NFA-ADK

Thanks for all the support! Rough week as this happened one week ago, good just to talk about it and get some emotions out. Again thanks for the support it is greatly appreciated!

His Dad who passed away 4 years ago took the bottom pictures. The pictures of me where taken by him. (Two bottom fishing pics.) Such a good guy with so much going for him. We will all miss you.

Lost another brother of the outdoors last week, another best friend and long time hunting/fishing/camping and outdoors enthusiast. Lost way to young at 46 years old. RIP brother(Greg) it will never be the same without you. Love you man! Running out of best friends, thankfully I have a great support group with my friends and family in these dark days. Missing you!

Dad never hunted as an adult. As kids my parents took us to Maine or Pennsylvania for vacations. Maine was all about fishing as they lived on a lake. Penn was all about the woods, farm, exploring and shooting a bow, snowmobile in winters. I was told my uncle always got a deer! As a kid I shot just about every bird and small animal that lived (Crossman American Classic BB/pellet gun) and was never really interested in small game after that. In 1988 one of my best friends asks if I am interested in hunting deer I was hooked instantly even though we had a poacher trying to teach us how it was done, first and last year with him. Reading all about hunting mature bucks in the deep ADK woods became a passion and we started our journey the next year in Warrensburg. Took me a long time to learn about hunting and put it to good use on the ground, some hunting partners call me a bad hunter simply because I pass so many but for me the enjoyment is worth every minute! Personally I see this amazing creature as the most majestic beast in the N.E. woods and will always have a passion and respect for its beauty, cunning, alertness and many ways of evading the predators that seek them out. The most adaptable animal with a amazing ability to survive our harsh winters is what originally attracted me to them but their beauty has captivated me forever! I love deer, this is why when I hear people call them pests and vermin it brakes my heart. I make it a point to thank every deer for its life and the bounty it provided out of respect for the animal I just killed. I hope on this epic 30th year of hunting my best friend Shawn finally gets his first deep woods ADK buck!

Real easy to say what you did was wrong with out being in that persons shoes. Real easy to point a finger on the internet and say NO NO NO. I bet if you had the option of doing the same thing on your land or spend thousands of dollars to clean it up you would have done the same thing. Hard for me to say it was wrong without knowing what was buried and I would probably have done the same thing if it was legal at that time. Remember perspective. Don't judge unless you have first hand experience at the location. For now Grow is right IMO and did nothing wrong with the laws at the time. Today might be different but that happened long ago!

RIP prayers to the family and friends. We need to put bullet proof glass in the cars now! Thanks to the hero's who stopped this demented person! Prayers for our brothers and sisters on the NYPD and all NY Police!

Response was priceless! Too funny!

Good luck with it, looks really nice!

How about compassion for your fellow brothers and sisters, don't they deserve another chance at life. So what you paid to help save them. I think if it was your kid or best friends kids you might want to help them. Real easy to say they choose this life yet many had this brought upon them from doctor prescribed medication. This has not affected me personally yet I see and hear it often enough to know it is an epidemic and hits all families not just city or urban area, this is in rural area's all over the country and is a big issue. We need to go after this issue in the schools and teach and show kids pictures of how bad the reality of these drugs destroys the lives of the addict and the family unit involved.

I like the challenge but not so much that I have a good chance of a wound. This is why I prefer a compound and not traditional because traditional are simply not accurate compared. Is luck involved yes but the guy who spends the time and effort to know how and when a deer is coming in and has studied how to properly hunt that deer is the one who has more luck because of the preparation he has performed, this is why some hunters are better than others. Anyone can sit in a stand for a week, the guy who is prepped knows when that best chance is and usually will capitalize on it, both need a bit of luck on their side to get a good ethical kill but the one who prepped with months of shooting and scouting is usually the one who connects best and most often.

Another prayer sent your way, hope everything works out ok.

This is a real problem in our society today, it spans all races, religions, wealth and shows no stopping anytime soon. Real easy to say they choose this life but the reality is not that simple. When the oxycodone stops coming in from the doctors the other choice is much cheaper but as we see it is destroying our youth. Prom queens, wrestling captains, football players, cheerleaders, honor roll students, it is not just bad kids doing this and is such a hard thing for them to give up when it is so available. The war on drugs has failed miserably, we need to have a solution to save these kids and stop the destruction of American families. Any ideas? I think education would help but I think we really need some of these recovering addicts to perform at schools telling others what they did and how bad it can get to try and stop that first time use that usually gets the kids hooked. It really needs to be drilled into them that this is not a drug to "try out" as the implication usually lead to a life of pain and suffering for them and the families they destroy. This epidemic has spread to every corner of society, we really need to go after this issue! Those needles keep killing our youth over and over yet I don't see the politicians helping in any way. We need better solution than 3 strikes your out. Real easy to say that until someone in your family or close friends becomes hooked. Solutions? What do you think would help???

