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I decided to post a few of my betters pics from my last card pulls... Bachelor party: Few singles: New buck on upper end of the farm:

Ton of doe and yearlings, a lot of which are still in spots! Here are a couple of the bucks that posed all pretty for me. Only my 3rd year hunting, so I have no clue as to the age of any of these. I'm guessing just by body size that none of these are over 2-2.5 yrs. thoughts?

Been a bit busy so I never fully put together my 2014 project. All was complete a long time ago, and finally mounted etc yesterday. I am pleased with the outcome and it will look nice in my man cave

"better to be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt"

Not even worth going out this year!

So which way would you rather have it? The freedom to shoot the buck of your choice, or having the DEC tell you that you cant shoot a buck unless it has 3 or 4 points on one side? I will guarantee you, some new type of buck management is coming down the pike, whether you like it or not.

All for the 1 and done.... Better than AR's I think.... Everything changes.... would rather see 1 and done than AR's so that's my vote.

Here's my report...I went to my favorite hickory grove this morning.. I shot my first squirrel at 6:55 AM...By 8:45 I had my limit of 6 grey squirrels. Before cleaning them I did grub check...One squirrel had 4 grubs in him. Two others each had a scab where a grub had recently emerged..The other three were clean.. SO, if I count the scars, it averages out to one grub per squirrel.. BTW, by 9:15 I had them all skinned and disjointed..Once skinned, it was impossible to see where the grubs had been...

Tha biggest changes in 42 hunting seasons have been in myself. In the beginning any legal deer was fair game and a shooter. Meat for our family was the first priority. As I had six brothers, a sister and a single mom, the meat was put to good use! Now, although I still love eating venison, I'm much more selective in the deer I kill. Will kill a doe for the freezer, and let the younger bucks walk. And I'm willing to eat my buck tag if the right buck does not present itself for a quick, clean kill. I'm much more selective now than I was back then. Another big change is it is much more difficult dragging out deer, going up and down these ridges and climbing trees than it was in the beginning. When I started hunting I couldn't sit for very long. I had to go after the deer because I didn't have the patience to wait them out. Although I got good enough, still hunting to kill two of my best bucks in their beds. I now prefer to sneak into the thick spots and wait them out. I have come a long way in my hunting journey. Even though I am now closer to the end of it. I still am awed by nature's splendor. And still learning how to be a better hunter.

Maybe we should use crossbows to fix the national debt, too. Seems legit.

The amount of people afield really is two different stories. There is the bowhunting story, and the gun hunting story. When I began bowhunting, it was an oddity. Nobody knew much about it, most didn't even know it existed. It felt that we had the woods all to ourselves, and deer patterns could actually be determined and used to our advantage without the interferences of crowds of hunters and non-hunters keeping the deer in a super-defensive mindset and an ever-changing set of patterns. The quality of the hunt was far superior too in that there was a level of aloneness that I have never since experienced on the land that I traditionally hunt. I'm not sure how important that feature is to anyone but me, but the whole atmosphere of the bowhunt was spectacularly low key and individual, and it all felt like a more natural, traditional event of being alone and part of nature all through the hunt. The gun season is the reverse story. Yes the gun hunters have thinned out considerably. Probably no where near as much as half, but yes the shrinking of hunter numbers does seem to be significant. Now here is the strange thing. For me that is not a good thing. What you have now is enough hunters to keep deer nocturnal and on edge, but not enough to keep them moving. So after opening day, the deer are in their super-defensive mode, and only enough hunters afield to stink up the woods reminding the deer that it is not yet time to safely wander around in daylight hours. The DEC is claiming a lot more deer, and I have no reason to doubt that. But in my first reply, I noted that the fewer deer of years ago seemed to be a whole lot more visible and available because the higher number of hunters kept them moving more. Guys were forced onto their feet more because of clothing deficiencies. There was a lot of walking going on in that orange army that poked into every sanctuary that the deer thought they had. So it is all a mixed blessing. More deer, but fewer hunters that all refuse to move all day to move them. In terms of access, I haven't heard anybody claim that that is not a rapidly growing problem, including the DEC. That may wind up to be the demise of hunting. Now, I will admit that all these things that I am describing depend on how much control the hunter has over his hunting grounds. Those that are in a position of booting people off their land, and defining how hunts will be conducted will have a much different view of what's good and bad about how the evolution of hunting has been going. My comments are from one who has hunted primarily public lands and some rather heavily pressured private lands.

Good luck anybody going out. I hate you.

