PENNSYLVANIA WILDLIFE HABITAT UNLIMITED THANK YOU CARD.

 

The following article appeared in the February 2023 issue of the

THE RABBIT HUNTER

magazine

It is presented here for the reading pleasure of the members of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny

by the author.

PREDATORS

Do We Need More?

writing and photography

by

Joe Ewing

 

photo by J. Ewing

The snowshoe hare sits motionless. Always alert, the snow-white, varying hare sits atop a snow-covered log, watching and listening. It’s been leading the hounds through the foreboding wilderness for hours. It shows no sign of urgency. The beagles do not threaten the hare. The varying hare is confident there is no raucous dog alive he can’t outrun.

The terrain is unfriendly and hostile. The snowpack is deep, the air frigid; however, the lagomorph’s heavy white coat keeps it warm, and, as its name suggests, its enormous hairy hind feet keep the hare afloat atop the snow. The continuous uproar of the hounds keeps the magnificent animal apprised of the beagle’s location. It’s only a game to this elusive creature of the wild forest. It’s the hare’s lair.

Except for its black-tipped ears and dark eyes, which can see virtually 280 degrees, the hare is all but invisible against the white background of the snow. Only a sharp eye could detect the creature. Its ears individually scan the terrain like twin radar antennas while all senses, eyes, and nose work in unison in the relentless search for danger. Suddenly, the hare’s ears perk up—the constant tonguing of the hounds grows louder—it listens intently--the hare springs to attention now on full alert. The unrelenting beagles are closing.

Although able to reach nearly thirty miles per hour in deep snow, stop on a dime, and turn 180 degrees in midair, the hare will not need its speed or agility in front of these hounds. However, it will use every trick it knows to outsmart and confuse the hounds—the hare, when running, can leap almost 10 feet. The hare will run the same track again and again. It will bound off its route, sit completely still, wait for the hounds to pass, then race off in the opposite direction. When all else fails, the hare’s frequent modus operandi is an attempt to outrun the beagles. It will lead the beagles a mile and more through rough terrain, over logs and boulders, under brush piles, up mountains and down, make a small circle, and run the mile back, reenacting every maneuver. Without panic, the hare silently hops off the log and disappears into the underbrush like the white ghost it is.

Photo by J. Ewing

Always alert, the snow-white, varying hare sits atop a snow-covered log, watching and listening.

While playing this game with the beagles, the hare is always alert. The danger is around every corner, behind every log, under every brush pile, and from the sky. Predators with sharp eyes, speed, and wit lay in wait. Raptors stealthily hunt from the skies and strike without warning. The hare does not know he’s outnumbered.

The hare is relentlessly on some predator’s menu. Raptors include up to nineteen different kinds of avian predators in Pennsylvania. Five types of hawks, eight species of owls, falcons, bald eagles, and vultures patrol the skies. Often not mentioned are the highly intelligent crows and ravens, which raid the nest and eat the young of all species. Ground predators, including squirrels and red squirrels, three kinds of weasels, gray foxes, red foxes, coyotes, bobcats, fisher, and mink, are just a few of the hare’s nemeses.

Observing one of God’s most fabulous creations in the wild is a rarity, a thrill, and an education. Watching a majestic snowshoe hare is a rare and beautiful sight that is hardly worth a kill. I’ve witnessed the scenes I’ve described hundreds of times over my hare hunting career. Not only have I observed countless snowshoe hare in the wild, but cottontail rabbits, Appalachian and eastern, ruffed grouse, wild turkeys, deer, bear, and most predators. I’ve witnessed the actual predation of many small animals. The beauty of the wild forest makes a person forget what a cruel and deadly place the natural world can be.

Lepus americanus (snowshoe hare) is in substantial trouble in the Wilds of Pennsylvania, as it has been for years. The snowshoe hare and other small game compete with declining habitat, vast numbers of whitetail deer, human interaction, and climate change. Recently snowshoe hare has been joined by eastern cottontail rabbits, Appalachian cottontail rabbits, ruffed grouse, and wild turkeys. 

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) biologists admit populations of these game animals are in decline, and they readily acknowledge they do not know why. They ensure us that predators are not responsible. Small game hunters are told hawks and owls do not eat rabbits, and fishers don’t eat turkeys or snowshoe hare. Deer hunters can be confident coyotes don’t eat deer. We are advised not to worry. The PGC biologists are so certain predators are of no concern they have eagerly concocted a plan.

The PGC has unequivocally elected to reintroduce the American pine marten into the wilds of Pennsylvania. According to the PGC’s Wildlife Notes page, “Now the Pennsylvania Game Commission is seeking to return this iconic species of the forest to Penn’s Woods.” The biologists claim in an article, “92% of hunters surveyed support reintroduction.” They claim “sufficient habitat exists—such as the PA Wilds.” There is no turning back now.

