jusputtn

"When I pulled up the step came out and I fell 15 feet flat on my back. I was thinking on the way down, this is not going to be good," Day said. Sounds like a screw in tree step pulled out. Basic rule of climbing is to keep three points of contact at all times (i.e. to move only on hand or one foot at a time). Had one push out under my foot last year but nothing happened as I had the extra points of contact. Have since switched to climbing sticks. They're easier to set up and climb. Even with a harness you can get injured with a fall or die if you hang there long enough. At least that's what I've been told in fall protection training at work. Fortunately I haven't put that to the test yet.

How old are you. Not old enough to even be considered an Old Coot Prospect at 47 (I intend to answer this question in the same manner well into my 80's). Do you hunt as much today as you did when you were younger? No,,, got young kids to raise. Things could pick up soon, my son is only about a year out from 12. He seems to be interested in hunting and I swear I've only gently nudged him toward it. My daughter's only 5 but I think she may be interested as long as her gun is pink. Do you hunt every day? Who could before retirement? Though I do have a friend that comes close due to a lot of shift swapping. Do you walk in to your stand or do you ride in ?. I walk! And the hill I hunt is 500' higher than the valley floor. Two older fella's (they sorta came grandfathered to the deed) walked that hill well into their 70's. I figured if they could do it so could me and my buddies. Now I'm really glad that everyone must walk to hunt, just makes for a better experience. Wheeler's are only used to set stands and pull out deer. What season or seasons do you hunt when deer hunting ? Southern zone gun season. Use to do archery, likely will again someday. What other seasons do you hunt? Small game gun. My favorite part of small game is that, outside of turkey, no one's figured out what to measure up for score on the critters. And everyone's happy to bag something and toss it in the stew pot.

"Mountains should be climbed with as little effort as possible and without desire. . . To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain, which sustain life, not the top. Here's where things grow." ~ Robert Pirsig Paraphrasing Pirsig if I may, I appreciate a nice rack as much as the next hunter but I don't hunt deer for what's on top of their head. Christ, there's people that breed whitetails for bigger racks and then others will pay to hunt them in an enclosed area. Where does it all end? Be happy with what you can get. If someone wants to hold out for something bigger, more the power to them but don't denigrate someone else's deer by being a horn snob. You can't eat the horns isn't a silly statement, it's true. (except over in Asia where they like to grind 'em up to get their own horn bigger Wonder if it really works.)

I have limited time to hunt so I wouldn't think twice about taking him. Anyway, you can't eat the horns.

Fishers are one of the five members of the weasel family that live in NY. A couple of coon fighting will get your attention. A story my Dad use to tell me involved a couple of buddies and him dragging a deer out of the ADK's a long time ago. Seems a bobcat was shadowing them and screaming now and again. Guess it wanted their deer. No real danger but it's something he never forgot.

So I'm out in the southern zone today w/ a 12 gu. loaded with #6 turkey loads. Do I see a turkey, nope, not even any sign of them....but the deer were rutting up a storm. 1st event: while taking a break sitting on a log in some thick stuff, I notice movement to my left. I turn my head and see a deer about 15 yds away. He scoots off a few yards and I can see it's a spike. So just to mess with him, I grunted with my voice. He starts circling me, head bobbing with a little stomping, until he catches my sent. 2nd event: about 15 or 20 minutes later, I crest out on a bench and sit on a log in open hardwoods. Again I notice movement to my left, this time its a nice buck at about 25 yards. He starts to circle me doing a little bit of the head bobbing thing. I clearly counted 10 points, his G3's were about 2" long, his rack spread about 2" past his ears on either side. Eventually he catches my scent and scoots back the way he came. I really think that both of these bucks heard me walking quietly and were thinking DOE! They came to me. The rest of the day was more ordinary, saw a 3 pointer with his nose to the ground at 60 yds, and jumped a few unknowns farther out though the last one was a buck with a good rack that had bedded in the hardwoods. Meanwhile, my buddy bow hunting on the same property didn't see a single deer.

"I'm sure you would call if you saw someone carrying a rifle out in the field too during archery season." There are seasons on game huntable with a rifle that coincide with bow season, fox, coyote, coon, squirrel, crow.....

Why not make sure your gun is unloaded and use a piece of rope that you probably already have? Tie it around the stock, then put one loop around the barrel and pull away. It's muzzle up (remember that you've already unloaded it) so you don't need a "sock" to keep the muzzle out of the dirt. My stands are lock ons so I wear my pack up the tree. Unnecessary hunting gadget $15, Common Sense $0

Mating or territorial? Don't they make that call from spring to fall?

I find myself dreaming that dream, though I would prefer the simpler time to fall after the invention of the metallic cartridge .

Welcome. Where I come from folks love the plow trucks. Had a lot of blowing drifting snow up over the north lip of the Mohawk Valley. Better to follow a slow plow than cross your fingers and ram the drifts.

