NFA-ADK

WOW, agreed best gift ever for a fathers day CONGRATS!!! Jack pot is right Dave! Landtracdeerhunter I expected a 12 gauge lol or something like that. This is way over the top for a gift and can not be beaten... Again Congratulations and have fun spoiling your grandson and future hunting partner! Now go get some sleep, lol.

I have not been up in a stand in years but when hunting the things I look for to get a good set up are: 1: Big tracks!!! a: If I find what appears to be a buck, I follow untile I can not any more... Noting everything possible from food eaten, scrapes to rubs and resting/sleeping area's in deep cover. If he comes onto doe tracks that is my spot regaurdless of the area, food or cover. This has helped me more than once and is my most favorate way to hunt in remote area's 2: Sign post: rub scraps etc. Have to be fresh or I will ignore thinking it was a one time travel route to a destination. Then I want to kown the destination and where he came from... I will not ignore if more than one track exists at what appears to be differant times or deer. (Travel highways are key if I find bucks tracks in them even more so.) 3: Doe and excessive tracks: Where I hunt if you find doe, the bucks will follow if rut is on or a doe is in heat. Many times I key on this as they are much easyer to find then finding a bucks tracks with limited amounts of deer and even less time to scout. They tend to be in smaller area's than the bucks roam from what I have seen making patterning easyer. Staying hidden and undetected on ground level is another issue in itself. But it is so much fun!!! 4: I key on the area's I track doe or bucks that have a narrow funnel or draw if possible. Making at bare minimum at least a sighting of them possible. 5: Terain and aireal maps, VIP info for exporing new area's I have not hunted or been to. . While cover and food sources are very importiant, I tent to ignore much of this due to the fact that the area I hunt usually has both to varing degrees. No food plots or farms for miles making food a resource I have trouble keying in on... My biggest disadvantage is not knowing the forest as well as I would like and finding food sources is always a challenge for me. That is something I have been working on and hope to improve every year. I know beachnut, cherry, apples and oaks pretty good but a expert I am not... And so many other food sources exist I find this part of my hunting perplexing and overwhelming. If I had private property trail pictures would put it all together... State land is so vast I would have trouble determining where to put them up and the expense of 10 or more cams does not thrill me... Yet the price keeps droping making this experiment enticing... Note: This is a deep woods point of view and will not work as well in high populations of deer as roaming the woods might scare off potential prey more than is needed. (I am sure I scared off more deer over the years than was seen.) This type of tracking is almost impossible unless you are allowed to tresspass or have an excessive amounts of land. Making a 1-5 mile tracking job possible. When you are familiar with the area you hunt this is not needed as much to FIGURE out the patterns. I keep a mental record for the day and try to put as much details into the log book as possible. As the log book changes from year to year I try to key in on area's that consistantly have the most deer in it and the best sign's. They do change from year to year yet I find the same doe pattens exist unless a excessive blow down, flooding or microburst changes the terain... While they do not keep the same exact pattern every year the core area remains the same. I have a area where I missed a buck(long time ago) that has excessive doe sign, cover and a funnel. Yet in my experiance it is a travel "pass through" area and is utilized at first light mainly. If I bring a stand this is where I would put it to avoid detection and scent... 1:physical sign (tracks,rubs,scrapes) Key for finding deer in remote area's and sometimes requires a lot of hiking with excessive staring onto the ground. Extreamly draining... 2:funnels/pinch points - Key for a close clean ethical shot. 3:food sources- My biggest downfall is locating them! 4:cover- This is excessive where I hunt, so many places to hide out... I am keying in on swamps more... 5:trail cam pictures (I have not used them.) I feel this is key to putting the whole equation together. Love the topic!!!!!!!!!!! Note that I liked woodsman20's post. He has a great view IMO!!! If I live upstate and was able to scout more that would be my method... I think he hit's the nail on the head!

