Doc

I've got 1 box of 50 rounds that I reloaded that I just keep around because the look so Purdy.....lol. .223, nickel plated cases, with Hornady V-max bullets. Man they shine like jewelry. I just can't bring myself to shoot them. Doc

The one thing that scares the heck out of me is having people smoking in the woods when things are tinder dry. My house sits just inside of the woods, and things here would be a disaster if a carelessly disposed of butt got things going. When I used to smoke, I used to field strip the butt and then take the crap out with me. We have had a few occasions when people were not so careful. Doc

Yeah, I guess I agree. As long as they stay on or don't get stolen, or don't expire without me remembering to renew, I guess I don't care what color they use.

Japanese beetles are chewing up all our wild berry plants. Aren't those things supposed to go through some sort of cycle. This is our 4th year of infestation. My fruit trees are taking a beating and so is everything else. Between the tent caterpillars and the beetles, I have a constant battle. Anyway, it looks like if I'm going to have any of those berries, I'll have to go to the fruit stand or supermarket. Doc

There is something real scary about a half ton of critter with teeth sticking out the side of its mouth, and that is getting more and more ornery with every generation. Someday you might have to be heavily armed when you walk out to your car in the morning ...... lol. That thread that we have about walking around in the woods in the dark may take on a new significance. Doc

Back when I was shooting NFAA competitions, I was a member of NYFAB. They were basically the NYS branch of the National Field Archery Association and sanctioned all such competitions. In fact when we opened up our public archery range back in 1965, we affiliated ourselves with NYFAB and therefore NFAA. You don't hear too much about NYFAB anymore. Of course I have been out of the NFAA competition archery scene for quite a few years, so I'm not sure just what the structure of competitive archery is anymore. Doc

I'm just curious ....... What would you do if NYS started adding on annual stamps that you now had to buy in order to use your Lifetime license as Lawdwaz suggested? I'm curious how Lifetime license holders would react if the state tried to pull something like that. I'm not even sure how I would react myself since I am a holder of a lifetime license. Doc

Nope, my phone is pretty dumb. It's not a toy, tool or interesting gadget....lol. It's a pre-paid unit that is only for emergency use. I never even turn it on. Our primary phone is still a land-line based phone system. Doc

What would be interesting is to study some of the rifle incidents and ask the question whether they could have possibly happened if a shotgun had been used. That kind of info would really be useful when Southern zone counties are considering whether to allow rifles or not for deer seasons. That info wouldn't even have to be just NYS. But I don't think anyone is actually collecting any data of that sort anywhere. I did hear a couple of incidents in 2008, in NYS that involved rifles one of which clearly would not have happened with a shotgun. This was a case in Marshall, NY, of a rifle bullet traveling 400 yards, entering a house and passing through a mattress of a crib that was occupied by an infant just a short time earlier. There was another incident involving a fatality in Swan Lake, NY, with a 4 year old girl victim that happened with a rifle, but was close enough that it probably would have likely happened even if a shotgun had been used. That's the kind of data that I'm talking about that would be useful if someone were taking the time to compile it. At least decisions could be made based on some kind of numbers instead of just theory, opinion and supposition. I find it a bit un-nerving that you guys so easily could come up with occasions when shotguns slugs penetrated occupied buildings. That means that the shooter was close enough to be within shotgun range. You have to wonder how these incidents might multiply if you have most of the deer hunters using weapons that are commonly used at 200-300 yards and farther. Considering that most of the time these kinds of incidents never even make the papers, And perhaps there are other house-hits that nobody even recognizes as slug holes, you have to wonder just how often this actually happens. You would have thought that that question would have made it worth somebody conducting a study just to get a few numbers to help make an educated decision. They study everything else. I guess instead we are going to conduct that study in real-time with new incidents. Time will tell I guess, but I wonder if anyone will really pay attention. That seems to be the only way to guage the safety impacts of the rifle decisions. We have to let some time go by and then perform a body count ..... lol. What a way to make decisions eh? Doc

