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So after many of hours and passing multiple small bucks. I finally had the opportunity to harvest a fairly large doe today. I was having a crap day, starter went on my service van. Had an embarrassing moment when I had to rapp on it in their driveway but they were none the wiser. I went got a new starter, changed it and by the time I was done the work day was ruined. I decided to go for a long slow walk to ease the nerves and perhaps bump a deer. I never walk. Today I walked from 2-4 jumping only what I can only think was a pair as I never saw them. Was headed back through my food plot and checked my cam, nothing but coyotes. Decided on walking a trail I rarely walk out because it takes longer, I still had about 20 min of legal light. I start walking down the trail and everything starts rustling, then crashing. I stop and look around listening for the direction they are moving in. It sounded like they split but one was coming right to me. I turned down the trail, crouched down and waited. This doe popped her head out spooked and unsure. I put the scope on her shoulder and squeezed the trigger. She ran about 100 yards and died 30' behind my tree stand. I couldn't be more pleased with my harvest as it has been a tough year. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Been a very slow season but persistence finally paid off.Was on stand only 10 mins this afternoon when this 3pt walked out into my food plot.The only buck I saw all gun season.

Shot this buck on November 28th at around 9:18 am at 70-75 yards. He was running along a cut hay field just inside the woods about 60-65 yards from my stand. I normally hunt with my father facing one way and me facing the other so when I heard my father snoring I turned to check his side to see if there was anything behind me. I saw nothing so I turned around, but as I turned around I saw the buck running with what looked like a limp. He was directly perpendicular from me in a shooting lane when I saw him so I gave a couple bleats to slow him down so I can get my hearing protection on and my rifle up. He was also running into an area that has a few shooting lanes but they are close together and you need to be quick to get a shot there. I had to make a second bleat to stop him from running again. Once I was all ready I had my rifle aimed at a shooting lane I knew he was going to walk through but he started to run again. I tried to stop him but he wasn't having any of it so I knew it was now or never so I shot. I've practiced shots like this so I was confident in the shot. Well as I was getting ready to shoot my father woke up and watched the shot. Well he thought I missed the deer because all he saw was the head. At the time I thought I might have missed as well because he ran at an angle to where I couldn't see him for more then a quick second. He thought we should stay in the stand because he was almost 100% sure I missed, but I felt that there was no way I could miss this shot and he did look hit and I thought I saw a glimpse of him go down. I convinced him that we should take a look just in case, so we got down about 20 min after the shot. I went to where I thought I hit him and I couldn't find any blood but I decided to take a quick walk because if he was hit, he would be down pretty close. Well after about 10 yards I look up and saw a tree that was covered in blood. Another foot and I saw the deer laying maybe 2 feet from that tree. All in all he went maybe 40 yards from the point he was shot. The shot took out the left lung and severed the heart completely. Turns out his right shoulder was dislocated and he had a healed up wound on his brisket so I'm thinking he got beat by a bigger buck. Good thing this happened early because I had 3 parties to go to so I was only able to hunt until 11 am max. I had to rush the gutting and skinning to make it home in time for my father and I to get ready. I got up at 3 and didn't make it home from those party's until 2 am. Great deer and great parties...what an amazing day! Only bad part is my parents convinced me to mount it so now I'm going to be out 500 bucks, but its worth it.

This is the final weekend for me. Even though it's supposed to be warm, I'm going out. I'm sure I'll pick up a tick or 3, hopefully I'll see something. Even if I don't get anything, I need to be out there, just to know I spent my time in the woods.

A new shoulder, so that I can bowhunt again. I can wish, right? Health and happiness for everyone. That's mostly doable.

did real well on lake trout salmon were tough but got these 2 and the steelhead.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What a hard season but finally got it done tonight! Doe down! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

First of all, I want to say thank you. I'm sitting in a Quality Inn room, with my wife sleeping in one bed, and my 17 yr old sleeping in another. Luckily, my 18 yr old is still at his dorm in brockport. Little background on the dawn events: At 3 AM, I am woken up by someone frantically pounding on my door and ringing the doorbell. I open my eyes and my room is lit up like mid-day. I grab the wife, go downstairs and grab the kid, and bolt out of the house. As I leave the house, I look back and see that the garage and both vehicles are on fire. I rush my family across the street in fear of explosions. By the time I get across the street, the fire has trippled in size. The shear heat of it literally melted the siding of my neighbors house 30 yds away and the peak of my back porch had burst into flame. A teenager approaches me and I realize he is the one that rang the bell. He saw the fire from a street away, called 911 and races over to alert us. In the space of 15 minutes, the garage went from a fire that could be handled by a few extinguishers to a roaring blaze that chars all of the surrounding houses, shattering windows and melting siding. By 4am the fire was out, the garage was barely a skeleton, the car and truck are not even recognizable. It was so damn fast! If that teenager had walked by 10 minutes earlier, he wouldnt have seen it. If he were 10 minutes later, we probably would have died. (I looked for him later when I could think, and he had dissapeared. never saw him before, and never got his name) As I sit here, I am filling out my itemized loss listing. With my family finally peacefully sleeping, at 41 yrs old, I am feeling like I want to cry. I don't care how un-manly it makes me. To all you parents, you must understand what it takes to be the rock of the family. The steady presence that holds things from going over the edge of hysteria. It's a job I happily take, but it tears me apart. When I realize I was just a few minutes from losing everything, it literally has me shaking as it kicks in. I posted here because I had to get it out in a safe place, so as to keep my spirits up and to not let my family see me falter when they needed my strength. Again, I was not looking for sympathy or handouts. I didnt even have a need for people to read my post. I just needed to write it. (If that makes sense) To all those responding, and especially to those that are offering prayers and assistance, I cannot thank you enough. Even if I have no idea who you are, your support and understanding are priceless to me. I don't know what else to say. Thank you. Joshua O'Campo

