GOOD NEWS

 GOOD NEWS!

If anyone wants to mail Mary Hosmer a card they can now. Since she is in rehab.. 1400 Locust St, Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Room 7432

Mary is now in rehab....

ADIRONDACK ADVENTURE PART 2

The following article appeared in the March 2021 issue of

THE RABBIT HUNTER

magazine

 VOLUME 35 NO. 7

The article is presented here in living color with authority of the author for the reading pleasure of the members of the

Loyal Order

of the

Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny

From the World Headquarters of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny

Conservation of the elusive Snowshoe hare on the Allegheny.

            Searching the mountains of New York State.

Adirondack Adventure Part 2

Written and Photographed by Joe Ewing

Mark with first hare of the Adirondack Mountain hare hunt.

 

“Not now, wait, let the dogs run, “came the cry from my good friend Matt to his dad, Mark. Today, was our first day in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. It was the end of November, Thanksgiving week, and we were hunting hare.

The beagles were coming and they were closing quickly. We were barely out of the dog-trucks when the beagles started their familiar singing. The snowshoe hare, aka varying hare, must have been waiting like it knew we were coming. The scenting conditions were perfect too. The hounds were deadly serious. The hounds had taken the hare out barely 200 yards when the hare turned back toward the picket line of 6 hunters.

The Bakers and friends have been on a quest for snowshoe hare in New York for years. The way Mark tells it, years ago, he and his family were camping near Old Forge when one evening a snowshoe hare came to visit, casually hopping through their campsite. To Mark, his sons and friends, being serious Pennsylvania snowshoe hare hunters and beaglers, it made excellent sense to turn a family vacation into a snowshoe hare hunting adventure. So, here we were, hunting the famous mountains of the Adirondacks thanks to serious hunting determination and a chance encounter.

The elusive snowshoe hare made another circle through the thick spruce and fir undergrowth. On one of the numerous circles the hare came within 50 feet of some pretty skilled hare hunters without a hair of the hare being spotted. In Mark’s words, “we must not be experienced enough to see the hare go by.”

Somewhere along the line my Music hound split off on a side chase of her own. We now had two chases going simultaneously. Nearing the “one-hour-time-limit” a shot rang out. Mark had downed the first hare of the hunt with his first ever shotgun, a Stevens single shot 16 gauge. The hare made the unwise choice of running the same track more than once and Mark was ready and waiting. Music had rejoined the pack and was present when Mark downed the grand snowshoe hare.

The beagles didn’t delay in getting to Music’s chase. It was eerie how quickly Music and the pack were on the scent of Music’s hare. It was like Music remembered where she left off and took the pack back to her run. They ran the hare for a long while before it outsmarted them. It either holed or they just plain lost it on the dog-scent

Backing Up My Claim. I often tout how good I think the hare hunting is in the central mountains of Maine.   A blurb in the magazine GAME & FISH EAST by a Matt Crawford caught my attention and is backing me up.    The piece was contained in the article title “A ROUNDUP OF THE TOP HUNTING AND FISHING OPPORTUNITIES IN THE REGION (east) THIS MONTH” Crawford says, “But snowshoe hare hunting in northern Maine, well, that might be as good as it gets anywhere in hare range.   In north-central Maine, in either The Forks or the Moosehead regions, you’ll find the woods absolutely full of snowshoe hares. There are guide services available in these areas, as well as cabin rentals. If you have a beagle or two and a good pair of snowshoes, you can undertake a DIY hare hunt, though a guided trip is affordable and likely to be much more productive.” It’s not too late to plan for 2022.-HH

infested ground. Snowshoe hares will run in front of a hound for hours and normally will not hole up. It seems the hares are making a game of it all. The white ghosts are some of the most skilled escape and evasion artists in the woods. The hounds and hare had run over the same ground so many times there was no wonder in why they lost the hare.

The two-way radio sprang to life as another chase was quickly underway, “the hare just ran under Matt’s front bumper,” came Mark’s gravelly voice. The hare had taken the pack of beagles through the parking lot. If there ever was a great place to lose a scent it had to be the parking lot. The area undoubtedly was contaminated with all kinds of scent covering aromas from humans, to dogs and trucks, ham and cheese sandwiches with mustard not to mention deer bologna with leek. Despite all the pollution of the parking lot a shot rang out after the third or fourth circle.

