There I was at my first outdoor writers' conference, totally in awe, sharing the room with the same writers I had been reading since I was old enough to read. My green badge meant, "First timer." One man openly welcomed me and in doing so, made an unforgettable impact on my life, as he did to most he met.
Charles T. (Chuck) Buck, the chairman of Buck Knives, Inc. He died Feb. 6 at 78 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
Chuck Buck was third generation in the Buck Knives family business after his grandfather Hoyt Buck and father Al Buck. He joined the business after his discharge from the Navy in 1961. Chuck became president of Buck Knives in 1979 at the age of 43.
During my youth, you were not a real woodsman or hunter if you did not wear the black sheath on your belt with a folding Buck inside. Even the Duke boys on the "Dukes of Hazzard" wore a Buck knife. Buck knife is to knives as Kleenex is to facial tissues. When you asked to borrow a knife, you would say, hand me your Buck.
To this day, I still have my first 110 folding Buck knife. I have returned it to Buck Knives twice in 30 years after breaking the tip off the end of the blade. Each time it was my fault as I was using the knife in some manner it was not intended. Both times I mailed the knife back to Buck and the blade was replaced. The second time I sent it back, they returned my check for return shipping, covering the cost themselves.
And there I was shaking the hand of Mr. Buck himself.
He welcomed me to the conference and we talked about knives. He then did something I'll treasure and never forget. Chuck Buck asked me to pick out a knife from the display and he would engrave my name on the blade.
How cool was that? One of the most recognizable names in the world gave me a knife with my name he personally engraved on it. I found out later that Chuck would give each first time attendee to the Outdoor Writers Association conference a knife engraved with their name.
But the story continues. I was proud of that knife and carried it on my first Canada deer hunt to Anticosti Island. The hunt was one I arranged for my father. He was gaining in age and I wanted to share one more hunting adventure with him.
On the third day of the hunt, my father and I hunted together on the sandy beach of the island. We soon spotted several deer feeding on the seaweed along the beach. Dad raised his rifle took aim and fired. I was standing by his side when my father killed his Canada deer. In return for all that my father had done for me over the years, I began to field dress the deer for him.
As I kneeled by the deer, Dad asked, "Is that the knife Chuck Buck engraved your name on?"
"It sure is, why?" I questioned.
"You shouldn't be using that knife. You should just put it away and keep it. Here use my knife," Dad said.
I did just that and today the knife sits on my bookshelf with a note. That was the last time I was able to hunt with my Dad before he passed away.
Turkey hunting in the winter in Maryland
Maryland DNR opened a new turkey hunting season this year, a winter season. Hunters reported taking 108 wild turkeys during Maryland's inaugural winter turkey season that was open Jan. 22-24 statewide. MDDNR established the new season to provide hunters additional turkey hunting opportunities while minimizing conflicts with other hunting seasons.
Turkeys were taken in 21 of the 23 counties, with Dorchester, Garrett, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's and Worcester reporting the highest numbers. No turkeys were reported harvested in Carroll County. Eighty-nine percent were taken on private lands. Adult males comprised about 38 percent of the harvest with the remainder females and juvenile birds. Ninety-two percent were taken with a shotgun. A few archers were successful in arrowing their winter turkey.
Turkey populations were very limited in Maryland until an extensive DNR program to trap and relocate wild flocks in the 1980s and 1990s successfully established populations in every county.
Wild turkeys are an important game bird in Maryland, providing recreation and enjoyment for countless hunters, wildlife enthusiasts, and citizens. According to the 2014 Annual Wild Turkey Report, turkey hunting alone results in an economic benefit to Maryland of nearly $5 million every year. The MD DNR Wild Turkey Program monitors population levels, develops hunting regulations, and manages habitat to ensure that turkeys continue to flourish in Maryland.
The report continues, stating that following several decades of rapid growth, the statewide wild turkey population appears to have stabilized. However turkey numbers have increased in some regions and decreased in others. The highest densities continue to be found in the western region and Eastern Shore region. Central region numbers are generally lower, likely due to habitat limitations. Turkey numbers in the southern region vary considerably but have increased in most areas in recent years.
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Andrew Aughenbaugh is a Times outdoors writer. His column appears every other Sunday. Reach him at 410-857-7896 or sports@carrollcountytimes.com.