Dude...........................................

Hot weather today I decided to trade the tree stand for my boat. First time I can remember fishing this late into December and wearing a T-shirt. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This buck was hit by a car two blocks from my house. I live in Northport on Long Island. This deer was a beast, one of the biggest around. Sucks he was put down by a car.

Another red fell to the garbage pile set 2 traps on its feet Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

Reminds me of Ron Whites stand up routine where his cousin is bragging to him about going to the woods and shooting a big buck with a 30-06, and Whites response was "well I got one with a van, going 50 miles per hour with the lights on and the horn blowing"

I love that last sentence. That puts it all in real perspective.

Very sorry to hear of this. I grew up in Newark. It's a good community, and I have a number of friends there. Glad you and your family are safe. As you've said, that's the important thing. Please let us know if we can help in any way. I'm a pretty good builder, and I'd be happy to help with putting together and running a volunteer crew for rebuilding when the time comes. PM coming coming your way. Seriously, Mark

Sorry for the losses, it may JUST be material, but I'm sure you and your family work hard for those material things. Has it been determined on what started the fire? Electrical? If you send me your address, I'd like to send you one of my flashlight packages to help you light your way back on your feet in terms of getting back out there. X-Calibur Lighting Systems http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

Dang beauty of an animal. Shame he went down that way

Kind of arrogant, to instantly assume a hunter's lack of success, means they are incompetent. Posting novice mistakes as though they are an obvious explanation. It must be tough to be on top, & deal with us fools.

You are so special. The rest of us are just lazy, bad and unskilled.

Before I start, no one was hurt in any way. Material items can be replaced where lives can not! So I just all of my hunting gear with the exception of my guns and bow. If any of you live around Newark, NY, you probably already heard about this. My garage burned to the ground last night, taking both my car and my truck. The truck was loaded up for a hunting trip with everything but my firearm. Burned to a crisp. Believe it or not, it burned my boat to a crisp as well. That was loaded with my fishing gear (winterized and in locked compartments). I am starting to itemize everything for insurance, and it is just now hitting me how much I just lost... I know, I know... My family and I are seriously the luckiest people on earth that the fire did not take the whole house, or hurt anyone. I know my losses are just "things." I've been optimistic and positive, staying strong for my wife and kids all day. This happened at 3am on the 10th, and I am mentally fried. I'm sitting in a hotel room, hitting a breathing treatment on a nebulizer for smoke inhalation and just not feeling that lucky. My losses are close to double what my limit of insurance coverage allows for "Other Buildings" Not looking for sympathy, not looking for insurance advice (we have NFA working for us). I'm just venting to people I don't know to avoid venting this petty garbage on my family that needs my shoulders. 2 rubbermaid bins of cold weather gear, scents, calls, boots, gloves, knife, flashlights, backpack... Hell, my (loaded) magazines for my ruger american cooked off as my backpack burnt to ashes. Interested in pictures? https://www.facebook.com/Fehyd/media_set?set=a.10101539039274995&type=3&pnref=story but... I'm alive and so is my family. vent over. carry on

Wish list this year?...I have to say not one single thing..First time ever...Now no one knows what to get me....lol I told them..... all I want is for them to show up with a smile on their face, whether they felt it or not.

I saw the king of all d-bags shot a monster buck today. Driving down the 90 with his tailgate down and the head out far enough so that it was laying on the tailgate. They must have been moving somewhere today.

Hay sets don't work well in my area I've tried many times with a yote 1 time years ago and kinda gave up on it ..just stick with what works for me and try stuff and if it works add it in my arsenal .. I'll try again sometime but I've not tried the pipe set and can't find it on the other site ...I use flat sets dirt hole garbage piles scent posts blind sets and then I'll lay a ecent log into a opening or path and then bed the trap off of it 6-9 inches offset and have been doing well .. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

A warm fire, nice meal, smiles and hugs from my loved ones and I'm good.

Under Armour 4.0 base layer long underwear. Sneaky suspicion I'm getting a DSD jake decoy to pair up with my upright hen I got last year. Dang underscore ugh And non hunting related I'm hoping for Heidi Klum under the tree

Bill Clinton, is that you? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Take a picture of them, it steals their souls. They hate that.

