTURES

ON THE TUG HILL PLATEAU

TALLY HO!! and GREETINGS TO THE LOYAL ORDER OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY.

Pictured above, from February 2005, are (L) the High Hare Man of The High Plateau, Joe Ewing, Sr. and (R) Board Member Ray Wolford and of course a magnificent Snowshoe Hare. The Hounds in the picture are (L) Little Toby Creek Patch and (R) her son Lucky, owned by Jim Hanson.

As I remember the snow was particularly deep and fluffy that day so we decided wisely to put out only two hounds. Patch and Lucky did a great job and Ray ended up with a trophy from the Tug Hill.

07/30/09 A funny little story I remembered while looking at this post.

We had a "guide" that day, I don't remember his name, provided by Harry Potter at the Salmon Heaven Lodge where were staying. As I remember, as soon as we entered the woods Lucky and Patch jumped a hare, a snowshoe hare or as I prefer "A magnificent Snowshoe Hare". Anyway the two hounds were doing a pretty fair job running the Hare and each time someone would glimpse the Hare they would alert everyone of their sighting over the hand held radios.

After almost an hour of this the guide who still remains nameless started asking everyone, "Why in the hell doesn't someone shoot the thing?" The response of course, to a man, was "The One Hour Rule". "What the hell is a one hour rule? Never heard of such a thing", he said.

Anyway, this Hare ran for a long time before Ray finally shot it. I remember the hounds taking it way down over the hill. It stayed for quite some time and sure enough when I went down it ran back up where I had just been patiently waiting. Well, not too patient.

I remember the Hare running across a big open field too.

PICTURES RECEIVED

TALLY HO!

TO: THE LOYAL ORDER OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

FROM: THE HIGH HARE MAN

GREETINGS;

I received these pictures and want to share with you.

(Above) This nice gobbler was harvested by BWHH Board Member Bill Moreland in New York on the second day of the 2009 Spring Gobbler season.

BWHH Andy Hoover's Nellie suffered a gash to the ear.

Andy used duct tape in the repairs.

Duct tape always comes in handy.

SHOTS HEARD FROM THE PAST

TALLY HO!!
TO: THE LOYAL ORDER OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

GREETINGS:

I thought you all might enjoy some pictures from the past during the "off season".

The picture above was featured in The Forest Press, a weekly newspaper out of Tionesta, PA.

As you can see, Sr. is on the left and Jr. is on the right.

The hounds are (L) John Doe (a full blooded treeing walker) and (R) Candy (beagle).

The two Omnipotent Snowshoe hare were taken in the Allegheny National Forest, probably in the tornado blow down of 1984 near Blue Jay Village, what is now Abraxas and Yes, we used our snowshoes that year.

March 2002 issue of The Rabbit Hunter magazine featuring Joe, Jr after a successful hunt on the Allegheny Plateau, in the Allegheny National Forest, near Beaver Meadow.

Joe displays his trophy Snowshoe Hare in his home in Alexandria, Va.

EMAIL FROM A FRIEND

TALLY HO!!
TO: THE LOYAL ORDER OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

--- On Tue, 4/7/09, beagleman23@aol.com wrote:
From: beagleman23@aol.com Subject: beagles running foxTo: jrewing47@yahoo.comDate: Tuesday, April 7, 2009, 2:42 PM
Hey Joe,
I've been keeping up on the blog. Glad you had a good trip with no lost dogs.Anyway, one of the newer Officers at work comes from a beagling family. He posed a question and I told him I would check with you. He states that the last two seasons, only in late February, that his beagles run fox. They find them hours later, miles away. He is wondering if this is due to the vixen possibly being in heat? I have an idea what you're going to say but I told him I would ask anyway. Best wishes to you and Brenda,
Bill
(Bill Moreland BWHH is from Alden, NY, A member of the Board of The Big Woods Hare Hunters of The Allegheny and hunts Snowshoe Hare on the Allegheny Plateay)

Hey Bill,
Only in late Feb.??
Beats me! What is the "vixen"? Oh yeah! The female fox.
I never heard of it, i.e., the fox chasing.
Fraternally,
Joe

THE HILLS ARE STILL ALIVE...AGAIN

Above: The High Hare Man of The High Plateau, CEO and Chairman of The Loyal Order of The Big Woods Hare Hunters of The Allegheny takes special pride in awarding the official insignia to Autumn Bish after a successful outing onto The High Plateau.

