Doc

W Hunting Big Game Forty states require the wearing of hunter orange while hunting (pdf). ... In states where mandatory hunter orange laws have been enacted, there has been a ... [/color]www.dfw.state.or.us › ... › Hunting Resources › Big Game - Cached - Similar Thanks for the info Bill. Now I guess we know just exactly what the data does support at least as far as the impact of blaze orange on hunter accidents. Buried in that site, I found a link that is specific to New York State. Down at the bottom is a chart that breaks down the categories of hunting accidents between 1989 through 1995 and specifically whether the victims were wearing orange or not. It is kind of shocking, and while logic should have prepared me a bit, I did not expect the results to be quite that stark. the first category was "Mistaken for game". The number of victims wearing orange was 6. The number not wearing orange was 117. The totals were 84 victims wearing orange and 259 not wearing orange. The link for that study is: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/hunting/safety/docs/Hunting_Associated_Injuries_and_Wearing_Hunter_Orange_Clothing.pdf I have been looking for this kind of data for a long time and thank you for digging it out. What this does show me is that I need to sharpen up my internet search skill a whole bunch .... ;D Thanks again for sharing that info. Doc

Check out the DEC web-site for a place to start. You mentioned Albany so I am assuming you are living in DEC Region 4. Start at: http://www.dec.ny.gov/about/611.htm That will give you an over-view of the DEC structure in Region 4, and by following a few links there, you will probably be able to find a phone number to talk to someone knowledgeable about hunting opportunities near to where you live. Also, at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8286.html you will find a crude kind of map that shows the Region 4 state Wildlife Management Areas. Also, at http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7801.html there is a little more detailed info on the state lands. But your best bet is to talk to someone at region 4 headquarters and there is even a chance that they will have some literature that they can send to you if you request it. I'm sure there are some members here that are from that area that will be chiming in with some helpful info too. By the way, that's not really a question to be embarrassed about. I know that if I were uprooted and plopped into a new area, I would be at a loss as to where to go. Doc

I found a great practicing aid that has increased my target shooting time. I got a thermacel (sp?) and now I have no problems with those mosquitos that kept dragging me off my archery range. This year has been murder and my range is in the woods just behind the house. Oh the skeeters were horrid this year with all the rain. Well now I showed them!! Ever try to steady down that sight-pin while listening to the whine of one of those critters as the bounce off your face....lol. Never again!!! Doc

Sounds like there are a lot of gunhunters who are not going to have the "doe option" this year.

And for good reason. Again, the word killing and killer spit out like you would hear it said by any anti-hunter. Let's not try to deny that killing is a part of hunting and it is part of the reason for us to be carrying life-taking implements afield instead of cameras. Hunting is not a catch and release activity. I understand you are trying to emphasize the selectivity aspect of animals we hunt, but don't do that at the loss of honesty in what we do. Do not lose sight of the fact that if you take any animal, large or small, you kill it and by definition become a killer. That's not a part of hunting that we need apologize for or feel bad about. And there is no need to make it sound like an animal rights billboard. Those people are doing just fine without our help.

First of all, when I made that reply, it was because I was being asked to commence some new research. Your statement indicated that you had already done the research and had some data already. Not the same situation is it? However your reply confirms what I already thought. You undoubtedly never have seen any such info either. So when you say that the data doesn't support the scenario that wztirem laid out, you really don't have a clue what the data supports do you?

One other thing that I would like to see required of an accompanying adult is that they have taken the hunter training safety course. That makes sure that the adult knows the safety rules so that they can enforce them. Doc

Lol ........ I figured that back before this thread and all the others were even started.

When accompanied by a responsible, trained, adult, with parental consent, I can't really see where there should be any age restriction. If the kid can pick up the gun, and hold it steady enough and live through the recoil, with the "arm's reach" guidance of a qualified adult, why not let them hunt. The trick is being very careful how to define that "responsible trained adult". Doc

This may sound like a cop-out, but it really depends on how I feel. I have done both. A lot depends on my assessment of the herd and what opportunities that I think I might have as the season goes on. It's not much of a concern for me now, but I have also had years in the past when I had to consider my schedule and how much hunting time I would actually have during that season. There have been times when I figured I'd better take the first legal deer that comes along, and other times when I've been feeling pretty confident because of scouting sign, etc. when I've let some pretty nice animals go by with expectations that I could do better. Doc

