beachpeaz

did you google "cooking rats." That might be helpful.

Yeah, worst winter in over 50 years in WNY area. I don't think it will hurt the current hunt as the mature deer tend to make it through, but I am wondering how it will effect the next few years with the younger deer kill off from the winter. Not that there isn't enough deer in NYS to really worry about a winter kill....there are still a bazillion around.

I wasn't trying to imply that ALL high price hunts were. My apologies. My experience is that MOST are. Not sure how Hashknife justifies those prices as there are world class hunting opportunities on world class properties with 150" average and deer 180" - 200" around that typically run $3,500 - $4,500. Not sure why someone would pay $10 vs. $4,500 for the exact same caliber deer? I looked at their website. Looks like a nice place. Again, not saying anything negative about it.

I think that article was sponsored by a fixed blade manufacturer! It is 100% opinion on what works better. No way an article could possibly make a definitive statement regarding the choice! As several people before me posted, there are pro's and con's of both. HOWEVER, in my experience, some of the comments against mechanical blades are ridiculous at best. I shoot Grim Reaper mechanicals and would put them against any fixed blade in the world. Period. And, you get a "practice" blade that flies identical to your hunting blades to pattern with your field tips (and I can literally split an arrow shaft with my practice blade they pattern so well). Obviously, my opinion. Try them both. Of, if you are already shooting mechanicals and like them, relax! lol.

the only places that are $10K (or even close to that) are canned hunts for farmed deer where you pay by the inch. I am not slandering that, to each their own. There are some unbelievable hunting areas / outfitters in North America with access to some of the best habitat known to Whitetail and they average between $3,500 - $4,500. That includes IL, IA, SK, etc. When you say "reasonable," that is a broad statement. I think $4,000 is reasonable given the world class outfits they run. Some other people may think that is unreasonable. Just betware if it gets over $5,000....something is wrong....

Not to mention there isn't a DEC officer on the planet that would write you a ticket if you have your liscense on your person (whether in your pack, or pocket or whatever). What would they write the ticket for? you have a liscense. They would write it for not being in the correct spot? lol. I would love to see the fine for that.

"cheap" and Salmon fishing don't go together in my opinion. I fish the salmon run out of Lake Ontario into the tributaries every year and learned the hard way my first time. I had a nice 20lb + king on the line and he shredded my monofiliment in a matter of seconds and was gone with my $15 lure. You can go "cheap" but in the long run, it will cost you more. I upgraded to a 30lb spider wire that was like $40 for 1 spool, but that shit doesn't break, PERIOD! It would have saved me $15 for the lost lure the first time. If you are fly fishing, i can't help you. But, if you are casting, don't go cheap!

thats awesome. Good use of a camera! As much as I like to see big racks on my cameras, I always enjoy all the other critters in the woods also.

I don't think it is a good game plan to shoot deer in the eyes. They probably wouldn't die lol

way cool.

Lightbulb!

to answer questions posted above: - no wheeler. I am on foot (and yes, i agree, if i could utilize a wheeler, that would be my first choice) - No high ground. I live in flat land america. there isn't even a foot of elevation behind me. I could climb in my tree stand, but the view would be very limited. - Corn field is cut with 6 - 12" nubs left behind. WITH the snow, if the shed was on the snow, MAYBE you could see them. Without snow...forget it. Snowmobile or wheeler would work....if I had one. - no fences or streams in the area that the deer jump. Really nothing the deer jump. As notes, very flat and open. Of the 2 sheds I have found, one was 20' into the woods on a trail and 1 was in a bedding area. Not exactly definitive. lol. Very frustrating as i know there are quite a few sheds behind me and some MONSTERS to boot. Can't quite figure out if I am just unlucky, don't spend enough time, or just plane looking in the wrong places. thanks for the input!