Nick downed a trophy snowshoe hare of his own. Later that evening Nick was on the phone crafting strategies and talking with taxidermists about having his trophy mounted. I must commend the young man for showing reverence and homage to the magnificent and omnipotent white ghost of the mountains. An Adirondack Mountain snowshoe hare mount will be a perfect addition in a place of honor in his home. I look forward to seeing his snowshoe hare and personally thanking its Creator.

Nick with trophy white ghost of the mountain and his beagle Bo or is it Beau?

Nick (L) and Mark compare pandemic snowshoe hare.

Spontaneously, we all met in the parking lot presumably so Mark and Nick could compare trophies. Incidentally, it was time to move. We had taken our self-imposed limit from the area. The group was moved to move and to leave some for seed.

My favorite writer, Robert Raurk, spoke to this very subject in many of his books and articles, "...a sportsman, is a gentleman first. But a sportsman, basically, is a man who kills what he needs, whether it's fish or bird or animal, or what he wants for a special reason, but he never kills anything just to kill it. And he tries to preserve the very same thing that he kills a little of from time to time. The books call this conservation. It's the same reason why we don't shoot that tame covey of quail down to less'n ten birds."

Over the four-day snowshoe hare hunt we only spent two hours in actual hunting mode. The remainder of the time the hounds were chasing hare. The beagles were hot on the trail of the beautiful and elusive snowshoe hare continuously. The tonguing and singing of the beagles made some very beautiful music in the mountains of the Adirondack.

Roy and I shot trophy snowshoe hares which I reported on last month. On the final day of the hunt Mark shot a second hare which he meticulously skinned out. His other son is making elk gloves lined with snowshoe hare pelt. Gloves from an elk you downed yourself lined with hare fur your father shot can only be termed a trophy and a remembrance fit for a king.

Roy holds the hare while Mark carefully skins the hare. “LT” looks on. That sure is a big shotgun

“LT” was carrying a Mossberg 500 in 12 gauge.

 

This last snowshoe hare of the hunt was a smart little bugger but, unfortunately for the hare, it ended up as glove liners and of course we paid tribute to the animal by eating its flesh that very night. The beagles jumped the hare in some of the thickest and nastiest cover in the area. The hare tried his best to lose the beagles in the thick cover. The hare kept moving and running further down the valley. On more than one occasion the beagles lost the hare for long stretches of time. I could see on the Alfa® the dogs were on the travelled road so I moved up. I caught the dirty little bugger crisscrossing the road. Rather than running straight across the roadway the smart little devil would run down the road 50 or a hundred yards and then dive into the cover. The hare would make a short circle and go back across the road. The hare completed this scenario several times. I decided to put an end to this nonsense. I helped the beagles by directing them to the spot where the hare went into the bush. My maneuver sped up the chase and helped Mark secure the glove liners.

I’ve been bombarded with questions on planning a hunting trip similar to the Baker’s Adirondack Adventure. It’s never too late to start planning. The wives and significant others did all the preparation, organization and plotting. “Private Messaging” on Facebook® burned up the internet for weeks. The women folk planned and prepared all the meals and appropriated all the food which was as delicious as it was endless.

The snowshoe hare season in New York State covers October 1^st through approximately March 21^st of each year in the management unit where we were hunting. The daily bag limit is 6 in that area with hunting hours from sunrise to sunset. A non-resident hunting license is $100.00 which includes antlered whitetail deer. A beagle or two would be a big help too. During the dead of winter, a N.Y. state-licensed hunting guide is almost certainly necessary. Most will supply the hounds if needed. New York State licensed hunting guides are available in the Adirondacks. Winters in this part of the east are brutal with deep snows making quality snowshoes a must. Stay away from aluminum shoes.

The Old Forge area is listed as one of the best places to vacation in the east. Motel rooms to rental houses are readily available in the Adirondacks and in Old Forge. Web sites can be found with long lists of available accommodations. Properties listing accommodations for from two to 18 people can be found. At airb&b.com rental homes and vacation lodging can easily be toured and booked to fit any pocketbook. Lodging can be found in any town in New York from large towns to small villages. You will find some of the best dining and accommodations along the way also. To learn more about the area you can visit the websites at https//www.oldforgeny.com or https//www.inletny.com. And visit the Old Forge & Inlet Information Centers when you arrive. Bring your whole family for a snowshoe hare hunting adventure of a lifetime. Take the family on a summer vacation and scout the area for guides and lodging. You can’t go wrong.

