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A friend of mine killed this bruiser yesterday in the town of Pulteney, Steuben County... Last year:

Got a 4 pointer with a Muzzeloader today. Nice way to wrap up the season! One 7 pointer during reg season. Time to start thinking about next year....Good luck to all.

The Christmas Song-Nat King Cole Pretty much anything by NKC Ave Maria-Pavarotti

Tooth wear has been proven to be wildly inaccurate.

Doe down, last sit of the year. I tracked a deer earlier in the day and passed it up. Saw two huge beds and both went onto neighboring properties. I ended up sitting in an old wooden blind overlooking hardwoods where they fed in the morning. Looked up and there was a deer. I shot and missed a neck shot. The deer stayed and I reloaded. Took a broadside shot and the deer took off dragging it's rear leg. My stomach twisted and I felt sick. It was my first bad hit in 15 years of hunting. I was praying and praying I hit an artery, luckly I did. Saw her bedded down and tried for another shot. I don't think I hit her again. I tried to reload and I dropped all my primers in the snow. I ran up to dispatch with a knife and she expired before I had to. This was my worst experience while hunting. Oh, to top it off after she took off dragging her leg there was a fawn looking for her (didn't see the fawn before I shot), and I felt blood running down my face, my first case of scope nose. Thank God she died within 20 minutes of the first shot, and she wasn't lactating. The skipper was of good size and hopefully it will team up with some other deer. Just a rough, rough evening but something many hunters go through at one time or another. Must have bumped my scope, I am really shocked it went down like this.

Very aware of it. Nothing confusing about it. During an open deer season, you cant use a centerfire rifle in any area where they arent allowed for deer. Any other time, have at it.

Last one from my phone...no long arming here!!!

you might want to reconsider :-) you can spend a TON of money on waterfowl hunting especially if you find that you enjoy it. I don't even want to think about the amount of money I have tied up in decoys, guns, weights, boats, blinds, waders, clothing. is waterfowling expensive? yup, probably one of if not the most expensive hunting sport going. is waterfowling fun? yup. is waterfowling fun in the early season? yup. is waterfowling fun in the split season after christmas? yup but this is the season that separates the men from the boys! single digit temps with 20 mph wind driven snow is when the fun really begins! Is waterfowling dangerous? YES! you have to remember even in the early season in Oct. our waters here have cooled greatly. You have got to stay aware of the conditions, have a boat suitable for the conditions. a good motor also! cold water kills and it doesn't take long to do it. if you waterfowl long enough you will go for a swim, know that up front, prepare for it because it will happen. the more prepared you are for it and expecting it to happen at some point may help to keep you from panicing when it happens,, if you panic your in trouble. with the proper waders and life jacket you will float. If you don't know how to swim I would start there, can you swim with all that gear on? NO but if you don't know how to swim and you end up in the water you are GOING to panic and you are not going to know the basic ways to stay afloat. go out in the summer with the duck gear on and practice going in, get comfortable with your gear on and confident that your gear will keep you afloat. Get a good pair of neoprene waders, they are not cheap but they will keep you warm and you will float with them on. stay away from the old style rubber waders, and even some of the canvas waders those fill with water and you don't float. all I can say is good luck and be safe. you might want to tag along with a duck hunter and see if its something you want to partake in.

A few of mine.

I was out clearing my driveway and un-burying my trailer with the snowblower . It was 18 degrees out . Someone pulled into the driveway and asked if I cleared neighbor's driveways . I said no and that I blessed the old snowblower every time I went out to use it hoping it would start and run . He then asked if I knew anyone that plowed driveways . I suggested that he look at the driveways that looked like they were plowed out and ask the homeowner who they use for a Plow Jockey . I have no idea who the guy is or where he lives . I guess I am not the Good Samaritan ............If you live in Western NY , you have to be pro-active when it comes to the weather . You can't wait until you have a foot of snow in the driveway and then try to figure out how to get rid of it .

Seems I always pass deer throughout the season and then end up waiting until the last minute. I end up going out in the cold, in the late season, and fill all my tags with the muzzleloader. My TC Prohunter smoke pole and tactics always seem to pull through though. One of these years I really will fill tags earlier, I'm sure. It just never seems to happen .Anyone else torture themselves like this?

Only because you are picking one sentence out of the whole statement. You cant do that.

