Doc

Looks like some pretty good eating there. Way to git 'er done!

Things are looking pretty dismal here so far. I'm going to have to check the cameras just so I can say I saw a deer....lol. This was another tricky weather day. It started off pretty darn good and then all of a sudden I realized that the wind had snuck up again. Then the sun disappeared and it started drizzling. I bailed out about 11:00. The wind died down pretty good and the rain tapered off to a very light sprinkle, so I headed out to see what I could see this afternoon. The wind behaved, but this ugly heavy drizzle set in and soaked me up pretty good. Being a bit stubborn, I made it through til almost quitting time and then headed for home. I didn't hear any details, and I'm not really sure exactly where all they were talking about, but the weatherman mentioned something about high wind warnings tomorrow in counties just west of us. So it sounds like tomorrow will be blowing away too. The only day this week that is supposed to be dry is going to blow the deer under cover. Can't catch a break with this stinking weather this year.

It seems like anything that's put on here in a light-hearted vane is something that you get all torqued out of shape over. I've got to tell you that there is no "crap to end" on my part. I really don't intend to stop kidding around......sorry. You just need to try not being so damn sensitive over every little joke that's put on here. You seriously got all bent out of shape over the "gutting" joke???? That's crazy!

Drinking and hunting is one thing that no one ever needs to worry about with me. A whole bunch of years ago, I woke up one morning with a pounding headache, and a crappy taste in my mouth like I had spent the night with a sweaty sock in my mouth. Stomach did a couple of flops, and I felt like the on-set of flu. Looked in my wallet and found most of the money missing and realized that I actually spent good money to feel like that. I just hope I had a good time.....lol. That was the end of my drinking ...... anywhere. I haven't had a drink since. I never became a campaigner trying to stamp out alcohol, but there are two places where I don't want to see it. One is in the car and the other is with people carrying guns or other weapons. I'll generally avoid being anywhere near those combinations and I'm not real bashful about explaining why..

You could have fooled me with that reply.

Now there's something we seem to quite often lose sight of on this site.....eh?

I never heard of this one. It's not on my calendar, so it doesn't count....lol.

Well, how about that. I thought I was being a bit funny, but apparently this is not a subject that some people can joke about. We do have some that just sit around here in a pissed off, spring-loaded position just looking for something to do battle about. Apparently I found one. Try to lighten up a bit. These things aren't really as serious as you apparently take them.

Well, I was convinced that the weatherman was just kidding. We got .01" of rain all last night, and the moon was shining like crazy when I got up. There was almost no wind at all. So I suited up and hoofed it up the hill. Got on stand and it was still dark. The wind was blowing a bit harder than down in the valley, but still not too bad. By the time it started to get light, the sky was full of clouds, and the wind was starting to move the tree-tops a bit. Within an hour, it was starting to shower a bit and the wind was really blowing. About 10:00, things were starting to get out of control, so I figured it was time to leave. Not really a very good opener for me.

Actually, I usually hold out for the bucks that have a deep sway in the back, and one that you can count all the ribs. It's also good if I can ascertain that he no longer has a tooth in his head. I generally watch him eat an apple and if he appears to be just sucking on it instead of chewing, chances would be good that he's starting to get to the age where a harvest should be considered. Also a pronounced wide bow in the legs is a good indicator of proper maturity. Heavily defined, bulging hip bones also indicate a buck's readiness for harvest. Also, the fact that this buck is still able to hold its head up indicates that he is not ready yet for harvest. Another good indicator is if he walks with a noticeable limp from arthritic joints and can't walk too many strides without laying down to rest. A little lost hair and stubby, drooping antlers is also a good sign that the buck has finally reached maturity and is ready for harvest. This buck has none of those features and it would be a real shame to harvest this youngster before it's time.

So maybe the weatherman is an anti-hunter and is just lying about the weather and trying to discourage bowhunters. That's possible, isn't it?

There ya go! Stick 'em right in the nose.... .

I'm not assuming anything, I am simply responding to your reply. Try to keep up .... lol.

Here's a bit of encouragement: I just saw 2 deer in the middle of an alfalfa field eating in the driving rain ...... 2:00pm. However, no screaming winds like they're calling for tomorrow (and now for Sunday as well). I have to admit that even if the weather is half as bad tomorrow as it is today, I won't be going out. I got a slight taste of what a real drenching thing a downpour is like, and I really doubt that even with my best raingear on that I could stay even close to dry. Not only that, but if I had even a real good blood trail, the kind of rain that I just saw would wash it away inside of a few minutes. So, better go for the spine hits tomorrow ..... lol.

