The Danville News from Danville, Pennsylvania • 8

1 1 PAGE 8 THE DANVILLE NEWS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1995 Sports Connie Mertz Exploring the Outdoors Weather may have affected buck's racks Most reports in this area were not so much the number of antlered deer harvested, but their trophy sizes. One lucky Northumberland County hunter was reported to have taken a buck with a 22 inch spread. And trophy sized antlers didn't seem to be uncommon this year. One of the unusual occurrences was that many local hunters complained that antlers came off their deer while dragging them. Several area hunters had quite a fearful sight when they approached the buck they thought they had shot.

They found no antlers attached, but looking closer they finally found them laying nearby. You can bet they were relieved. The reasons for the early drop of antlers were the early snows and colder temperatures we experienced in November. Some hunters are convinced this is the reason for seeing fewer antlered deer in their neck of the woods. As the antlerless deer season dawned upon us, frigid Arcticlike temperatures had already invaded central Pennsylvania with howling winds.

Weather forecasters said the chill factor was something around -20 degrees F. After hunting for two solid weeks for the elusive white-tail, you can bet there were second thoughts about enduring such cold. Irregardless of the cold, hunters did brave the woodlands for antlerless deer. No one ever said deer hunting is supposed to be like a summer picnic, and in many ways we are spoiled hunters who think deer hunting ought to be easy and fun. Sometimes it is, but this week, braving the elements made the hunt challenging and not so enjoyable at times.

The game of the day seemed to be who could stay out the longest until chilled to the bone. Congratulations to you hunters who braved the wind and cold; those of you who walked deep into the hollows, ravines and ridges and waited patiently for a shooting opportunity. You earned your venison the hard and ethical way. Ever wonder why the deer seasons are called antler and antlerless deer seasons? Sometimes, by a freak of nature a doe will grow antlers. (This actually happened locally a couple of years ago.) Of course, we are all familiar with "button bucks" which are shot in the antlerless deer season.

Usually these are the bucks's first set of antlers, which he grows at about 10 months of age. Ski Report Pennsylvania Alpine Mountain 3-4 new packed powder 24-60 base 16 trails 3 lifts am open 8a-5p Big Boulder packed powder 24-40 base 14 trails 4 lifts open 94-4p, Blue Knob 2-3 new packed powder 6-30 base 6 trails 2 lifts am 98-10p 1 Blue Marsh machine groomed snow 24-48 base 7 trails 3 lifts Blue Mountain 4- new packed powder 18-36 base 13 trails 3 lifts sm Camelback -4 new packed powder 24-50 base 20 trails 2 lifts am 8:30 11fts Crystal Lake Plan to open Dec 16 4tris-21fts, -Sp Doe Mountain Plan to open Dec 16 Stris at 8a Elk Mountain packed powder 12-48 base 13 trails 4 lifts sm Hidden Valley loose granular 12-24 base 4 trails 2 lifts open 9a-10p Jack Frost packed powder 24-48 base 16 trails 5 lifts Montage packed powder 12-60 base 11 trails lifts am 98-10p Mt. Airy Lodge 2-3 new packed powder 24-36 base 6 trails 2 lifts Seven Springs wet granular 26 base 15 trails 4 lifts 450 acres open 9-11p Shawnee Mountain 3- new machine groomed 24-50 base 17 trails 3 lifts am 9a-10p Ski Denton Plan to reopen Dec 16 13 Ski Liberty packed powder 6-24 base 8 trails 3 lifts sm 98-10p Ski Roundtop 3- new machine groomed snow 18-35 base 10 trails 6 lifts Ski Sawmill packed powder 20-30 base 5 trails 1 lift am Split Rock Resort packed powder 12-24 base trail 1 lift Tangiwood Plan to reopen Dec 16-17 Stris21fts Tussey Min. no report Whitetail packed powder 13-25 base 4 trails 3 lifts Vermont Bolton Valley 10-12 new powder 23-51 base 48 trails 6 lifts an open 9a-10p Bromley 5-10 new powder 15-38 base 37 trails 6 lifts am 98-4p wknd: 37tris-Sifts Haystack --8-9 new powder 12-36 base 37 trails 2 lifts am open-41fts Jay Peak 10- new powder 24-54 base 62 trails lifts open 98-4p, Wknd: 6lfts Killington 6-8 new packed powder 10-44 base 146 trails 15 lifts am 64 miles open 9a-4p, NASCAR truckin' to Nazareth, The Glen DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. NASCAR's newest star, the SuperTruck series, will expand to 24 races on 23 tracks in 20 states for its second season in 1996.