Well my season is on pause until the DMFA season in January. With the snow we're getting tonight, I have 30 driveways to plow tomorrow, most of them will need to be hit twice. As far as meat in the freezer goes, it's been my worst season ever. Only one doe. Definitely need to rethink my strategies for next year. Here's hoping that the DMFA season is relatively snow free and I can get a couple. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

For the most part, if you see a nice buck that has 4" plus bases in NY and you say he's a 4 year old, then you are going to be within a year of age 90% of the time. There aren't many bucks in NY that live past 5.

Me personally, I downgraded to a .243. Now I can spend hours at the range. The .243 left a 3" exit wound in my deer. Bang Flop, Bucky just fell over dead. No tracking, no nothing.

Avibitt... I'm having a problem, at the moment, with my foot., and can't make plans. I can't let it get cold.. it's a Frostbite result. from fishing.. so, although I can , and do hunt and herring fish, I can only stay a short time, and have to pick my days... I'm going to have it checked again,hopefully , this week, then I'll know... I'm getting to be an armchair hunter because of this, that's why I'm on the computer so much these days. I wanted to crow hunt today, but when I got up, the foot was and still is a little numb so I'm not pushing it... There was a post about whining somewhere.. I'm getting to be a pro at it . You can pm me if you wish and maybe I can pass on some info, that may help. (I won't whine)

Wow wooly...so much talent..Thanks

Dude.............................. You're lucky you made it out of the woods in one piece.

i shoot recurve, fingers deerskin gloves, no need for all the bells and whistles. may invest in a compound next year for the wife but I think she is leaning toward rifle. she wants to start hunting with me course she may wind up shooting me in the back by "Accident". Went out again today, think I saw the Doe that I shot. put a smile on my face she was with the same herd in the same bedding spot, I jumped em. MAN she didn't even look this time. first sound and she was outa there.watched em run away, beautiful animals they are.

I try and have the DEC in Buffalo age any deer that is notable for one reason or another. Body size or a bigger than average rack could be a reason for this. Unfortunately I've never aged any of the bigger doe I've killed. That would be interesting to see. In the last few years I've been lucky to kill some good bucks and had them aged and even kept the right side of their jaw bone for future comparisons to a QDM information sheet and info on the web............... My oldest bucks jaw bone (5.5yrs old) on the bottom and a 1.5yrs old bucks above it................. Another view.................. The QDM fact sheet............. I think I got the QDM sheet at the very informative QDM meeting last January that was held in Honeoye Falls NY and put on by the fine folks Greater Rochester Southern Tier Chapter of the QDM. Considering 99.5% (grin) of all bucks killed are 1.5 years old I've always been interested in their age or more importantly their DOD.

I seriously just spit some high quality vodka and cranberry on my keyboard! What a waste!

Maybe they were alien DEC officers releasing Mountain Lions into your area. That would make sense after all.

Golden Rod, right??

Hide inside the snowman or build the snowman and then go hide inside the house?

here are some pics...it will take a long time to rid the area of all those weed seed.....The corn plants I added to the mix...

here are a few....

I like to wear all white camo,They look right through you.

Because when someone says "around here" it's nice to know; are they talking Poughkeepsie, Lake Placid, Buffalo? It's just common courtesy, but I guess that's not in vogue these days. As for stalkers, you give people a ton more information when you give them a check. Your full name, address, bank routing information, and account number is right there but I'll bet no one thinks twice about that. And would someone explain to me how with a forum handle and area you're going to find anyone? My name is Steve, I live in Poughkeepsie - find me.

Here the problem...The state has made gun owners very very leary...so anyone with a brain knows that if you report sightings they are going to have to come in with several ppll and thoroughly look over your property...whether your as clean as the driven snow or a " I thought that was legal for the game cam" type of person...Who wants an agency that has by far more power in the law than even state trooper on their land? Now pile on the fact they have their own time table ...so these eradication operations could take place in the middle of any of your hunting seasons...really how many will invite that in Then you have the tree huggers...need I say more

They now do combo classes where you can get both and a lot is not covered twice. I did one of them, but there was little interest. Most ppl did not want both. You could tell those who did not want the bow part by the test scores.

I think you missing the point, they don't want rifles afield during any deer season, nowhere it says that you can't shoot a yote with a shotgun or bow.... Still legal implement for furbearers

As I said you move from stage to stage all the time.

Agreed 100% If they want them gone they should allow shoot on sight or they will never get rid of them.