So its not a challenge unless you go with primitive gear in the ADK. WT? Then it would be you cheated because you used a call, or used cover scent, or had a new broad head and not a sharpened rock tip. Or you did not track it down in snow so you just got lucky. Or you just happened to be in the right place and got lucky. The excuses on what is and is not acceptable is funny to me. Not a challenge if you go up a tree, not a challenge if you use calls, not a challenge if you hunt a food plot, etc. Sounds like some will always have an excuse why someone's deer is not valid because it was not a challenge. The Benoits talk about always tracking and even stated at times this is the best way to hunt and for them the only way. Fast forward a bunch of years where age caught up to them and snow was minimal and now they talk about hunting smarter NOT harder. Now they use calls, rattle and SIT! Personally for me I love the challenge of hunting but since the start I always wanted to learn how to do it smarter, does that mean I do not want a challenge? No I just want to hunt different than the others who always used tracking as the main way to hunt. To me reading sign and working off that sign is what gets me going, calling has been my other prime way of getting deer closer. Cheating? Some say yes just like tree stands, food plots, high population area etc. Simply put it is real easy to say that deer is not legit simply because (Insert excuse here). I have heard the same thing from getting 3 ADK bucks, like I am cheating. (He must bait or he is using calls that's cheating.) Or the best one yet: Even a blind squire finds a nut sometimes. Next will be "Why did you shoot him from a tree?" You used cover scent? You used deer P? You called them in and used a decoy? ON A FARM!!! Take him out back and shoot that cheater! ok I think I am done with my babble for the day.

Camo neck gaiter, it acts as a hood, facemask or neck warmer, not sure of brand but it stretches and is smooth. I also love my full camo/bright orang reversible face mask it is warm when the wind really bites. I have a Gore-Tex suit that is the best in freezing rain from the late 80's that is still in great shape and is the only gear I will use in those conditions because I know I will be dry and warm. I also use it below 20 degrees in windy conditions for the same reason. Primos deer cans and grunt calls, I rarely hit the woods without them. Still have yet to find a really good pair of light waterproof gloves that you don't sweat in. Any ideas?

I brought a few and found some fell off when setting it and others on flight so I stopped using them. (They where old!) I found fletching them myself fun and rewarding so I do that now. Lucky for me I don't loose to many from shooting as most of our targets are in good shape. Most times I loose fletching from others hitting my arrow. I also loved my camo arrows! lol

Stubby68 Then I hope you do not have a customer service department. Usually this is based on helping others with no though of yourself. Again your mentality would not work very well in any business. When things don't go well at your company do you just mind your own business or do you talk to the representative at the front desk and tell them that the customer is first and always right, even if they are wrong? Real easy to say I only need to take care of myself but I value my family friends and coworkers and try to help when ever possible. Do I seek praise when I do instruction on deer hunting, no, it is nice to get it when some say THANKS that information helped me get my doe this year? Sure but to say that is the reason people do it to get praise is again self centered, these people dedicate their free time and do not get paid for the services they perform and most that do this are modest and only want to help out and keep hunting as a tradition.

That is fine if you only care about yourself. I love hearing others success and looking at all the deer we get throughout the year, I like doe, small buck, weird bucks, strange racks and sharing with others. The opposite attitude seems self centered to me and seems to be the norm with younger hunters or silver spoon syndrome as I like to call it. I also like to share my knowledge, experience and show that anyone can gain information for hunters with no experience, sometimes the less experienced have some really amazing stories! No two hunts or deer for that matter are the same and I enjoy reading and looking at the pictures and stories from any deer. Reminds me of fisherman some don't tell anything, others will take you to the spot and show how its done!

