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First Doe of the year down! Savage 220 I was on the ground brushed in with some trees for about 3 hours. At around 7:15pm I gave up and started to walk back to my Jeep. On the way back I spotted what I thought was a deer, sure enough it was, she was about 80 yards below me as I was on a hill. It was very hard for me to get a good sight picture on her, not sure what was going on, maybe it was the lack of light. I took a shot, missed ..... that was a first. Took a second shot and hit her right in the neck, she collapsed where she stood. To be honest I wasn't exactly aiming for her neck, I was aiming for her front half and got lucky with my shot. I think I missed my first shot as I did not account for the fact I was so high above her aiming down. Either way, she's in a cooler packed with ice till I can get her butchered!

Canceled job turned in to impromptu squirrel hunt. Saw quite a bit of wildlife for a 4 hour hunt. 4 deer, 2 different flocks of turkeys and a bald eagle. And put 4 bushy tails in the freezer. Good day Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Serving the capital region or anyone willing to travel to Troy/Brunswick. This is year 4 for me and I think I finally have a vague idea of what I'm doing now! I'll be doing standard deer shoulder mounts for $350 this year. Specialty poses might cost a little more depending on the price of the form. Euro's will be $75. Have some experience with other critters too. Spent the first 3 years mounting animals in my living room but now it's time to take it to the next level. Can't wait to see what you guys bring me! But most importantly... shoot straight and have fun making meat and memories! Here's some of my work: Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Salty! Another epic trip in the books. Pounded on stripers, blues, and finally got the time to find the albies. Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Live from driveway! I finally saw a bear in real life here! I'm in driveway paying electrician and a little Cub almost ran into us. He ran across my driveway 10ft from us and into neighbors woods Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Banana, Hungarian wax and cherry peppers stuffed with crab, cream cheese and cheddar. It was good.

No offense but….. You should charge more, especially the shoulder mounts. It gives you the margin you need to spend just a little extra time when you need to and gain a little profit for better equipment and supplies. When I ran my woodshop, I always charged too little thinking it would gain me customers. Guess what? It gave me customers always looking for a bargain, and when finally raised prices to actually try and make a better go of it, all I had is cheapo’s looking for a deal. Have confidence in your work, its good; mount less heads, but make more money from each one. AND you can fiddle more on the details cause your time is being paid being an artist and having fun. JMO.

I have had very good results letting 2.5 year olds age for 5 days minimum and 3.5 year olds for 9 days. Ideally, the aging temperature is between 33 and 43 deg F. Leaving the hide on helps insulate against daily temperature swings and let’s you get away with 32 to 55 deg F, so long as the average daily temp stays in the preferred range. An insulated garage, with a concrete floor helps a lot. Cover the widows in the day, to keep out the sunlight, and open them at night to let in the cool air. I was shooting for 10 days in the insulated garage with my 3.5 year old post-rut buck last year, but I had to cut that to 9 days. The average temperature outside was predicted to be 62 degrees on day 10, so I came home a day early from a NZ late gun-season bear hunt. That middle aged buck turned out marvelous. It always amazes me how some on this site, including at least one educated as a chef, seem to have no comprehension of how rigor mortis affects red meat. Even ground burger can be tough, if you freeze it before rigor mortis has passed. A simple, often free, “deer fridge”, is a great help in maintaining that preferred temperature range in these post-global warming days.

I finally saw a few deer on my 6th early antlerless hunt, on The afternoon of Tuesday September 13. It was about 60 degrees, when I walked out back at 6:00 and there was a steady 10 mph west wind blowing. I have been wanting to hunt my deer foodplot court, on the west edge, but the wind hasn’t been right (east would have been best). I couldn’t wait any longer, so I headed to my “natural blind” located about 75 yards to the east of those plots. On my walk back, there was a unicorn fork horn buck standing in the clover plot along the east side, that I had hunted the evening prior. He moved into cover as I passed, then came back out to feed, 10 minutes after I settled into my blind, 175 yards directly upwind of him. Evercalm works well for 1.4 year old bucks apparently, because he fed there for at least 15 minutes. At 7:00, I caught movement in close,upwind to my west. A young doe passed 5 yards away. I slowly moved my gun towards her and she bolted off after catching that motion. I nearly fired, but caught more movement behind her. That was a much larger doe and she stopped, slightly quartering away, at 15 yards, allowing for a quick heart-shot, with my 50 cal T/C Omega ML, with 24O gr black sleeved bullet and 100 gr of T7 powder. She bolted off, swinging thru a little patch of cover, and emerging in a shooting lane 50 yards to my NW. I saw her flop down dead there. She is the same “back strap momma” that I have seen and photographed several times. The smaller doe with her must have been her last year’s fawn. The coyotes probably got this year’s. She didn’t have any milk in her, and she was very fat.

Don't let his "year 4" and "vague idea of what I'm doing" talk fool you! Dude's got a natural talent and it's only going to get better with time.

