Leaderboard

Back in the observation stand yesterday evening. Had a good flow of does starting around 6pm, then had a nice bachelor group of bucks stroll by me.

My apology, I got finished unpacking them at 11:30 and had to go to bed so they are not up on the wall.... Blue Wildebeest Black Wildebeest Kudu pedestal mount Wifes Red Hartebeest and impala

I use a Western, My grandfather gave me his when I was young and he taught me. I carried it for years but almost lost it once so had to put it up. I went online and bought one each my young son and I. They do not make them anymore so you can't get new ones. Always been favorites of mine since Pop gave me his.

First a little back story. Last fall my 80 year old dad had the opportunity to kill his second biggest buck ever in a large snow storm. Afterwards we talked about how to preserve the memory and I volunteered to try a euro mount. After several months of research on here and on the web, I finally got it done. It was really special to do this for my dad. I got the plaque from Springbrook Laser Engraving www.springbrooklaser.com. They are super nice people to work with. Here is dad after he shot the buck After we got him home Here is the plaque when it arrived. Here is the finished mount with the skull attached. Here is the three of us presenting dad with his trophy.

Got this in an e-mail https://youtu.be/ZA9EW2UKDDQ

No usually it is the same reaction from most who are not familiar with animals. It is us putting the "O MY how can this happen", and that is horrible that a bear kills to eat food. Only us humans should be able to do that! So regardless if it's a deer or a dog most home owners would call the DEC and say get ride of the bear that eating in my back yard. Sounds like a familiar post we just had on a bear trying to eat the deer in some guys back yard. All these people need to do is contact some hunters to correct the issue. If the bear becomes a menace and is always around looking for another free meal then safety is first and the DEC will kill it. Regardless the bear is not at fault here, the owner with no fence who lets the dogs roam the woods free to attack other animals is ok but just not when mine is killed. Funny how some can see things in a certain way, remember perspective.

Nature at its finest.. dogs are just animals too, regardless how attached we get to them.

Really? No.... hey it's just nature taking it's course..that little dog challenged a bear..what would you expect a bear to do?...hhmmm how perspectives change....

That's terrible. In the past my dogs have had run ins with coyotes and one time had to run in the house to grab the 30-30 to "deter" a pack that had one of our dogs cornered. It took two shots before the three that were left took off. I couldn't imagine the same situation with a bear. I know if I was the owner, trapping the bear wouldn't be my choice of action.

I don't know much about cowboy hats, but I know this place sells them: David Trailer World and Country Mall Just sw of Rochester.

Met up with a buddy of mine. He is originally from Rochester and he now works down in Atlanta for me. He brought me up some gator tail from a 9 ft gator he got this past year. He also brought me a couple wild hog shoulders and a loin from a hog he got a couple weeks ago. Man I chunked up that gator tail soaked it in cold milk for an hour and dropped it in flour mixed with Cajun seasoning and deep fried. Dang that was some good stuff!!

Sweet job on the skull Joe, and the plaque is very unique! He'll be tipping them over for years to come since he has a special relationship with his taxidermist... and gets a family discount!

Set up some game camera's on your driveway, mounted high so they are out of reach. At bare minimum you should get a license plate and possible make and model. Keep the binoculars in an easy access spot for quick viewing. Security camera system would be ideal.

Not to long ago people say its fine for a bear to eat a deer i your yard and would let it be. Well maybe this bear did just that not to long ago and came back for a snack. They get that close to your house....They Die!

I wasnt saying that they are different actions to the bear, Im saying that the two situations would warrant different reactions. But feel free to continue trying to get your "gotcha" moment in there.

Trap it, kill it? The bear does not know it should not go after dogs, to him it's just another meal. Most dogs are able to out maneuver a bear, this one got caught when the owner distracted it. Sucks for the dog and I feel bad for the owner but it's just doing what a bear does. Granted if the bear keeps coming back looking for another dog I would want it killed but this is probably a one time incident but now the bear is on death row. Very sad for the dog, owner and soon to be dead bear. PS: If the dog was that close to the bear it was threatening it (Barking), I think the bear would claim self defense. Shame.

its rather simply to replace and extend...watch a youtube video and you could do it yourself, or ask some of neighbors who they use as a handyman. or go/call to N&S plumbling (plumbing supply house) in Carmel and they can give you some names

Thanks everyone!!!!! Can't wait to get them up on the wall where they belong... Work is getting in the way though.. LOL... I'll post pics of them when they are up and looking their best...

I have one also.

I just wanted to say hello. Thanks for the hospitality Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The photo of you guys with the deer in the back of the truck and the snow coming down is classic!! Well done..

I believe you had a great story to go with this? Do you have the link? And who did that wood it is spectacular!

Amazing pics. That sure is a very cool looking buck.

He posted that pic in another thread........ OK! I expected to see a bunch of drunk hunters in camo watching a hooker riding a recurve! Enough with the bad titles for the damn posts! C'mon dude! LOL Great pics wooly.

Red nailed it. Ditto.....

Yes, pan fried today, sashimi tomorrow. X-Calibur Lighting Systems http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

Wooly, you da' man! Great pics!!

Not quite bass opener, but a bass nonetheless. X-Calibur Lighting Systems http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

Amazing pics for sure.

Cutco salesman got scared off? Or real dumb daylight criminals? Plate number, plate number and plate number. Nothing else matters.......

