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Even with the storm blowing in last night, I was able to coax (lol) my partner into doing a couple stands at dark for the last night of NY fox season. Stand 1: We got setup in the last available day light at my aunt's a mile down the road. She only owns a couple acres but is butted up to acres and acres of brush lots. We set up just outside of the backyard, behind the barn, about 40 yards from the brush. I shot a grey fox last week while waiting for dark to start calling when a pair came through on their own. We tried it again last Friday and called in a red but my partner's 17 WSM had a dud loaded in it. "click" is not the sound you wanna hear when the fox is broadside at 18 yards. Anyway... we tried it last night. Rolled through rodent distress, lucky bird, and young rabbit distress. Switched to grey fox distress at the 29 minute mark and at 31 minutes I hear something about 10 yards behind us in the brush. After the stand we checked it out and a fox slipped in from the house or across the road and busted us. Packed up and I headed to another "backyard set" and my partner wasn't feeling that spot so I turned around and we went to my boss' construction laydown yard. We have had a lot of action here but no shots unfortunately. We get there and there is a 18-wheeler trailer sitting in the laydown yard (not my company's trailer). We were sitting in the truck trying to figure out how we were going to call around it and as we were sitting there, the tractor pulled in and backed into the trailer. Son of a B... can't hunt here now! Really bummed us out because the same night we had the dud at my aunt's, we called in a set of eyes here at the laydown yard but we couldn't get an ID. We finished calling and as we were walking to the truck a grey came running right in to us (right past the truck) and we spooked it. So I told my partner we had to go to the other backyard set where I wanted to go in the first place, give it a chance, and "when" we call one in, I was going to rub it in his face. Stand 2: We get to the backyard set, and sat down. We tried hunting in the woods one afternoon with no luck so this was our first night set here (2nd time ever trying it), set up about 30 yards from the tree line. I turn on nutty nuthatch and at the 8 minute mark a grey pops out of the brush and runs at the caller. It circled the caller at 6' (thank you foxjack) and was wanting to bolt but the decoy kept him there, he just wouldn't stop. My partner squeezed one off when he entered the scope and he jumped about 4' in the air, did a flip, landed on his feet, and took off running... shoot... hope it was lethal, WTH. I immediately change to platinum grey fox. within two minutes I hear something to my left and down comes a grey. It runs at the caller and stops 10' from it and my partner drops the hammer. The fox runs away... really?!? We cut the caller, remove the red lense and go look. Walk over to where shot #2 rang. Blood, we turn around and there he is. Awesome, got 'eem! go to where shot #1 was, speckles of blood every where. we follow it for 20 yards and there is the other fox!! We called in our first double and on the last night!!!!!!! Instantly Big Al's dance of love literally almost spilled out of me lol. So pumped after the last 3 trips have included a miss last Thursday (brought a new guy to experience the fast action), a dud bullet on Friday, and a wounded red fox that my partner never recovered when he went solo on Valentine's Day. Our double consisted of one male and one female. Right as I was changing to platinum grey fox after the 1st shot, I thought I caught an eye down in the woods but couldn't tell exactly, but guessing they were running together and the 2nd foxed circled way around us, which is why he came down from the houses. We were so pumped and it was my turn to shoot so I called my boss and hunted at his house. Stand 3: The house sets up on a hill through the woods by itself, we usually hunt in front of the house but this time we hooked around to the side and hunted there (his "yard" is 60-ish acres, all mowed, surrounded by hardwoods on one side and brush on the other). We set up close to the brush to hopefully call in a fox. I ran nutty nuthatch, lightning jack and then platinum grey fox. no takers. we were packing up and my buddy thought he heard a coyote howl in front of the house somewhere but wasn't sure, and it was late and snowing hard so we shrugged it off and packed up. The snow was coming down so hard that my tire tracks in the driveway we covered over with a slight indent. Coming down the driveway we cut tracks....wouldn't you know...fresh coyote track crossed over and went towards front of the house. Dang it, we should've tried some coyote vocals when he thought he heard the 'yote, we mighta called him right in. What a night! The wind was blowing on and off and the snow was getting increasingly heavy through our stands and we had animal movement on every one and most importantly I called in my first double and my partner connected on both greys!