I think most people will look at a big track and say that itwas made by a buck. We always associate big feet with bucks. However, it just isn't a foolproof method. Some does have big feet. I've seen some extreme cases of that. Some does are big, making deeper impressions. One thing that is fairly foolproof is that if you follow a track long enough, eventually the deer will urinate. The pattern of the feet at the point where the urine is located will tell the story. Also, bucks tend to urinate as the walk and does don't. The old deal about the bucks dragging their feet may hold up a bit. Actually, I know that they do occasionally do that, but I haven't had a chance to verify that does do not. I'm not exactly sure how to do that. Doc

Ha ..... Isn't that a rush, having a deer walking right at you while you are standing at ground level,with him getting closer and closer. I have had situations where deer have for some reason came straight at me, offering no shot, and just kept heading for a face to face confrontation. That situation can cause an almost instant meltdown. And even if you never do get a shot opportunity, that kind of excitement is something you'll remember forever. I never did get that kind of a rush from treestand hunting. Doc

What I like about a bow quiver is that when walking through thick brush or weeds, the bow and the arrows are all one package to more easily guide through the mess. With one hand you can keep track of both and avoid damage to both. A whole bunch of years ago, I was using a hip quiver. I was walking from the edge of a field of some pretty tall goldenrod into the woods, and somehow something snagged an arrow and pulled it out of the quiver, pinwheeling it out in front of me where it landed with the nock on the ground and the broadhead supported on some goldenrod about shin high and pointing right back at me. Fortunately, I saw all this happen an was able to stop quick enough to avoid getting speared on it. When I got home, that quiver went in the trash. Doc

Wow! that's crazy. I never heard of a place that outlawed treestands. Well anyway, It's not the end of the world. Deer can be hunted from the ground. It's a little tougher, but I do it all the time as do a jillion other people. There are some drawbacks, but there's an awful lot of hunters that take an awful lot of deer from groundstands every year. Doc

Not on a regular basis anymore. I will go back and try a shot or two from that distance occasionally just for the heck of it. Back when I was competing on NFAA field archery courses, The max shot was 80 yards. That was fun. What is it on the FITA shoots? ...... Something like 100 meters? Now that is some long distance shooting. Doc

I'm not advocating lawlessness, but I'm sure that excessive irresponsible gouging of sportsmen will probably be met by more people hunting and fishing without any license at all. That is for those that continue to hunt and fish. Others may simply say, "that's enough" and accelerate the already existing exodus from those activities. Either way, it can turn out to start something that nobody really wants. Doc

You bet! That discussion has been going on hot and heavy around the county for a long time, and I have yet to see one shred of actual data. I did find a study sponsored by PA that concluded that the lethal distance of shotguns is farther than rifles (mostly because the projectile tends to hold together longer after impacting trees, brush, etc. But some of that was a bit hard to swallow and some of the assumptions that they used may or may not have represented real hunting conditions. I kind of thought somebody would come up with something that simply said that in areas where rifles are used, there is no difference in accident rate per capita than in shotgun only areas. Hey, maybe nobody has ever pulled those kinds of statistics together. However, I found that there were no shortages of assumptions and theories. I may have been the only one with an "I don't know" opinion ..... lol. Doc

Yep sure is, the DEC compiles a list every year. In fact, as I recall meatsticks posted this information on the old empire forum. You guys sure forget easy, that is, all the info & links meatsticks posted. Every hunted ed instructor alos has the list. So I guess you can simply recall the links to that info that meatsticks supplied. Or maybe you can quote the info that he posted. I will admit that I have forgotten all that and since that forum is gone, so are the links. Since you are not one of the guys who "forget easy", maybe you could post a link to one of those sources. I'd appreciate it. Doc

Don't put words in my mouth. What I am saying is that the way to get the biggest bang for your buck is to work through an organization. Chances are pretty good that those organizations will be asking members to write letters and emails in addition to their own behind the scenes negotiations. That is the way to not only get attention, but actually demand attention. One lone guy out there writing a letter that may or may not be focused with anyone else's is definitely not going to get any attention and it is totally naive to think that it will. Doc