TALLY HO!!
TO: THE LOYAL ORDER of THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

The Omnipotent Hare are in the process of turning to their brown faze, I am proud to announce.

It is also with joy I, the High Hare Man, announces, a new Big Woods Hare Hunter and conservationist has been officially inducted into The Loyal Order of The Big Woods Hare Hunters of The Allegheny. Autumn K. Bish was officially inducted after a sighting of the elusive, omnipotent and magnificent Snowshoe Hare.

Autumn Bish, BWHH was the first hunter, today, to make the sighting of an almost brown Snowshoe Hare. All hunters saw the Hare which made for a very successful day. The Hare had white ears, an almost complete brown body with white underbelly and white feet.

Fraternally,

Jos. R. Ewing, Chairman, Hare Man and CEO

EMAIL FROM A FRIEND

--- On Sun, 4/5/09, ROYGOLFRE@aol.com wrote:
From: ROYGOLFRE@aol.com Subject: Maine HuntTo: jrewing47@yahoo.comDate: Sunday, April 5, 2009, 8:10 PM
Hi Joe
Great story on your spring hunt to Pine Grove Lodge. Looks like you
enjoyed great weather and the pictures are great. You guys must have been beat
after six days. Surprises me the number of dogs you hunt at one time, they must
track the area up so its tough running, you must have some excellent dogs to
work a hare through all the tracks.
What was the total hare body count for the week? and how much ammunition
was used? It's always fun to count the two and see how we shoot.
1600 miles one way is a long trip, you must stay over some where or do
you make it straight through?
Did any of Bob's dogs run with yours??
You can tell I am a curious guy, part of being old
Stay in touch and thanks for the great report
Roy **************
(Roy B. lives in Rome, NY and hunts Hare on the Tug Hill Plateau)

Tally Ho Roy,
Thanks for the kind words about the story and pictures. I'm glad you liked them.
No! No! NOT 1600 miles one way....round trip....I will go back and make that clear. It still is a long way, though.We stop in Chelmsford, Mass on the way up and Fishkill, New York on the way home. I don't think anyone was real tired after hunting six days. I could have hunted another week.
I don't know how good our dogs are but this is the very reason we have the "One Hour Rule". We have always noticed the first circle is the easiest and on about the 50Th circle the boys are being separated from the real hounds. Yes, one or two hounds can always run the hare better than a big pack but...makes it more interesting sometimes.
I did not take a gun, Jim Hanson used a Contender and Andy and Wayne were using single shot 410s so I don't think anyone was really interested in body count. I think the exact count was three (3) killed and three (3) missed. The exact count of great runs was ...MANY.
No, Bob has never run his dogs with ours. I have offered but, I don't know why, he never put any down with ours.
No problem being curious. This is how we find out stuff.
Keep in touch and thanks again.
Fraternally,
Joe

THE HILLS ARE STILL ALIVE

TALLY HO!!

GREETINGS TO THE LOYAL ORDER OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY

On Wednesday, April 1, 2009 a potential member to the BWHHs was introduced to our way of conservation. Autumn K. Bish, daughter of BWHH Jim (Kaz) Kazmarek joined her father and I on the High Plateau in search of the elusive Snowshoe Hare. Find one we did! Although Autumn did not have a sighting of the Omnipotent Hare, her father did. The hounds did not put forth much of a chase but we will try again.

Above: Autumn is awarded the official cap of The Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny by her father, Kaz on the High Plateau after a successful hunt and a sighting.

We certainly hope Autumn will have many more hunts on the High Plateau of the Allegheny with The Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny.

Fraternally In Beagling and Hare Hunting,

Joe

MORE FROM THE MAINE WINTER HARE HUNT

TALLY HO!!

GREETINGS TO THE LOYAL ORDER OF THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS OF THE ALLEGHENY.

Four hunters from the High Plateau of the Alleghenies travelled the 1600 miles to and from Maine safely and enjoyed a great week, six days of great hunting, in the Western Mountains of the great state of Maine.

Jim Hanson, Andy Hoover, new comer Wayne Wilson, Joe Ewing and ten great hounds enjoyed what some are calling, "The best week ever." The hounds did a great job considering the conditions. Only one day did they have a high degree of difficulty. That day was not much different than most of the mornings but this is why beagling is so much of a mystery sometimes.

Master Maine Guide Bob Howe and Maine Guide Steve Howe guided us to some outstanding covers, cooked some great lunches and helped us enjoy a fabulous winter hunting trip.