My dad is getting cabin fever so he picked up an old hobby of his, making things with toothpicks and glue. Years ago he made castles, boats, lamps..all made with toothpicks. His latest creation in the works is a castle, takes alot of talent and tons of patience, God bless him, love that man!! Being a retired contractor, hes worked on everything construction wise, but this is on a much smaller, tedious scale...lol..i'll try to keep you all posted of his progress.

Just my honest opinion...if the political section was removed I'm guessing only a small handful of people will actually miss it.

IMO I think it serves a purpose. There has been some very good information conveyed on it (and a bunch of crap), but I would not want to see it go. It's too easy to skip by what you don't want to read.

Pheasant hunting...........I know there has been plenty a talk on here about the New York State raised pheasants. I've never hunted (that I know of) the state released birds but have killed lots of private preserve raised birds, hunted on those preserves and on private ground. My first cock bird was killed back in the 70's on my friends land, licensed as a preserve for over 50 years now! For many years he would buy a couple hundred birds each season from a local breeder and hunt them over his labs. He would have friends and business clients in for the hunts during the fall. Once deer season started the birds were never bothered, except by the numerous predators. Very very few ever made it to the spring but occasionally they would. I killed one such bird in early October many years ago. It was a beautiful bird with gorgeous, long tail feathers. Here's a picture of the results from another private land hunt. My buddy in Arcade licensed a portion of his land as a preserve for a number of years. We didn't release many birds over the years here but did enjoy some great shoots when we did...........I think this would have been the early 90's. Good times........

​Got out last night for the last night of the killing season. Between the cold and just being too busy I haven't gotten out in over a week. Dog just went nuts running around really didn't do much besides sight chase a fox before getting zapped. On the way home is where the story really starts. I was only maybe a mile and half from home to start with. I get into the middle of the village and a deputy pulls me over for an out tail light (yeah I knew it was out its a wiring problem). He must have been fresh out of the academy. He pulls me over right in front of the school where there's no shoulder. So my trucks in the lane and he comes up to the passenger window. My hands are hanging out the drivers window and the truck is off. That's when he see's my 22 on the seat. Pulls his gun and says hands where I can see them. I said they're out the window. He says put them on top of the wheel so I do. Then he realizes he needs to come around the truck. So he says put them back out the window. So I do. Then typical slowly with our left hand open the door and step out. Now I had prior taken off my headlamp but the battery was still in my pocket. So I step out and now I'm stuck by the cord. I explain he's got to take the battery out of my pocket. Then he realizes I've got my pistol on too. So he cuffs me. Now I'm like ok this is by the book its going to be a long night. He says he needs to take my pistol out and put it on the seat. I said I understand but I'm not consenting to any search but am not going to stop you from doing what you need to. I explain how to undo the safety strap and thumb brake so he finally gets the pistol out. He walks me back to the car and asks what I'm doing with all the (2) guns. I said I'm hunting the dog is friendly but a pup he'll jump on you and want to play. Then the conversation got smoother. Turns out he's a hunter too (not a houndsman though). But the story keeps going. So he needs my id and permit. I said they're in my back pockets of my inside pants. Being a hunter he understood what that meant. So he uncuffs one hand for the permit then the other for the id. Then says he's got to put me in car and needs to take my ​chest pack off. For those that use it you know it slides over one arm. So cuffs off again. I'm like really you have to keep these on? Finally we're in the car and he's doing his check. We're talking I gave him a business card explained my 22 was a prototype ​HT60 and had a few good laughs. He says he's not going to write me the ticket because I've such a good sport. He says he has to make me wait on the side walk until he pulls away. I said I've got a problem though. Look at my truck. The four ways are just about out the battery is dead. It's been below 0 for a week on a five year old cheap battery and I only drove the truck a mile and a half with two starts in there. I told him I'll just have to walk the half mile home get my car jump it and walk back because there's no way my wife is getting the baby up to come jump me when I'm that close. He says he can't do that because the guns would be unsecured in the truck. I said I'll carry them home. With a wide eyed look he say I can't walk through the village with a gun. I'm thinking to myself done that plenty of times before. Finally he settles on leaving me in the cuffs and jumping my truck with his cruiser. 45 minutes later I was home with story for the books. Never a dull night running coons!

