Doc

When I was a kid, we had domestic dogs get into our sheep. They ran from one to another killing or wounding one sheep after another with no signs that they were ingesting any parts of them. we later found a neighbor a few farms down that owned the dogs, and the authorities conducted an investigation, and found wool jammed in between their teeth and they were destroyed. I do not recall if the owners were prosecuted for anything at all. With no leash-laws in effect, I doubt that they did. So it is not hunger that causes dogs to chase and kill. It is irresponsible dog owners that do not control their animals along with a borne-in instinct to chase and kill. These dogs were family pets that played with the owner's kids. Very friendly and very well fed animals. We caught them in the act, but had no weapon in hand. Otherwise we would have shot them. No, it is not the dogs fault. It is just something that they will do when given the chance. But in our case, we would have liked to protect our property, and would have done so had we had the chance. If the dog-owners won't keep control of them, we would have solved the problem in a minute if we had the opportunity. It's a shame when the dogs have to pay for the owner's irresponsibility, but the problem needed a solution.

My old Mathews MQ-32 is only 9 years old and still killing deer, so I probably have a lot of other things that are more worthy of spending my cash on. Hopefully it will be the bow that I am clutching in my cold dead hands up on the hill on my last hunt ..... lol.

I'm waiting for the heat-seeking arrows to spend my money on. Automatic ranging and sighting is great, but somebody has to come up with some technology that doesn't involve all that stuff and takes the steadiness, form and archery skills completely out of the equation. Come-on you crazy tech-wizard engineers. Let's really get some tech into this sport......lol.

Back in the mid-80s, four of us guys from work went on a moose bowhunting trip. We went to a place in Ontario Canada called Shining Tree. That was the location of our outfitter's camp (legally compulsory). We got our licenses and then drove for miles on some dirt road to a good sized lake, parked the trucks, unloaded an 8 foot motor boat which towed two canoes a few miles to the other end of the lake, a 150 yard portage into another lake and then all the way to the end of that lake. We pulled up to an open spot on the shore and pitched a tent camp. We were in deep! Now, flash back a few weeks before we left. I had a dog that loved to play tug-of-war with an old towel. While she was doing this, she would work up a terrible low growl with snarling and all kinds of menacing sounds that were absolutely ferocious. So using a portable tape recorder, I taped a long tug-of-war session, and hid the tape player in my sleeping bag. So that first night in camp jillions of miles from anywhere, we were all sitting around the campfire swapping stories and remarking how desolate this place was with absolutely no sign of humans or civilization. Pretending that I had to go out into the darkness to take a leak, I snuck the tape player with me. I had put a 15 minute empty leader on the front of the tape so I could get back to the fire and everybody would just forget that I had even been out there. All of a sudden there was this loud, bone-chilling, terrible, snarling, and growling threat coming out of the darkness not all that far from the camp. The damn thing was loud and really quite terrifying. Of course this was a bowhunting trip so there were no guns, and everyone was diving for flashlights, knives, arrows, and any defensive thing they could lay there hands on. The panic was hysterical, but I kept myself under control and played along. Then with my best conjured up bravado, I volunteered to go out into the darkness and chase the thing away from the camp. Hey man, just like John Wayne. Amazingly enough, the others followed as back-up …… but way-way back. Stalking my way in the pitch darkness, I finally got to the tape player and dove on it and wrestled around on the ground a bit before I finally held up the player and declared the intruder dead. Things got a bit tense for a few minutes as they all discussed throwing me in the lake. But they all took it well and realized that they had been had. Fortunately I didn't wind up in the lake and it is something we still joke about whenever we run into each other.