The weather held good everyday and we only noticed a few sprinkles on one day. The mornings were cold and crisp with general warming around mid morning. Most mornings the snow pack had a hard crust and snowshoeing was good. Most days by noon or earlier the snow pack became soft and would not hold the big guys. Sometimes snowshoeing was difficult while sinking in almost a foot or more. Most wore the widest shoes they had. Wayne tried several different models and came up with a 13 inch pair he brought home. The Howe's are now tying their "Maine Guide Snowshoes" with a nylon rope. The rope seems to be working well. The reason for the change is the neoprene is expensive . Traditional raw hide can still be ordered at the Pine Grove Lodge.

On Monday, March 16 we spent nine hours afield, had several good runs and Newcomer Wayne Wilson shot his first Snowshoe Hare ever. We snow machined to "Hutch's Mountain". The morning was cool and the ride up the mountain on the snowmobiles was cold. The day warmed by lunch time and everyone was in their shirt sleeves. There were a couple of missed shots this day but everyone enjoyed a good time. The hounds, Blacky, Patch, Gracie, Freck, Lucky and Nellie did outstanding without incident.

Tuesday was another good day on "Basin Mountain". The mountain was steep with thick new growth. Much too thick for the wide snowshoes necessary to make it through the soften snow pack. The only incident, Wiggles, Speckles and Freck decided to head for home on their own. Bob and I had to chase after them using the snow machines. We caught up with them about a mile down the snowmobile trail.

In the afternoon we hunted a cedar swamp nearby and Jim missed a couple after a great chase by the hounds.

Wednesday, March 18 we again spent nine hours afield just off Route 16 across the river from the Pine Grove Lodge. Again we had some great runs, some good exercise and a great day. The only small incident, Lucky did not want to quit.

On Thursday we again enjoyed beautiful weather and some great runs by the hounds, Wiggles, Blacky, Speckles. Molly and Freck. We had two kills and a couple misses not far from the Lodge.

On Friday, March 2o Spring arrived. This was the day the scenting was bad although I saw more hare this day than another day. We hunted on the Cyr Road, not far from the Appalachian Trail, where we generally have tremendous luck and good times. We have hunted here many times with much success in March and October but today would not be one of those days. The "A Team" tried and we knew they can run hare.

On the final day, Saturday March 21, was the final day of our great Maine Hare Hunt for 2009. We all were glad we stayed the extra day. Lucky found the goat horns and sported them around. The hounds, all of them except for Speckles who stayed back because of estrus, did outstanding. There was one miss and no kills on this day.

All told we spend 49 hours hunting the Magnificent and Omnipotent Snowshoe Hare. All had a great time.

The Pine Grove Lodge was, as usual, outstanding both with great food and great accommodations.

Plans are to return next year during the same week in March 2010.

A great smile from BWHH Andy Hoover in The Great North Woods. The day started with a very cold snow machine ride but by mid day the coats were off and it was very warm.

BWHH Andy Hoover enjoys a relaxing lunch hour in the snow of the Great North Woods.

BWHH Wayne Wilson enjoyed a great hunt in the Western Mountains of Maine.

Moving along the snowmobile trail to our next hunting area.

The snow was mighty deep. Along side the snowmobile trail. One false step would put you in up to your knees.

BWHH and Chairman enjoys the "sweet smell of freedom" from the Western Mountains of Maine and the Great North Woods on a more beautiful day there never could be.

The snow machine ride on the high mountain trails of Maine.

BWHH Andy Hoover prepares for the snow machine ride into the Great North Woods.

BWHH Andy Hoover in the Western Mountains of Maine.

Master Maine Guide waits on a logging road while leading the BWHHs in the wilds of Maine.

Lucky found these goat horns and was very proud.

Photo by Andrea Howe and can be seen at http://www.pinegrovelodge.com/

Extreme BWHH Andy Hoover enjoying the view of the beautiful mountains of Western Maine.

The 2009 Maine Winter Foursome.

Veteran Extreme Big Woods Hare Hunter of The Allegheny and Maine Hare Hunter, Joe (JR) Ewing has been on many trips but this was one of the best.

Rookie Maine Hare Hunter Wayne Wilson had a glorious week.

Veteran Extreme BWHH Jim Hanson spent six glorious days in the woods of Western Maine.

March 2009-Extreme BWHH Andy Hoover after a great six days in Maine

Andy Hoover with Maine Hare compliments of the great hare hound Molly.