WesternNY

Made is Hess' yesterday and got my license. Hess' did have a good bit of supplies. I will be a return customer. There prices were very fair. I still had to order online from F&T to complete my list. Got all my traps (old and New) boiled yesterday. The new ones are Duke CS #2. They need to rust up a bit then I will dye them and wax them. I hope to do that by Monday, Trap tags have been ordered for a few days.... getting excited.

I cant speak for the Venture, but do have a 700 in 30-06 and I love it. I do love TC, I have a Prohunter ML Love it. I would go with your gut or you wallet. I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Possibility for a break in the rain for the afternoon..... until then off to get some trapping supplies and some lumber for a bench project in the barn! Good Luck, be safe and stick one!

I get that everyone wants a voice and in an ideal world that would be the case. The bottom line is this whole ordeal may bring change and face it, Most people don't like change.

For the record cos Culver would need me to say this.... I grew up as a 315'er so it's all good!

Well he is a 315'er LOL

15 pages... I am getting my popcorn too!!

morning was decent had a young buck under my stand.... a doe and 2 fawns...... could get shot on the doe as I hesitated with my yardage. Tons of rubs, scrapes, but not a lot of movement. Last year before Sandy came in... it was hoping.

Giving you congrats is simply giving you respect for a harvest, I do respect that... it doesn't change my view on an experienced hunter who takes 1.5 year olds. What is so difficult to understand.

and that is why I got sucked into this thread, because a bunch of guys are in panic mode because of a potential 3pt rule. It isn't going to change a thing except perhaps make your hunting better. Stop the panic. If you are in a panic because you don't want to be mandated say it but don't say it is going to ruin your hunts and then bash guys who go for a slightly older buck. The sky is not falling.

I have stated before and again and again I believe in the hunters choice. I asked you because you over and over in multiple threads giving guys grief and shame because they want a bigger deer. Mutual respect. Not many have that these days. If you want to shoot a 1.5 year old great, I will be the first one to give you congrats. For myself personally I don't see why a seasoned, experienced hunter would want to.. that's all.

Exactly it doesn't.

Did anyone in this thread say it wasn't for better racks??? Perhaps... What is wrong by someone wanting to harvest a slightly older deer?

Studies actually have shown bucks of all ages breed, but a lot are bred by younger bucks. Twins and triplets often have different fathers. One could argue that the remaining bucks are put under more stress from having to breed. A doe will re-enter estrus if she didn't conceive the first time around.... but I wouldn't play this argument.... just saying.

So let me play the advocate... how does killing 60,000 1.5 year olds help the herd? Don't tell me keeps the herd density in check.. that gets done with does.

So you both want everyone to respect your right to harvest a 1.5 year old but are gonna talk smack to someone who has chosen to take a 2.5 or 3.5 or whatever? hmmmmm For me it was a journey... when I bought my farm in 2007 I was back into hunting after a long break... I knew nothing of QDM. I took a 1.5 year old 6 pt, my first bow deer. That gun season I shot another 1.5 year old spike and a doe. After that season I learned about QDM and the QDMA, I made a 8 pt or better rule... does were always given the green light. 2008 I took a 2.5 year old 8 pt.. nice buck, nothing grand, but a marked improvement over the 1.5's around here. 2009 I took a 4.5 yr old 9 pt, he weighed 198 pounds dressed 2010 tag soup, even no does. 2011 I still had the 8pt rule, but I didn't want to shoot a 8pt if it was a 1.5 year old, we do get a few 1.5 yr old 8's but not many. I shot and never recovered what would have my biggest, he was likely 5.5 I ended up taking a 2.5 yr old 8 the last day I could bow hunt. ( I don't gun hunt much) in 2012 I set the bar a tad higher 3.5 or bust.... Bow season last year I saw 6-7 bucks that I think were 3.5 in a weeks time, right before Sandy came through... seeking and chasing like mad. Bow season came and went... I had a 5.5 140 inch buck at 52 yards no lane to shoot with the bow. Opening AM of gun I took a 3.5 yr 9 point. It is often a journey and a lot of guys will slowly increase the bar as seasons go by. I follow basic QDM principles... pass on all 1.5 year olds and some 2.5 year olds..... so guest on my farm 8pt or better, for me 3.5 year old or better. A buck is not fully mature til 6, but that doesn't mean you need to wait for a 6, in fact if you do, you will burn yourself out. Harvest goals, should be fun, a challenge, but realistic. This season has been slow.... I have a ton of scrapes, rubs, but no real seeking, no chasing, no response to grunts or bleats...and my deer sightings are down, way down. Last yr around here the rut was in full seek/chase today. Not the case this year.

