Doc

Somehow, I got on an email mailing list for a news letter from an organization that has a great site that features articles and great pictures of Adirondack attractions. I started reading this newsletter completely every time it came, and enjoying the pictures as well. I have become addicted to that news letter, so I looked up the address on Google and discovered the actual site. The address is http://www.adirondacksusa.com/ I have to recommend that those of you who like to vacation in the Adirondacks take a look at the great articles and photos that these people have pulled together .... at no obligation. If you are interested in hiking, boating, canoeing, exploring, tourism, or just plain checking out the Adirondack vacation areas, take a peek in this site and see some of the greatest attractions that we have right here in our very own state. I think that for some, you may find yourself planning a vacation up there to see some of these places on your own. I just finished reading the most recent newsletter and thought to myself that perhaps you people might enjoy reading about what we have here in the corner of our state. Some of you have probably already encountered this site, but for those who have not, I thought I would bring it to your attention.

We have some very deep and narrow valleys. Sounds bounce all over the place such that unless it's very close, sometimes you can't even tell where it is even coming from. What makes it real tough is when I am hunting our side hill, and my Brother-in-law is up on top and away from the edge. It is amazing how impossible it is to gauge distance in that situation. There have been times when I swore it was him shooting, only to find out that the shooting was coming from a log distance farther back.

Ok, so you guys that are covered up in huge bucks have just killed off any excuses or reasons not to take one of them this year. I expect a lot of "hero pics" this fall with some of these bucks we are seeing pictured here. Ha-ha-ha .... Just kidding. I know how those monsters disappear when the season rolls around.

It started before then, but now that I am retired, it is really locked in ..... lol. But seriously, there did come a time when I realized just how simple archery equipment could remain and still be effective. About the same time I decided that there are many people out there who create "needs and promises of guaranteed success" to sell me. There are those who make a living selling us on the idea that we absolutely cannot engage in bowhunting without their new and improved product that gives us benefits that they are willing to convince us that we need. It's a lot like the fishing lure industry that is aimed at catching more fishermen than fish.....lol.

Ha-ha....That's not to say that I didn't have my day with keeping up with the Jones's. Back when I was heavy into tournament, I created a wall full of bows and an armful of arrows and a couple of big drawers of every trinket and go-faster that anyone could conjure up. I have no idea how much money I spent on archery equipment back then. I still have that wall full of recurves and compounds, and a whole pile of fiberglass, wood and aluminum arrows. I also still have drawers full of broadheads and other hot selling gadgets, but as far as what I actually use for hunting anymore, it has been refined down to those things with a proven track record. Hey, I've turned into a cheapskate ..... What can I say?

What happens if a person gets stung right in the eye? Has anyone ever heard of that happening? I would guess that it might have some permanent devastating effects on a person's vision.

I also have a huge supply of aluminum 2117 Gamegetters also that I use as back-up. They also fly excellent and I have taken a pile of deer using them as well. The only accuracy problems that I have ever experienced with aluminum arrows, is when I fouled up the spine choices. I know arrows make a convenient excuse for misses, but the fact is that properly matched and tuned arrows shot from properly tuned equipment will seldom be a real excuse for misses. By the way, they shoot super well out of my Damon Howatt Super Diablo recurve too. My "go-to" hunting bow is a 1999 Mathews MQ-32. That old critter has shot a lot of aluminum arrows into a pile of deer. I now operate under the rule of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and as you can see that rule has been in effect for a lot of years in my archery equipment once I got past the experimental stages of my archery.

Easton 2117 Autumn Orange aluminum bought a few decades ago, and still killing deer. They have been a pretty good buy. I believe I paid something like 20 some dollars for a dozen shafts and a few bucks for vanes, nocks and broadheads. They still fly great and kill deer about as dead as any other arrow.

You need to reverse that and make a positive bear track. And then leave a few fake bear tracks around and sit back and listen to all the bear stories in the area.....lol. Or get a bigger rock and build a sasquatch track.

Has anyone actually seen a place where you can rent ATVs? I haven't. Actually, if there was such a place, renting a few times might be a good way to get acquainted with the different makes and models so when the day came to buy, a guy would have a pretty good idea of what he wanted (needed). But I honestly don't believe that there are any places that rent them out. I'm thinking the maintenance and repairs on such a vehicle would be prohibitive given how rough and abusively people can handle them. But I don't know. Just because I have not heard of such rentals doesn't mean they don't exist.

Ha-ha-ha ...... every day is a vacation day.

All the "biggies" are croaking, and not a whole lot of real legends replacing them. Glen and so many others will be missed.

