Doc

We have an excellent thread regarding deer anatomy that will help you make up your mind about neck-shots. Look closely at the size of the target of the neck area, and then look at the size of the vitals in the chest area. There is a big difference! Two incidences have made up my mind: The first was seeing a very nice buck standing alongside the road on my way to Naples. His entire lower jaw was just swinging from his head......Not a pretty sight. Could have been an attempt at a head shot, or a neck shot that had gone very bad. That deer had a very long and anguished end to his life in store for him. Nothing I could do. It was after dark and I was in the car with no gun. The second was listening to a deer on the far side of a huge ravine wheezing through what I assumed was a severed wind pipe. It was loud enough so that I could hear it the 200 or so yards across the ravine. I'm sure that deer was also going to die a long and suffering end, But there was no way for me to get to the other side. I have to concede that a neck shot that hit the spine will drop the deer right on the spot. But I have to wonder about a shot that is a few inches off the mark. Click on the picture to visit that thread and make your own decision.:

It all sounds kind of treasonous to me. Kind of makes you wonder what countries they are working for. It certainly isn't the U.S.

Ha-ha-ha-ha.....I'm more paranoid than you. My feet don't leave the ground while hunting.....ever anymore. I came down out of the trees quite a few years ago. It's a "heights" thing. My last tree stand was a 5' x 5' platform only 12 feet off the ground, and a railing all the way around. Eventually even all that wasn't enough and I found that I could not shoot my bow while both arms were wrapped around the tree. No I don't do tree stands anymore, and I'm actually more excited about hunting when I am on the ground, eyeball to eyeball with the deer. Yes, hunting from the ground is a bit of a handicap, but it does increase the challenge and the excitement. And I don't have to worry about lifelines.

Best recounting of an elk hunt that I have ever seen on a forum. I suggest that you submit that to a few hunting magazines for publishing.

Crows can be a dead give-away too. I fond one deer just by checking out some heavy crow activity.

It is a bit hard to apply any scale to the critter. Nothing there to really compare it to. But I have seen some huge coyotes down here in Ontario County, and I would imagine that the Adirondacks could grow some big ones too.

Our house is 1000' from the road with no direct view. I learned long ago how unattended property gets stolen when people think no one is looking. It's a real shame. I hear that the looting has started up already in the hurricane ravaged areas. How low can people get?

Wow! That's not just an elk. That's a monster elk. Now there is a trophy and an experience that you will remember for a lifetime. You deserve a hearty congratulations on an accomplishment that few of us will ever experience. And yes, I want to 2nd that request from Cons to hear more of the story.

I have a lifetime supply of ammo for all my guns loaded up and ready to go. I don't like the tactics that NYS is conjuring up to frustrate and harass gun owners out of using our guns. So quite a while ago, I decided to insulate myself against their anti-gun activities. I knew that ammunition was their next target.

Isn't that great tat they decided to put o a show in front of your camera.

I had 7 turkeys come off the hill and walked across our yard. Quite spectacular since we usually don't have a large population of turkeys here. I have not seen a lot of deer yet. Of course with all the leaves still on, it's not easy to see much of anything.

That is just plain and simple harassment. NYS has found a lot of ways to deny 2nd amendment protections for gun owners.

I enjoy all participation and conversation (on topic or off). I have found it quite easy to simply move on to the next topic if I find one that does not interest me. It is really no big deal. Actually, I even enjoy the political topics on that dastardly political sub-forum that everyone pretends isn't there......lol. None of it bothers me a bit.

I have seen pictures of black whitetail deer. Apparently there are all kinds of color variations out there.

Still have the old MQ-32 Mathews cranked up to 60#, and things are dialed in good for this year. My 80 year old, spindly, used-up, arms do feel the wear and tear when I practice too long, so I may have to drop it down a touch next year. What is really wearing down on me is the old legs. It always seems that everything around hear is uphill. That "killer" hill behind the house seems to be getting steeper every year. I have already cut way back on my scouting and pre-season wandering around. I don't think it will be my arms or shoulders that stop my hunting. It's all the rest of my body that's not handling the old-age all that well anymore. And no changing of hunting weapon is really going to help that. But for this year at least, I think we're good to go.