Another Geneseo buck

You have never really hunted have you.

Turn left... Turn left... Turn left... Turn left... Holland Speedway last night. I haven't been here in years. Couldn't figure out where the big crowd disappeared to until I found out a 6pck will run you $28.50!

Ohio has a short, post-rut, shotgun-only firearms season.....that's primarily what grows their big bucks.....

Fishing is only a sin when it is "catch and release". Jesus's first followers were fisherman. At one time He actually helped them fill two boats with fish (for consumption) to the point where they were on the verge of foundering. Another time, as reported in all four Gospels, He provided thousands of fish to feed masses of people, all by Himself. I draw no line between killing fish and eating them and killing animals and eating them. That is what God created them for - to feed people.

I don't have a girlfriend so I sent ......robsG/F a PM but she hasn't gotten back to me yet since she got banned. Worst case scenario, I'll ask Paula if she wants to go out with me,lol

Took the kids and wife out fishing yesterday with my Dad. Since I wanted more action for the kids (6 and 13yrs old), we targeted lakers. Caught more than I could count in 2 hours including 3 triples. As soon as I set a rigger, it would fire and then the next and next. Kids got tired of reeling them in. Biggest was 14lbs. Definitely not like fighting kings and I know its a "lesser fish", but seeing the kids battle them was about as much fun as I have had fishing. Just when we were ready to start looking for kings, my wife looked a bit green from the sun and rolling water (she tends to get sea sick) so we headed in. Don't discount fishing mid-day. All this action was between 1-3pm.

So sitting around the campfire along with a few hunters from Ohio they just can'y believe that NY hasn't gone to the 1 buck rule. It grows big deer and cuts down on the doe population. These guys read some of the NY forums and see how hunter vs hunter are pitted against each other. They say 1 buck rule kind of rolls everything up into 1 rule. You are done when you shoot your buck wether small or big. You need meat you go back out and shoot the does. AR's come into place cause guys are letting the small ones walk. I haven't made up my mind on this but it sounds pretty good and would solve some of the issues her in NY. Thoughts….?

Animals generally band together to kill the weak and defenseless, that would be those that aren't exercising their second amendment rights. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Hurley rocks. I have seen it. I want a Hurley stick for my car

My plan is to retire to Wicklow some day. Gorgeous part of the world. The Irish know how to do a good Pub too. You just don't get the same vibe here in the US.

Not many deer in my area but Wicklow is a great area for deer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats to Her!!! same score my youngest daughter scored on her Archery education

Back in the day when there were numerous chucks around the local hayfields, I shot a number with my K98K 8mm and my M1 Garand...I also have used my Yugo and my M1 to dispatched a couple of sick coons and several porcupines

No problem. Any one of those three are serviceable cams. One last thing, not one person has even offered to buy me a single beer for the help, lol. C'mon man. Sorry for getting fired up.

Sorry, but a similar story can be told over by many. Your not alone, ownership is only guaranteed way to have access

I use a cub cadet 28hp diesel hydro sub compact (20+- hp @ pto), so im somewhat limited with choices on implements. I haven't dismissed any idea, I would try it all if the tractor can handle it... I have used my 4' king kutter through several types of soil, from nice Wayne county to rocky Steuben, and have sent a ton of rock even the size of dinner plates(on accident), through the tiller. I just don't like the idea of sending rock that big through my tiller, its rough.. and i haven't had the chance to pick all the rock, so i offered my opinion/experience with it... I Use my discs and such on new plots and use my tiller on established plots that have been cleaned up some.. I enjoy food plotting as much or more than hunting sometimes, and don't mind making the extra passes. Especially if it keeps the abuse down on my equipment.

I ran into this a dozen years ago for the first time, I shot a nice squirrel and laid it down next to the stump i was sitting on, About an hour later i was spacing out just relaxing when i looked down there were these giant maggot looking things crawling out of the cooling carcass, Yup freaked me out lmao, Not gonna lie i didnt bring that squirrel home that day, Then i did a bunch of research and found what they are, So now i just let my neighbor eat them,

Lmao! I hate when that happens!

Wish I could find run ways like this Up north

i have hunted spots like this and hardly ever saw a deer

many educational field days hosted by our QDMA branch require QDMA membership. this is hosted by our co-op with use of the local school property, so it's free to the public. there's 750 seats in the auditorium so we've got room. hoping most of the hunters who hunt on a property of the co-op will attend and learn. one of the more experienced QDMA board members among us will be giving the presentation. the school superintendent and other staff has been great so far by letting us use their facility to promoting deer management. many including the superintendent hunt and seem to be excited.

