Doc

Well, you probably are right, but when I was floating the question on a few forums, there seemed to be more than a few that talked about this "vertical lining" or whatever the term was. I'm sure whatever they were talking about was probably some small effect that I probably would never be able to detect given my shooting abilities, but Since there was a pile of money involved, I took the safe route, and left the controversy for others to to sort out. I have not been unhappy with my Remington choice and probably wouldn't be disappointed with another one in the gun cabinet. Doc

Like it or not, until you form your own bowhunting organization, NYB is the only organization that speaks for all bowhunters. They are the only recognized bowhunter mouthpiece by legislators and the DEC and anyone else who influences the activity of bowhunting. So, if you have a problem with how they are representing you, and the stances on issues that they take, I would suggest that you do something about it such as joining and changing things from the inside or starting your own organization. I suspect that you might not like the latter choice, because you would soon find out that the world is full of people who would rather stand on the outside offering nothing but worthless sniping. But at least you would be actively trying to represent bowhunters in a positive fashion for a change instead of just sitting back and carping at those who do devote time and effort in the cause of having bowhunters heard. Doc

Nothing special ....... just a 3x -10x Bushell. That's one place where I could use improvement on all my guns is the scopes. The problem is that a really good scope costs more than the gun, and the whole package gets to be a bit of a strain on the wallet. Doc

I had problems with PSE way back in the early 80's, and I never went back. So I assumed that they had cleaned up their act ......... apparently not. Doc

Applying in 8N is almost a guaranteed two-permits. I have been getting the maximum number just about every year for a long time now. Doc

Another requirement will be a low cost of re-loading too. I do my own re-loading, which means a lot of bench shooting working up a good load that performs well. So component cost and powder cost will be a consideration. There sure are a lot of calibers in the lower end that are in the running, but like I said, the .243 is the only one that I have actually had "hands-on" experience with. When I bought my .223 varmint gun (Remington 700 SPS), I also looked at the Thompson Encore. I came very close to buying one. There was some concern going around teh forums and in a couple of magazine articles about the hinge-style action on that style of single shot. There was some talk about an error that produces vertical group creeping. They had a term for it which escapes me at the moment. However at the same time I was hearing about this potential problem, I came across a pretty good deal on the Remington, so I went in that direction. I never looked any deeper into the controversy over the pivoting single shots, so I never really put that story to rest. I've been so happy with the .223 Remington 700 SPS, that I will probably be looking to get the same model only chambered in a deer caliber (assuming they make such a critter). Doc

No, I don't do a whole lot of practicing beyond 30 yards anymore. Those shots out to 80 yards were from back in the 80's when I used to shoot the NFAA competitions. They had a few of these long distance shots which I actually did get fairly good at. Those longer shots are kind of the tie-breakers. They are fun to do, especially with a recurve. You do your best to set up and execute the shot and then you just watch the arrow go and go almost like in slow motion. It seems to take forever to get down there to the target. However, some of the other competitive archery organizations have competitions where archers shoot out to 100 meters. Great fun! Doc

I guess what I was thinking of when I mentioned taking some of the mowed material off the plot was the massive amounts of hay that you typically see laying on top of hayfields when farmers mow. It looks like a large enough volume to suffocate what is trying to grow if it was all just left there. I suppose that if you mow it often enough and don't let it get like a hay crop, it might not be a problem. Also, as long as you're not using a sickle-bar mower, the stuff might get mulched up fine enough to sift its way back down to the dirt like what happens on your lawn. Doc

Yeah, one of the things that started me cleaning the squirrels right on the spot in the woods was when I discovered that they were full of fleas. I didn't want to be dragging a bunch of fleas home. The same thing would apply to ticks if they were a problem here. Doc

I have a range set up in the basement for winter shooting. I can get a 15 yard shot. I just use smaller bullseyes to compensate. Outside, behind the house, in the woods, I have a range that's marked out in 10 yard increments from 10 yards to 80 yards. I don't use the super long yardages all that much. They are kind of a carry-over from my NFAA competition days. The range is lighted from 30 yards in. Doc