Claiming that a crossbow is the weapon of choice for poachers is a weapon of choice for poachers might be a slam against poachers. Do you have a problem with that? And, as far as the insinuations, I would like to see something a bit more definitive. I suspect that you are confusing comments on this forum with statements and positions of NYB. Try to keep those sorted out. Quote: "Maybe its because I see myself as a hunter/sportsman first and a bow or gun hunter second. I am not an elitist in any regard, and I would much rather see individuals be given a choice in what weapon to use in the designated season. I just happen to believe that crossbows are appropriate for use in archery season for many reasons, but the biggest one being, they are archery equipment." That's all very nice, but I believe that in order to be a hunter/sportsman does not mean that you have to compromise on the definition of bowhunting. I also believe that that over-used word "elitist" is not very descriptive of those that do not believe the crossbow is appropriate in bowseasons. I know you guys think there is something clever about tossing that word around, but it certainly is inappropriate in this use. But, what the heck, if it makes you feel better, go ahead. You certainly have a right to be for crossbows as much as I or the NYB has a right to believe they are inappropriate for bow seasons. The question for you is whether that issue is adequate reason to trash the only New York bowhunting organization and withold your support (and I guess you do). If you think that that single issue negates all the good things that they have done and will do in the future on your behalf, then I guess you have no choice but to withold your membership and support. I think that's silly, but let's face it you have nothing to lose with that attitude. The NYB will continue to go on working to get bowhunting benefits on your behalf, and it won't cost you a dime. A pretty good deal indeed for those that want to play the game that way. Doc

Rich- Once again the attitude is being pushed that if you are to be a team player, you need to roll over and give up all beliefs that you might have about what belongs in these special seasons and what doesn't. Unless you bend over and tear down all definitions of what are appropriate weapons, you are being devisive and combative. Basically you are saying that there should be no limitations and if anyone proposes them, they are evil people working against the sport of hunting. Those that want to put any limitations on weapons in these special seasons are elitists. That's a nice little term and just one more term to add to the long list of name-calling that people use when they have run out of polite arguments. Well, In the most polite way possible, I would just like to say, "That is a crock". let's just suppose that pistol shooters proposed being allowed into muzzleloading season (since that has been brought up). Do you suppose that the muzzleloaders would simply sit back and say "ok fellas come on in, and bring those guys with the single shot shotguns with you". Probably not. Most likely they would fight like hell. And then you would come along preaching about how we should all get along and stop bickering and how devisive it is that the muzzleloaders are being so darn selfish and elitist. It is appropriate that you mentioned the old compound bow controversy. I was around back in those days. I was basically saying the same things that crossbow proponents are saying today. I remember those old codgers griping about the precedents that were being set by letting this contraption into bow seasons. Isn't it amazing how right they were. Isn't it the most often used argument for now cramming crossbows into bowseason. How many times have we heard the bogus comparisons of compounds to crossbows. Even though it is an inappropriate precedent, it is being used as a precedent none the less. So today with a new layer of bowhunting definition being torn down, one has to wonder just what new additions will the crossbow be used as a precedent for? Layer by layer, bowhunting definitions continue to be torn down. Each time the whole idea of a special season required for bowhunting gets a little more difficult to justify. Where will it all end. You tell me. No one seems to be willing to draw a line in the sand. Most likely that line will never be drawn. So, let's just continue bastardizing the sport. Today we are looking at entering the "missing link" ..... half bow half gun. Which half will take over in the next generation of new entries based on the precedents of the old? Let's blur the lines of what bowhunting is. Let's just see how many different things we can push into that season. I have heard primitive muzzleloaders questioning why they can't be a part of bow seasons. Kind of a primitive weapons season. Well, it's getting harder and harder to say they can't. lets not be devisive, exclusionary, elitists (hope I haven't left out any of the favorite name-calling terms ..... lol), and just roll over for the whole deal at once and then we won't be guilty of bickering and causing problems in the sporting community. Doc