Next month in THE RABBIT HUNTER I will be critiquing and reviewing the Pennsylvania snowshoe hare season with whoppers and yarns from the “extreme season” on the Allegheny.

Hunt us down @https://www.facebook.com/BigWoodsHareHunters/ and on

 

UPDATE FROM MARY HOSMER

 news from

Mary

thanks to Chris Yeager, RGS/UBH St. Marys Chaper

Update: March 2, 2021

Just talked with Mary's Dr.

She is still the same.

They did put in a tracheotomy so she can be off the ventilator. So now its easier for her to go on and off the ventilator if she needs it.

Couple of updates:

They have her on some high pain meds. They are teaching her to talk with that little voice thing. Not sure what its called. Still treading for the lung infection. She is on Dialysis now for the blood infection.

Its all on know for today.

MARY HOSMER

 

FELLOW BEAGLER SUFFERING

It is with heartfelt sadness I make the following report to the beagling community.

Reporting by Joe Ewing

Mary Hosmer during a happier time on the Allegheny.

RIDGWAY, ELK COUNTY, PA (WTAJ) — Multiple crews responded to a house fire in Ridgway Wednesday morning, [February 3, 2021], that left two people injured. Crews were called around 2:50 a.m. to a two-story home on Montmorenci Road. Two people were able to get out of the home but had unknown severity of injuries. Both were taken to the local hospital as at least three crews continued to battle the blaze.

Ms. Mary Hosmer, a member of the Rolf Beagle Club, Johnsonburg, PA, lost everything from the blaze that destroyed her home. Three of Mary’s beloved beagles were lost in the fire. Mary was life flighted to a Pittsburgh hospital for treatment of 3^rd degree burns. Mary’s brother escaped the blaze with unknown injuries. As of this report, Mary remains in the hospital on a ventilator while undergoing skin grafts.

Mary Hosmer, a native of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is a retired biologist from the Allegheny National Forest, a devoted beagler, a very active member of the RGS UBH St. Marys, PA Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society, QDMA (Quality Deer Management Association), Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny and many groups and associations.

Mary, an icon of conservation in Pennsylvania, works tirelessly for the benefit of not only the land she loves but also for the hunting community. Mary leads the "Women's Introduction to Wingshooting," locally, a program for women taught by women. In approximately 2010 Mary was nominated as a Field & Stream Hero of Conservation.

A “GoFundMe” page has been set up to help Mary. Go to: gofundme.com in the search type “Mary Hosmer”.

A saving account has been set up in Mary’s name at a local bank in Elk County, PA. If you have a benevolent heart and would like to help please mail whatever sum to:

First Commonwealth Bank

108 E. Mill St

Saint Marys, PA 15857

Please make the check out to cash and in the memo, please write in “Hosmer fundraiser”. If someone doesn't want to make it out to cash, you can write in “Chris Yeager” but please write in the memo, “Hosmer fundraiser.”

Thank you for helping Mary- I know she would do the same for you!!

Thank you everyone.

ADIRONDACK ADVENTURE 2020

This article is reprinted here from the February issue of

The Rabbit Hunter

magazine

for the reading pleasure of members of The Loyal Order of The Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny.

© Copyright 2021 All Rights Reserved.

 Used with permission of  David Ferguson Design

Tel: 518-534-9491 adirondackpatch@gmail.com

Conservation of the snowshoe hare.

THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS VIDEO CONTENT.

Watch for it.

The video verifies the story. 

ADIRONDACK  ADVENTURE 2020

writing and photography

by

Joe Ewing

High HareMan

Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny

 

Adirondack snowshoe hare hunters include from left to right, back to front: Mark Baker Cranberry, PA, Joe Ewing, Roy Towner, Matt Baker, Nick Ochs Lucinda, PA, And “LT” Corso Knox, PA.

I caught a fleeting glimpse of movement on the bridge. The hounds had pushed the snowshoe hare out of the prime fir cover toward the traveled road. As a precaution, I hustled to the lightly traveled dirt thoroughfare. As I arrived, I caught that momentary glimpse. It couldn’t have been the hare. I’ve seen many nasty tricks pulled by some clever hare but never would I believe one would use a bridge to make his escape.