You don't always have a choice. If you hunt any public land, you don't have any say in who you hunt with or around. Maybe when they have let a round or two go in your direction, you might get a clue that all is not well with that particular hunter. Then you might choose to leave..... lol.

There is a statistic I would really like to see. I have often agreed with the idea of a 1-buck limit, but seriously I wonder if it really would have any significant impact. I don't know anybody who has gotten more than 1 buck in any given year. I'm sure it happens somewhere with someone, but I really wonder if such a law would actually mean all that much.

Seriously.... we do get a bad rap from drunken hunters. Maybe it comes from all the gin-mills being packed by noon. And then these guys head out to the woods again for the afternoon ..... YIKES! The public associates seeing these guys dressed in orange with those crowded bar parking lots. I can remember encountering one guy that was totally wiped out. He stood there weaving around, waving his gun as he gestured, just barely able to stand. The reason I got anywhere near him was to remind him that he was well within 500' of my house in case he had any idea about shooting something. As it turned out, I suggested that he head back to his car and wait for his buddy (who I hope was in better shape than him). Fortunately he agreed and headed off toward the road. I don't think I've ever seen a guy so bombed and still able to stay upright. Pretty scary stuff. I didn't realize that hunting while drunk was illegal or I would have been doing him a favor and anyone around him by calling the cops. I always figured that I didn't handle that situation very well.

I can think of at least three chunks of state land that have large areas of un-broken hunting areas. One would be Hi-Tor in Naples and another would be in the township of Bristol and another in South Bristol. The hills are such that roads are limited in terms of how close they can actually get to each other. My hunting has always been in these areas so I can't speak of other areas of the state. Actually, when it comes to the orange crowd, I welcome them and use them during gun season. Things get a little tougher when it comes to bowhunting where we are actually trying to pattern deer movement and move in to that 20 yard range. That's not exactly a condition where you want throngs of people walking by. fortunately I have been able to squeeze into the edge areas where nobody seems to go ...... yet. I have pretty much been pushed out of some very good hunting areas by the new activities that have taken over the area. It's not much of an impact on gun season because all the non-hunting uses cease as soon as the orange army invades the area.

My experiences are relative to typical state land that is used for hunting. I can only tell you that in the 67 years that I have been wandering and hunting this particular chunk of state land, I can assure you that the activity that has been added to this parcel has definitely altered deer patterns to the point where bowhunting is a useless effort in those areas where the mountain bike trails have been added (which is a huge amount of the total area). Those areas have very little daytime deer movement since at any moment they can expect to see and hear 5 or 10 bikers go by, or some merry band of hikers. Fortunately I have found small areas that are not impacted with human activity.

I suppose you have to have had a few hunts busted before you can truly appreciate the frustration. I think the attitude hardens a bit when you find huge chunks of what used to be prime hunting land now riddled with a dense maze of mountain bike trails hacked into what used to be quite pristine forested land. And yet if I clear a couple of shooting lanes, I find out that I have broken the law. Yes, I have learned to cope by simply deserting large chunks of land that used to be very productive hunting grounds. I am expecting the ATV people to start pushing their influence to get chunks of state land opened up for riding trails. Sure they all have a right to over-run any state parcel that exists. That doesn't mean that I have to cheer them on. Am I bit hostile about turning semi-wilderness into Coney Island? ..... Yes I suppose I am. Is that unreasonable?.... No, I don't think so.

By 7:00 you should be flapping at the end of your safety strap like a flag if you are hunting western NY....lol. By the way guys .... seriously ..... you should always wear a safety harness while up in the trees, but from the weather reports that I've been hearing, it really is especially important tomorrow with those high winds. Also, take a quick look up over your head to see what kinds of things might be dead or hanging around up there. I had a little wake-up call last year when I found my ground stand flattened by a huge dead maple within a day after I had been standing there.

Crap it's going to be windy! No, not just windy, but winds approaching hurricane velocities. 60 MPH winds in western NY. Guys are going to be blown right out of their trees. This just ain't right!!!!

Nope! ....... She'll just think that you are a wishy-washy wuss and then really expect you to relent with that bridal shower too......lol. Do guys really go to bridal showers???? Is that part of that "getting in touch with your feminine side" stuff that I've heard about?

About the only difference I see between hill-tops and valley bottoms is the fact that whichever one I am hunting, it will turn out that the deer were having a party at the other....lol. By the way, don't forget the trails up and down the side-hills. Those can be some super hot-spots. Deer do get very habitual about choosing and using those (especially early in the season).