It should.. It is the best slug gun I have ever owned... at 100 yards, it is "rifle accurate"... Have comfortably taken deer at over 150 yards with a good rest.

This is a bit off topic, but let me tell you a sad story about a couple of SMLEs. My buddy Gator in Canada had two them and they were both beauties. One was a WWI vintage (1915) #1, and it was one of the cleanest, nicest specimens I have ever seen.. The other was a late Long Branch manufacture #4, never issued..When he got it it was still in the mummy wrap. This was when the gun registration was in effect in Canada, and guns were selling cheap, because many people who owned them did not want to go through the hassle and expense of registering them..Gator offered to sell me BOTH rifles for $300. I planned to use the unissued rifle as a shooter, and I wanted the #1 just because it was such a nice historical specimen. I looked into buying them and importing them into the states...Because of the fact that they were MILITARY rifles, there was so much hassle and expense on the US side that I decided it was not worth it..<<<SIGH>>>...

I think what most are saying is that you'll be rewarded with better deer management. X-Calibur Lighting Systems http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

I don't know why, but I have always likes the looks of the British Enfield.

To me that is GOOD news. I'm getting tired of people only worrying about what happens in their own back yard or issues that only affect them personally. It is time that we put an end to this "divide and conquer" strategy that the DEC has initiated. We don't seem to understand that we are all hunters that should be concerned about any faction of the hunting community that is being screwed over by the DEC, whether you happen to be currently involved or not. I for one appreciate the concern of those that are not involved ...... yet. It shows that the hunting community still has some semblance of mutual concern and still has the ability to become somewhat unified. Also, anyone who believes that something about the deer population in some areas has to be done and then allows the DEC to enter a stupidly conceived plan in an attempt to handle that serious problem should be commenting on how the DEC is bungling their responsibility of properly responding to what they themselves call a critical problem. And this idea that it should not be discussed or kept as an open issue really irritates the hell out of me. If it is so painful to access this thread and read about the DEC screw-up and opinions on it, I can only suggest that you simply don't.

They are very common here in southern Steuben...The proper name of the larva is WARBLE..Down south they are called WOLVES... They are kind of gross, but they come off with the skin and do not affect the meat.. I ignore them... Want to come over for a squirrel supper ?..<<grin>>....

One of the reasons that I have lost some interest in trail cams is the mortality rate on these things. I believe that right now I have more non-functioning ones than functioning ones. It's pretty discouraging to pay a whole pile of money for these things and then have them last only a season or two.

The only negative to a one-buck-rule is that it is like so many of these quick-fix ideas in that it is in no way tied to the size of the herd or the needs of the habitat. It would boost the doe take for sure, even in places where that really is not needed or wanted. I do like regs that are customized to the deer population and the habitat. To me that seems to be the proper way to manage a deer herd. The one buck rule is another one-size fits all kind of regulation. With all my criticism, I really do think the DEC is on the right track, assuming you have any confidence at all that they have the slightest clue about population densities and habitat problems that are being created by areas of high deer densities (the jury is still out on that one ....lol). The idea of applying special management activities ONLY to areas that need it does seem to be a correct attempt at good deer management. The One-buck-rule seems to be a random statewide shotgun approach with no specific targets. I'm never in favor of those kinds of management tactics.

I remember hearing that only 5% of NY hunters take two bucks, so it wouldn't make any difference if we went to a one buck rule

That's it, in a nutshell.

I like it too.... more antlers on the ground winter-spring!

The one buck rule makes sense. That's why we don't have it in NY.

Okay, it's the law. I get it! Displaying a back tag is so very antiquated and useless on so many levels. Hopefully NYS catches up with the other states that have already transitioned to a license to be carried on your person & done away with the back tag requirement.

Spent the last couple of days at my daughter's bow hunters safety course. She scored a 98 on the test. Best grade in the class of 55 people. Shes very happy about that, and Im pretty proud. Her gun course is in 2 or 3 weeks.

I would be a worse case scenario?

It was so hectic trying to keep up with helping the kids, netting, reviving and releasing fish that I didn't get many photos. My wife took some. Below is my son yesterday and my daughter last week with grandpa and her silver. Pretty sure my wife has photos of my daughter yesterday but not on my phone: We fish every week but my daughter comes more often than my son. She is more of an outdoor sportsman and deadly with her 15lb recurve at 5 yds. Lol