For hunters, the whitetail is king, with roughly three-quarters of all U.S. hunters—more than 10 million men and women—traveling into our country’s woods and fields each fall in pursuit of deer. For businesses and organizations focused on serving this audience, understanding where they spend their money and what they actually buy is critical. Manufacturers, retailers, marketers, outfitters and even gas stations and hotels can improve profitability if they can pinpoint hunters’ buying habits.

According to Southwick Associates, which conducts annual surveys on such matters, hunting expenditures total approximately $22 billion dollars in the United States each year, and 83 percent of those who hunt, hunt for deer. Do the math and you’ll see that the vast majority of hunting expenditures in any given year are directed towards hunting deer, particularly whitetails

. Of course, that’s a fact well known here in the Adirondacks, but the same holds true for other regions and states as well.

A NEW ADIRONDACK BOOK

While we’re on that subject, I’m certain you’ll enjoy a new book written and released recently by Bob Elinskas, a prolific and well-respected author who researches his books very carefully and thoroughly.

His latest book is Adirondack Hunters and Trappers, and it takes the reader through interesting stories on the Adirondacks, from the time of the arrival of the first Native Americans right through more recent times, with a concentration on the people and places of the late 1800’s to mid-1900’s.

I enjoyed this book and it includes information on many locations and people that will be of interest to you, and which you may recognize, whether you’re a hunter, trapper or just a north country woods traveler.

For instance, on page 37 of the book you’ll find a lengthy and interesting passage on Avery’s Hotel, from its inception to the present, including stories on how hunts were conducted there as well as info on Lyman Avery’s big 15-point buck and Bob Avery’s big 500-pound plus black bear. Following that, on page 45 is a historical narrative on the White House.

The book also contains many old photos of various north country characters and places, and many of theses photos are new to me.

While the entire book is not on Hamilton County people and places, much of it is because you can’t separate the county from the Adirondacks in any dissertation on that subject. Also included, are stories about some of the older and more popular Adirondack hunting camps, some of them still in existence and being used regularly.

I don’t want to tease you but I’ll have more on this fascinating and informative publication in next week’s column. For the moment, suffice it to say that the author does a magnificent job of capturing the historic Adirondack Region in great detail and the number of archival photos included in the book is mind-boggling.

Adirondack Hunters and Trappers is Bob Elinskas’ fifth book and is 231 pages long, with many b & w as well as color photos. It’s available at many Adirondack-area book stores as well as Barnes & Noble and North County Books.

The other books Bob has penned include: a Deer Hunter’s History Book; Adirondack Camps and Hunts; a Taste of Wild Alaska (about his military and civilian time in that State): and Hunting Central New York Whitetails.

BASS FOR CASH

On Saturday, August 11, the Speculator/Lake Pleasant/Piseco Fish & Game Club will host its 2012 Oxbow Bass for Cash Partners Tournament. The entry fee will be $50 per boat plus, if you’re so inclined, an extra $10 for the tagged bass competition. Prizes of $750, $550, $350 and $150 will be awarded in the bass division; as well as $125 for the highest total weight in pickerel; $125 for the highest total weight in sunfish; $100 for the lunker bass; and $100 for tagged bass.

You can register in person on August 11 at the Oxbow Inn, between 5 and 7 a.m. or you can call 518-548-6664 or 518-548-3005 for an entry form or for more information.

LICENSES GO ON SALE

I’m certain you’ve been anxiously waiting for the new hunting, fishing and trapping licenses to go on sale. If so, be advised that they’ll be available at all license-issuing outlets on Monday, August 16.