Ego boost, you bet. Weather or not that person shares it and declares I am the best is a whole different world. With all the hours of shooting, hiking, practicing, tracking, planning then the final execution can be very climatic, at least for me. Those final seconds of peak awareness when the buck is in view, unaware and I need to get on target when my nerves are starting to peak is something. Possibly why I pass so many from a tree, it just seems to easy. Same goes for young deer, I have had young buck and doe basically come right up to me in the woods or not run away when I came into view they did not represent a good challenge. The ones I do go after, if it was a doe or a buck, usually out last or outsmart me. I have found deer that are in the 3.5 and above represent the best challenge doe or buck. Something about chasing older deer that adds another level to my enjoyment. The antlers I do envy but that is not the real goal. If I wanted antlers I would stop hunting the ADK they simply do not have the food to do it in most areas. I blame this book for my evil ways, ever since reading it back in the late 80's all I ever wanted was to get a good ADK buck, it has corrupted my fragile mind, lol. So did the Benoits, Salerno's, Peter Fiduccia. I also really enjoy watching deer from a stand. The observation and reaction to calling is fun to watch. It also helps when I am tracking or scoping an area to determine what the sign says. So I guess I am saying it is more about the challenge. Would I shoot a brute that just walked in first day with little challenge, yes, then for me the real challenge is a perfectly executed shot. All the other work and prep paid off. Conclusion: As the top predator chasing the Whitetail simply feels so right! It is something that has been done for thousands of years. Anyone that has been to a hunting camp or has been with a bunch of hunting friends know deer, especially the ones that got away can become stories of legend. I love to celebrate the deer I have taken, to me they are beautiful and preserving them shows that off. Seeing other have success, showing the beauties they have taken and the amazing stories with them helps take me on their adventure. I think antler envy is in our genes as top predators. Might be why some take it too far. In so far as showing off, yes some might do it just like sports it is part of the game some have to play and get the best. My buddy has a few friends who have 170+ plus class deer that have never been seen outside of these houses, like stated before it is usually to keep outsiders out. Most are very modest but guard the hunting location.

WoW that is amazing!

GPS, Glow in the dark pin on compass. Surefire flashlights and lithium bat. Waterproof case for the light bulb and batteries. Waterproof camo rain gear and under armor. Kwik Kamp canvas wall tent. 2 way radios where phones don't work.

I like deer and deer hunting and Drury Outdoors. It's very educational. If you saw the early seasons you would see how not every episode has a kill and how hard and frustrating hunting can be even on some of the most pristine hunting grounds. Poachers really get me upset. One of the worst things a hunter can do. It seems these hosts will do just about anything to get good ratings and keep the money flowing in, such a shame.

The site says you can use it during regular gun season. Suffolk you can use it early. http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8305.html Deer Tag Types and Privileges Deer Tag Types and Privileges Tag Type Valid For Can be used during Regular Season Deer Tag Antlered Deer Only Exceptions: Antlered or Antlerless During the regular season in Westchester Co. and during any season in Suffolk Co. In Areas restricted to longbow hunting only During late season (with bow or muzzleloading privilege) Regular Seasons Northern Zone Southern Zone Late Seasons Bowhunting (with Bow Privilege) Muzzleloading (with Muzzleloading Privilege) Bow/Mz Season Either Sex Deer Tag Antlered or Antlerless Deer Cannot be used for Antlerless deer during muzzleloading seasons in certain Northern Zone WMUs that are for Antlered Deer only Bowhunting OR Muzzleloading seasons only (including the regular season in Westchester County and any season in Suffolk County), corresponding to the privileges purchased. Junior Bowhunters may use the Bow/Mz Either Sex tag during the Bowhunting and Regular Seasons. Bow/Mz Season Antlerless Deer Tag Antlerless Deer Only Cannot be used during muzzleloading seasons in certain Northern Zone WMUs that are for Antlered Deer only Bowhunting OR Muzzleloading seasons only (including the regular season in Westchester County and any season in Suffolk County), corresponding to the privileges purchased, Junior Bowhunters may use the Bow/Mz Antlerless Only tag during the Bowhunting and Regular Seasons. Deer Management Permit Antlerless Deer Only Valid only for the WMU specified on the DMP Valid during all deer hunting seasons (with appropriate privileges). Deer Management Permits

Going to the R100 in Sturbridge Mass. this weekend. Should be a fun shoot, looking forward to it. Hope the rain holds off!

Very nice! Try a 3D shoot they are fun! I really like shooting far because it helps make the short shots seem easy. I might get that bow as a target bow, it is a sweet shooting bow from what I have heard and seen. Good luck with it!

Awesome! Congrats! Looks like Mom will have some help with what I figure is big sister! Very cool!