You have a very naive and overly optomistic view on the power of individual letters. We don't have lobbyist simply because people want to throw away money. And NYB just like NRA and any other sportsmen's organization is a lobbying group. So while it may be a feel-good activity to write letters and such, the real influence is wielded by organized groups of people and of course lobbyists with financial influence. Don't get me wrong, I too write plenty of letters and more recently freely use the email to forward my thoughts and concerns to lawmakers and other movers and shakers within the government, but I have to tell you that the results have been a bit disappointing. Some have actually been a bit comical and have ranged from answers regarding totally irrelevant and unconnected issues to some rather "in your face" replies basically saying, "not interested". Further I have sent in some letters that offered opinions that differed with the NYB and received a reply that was exactly the same as those that sent in letters agreeing with the NYB position received. So I think that politicians have learned that constituent opinion is not really all that important to their re-election campaigns. The only time there is a significant difference to that is when you happen to be writing in concert with a vast majority or your opinion happens to agree with other financial interests that the politician values. Yes that seems like a cynical look at the world of politics but unfortunately it represent the real world. So one man standing alone writing his little letters may feel real good, but he is not nearly as significant as he would be if he was part of a larger block of people with the same opinion. I hate to tell you, but it is just a fact of life. I would suppose that that is why you spend the money to be a member of the NRA. My guess is that you really do understand the value of organization. It just doesn't happen to be convenient to admit that belief when it comes to the NYB vs. your crossbow campaign. And you still will not admit that the NYB has and does speak for you and on your behalf even though I have proven it to you. That's funny. No, that's stubborn....lol. But you have no problem taking advantage of those things that they have fought to win for you. And then bad-mouthing them to boot. Well, what the heck, I guess there simply are some people like that. That's what makes the world go around. Doc

Agreed but I do find it a pain to be limited to shooting only when the quiver is off. Granted while on stand it is no problem. But I have had occasion to run into a deer while walking to or from my stand and then had to go through all the movement of trying to remove the quiver. Talk about awkward. As far as the extra weight, I really don't mind a little extra weight on my bow. It does help steady the arm a bit. Kind of like a "bull-barrel on a pistol". I don't know, I never weighed my quiver to see just how much it actually weighs. I think the real problem would be where to put it....lol. Doc

I would guess that that is debateable, but I guess I don't feel equipped to prove that one way or another. The Stingers are what I am using right now, but I didn't get a chance to give them a real life test last season on hide, flesh and bone. However there is nothing about them that would suggest that there should be any problem there. They do seem to be pretty easy to tune. That a biggie with me. Doc

That was the first "quality" recurve that I ever bought. It broke my heart to see that split in the glass. I put a bi strip of tape on it that said "broken limb - do not use", and put it down at the road for trash pick-up. That just didn't seem like a fitting end to a bow that had served me so well. Doc

I forgot to address this crock that you laid out there with no explaination. I guess you are still talking about the crossbow issue. First of all, there has been no attack on sportsmen. There is a well publicized stance against adding crossbows into bow seasons. This is a stance based on the fact that NYB believes that crossbows are inappropriate weapons for an archery season. Wether or not you agree, the NYB has the right to reach that opinion. That's not an attack on anybody. You might call it an attack on crossbows .....lol. If you're talking about muzzleloaders, I think you have things a bit reversed. It was the Muzzleloaders who were the aggressors in that issue. And, in fact if that is your allegation, you are a bit out of date since the NYB (much to my dismay) has been working in cooperation with the NYMLA on a recent proposal create early season opportunities for primitive muzzleloaders. That doesn't sound too much like an organization that is out attacking other sportsmen. So my view of your allegations is that they are just some more of the continuing baseless lashing out at the NYB, an attitude that I find totally confusing coming from any bowhunter. Doc