By Ken Maurer
The Susquehanna River is in good shape at the moment, actually better than it has been for most of the year.
We are concluding what was one of the highest summer river levels many can remember. The fishing is still a little spotty. Some days you seem to be able to light them up, the next day you struggle for a bite.
The past couple times I was out, it was tough fishing until the sun started to set. When the sun got off the water, the fish seem to come alive. You can catch them on a variety of lures; it seems that it’s a timing thing, like they want a meal before they go to bed. A couple evenings I stayed after dark and fished for quite a while, looking for that wisened lunker that only ventured forth under cover of darkness. My only reward was the scolding squawk of a blue heron from the darkened shoreline brush.
We’ve had some downright chilly nights this past week. Cool enough to stir the hunters’ blood.
I find myself looking for deer all the time. Drives my wife nuts. We’ll be driving somewhere and I’ll spot one and say, “There’s a deer.” Of course, she’ll do the safe thing and panic. She’ll grab the steering wheel and say, “How can you drive and look for deer at the same time?”
She thinks she has to help me steer the car. “Here, I’ll steer and you look for deer.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Well, you make me nervous.” Brother.
I guess when it comes to archery hunting, I’m a stubborn old-timer. I’m still shooting the faithfull old bow I bought a long time ago. It weighs about a hundred pounds and is about 6 feet long. At least it seems like that compared to the sub-compact, high-performance bows most guys are carrying around. Actually, my old bow shoots quite nicely and fills an archery tag most years. I do have to replace a sight pin.
I shoot one pin, and a couple of years ago I took the quantum leap from a painted dot pin to a fiber optic pin. Somewhere in the woods a tree reached out and busted the fiber optic pin, so that needs a replacement. I also did the Simms laboratory silencer/dampening deal. For an older model, she shoots pretty good. I’m half afraid to upgrade to a newer bow. Me and this bow know each other and know what each other can do. We are quite comfortable in our relationship, other than the fact that I neglect her during most of the summer. I should shoot more. I just don’t care for shooting when it’s hot out.
Cool nights. Hunting season is coming and I can’t wait. For those who don’t partake, it is hard to understand the call of the wild. The return to the swish of tall grass in the field, the bark of a beagle on the trail or a pointer locked up, shivering on a frosty morning. The smell of the brilliantly painted forest, the flickering of a distant tail lit up by the rising sun. Was it a deer?
You watch, you wait, a doe slips silently toward you and passes by. She never knew you were there. You start to breathe again.
You realize you actually missed the trees. It’s good to be back in the woods.
-- Ken Maurer, Herndon, is a licensed fishing guide and a regular contributor to the Outdoors section.