– photo courtesy Wikipedia

American marten 

As a beagler and small game hunter, my initial reaction to the distressing news was condemnation and criticism. My knee-jerk response was, “no way this is a good idea.” Some say they would love observing pine martin because they are so cute. This is the same fascination some people have with fishers and otters, but after seeing an otter cleaning out your favorite fishing hole, maybe they are not so cute. Or, not finding any hare in excellent habitat because a fisher found it first; they become not so appealing. Others say they look forward to trapping marten. I don’t think too many old-timers need to worry about trapping. If marten reintroduction should work, it will be years before a trapping season could be opened. Some states have no active trapping after more than twenty years since the introduction of marten. After giving the idea much thought, I don’t know what is right. I’m confused more than ever. I’m not sure reintroduction will even work. The PGC biologist will be holding reeducation meetings starting in the new year.

Having never seen a marten, I know little about the American pine marten (Martes americana). I know it’s a weasel closely related to the fisher, now abundant in Pennsylvania. As I started researching the mammal, I uncovered some startling and interesting facts.

Courtesy Wikipedia 

American pine martin--Martes americana

The pine martin was a native of Pennsylvania before being eradicated in parts of the northern United States because of logging and over-harvesting in the early 1900s. Pennsylvania’s northern counties held the highest densities before extinction, and it was widely hunted and trapped for its lush pelt.

Compliments Wikipedia

The American pine marten’s range today.

The pine marten is a long, slender-bodied weasel weighing between one and three pounds, about the same size as a mink. The marten sports a distinguishing bib that is a different color than its body. Male martens are much larger than females. The marten’s large feet allow for reasonable travel over snow. Its short legs and narrow body enable the marten to access holes, cavities, and crevices on the ground and within trees where it does most of its hunting. It dens in trees and spends most of its time in the canopy while hunting mainly on the ground. In winter, the martin hunts in tunnels beneath the snowpack. Martens are swift tree climbers with sharp claws. The marten may be confused with fishers, but the marten is lighter in color and smaller in size.

 

Complements Wikipedia

Fisher

The marten is a ferocious hunter of smaller mammals and birds and a scavenger of berries. The PGC article says, “…their diet is very diverse, including small mammals, insects, and plant material.” The pine marten’s regimen includes mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, vegetation, and fish. The small mammals mentioned above consist of voles, shrews, and mice. At some time, all animals are small.

From Wikipedia, “Voles dominate diets throughout the American marten’s geographic range, though larger prey—particularly snowshoe hares—may be important, particularly in winter.” The New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry writes, “[marten] will also eat birds and birds’ eggs, insects, reptiles, amphibians, flying squirrels, red squirrels, eastern chipmunks, moles, shrew, and snowshoe hares.” The New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan says, “To compensate for scarce prey and higher metabolism during winter, marten have been known to shift to larger prey, such as snowshoe hare.”

According to the official Vermont government website, “The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department and the U.S. Forest Service attempted to restore a marten population in the state. Beginning in 1989, a total of 115 individual marten were live-trapped in Maine and New York and released at several different sites in the Green Mountain National Forest. However, extensive monitoring and surveys conducted throughout the 1990s indicated the reintroduction effort had failed. Marten remains on Vermont’s endangered species list and is protected accordingly.”

In New Hampshire, “it appears that northern New Hampshire has an expanding population of marten; however, the marten is considered ‘threatened’ in New Hampshire.” --New Hampshire Wildlife Action Plan.

The first attempt to re-establish marten in Michigan was in 1955. The reintroduction of martens continued in 1985 and 1986. The first modern marten trapping season was initiated in 2000 with a limited short trapping season on marten and a low bag limit. Marten has an endangered status in Wisconsin. In 1972, American martens were placed on the Wisconsin Endangered Species List. Wisconsin now has two marten populations; however, Pine martens are protected by legislation.

The PGC will be “opening up a dialogue” with ‘everyone’—especially turkey hunters—that has a question or concern.” They are going to develop educational materials, hold Facebook Live events and other presentations to “keep the public in the loop.” The “campaign” to roll out after Christmas.

You now have a small amount of information on the American pine martin. I will inform you how marten reintroduction goes in the Wilds of Pennsylvania and elsewhere.

Team Big Dog’ consisting of ‘Big Dog’ Hoffman and his son Nathan,

Team “Big Dog” Sets New Record at Rolfe Beagle Club’s Statewide Coyote and Fox Hunt or Trap

Exclusive to the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny

Mary Hosmer

Contributing

Johnsonburg, Pa.: Big Dog Hoffman set a new record this year for the heaviest coyote ever harvested at any of Rolfe Beagle Club’s Statewide Predator Hunt or Traps. ‘Team Big Dog’ consisting of ‘Big Dog’ Hoffman and his son Nathan, two well-known and respected coyote hunters from St. Marys, Pa., harvested a 49.4 lb. male coyote at 6:00 a.m. on Sunday. Ironically, Big Dog Hoffman also held the previous record for the largest coyote in 2020. The coyote was harvested on private lands in Elk County.

