Doc

Frankly, I do believe that some people think that whatever stationery target they can hit under the controlled conditions of the archery range can be reliably duplicated in a hunting situation. And by golly sometimes people do get lucky and all the conditions of the hunt happen to line up for them and they manage to pull off some amazing shot. The wisdom of understanding that a bow is a short range weapon sometimes comes only after enough failures have occurred. However, I don't recall QueensOutdoorsman saying anything about taking hunting shots at that distance. The only thing I read was about "practice". I too like to take practice shots at long distance. In fact while involved in NFAA target archery, we had an 80 yard shot as part of the format. Long distance target shooting is fun. Also, when you have built up confidence on long shots, it makes the ones at more realistic distances seem easy.

I have never hoped so hard that I was wrong before, and the rose colored glasses do keep me hoping that this is all strategy, and that Cuomo is going to be toppled by a few last minute TV and newspaper ads. However, the realist in me says that this election has already been decided and feeble eleventh hour efforts are not going to change the inevitable. There has been an unrelenting drumbeat all over the TV, with substantially damaging allegations that have been allowed to firm up in voter's minds without a peep of challenging. Once entrenched, those allegations are not going away with a few ads at the last minute. There is the problem with name recognition, which normally is handled with constant repetition of the candidates name through TV spots, Newspaper ads, and even radio commercials. None of that has been done. If this election ends in anything but a Cuomo landslide, it will have been done contrary to any campaign strategy that I have ever seen (and at my age, I have seen a lot of them ..... lol). Back in the early days of the campaign, I really believed that with a unified gunowner coalition along with other issues such as Common Cause, and the occasional scandal here and there, and the usual crowd of people that have a whole variety of favorite causes or little nits with the Cuomo administration, we had a quite good chance of plowing this creep under. However, watching the non-campaign and the massive unchallenged inertia being built up by the Cuomo machine, it really is hard to maintain that confidence.

I am still waiting for word one from the Republican party campaign. It appears that the concession is being delivered without the election. Too bad for gunners. We had an awful lot at stake that could have been corrected. My gosh, do I sound bitter? I suppose I am. Seeing that puke-face Cuomo in a constant nightly fashion, blatantly spewing his crap out there in an undisputed fashion seems a lot like he is rubbing our noses in it. Worse this year than I have ever seen it before.

Doesn't it seem that we are constantly engaged in one campaign after the other trying to save what remains of our hunting. I mean when you look at all the hot button issues that keep us scrambling and that multiply daily, they are generally initiated by someone trying to add regulation after regulation to something that always used to be kind of a casual recreational activity. And while it pains me to say it, most of the regulations are added, or want to be added, by fellow hunters. And of course they always have a ready supply of anti hunters to join ranks and help steamroller these cascades of aggravations along.

You will seldom find anyone willing to admit that their food plotting efforts and expenditures are anything but benevolent acts of concern for nature's benefit......lol. I have suspicions that align more closely with yours, but for the sake of giving all these people the benefit of the doubt, I chose not to highlight my suspicions. The one thing that makes plotting far more palatable than baiting is the beneficial side effects, and they are significant. Food plotting is something that I have avoided because of my aversion to "conditioning" wild deer to make my hunting easier. That is a personal hang-up that I do not expect others to abide by, but is just something to further distance my hunting from livestock manipulation. But I have no problems with those that enjoy that activity ...... As long as it doesn't impact my own hunting (and so far it hasn't).

I don't know why it would matter as to the age structure of deer that are attracted to bait. If you believe that baiting is an unfair advantage, why does anyone care whether it is a 1.5 year old or one of the "big boys"? Oh, and by the way, for those whose ethics are established by antler size, there is no shortage of photo and video evidence that shows plenty of those "big boys" munching down bait in full daylight .

I've been watching a lot of the 10-day weather forecasts and have noted that in 100% of the cases, a 10-day forecast changes with each subsequent day such that when you get 4 or 5 days into the forecast, not one prediction survives. It is a very talented meteorologist that can accurately predict weather for one day. And here we are reading about forecasts of several months out.

I could live with another posting system that made use of paint, but I would also like to have the sign option. I use aluminum signs which are basically a one time effort. I have seen paint fade because of weather such that it would have to be replenished every few years..... especially a dull passive color like purple. My signs are bright yellow and are now going on 42 years and still stand out like a beacon. In fact the original bright yellow blazing painted marks from the original survey are long gone now. I have no problem having my name and address inked on the signs, since that info is available to anyone who wants to take a short drive down to the Town Hall and look on the huge aerial photo. It is public information available to anyone. Also, while I cant remember the web address, I have seen that Aerial photo/owner's address information on the internet also.

There have been a whole rash of counties recently that have gone from shotgun only to allowing rifles. Time will tell if that was a smart decision in all of those counties. I believe that there is no clear-cut answer as to whether it is an improvement in safety or just the opposite. My opinion now is that the long term safety record will answer that question. Ontario County had rifles used for the first time last year. I bought a great deer rifle and immediately christened it with two deer. I love it. No shoulder-mangling 12 gauge to fight with every year. This year another couple of counties got added. I think when it all gets settled out, almost all of the counties will eventually allow rifles unless safety records start slipping. I'm not sure how you go about getting the ball rolling. In our case, it was a few individual town supervisors (one in particular) that took up the challenge of talking the rest of the board of county supervisors in proposing a resolution. Maybe the first thing is to find a receptive town supervisor that has some clout with the county board.

And so, I have to ask again as the campaign time keeps on ticking.....Has anyone even seen an Astorino advertisement yet?

Just for some educational value, exactly how do you do a reverse look-up on a posted picture. I didn't even know you could do that.

