WesternNY

I AGREE

This is my worse year in 7 on my farm... based on sightings. I think is multifactorial for me. Mainly from bow season Weather Warm and windy Coyotes were bad for me from late Sept til Oct 31... Too much food, heavy mast year.

Good luck to you too... rats will be tough with the snow and ice... be careful! I got great locations for sets with known sign, pics and travel of k9's but works days don't make it easy!

Even if the bow take has increased I highly doubt it would have the impact that is being described. Don't forget the impact that coyotes have during fawning and during winter when it is difficult for adult deer to run great distances in heavy snow.

The Day I caught the coon, I pulled my coon sets and furthest dirt hole sets due to time constraints checking the traps. I kept 2 dirt hole sets that had no action except for one that looked like a deer stepped on the side of the jaw. Yesterday I put out 3 new dirt sets with my new MB650IL, I meant to get some coon sets out today, but never got to it. The long weekend coming up I will get them out as well as a hay set for k9's. If only work didn't get in the way.

Well I got the new MB650's degreased, cleaned and waxed. Also decided to pull my furthest k9 set and furthers coon sets as work is getting the way of fun. Wouldn't ya know it... the coon set finally got a coon after I think 11 days. Got it skinned out, made a mistake at the head, got it fleshed and on a stretcher... Wanted to get new sets in but needed to take care of the coon!

Zach, I looked into and may do it in the future. How many acres do you have that are wooded? There are costs associated with the plan, maintenance of the plan, and work that needs to be done. I went to my town assessor and could get a straight answer on how my assessment would change so I didn't pull the trigger. Surprise I know the assessor wouldn't give a straight answer.

Dry Rice maybe would help too???

Go change your depends you miserable agitator!

10-4 second picture shows classic 1.5 year old. just goes to show how pictures can be deceiving.

Your pic is steep from your stand, but you think he is 1.5 and not 2.5 or were you just saying you have 1.5's like this particular deer? Any trail cam pics of him broadside not from a steep vantage point?

LMAO Thanks for sharing

Naples Italy Valley

I disagree for a guys first bow buck! His first bow buck, and his biggest buck of his life. He is 40. He harvested it, he is proud, I am happy. This is part of keeping a program fun, realistic and alive. Set the bar to high and you will fail.

Doc is right... AR's based on a 3 pt min will not give us book bucks everywhere... but it will help getting better bucks for everyone to hunt. I just hope we can do it by education and vol AR, not mandatory.

While it is nice to think if we pass and pass on bucks and a good amount of surrounding properties do the same you will have 150 inch bucks running around, it can happen but to the degree most think. Coop where you can get 15 to 20,000 acres in a coop and they exist in WNY can have much better chances than 500 acres. This is obvious I know. My point is, passing on 1.5 year olds give you the chance to harvest bucks like this His first bow buck and biggest in 20 years of hunting. Not a monster, but much better than a basket 6 or 8 who is just 1.5 that is what passing 1.5's is about, not necessarily 150 inchers. Jaw bone = 2.5

Here is a great summary. http://charliealsheimer.com/ca/articles/art_stockpile.html Keeping your goals realistic is key to survival. Passing 1.5 years olds is the first step. My buddy who hunts my property shot his first bow buck on Saturday eve.. I thought it was perhaps 3.5 but he is 2.5, nice wide buck with great g2's poor 1's but a great buck. He has hunted my property now 6 seasons and this is his first buck on my farm. He has seen a lot of great bucks, first time he was able to seal the deal. Keeping it 8 pt min keeps it realistic and yet fun, but it helps by getting the bucks another year or 2, so they have some decent antler.

Cabin Great pics.... thanks for sharing. 74 pounds, from a book I am reading... J.W. Crawford's "The Canine Trapper's Encyclopedia" Pretty good read.

Cameras have been there for years..... traps are the new part.

For sure. As soon as my deer season is over..... I will hit it hard. Right now just the edges I can check quickly with a busy schedule and not bump too many deer. I got these, and they are expensive... as I would rather have 6 solid sets than 12 weak sets.... dukes are just not to my liking. Hey I may have 5 duke # 2 CS for sale... LOL I also picked up some 6 DP, those I went with the cheap dukes.

Figures no yotes, no fox in the traps in 4 days... but also none on trail cams either. They must be making their rounds elsewhere... but I am ready when they come back!

I have on of the cabelas cold weather hand ..... thingy lol It goes around your waist you put a warmer or 2 in it, place each hand in it. It stays so warm, no need for gloves. http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-MT050-Extreme-II-Handwarmer-Muff/1222313.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dhand%2Bwarmers%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts%26x%3D15%26y%3D9&Ntt=hand+warmers&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products This is the one

Wasn't the season closed due to anti's???

My purchase. These are out of the box, rock solid traps that will hold big yotes. Did you guys know the biggest yote on record in the US was 74 pounds from New York State?

Just ordered some MB 650's inside laminated CS. They are pricey, the inside lamination makes them land legal in NY and a better hold. Still been slow since the possum. But trail cams have also been slow... seems like end of sept all of Oct they were all over the farm and my deer, now they must have moved on, but I know they will be back. Look at this pic... sneaky eyes past the first yote just waiting for tenderloin to walk by.