In addition to the record-setting male coyote, Team Big Dog also brought in four other coyotes they harvested over the weekend. They hunt a combination of private and public lands. Team Big Dog uses both mouth and electronic calls.

Big Dog harvested his first coyote of the weekend, a 35.8 lb. male, at 5:30 a.m. on Friday. He harvested a 32.0 lb. male at 3:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Nate Hoffman harvested his first coyote of the weekend, a 33.0 lb. female, at 2:30 a.m. on Saturday. He harvested a 42.4 lb male at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny congratulate Team Big Dog for a job well done and for ridding the woods of these prolific predators.

The following article appeared in the

January 2023 issue of

The Rabbit Hunter

magazine.

The article is presented here for the reading pleasure of the members of

THE BIG WOODS HARE HUNTERS of the ALLEGHENY.

Healthy Forests, Abundant Game, Conservation on the Allegheny

Protecting our freedoms.

MAINE ADVENTURE 2022

writing

by

Joe Ewing

Photography

by

Brenda Ewing

and

Joe Ewing

 

For more than 30 years, these three have hunted together.

(L-R) Joe Ewing, Sr., Joe Ewing, Jr., and Andy Hoover.

 

Again this year, as we have done for the last twenty years, members of the Big Woods Hare Hunters of the Allegheny put together their annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of snowshoe hare hunting. We lodged at our home away from home, the Pine Grove Lodge in Pleasant Ridge Plantation, Maine. As they have done for the previous twenty years, the proprietors, Andrea and Bob Howe, treated us to the finest of accommodations and hospitality.

We’ve attempted driving straight through to Pleasant Ridge, but a 13-hour drive is no fun, even on a good day, and there have been plenty of bad days, weather-wise. We’ve been making this trip twice a year for more than 20 years through all kinds of weather without problems. However, a less-than-funny event happened on the way to Maine this year.

Traditionally we stop at a not-to-be-identified here hotel in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Our beagles sleep in boxes in the dog trucks—usually, two or more hounds in an insulated box. I could give you more details, but you get the picture.

The first part of this story is Brenda’s, but I’ll try to relay it to you with her permission. Early Sunday morning, Brenda and I were hurrying to get to the parking lot to get the dogs out so they could relieve themselves. I was in the bathroom when a knock came on the door. Brenda, thinking it was Andy, immediately opened the door. There stood two bigger-than-life, fully uniformed police officers. The first officer said to Brenda, “are you Joseph?”

“She is not Joseph,” the second officer immediately inserted. The officer continued, “we have a complaint from the hotel that your dogs were out in the cold last night, and the temperature got down to 32 degrees.” I was in the bathroom only inches from the door, not believing my ears.”

I bolted from the bathroom in my skivvies, saying, “Thirty-two is not cold. They were in boxes.”

 

Little Toby Creek Muzette Mountain Music is ready to launch off the tailgate.

One officer insisted, “They are metal boxes.”

“Insulated boxes with more than one dog in each box.”And they had their coats on. They were not cold,” I declared.”

The officers stated, “we will notify animal control to take care of the problem as we don’t handle such matters.” We thanked them, and off they went. I’ve not heard from animal control.

According to local weather records, to kick a dead horse, the low temperature on Sunday morning, October 23, never got below 39 degrees. After the long hot summer my dogs endured, 39 degrees, 32 degrees, or even 25 degrees is no doubt refreshing to them. They may even have been too warm. The temperature is not the problem.

There are too many “Karens” in this world. People who believe they know everything and, in reality, know nothing. For some unknown reason, they feel compelled to stick their noses in other people’s business, especially hunters. They mistakingly associate dogs with human traits. They associate dogs’ feelings with human feelings and animal comfort with human comfort. They mistakingly believe animals think, feel, and have emotions like humans. You will never be able to convince them otherwise.

Under the onslaught of pressure from animal rights and animal-welfare groups, state legislatures have passed laws setting up time limits or hours dogs can be outside. State legislatures set temperature limits based on random choice or a person’s whim rather than any logical, reasonable system. I voiced my opinion in an article in the August 2021 issue of THE RABBIT HUNTER magazine called “Just Me-My Opinion,” where I accused the animal-rights crowd of disguising their attacks by proposing legislation under the camouflage of “animal welfare.”

Many states have passed laws trying to restrict and abolish outside dogs. A Pennsylvania law prohibits chaining a dog to only 30 minutes if the temperature is below 32 degrees or above 90 degrees. The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) professes this law they hammered (snuck) through in Pennsylvania during the Covid crisis is not intended to do away with outside dogs. As a matter of course, they are insincere. In other words, they lie. The Humane Society of the United States unstated mission is to do away with the private ownership of dogs altogether. Hunting dogs will be outlawed, and even a person’s pets will be in jeopardy.