I think I answered my own question. According to the map : http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28605.html#Black There are only 10 WMUs that have the new early bear season in the southern zone. That may explain why there is not a huge flurry of participation ..... lol.

Are processors open for business yet? You might be completely on your own as far as getting that thing into a cooler. And your point about tracking a wounded bear into the next day is a valid one. We keep pushing big-game seasons earlier and earlier toward the hot summer months without a single thought about recovery problems and what the temperatures can do to the meat. I think at this time of the year I would have game bags in my pack to stop the fly infestations.

I am still waiting to hear that people are enjoying this early bear season. So far there's only been one (maybe two) who stated that they have participated in this new season. Why is that? By the way, how many actual WMUs does this new season actually involve?

As I said, most people after they have gotten 1/4 or 1/2 mile in couldn't even trace their own property line if it isn't marked in some way. How on earth can you expect someone else to know where an unmarked line is located. Like I said above, a clearly posted line is as much benefit to the landowner as it is to those wishing not to trespass. It is roughly similar to that old saying that "good fences make good neighbors"....... roughly ... lol.

An accidental dryfire can be just as devastating on a recurve or longbow as a compound. Delamination or lamination splits and splinters are often the result. And there is no putting those back together unless it is a take-down. As far as the havoc an arrow can cause when accidentally released, there is no doubt things can go seriously wrong generally resulting in a wrecked or lost arrow. I will say that while I have had mis-triggers while using releases, I can't recall ever having that happen when I was using my fingers for release. But anyway, in this particular case, there was no arrow in the bow, and the cost could have been (and often is) the bow and not just an arrow.

If I had not insisted (and paid dearly for) a paint marked entire property line from a survey that I had done, it would have been almost impossible to follow my own property line. So, I have no idea how anyone else would have a chance of defining my property if I hadn't kept it marked with posted signs all these years. Seriously, when you are out in the hills and valleys, it is absolutely impossible to walk a straight line from corner marker to corner marker. And if there are bends in property lines, and nothing marking where the line really is, a hunter would have to do a full survey in order to stay off the property. This idea of staying off unposted property is another one of those things that sound a lot better than actually being practical or even possible at times. My posted lines are as much for my own benefit as they are for those trying to stay off my property. The original survey painted blaze marks are now long gone, and if I didn't keep that survey marked on the land with posted signs, the whole usefulness of the survey would be gone.

I have had a couple of catastrophic failures like that before, and each time, I had limbs and bow parts flying past my head. I swear that a path of a couple of inches different by all that stuff could have resulted in fatal or life-changing consequences. I recall back in the late 60s, that loud "whirring" sound as a very heavy solid epoxy bow limb from an old Bear Whitetail flew past my ear. Pretty scary stuff! So, as bad as you feel right now, and as expensive as it might get, be thankful that you survived it without serious personal injury.

Back in our much younger days, Mrs. Doc used to run the trapline during the week while I was working some very heavy overtime. The line was a few miles long, so it was no small feat. Strangely enough, she never got into hunting but certainly has no problem preparing whatever I get for our meals, and absolutely understands why I am into it. Fishing is another thing ...... She is into that far more than I am.

I like to avoid any controversy. I have made it a standing rule to always be able to see at least 3 signs at all times when approaching my property line. That is a lot closer than any requirement I have ever seen and avoids the comment, "Well I didn't see any sign". It is impossible to cross the line without having seen at least 3 signs. Posted signs are cheap (relatively speaking), even the metal ones. And hopefully you very seldom have to ever replace them. The backer-boards that I use are pressure treated plywood and seems to last nearly forever. Between adequate posting and the fact that I spend a lot of time out there, I have really had very little problems with hunter trespassers. I have had occasional problems with some neighbors that think I bought the property for their use with their horses and ATVs, dirt bikes, and camping. But hunters don't seem to be any problem.

Actually, there are a whole lot of differences between plotting and baiting. Hard though it may be to believe, some plotting is being done strictly as a habitat improvement. Also, there is a big difference in difficulty between hunting over a 6' diameter pile of bait, vs. a 1/4 to 3 acre or larger field with dozens of entry and exit spots. This is a real important distinction particularly with bowhunting. Also, baiting allows the chemist to get into the act, with unlimited inventions of more and more effective concoctions. Also, I have read about some of these timed bait broadcasting feeders acting like a dinner bell to the point where you even get a sense of "When" the deer will be getting on the scene. Another big difference regards the practicality of enforcement. Imagine the legal quagmire that would result trying to differentiate between legitimate ag activity and that special small field back in the woods. On the other hand, a bait pile is a bait pile. very easy to define, identify and with very little question as to intent. So the bottom line is that food plots and baiting are very different things.

That looks like quite a jungle. How do you even get a look at a deer from there? Is that going to be for gun, bow, or both? Would have been good to get a picture from inside the blind looking toward where you expect the shot. Edit: Ok, I just spotted the shooting lane that you cut. Is there a well-used trail that goes by there?

Ok, I just did some quick Google-work, and forget about the turkeys having any serious sense of smell. Right off the bat, I ran into a whole pile of places that just flat-out said they have no specially developed sense of smell. So that thought is out the window. Good thing too. That sense of sight is a pretty good defense against hunters. If they had a developed sense of smell, you probably would never get one ..... lol.

From what I've read, they really aren't the smartest critters. protected with natural instinctive senses and reactions, but probably not really great for remembering places and things. The idea of random scratching makes a lot of sense. I have seen some super large areas torn up, but also, I have come across some smaller turfed up areas that looked rather targeted. I am wondering of perhaps they might be able to feel them through the leaves with their feet. I don't know. It's just one of those questions that come on me while I am wandering around and see different things.

Sure is an awful lot of confusion regarding how to properly post property.