For Release: IMMEDIATELY, January 19, 2018 Contact: Mike Fraser, office: (518) 455-3751; cell: (518) 859-8518 SAFE ACT DEADLINE CAUSING CONCERNS ACROSS NY Legislative Column from Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb (R,C,I,Ref-Canandaigua) When the SAFE Act was passed in 2013, few expected its implementation to go smoothly. The secretive and offensive process by which the bill was rammed through the Legislature was only the beginning of the issues to come. Today, localities around the state are preparing to overcome yet another logistical nightmare the SAFE Act has created, thanks to a cumbersome pistol recertification process that is causing problems for both gun owners and municipal officials. It’s no surprise the law is, again, a point of contention for New Yorkers as it was haphazardly passed in the dead of night with little time for legislative input or public discussion. As a result of the SAFE Act’s passage, gun owners are required to recertify their pistol permits with the New York State Police by January 31. COUNTY CLERKS ARE UNDER THE GUN The recertification requirement might have sounded like a good idea to politicians drafting a bill in Albany. But the practical application of the law isn’t going over well with the men and women who actually have to carry out these new duties. County clerks across the state, who will verify the information submitted to the State Police, have expressed frustration over the tremendous administrative burden the provision will create. In addition, there are legitimate concerns that too many gun-owners are unaware of the requirement and unsure of how to proceed. I have written to Gov. Cuomo recommending that the state extend the deadline one year to give county clerks, many of whom were newly installed just a few weeks ago, a chance to prepare for the full brunt of this unfunded mandate thrust upon them. Further, sheriffs, clerks and other local officials have struggled to adequately answer questions from gun owners, as the law is simply too unclear. More time and information are needed before moving forward. Otherwise, we risk doing far more harm than good. DESPITE FLAWS, IT’S CRITICAL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS Since its inception, I have said the SAFE Act is the worst piece of legislation I have ever seen. The law does more to punish law-abiding gun owners than keep New Yorkers protected. Its original language was so convoluted that the bill, at times, contradicted itself. As a result of the recertification provision, which requires paperwork on guns already legally obtained, owners risk confiscation of their weapons. This is an affront to law-abiding gun owners and our Constitutional rights. Further, failure to recertify could potentially carry a felony conviction, which would result in the forfeiture of all firearms. I will continue to advocate for common-sense laws that protect New Yorkers while respecting the Second Amendment. Until the SAFE Act is repealed, replaced or amended, the governor must consider the ramifications the January 31 deadline carries. And, to legal gun owners, I call upon you to stay apprised of the many requirements the SAFE Act imposes and encourage you to comply with the law until a more effective and judicious system is implemented. What do you think? I want to hear from you. Send me your feedback, suggestions and ideas regarding this or any other issue facing New York State. You can always contact my district office at (315) 781-2030, email me at [email protected], find me by searching for Assemblyman Brian Kolb on Facebook, and follow me on Twitter. -30- Contact Assembly Minority Leader Brian M. Kolb District Office: 607 West Washington Street, Suite 2, Geneva, NY 14456, Phone: (315) 781-2030 Albany Office: 933 Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY 12248, Phone: (518) 455-3751 E-mail: [email protected] Find me on Facebook and follow me on Twitter

I always wonder about all the pasty faced people slogging along the shoulder of the road deeply inhaling all the exhaust fumes of every car, truck, or bus that goes by. What keeps them enduring the torture that is clearly etched on their face as they do some combination of running, staggering, and dragging there feet, day after day after day. Does it really do that much good in extending their lives? I guess they reall believe that such torture will eventually lead to immortality. But does that contribute to a wonderful lifestyle? That death-mask of a grimace on their faces kind of tells me that they really are not having a great time.....lol. I suppose if the only alternative is to live on the couch, maybe that form of torture is required to keep them breathing. But it seems to me there must be some middle ground. This growing herd of bicyclers is kind of the same thing. Mile after mile of pedaling and again deeply sucking in all those hydrocarbons while staring, mindlessly at the next couple of feet of pavement has to be terribly exciting. Maybe it has something to do with all that great shiny spandex and that goofy looking helmet that they get to wear. Actually the exciting part has to be pedaling along the road with cars zipping by, inches away, going at 60 MPH or more. What a rush! Is this what is required to survive in this life?

