WesternNY

I understand your frustration, but they are volunteers who cover a large area and have lives outside of looking for someone else's deer 24x7. Keep looking, keep positive and I hope you find him. I have been through the exact same thing 3 years ago.

Predate... I would be interested to hear more about full metal jacket. I think you should try it for us! Waxing traps is a pain. I paid pretty close attention to scent, I use rubber gloves as well.

Good luck!

I like it so far, it does have a red glow when it fires, I can not hear anything. Some pics This buck makes the cam look good eh? LOL So far and it has only been a few weeks, I think for the $$$ it is a fine cam.

Well the official first catch... LOL

Well, I checked set #1 this AM while I stoked the wood boiler, it is 100 yards from the house in a known fox/yote corridor (trail cam). Something came in, the hole where the bait is doesn't looked touched, but the trap was visible, pan cover moved, not tripped. Skunk, coon?? Dunno. I should have grabbed the sd card from the cam. The cam has been there all year... This is from before I had my set in, the trap is just in front of that pine off to the right I will check the cam after my morning sit, and I have 2 more dirt holes sets and 2 coon sets to check this am.

It has to be the "right Acres" for sure. I would say 10 if you just want to hunt, as much as possible if you also want to manage. The neighborhood would be my primary concern, then the wind in relation to how the property is set up. Predominate wind, vs you stand access, vs bedding areas, travel corridors. Not sure where you looked in Rochester, or what your budget is, but if you travel 30 to 45 min south or east it does get easier and the hunting is fantastic. Shoot a PM if you want some further info on the area.

Valid concern, I have seen this method and I do not want to do it this way. If I need to move the set so be it. Some say yotes will avoid a set circle after a catch.

If I remember correctly I was keeping up with you with a pistol (yours) I have never shot!

22 pistol

It is fun, the hardest thing for me will be checking them.... on work days. I plan on only leaving a few sets close to the house so I can check them before I go off to work. Skinning can always wait til I get home. Predators have a real impact on Turkey and Fawn recruitment rates... and in my area the yote population is getting out of control.

No water rat I did not..... I just got a decent book on Yote trapping and I am reading it now. Nothing this AM, it rained pretty much all night so I wasn't expecting too much. All the sets looked good still, I did have to add some peet to one.

Kludes, I do indeed have pan covers under the peet. I tried using the native soil and it was to wet. Crappyice, I am hoping for coyote first and foremost, also fox in the dirt hole set. Space between the hole and where the trap lies helps determine (not 100%) fox vs yote. fox pan is closer to hole, yote further away. Under the peet is a #2 Duke Coil Spring Trap, anchored with a disposable stake. In the hole Is bait, nasty smelling meat stuff. Also some gland and yote urine around the hole. The metal DP (dog proof) look like a can is for coon. That gets triggered when the coon puts his hand in the canister to get the bait. Coon are pretty easy to catch. I will try to take some pics of the sequence when I make a new set, but may have to wait for a camera person... Thanks for the feedback guys.

I saw decent deer movement this AM, but it was 100 yards away in the thick stuff. new Bucks showing up on cam.... soon, soon I hope to see a nice one on the stand in range.

Learning on the fly. First time 2nd set 3rd time is the charm though I like this one the least.

Google updates every 2-3 years for most areas. If you are looking for printed maps to use check out hunterra http://hunterra.com/ many options and the stuff is quality.

Temps are going to rise the next few days... and some rain on the way.. Good luck

This sit is for Early! I'm sitting on a plot with a decoy and there is a trail cam withs in sight

Congrats JOE!

I saw a couple of bucks this Am, a 1.5 and 2.5 year old... both were in a eating pattern and not seeking. Also saw a fawn. I think the cold snap Sunday and Monday will be good!

I spoke with a friend yesterday who is in the hunting industry, in the course of his day he spoke to guys in NY, PA, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri and they are all saying the same thing.... very slow hunting, very slow trail cam pics, and most observations are down by 50%. It is frustrating, but it is hunting... and things have got to change pretty soon in the next 3 days..... Hang in there.

I shoot lightfields sabots and can get 2 inch groups at 100 yards. Give them a try

This is for all the emotion on this topic

Kludes.... I maybe getting into the coons in the next week or so... if you buy them in the round shoot me a PM. Thanks