Field Note: March 2000

          Recently, Gary Alt visited the Towanda area to give his program on deer management.  The program was held before a packed house at the Towanda High School.  Gary’s wife, Sharon, who is very good looking , was trying to find seats for late comers.  After asking one man if the seat next to him was taken, he quickly responded “NO”.  In a few minutes Sharon directed an elderly man to the seat, and suddenly the man remembered that he was saving the seat for his buddy.  I think there was a misunderstanding as to who was going to set there.

          Recently, the Game Commission gave Annette Ward, a second grade teacher at the Springfield School, an award for doing an excellent job of teaching her students about wildlife and nature.  I was surprised when Annette told me that she had taken up raccoon hunting and loved it, and as a side benefit had lost some weight in doing so.   I remember the one and only time that I went raccoon hunting and the only thing I lost was myself.

          Recently, Karen Blackwell, of Troy, called to tell me that she had heard a big flock of turkeys while walking in Farmer’s Valley.  Later, I was driving through the area and stopped to listen where Karen had said that she had heard the big flock of birds.  Karen was right, there was a lot of calling but it was not from a flock of turkeys but rather an army of wood frogs.