16 pages in the beer thread and not even the hint of an argument yet. Not sure what's going on with the rest of the site.

About 9 inches here in Tonawanda, it was pretty heavy stuff to move so I saw 2 teens coming down street with shovels and they offered help. Gave them a some cash and back inside for some coffee for me. My cardiologist doesn't want me shoveling so I took his advice, especially with the heavy snow.

I don't agree, on a blanket basis, with anything that's posted until I give it thought. I tend to think for myself. I have no desire to see anyone censored. Clean up the personal attack crap or move on. 'nuff said.

I have been running a hunting dog message board-forum myself for 11 years, I have rules and they are permanently posted at the top of the board's home page for all to read, in fact the first thing I do with every new member is to make sure they read the rules so there are no surprises. If you can live by the rules fine if not and you try to test me you will not be around for long. The owner of this board allows for politics to be discussed on his board, that is his call and I will respect that. Personally I do not have any problem passing over any post that I don't care for and to make an argument that you are compelled to read them and reply to them is baloney. If one is compelled to read what they deem to be unsavory posts and you make a reply be civil and stay away from personal attacks because that is when the crap starts hitting the fan. I also have the info below posted in my rule section ============================================== The following is considered to be the general universal rules of message board "Etiquette". The topic of Message Boards and their proper use comes up on a regular basis. Here are some tips to make sure you have a more enjoyable, constructive experience: Being a member to a private message board is a "Privilege" not a right. Review the "Charter" or rules for the message board and abide by them. If you don't like the rules, search out another board that is more in line with what you feel is appropriate or are willing to abide by. It is the right of the owner of the message board to dictate terms of use. If you don't like them, rather than ruin the experience for all the other participants, find another message board or start up your own. Most rules are common sense and in place to ensure an enjoyable constructive experience for all members. What about my right to "free speech" to say whatever I want where ever I want? Use of any site or message board is not a right! To participate, you will be asked to follow a few simple rules. The "freedom of speech" guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution that folks so willingly throw around many times to justify their poor behavior, only protects you from governmental intervention in your right to express yourself -- it does not give you free reign to use computer resources, paid for by others, against the wishes of their owner. Again, if you don't like the rules, search out another board that is more in line with what you feel is tolerable. Stay on topic and discuss issues only relative to the thread in question. A thread is the term used for a ongoing conversation based on a particular subject. Feel free to change the subject to something more apropos if the thread goes off in another direction or start an entirely new thread. When you do so be sure to change the SUBJECT: field to clearly reflect the revised topic so the other members are aware of the change in direction from the original thread. If new to the message board, "lurk" for awhile to get a feel for the community and personalities of the regulars before you post. You will be participating in an established community and don't want to just bust in and blurt out your opinions, demands or questions before getting a good idea for the feel of the group. Then, in your first post, a short intro about you before you comment is recommended and helps you start to become part of that community. Never give out personal information or specifics to your location on message boards. This information can then be farmed by troublemakers. Keep in mind there will always be differences of opinion. Try to remain objective and not personalize issues if at all possible. You can disagree with others by being firm and expressing your opinion with clarity without resorting to name calling, slurs or innuendos just to make your point. Posters that behave in that manner are generally those whose opinions are weak or not based in any truth or facts and are viewed as such. Don't fall for trolls. Trolls are folks who will post rude comments just to get a rise out of everyone on the board. Ignoring folks who do this simply halts their efforts to disrupt the board and get them the attention they seek. Move on to more constructive conversations. Be sure to down edit, or remove any part of the post you are replying to that is no longer necessary to the ongoing conversation. This includes anything within the >>> that no longer applies, previous poster's signature files and any header information. By down editing, you will show your command of the technology in which you are participating, while doing your part to keep the conversation focused and easy to read by the other members. These efforts will be greatly appreciated by your fellow members. Always review your post(s) before you click send/post. Make sure they express the appropriate tone you want to relay. If you are joking, add a ;-). Use emoticons to reflect the seriousness or lack thereof of your comments. Most forums provide you with standard emoticons so you can do just that. "I didn't mean it that way..." doesn't apply online - people will take your words at their face value! If you type it, you'd better mean it and be willing to accept the repercussions that can possibly ensue. Also be sure to check your spelling and grammar to do your best to make sure you are viewed as someone who made it out of the 6th grade. If conversations get out of hand and others resort to personal insults or innuendo because of your comments, try not to take it too personally - they don't know you. When you feel you need to defend yourself, do so politely based on your opinion not personal digs. Always take the high road and you will be respected by the other members of the forum. By keeping the above in mind you'll have a more informed and enjoyable time!