I get a large buck on camera 1 or 2 pics then they dissappear.. so i put 2 camera back to back and low an behold there it is walking behind original camera.. even the no flash emit a glow.. old buck learn to avoid the ir flash. Happens many timea a year. Benefits of running almost 30 cameras have option to place back to back.

Took some interesting lunch shots. First 2 shots got a damn Robin Hood. The arrows I shoot the company is out of business. So that's not great. But form is def good. Then after those two shots this little fella pops out into the trail just past my target. Great looking Fisher. Squeaked at him a couple of times and he kept looking long enough to get a picture or two. He came out about 8 yards from my target. Zoom in on the last pic . Form is def good but noticed my site is out of whack. It's off the marker left for sure. Must've loosened up or I didn't tighten it well last time I adjusted. Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

Theyre evading mine this year lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Eurasian Tench. I represent the USEPA at multiple Superfund sites along the River since 1999. Very rewarding work for me.

After Republicans Escalate Migrant Busing Scheme, White House Condemns ‘Chaos” https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/after-republicans-escalate-migrant-busing-scheme-white-house-condemns-chaos/ar-AA11SuDv?ocid=mailsignout&pc=U591&cvid=b9ea0f87087541f2b811aee035ec43e5 The article states “The Biden White House on Thursday condemned Republican governors who this week escalated their strategy of busing -- and now flying -- migrants to Democratic cities in protest of the administration's border policies” Condemn? President Biden has done nothing along with Vice President Harris. So now Biden condemns the illegal aliens coming to his neighborhood? The article states “Jean-Pierre criticized the governors for appearing to give no notice to leaders on the ground.” Sorry Jean-Pierre, the illegal aliens do not give notice when illegally entering the United States of America. The have to go somewhere since Biden is not keeping them out of the United States of America. The article states “this is just a cruel premeditated political stunt," Jean-Pierre said.” No, what is cruel are those who are created and allowing this humanitarian crisis in the first place.

Frost warning here tonight . Calling for 39F. We live in a bowl and we tend to get a little cooler . Picked out tomatoes tonight . Leaving alot of green ones to the frost. Picked a bunch of peppers and covered them . All thats left is the peppers,bruslesprouts, and Butternut squash.

@Dinsdale shhhh.... Let him charge what he wants lol. I know I say this every year, but hopefully I shoot a buck worth the drive to come see you this year.

Daughter who lives in Buffalo ( everyone has some faults ) caught three in Lewiston ,a few days back . She’s not really a fisherman , doesn’t own a pole … went with friends .

Im pretty sure I got that out of my system lol

Lob it in!!! SEND IT!!! That's how they do it on Saturday morning hunting shows!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Looks like a Tench. Not sure.

Congrats heavuser and good luck Bill..

Congrats. I would recheck the zero..jic the scopes get bumped easily

I wasn’t planning on hunting again until Sunday afternoon, over at my parents place, because my deer fridge won’t be available until Saturday evening, when I finish processing doe # 1. Now, I am thinking of getting out here at home on Saturday morning. Hopefully, the Buck and Doe shop could take doe # 2 for the Venison Donation program. If not, I’ll crank up the AC in the garage (it’s supposed to be 80 degrees outside on Saturday), and leave it hang in there till I process the other one. They were not able to take a cash donation for that at a Lockport Runnings when I picked up my first two dmp tags this year. I’ll try again at Walmart, when I go back for the other (2) on November 1. Maybe I can give them some meat before then. The reason I want to go out is that the local deer population seems to be way too high. I base that on the distinct browse lines that I see on all of my hedgerows, and the super heavy usage I saw on my wheat plots in the late winter and spring. I think the local farmers eased way up on their nuisance permits here on the NW corner of wmu 9F. Not so on the SE corner at my parents place. I have heard that they hit them extra hard out there this year, and that lines up with my observations. Also, my food plots out there don’t look so hot. I have been itching to check out my “deer Foodplot court” in a morning prime time hunt, to hunt from the pop up blind that I brushed in back there, and to try my new shooting sticks. The only glitch is that I dropped my ML on the carpeted basement floor, when the sling pulled out as I was cleaning it Tuesday night. I don’t trust that it is still zeroed without testing it first. I need to do that prior to my October NZ early ML week hunt, but not until after early September antlerless gun season is over. For that reason, I am going to run my short, open-sighted 12 ga 870, which will also handle better in the blind, on Saturday. No change in my plans for my parents place on Sunday (if I still have my last tag). I was going to use my Ithaca 16 ga on that hunt anyhow. I have a very good supply of slugs for both of those shotguns.

No, but she had her heart shot out from under her with a 50 cal from about 10 yards away.

