MIKE BRAUN Deer rendezvous at Pine Lake

If you'd like to get a good idea of what kind of deer were harvested in the area this year, then head on over to Pine Lake today for the 16th Annual Deer Hunter's Rendezvous.
Usually a very interesting gathering of deer and deer hunters, the rendezvous draws hunters from all over the area along with the racks or actual deer they harvested this year.
Previous years have seen some fantastic bucks on display, including some very large nontypical deer.
In addition to the deer and hunters, there will also be exhibits, raffles and refreshments.
Sportsmen are also being urged to bring 1- or 2-pound packages of ground deer meat for the Sportsmen Against Hunger campaign. Over the years, sportsmen from the area have fed a lot of the less fortunate locally.
The meat will be collected at the rendezvous and later distributed to the local rescue center.
The event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is at Pine Lake, three miles south of the Ohio Turnpike's Exit 16 on state Route 7. Admission is $3 for adults, free for children under 12, $1 for those bringing in a set of antlers from a 2001 buck and free for hunters bringing in an entire deer.
Where the season stands: Ohio deer hunters have today to finish and then their gun season is done for the year. Pennsylvania hunters, on the other hand, are just halfway through their firearms season, with Saturday the final day of hunting for them.
For hunters in Ohio, the archery season continues Monday and runs through Jan. 31; they can also partake of primitive weapons deer hunting season, which is open Dec. 27-30 this year.
Pennsylvania's archery season resumes Dec. 26 and runs through Jan. 12 and Pa. hunters also get a chance at deer during the regular flintlock muzzleloader season, Dec. 26 through Jan. 12
So there are plenty more opportunities for hunters in Ohio and Pennsylvania to bag the trophy buck they've been after for years or to put meat in the freezer.
Whichever season you go out under, it is important to always keep safety uppermost in your mind and follow all state guidelines, rules and regulations
A big deer: Rumors have been floating across the Vindicator's Outdoors desk of a deer with an very large rack taken in western Pennsylvania this gun season.
Numbers from 42 to 36 points have been reported for the deer. Definite details are still being collected and it looks like there may be something to the reports. Since Pennsylvania deer hunters have up to 10 days to report their harvest to the state game commission, it may be a while before definite information on this promising local trophy surfaces.
Meanwhile, in Ohio, preliminary figures show that hunters harvested 41,257 deer Monday, opening day of the statewide deer gun season.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife reported that the numbers gathered by deer check stations throughout the state is 18.3 percent more than 2000's opening day total of 34,866.
Top counties reporting the highest numbers of deer brought to Ohio check stations Monday included Athens (1,754), Muskingum (1,536), Coshocton (1,505), Guernsey (1,446), and Washington (1,442). Other area counties and their totals include: Summit, 43 (20); Mahoning, 180 (219); Stark, 385 (295); Columbiana, 478 (468); Carroll, 602 (477); Ashtabula, 612 (676); Trumbull, 640 (485).
Figures for Pennsylvania won't be available until all hunter reports have been received by the game commission and the data examined, PGC officials said.
Warm and warmer: Needless to say, this was one of the warmest deer gun seasons on record for Ohio and Pennsylvania hunters. Temperatures in the 50s and 60s, for this time of year, are not the usual; snow and cold is more likely.
Because of these conditions, the Pennsylvania Game Commission is encouraging hunters in that state who plan to continue their activities this coming week to take appropriate actions on any deer they harvest.
"Warm weather can impact the quality of venison quickly if a harvested deer isn't handled properly," noted J. Carl Graybill, PGC Bureau of Information and Education director. "Hunters should remove the entrails immediately after they place their harvest tag on a deer. Then, the deer should be removed from the field and cooled down as soon as possible. When the weather's warm, the cool-down process may be started by skinning the deer and hanging the carcass in the shade, refrigeration or placing a bag of ice in the body cavity."
braun@vindy.com