I don't think ppl will report as much as they think....with exception to farmers....not allowing the shoot on sight will come back to bite them in.....the very least 5 yrs....just a prediction...

Probably 3, 5, and 6.. lol... Many a time I have sat in my stand and had an easy shot opportunity, and let the deer pass . Those days, it happened to be more enjoyable to just sit there and watch then shoot and have to start working...

5 for me. Meat in the freezer is great having horns is the cherry on top. Sharing the hunt , my cabin and good times with family And friends is most important. Oh yes, passing this tradition down To other generations is also important.

I was only raised the number 5 way. My dad was my best friend when i was a kid during hunting season.

If you had three weeks a year to get laid you'd probably act the same.

Jennifer Lawrence under the tree...wearing nothing but a red ribbon and a smile!!!

WTH, he wasn't bitching or saying he was unhappy. He merely asked a question regarding what is considered a decent spread.

Who said that? Spikes are dumb. I thought most of us agreed on that? Fool a mature doe during the rut? Now that's an accomplishment. They never have their guard down. Even a big buck can be caught thinking with the wrong head. Not putting down shooting a spike. To each their own trophy and goals. Just an honest answer when we're comparing age of deer and intelligence.

Sometimes I take the front stuffer out during shotgun season, I love that thing.

Doc, For a comparison. 30-06. The Federal Premium ammunition I used in mine was normally about $41 a box. If I found it on sale I could get it for around $35. (Now you could use a lot cheaper ammo but that is the factory I found that shot the best out of it.) That is $2.05 a round. or let's use the on sale...$1.75. Now the reloads Brass (brand new) Winchester Brass will run you $23 per 50. That is $0.46 per round and if you get 5 reloads out (which is conservative if you don't set them on barn burner) That is .09 per round Bullets comparable to the Factory I shot (Sierra Game Kings) $24 /100 so .24 per round. Powder - If you just bought 1# containers and loaded arounf 50 grains (7,000/50=140 rounds/#) $28 /# is .20 per round Primers at .03 per round So that is roughly $0.56 per round. or $11.20 a box. and that is all premium components (bullet price could double if you picked an expensive ballistic tip or the like but this is apples to apples for what I was shooting) That is roughly a $14 a box savings. With all my calibers and dies and stuff I added I am complete and load for 5 rifle calibers and 2 pistol calibers. I have about $700 invested. Now I would love to tell you that after just 50 boxes of ammo I am even and after that money ahead but I can't. The biggest reason is I shoot a LOT more since I can reload...lol. But that is wortht eh investment in itself. I knew it was probably not a big money saver but I figurd if I could shoot more and not break the bank I would be happy. So the Reader's Digest version is...If he is $400 in to the equipment and runs an average savings of about $12 a box ...after about 33 boxes he is even.

http://www.midwayusa...-308-winchester http://www.midwayusa...ter?cm_vc=sugv1 I like the Deluxe Die sets. it give you both full length sizing die and neck sizing die. Then buy the factory crimp seperate. It is a little more expensive but really gives you flexibility. THe factory crimp is a must in my book and gives better consistency. I neck size for my Encore and Bolt actions....I would expect if you were loading for ONLY one Pump you could neck size as well. I full length size for my Father's auto loader and it seems to feed better that way. I also full length size any used brass I am given or pick up the first time just to make sure it is at spec to start. If yoou aren't going to neck size and are only going to full length size you can save money on the dies http://www.midwayusa...-308-winchester Same as above but without the neck sizing die. (your bolt guns will be more accurate with neck sizing but once fired the ammo is NOT interchangable between 2 bolt rifles until it is full length sized again. It is fire formed to the specific chamber of a single rifle and more accurate. (Or so the story goes) Get a 4 hole turret for each die set and you are ready to go. so that means about $55 a caliber for die set up. On the bullets....go with what has worked for you but I have had great luck with the Sierra Game kings for the 30 caliber bullets in my 308 and 30-06...out of bolt and Encore. the tips get buggered up a bit in the feed ramps of the auto loaders though. I load Nosler Ballistic tips in those. (twice the price of the gamekings)

Adjusting a die for different bullet types is pretty quick if you make up a dummy round for each bullet type. Just back off the seater, put it in the dummy round and lightly screw down the seater until you feel it touch. Should put you within a few thousanth's of the overall length on the first try.