Local hunters emerge from summer hibernation

Author: Dina Magaril

If you're one of the hunting enthusiasts itching to get out your rifle and hunt for some big game this season, you might just have your chance. Though the two-and-a-half-month-long black bear hunting season officially ends on Nov. 15, Vermont is entering its annual rifle deer season, which runs from Nov. 11 to Nov. 25.

The regulated deer season has been a beloved traditon among hunters in Vermont for over 100 years. The white-tailed deer is an important symbol to the state of Vermont and has its own place on the Vermont state seal. But sometimes deer can pose a problem for other inhabitants in the state. According to the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department website, an abundance of deer can cause damage to Vermont's crops as well as pose a danger for vehicle collisions.

To prevent overpopulation, without risking extinction, regulated deer hunting is permitted in the state only during deer season. The website noted that about 15 percent of Vermont State residents hunt, bringing in more than 800,000 pounds of venison each year.

While some hunters are lured to the sport for the thrill of the chase, Eric Quesel, a bow hunter from Middlebury, says he enjoys the nature aspect of deer hunting, especially the scenic spots to which many of his deer hunting trips have brought him.

"There's this swamp in Salisbury, near Creek road, which is a really good place for hunting lowland deer," said Quesel. He added that the bigger bucks were found mostly in the higher mountain areas. "Basically, wherever there are [beer nut] trees is where you'll find the deer," he added.

Quesel kindly described the entire hunt - from killing the deer to storing its meat properly. After a successful hunt, "you have to take the legs [of the deer] over your back and break the hipbone," he said. "You have to be careful when you cut into it because you don't want to hit the bladder or open up the large intestine," which would spoil the meat.

When asked how he transports such a large animal home, Quesel said he "just straps it on top of [his] car." The last phase of keeping the meat fresh involves deep-freezing it, a process that allows the meat to keep for as long as a year.

With temperatures that are especially warm for this time of year, hunters have to take extra care to freeze their meat as soon as possible. Warm weather causes the meat to spoil at a much faster pace.

For some Vermont hunters, the hunting season is a time for celebration. One avid hunter is known for throwing an annual "game" party at his home each year. Nate Davis, who is not a hunter but had the good fortune to be a party attendee, spoke about the hunting extravaganzas at the party host's home. "Everyone brings the meat [they caught] to Bruce's and he slaughters it for them."

As compensation for this rather messy service, Bruce is given a portion of meat from each hunter's catch. "It's just a bunch of hunters cooking food, playing cards, drinking beers and talking about hunting," said Bruce's son Mike, who has attended a number of these feasts over the years.

Though Mike no longer hunts - "I don't like killing deer anymore," he says - he spoke about the process of acquiring a hunting permit. "You have to take a hunter safety course," he says, "Which is usually for a couple of hours a night and takes 4 or 5 days."

Most hunters have favorite dishes they cook every year with the fresh catch of the season. Davis shared some of his favorite game dishes, which include such delicacies as "mooseballs" (meatballs made out of moose meat), while Quesel cites venison stew, which "tastes like a chili" as one of his most memorable dishes.

Though Quesel said he has not been hunting yet this year, he admitted there was one animal he hopes he doesn't run into. "I was up in Ripton," said Quesel, "and I saw a black bear. Let's just say it wasn't a grizzly, but it wasn't too small either."

For those frightened by the prospect of hunting larger animals, there is an opportunity to hunt something on a smaller scale. Raccoon hunting season, which began on Oct. 14 and runs through Dec. 31, is a viable option for licensed hunters, though "raccoonballs" are not guaranteed to be a big hit at Bruce's annual hunter bash.