Actually by shooting for the heart you will likely still get a killing shot even if the deer does try to jump the string. Actually, the act of "jumping the string" is merely the motion that a deer goes through when it starts to run away. The first thing that any four-legged critter does when it runs is to drop down to load up the legs for that first bound. So the body always drops. If you are shooting low to start with (i.e. a heart-shot), you have a good chance to hit in the lungs. What can get ugly is the fact that most deer are also turning as the begin that initial leap. That can put the arrow out of alignment with the vitals ..... not good. Most of us have seen repeated video demos of deer jumping the string, so most likely I'm not saying anything new. The best deal is to have a deer that is not alerted standing there in a spring-loaded condition ready to go off. Another thing that I have noticed is that the larger the deer, the less quick they are. For example, there is more inertia, and also a tired old buck, wore out from a night of rutting, just can't get it all moving quite as fast as the smaller ones can. So go out and find one of those big ol' bow-legged, sway-backed, sleepy bucks with the eyes half closed. ;D Doc

You can do what Chevy suggested, but I find it alot easier just to shoot them. ;D Doc

The scenario makes sense, but the data doesn't support it. Really? I've been looking all over for that kind of data that you are alluding to. So far I have not been able to find it for NYS. PA .... yes, NYS ..... no. Could you point me to the place where I can find that sort of thing? Is there an internet link or something where you found that info? Doc

My response was a correction to an incorrect statement of statistics. I never said that it was anything more than that. As far as the illegality of the acts surrounding the shooting, is irelevant to the the statement that I was correcting. Doc

Scary thought, isn't it? I don't think NYS would be enjoying the excellent safety record that we now have. It is good that nearly all hunters have a fair level of common sense.

Ok Sits, carry on with your bitter disagreeable style of "conversation". I just hope your personality disorder doesn't wind up costing us members.

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Those video games are quite the attraction. I think in most cases it's a losing battle. If the electronic gadgets don't get them, it's only a matter of time before the girls do.

Nope, that's not true. I know of at least one case where there was no mis-identifying the target and there are probably more. In 2008, in Swan Lake there was a 16 month old baby girl shot to death in her grandparents living room. That same year, there was a near miss with a rifle bullet passing through a crib mattress that an infant had just been taken out of. That one was in the Town of Marshall. So it appears that the stats are a bit flawed. I don't think anyone is trying to say that blaze orange is like a suit if armor and will guarantee that slugs and bullets can't touch you. It is just a case of putting odds in your favor. Which to me sounds like a pretty good idea when we're talking about my life. Doc

Ha-ha ..... maybe the wife is right ...... maybe. By the way, you don't have to be climbing trees to get in trouble. I remember one time when I had a small tree wedged across my ATV trail. So I decided to try to snap the thing in two and drag the two halves off the trail. I guess I got a little too intent on what I was trying to do and got into a position where I was pulling on the thing like a bow limb with all my weight and leg power at work. Well, naturally the thing broke all at once and sent me back into another tree so hard it knocked the wind out of me. It was a lot like your fall, and I had to lay there for a while just to get my breathing back to normal. Same deal, I was in the middle of the hill with absolutely no one around and no one even knowing where I was (I didn't have the ATV with me that time). I guess I was quite fortunate that nothing in my back broke because I did hit right on my spine. Now that WAS dumb! But I didn't climb any trees to almost do the same thing. :-[

Mike- It's hard to look at a bad fall like that as something lucky, but at least you got a warning and decided to take heed. Good for you. It could have been a whole lot worse.

I just finished up another couple of ground stands this past Friday and Saturday. The weather was finally pretty decent so I took a trip up the hill. Things are starting to look pretty good. Doc

No, the real simple fact is that you have a personality problem. You simply don't know how to express yourself in a civil manner. I mean, that is without a single exception. There's no excuse for that reply that you posted and you know it.

Since he is a relatively new member, I was just trying to make it clear to Archer that if he has an opinion, he should feel free to express it and not expect that kind of abusive reply from anyone else in this forum and that he should not take Sits' unfriendly remarks too seriously. I do believe that he has a right to his opinion too without that kind of ridiculous and uncalled for attack. Doc

When a bunch of guys get together and buy hunting property, what happens when one of them has to move away and the rest don't have enough money to buy them out. Also, how do you handle disputes, or people who want to invite a gang of outsiders, or those that want to do deer drives when the others don't want that kind of thing going on. Or any improvements that you might want to make ..... how do you make other members pay their fair share. In other words how do you legally control what goes on on that land or what rules you all intend to engage in and enforce. (maybe AR or EAB or any of some other special hunting restrictions)? Can't be a real trick since guys have been doing it for years, but I was just curious how they handle any personal difficulties and special events as they arise. Doc

Whenever anyone talks about lowering hunting ages, they always leave out the discussion of whether they are talking about dropping the age while including an adult accompanyment requirement, or not. To me that makes a huge difference between whether I support such moves or not. I am not in favor of turning 12 year olds loose without close parental, or specifically designated adult, supervision. So, does anyone know whether the people behind the bills talked about in this article are proposing these changes with or without adult supervision? Also, he talks about pushing a lowering of ages in bowhunting without going for the whole thing ...... bow and gun. Frankly I do think that the two different weapons should have different critera for youth safety and minimum ages. Doc