So I get home after a long day ready to order some DVD's and go out to dinner with family. I find my brother is trimming my hedges as I get home and the going out for dinner with the rest of the family is out the door as I end up working till dark to finish cleaning the yard. I repaired his computer so he was returning the favor due to a broken edger that I need to replace the carb on. Needless to say I did not get to ordering anything as I just passed out after a long shower and frozen pizza at 11pm. So today I get into work with my 2 pre-paid 50$ gift cards ready to order. Only thing is the Benoit web site does not take American Express, so much for using the gift cards... Figure I will get a purifier with them. I could not resist and used a regular credit card to finish the transaction! Five dvd's on the way,YES!!!

Thanks for the offer Larry302!!! Not sure I would need the dmaps as I am very particular in what I shoot. Although back straps have started to tickle my tast buds, WOW they are good! The offer is greatly appreciated!!!!!!! I usually like to hunt from the ground unless needed. Watch it I might take you up on that offer, I do not usually turn down hunting opportunities!!!

Nice gun for zombie's. I can not think of anything else I would use it for except for fun at the range... I give it a 8 on the cool scale. Looks like fun... The flir scout is a 9... I would feel like I am cheating though... The upper models get a 10 if they work properly... Nice novelties if you can afford them and they are legal...

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.benoitsbigbucks.com/index.html O wait that was the Salerno Brothers, Arg, I get into so many differant big game trackers I mix them up sometimes... I will order them tonight when I get home and can use the gift cards... Looks like the 5 video's and the book are a good deal and I can give the book to a friend as a gift because I already have that book...

I have to send in a check for it, apparently they have no credit card service. (And I have no checking account) So much for using the 50$ gift cards... I will probaly send them a e-mail as I would like additional books if they have some in addition to the video's... The web site only shows thier video link and instructions on how to order through mail. So I need to send a request to them for further information... Any info you have is appreciated!!!

What a stud! Good luck with him Sampotter!!! Hope to see him with your tag latter in the year! Thanks for sharing!!!

Future PETA organizer...

They are going to justify it one way or another with the hopes of improving participation. Yet this will not fix anything except upset a few people on internet posts... In so far as posting my oppinion on something like crossbow, well yes I will voice my thoughts... (That is what posting on forums is about remember...) I am not against cross bows, I just don't see the similarities others do. One of the reasons I respect bow hunters is the fact that they have to perfect their weapon to be realy effective. ESP tradition... No so with a cross bow IMO... That realationship between weapon and time spent is lost with a crossbow IMO. May be it is just me but I meet many hunters who seem to just not care about most laws. Tradition is nonexistant and ethics is an after thought. I see this weapon as drawing that typical dont give a crap attitude about hunting into the fray. I am sure I will be told this is just my narrow point of view and thier is probably some truth to it. Archery season was alway something sacred, was... Otherwise like I said they will make the weapon legal during bow to improve paricipation while acomplishing nothing again, typical politics bla bla bla... Survival/hunting classes in schools is the best thing to improve numbers and participation yet try to get that passed is next to impossible state wide. If presented properly it could take off yet that is another challenge. Again I am not against cross bow's. If they made a separate season for them I would have one NOW... And If I had one I would be proud to be a member of the Cross Bow Coalition! OK how many pages you think this will go, lol.

KFC, McD's, Wendies, Deli. I don't cook...

I keep mine in a soft case. My old bow is leaning up against a wall, no case. I see no reason why you can not hang it on something. They are always hanging in the archery stores and we hang them when at the range while not shooting... I think a hard case is ideal, just a little expensive but worth the extra expense if you are hard on your gear or want added protection.

OMG let it die allready!!! Move on people.

Ncountry I think you hit the nail on the head with that one!!! Could not agree more!!! Great story, now where can I find a girl like that! Def a dream of mine Carpteach...

They are ticketing us with camera's too. Wich I feel is not right. How do you cross examin a camera? Just another way the Gov get money from us and we do not complain about it so they will keep on going. Next is hidden camera's on the highway to prevent speeding, it will happen...

I am not going to start a debate but I am not for crossbow during bow season. Sorry I just see it as the same thing as a gun IMO. And no matter what justifications you show will not change my opinion on this matter. A bow requires much practice, I can teach a kid to shoot as well as me in one day making the weapon equal to a compound or traditional bow is not the same thing... If they want to use it let them use it during normal rifle season... Otherwise NYS will make it legal and trample on more of the archery season, like every one does. No need for me to give up 20$ for it...