Glad you found your way here. Doc

One of the most recognizable symbols of NY is the state outline. How do you incorporate that into a logo? ............. I don't know. Maybe the shape around the deer could be the NYS outline? Personally, I don't think what you came up with is all that bad. I kind of like it. Doc

So far over here in my chunk of Ontario County, we haven't had a lot of ticks on the squirrels. Maybe it's just a matter of time, because I have found ticks on deer. The squirrels are full of fleas though. Generally, I skin them right in the woods as soon as I get them and leave the hide behind. I carry a big zip-lock bag for the skinned carcasses. All the guts and skin stay behind for the critters to feed on. Doc

Now there is a stand that I could get along with. Love those railings! Doc

But when you mow it, you have to remove it from the plot .... right? Unless you've got some kind of mower that chops it up real fine won't you have a problem with it choking out additional growth. Would a bush-hog mulch it up enough so you wouldn't have to find some way of picking it up? Also, what are the sunlight requirements for food plot crops. I can see where a lot of the plots might be real small and be in the middle of a mature woods which would cut down the number of hours of direct sunlight. Is that a problem, or is there some food plot plantings that might do better than others in such conditions? Doc

You ought to try eating a few if you can get yourself to do it .... lol. They really are great tasting when cooked right. They sure can be a pain when you're trying to listen for approaching deer. More than once I've gotten all excited only to find out it was just a squirrel. Doc

Lol ..... Don't be wishing your life away. But I can verify that for the most part, retired life is great for a hunter and fisherman. I think in your case, a nice multi-million dollar lottery win would be just the thing. Doc

I am about the last one anyone would want to ask about equipment. I have entered a phase in my life where I am trying to use every last dollar's worth out of the equipment that I've got, and I haven't bought anything new in years. I think some people call it being cheap! It's been so long since I bought a release that I can't even remember the name of the one I'm using now. However, I think you are doing the right thing by going to the store and actually checking over as many as possible. Doc

Getting a deer with a bow before getting one with a gun is a very unusual thing I think. I'll bet most of us went from gun hunting into bow hunting. Doc

Well, you all can probably tell by the way I worded the question that I am not real crazy about taking any of the challenge out of my hunting. But to be honest, I must admit to having hung up my recurves and longbows and taking on a bunch of compounds over the years. I have to admit that the old wooden arrows got replaced by a bunch of aluminum ones. I sure didn't buy all those releases because I wanted to increase the challenge. The years have been one huge "buying spree" trying to find the perfect set-up that would basically, one by one, take challenges out of shooting. We all in our own way do things to put things more in our favor, which is another way of saying that we are trying to decrease some of the challenge. Some of us get involved with food plots. Some of us would like to see baiting legalized. Some continue to chase the elusive arrow speeds to try to make our bows perform more like guns and remove some of the challenges that our archery equipment offers. And on and on. And yet I believe all of us would say that we want challenge left in our hunting and we all seem to want to have it both ways. As far as styles of hunting, I'm sure most of us really would like to go on a guided hunt some day. Some areas of the country and some species can't be legally hunted without a guide. In some cases hunting without a guide would be a complete waste of time. So in most guided hunts, the guide does the scouting and pretty much everything else other than the shooting. How does all that fit into our idea of personal hunting challenge. So now I have to wonder where we each draw the line. How far are we all willing to go in terms of using equipment that takes some of the challenge out of our hunting. In terms of using guides or super-managed herds and habitat, how far does it all go before you start to feel that you are really playing a rather minor role in your hunting? Those questions are not that easy to answer are they? It's all kind of interesting things to think about, and the answers are all different for each of us. Doc

One by one we are all making our way back here from the old Empire Forum. Welcome aboard! Doc