Thanks again to those I haven't thanked already.not going crazy tonight but a solid 8-10 genny lights in

We got out this morning on a private pond and Gunner got to make his first actual water retrieve on a Canada goose. Gunner was well behaved in the blind and we bagged another goose which he made another water retrieve on. Watching him make the retrieves was the best part of the hunt. valoroutdoors.com

Sit # 1. CT - Spotted a lone doe at 55yds and she didn’t take the route in front of browning cam. But ultimately she still had to come towards me to get down Funnel to lower ridge. Video was 27yds. She never saw me. Too bad not 10pt. She wasn’t with the split ear doe and fawn that she’s with sometime. sat 530am till 10am. Surrounded by oaks and pines but DOnt see any acorns. It’s way windier than I thought it would be. Tomorrow morning looks 10° cooler but i couldn’t hunt tomorrow. Heading to NY land now to check cams and spots then head back to CT for PM hunt. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

this. this right here. I think some people have this idea that a food plot is easy if you have some open space. Ha.

Time for a shop update before deer season. First thing we did was fix the roof. Buddy of mine gave me a great deal on it. Found out the hard way that the foundation leaked on a semi warm day in February as the ice started melting Worst part of it was from about a 10ft section that was brick instead of concrete. I assume it's where the original overhead door was and they just filled it in with brick when they added on the huge addition to the shop. I pointed and parged it the best I could then hit it with 3 coats of drylok. So far so good but I'm probably gonna have to serious foundation work next year. I dug 2 trenches to try and divert as much water as possible and so far it's been dry Gutted the whole shop down to studs and took a 30 yard dumpster of debris out of here. And I packed the heck out of it, I'm a furniture mover so I know how to pack Got this place somewhat organized for now. Made myself a makeshift skinning machine using a heavy 3/4 inch steel plate with chains and locking pliers under the half-ton electric winch the previous owner left. I have another heavy steel plate to go on top of the other in case it's not heavy enough. Haven't tried it yet... soon enough I hope Already mounted 2 turkeys in here and hopefully more to come Did a little painting outside too Guess that's about it for now Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

This isn't pygmy if you were assuming. The boots stick out too far. Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

Oxtail

Homemade Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is going to be a long process but the process has finally started! My wife and I just bought a house after living in the same downtown Troy apartment for 15 years. And mounting animals in my living room was getting old and frustrating. Luckily the house we bought has a massive garage that will become my taxidermy shop. Over 3000 square feet. It does needs a lot of work and I'd like to share the process with all of you. Not gonna do to much with it over the winter, maybe just some interior demo. Gonna set up shop in the basement for the time being, definitely better than the living room! Progress will probably a little slow but I'll try to keep you all updated. The dog loves it just the way it is though! Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

If I lived closer I'd jump on that Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

Thanks for the euro skull last year - looking good on my office wall!

Buddy sent me this picture. What are the odds that the next paint job is going to be camo, lol. I know it's not legal in NY to hunt from. Just sharing a pic..

Black powder/substitutes are all intended to me measured by volume, so use a black powder measure. You can certainly set up a smokeless powder measure for the same volume, but the amount will vary if you go by weight.

Powder scale same as for my rifle/piston reloading. Then put in reloading vials/speed loaders. Your rifle should have a sharp crack and minimal smoke leaving the barrel .. otherwise your just blowing unburned powder out the barrel... there is a reason they made long barreled guns like the long rifle or great plains rifles more powder needs a longer barrel to burn it all.. Yes theyvhave faster burning black powder substitutes now but most people are still just waisting powder.. My colt musket only ises 36 grains. My kentucky long rifle 85. My cva optima shoot 95 the best . My kentucky pistol shoots 55 grains. My other rifles all shoot different loads as well .. none end in a round divisable divisable pellet grain . ... i see no way to get that out of pellets... True black powder shooting is the same as guys that worry about arrow weight. Consistant grain broadheads and fletching. Or the person that chooses to hand load to get maximum performance out of your pistols or rifles... You can get along with industry "standards" or get the most out of your weapons by spending a little time with "tuning" them.

Nice work Ryan!

Will update journal but 1 doe seen at 640am took video. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Yessssss,the team is back!looking forward to following this

My favorite daily read is back! Thank you Tom and company.

I only have a link for this but Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida is sending 2 planes of Illegals to Martha's Vineyard ! LOL https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ron-desantis-sends-two-planes-illegal-immigrants-marthas-vineyard

. Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

Damn… I missed cutting up deer!

Chile lime wings - honey bourbon wings - bacon blue cheese - siracha blue cheese - garlic parm tots - sausage / 5 cheese / Buffalo chicken stuffed banana peppers

No pics, but I travel light. My two go to knives...A Schrade Sharpfinger and my Grohman #1. The Sharpfinger drops in my pocket when I am closeby, and the Grohman is in my fannypack if I am wandering away for a long jaunt. Neither will need resharpening before a couple deer are dealt with. My forty year old Buck 110 still holds a razor edge as well or better than any of my knives, but ...like all my hunting knives, sees no service other than gutting/field dressing, and has never needed more than a light touch up. The 110 though, is clumsy to hold, especially in cold temps, and not as easy to manuever in the close quarters of a deer cavity.

I know a good taxidermist, who lives in Troy, He'd love to tan a bear skin rug, oh boy!