OK so get involved and promote hunting!!! Any way you can... Or we can argue about the NRA, NYB, Ted Nugent, X-bow vs compound, season dates, ethics, pictures with Illegal miniral blocks, the legal taking of someone's deer or any other number of things to argue about. Just try to get involved somehow... We argue over what is sometimes trivial things, I am guilty as the next person. I believe it is in our nature as many hunters are very stong willed, IMO. Although we bicker within our ranks when real threats to hunting present themselves I see a more united front even if opinions vary. We do not have to all belong to the same organization or agree with each others opinion yet we should all do something to promote, defend and ensure hunting is going to be a long enjoyed pastime after we have all gone... . NFA GETSOME

2 Funny, I had a guy at Suffolk Archers asking me to get into the whole nuisance permit thing saying how it is great to hunt year round. He shoots doe all the time, he says. I did not explain the fact that I hunt for mature deer as I did not think that he would understand...

That is COOL!!! I need to start shed hunting... OK glue them together then send it to me so I can make a lamp. I will send the 20$ shipping fee, lol. Wow that is a lot of work right thier, you are a true outdoorsman Wooly! I am jealous!!! Why have I not been shed hunting, arg. Mabe the house, truck, work, bills and playing around with my bow on Sundays has something to do with it... I need a time machine or a transporter... Or a winning lotto ticket!!! VERY VERY COOL thanks for sharing!!!

I have contemplated using it, it looks really good!!! Only draw back I see is others not seeing you or thinking you are a tree, might work well for bow. Main reason I was interested...

Nice!

THANKS!!! Funny how they are not afraid of people here on LI in many area's. A product of thier environment... Another reason I do not consider them as much of a challenge. If I can all most pet them, whats the point of shooting them... Again the challenge is a big part of my hunting experience... Not that LI deer are not skitish when hunted it's just that a deer that does not see people often wants nothing to do with them usually more than our LI deer who are naturalized to people. Same thing happens upstate in area's where deer and people have extended contact. Another reason I do not usually hunt near towns... Those deer are use to seeing people, yet when you enter thier woods they seem to know something is up... I figure if deer were never hunted they would never worry about hunters like many LI deer yet if you have been stalked or shot at by a hunter like many upstate deer have they make sure to keep clear of all humans at any cost... Predation on LI is null giving the deer even less to worry about... At least as an adult.

My co-workers know I am a true mature deer hunter and consider hunting on LI less of a challenge compaired to the ADK and they know I have never hunted LI. They understand my fear of Ticks and lyme too... They have been hiking in WestHills park for years and have never seen deer and tell me they are not in the park. I tried to explain when they are hiking in the park the deer are usually sleeping or hiden in an area they can not see from the trails. Most that know me well understand I do not just shoot anything, I have used 3 tags since 1988 and it is not because I dont see deer it's because I only shoot bucks that I want. And while LI has some huge wall hangers, it's not the same as a deep woods buck... I would not trade any one of my two ADK bucks over any LI deer, the feeling of accomplishment is amazing and I just don't think I would have that same feeling with a LI buck. Not that I will never hunt LI or be challenged by it's deer, I have been debating it this year as the close ride is very tempting but again my co-workers that know me understand how I love to watch and observe deer more than kill them... If I was into killing or meat I would have many more deer under my belt!!! Not that I do not like meat, I just usually get it to go... If I start cooking may be I will hunt more for food...

We can talk about illegal activities any time, my point is that not everyone knows that they are doing something illegal and a little discression goes a long way in: 1: informing the person it is illegal 2:doing it descreatly so they don't feel demoralized on a public forum and do not want to come back. 3:If done properly they will come back and hopfully stop what ever illegal activity they are doing... 4: this is a public site and as much cursing that is done when the "guys" get together is not the same thing as posting on a public forum where anyone including my mom would read... Again discression is key... We have to tone it down while posting on a public forum... Plain and simple if we talked like we do while at the hunting camp or while hanging out in the garage this would be a R or X-rated site... Realize kids and women visit this site along with us male domanant types...