Not only do dog laws vary from state to state, but in Massachusetts, dog laws vary from municipality to municipality. The rules are not uniform across the state. When going from town to town, the laws change drastically. Dog laws differ at the city or county level. In one town in Massachusetts, residents are only allowed to own up to three dogs, but there is no limit under state law. The bottom line, a dog owner crossing municipal lines has no idea what the rules are or what he can expect.

A recent law passed in the state of Maine compels anyone 16 years of age or older who is using a dog to hunt for bear, coyote, fox, bobcat, or raccoon; or train for bear, fox, and raccoon must obtain a Dog Training and Hunting permit. A person or persons may not use more than six dogs at any one time to hunt bear, bobcat, coyote, raccoon, and fox. Any dog engaged in the above activities must have a functioning tracking collar.

Pleasant Ridge Plantation is located in the central mountains of Maine.

 The Maine law applies only to dogs hunting for bear, coyote, fox, or raccoon; I do not understand why only these selected groups. Why were my brothers singled out? How and why were these foolish laws proposed and passed? But of f course, I know why. Laws like these are being passed to attack hunting directly.

 

“Don’t take it all for granted because it could all be taken away,” Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance.

 From Maine to Oregon, Michigan to Louisiana, animal-rights extremists are working overtime to pass harsh and horrible animal control laws. Recently, in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana, a proposed “Animal Control Ordinance” seeks, among other things, to make the use of dogs while hunting a violation of the law.

 

The writer does what he does best—eating great-tasting cookies from the Pine Grove Lodge.

Many hunters claim they don’t want to get involved. Why would anyone turn their back on the sport and the animals they love?

 

All dog owners, especially those with hunting and sporting dogs, must stick together, stay vigilant, and fight against animal-rights activists (extremists) pushing anti-hunting legislation. Their objective is to outlaw hunting with dogs. Hunters and dog owners must organize as one! We unite by supporting organizations like the Sportsmen’s Alliance, the NRA, the New York Houndsmen Association, the Virginia Hunting Dog Alliance, the Sportsmen’s Alliance of Maine, and many other freedom-fighting groups. I’m sure a group in your state needs your help. They need more than moral support. They need financial support.

 

Joe Jr. and his trophy snowshoe hare.

Sorry, I used up so many words. Sorry for the departure from my intended mission. I felt compelled to get that off my chest. I never dreamed these radical extremist ideas would slap me directly in the face.

 

How did the remainder of our Maine hunt go, you ask? It was uneventful. My pickup battery went dead. Andy put to use the jump box he carries for just such events, and I had to buy a new battery which was minor. Thanks, Andy, for bailing me out. Everything else went as smoothly as silk. Joe Jr. now resides in Florida and flew into Portland Jet Port, where we met him without a hitch. We even delivered him on time for his return flight.

When we crossed this line, we felt like we were home again.

It rained a day or two, but we never got rained out, although Brenda and I spent time in the truck. That’s the day the battery went dead. The hounds ran countless elusive snowshoe hare, just starting to molt for the winter. The hounds had no trouble finding hare and chased hard all day.

The shooters weren’t too good, though, as son Joe was the only one of us to bag a hare. He was using his .410 O/U at the time. Other times using a .410 Contender handgun and the persistent impenetrable underbrush reduced Andy and Joe’s chances and raised the difficulty factor. The snowshoe hare and the hounds would pass within feet without a sighting. The beagles got to one before the hunters could retrieve it.

Brenda and I were sitting on the tailgate when a small, not much bigger than a cottontail, hare ran under the tailgate. The little hare ran through a stone quarry, and the hounds couldn’t follow. Perhaps the little fellow holed in the rocks; however, the beagles did not know. Brenda did get a picture of the miniature hare.

The little snowshoe hare ran under the tailgate Brenda and I was sitting on and then stopped for a break.

The stone quarry the little hare used to make his escape. It may have holed in the rocks.

 

Andy deploys some excellent and well-trained beagles. Emma and Sadie were whelped at James Creek Beagles in James Creek, PA. Teagan is out of my kennel. Andy’s beagles pack up nicely with mine, making for many good runs.

 

James Creek Beagles Emma.

I cannot say enough good things about the Pine Grove Lodge. Everything, including the lodging, cuisine, and kenneling, was up to snuff. Those who have visited the Pine Grove Lodge know I’m not being disingenuous, as they say.

If you ever get a chance to visit Maine and run your beagles behind the magnificent Maine snowshoe hare, I guarantee a great adventure. We enjoyed an excellent hunt for five straight days, just like we have for the past twenty-plus years.