The beagles were stymied when they came to the dirt road. The traveled road slowed the chase significantly. As I stood on the threshold of the bridge, mixed emotions beset me. Did I want the beagles to cross the bridge? How could I even stop them? Did I want to stop them? Would the beagles run the bridge or swim the moderately wide creek? What about the current? Was it too swift? Did I want the beagles and me on the far shore while the hunting party was on the near side?

My hunting cohorts are five veteran snowshoe hare hunters and seven beagles from Western Pennsylvania. For the second consecutive year I’m hunting the Adirondack Mountains of New York State as a guest of the Baker/Towner party. These extreme adventurers successfully hunt everything from Colorado elk to Missouri ducks to Pennsylvania cottontails and every species in between. These gentlemen are all about the outdoors. There is never a dull moment. Possibly my four beagles are the real guests. It’s my good fortune, honor and privilege just to be tagging along.

I didn’t wait long for answers to my questions. Hollie picked up the scent and across the bridge the pack raced. Now I knew for sure. The beagles confirmed it. The hare used the bridge to make its getaway. From the hare’s vantage point, the road and bridge undoubtedly looked the same. It was compelled to use every method of escape and evasion in its arsenal to impede its pursuers. The pack of seven unrelenting beagles stayed on the trail of the snowshoe hare. Matt and I linked up on the “wrong side” of the bridge. Hikers and their dogs interrupted the chase causing it to end abruptly. Coerced, the pack followed us back across the bridge. Over the next two days all my questions would be answered.

Here is the video.

Click on square to make full screen.

Astonishingly, the next day the plot would repeat itself at the very same spot. It was déjà vu only this time I actually witnessed the hare running the bridge. Instantaneously and without hesitation I put the hounds on the track. Two beagles, Bo and Psycho Sid, downstream when the chase commenced in all its energized glory, chose to swim the chilly looking creek. Nick’s beagle, Bo, was swimming hard fighting the current with all his might as he slowly drifted down stream. As I watched it occurred to me, “Battling” Bo was wearing my tracking collar. In my excitement and angst, I yelled at the top of my lungs, “Swim Bo swim!” Undaunted, Bo and Sid safely made it to the far shore and linked up with the chase. The scene will stay ingrained in my memory forever.

Over the next I don’t know how long; three hunters would join me on the far shore. The snowshoe hare would take the beagles back and forth across the road several times. “LT” would venture to the stream bank and unfortunately miss his shot. Finally, with all four of us as witnesses, the hare, sticking to the stream bank, raced back across the bridge. Both Matt and I captured video evidence. We debated whether this hare should be allowed to live. Roy, deep in the fir thicket, made the decision by downing the snowshoe hare dressed in her late fall brown and white beauty.

Roy and Sammie (Wilson’s Sable Samantha) check out the Adirondack snowshoe hare.

Our not-so-primitive basecamp was located on First Lake of the Fulton Chain Lakes just off NY Route 28 near the tourist town of Inlet. The Fulton Chain of Lakes consists of eight lakes entertaining many tourists during the summer season.

Our not-so-primitive base camp near Inlet, NY.

It was from here we ventured forth into the Adirondack Wilderness.

The Adirondack Mountains of New York is a hunter’s paradise. One of the 50 species inhabiting the Adirondacks is the snowshoe hare or the varying hare. It was this elusive and magnificent animal we were hunting. New York’s small game season, unlike Pennsylvania’s, remains open during the big game seasons. Varying hare season in this part of New York runs from October 1^st through the 3rd Sunday in March giving beaglers a tremendous opportunity to practice their sport. Seasons vary according to “wild life management unit”.  Also, unlike PA, small game hunting is legal on Sundays. A NY nonresident license is $100. Outfitters and guides are readily available.

Map compliments wikipedia

Adirondack Park highlighted.

The Adirondack Park contains 6 million acres which includes wild forests, wilderness and primitive areas. The region abounds with unspoiled waterways, ancient forests and towering mountains. The Park’s waterways are extensive and natural featuring 3,000 lakes and ponds and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams.

In the afternoon of that first day, the hounds bounced a snowshoe hare out of its bed. With the singing pack of beagles in hot pursuit the hare raced up the valley a half- mile, raced back down through the fir thicket and across the road. The hare led the pack up the opposite mountain until the Garmin® Alpha® lost track of the hounds at the three-quarter-mile mark. The Alpha’s topo-map showed them crossing the summit at an elevation of 1900 feet and breaking over the ridge before losing the hounds. It had to be a buck. Alpha contact with the hounds was lost for what seemed like hours to the anxious beaglers.