The series will make its first stop at superspeedways in Homestead, Las Vegas, Loudon, N.H. and Nazareth, as well as the Watkins Glen, N.Y., road course and the 0.596-mile short track at Nashville. Homestead and Las Vegas, at 1.5 miles, will be the longest tracks yet used by the fledgling series. The season-ending event at Las Vegas will also offer the largest purse in the two-year history of the series, $600,000. The series will offer $4 million in purses 1996, compared with $1.2 million last season.

POPULAR FUND-RAISERWhile December is a time for many people in the Winston Cup community to kick back and regroup from their nearly 10-month schedule, quite a few make time for what is becoming a very popular charity event. The sixth annual Stocks For Tots fund-raiser was scheduled Thursday at Lakeside Park, the sprawling industrial complex in Mooresville, N.C., where many teams on stock car racing's top circuit have their shops. Fifty one drivers, crew chiefs and NASCAR officials and even a few stars from other forms of racing, such as Don "'The Snake" Prudhomme committed to attend this year's event and sign autographs for four hours. The price of admission to the event, which benefits Stop Child Now centers across the Carolinas, was either a cash donation or a new toy. To get a feel for how popular the Dallas' turn to get a win By DAVE GOLDBERG AP Sports Writer From wire reports The Dallas Cowboys were -point favorites over Washing- ton at home.

And lost. They were 9-point favorites in Philadelphia. And lost. So what do they do as 15-point favorites at home against the Giants Sunday? Punt? They've got a better chance if they do. There are three ways to look at this game.

1, Dan Reeves did the same thing as Barry Switzer last Sunday, although under less pressure and further up the field. He made first down on fourth-and-1 and the Giants went on to score the winning touchdown. 2, The Giants beat Washington twice and Washington beat Dallas twice, so, by comparative scores comparative scores work only in computers, which is why computer rankings don't work. 3, New York's season went down the tubes when Emmitt Smith broke loose for 60 yards on the first series of the opening Monday night game. The Cowboys won 35-0 and the Giants never recovered.

"It's us against the world," Switzer says. He should have said "Me against the world." The world can't win every week. COWBOYS, 31-14 Miami (plus at Buffalo The Dolphins' win over the Chiefs was due in part to Kansas City's first letdown this year, a deserved one after clinching the division. BILLS, 17-13 Minnesota (plus 14) at San Francisco (Monday night) When the 49ers have something like home field by the throat, they don't let it go. 49ERS, 37-21 Green Bay (minus 5) at New Orleans (Saturday) The Packers are kicking themselves for blowing the Tampa, Bay game.

PACKERS, 19-16 New England (plus 10) at Pittsburgh (Saturday) Drew Bledsoe's not having the kind of conducive to facing the Pittsburgh defense. STEELERS, 24-9 Arizona (plus 9) at Philadelphia Buddy Ryan comes "home." factors as an establishment's availability, room rates, distance from track and rating by the American Automobile Association. The guide can be obtained by calling or writing the track. PONTIAC PARANOIARival Winston Cup car owners continue to show signs of concern about Pontiac's soon-to-be-unveiled new Grand Prix. Pontiac, which has struggled mightily on NASCAR's top circuit recently, will begin using a new Grand Prix body design in the 1996 season.

The prevailing thought is that stock car racing's sanctioning body will give significant concessions to Pontiac engineers to try to return the Grand Prix to a competitive stature. Joe Gibbs, owner of the Chevrolet Monte Carlos driven by Bobby Labonte, was asked if he had seen the new Grand Prix. "No," he shot back, "but I'm sure whatever it looks like, NASCAR will approve it." STERLING RUNS- Almost lost in the hype of Jeff Gordon's Winston Cup championship were strong performances by two of the circuit's most popular veterans. Sterling Marlin's second-place run in the season finale at Atlanta bumped him up to third in the final points standings, the best year of his Winston Cup career, which began in 1976. Marlin, 38, concluded the 1995 season with three victories, nine top-5s, 22 top-10s and winnings of more than $2 million all tops for his career.

Ricky Rudd finished his 19th full season of Winston Cup racing with a flurry, recording one victory and four top-10 finishes in his last five races. The surge carried Rudd, 39, to a top-10 finish in the point standings for the seventh consecutive year and the 14th in his last 15. Oilers, NFL to bid adieu to Astrodome With team set to move to Tennessee, Sunday's game looks to be Houston's last By MICHAEL A. LUTZ AP Sports Writer This familiar front of NASCAR's Richard Petty's STP car will switch fund-raiser has become, consider that there is no parking. All those who attend must park at satellite lots and take shuttle buses to the site.

In addition to autographs, the attractions included an auction of such items as Dale Earnhardt's driving suit. Last year's event raised about $73,000 in cash and a truckload of toys. TELEVISED TRUCKSNASCAR's SuperTruck series, which drew more than 500,000 fans Pontiac Grand Prix will be a thing of to a new Grand Prix body design during its inaugural season, has received a commitment from CBS for a significant increase in the network's television coverage. CBS said it will televise at least four races in each of the next two seasons. The network televised events this year from the Milwaukee Mile and Colorado Speedway.

CBS said it plans to return to Milwaukee and Colorado in 1996, when it will add at least two more venues to its coverage. Danville News file photo past next season. Team's like in the 1996 season. RACING GUIDE- Richmond International Raceway is trying to take some of the guesswork out of fans' quest to locate good lodging when they come to Virginia's capital to attend races at the 0.75-mile track. The speedway has polled Richmond-area hotels and motels to determine which are and it has compiled a guide listing 67 facilities it recommends for visitors.

The guide takes into account such HOUSTON It started with Billy Cannon and George Blanda and it will end Sunday with Steve McNair as the Houston Oilers play what likely will be the final NFL game in the Astrodome before moving to Tennessee. It's been a year of saying goodbye in Texas. Southwest Conference football is gone and now the Oilers probably are too, after Sunday's home finale against the New York Jets. think about it this week and walking off the field next week, it will take on a whole new said 13-year veteran Bruce Matthews. "That's going to be strange.

We've done a lot of good things here but unfortunately have fallen short of our ultimate goal. "It's been a great ride." After failing to get the new downtown stadium he wanted, owner Bud Adams has negotiated a deal that is falling quickly into place to move the Oilers to Nashville. The Oilers have two years remaining on their Astrodome lease but they likely will seek a settlement that would allow them to play in Tennessee next season. Houston fans will get a final glimpse of McNair, the quarterback of the future, who will get his first pro start. The saddest part is that the Astrodome will be little more than half full on Sunday far below the 70,000 fans who crammed the sta- "I just think it's sad I guess I played close to 100 games in the Astrodome, so there are a lot of memories right there." Ray Childress Oilers player dium in 1980 for a pep rally to welcome the Oilers home from a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Those were the glory days when Earl Campbell was unstoppable on the field and popular coach Bum Phillips was just as consistent with his one-liners. "The building is the first thing I remember," Phillips said. "I went to work at the University of Houston (assistant coach) and we played the first game in there. think the place still has a lot of charm. Maybe not as much charm as $290 million (for moving the team)." Phillips' favorite Astrodome memories are the pep rally and a 35-30 victory over Miami in 1978 when Campbell, then a rookie, rushed 199 yards and scored four touchdowns.

got to be tops," Phillips said. "Howard Cosell said it was like a college atmosphere, the fans were so into it. They brought out those blue and white pompons for the first time." The Oilers declined after Phillips was fired on New Year's Eve 1980 and Campbell was traded to the New Orleans Saints in 1984. But that year marked the arrival of Warren Moon, and soon the Oilers were on a seven-year playoff run that ended last season. "I just think it's sad," defensive end Ray Childress said.

"There have been many years and a lot of good football games played in the Dome and this will possibly be the last. "I guess I played close to 100 games in the Astrodome, so there are a lot of memories right there. I've got lots of memories of Earl Campbell running down the sidelines and Bum standing on the Adams brought pro football to Houston in 1960 as a part of the AFL and made an impact by signing Heisman Trophy winner Cannon and veteran Blanda, who helped the Oilers win the first AFL title. Now, the reality of the move is settling i in that the 35-year run is about over. Defensive lineman Glenn Montgomery has played his entire college and pro career in the Astrodome, first with the University of Houston.

"I love the city of Houston and playing in the Astrodome was great," Montgomery said. "It's the type of place where, when you have the fans behind you, you can really hear them and get The Oilers haven't heard the cheering much this season as crowds dwindled when i it became clear that Adams was serious about the move. The 35,842 fans awoke in the second half of Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Detroit Lions when McNair got his most extensive playing time of the year. Steve came in with a half-capacity crowd, it got Matthews said. "I was trying to think how loud it used to be when the place was packed.

It amazed me." How will the fans and players react on Sunday? Annual count has birders going in circles By BILL SCHULZ AP Sports Writer ATLANTA This year more than 44,000 people from Alaska to Argentina will celebrate the holidays by wandering around in circles. Circles that are 15 miles in diameter, to be exact. It's the National Audubon Society's 96th Christmas Bird Count, which started Saturday and runs through Jan. 2. The idea is to pick one day, go to the assigned circle, which covers 177 square miles, and.

spend as much time as possible in the circle counting birds. The Audubon society expects 1,700 individual bird counts during the census. "Each Christmas bird counter is doing more than peering at birds through binoculars they're involved in a unique exercise in citizen science," said Susan Drennan, Audubon's vice president for ornithology. "By counting bird species, each participant is helping to build an important database of irreplaceable scientific information about the health of bird populations and the quality of their Susan Drennan, Audubon Society V.P. counting bird species, each participant is helping to build an important database of irreplaceable scientific information about the health of bird populations and the quality of their habitats." The bird counts have helped document the decline and expansion of many species, including neotropical songbirds, which spend their summers in North America and winter in the tropics or South America.

One of the first major accomplishments of the Christmas Bird Count was to document the decline of the American black duck. noticed during the hunting season they were seeing fewer and fewer black ducks," said Geoff LeBaron, who runs the count. "So they analyzed 20 to 30 years of our data and were able to show long and steady declines across the wintering ranges" in the Eastern United States. Another declining species documented by the count is the loggerhead shrike, a raptor about the size of a robin that is frequently mistaken for a mocking bird. They summer in the Arctic and winter in the United States.

Except for populations in Florida and the Southwest, they are declining across their range, LeBaron said. The count also is tracking the expansion of the northern mockingbird, northern cardinal, tufted titmouse and Carolina wren. LeBaron hopes it will track the effect of the disease conjunctivitis on the Eastern house finch. It's really a western finch that has spread throughout the East in the 50 years since a New York pet store released its entire stock of 50 to 100 western finches rather than be caught illegally selling them. The newcomers don't have the resistance to conjunctivitis that has been developed by native Eastern birds.

Participants in some tropical countries have counted more than 300 species of birds in one day. In the United States, more than 200 species have been counted, with the highest numbers occurring in places like Texas and California. The Christmas Bird Count originated as a protest to holiday hunts in which teams competed to see which could shoot the most animals in a day..