Notice he's had that knife a very long time. It looks like the blade has been sharpened down to half its width. Bet he could shave with it.

I agree with the buck consensus. I'd guess it's been feeding in the fields on lush greens, which is why it's clumped together.

"Often times I am asked why do you hunt? and occasionally I'll get - its a sin to murder innocent animals." I like to ask people like that if they think the meat they're eating died of natural causes.

It's not a question but I'll throw this in. It really bugs me when someone applies "harvest" to a successful hunt. You don't harvest game animals, you harvest wheat.

Interesting. Ethics discussions are part of DEC's hunter ed training. Here's example used in class: A guy states how he shoots geese that have landed in front of his blind. Others go on and tell him how it's unethical. He replies that he's not that good of a shot so by shooting them on the water he's most assured of getting a clean one shot kill. The last partridge I shot several years ago was on the ground at about 15 yards. I wouldn't have taken the shot 'cept it was still challenging as I had a 12 ga. with a foster slug, iron sights to boot. Took his head clean off. So if you see one of those ground pheasants, perhaps you could try shooting from your off hand. All kidding aside, ethics are debatable so do what feels right to you (as long as it's legal).

If moisture got to them, they simply won't fire. If that happens then wait 1 minute before taking the round out of the chamber in case of hang fire. Having said that, I would be super surprised if any of the ammo didn't fire.

Use data from the same weight and a similar style bullet. Start at the low end and work your way up. I have a copy of a Lyman reloading manual and the bullets listed are by weight and style. There are no manufacturer specific bullets listed.

What G Man said, food source changed. Every notice that you suddenly start seeing deer in open fields in July and early August, when they're wearing their reddish summer coats. Then all of a sudden you don't.

Why couldn't you keep the meat in a cooler and get to it in a few days? As long as it's kept cool through ice or cooperative weather. Sometimes I skin and remove the large pieces of meet from the bone the day I get a deer. Then I'll keep the meat for 2 or 3 days this way and butcher a little each day. It's worked out fine. I keep a few old gallon jugs in my chest freezer for the ice. It's neater to deal with a little condensation rather then melt water from bag ice and I think the blocks last longer.

Buy a reloading manual, Sierra, Lyman, etc. Read it and see what you think. If you're a detail kind of person with some mechanical aptitude, I think you'll be able to figure out how much help you need, if any. As Doc mentioned there are some details that you need to understand. Things like the signs of excess pressure to watch for as you work up a new load, but that will all be spelled out in the manual, with pictures. Buy your gear and components (powder, bullets, etc.) locally so that you can ask questions at the shop to make sure you're matching up the proper components. Ask if they know anyone that might be willing to show you the ropes. Consider joining a local gun club and meet like minded individuals. It really isn't that hard. Just stick to the rules, no short cuts.

No issues with a Taurus model 66, 357 revolver.

Biz-R-OWorld, "In black bear country you will never need one, thus I wouldn't worry too much about the rare times you will need one for grizzlies." Someone forgot to tell this to the black bear I watched on Animal Planet last night as it mauled/killed 3 or 4 people. Anyway, IMHO you don't need that big of a gun to stop a black bear. Remember, if you're just looking for self defense the range will be very very close. .357, .45, .40, even a 9mm will do. A Ruger SP-101, which is a stainless 5 shot revolver with a 3 1/16" barrel in .357, meets both of your criteria. But it's not like I'd be sweating bullets if I were carrying something like a Taurus PT-709 or PT-740 or one of the similar "slim" guns that are out there. Food for thought. Many forums will have discussions on how many rounds you should have reliably feed through your auto before you call it your self defense gun, trust your life to it so to speak. Such discussions don't exist for revolvers.

Though I have hunted state land, I've been fortunate to have decent private land to hunt on which is conveniently located, just over an hours drive. Have you played with this http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45415.html to explore state land opportunities? I expect if you do get to some of the bigger tracks of state land that the hunting pressure drops off drastically once you get a few hundred yards off the road, as it gets later in the season and if it isn't a bright and sunny day. On the decline of deer hunters in the ADK's, I expect it's partially attributed to the decline in the number of deer in the ADK's and the incline of the number in the rest of the state. Any of the state land that is not logged will support a less diverse ecology as the timber ages. Just another example to demonstrate the bunny/tree hugger's inability to comprehend the environment.

Upstaterifle, "I wish there was some sort of shooting range that was public where you did not was to belong to a club to go to. There are a few in the area here but you need to know someone to get in pretty much." Clubs require members to sign for an applicant to try to ensure that the club demographic is made up of people that demonstrate safe gun handling skills, normal social skills, a willingness to pitch in with some of the work, etc. Just make some effort to contact a club your interested in, tell them your interested in joining and ask them how you might be able to stop by to see the club and meet some members.