NFA-ADK

ADK rifle: Huge sandwich of ham turkey cheese and some chips and soda, nothing like being miles from anything starving then sitting down to that. Otherwise it is a prayer to thank the lord for getting me back into the woods again and hopefully making it home safe. My new tradition seems to be setting up the tent solo and having a few beers to celebrate being back in the ADK. Lost another hunting partner and best friend this year so this ADK trip will have special meaning. Hope my other best friend finally gets his first buck as this will be our 30th year hunting together. Don't really have a tradition for the bow yet. Unless you think bad luck is a tradition, lol.

Some people have no clue how to actually hunt, this is how they get deer every year then brag about how great they are, lol. I hunted with a guy in Roscoe that did that, said not to shoot the 2 year old bears then shot one because it was eating his bait, last time I hunted in that location, shame it was a really good spot.

Biggest jump is usually from 1.5 to 2.5. My main point would be a 2.5 is a good deer by most standards but if you really want larger antlers the deer need to get past 2.5 to really start showing the true potential they have. Is a 2 year old a good deer, yes I passed a good one 2 years ago and last year a guy in the tree took him. Should I be mad? No he probably passed him also at 2.5 and that is the reason he was able to get a good buck. It simply needed some age. If you hunt this way I salute you because it is hard to pass a good buck for the chance at a great buck!

Love still hunting with my bow, such a challenge. I also can only do this on public land that has enough for me to roam without bumping into tree stand hunters. Lucky for me we have a few properties like that on Long Island only issue is they are also the least populated.

No camera's as I like to duplicate ADK hunting so I tend to speed scout even on LI. My buddy does run a few cameras and I was not able to help this year with the stands but I am getting that itch that needs a scratch! I will be on the ground this opening day and I am told I need to be at the spot by 12:01 AM to ensure I have a spot! This is going to be a long opening day, think I will need to do a half day or I might be sleeping by 1pm. One last test of broad-heads and slight tune issues to resolve tomorrow then I have to clean and spray the clothes, get batteries for flashlights and range finder and I think I am set. My reality is seeing many deer and never taking a shot, I have only taken 2 shots so far with bow. My other reality is luck, if it was not for bad luck I probably would not have any, lol. Just seems like I always make a mistake at the exact wrong time! Hope this year I can get one of the big boys we have been after! Good luck and be safe!

Nice, good luck this season!

For someone just starting off these are great tips! Even experienced hunters can use these tips if they never tried them. Being a bit proactive will sometimes get you much more action.

Happy B-Day!!!

Not sure how many are in clubs but we have a few that hunt the area. I have been in Tupper lake, Indian Lake, Warrensburg, Inlet, moose river plains, long lake and a few other places. Big woods!

Ditto!

Calling works! Try some fawn distress calls this early season. Try not to make the call too loud like an attack just loud enough for other deer to hear the fawn. (This is a great for stand hunting.) Similar to this. This is a baby and usually the tone is slightly lower in larger fawns at this time of year. As the hot weather persists try hunting hard in the mornings as that is the coldest part of the day and when many deer are active. If you want to temp some bucks try tickling the antlers together like 2 young bucks testing each other, contact grunts are also very effective. No knock down fights at this time of the year usually so go light and give at minimum 20 minutes before calling again. Your scent rises in the AM so if you really like the stand hunting till noon time is a good cut off time. (That falling scent later in the day can bring your smell back to the ground and alert deer to your presence, don't wear out your hot stands to early!) Not as big of an issue in some area's of high wind or prevailing winds pushing your scent away from known trails. Don't think you messed an area up if a deer snorts at you going in the dark. If it is just one snort that means the deer was startled by you, give one snort back (Only if you think the deer did not run and is still in the area.) this often settles them into thinking you are just another deer. If they snort more than one time the jig is up and they either saw, heard or smelled you and they are gone, they are very hard to call back as they saw you as danger. Usually this means they had a clear look at you smelled or heard you, 2 of these will send them running. Cover your scent as much as possible while trying to use other scent to keep the deer occupied in your best line of sight. This is where deer P works well. Make sure you leave a trail of drops going away from the main P spot as most deer "Drip" while walking away. As this is early season regular P is best not doe in heat! Freshen or make a mock scrap in your 2nd lane of preferred shooting with a licking branch, this is where pre-orbital and interdigital scent can work well. What tips and tricks do you use early season and why? Good luck this season! Lets make it safe! Hope you get your best buck this year and your freezer is filled!

ADK buck for my longtime hunting partner of 30 years!

Congratulations! Very cool!

Thank you for showing your daughter how wonderful the outdoors and hunting is, I hope you have a great year with much success! Good luck!

Very nice buck, good luck with him!

I watched a few over my buddies house. I will not pay to watch TV anymore. No cable box. Simply not worth it.

He's a good one! Good luck with him.

Love the sparring match and how the bigger one backed down! Too funny, hope that little guy does not try that in a month when rut starts he might get himself in trouble! Cool pics!

Looks young to me, I typically like to run my fingers on the top of the teeth. Anything slightly sharp indicates young deer to me. I always worry about that last twitch while my hand is in the mouth!

Most ladder stands are set up 15-20 ft. Climber I sometimes go higher but not much unless obstructed. I have been in one about 6ft that I could have jumped on there back and went for a ride.

Perfect example WNY Bowhunter! Thanks!

Sorry, my bad, this is the other buck shot 2 years ago I believe. Good catch on spotting it was the same!!! Funny how the angle change fooled me, real easy to make a good buck look like a giant if you get close enough!

These 2 are both 2.5 year old deer, my buddy passed a 3.5 last year also. The guy who shot these 2 now realizes they are small compared to the 135 + class deer around as he saw 2 last year after shooting his buck and one was over 140. Simply put if you shoot every 2 year old in your area you will probably never see anything older, I know the guy down the road might shoot him but as a big buck hunter you must let them go so they can grow. All the 2 year old and younger bucks taken have no chance of getting larger. The excuse that the next guy will shoot him if I don't will never give that buck a chance to grow and mature. Lucky for us the other hunters pass many young deer also but nothing is set in stone it's all voluntary. Want larger deer, talk with the hunters in the area, if you can get just one to pass 2 year old deer it will help. Every year the same area's produce large racked deer, much of this is due to guys passing them when they are young. Both of these bucks where less than 130.

7/27 was the date so he did have some more growing time.

I think he is referring to the shape. As for size, those tips will not be much longer and in actuality the overall size of the rack will look and be smaller after shedding. Look at any deer before they shed, most look like giants then after they shed no so much. This is the reason so many want a velvet buck, they add to the overall score with velvet on them.