I have to work on keeping my sugar under control. What a struggle that is. I went to a dietician who set me up with a very simple carb-counting diet (60 carbs per meal). It is amazing the variety of foods that can be crammed into 60 carbs. Also, I have accepted that it is not the end of the world if once in a while I cheat a bit. I have never gotten into the condition where I had huge amounts to lose, so it all just becomes a lifestyle tweak to keep things regulated.

The prime motivator that involved me in hunting was the fact that everyone I knew hunted. It was the social thing to do at the time. That reason is long gone now, and what keeps me involved is the second category, "To test my outdoor skills". Being a huge fan of outdoor activities and the hunting heritage that I grew up in, that is a prime motivator for my hunting. Of course a trophy here and there is a bonus, but that is not the driver that gets me buying licenses and equipment and heading out in the woods.

So far no one has mentioned the cultural changes that impact hunting. In my mind, this is the real threat to the future of hunting. I come from a time when opening day of trout season, and opening day of gun season were acceptable excuses for school absence. I remember coming off the trap line and still wearing my hunting knife on my belt in school. Try that today....lol. I am from a time when many kids supplemented their school clothes budget with proceeds from their trap-line. When I started hunting, posted signs were an oddity. Few farmers had the time or the desire to tack them up and few of the owners of small family farms had any desire to keep hunters off their land. Hunter kept the destructive critter under control which meant more money in the farmer's pocket. Huge family get-togethers always had the men break off into the living room to swap hunting stories and talk about the deer that they got or saw. Every Monday morning at work there was a sizeable gathering at the coffee pot to discuss the weekend hunt. During the season, deer were openly transported on the fender of the car or hung in a tree in the front yard. Today we quickly conceal the carcasses in the bed of the truck and when we get them home, they are quickly put in some out of the way place or immediately packaged up before the snide remarks start coming from neighbors. As a part of rural America, kids always looked forward to the time when they could take part in hunting just like all the hunting adults around us. We all listened in as the adults would discuss their hunting exploits. Today the kids yawn at such discussions if they occur and silently slip away to play their latest techno-game. It was a whole different world as the society and cultures have changed over the decades. Hunting has lost its honorable place in our society and is now looked at as a rather low-brow act of unnecessary brutality against the poor little helpless and defenseless forest creatures. The evolution of societal attitudes has been slow and crept over us in an insidious way such that many don't even recognize it today. And this is how the future of hunting will fade. The allure of technology and the so-called enlightenment of the population will replace the pastimes of the past. It is just another manifestation of the worship of change for change's sake.

I have seen an awful lot of hunting seasons, and yes I think there is a very big difference in today's hunters vs that of hunters back in the late 50's when I started hunting. It is true that antlers were always the standard in deer hunting. Yes everyone wanted that big ol' 12 point that everyone claimed to see and no one ever got. But they were happy with the 4-point that they got and wanted everyone to see it. Today's hunters feel an entitlement to that 12 point. Those that get a 4 point today are ridiculed and belittled. I have to wonder how that little change impacts the enthusiasm for hunting. So now hunters start off with expectations that they will get some trophy deer or must feel a total failure at hunting if they don't. There are plenty of TV programs, videos, to make them feel that way too. So now in an effort to fare well in the hunting community, more and more people are devoting thousands of dollars to buying and locking up land. They spend ungodly gobs of money buying tractors and other ag equipment hoping to lure the neighbors deer onto their own property. If the state would allow it, they would be buying feeders to put their deer at an exact spot from their blind in an attempt to buy their way into what they consider hunting success. We have even created scoring systems to tell us when we can declare success and be happy with our abilities. There is no cost too high when it comes to buying a trophy. No, I doubt that we will turn around in a couple of years an wonder where everybody went. The changes are a very slow evolution, but they are there. Are they good changes? Time will tell. They are not changes that enthuse me, but then I don't have that many years to worry about it....lol.

