ridgerunner88

Here are some more examples since the original post. The camera is facing north towards the field… pretty confident there is doe bedding on that western point. The only buck pictures I have received have been at close to 0730 in the morning and coming from the field. I will check out the eastern portion and look for sign, I like your ideas for the type of hunts to go with. I also wanna setup off the Parking Access to the west, its a small thick patch that shows potential. Just worried about how to get in there without spooking them. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Exactly, holding on to that story is my motivation. Therefore along with a “log book” that tracks the hard stats, I started a blog where I can write down the stories of my favorite hunts. So that years from now I can go back and read about my favorite adventures. Shameless plug, the site is not monetized, its just a hobby page but if you want to read my first entry about my turkey hunt this year… https://bighuntstories.wordpress.com/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for sharing, great memories! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is a great idea that I am gonna start doing My brother bought a camp this year in PA, Ive already decided that I am gonna name the big 12 point I shoot this year “Genesis” and place him over the fire place. Lol big fat dream on my part! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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I’ll Venmo you $100 if you shoot him and post a video of you eating those! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thats good to hear. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here is a good article on the antler growth process. https://www.msudeer.msstate.edu/growth-cycle.php#:~:text=The%20annual%20casting%20and%20growth,(Jacobson%20and%20Griffin%201983). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I placed a cell camera out on a field edge on July 8 and had multiple deer pass by on the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th. On the 11th a coyote showed up. Ever since I have had nothing. I know the camera is still working because I get a daily picture at 9pm. Yes this is a small sample size but it is an interesting correlation. Hopefully the deer show back up, there was a decent buck (by my standards) who I was looking forward to observing his antler development. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Being that this is going to be my first year bowhunting, I have only really ever hunted big woods/hill country with a rifle but from what you experts/killers have been preaching, I have realized I need to adjust my tactics for bow season, especially early season which opens here on Sept 27. On a recent spotting ride with the wife and kids I found a decent buck on a piece of public near my house. Below I tried to paint the picture of what I have seen thus far. That first night I saw him in the western portion of the field just after last light about 9:15. There were also four does further to the east, one doe had a fawn with her. The next day I decided to scout it so I parked at the Parking logo which is a parking lot for fishing access to the lake. I noticed a heavy trail running perpendicular to the walking trail to the lake from the thick woods to the west into the field. I walked down to the water then cut across to the east until I reached where the white trail camera symbol is located. It was there where I saw 4 heavy trails intersecting, two went south towards the point, one kept going east into some thicker cover and one went north into the field. I put that camera in Friday and so far have seen the doe with the fawn, a lone doe and that buck along with a beaver who comes out every night. All the deer photos have been during daylight. The next day I checked out the thick cover near the fishing access that had the trail coming out of it across the fishing access trail and into the field. Back there I found a few trail that led back into some really thick cover. I decided to stop and back out in order to not mess with a potential bedding area. Couple Thoughts: 1. I initially and still kind of think the buck is bedding in that thick cover off the fishing access. It is kind of like an “overlooked” area. Plus with me spotting him in the field where I did just after dark, that cover was the closest to him. 2. The photo I got of him was at 0730 coming from the field. It gets light at 0515, is this daylight movement because he is a younger buck? Can I count on him maintaining this daylight movement into early October? 3. Crazy thing we witnessed, my family and I were driving by the field at 1200 on Sunday heading to swim at the state park. My wife saw two deer fighting on their hind legs! Whats up with that? I didnt know deer showed dominance/aggression this early in the year. 4. Another thought I have is with regards to access the day of a hunt. One option is to park at the Blue Access Symbol and kayak in near where I want to slip up a tree. Thoughts? 5. Finally I noticed deer heading past my camera heading and coming from the trail that heads to the point near the water. There must be beds down there. However there is a second similar point just to the east, should I go scout that too? Or just let the place sit, leave my cell camera in there and just throw one hunt at near my trail camera and one near that thick bedding near the fishing access? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Sitting here in July it is easy to say no but ask me again in late November when I am about to eat tag stew it may be a very different answer. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is my first year really getting into pre-season scouting. Thus far it has been fun and I have learned a lot. However I started getting nervous recently because I think I could potentially be messing up some areas with my “intrusions”. But then I had this thought I figured I would share. Think Long Term! Sure scouting the area could hinder this year’s potential, however just think if you were to scout 2-3 new areas a year without stressing the short term impact, in 5 years you now have intimate knowledge of 10-15 locations! Its exponential growth too because multiple factors compound one another. 1. You develop your scouting abilities 2. You see more features/situations that aid you in future situations 3. You increase your hunting options which means you have multiple options during different situations (wind, time of year etc) Just like retirement, the sooner you start investing in your hunting locations, the sooner and larger that compound interest becomes.. I think Einstein said its the 8th wonder of the world. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My wife, kids and I have enjoyed spotlighting the past few weeks. It has led to a few new locations to consider and has been fun getting the family involved. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I won my 7mm-08 at a gun raffle four years ago and it has become my go to deer rifle. My .270 and .308 are great but I don’t find myself grabbing them as much. I do want to get a lever 30-30 someday, the history of that caliber just makes me itch to take down a deer with it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Thanks everyone for the insight. I have heard oxbows can be a challenge. I will put a camera up and if some guys show up then I get the chance to attempt a high degree of difficulty hunt. Will be fun to try, successful or not! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Its an interesting area.. due to topography there is only one way in and out.. i found that trail… didnt find any beds or many tracks… may throw a camera looking at that trail to see if another/same buck goes back there this fall Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes and the trees that were laying down were facing downstream… how would a flood cause that type of damage? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow, thats cool. Good to know, thanks! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Scouted an oxbow yesterday and found a lot of trees with damage that looked like buck rubs. However there is a beaver dam near by and I am wondering if it is just all the work of the beavers. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He came back… coyote confirmed. Wish NY had an open season so we could take these guys out during the summer before deer season. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The OP pic is from 6K… which is northern zone CNY Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I appreciate all the responses. One thing though, I may have presented my first question in the wrong manner. My goal is to just shoot a deer, not go after a trophy buck. However all I hear on podcasts is how to hunt for big boys. I know that is more difficult. I want to know the “basic” “level one” tactics a guy can apply on public land to see a deer and shoot it. Dont care if the deer is a doe, spike or monster. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

1. Many of the podcasts I listen to including yours talk a lot about how to hunt for the trophy bucks. From what I have gathered, the bigger bucks are harder to hunt and thus mean less room for error. With that being said, is there a different strategy to apply if I were to just want to target an average 6 or 8 point? Or instead should I just start trying to implement the strategies used to target big bucks with the understanding that I am going to get busted because of my inexperience but those busts will only be the trophies and with some luck I should still be able to have some shots at the younger bucks? 2. I have been e-scounting and in person scouting a piece of public land close to my home. I have placed a few trail cameras out, discovered some buck bedding and other promising deer sign. The layout of the property limits everyone to a northern access. The first ¾ mile from that access point drops you down into a deep valley then the rest of the property is two other ridge systems. I have only scouted the first portion of the property but have identified promising areas based off the topographic and satellite further back in the bottom half. My goal this summer is to locate multiple spots so that I can pick and choose the day of based off the weather conditions. I have heard on multiple podcasts that one needs to be careful not to overhunt a spot too early. With that in mind, do you think I should focus on locating good early season type spots closer to the access point and then work my way deeper into the forest and off the beaten path as the season progresses, basically start my season close to the truck then gradually work my way back in? This will “budget” my good locations and ensure that when hunting pressure does rise when rifle comes in, that I will have already moved on from the easy access locations into the harder access locations. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk