The alarm went off early Tuesday morning, the last day of the muzzleloader season.I decided Monday night that I would give a last hurrah for the season. When I arrived at the piece of woods where I would be hunting, I had a decision to make because of the firmness of the snow. If you have spent any time in the woods the last few days you would know what I mean.Every step you make results in an unbelievably alarming crunch because the snow was so firm. It was decision time – do I take my time and try to minimize the noise or do I just walk to my stand to get settled down? There are many schools of thought about this subject and basically it’s a personal decision. You must take into consideration the time of day, the activity level of the woods and how well you know your area. There is no real answer.I decided to just move in to my stand and settle down for the hunt. Well, as you can probably guess, I made the wrong decision. As I crested the hill where my stand was, I heard a load snort, a snort that unfortunately I have heard too many times before, an alarm sent out by the deer that watched me crest the hill to alarm any other deer in the area that something wasn’t right.I watched with disappointment as three nice deer faded into the early morning sunlight. After settling into my stand I caught a glimpse of movement. It was like someone was waving a handkerchief off in the distance. I stared at that spot for 20 minutes, hoping. A slight glance to the left of the spot I saw the same movement. Then I stared at that spot for a while and much to my surprise I caught sight of a deer through the thick brush.It is amazing how well they blend into their surroundings. I stared at the spot for over a half an hour before I saw additional movement. If it wasn’t for the flicker of the tail I never would have noticed it. Later I saw a few more movements going away from me until the deer disappeared for another year!Later in the day a few nice deer were taken in the woods I was hunting and all were taken from tree stands such as mine.Why am I telling you this – because it’s all part of the hunt preparation such as, wind direction, snow condition, feeding activity, hunter activity and all of this must be considered before you step into the woods!uAs the primitive firearm deer season winds down, remember there is no reason to put your weapons away quite yet.If you enjoy walking in the field, cottontail rabbit hunting opens in January and runs for eight weeks. If you are up to braving the ocean elements and don’t have hunting out of your system, sea ducks as well as regular ducks are still open until mid January. Water fowlers and other outdoors enthusiasts who venture out in small craft this time of year need to remember to make safety a priority.With few boaters on the water at this time of year, the chances of a quick rescue are greatly diminished. Cold-weather boat users can prevent such a tragedy by always wearing a lifejacket and clothing that protects them from the effects of cold water. Cold water removes heat from a human body 25 times faster than cold air. Immersion in cold water can cause “cold shock,” including the possibility of cardiac arrest, involuntary gasping for air and a high potential for losing consciousness. If you do fall into the water this time of year, try to get back on your boat immediately. Do not leave the boat. If you’re not wearing thermal protection and can’t get out of the water, stay as still as possible. Fold your arms, cross your legs and float quietly on the buoyancy of your Personal Flotation Device until help arrives.uDon’t forget, starting Wednesday you will need a new fishing and hunting license. Hunting, fishing and trapping licenses for 2014 are now available for purchase online and at license vendors across the state. License fees support MassWildlife’s efforts in habitat protection, stocking fish and pheasants, biological projects, education programs and endangered species restoration. Hunting and