No, I'm still doing summer-type stuff. Fishing, partying, landscape maintenance, traveling, etc. About the only thing hunting related that I have done is target practice with the gun and bow. Can't really get into the hunting mode when the temps are in the 80's and the skeeters are still whining in my ears. All things in their proper times.

Years ago, we had one big buck that I named Cosgrove. Don't ask me why that particular name popped into my mind, but that was how I referred to him. I guess I don't see any problem with it if you have a particular deer that stands out. If you keep running into him, I think it's kind of natural to begin calling him something.

What bothers me are all those 5-shot volleys that I hear every year. I think all of those people think they are some kind of rapid-fire experts too. These are not follow up shots, I am sure. I have found many of the results in the woods later on in or after the season. Like I say, there may very well be an occasional accomplished shooter who can maybe reliably take these kinds of shots, but I suspect there are a lot more who think they can, but more than likely have practiced just enough to get a slug somewhere in the deer, and consider that "good enough". And even more important, I think we all know about the safety rule of being sure about the back-drop of each shot to ensure what is in the line of fire. By the time that 5th shot has been swung through the woods, I doubt that anyone can say for sure that they are absolutely certain that someone has not stepped into the line of fire. And those doing this rapid fire with a scope, absolutely have no idea what will be behind the 3rd, 4th or 5th slug that they send into the woods. I don't know, others can do what they want, but those are just a couple of reasons that I simply do not shoot at running deer, or even want to be anywhere around those that do.

I guess I was just taught a little differently, to pick a spot and deliver a quick humane kill. I avoid running shots, but have heard many of these kinds of shots of guys ripping out 5 shots as quickly as they possibly can. I suspect that most of them are blowing off legs or ponding holes in the middle of some of the best venison cuts, and I doubt very much if any of them know much about what or who may be in line with the last shots. I am not saying that people can't get very proficient at making such shots. I have seen trick shot artists do some very amazing things. However, I suspect there are far more that really aren't as good at it as they imagine they are. On the other hand, I must say that it looks like a lot of fun for novelty shooting. I just don't want to be the guy stuck with rolling the targets back up the hill.....lol.

Our garden is so waterlogged that even the weeds won't grow ..... lol. Things are starting to dry out a bit now, but I think it is too late to save much of anything. The rain delays kept me from tilling the ground and planting until well into June. I stubbornly still planted it but the growing season has been perfect for seed rot and drowning of root systems. We might get some tiny beets and carrots, and if we are lucky, some of the squash may actually develop ...... maybe.

I believe the point of this post is going over most of your heads.

I get a little uneasy whenever there are toothy critters that begin to lose their natural fear of humans no matter what they are. And yes details of coyote attacks are not exactly hard to find anymore with at least one death that I have heard of. We have all seen the stories and pictures of coyotes moving into cities and becoming brazen challengers of residents there. Any of these predators that are allowed to multiply unchecked, will sooner or later result in some nasty encounters with humans. So I may not be quite as eager as some to imply that someone is stretching the truth.

Now wait a minute. That deer doesn't have a deep sway in the back, and I'll bet he still has a tooth or two left in his head. He can probably still hear and see. I don't think he is quite ready to harvest yet. give him another 4 or 5 years and then he will be mature enough to consider taking.....lol.

Ok, now conjure up a scenario where the other bigger bucks came through on the backside of the camera like genesee_mohican suggested....lol.

Butt seriously ...... Can't a guy feel the breeze on his ass when that butt-crack is hanging out. I mean that display can't really be by accident, can it? Anyway, the picture is funny.

Nope Waterloo won't do it..... you still have a bunch more miles to go. The Bass-pro shop over there is in Auburn. I think it's a pretty nice store. Like the rest of them prices are not really any bargain, but they have always had what I was looking for. It's worth the trip if you have a day with nothing to do. Love the fish tank!

Actually, my still hunting in gun season looks more like very, very slow progress through certain stretches of woods that is basically a series of many stand hunts. Walk very slow for 50 to 100 yards and then sit for a half hour or so and then repeat. So in a way, it can be considered an all-day stand, just not at one place. The all day stand on the gun opener is truly all day in one place.

Opening day of gun season is an all-day sit. I just sit there staring off into space, drinking coffee, and munching down sandwiches. My luck during gun season relies on a major escape route, which depends on hunter movement. And that movement can come at anytime during the day. The rest of the gun season is all still hunting for as long as my old legs can take it. Bow season is generally a couple hours in the morning and a couple hours in the afternoon on stand. I try not to make it a test of endurance.