$3100 damage to the truck

Yes, went with the 7mm-08. I've got a feeling that come next deer season, my wife will be taking that out of my hands for her use though. I'm glad I have that "problem"! We've been hunting together for quite some time. She usually uses a .243.

they don't have winter coats for one, and now they move at night during cooler temps and the safety of darkness, hence less sightings.

spend more money on your glass than on your gun and you'll be a happy man for many years. there's a $100 manufacturers rebate on Leupold vx-3's till the end of year.

I had a hard time finding any 25-06 cartridges in stores and if I did they were never on sale and quite pricey . I have a 7-30 waters barrel on my TC pistol . The only manufacturer that make any cartridges is Federal . Had a heck of a time finding any . Therefore I reload for both of those . Problem solved .

Only 6 in the water the other is one I was changing bait on. Only 2 of us today so 6 is legal.

I'll be out there Saturday and possibly Sunday too. Got a lot of family things to do the following weekend, so not sure if I will be hunting with the muzzle loader this year. I have had a good season. Deer sightings have been down a bit this year. But I truly enjoyed each and every hunt no matter if I saw deer or not. Was fortunate enough to kill a nice fat doe with the crossbow and a nice buck with my rifle. Shared some hunts with my grandson and had some laughs with my friend. Learned some things. So, a good season to remember.

They probably thought you were stuttering. [emoji1] X-Calibur Lighting Systems http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

Also add that it's only really the magnums where you need the longer barrels. Magnum rounds have more powder and in short barrels, not all of the powder is completely burnt before the bullet exits the barrel if the barrel is too short.

I wouldn't be afraid to crack that bear with my .243 as long as I was using a Barnes TTSX. Here (and I apologize to those that have seen these pics numerous time) are some pictures of a bullet I recovered embedded in a roast from a doe I shot in PA a few years ago. The deer was 235 yards, head on, I had a perfect rest and all the confidence in the world. At the shot she just disappeared, she flipped over backwards and never twitched. I hit her just off center and the bullet ended up lodged in the roast on one side of the hind quarter. Pretty good performance for an 80gr bullet............... I'll be carrying my .243 stoked with that same bullet this weekend, wish me luck.

Not a fitting end to a magnificent animal. Too bad the kings rein came to such a conclusion.

Holy fishing poles Batman

Even with 60 degrees and bright sunny skies today we still made short order of 2 man goose limit and a pair of mallards.

Taken Sunday....not bad for a first buck....very proud DAD........

Yeah... I wasn't really referring to anything going here as much as hunters on other hunting pages and other forums. Seems to me that hunters on this forum tend to be more responsible than elsewhere. Oh NO... I can't believe I just said that!

I should loan your dad my 4 wheeler .............

It puts the lotion in the basket...

Oh I'm not giving up guys!! I just miss the last week of October and the first week of November real bad!! I went out 12/9 down to the hole for a couple hours and a big zip. I pulled the card and a few flats and a 4 point a lot at night. Neither big boy in over a week. 12/10 out behind the house for a couple hours in the am. Just saw a bunch of hens again. This afternoon my dad came over and I walked him back to a brush blind. He is 78, 79 in a few days, and has had a rough 12-18 months and does not get around well now. So I walked him out with his cane and all and got him set up. I came back and worked for a bit then went out and hit the thick crap all around him trying to kick up a deer to him but just nothing. I have a feeling this might have been his last deer watch, I hope not, but we had fun talking "old times" and he enjoyed the 50+ temps.

Nice! Sweet rifle!

Actually the only reason anyone should get shot in the woods is if they are hunting with attire that can't be seen by other hunters. I can see someone shooting at a deer not knowing someone is sitting against a tree 100 yards away in the same path. All the rest that has been mentioned may be reasons why hunters get shot, but all can be avoided simply by hunters doing what they were suppose to have learned in their hunters safety course. the real reason shootings occur is because a hunter has made killing a deer more important than safety.

Actually, the overwhelming preponderance of responses on this site says that members are not seeing anywhere near as many deer as in the past. And then there are a handful of people (damn few) that for whatever reason seem to have fallen into pockets of decent population. Now that is not a very scientific survey by any stretch of the imagination, but it does seem to be saying something contrary to what the DEC is trying to sell. I will say that the membership of this site probably represent some of the more serious and dedicated hunters, and it seems inconceivable to me that they all of sudden got stupid and are unable to interpret what they are seeing and hearing. I do see the DEC as having a motive for making their management practices look successful. I do not see much of a motive for hunters to band together to paint a bogus picture of the reduced herds in their areas. It seems a bit arrogant to try to impugn the abilities of so many hunters to understand what they are actually witnessing in their hunting areas. I know it makes all feel all warm and fuzzy and completely full of ourselves to imply that if you don't hunt in the center of over-populated areas, there just has to be something lacking in your hunting abilities. That warm and fuzzy feeling is usually very short lived.....lol.

Smaller doesn't make less mess! Most smaller cartridges are faster.