I'm not too sure that license holders represents the number of those actually hunting or the actual level of participating hunters. I know people who annually buy licenses "just in case", and never step a foot in the woods. I also have noticed that actual participation has severely dwindled among even those that do make it out. Judging from the cars at state parking lots. and hunter tracks in the snow, and the level of shooting, I would say there are a lot of one-day hunters that take opening day to hunt and that ends their season. Many days hunters become 1/2 day hunters. All that is very different from deer seasons past. Yes, they all get counted, but do they really hunt. Then too, just a raw count of all hunting licenses does not tell you much about whether they are hunting deer, geese, squirrels, or again, just carrying a license in their wallet in case somebody coaxes them out into the woods. Also look at the variety of separate licenses sold today as compared to 30 or 40 or 50 years ago.

One thing to remember with all these vehicles is that they all stop the same way as any 2 wheel drive vehicle. They can get you going a lot faster than their ability to stop just like 2WD. Also, we use to have a saying that 4WD allows you to get stuck in more inaccessible places .... lol. I suppose that still applies with today's vehicles too.

Oh how we long for the wonder years of Obama when we had a professional politician in the office. You should have voted for Hillary if you wanted a socialist status-quo who was all polished up and full of the BS that keeps the citizens in line.

Ha-ha-ha....Now there's some pretty creative historical re-writing. Getting pretty darn far away from the facts with your Reagan comments. It's ok to have an opinion, but try to ground it in a few facts just for credibility's sake. I hear your concerns about "entitlements". We've got to keep that "free stuff" flowing, don't we? We are "entitled" to whatever free stuff we can get from the government. We're getting downright dependent on it.....lol.

How about we add another wrinkle into the question. What if that's not your deer? You are not blood trailing it and have simply spotted it laying there. Do you trespass to check it out to see if it is salvageable and perhaps recover it, or just let it lay there to rot in hopes that whoever shot it is on it's trail?

I'm all for giving anything new a chance. Show the deer something they may have never seen before. Something that may work well where you hunt is my style of still-hunting. It requires massive amounts of patience and confidence that every log , dip, and blow-down contains a deer. I describe it as a cross between standing and still hunting. It amounts to stepping forward incredibly carefully and slowly for about 20 yards and then standing (or sitting) for about 15 minutes carefully glassing every stump, log, tree-base and patch of ground ahead, then moving another 20 yards and repeating over and over through areas that you have jumped deer before. If done right and with the wind right, this kind of a still-hunt can be quite productive when the deer have shut down daylight activity. It is like slightly mobile stand hunting. Movements are all done with the same kind of slowness and care that you would use if you were closing in on a deer that you can see. It's damn near painful, but is effective.

Actually, he did not say that the people were $hitholes, but the countries are $hithole countries. And whether he actually said it or not, the countries he was talking about are indeed hotbeds of corruption and self inflicted problems and are indeed, $hithole countries that export their worst rejects to the US so we can support them.

There is an awful lot of "slickness" that is lacking in Trump. But then we didn't vote for a professional career politician, did we? But I do have to marvel at how he keeps the left all muttering and stuttering and completely out of their minds with his tweets. It is kind of humorous and likely strategic at the same time. He is controlling the dialog and not the pinko news media, and they just can't stand it.