Fish tacos. Tilapia , jicama slaw , siracha mayo with a sprinkle of cheese. Backlava for dessert

honestly vjp, if you, uptownredneck and papist stopped posting anything political and stuck to guns and hunting the site would be a much nicer place. I said it, and I'll stand by it.

My house sits on land that my great grandfather owned and farmed. I did not know this until I bought the house and the title search turned it up. Never met him as he passed when my grandfather was real young and the farm was sold off after my grandfather joined the military. Apparently he, my great grandfather was a big bird hunter (both great grand dads were, actually). After sale, the land became a pheasant preserve in the 50s/60s and then was resold out. There is a very very small population of naturally occurring pheasants here now decades later - I've confirmed with the DEC this is the case. I only see them 2-3x a year. I was fortunate enough to take one a couple falls ago. Pretty good experience. I won't take another, but it was an interesting tie that binds.

Take away the political forum, and watch the General Chit-Chat forum fill up with political posts. Remember, the General Chit-Chat forum is the catch-all that may or may not be hunting related. I listen to all the whining about the politics section and just shake my head in disbelief. If there was no Politics Forum, everyone would be whining about no place to keep tabs on what things are in the wind about gun control and pro-gun people who need support. It just goes to show that no matter what you do, you can't keep everyone happy all the time. I feel sorry for those that have lost control of their index finger and keep clicking on those threads and forum sections that they detest.....lol.

See you don't see the political section as a problem because you agree with it. We don't all agree with it. You want to censor redneck, but don't see the issue with papist because you agree with him. At a minimum, those 2 alone contribute to the majority of what bother some (but not all) members. We are all hunters. We have enough enemies already. As a conservative I understand that while predominantly right, some hunters have liberal political beliefs. That's fine with me, I'm never going to change their beliefs and they won't change mine. So let's all enjoy talking about the sound a broadhead makes when it strikes a whitetail in the vitals!

I would say that wouldn't be ok. What would be ok is getting as many people together as possible and making a huge stink at every town meeting they have. Show them what they are doing doesn't make any sense.

Why isn't the site called hunting and NY and Politics then? How is a Muslim holiday in a Rochester school crucial to our hunting survival? How is Bill Clinton's sex life critical to our hunting survival? I love the stuff Rossi posts, the safe act stuff that actually helps spread information or answer questions is great. 3 times over the last few years I've decided I've had enough with this place and taken vacations. I always come back because I hunt in NY and there are mostly great members here with great information. Then inevideibly I get annoyed and feel like leaving again. There are other sites devoted to politics. I haven't seen anywhere in the description of this site where politics was a key focus. Furthermore, I'm not sure the owner really wants members to leave or be told to start a new site because the 3 musketeers have overrun the site with anti-Muslim propaganda. I own a pontiac g8. A rare car, only produced for 2 years. Mine is modded to over 400hp and enjoy learning and talking about the platform. There's not a lot of owners, and what you're mentioning actually did happen. The one good forum splintered due to bad ownership and now we have 2 mediocre forums. Is that really what you want? There's over 200k hunters in NY and only 1,960 followers on tapatalk. Do we really want to start another forum and turn HUNTERS away because they don't want to talk politics?