As suddenly as the Alpha lost the hounds, they began showing up at that same three-quarter-mile mark. Who knows how far they had gone while off the grid? Were they on their way back? Minutes later the faint and welcoming sound of bawling beagles could be heard. The beagles soon came thundering through without a hunter sighting the elusive hare.  The hare evaded the hunters by tiptoeing the stream bank and sneaking under the bridge. The hare continued the race through the fir thicket, short circled, ran past the parked trucks, crossed the road and proceeded back up the mountain. This old hare completed the trip two times if not three, I lost count. This hare earned the title, “Killer Hare” because it was out to kill the poor beagles by running them to death. The Killer Hare took the beagles for at least six miles before curfew was called and hounds intercepted and corralled.

Photo courtesy Matt Baker

The Adirondack Wilderness hunting party with the author’s trophy snowshoe hare. Hunters from back to front, left to right include: Mark Baker, Joe Ewing, Roy Towner and Matt Baker. LT is behind the camera and Nick is AWOL. Beagles include: Mo, Poco, Bo, Sid, Music and Hollie. Eleven-year-old Sammie was in the box.

The Killer Hare made chumps of the hunting party and hoodwinked us at every turn while the beagles kept up their undaunted pursuit. The hare tried to run the beagles to death. We were obsessed and duty-bound to go after him the next day. Even I would strap a .410-gauge pump shotgun across my back.

Early the next morning Matt and Nick led the pack of beagles into the dense jungle-like cover in pursuit of the Killer Hare. The remainder of the party lined out on a well-used trail. Knowing the Killer Hare would race for the road and slip under the bridge I held back. I was not above ambushing this deadly killer under the bridge.

It wasn’t long before the pack of beagles were racing up the valley at full cry. The hare sprinted out 400 yards, turned and started back. I was ready. I knew he would head for the road but at 200 yards it turned and ran back up the valley with the hounds never letting up. It completed short circle after relatively small circle compared to the Killer Hare. This was not the Killer Hare. This hare was running more like a doe. As I inched my way up the trail a shot rang out but no account of a kill was reported. I came upon Roy and he confirmed LT had missed. I removed the .410 strapped across my back, loaded three three-inch shells packed with six shot and stood ready. The hounds were coming.

Forty yards out the beagles came booming across the ridge and continued down the valley. But wait, movement, the hare had circled back. A quick look at the white hare, but just a glimpse. I needed a better look. I believed he stopped under a small pine tree but could I really see it? For a fleeting second, I thought about taking a random shot at the pine tree. The hounds passed by without incident.

I elected to move up the trail past Mark and LT. Probably an unscrupulous move on my part as I reflect back. I’ll apologize sometime. The hounds were pushing the hare in my direction. Suddenly, the hare appeared running straight at me, my worst shot. I pulled the .410 to my shoulder, flipped off the safety and squeezed. The hare was unfazed. I pumped another round into the chamber and pulled. Unfazed still, the hare continued its advance toward heavier cover. One round left, I took aim and pressed. I lost track of the hare in the dense cover. The beagles were close. I wanted to get to the hare first whether he was dead or wounded.

The hounds and I arrived about the same time. Instantly, Hollie found the hare but she refused to give it up. Up the trail she pranced in all her glory. Eventually and reluctantly, she surrendered the dead hare over to Roy. What an outstanding chase it had been. The beagles did an awesome job. Unfortunately, and much to my chagrin it wasn’t the Killer Hare.

The beagles, gaining more experience with every chase, did an outstanding job far above the call of duty. The hard work and training the beagles put in paid off far beyond what could be expected. We enjoyed four days of unsurpassed action-packed wilderness snowshoe hare hunting. A video of the exciting bridge hare can be seen on Facebook/BigWoodsHareHunters or on YouTube.

Matt looks over Mark's kill. The first kill of the hunt.

Nick shows off his trophy hare.

Nick (L) and Mark compare trophy.

Roy's trophy hare with the shotgun he used.

Mark's second trophy hare which he skinned to make glove liners.

LT (L) and Mark skinning the snowshoe hare.

Joe (L) and Sid.

(L-R) Roy, Mark, Joe & Lt.

The High HareMan with super hounds Music, Hollie and Sid.