NYBowhunter

My point, if done legally not much can be done, decent or not hes doing it on a property you hunt. Get those other angles in order for next season and move on. Been there done that, no more. Was tired of people telling me when I could hunt, not knowing who was gonna show up. I was very successful, but it wasn't enjoyable. Unlike you, I still manged to kill mature bucks and does on the properties i had permission to hunt but it wasn't good not knowing what could happen next. How about traveling 4 hours only to be told you can't hunt because family of the landowner came up the last minute. I know what your going thru, get out and make it enjoyable, you will be much better off, trust me.

Not if its done legally, not much can be done.

Agreed deer are a natural resource for all to enjoy, but I think your smart enough to know if a deer your after enters private property that you don't have access too, you have lost that resource for the time being. To be very honest, the things you are dealing with are the very reason I bought my 41 acres 13 years ago. Doesn't seem very enjoyable what your doing.

Been contemplating selling for a while, but since I hardly used it when it had a scope doubt I will ever use it now without the scope.. Been a safe queen. Probably not even 2 boxes down the tube. This is very good condition Browning A Bolt 300 Win. Mag. Stainless Stalker with the B.O.S.S system. Will come with the stainless base and rings along with 32 bullets of the 180 gr. variety. Not looking to ship, can meet up at an FFL in the NYC area or up near camp, central NY (Oneonta, NY area) . FFL at buyers expense $800 firm.

Hey here's an idea, seriously, how about filming a deer hunt for a youth or another hunter. Im sure that's just as exciting without having to pull the trigger. Merry Xmas.

I put nothing past mankind, people do some ridiculous stupid shit. Guess they justify things in thier crazy messed up brains.

Tuff one because its not your property and I think we discussed something similar last year. I'm fine with him using all his tags legally to donate to someone in need or cant hunt anymore. But if hes testing the waters and asking you about using other peoples tags (DMP's transferred to him is fine) tells me hes not really a guy to trust. To be honest he just sounds like a person that likes to kill. Your in a bad position, as long as hes doing everything legally not much you can do or should say. Starting tension with a family may cost you dearly in the long run. Seems like your dealing with similar crap as last year. Find a new place or buy your own.

I couldn't agree anymore, the best time I had hunting this year was taking my dad who is 82 up the mountain in my UTV to retrieve my buck, just me and him. Killing a deer is a very small part of my hunts. I enjoy spending time with family at camp and the very best part is butchering deer at camp, waking up on a cold morning, cup of coffee, wood stove going butchering and talking for hours.

That's sad on every level, been there before, its not easy. Be strong brother.

I enjoy hunting, eating wildgame. I still get butterflies (at 50) when I head up to camp. Never felt the need to quit hunting, but sounds like you need a break.

I agree, for me atlleast its a commitment and passion. I try to better my land, some years I do more, some years very little, but I do something. Also I put the time in to get deer, sometimes it only takes a couple hours to get a deer or three...lol..and sometimes the whole season.

Ouch, holy crap thats alot of collisions. Damn, be careful out there.

Welcome

This probably should be a new topic,, but I must say that in the grand ole scheme of things I think as a whole we are the minority of the NY hunting population. For the most part all on this site are pretty successful in getting deer. I hear so many stories where NY hunters go years without getting a deer (and these are not trophy hunters). Or hear story of 7 guys on 500 acres and they only take one deer and between them all only see 2 deer. As a group I think we are all pretty lucky.

Not punching a tag can humble a person, I have always been a meat hunter. Im fortunate to harvest mature bucks from time to time, but if a mature doe or young buck are in my sights, I need meat and I feel like I want that deer, then I will shoot. I never ever make excuses, I have nobody to please. I love eating deer meat, bottom line.

I wouldn't say anything, just do it. Guarantee you benefit more by being in the woods. Use the travel routes to and from the plots to your advantage. Skirt the plots as far off as you can when you enter in the morning and setup where you catch them coming off the plots at first light. Just make sure the plots are done correctly or like anything else your just throwing your money out the window.. Win win!!!

10 x 10 plots would get chewed to the ground in my area. 1/2 acre to 2 acre plots are ideal and several at that.

You should, it will benefit all if the plots are done correctly. Don't just throw money at them, ask what are thier plans, testing soil, what are they planting (plant what other properties don't offer), will they lime and fertilize based upon the test results. Do they even have the equipment needed to put in a plot? Being 200 to 300 yards off a plot can be a gold mine, if you catch them staging up by you before they enter the plots or if you catch deer coming off the plots going to bed. What till plots go in and then see where deer travel. You don't need to be on the plot to kill deer. I have 6 plots on 40 acres, I benefit from my neighbors for bedding areas and they benefit from my plots. I'm around alot of ag (corn), so i plant alot of ladino clover to provide something different and also the turkeys love clover as well and at times I will plant brassicas. All of our biggest bucks were never killed over a plot, some immature bucks yes, but not the big boys.

Thats great, I love pastry with rum.

They are very good .

Could be, they blended in well with the hens that I didn't take notice. The gobblers in my area however are very easy to tell a part. Im not much of a turkey hunter, probably should take the time to hunt them as my area has some of the highest densities in all of NY. Finding time in may is the hard part...lol

24 hens, not all are in pic. Pic. is from a video of them coming off top of my mountain to feed in the plot.

And some struffoli me and my youngest boy made....

Numbers up in 4F, but populations for the most part in 4F are pretty stable. Some of the biggest flocks I have seen on my property are from this year. Have video of 24 hens in my plot and a little later 6 gobblers.. Never seen that many hens at one time on my property. With Turkeys like deer, numbers can trend up or down not by county but property to property.