Great pics, Law. Same dog in #2 & #3? Btw, you were a fine looking young lad. Love the long flowing locks. ????

Good memories, what a concept Larry! I don't do preserves, clubs, and day old, but love state birds and wild birds. Here are some good memories with my wife! Bass Turds want to take this from her, me and others.....

Nice photos and some great memories, for me there are not too many activities more enjoyable than hunting pheasants. Al

I was a long time moderator on another outdoors site. It was a full time job with the amount of rules they had. If anyone disagreed they. We're gone. I quit moderating and rarely visit the site. My opinion if you are not interested in the political stuff, which by the way is crucial to the survival of our country, then start your own site. Rules are rules.

Yeah, every year. I'm used to it.

Tell you what I noticed shortly after joining a couple of years back. In the midst of important discussions about policy, funding, law & punishment all pertaining to hunting in one form or another certain members can not resist making an anti government or king Andy comment as if it furthers the conversation in a meaningful way. I hunt, I own guns, I am un-ashamedly a Democrat but most importantly I am from Brooklyn and have thick skin. Others are not, and potential new members may come from all walks of life even liberal hipsters who hunt in pork pie hats sporting weird goatees. Censorship? No, but their doesn't have to be hate speak sprinkled in all the threads.

"Grammy's" in Florida W/her friend. "Poppy" is home alone W/nobody to watch..

Heeeeey it's Shawn! Glad you made it buddy. Pull up a stool and I'll buy you a round! Just don't go playing anything crazy on the jukebox and we wont have any problems here,lol I don't know how you pronounce these so I'll get you one of each!

It would be nice if the members would censor themselves, like civil adults are generally expected to do. Argue against the post, not the person who posted it.

When we all signed into this site, we all agreed to abide by the set rules of this site. I don't consider it censorship if you break those set rules and are reprimanded or banned by the administration. A little common sense and common courtesy go a long way to make the site, more enjoyable for the vast amount of members. Sometimes we can just agree to disagree , and leave it at that. JMO

Goshawks are probably the most dangerous bird in North American. They are extremely defensive of their nests once the eggs have hatched. When I needed to go near their nest for research purposes, I would often carry an umbrella to give them a target that was not my head. I have talked to turkey hunters who have been buzzed by them. I also know of a couple of instances where nesting goshawks have been shot during May. One of those incidents happened a couple of years ago on public land along the Finger Lakes Trail in Chenango County. The hawk was well known to hikers. As far as I know, it never hit anyone. Back in the 90s, someone writing in a statewide publication was claiming goshawks were coming into hunter's turkey calls because they wanted to kill turkeys. If you know anything about goshawks, this is absurd. They are a bit smaller than a red-tailed hawk - see photo, gos on right. A gos coming in aggressively does so because a threat is too close to its nest. One time, a gos burst out of thick cover in my face, coming right at me. I did not see or hear it until it was about 30 feet away. Time to change my pants. They are actually both rare and hard to find. They find you when you are near their nest. Have any of you encountered goshawks acting aggressively during turkey season?

Doc .... some of the members that whine about the Political Forum seem to like to get on there and then complain . Don't like it , don't click on there . It reminds me of a buddie's sister who found one of his Playboy magazines . She was flipping pages and kept saying , "this is terrible" but kept on flipping pages . I told her that if it was so terrible , why keep looking . All I got was a blank stare and she kept looking at the pictures . That's what goes on here . I don't trap , small game hunt , don't own a dog and I don't bird hunt so I don't even go into those forums and have no idea what goes on in there . The people that are interested in those forums frequent them .

be sure to ask what they do for each price. some shops will "tune" your bow but it's more or less setting everything with eyeballs and levels. not actually shooting it through paper with your arrows at various distances (say 5, 15, and 30 feet). going to a shop and shooting with those that shoot better than you will help. Most people who are really good are willing to help, if someone has ego driven "just because" answers just say thanks and don't ask them again... shops included.