It really surprises me that people are so quick to criticize the personality and style of this President. He has been straight with the press, the public, and his constituents. His tweets are simply efforts to thwart a very biased press coverage and reach citizens directly with actual facts of his accomplishments. Is he un-presidential? ..... Thank God, yes. He is a president that unlike all of his recent predecessors is treating his campaign promises as his bond. Now there is something new and unique. Does he relate in Plain English? ..... Well, by golly he does. That has not been a feature of those polished professional politicians that we have become used to having populated the office. How un-presidential (thankfully). Is he putting the welfare of our country first? Well, in fact he is. It has been a long time since we have seen any U.S President even think about such a concept. What is the matter that he is not paying gobs of money to the Iranians so that they can finance terrorists to attack us. Isn't that kind of the model of the prior President who apparently established the way his critics expect Presidents to behave. Why isn't this guy giving away the farm to all the global environmentalists. He is trying to establish the thought that negotiation is not a synonym for "give-away". And this guy wants to control our borders and the free-for-all access of drug runners and terrorist and all those who hunger for our endless freebies? .... how un-presidential! He has seen to it that the media is no longer running the country. His tweets have negated their strangle-hold on American policy, and we are being forced to make our politicians accountable to the people that vote them into office instead to the liberal demands of the mainstream media. What a novel concept and how absolutely un-presidential. Yes, given the presidential models established by those of recent decades, President Trump does not emulate any of them. Therefore he is guilty of being un-presidential, and thank God for that. No we didn't vote for the same old- reruns of the lib's idea of what they think Presidents should be. Trump's vision and goals are clear, unwavering, transparent, and focused on every issue that he raised during the campaign. Amazingly he seems determined to actually fulfill as many of those campaign promises as humanly possible. Now all we need is to break the inertia of the swamp and let him continue to guide the progress of his and our goals. If that turns out to be un-presidential I say bring it on!

I will say that if Trump gets most of his agenda through, and keeps his nose clean, he will wind up so wildly popular that it won't matter who the Democrats put up. This tax cut has almost sealed the deal. Now, if he can score a homerun with health care and patch up the security leaks along our southern border, he will win in a landslide election. I think this Democrat obstructionism is the final nail in their coffin. Oprah and all the pinkos that the Dems can dredge up will not be able to turn back the Trump tide. Their entire party platform consists only of a hatred of Trump. There is no substance to it. There is nothing that they are standing for that the American public will tolerate or see as a positive vision. As the last of the straws that they are grasping for continues to fall apart they will complete their free-fall into oblivion. Chuckie and Nancy are leading their party to absolute destruction. It's not really a good thing in the long run because I am a believer in a minimum of a two-party political system. But unless the Republicans self-destruct, we may be heading for a one-party system.

Look, the Democrats have one potential candidate that honestly represents the mentality of the Democratic party. He makes no apologies for what he is and honestly calls attention to what currently makes up the majority of the thinking of the Democrats. That's Bernie Sanders. He is the only one that honestly fesses up to his true identity as a flaming socialist. The rest of them all share his views, but are afraid to carry that label. Oprah is simply another of them that has all the mentality without the integrity of bearing the title. So why don't they simply adopt good ol' Bernie as their candidate and be done with it? Is that too honest for their tastes?

That was what caused me to drop my NYB membership. I am a real hardliner when it comes to mixing guns and bows. But there was DEC activity before The NYB and the Muzzleloaders hatched their brain-fart, and likely that was what got them all thinking about this "feel-good" plan. Likely there were some negotiations involved, and I am certain the DEC was right in the middle of it all because they had already shown support of that idea. But the significant point here that I was trying to get at is that those who are naïve enough to think that firearms can never be shoved into bow seasons, should really familiarize themselves with a bit of history, as well as learn that the injection of firearms into bow seasons already exists and with plenty of DEC support and plenty of people who already jealously regard all bow seasons as a target of opportunity just waiting for the proper precedents to be set.

She's a natural for the Democrats. What the heck, she made her fortune from giving away free stuff.

Approximately 10 years ago, I attended a "state of the herd" DEC meeting specifically to lobby against the DEC's support of an early muzzleloader season that was going to coexist with bow season. They were actively pushing for this, and not in a covert way, and also not in select areas. Any bow hunters that were paying any attention at that time will remember that. And of course in more recent years they have been threatening to push muzzleloaders into specific WMUs if the bowhunters did not begin to take more does out of the herd. Again, that was a very public position. So their bias is not even in question. It's history and not opinion. They are always looking for more efficient use of the bow season through allowing more efficient weapons.

No brush gun for me. I hunt with a .270 which likely won't hold together through any brush ....right? But that's ok. Most of my shots are fairly clear shooting lanes.