Thanks for the comments everyone! Glad you enjoyed the pics. Danno- these were all shot between 10 and 60yds with my 55-300mm. You can see in this series, the light was changing rapidly when that group appeared so I went through a variety of ISO settings and focal lengths in a short time. I'm finally getting better at that. I forgot to mention there was another bachelor group of 5 bucks on the far side of the field roughly 1/2 mile away but they looked like runts compared to these guys. Papist- this field has been a shed hunting grounds for me for almost 20yrs. It's off limits to me now for ANY kind of hunting, but photographing from the edge is cool. A lot has changed in this area over that time, but the last 5 or 6 years the drop off in deer numbers is easily seen here. It's always been a "community gathering area" of sorts for the bucks come July, and a great place to inventory them as they'd cross from one woodlot to the next. When I say there were 30+ bucks using the field nightly, I mean there were 30+ bucks out there all at once, so I know I wasn't counting any twice,lol

I do not think doing away with the political forum would be wise. How would this site keep any of the intelligent members from leaving?

Tell me about it... Thought I'd lost mine cleaning a turkey a couple years ago. Immediately went into a panic. Had that Buck 110 since 1969 and we've had a lot of memories together. So I bought a new one and shortly afterwards I found my old one. Relief!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful - the mounts not the beard. I really like the Kudu.

I drag the deer to a good open space I can work in and always hang my orange hat on a branch over where I am working. I take out and open my one gallon Ziplock bag, a red hanky to clean hands and knife so I don't have to dig in pack while bloody. I ring the butt first and pull it out a bit when its' loose, I can't see carrying a butt out as this only takes 1-2 minutes anyway. I don't bother tying off, I will explain later. I then roll the deer on its back with me standing over the rib cage with the deer's front legs kind of tucked behind mine to balance. This makes gravity pull the guts down away from where I will start my cut right at the v in sternum. I cut down to the side of the jewels or teats. Then roll the deer on its side and reach in and find the bladder and up to the loose end of the anus and pinch off and pull out. No need to tie it that way I can reach right up to the end. I then cut through the diaphragm and up to cut the windpipe and esophagus. Everything pretty much pulls out from there you may have to cut or tear away some connective tissue up near the spine. If I have a lactating doe I will cut out the whole sack, that thing holds heat and will screw your meat if not careful. I tip the deer up to drain and bag up the heart. I do not split the pelvis or ribs, that just promotes contamination while dragging. If you are in extreme heat then I can see doing it. I also use a small 3.5 inch blade knife. I see some guys with like a Bowie knife and I am like whoa!!

I just thought of NYC. I may or may not have vomited in my throat.

the look on her face is priceless........

this thread is not what i expected, but i am still glad i clicked it. it really does amaze me at how big their necks get pre-rut and rut compared to the spring.

and I thought I enjoyed your photos ....

Is this an "O" or a zero...?

So I called...happen to get one just back from NYC and could tel me if there was any issues...but he did scold me... For not calling right away... Thing is there are so many nut jobs around if I called every time some one acted strange I'd be on the phone several times a week...I need to pick and choose the craziest, go with my gut feelings. I have called and they have found break ins...I've called and it was subcontractors without lettering on the vans...I explained to him I have ppl that stop to pee in the road...get better cell reception...take pictures and scope out potential hunting never mind the posted sign lined road. Plus I know everyone on the hill is home during the day except the camp and he has NOTHING to steal....

maybe I should've said it different. I agree googling random PT exercises isn't a good idea in that context. however, with his problems I'm sure he's already seen one for his specific issues. if he's anything like the rest of us he's lost the papers explaining each exercise but still remembers the different types he did and for what. googling them will kick the rust off the memory and make sure he's still going to do them right.

Wooly if you are not selling these your crazy.... Holy Moly you are one talented wildlife photographer...Be Proud! Thanks...

The camera was just a little outa' focus. Heck, we were bouncing on the rough water........................

My favorite way to make it is coconut crusted gator bites. 1)Tenderize gator 2) Cut into 1" cubes 3) Coat with flour 4) Egg wash 5) Coat with shaved coconut 6) Wait 10-15 min so the coconut sticks on well 7) Pan Fry 8 )Make a sauce by heating about 1-2 cups of OJ to a boil with a little salt. 9)Once it start to boil add chopped basil and then some heavy whipping cream until it is good and thick. 10) Serve and enjoy.

Most experienced hunters, who have good woods skills, will be able to shoot a buck older than one and a half years old, most anywhere in NY state. Take the time to learn about your quarry and get back into the woods a bit farther than the next guy. If shooting an older buck is what you want, then learn to be a better hunter! The older bucks are out there if you want them! I have no problem with any hunter that just wants to step into the woods and shoot the first legal deer that comes along. But some of the hunters that say they would like to shoot a buck older than one and a half, could do so more often if they just became more skilled at hunting older bucks. DEC can change all the regulations they want, and it still will not make you a better hunter!

AY-men !! Best post I've seen on here in a long time !!

So all this begs the question , when has the age of a deer taken become that important? You hear age structure for the benefit of the herd,but the herd has done fine without this age structure for 100 years. Plenty of deer to shoot and eat it's time people wake up and realise you cannot stockpile big bucks they are territorial and will keep others off their home range, older deer are smart and have learned to avoid hunters.if you own 10 acres the chance of you getting a trophy buck is minimal Esp if the land use around you is packed with other hunters, nys is not comparable to other states for two main reasons, hunter density and land use. Stop watching the media hype on big bucks and learn to enjoy the hunt, or save up your $$ and hunt elsewhere.

I've gone from "taking her fishing" to "going fishing with her" and for those that fish with their kids that's a HUGE distinction! She did great today, all on her own

little bit of opening day luck for me