Ohhhh believe me..... we will be hammering our coyote spots real hard 'til the season ends. We usually hunt exclusively at night but we will be doing as many daytime stands as we can fit in as well. Hoping to have some more stories coming soon! We'll see, the fox seem easy compared to those dang 'yotes!

A low power scope W/a wide field of view & a duplex reticle is faster to acquire the target than open sights.

Why do people intentionally go to the political site, then intentionally click on a topic and then complain about it???

Some times we just have remind ourselves to see through the eyes of the other person. Not all cops are grizzled veterans. Some are young rookies who are probably nervous and scared. No amount of training can take place of the real thing when their lives can potentially be in actual danger. Case in point, Peter Liang.

I thoroughly enjoyed pheasant hunting Darien when I lived in Alden. What a great time and great exercise for me and my dog. We were a bunch of noobies but it was fun. My dad tells stories of how abundant they were when he was a boy and I feel I'm missing out. I wish it was a much easier access to hunt species. My old back yard before our first hunt.

If papist stopped posting, would this all go away?

We have one named bullet, imagine that getting yelled. lol (We didn't name her but got her at 6 months and it stuck)

I would think it would be better for those few that post that type of thing to start their own web site.

Well if that doesn't have an elitist self absorbed ring to it.

The 2nd amendment wasn't written with hunting in mind. Hunting just happens to enjoy protection that the amendment offers it, as a by product.

I would have to make that decision at the time but if the town was taking deer by paying sharpshooters with my tax money on top of me paying my own land tax without being able to take deer? Cant say i would not if needed.

I've been saying it from the ghet. The "changes" that were made to the political section(whatever they may have been) had zero effect on tapatalk users. I can't speak for other platforms, but on tapatalk, I still get the annoying bombardment of political crap and I'm tired of having to filter through it, and so are a lot of members. But soon it matters not, because I'm starting to see political threads spread outside of the political forum and into guns and rifle discussions, under the pretense of how it affects gun owners, which is BS. They show up under timeline and recent, where I think most would appreciate them not showing up. Thanks for looking into it. X-Calibur Lighting Systems http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

#6 Wow is this one good. From Glens Falls - Queensbury, NY. Would buy this again along with their Winter one.

What if the bar served you a beer one minute past closing time .....

Marinated Grilled chicken breast tenders, stuffing, and a side salad. Overdid the chicken just a tad but we choked it down.

More importantly, this is what new members see when they're trying to decide if they want to join the forum or not.

Take your outdated concepts and desires and go lay down for a nap. You obviously have no grasp on reality

It's a private website visited voluntarily. It's not censorship if the site doesn't allow it. The site doesn't allow swearing. That's censorship. This is my preface to "the first amendment". This is the only site I've ever been on that allows political posts to the level that we have them. While some are entertaining and create a good debate, the shear volume have started to drown out the actual hunting part of this site. They are not filtered like some have been lead to believe, they show up in everyone's feed either online or via tapatalk. Sure, I don't have to click them and mostly I don't. But I feel ashamed sometimes to be a part of such fear mongering and ignorant hate. I don't believe it does anything to further the site and promote hunting or attract new members. I personally have taken time away because of the level it gets too. I always come back because I enjoy the hunting discussions. A few topics a week wouldn't hurt anyone, or even one topic dedicated to all things political that can be several hundred pages long. who cares, it's just one thread. but several an hour just goes to far. I can visit any of the thousands of other political forums on the internet if I wanted to talk about Muslims and Hillary Clinton.

It was not meant as a THREAT ..... Just an opinion about Censorship . Look at the Political Correctness junk where you have to choose your words carefully . The PC police have gotten out of hand . I DO NOT have any intention of banning anyone other than the Spammers who show up on the site .