Doc

Weird topography! That almost looks like an island out there. However the question of stand location cannot be answered with just those two pictures. First of all, are you talking about gun hunting or bow hunting? That will determine proximity. Which way are the tracks primarily coming from and going to? What kinds of areas does that trail connect. Is this a feeding/bedding trail? In other words, what is the purpose of the trail. That will help establish when the deer use it. No point in watching a trail that is primarily used at night. And of course there are the prevailing wind considerations. It makes little sense to set up such that your scent is flowing down the trail to incoming deer. Then there is the consideration of a good stand tree if you are using a treestand. Proper cover against sky-lining. Ground stands/blinds also have characteristic that require specific kinds of background cover. There are so many aspects to stand set-up that all have to be satisfied.

Pants pockets. I seldom need anything else. However, I do have some phenomenal gloves designed for skiing that I use in extremely brutal weather. I take two pairs. One pair on my hands and another pair that is stored inside my suit, next to my body. Then if the one pair gets cold and is not doing the job anymore, I simply swap them. However these kinds of gloves are bulky and not great for shooting (especially for shooting the bow). So there does come a time when you just have to toughen up and go bare-handed for a few minutes.

Deer frequently stop on their own. It is all part of their defensive gait. The problem is that they may not stop at the right spot. Just a drop of deer urine on the trail will almost certainly catch their attention without alarming them. That allows you to pick the spot where they will stop. I do not like the idea of making sounds to stop them as it almost always snaps their head around with a direct gaze in your direction. Not exactly the best thing for those drawing a bow. It also puts them on "set", ready to "jump the string" when you release. That drop or two of urine is a more natural way of stopping them, that does not raise their alarm system.

This is what I was afraid of whenever the subject of antler restrictions comes up. The situation described here is basically telling hunters that you will not hunt this year. That is a situation guaranteed to lose even more hunters.

Why can't they build reinforced concrete housing on elevated earthen pads above the potential storm surge. It seems to me that housing could be made hurricane proof. Yes, it would be super expensive, but how expensive is it to replace the entire structure and contents every time a hurricane decides to come through?

Ok, I have never lived in hurricane country so this may be a dumb question, but watching the lines of traffic heading north with some of them in a stop and go mode. I am picturing some of them sitting there barely moving, watching their gas gauge going down ..... maybe to the point of hearing their car sputter to a stop, out of gas, and here come Irma chasing after them. Now what do you do? I saw gas-guzzling trucks, and vehicles pulling trailers, and I know some of them have a limited range. It seems like that scenario has to be happening in some instances.

Wow! That sounds disgusting. How did that happen? How long are they predicting before it is back to being workable again?

Coffee

Sometimes some peculiarity to the rack give it character and catches everyone's attention. I do think that weirdness can be overdone to the point where the deer looks ugly. But a drop-tine here and there or palmated tines and beams always make the rack unique.

Looking forward to some pics when it is done.

I have cut trails through thickets only to have deer take them over. They love them. So now, I usually run the trails past my stand a ways with a little spur off to get in my stand. Actually, the trails are intended to let me survive the multi-flora rose thickets and still be able to come out the other side in one piece. The areas where I have to cut trails would not be huntable without that kind of hacking. What it does is give me unique access to the kinds of cover that other people will not venture into. That makes them sanctuary areas for the deer when the hunting pressure begins.

Maybe, but I haven't heard a whole lot of complaining about the delivery of lifetime licenses, and I must say I am pretty impressed about that.

Apparently we had some pretty serious wind with that storm. I woke up to find limbs and leaves all over the place. Had fun cleaning that mess up.

I tend to agree with you when we are talking about bowhunting, and that is only because my archery abilities or lack thereof, need constant reinforcement. But for jillions of years, I have gun hunted with a nasty ol' 12 gauge shotgun during gun season, and I will say that I usually took a maximum of 3 shots just to ensure that nothing got bumped or moved on the sighting system. There was no target practice involved with that shoulder mangler. And yet marksmanship never cost me a deer. Life is so much nicer now that our county allows rifles for deer hunting. Now I regularly shoot my deer rifle ..... Not because it has anything to do with "responsibility", but simply because now it is fun. As far as trimming, anyone who does any still-hunting might find that a bit difficult.

I have found that I have had to drop more than a few activities over the years simply because of time constraints. For example, I do not engage in small game hunting like I used to because of conflicts with deer season. I no longer can take time out of all the activities to run my trapline anymore. Every year it seems like I say I need to get out fishing more, but it doesn't happen. Ice fishing, no.... not anymore. Some of the camping ventures that we used to do every year have fallen by the wayside. Hiking?.....Not like we used to. No smelting, no spearing like back when I was younger. Non local hunting trips? ..... probably won't happen anymore. Archery tournament shooting ..... not anymore. And by the way, for those that think being retired leaves you all this excess time on your hands, don't you believe it. I have no excess time, and am busier than I ever was while I was working. So yes, I agree with him. I have way more interests than I will ever have time or energy to do anymore. I'll bet I'm not alone in that.

