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It occured to me this weekend how blessed we really are as a group. Not going all "churchy" on you guys, but what an amazing thing we are privileged to experience. Being able to watch the sunrise, and the woods waking up. Seeing all of the animals and watching them totally unaware of your presence. Being able to take game home for the table. Just feeling way down in your soul that you belong out there and everything is right with the world, for just awhile when you are in the woods. These are the reasons that I hunt. I am a christian, but I really don't go to church. I feel so much closer to god in the woods than I ever could in a church. Being out there in nature allows me to breathe, and feel at peace. I don't care if you are religious or not, there is something holy about being in the deer woods on a cold fall morning. It's amazing to me how beautiful it is out there, definitely enough proof of a higher power for me. Outdoorsmen have access to a side of life that many people will never experience and could not even imagine. I'm probably opening myself up to criticism, but just putting it out there. Let's not take it for granted.

This is my own recipe for venison stew: Ingredients: Venison (obviously) 3-4 lbs cut into cubes Tomatoe paste 1 jar Diced onions 1-2 cups Carrots 1 cup Peppers diced 1 cup Salt and pepper to taste Garlic cloves 2-3 First brown the venison in vegetable oil. Remove venison and clear the frying pan. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar to frying pan and place the venison back on fryer and fry until vinegar evaporates. In a large sauce pan fry up the garlic until transparent. Add tomato paste. Bring to a rapid boil. Add 1-2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Add the venison, cut carrots, onions, peppers. Bring to a boil. Let the stew simmer for at least three hours. I prefer placing it on a wood stove. This is what it looks like:

I shot a doe with my 20 Gauge on Saturday night, and lost it. It was an easy shot, 55 yards. No excuses, I messed up and pulled the shot. I followed the blood as far as possible, then lost it and went to get help looking. After spending time that evening and returning in the morning, we found nothing. What little blood there was had been washed away by the rain we had. I searched my ass off, and felt horrible about losing the deer. I have lost deer with my bow in the past as well. I don't care if you are a bowhunter or a gunhunter, you will eventually lose deer. Not going to listen to some prick throwing a whole group of hunters under the bus. We have enough enemies outside of the sport.

Going to to get kinda cold tonite.I think Turkey day will be good.Would like to wish every one hunting GOOD LUCK.And have a great hunt.AND ALLWAYS OOD HUNTING.

I will be! Until 10ish, then come in, shower, grab beer, fry turkey, eat. Hopefully there is a added step of "gut deer" before the shower.

Under 30 degrees and dry tomorrow in Putnam County....hopefully tomorrow morning will be the day!

I'm with BGF too. Those carts work great. I've been using the Deer Handle which works for me. I'm close to the 50 number too. Hate having to take or go back for a cart. Good luck.

Get a deer kart from cabelas they make your life so easy.

I remember when I would never let a buck lay in the woods while I went to get help. The first buck that I got back in the late sixties was shot on the other side of the mountain from where my car was parked.It was a very warm Indian summer day and I had on the unform of the day. Woolrich plaid hunting coat and pants rubber boots and of course wool socks and hat.I had my lunch and coffee in my game pouch. I shot this buck at 8:00am that morning and after dressing him out and looking at the way to get him out.. The land that I got this buck I knew very well. I had two chooses, one I could take him across a small stream through 50 yards of woods to a field and then 200 yards to a back road.,and then go get my car. Not me ,I was not going to let this buck lay. Now I took off for over the mountain, By the time I got to my car it was 4:00pm and I was never so happy to see my car.I had dragged the hair off the one side of that buck. Fifty years later I would never do that. Now I have four wheeler and I let all my deer lay where I have dressed them out and go get my atv and i have done this for the last 15 years.The land I hunt is private , I am not the only one who hunts it. Some of the others I know and there are others who I do not. I have permission to ride my ATV on the land any time I want so I could ride it in to hunt if I want to. Where I go in is about a half of a mile from my house and I drive my truck to there and walk in to hunt and if I get one I walk out and go house to get my ATV and come back for my deer. I have never lost one and I have let some very nice buck lay. Sometimes it will take me hour or more to get back and have come back to find someone watching over it for me. To me I don't really care if some one wants it more than me, so be it. It is only a deer and I know that I shot it. This year on the first day I got a nice 8 point with heavy mass and very heavy bases. I am gressing in the 130s. I don't mount any of my deer or show them off,so I just don't care if someone wants it more than me.People ask me about pic. and I don't even do that anymore. Is there anyone on here who feel the same way? I just love to hunt and I don't have to kill something to be happy.

Getting out of truck ..saw a doe andbfox..its thick slush balls here...perfect

Six point taken 8:30 AM Saturday.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded, keep it pointed in a safe direction, & Never put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to fire it. If you can't remember those THREE THINGS you shouldn't have a gun in your hands.

Sorry Larry.. I don't get that one

Hope this helps: http://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/2442.html

Well we got it done!!!! All the guys who used to hunt with Gus scored opening weekend! His son got this nice 8pt using gus's Savage 308 lever action!!!! I got a 7pt and my brother got a 4pt. Gus's grandson got a 6pt. He was real excited when we called him!!!! Thanks everyone.

Were you in Ohio during bow season this year?

Two good ones by us. My 7 point and my Brother in laws 8 pt!

It was a good opening weekend for my dad, brother and I.....

My 14 year old step-daughter with her first deer, a 6 pointer, taken opening day from her Grandfathers coupe and My 18 year old step-son with his 11 pointer taken on Sunday with his grandfathers 30-06.

Good opening day!

Pushed this Bad Boy to my Uncle Saturday Morning Schoharie County.

Mmmm..1st of this yrs jerky

Im going out opening day with the rifle with my dad then its back to 4j sunday

Most state parks let you harvest Deer, but Not Bear. I have no idea why .....

It is with a heavy heart I write today. I lost my hunting buddy on March 9 of 1999 at 9:30pm... my father. Hell or high water my father would be ready and out on opening day. Opening day, 1999, at 9:30am my Dad sent me a doe followed by a 9pt 130 class buck which I killed at 35 yards away. Easy shot. I had not seen a deer prior to this all morning. My Dad was always ready for opening day SZ shotgun. He was the kind of man that would name every "watch" as he liked to call them. I call them stands but you get the point. He would be ready to go always filled with such anticipation. he had a back pack filled with every thing he may ever need... an old eagle scout and he was always prepared and he took a number of decent bucks over the years... nothing really special except a really perfectly symetrical 115 class 8 pt which was his pride. He never did get a chance to bowhunt with me as he passes away 2 years before I started to bow hunt. He died at just 72 from viral encephalitis. I thank God he never saw a nursing home. Funny thing is every year that goes by i am more like him... I carry a pack filled with shit I might need... I name all my stands and I have a 17 yo son who goes hunting with and really likes it but could give a shit about anything else. Oh... he is so much like was once. Good luck this weekend, be safe and let's not ever forget these people that gave us this gift of deer hunting. Amen to all of you.

Reminds me of my grandpa. He and my dad would take me hunting from the time that I was able to walk. My grandpa would be out at 5am every weekend of deer season well into his 70s. He was diagnosed with Alzheimers about 10 yrs ago, so he could not carry a gun any more. My dad and I would still bring him with us and he would sit in the ground blind with us. My grandpa passed away about 6 year ago. I now use his old 30-06 for deer hunting as a tribute.

53.6 percent of statistic numbers are made up !

A point Ive been trying to make with some people here for a while now. Thanks Doc.