I'm over here in Ontario County. I hunt in my back yard in rather steep, hilly, non agricultural area, that is mostly mature woods on top and dense brush in the valleys. Much of the low land is beginning to get covered with multi-flora rose that creates huge areas of man-killer, impenetrable cover for the deer. I've got a small amount of land (almost 40 acres) but spend most of my hunting time on the state land next-door. I have an ATV that gets me to the top of the hill, which gives me a bit of an edge over other hunters in that I can get up the hill still relatively fresh and then have the energy left to hunt some of the back country that most hunters don't have the stamina to hunt. Climbing that hill is real heart test ..... lol. I don't hunt out of the area like I used to do. I used to hunt all over the Naples area, but now I stay pretty close to home. I've been hunting the same area since I was a kid, and probably know that particular stretch of hunting turf better than anyone else because of the thousands of hours I have spent there over the years. Thousands? .... yeah I think thats accurate. Well anyway it's been 55 of my 66 years. As far as fishing is concerned, we have a whole bunch of options in the area. West River down by Naples supplies the bullhead fishing in the spring. Almost everybody around has stocked ponds that I have access to. We have finger lakes all inside of a short drive. And if I want to get into a bit of a ride, there is always the canal. Doc

Yeah it's me. I'm starting to get to be an old fixture around the internet hunting forums. I find it interesting to discuss hunting on these kinds of forums, and get different perspectives on hot topics. Some people don't care for the fact that I can't seem to answer the most simple question without writing a book. I'm working on that, but not making a whole lot of progress.....lol. Occasionally I may get a bit passionate on my views and rub people the wrong way, but I hope in the end, all those that I have had some of those heavy discussions with, wind up realizing that we really are all on the same side here. I am look forward to discussions here because of the more local nature of a New York forum. It's always interesting to hear about someone out west taking their 500 yard shots across the prairie at some animal that I may never see, but my real interest is in local hunting in local areas under situations and conditions that I am more accustomed to and can relate to. Now all we have to do is get people here and we're ready to go. That will happen eventually. Doc

I hope the folks at Realtree feel that way, because I'm going to be sending a bunch of PM's out to their NY members pretty soon. You never know what the reaction may be, but I guess I'll be finding out. Doc

Here are a few of the things that send me out with a bow every year: As I've explained, I am pretty much out of the trees now and spend 99% of the time hunkered behind some deadfall or brush heap watching deer trails. Several times I have had deer almost within touching distance at eye level, and I don't think I have ever had another experience that got my heart beating and provided that huge adrenaline rush like that. Just being there eyeball to eyeball at that distance with a creature that for the most part has senses that simply make fools out of most hunters is an experience that I just can't get during the slam-banging chaos of gun season. The challenge is something that complicates the harvest and always keeps everything over in the "question mark column" right up until I actually lay hands on that critter. Doing things the hard way (the archery way) provides such a feeling of satisfaction when it all finally comes together. The hours of practice finally pays off. The intense scouting and scheming to work myself within bow range, provides a pay-off that is truly something to be proud of. It's not like sitting on the edge of a field and popping a deer at one or two hundred yards. You have to know your stuff to get within 20 or 30 yards of a deer, and occasionally within a few feet. I didn't just get close, I got "bow" close. That's extra special. The other thing that drives me to be a bowhunter is the fact that with the hunter density reduced, the hunting results are usually a product of my own merit. I am not counting on someone else accidently spooking a deer my way. If a deer comes within bow range it is generally because I scouted and read the sign well enough to get myself that close. i worked out the proper location at the proper time, and have removed the element of luck to a large extent. And then of course there is the challenge of the weapon itself. Mastering archery techniques is not exactly a simple thing. So for those of us that do, there is quite a bit of satisfaction to that too. Developing the mental and physical disciplines to send that arrow into a rather small "kill zone" is not really something you have to worry aboutas much with rifles and shotguns. There is so much to go wrong in that final moment when you have to pick the right moment to draw without being busted, and have to achieve the proper anchor, back tension, arm position, head position, exacting stance, and then finally the follow-through, all while under the pressure of a deer, up close and personal .... Man that is some kind of satisfying achievement when you can make all that stuff happen. Absolutely none of that is required with firearms, and absolutely all of that is required with a bow. All this doesn't take one thing away from my enjoyment of gun season, but the sense of accomplishment with gun kills simply doesn't measure up to my bow kills. It never has, and never will. Doc