Hunting The First State / east Coast Hunting Blog Has Moved

Due to the ridiculous amount of spam being posted to eastcoasthunting.blogspot.com, I have created a new blog and moved all of the content to www.huntingthefirststate.com. Please update your RSS reader settings.

I will be deleting this blog soon.

Thanks.

Steven M. Kendus

Getting fit now betters odds later for hunters

Here's Steven Kendus' latest hunting column for The News Journal.

Getting fit now betters odds later for hunters

HUNTER'S JOURNAL • By STEVEN KENDUS • October 1, 2009

The weeks leading up to the opening days of waterfowl and deer seasons are spent sighting in guns, organizing gear, erecting deer stands, and grassing up duck blinds.
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We focus on every hunting-related detail imaginable -- from camo patterns and cover scents to shot patterns and choke tubes -- but many neglect the single most important factor in hunting success: our health.

Let's face it. Many of us are ill-prepared for the strenuous activity that sometimes comes with hunting. Long hikes to and from stands or blinds, climbing tree stands, carrying and setting up decoys, tracking and recovering game, and dragging harvested deer from the woods are all activities that can lead to sprains, broken bones and more serious medical issues, such as heart attacks. While we are all susceptible to such calamities, the risks are greater for those with conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.

Just as athletes train and condition prior to competing, hunters should engage in some preseason conditioning and take some common-sense precautions before engaging in strenuous activities.

Steve Oldham, owner of OSX Fitness and Training Center in Newport, is helping several hunters get in shape.

"Hunters expecting to hit the fields and woods in November and December should begin working out now," Oldham said. "A simple three-day-per-week workout can help hunters lose weight, increase stamina and prevent injuries."

Oldham recommends hunters begin their preseason training with three 20-minute cardio sessions a week, using treadmills, recumbent bikes or elliptical machines.

"When access to workout equipment is unavailable, brisk walks are just fine," he said.

Increasing the cardio sessions by five minutes each week will challenge the hunter and build endurance.

Chris Antonio, owner of Antonio's Training Systems in Lewes, is a corporate fitness consultant, personal trainer and an avid hunter. In addition to preseason exercise, Antonio sees diet and lifestyle changes as keys to safeguarding against potential injuries and other health issues that can arise while hunting.

"Each year we read about hunters suffering heart attacks, falling out of tree stands and hurting their backs while dragging out deer," he said. "I think the trouble starts when people go from couch potatoes to woodsmen with zero ramp up."
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Antonio suggests hunters consider their overall health by reducing calories, fat intake and alcohol consumption and by making concerted efforts to eat five or six small, nutritionally balanced meals per day. He recommends hunters build strength through simple exercises, such as push-ups and crunches, and that hunters incorporate basic stretching into their daily routines.

"I believe it's important for hunters to prepare for each season as if they're athletes training for a sporting event by creating workouts and diet plans that give them the best tools to compete," Antonio said.

Keep in mind that common sense is just as important as good physical health. Visit a doctor before beginning training routines, let friends or relatives know where you will be hunting and carry a cell phone with you when hunting.

New Hunting The First State Blog and Site Coming Soon

The spam posts in Blogger are driving me crazy. I will be transitioning this blog, as well as www.huntingthefirststate.com to a new WordPress-driven site very soon. I am in the process of building the new site now.

The new blog will be accessible via my site www.HuntingTheFirstState.com within the next couple weeks.

Thanks.

East Coast Hunting Blog has been Hacked by Spammers

I apologize to all of you about the recent spam posts to my blog.

I am trying to solve the issue, but I have yet to find any assistance from Google. If I cannot solve this within the next several days, I will be switching blogging services.

Thanks.

Steven M. Kendus

Catch-and-Release Deer Hunting

Well, not really.

But, while bowhunting yesterday, I had three deer within ten yards of me. Of the three, the third one was the biggest. I let the first two pass, and I clipped my release on my bow with hopes of shooting the third deer. As the deer angled toward me, I saw two 2-inch antler points protruding from his head. He was a buck fawn whose antlers were just beginning to grow. He walked within 5 yards and never knew I was there.

I held my bow up, put my sight pin on his vitals, and imagined myself drawing and releasing my bowstring. Rather than shooting the small buck, I let him go.

Sounds like catch-and-release to me!

Delaware Bowhunting Updates - Sept. 4 and 5

I bowhunted Delaware deer Friday evening and Saturday evening September 4 and 5.

On Friday evening, I was surprised by about 8 deer (does and fawns) that appeared out of nowhere behind my stand. I was busy watching in front of me and to my left where I could see into a meadow, but when I peeked over my shoulder, I saw the deer milling around about 25 yards behind me! They were so quiet, I never even heard them approach!

Throughout this summer, northern Delaware has averaged about 8 inches of rain above normal. All of this rain has caused the weeds and underbrush to grow like a rainforest. Between the dense cover and the moist ground, I couldn't see or hear the deer approach.

I had a possible shot at one of the larger does, but I opted not to shoot. I would rather let them go than risk wounding one and scaring the entire group.

On Saturday evening I returned to the same woods but hunt a different location. Rather than using a stand, I set up on the ground. I hunted the last 90 minutes of shooting time, but saw nothing.

I will head out this afternoon.

Tonight's Archery Hunt: Three Does within 15 Yards

My buddy John and I got out for a 90-minute bow hunt tonight.

I set up on the edge of creek with some really thick bushes lining the banks. I saw two does as I was walking to my spot, but they were about 300 yards away.

Around 7:15, I heard deer walking close to me, and then I heard a bleat about 15 yards from me. I couldn't see the deer, but I knew they were close. Within 5 minutes, two fawns darted in front of me and ran away. However, I still heard more footsteps nearby.

Around 7:30, a deer started blowing about 10 yards from me, but I still couldn't see it. I then heard it run the opposite direction.

I saw two other does about 500 yards away, but that was it. I got no shots.

After the hunt, John told me that the 3 deer were directly across the stream from me, on the other side of the bushes. They would have been range if the bushes weren't so think.

We'll get them next time.

This September, put down the fishing pole and get a jump on duck and geese hunting

Although the area between the Chesapeake Bay and the Delaware Bay is regarded as one of the best waterfowl hunting locations in the eastern United States, most hunters don't even consider pursuing ducks and geese until frost covers pumpkins and skim ice forms on the marshes.
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But for those of us who wish to trade sunburns and mosquito bites for fast shooting and generous harvest limits, teal and resident Canada goose seasons are open in September.

Read the Entire Article in Today's News Journal