Ha-ha look at you! ...... just like a Timex, you take a lick'n and keep on tick'n.

Great looking gun, but all these comments about competing makes, models and calibers is all lost on me. For umpteen million years, all I ever shot was a 12 gauge Ithaca Deerslayer that liked to tear my shoulder off. I sure collected a lot of deer with it, but target practice sessions were held to as few slugs as possible. So a few years ago when rifles were allowed for deer hunting in Ontario County, I went looking for a gun that was not as brutal on the hunter's end as it was on the deer's end. I had my son bring up his .270, and my choice was made right there. Almost no recoil. And it has become a real deer killer. So I cannot really make any comments about other guns. Frankly, when it comes to deer calibers, I really have no experience at all. And yes, I do like to shoot. And I like to shoot without punishment. And I would like to get every shot in the same hole, but elongating holes is the best I can do. But anyone who thinks shooting is boring simply has not set their goals high enough, or I should probably say, high enough to take the boredom out of the activity. Archery is no different. When you think you can consistently place every arrow in the kill zone of a deer, it may be time to tighten even that group up considerably. The challenges (and fun) will return.

I remember back in the 60's and 70's when a group of us bowhunters used to gather in one of the cubicles at work on a Monday morning and swap deer hunting stories. The deer were a bit scarce in our area back then. The topic of conversation usually was about the huge deer track that we ran across, or the doe that almost came in range. Once in a while someone would mention that they actually got a shot .... wow! If somebody actually shot a doe, that was the topic of conversation for quite a few days, and his hunting prowess was discussed throughout the whole local hunting population.....lol. Now today, that enthusiastic hunter gathering around the coffee pot on Monday morning has disappeared, but if occasionally you run into another group of bowhunters discussing the season, when someone is successful, the very first question is, "What did he score?" And if you want the conversation to continue, that number had better be significant. If all you can say is "Well actually it was a doe", that is a great way to end the conversation and watch everyone all of a sudden have some super urgent piece of work that has to be taken care of. What a change. No wonder people are dropping out of the sport.

I get those down at the Town Hall. It gives me a chance to check in with our Town clerk and the rest of my elected town officials and get updated on the latest town gossip. However, so far my Lifetime licenses come in the mail flawlessly without a hitch. I was a little concerned that now my licenses were at the mercy of the Postal Service, but so far I have no complaints with them or the DEC licensing departments. How about that ..... something that a government agency does without screwing it up. I'm sure your permits will show up in time ...... well, I'm pretty sure.

Well, unless the dog barks all night, chews up the hunting equipment of other hunters, leaves little piles and puddles all over the cabin floor, or bites people, or runs wild through the woods chasing everything that moves, I really don't see the harm of having the critter along. On the other hand I don't really see the need or purpose for dragging him along either. At any rate, it is great to outright own my own hunting land. It eliminates these kinds of petty arguments .... or those that are not so petty.

Ha-ha..... I really try not to get personally involved with my food. I do have to admit that there are times when I have to remind myself what I am really doing out there.

Ha-ha .... being one that is afflicted with a severe fear of heights, I can just imagine me hugging the bottom of the basket. Yes that would be a real fun time for me. However, for most people, I can imagine that it is a fun thing to be way up there with nothing but the sound of the air going by. What a view that must be. Especially over the gorge at Letchworth when all the trees are turned.

Of course you are all aware that NYS went a whole bunch of years with no coyotes at all, so the claim of their importance in our environment I think is way over-stated. Also it has to be said that coyotes enjoy a place at the top of their food chain with nothing but starvation and disease controlling their numbers. That is not a healthy situation in any habitat. Hunting and trapping should be utilized as a control tool to as large an extent as is possible just like any other species. The bunny huggers that see these animals as natures version of doggies have to get over this idea that they have some special place that puts them above needing control just like any other species. They do not come from the pet store.

We had one land in our hay lot a bunch of years ago. Also, we were down to Letchworth one year when they had a he balloon festival going. What a weird site that was.

By the way speaking of unusual weather related activity, did anyone other than us note the complete lack of tent caterpillars, and gypsy moths/caterpillars, and Japanese beetles? For quite a few years I have had a massive running battle with these critters in my fruit trees (actually, they killed two cherry trees and two apricot trees from defoliation. This year not a one showed up. I would have thought that with the more moderate winter last year it would have been a massive crop of these things and yet we got away without any. What have the rest of you been seeing as far as these tree-eating critters this year?