"We increased the number of either-sex days in the firearms season in most counties last fall from three to seven or seven to full-season," he replied. "We have one staff member who has repeatedly asked that we make all of the late muzzleloading season either sex. I have opposed this on two grounds. Traditionally, we manipulate our deer herd by increasing or decreasing the number of either-sex days in the firearms seasons.

"If two things at once are changed, it makes it very difficult to separate cause and effect between the two changes. Lastly, we are always blasted by firearms deer hunters for giving away the farm to muzzleloaders. I would have a hard time explaining to a firearms deer hunter how he only has six either-sex days in a 13-day season and how a muzzleloading hunter has up to 20 either-sex days and 25 days of hunting."

Sportsmen should also note that some counties, such as Franklin, Henry, Patrick and Bedford (except on national forest lands), for example, already have either-sex days throughout the late muzzleloading season. Many counties, especially those west of the Blue Ridge, have six either-sex days - the last six of the season. Note: Some west-of-the-Blue-Ridge counties only have one either-sex day - the final day of the season. Counties such as Grayson, Lee, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell and Washington have typically fallen under this category.

For the late muzzleloading season, no changes are scheduled. The season is tentatively slated to begin on Dec. 11. For most counties west of the Blue Ridge, doe days are tentatively slated to run from Dec. 27 to Jan, 1. Again, some east-of-the-Blue-Ridge counties offer either-sex days throughout the season. Consult the VDGIF's Web site for complete information: www. dgif.state.va.us.

Usually, since my emphasis is totally on taking a doe at this time, what I do is hunt in counties east of the Blue Ridge the opening weeks of the late season and then hunt west of the Blue Ridge during the six antlerless days. The goal is to always be afield in a county where does are legal game. This is a time when any hunter who takes a mature doe has reason to be quite proud. Holding out for a buck, especially a mature one, is a great way to not fill a tag.

Since killing a doe will be the objective of many, if not the overwhelming majority of, sportsmen afield now, the best hunting will likely be on private land. As much as I enjoy being afield in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, deer numbers on this public land cannot match those on nearby private land. The national forest, specifically its backcountry, remains an outstanding destination for trophy bucks. But trophy bucks are at a premium during the late season, wherever one ventures forth.

Of course, that is not to say that public land is not worth hunting during the late season. For example, last year, after a succession of poor morning hunts, a friend and I decided to spend our morning trout fishing and then hunt on private land in Botetourt County that evening.

We journeyed to the upper Maury River to trout fish and stopped to do so where the Maury forms one of the boundaries of the Goshen-Little North Mountain WMA. There, a hunter had just dragged out a whitetail from this WMA. And several years ago while afield on the Big Survey WMA near Wytheville, one of the members of my party, Jesse Hall of Troutville, was able to tag a deer. And I met a father-and-son team from Wytheville dragging out a whitetail.

Western WMAs such as Clinch Mountain, Gathright, Havens and Highland, just to name a few, all have the potential to produce a buck or a doe. As is true anywhere in the Commonwealth during any season, the individual who has conducted pre-season scouting and has determined current travel routes, bedding areas, and food preferences is the person most likely to be successful - regardless of whether he is afield on public or private land.

Knox emphasizes that for the deer seasons as a whole, there will be two new antlerless tags on all hunters' licenses, thus raising the season bag limit. In effect, continues the biologist, the VDGIF is giving every hunter in the state his or her first set of bonus tags free. For the convenience of hunters, there will also be a telephone checking system this autumn for deer. The number is (866) GOTGAME.

The statistics compiled by the VDGIF obviously indicate that deer harvests are low during the late muzzleloader season. But though the kill tally may be low, the pleasure quotient can be quite high during this period. If you have not participated in the late muzzleloader season in the past, consider going afield this year and taking up the challenge of smoking a wintertime whitetail.