The key is balance, more natural and who would not want better rut activity.... most people forget about that.

I agree Phade.... I do support only one buck per year... and I would like to see a slightly shorter gun/ml season. I liked archery better when it was shorter as well. I had better get ready or I will miss my afternoon sit.... should see a whooping spiker tonight! LOL JOKE people relax.

Culver this is a jump... but do you guys believe everything the DEC says?? cos half the time guys are bashing them, but this stated fact is taken as gold? Having a better age structure makes for better hunting, and IMO (I am not a biologist) more natural. What would any species be if 54% of the males were taken at the first 10% of their life expectancy???? I have reached out to a trusted whitetail biologist to get his opinion... I will sure to share it.

If you guys are wondering why I am against Mandated AR but Pro Vol AR... here it is. Anti Mandated: I feel we have too much legislation. I acknowledge that the state varies in habitat and deer herd density. I like the right to choose. 3 pt min is the wrong way, but a start. Look at PA's numbers, they have improved there hunting, yet they still take the same percentage of 1.5 year old bucks post AR as Pre AR. 3 pt min is nothing... it is a joke. Yes I have spikes and crotches... in fact I have similar soil to the folks to the east and southern Adirondacks. Why I am Pro Vol AR My choice I prefer to hunt bucks above 1.5 I personally think 1.5 year old bucks are a joke, a baby, the easiest deer to harvest. (don't blast me it's my opinion) I like to harvest bigger, mature, animals I like big racks (both whitetail and the other tail) By passing on 1.5 year old bucks, you increase your chances at seeing more deer, more bucks, and slightly better quality bucks. Teaching how to age vs a pt min is what is best practice. I truly care about every NY hunter and want to help them succeed and improve their hunting. It can be done, it is being done. I feel having a more balanced buck age population is more natural, and makes for better hunting. All RUT activity increases when you have more older bucks, this is scientific fact. The rut is more intense, more scrapes, rubs, grunting, fighting, chasing, etc etc etc It is the right thing to do lastly and the biggest... I am pro vol as it is my choice and I am tired of NY State telling me what to do.

I am willing to bet, though don't know as fact that the deer population is better now than it was in 1939.

That is a fact jack. I have done so and will continue to do so, like I said before I cant stand the panic on the 3 pt min and I can not stand how much mis-information in public formats such as forums. If I hear you guys right... the ones that hunt in bad areas of NY, if 3 Pt on one side passes you will not have harvest opportunities?? So all the 1.5 year old bucks are spikes and crotches?????

YES because of Voluntary AR's that are greater than the 3pt min at debate

No BS flag here... culver knows me personally, so do a few others and they know my stance on this issue. IN FACT I HAVE advocated for NO mandatory AR's for NY I don't really care what anyone shoots.... I prefer to hunt an older animal than a 1.5 year old. Have I shot 2.5 year olds... yes, in fact in the past 7 years I have, as well as a 3.5 and 4.5 year old buck. I am simply calling out the panic that IF, IF 3 pt min passes there is no need to panic... when I see the panic it gets me fired up. For those of you GUYS who hunt in "bad areas" and have taken bucks in the past 5 years... list the year and points on one side and lets see how many are really less than 3 pt a side. In regards to the bs flag.... if I was Pro mandated AR, 3 pt is not the way do it, same for PA... there are a lot of bucks at 1.5 that have 3 pt's and that is my point on the points. Just because someone disagrees with the panic doesn't mean there are full of bs.

Steve I don't think it is going help make it more easy to get a big rack. It will lessen the buck harvest from 54% yearlings a bit and give the 1.5 year olds a chance at seeing 2.5 AR is not going mean a huge jump in Inches taken every year.... but it will help with the number one thing that is needed and that is AGE. Currently around 60,000 of the 120,000 bucks taken each year are 1.5