Quick opinion from people who are succesful at finding sheds: I shed hunt behind my house and have a huge cut corn field, easily 100 acres that borders forest that is probably 200 acres +. I have VERY limited window to get out each year. I don't own a dog. I get out 3 or 4 times for maybe 2-3 hours each. So, I need to be focused on a specific area when i do go look. 3 hours is not very long when you are talking an area that is almost 2 square miles. Would you: 1) Walk the open, cut corn field hoping for the "easy" drops 2) Walk the border of the field and woods (basically able to see 20' into the woods and 20' into the field) 3) stick to deer trails in the woods / bedding areas with high deer concentration? Keep in mind, there are a ton of hunters in the area and a ton of people who look for sheds. This isn't a high fenced property with 100 sheds that i get to go around looking for. I have found 2 in 10 years of looking. i think it is more because of where I am looking more than anything else. any SUCCESSFUL shed hunters out there have an opinion? If you only had 2-3 hours, where would you focus that time? It is physically impossible to do all 3. It is appoximately 3 mile hike round trip just walking the edge. any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks!

clearly on the inside of the rear right leg. I would guess just a dark tuft of fur from her peeing on herself or something. Maybe just a fatty mass on the leg which is pretty common. Look closely enough you can see it. It is deceiving that it looks like it is coming out of her belly, but I don't believe it really is.

Cool buck! That is on my deer hunting bucket list....a deer with a drop tine!

55 here in WNY. Supposed to get cold again next week for Muzzy season. I am SUPER excited about the muzzleloading season coming up on Monday! Good luck to those of you who are heading out

you must have my @#$# neighbors Belo! lmao. I can walk out my back door and hunt. I love to bow hunt back there because it is quiet, but come gun season, you won't catch me anywhere in the woods behind my house (other than patrolling to constantly kick people off). they push the crap out of every square inch of the woods and mow down anything that tries to escape. Thanksgiving weekend is WAY worse than opening weekend because of the "desperation" factor. I think I have said this a few times in here, but I HATE PEOPLE! lol

I hunted with my S&W .44 Mag for years before I got addicted to hunting with my muzzloader (all seasons). Its a lot of fun hunting with a hand gun! congrats.

Interesting. Must be more localized.

I know Thanksgiving weekend is usually a big hunting weekend, but this year seemed pretty tough on the deer. For whatever reason (at least by me), deer activity went up quite a bit this past weekend. Then, throw in the massive amount of hunters in the "desperate" hunt mode (IE: usually the last weekend a lot of guys hunt so they push every part of the properties and shoot at anything that even resembles a deer). I had a @#$@ Ton of gun shots by me and saw several deer down (and strapped to roof racks of cars, which I didn't know people still did). What did everyone else see? Seemed like a very tough weekend for deer this year, possiblly almost as bad opening weekend.

Shed hunting in NY sucks! I have found 1 my whole life. Unlike Western States with vast areas to go search, here, it is small plots of land that 100 people walk. The fields behind me that I KNOW have some HUGE sheds every year, a the locals drive back and forth with a snowmobile or 4-wheeler with 10 foot passes until the cover the entire field. They do it every few days starting in February. Can't compete with that.

So, let me ask you a question: Would you rather.... A) Hunt every other year and have a very positive experience (see lots of deer and good quality deer) B )Hunt every year and continue to see little to no deer and at best scraggly little 1.5 year old 4 points? Whats more important to you personally? The quality of the experience, or simply being out more often regardless of the experience? No right or wrong answer, to each their own. just curious. Me personally, I would be option A.

And, btw, it isn't neccessarily a fact, as it is a fear that people have. I mentioned a ways back in this post that I have the priviledge of hunting in Utah every other year because I have family there. They are the same way, it is 4 brothers, 2 brother-in-laws, a dad and a nephew. GREAT group of guys. The fact is, the unit we hunt you can draw a tag every other year (to manager proper deer herds). Guess what, we look forward to that every other year trip a whole lot!!! We wouldn't shut that trip down because we can't do it every year. It almosts makes it even more desirable because you can't do it every year. So, for my money, i think NYS would be just fine if they had some regulations to manage deer herds.

And that is the other side of the argument for sure. Hunting ultimately should be about enjoying and respecting the outdoors and your friends / family! The main reason I hunt is for this purpose. Those same people can't be hypocrites then and bitch and moan that they didn't see any deer or the deer hunting sucks! Because for all the ones you mentioned, a whole lot of them are the first to shoot their mouths off about the lousy hunting too! lol

I do too! I have 2 great counties that I hunt (probably the best in the state). A lot of people aren't that lucky though. this conversation was more about the big picture for NYS and just ideas being thrown around It is absolutely what you put into it, except in areas that are being discussed (as in my example) where the amount of hunters is unproportional to the amount of available deer. That creates bad hunting experiences for people, espeically younger people. You don't want to start losing hunters, we already have an uphill battle with the liberal state we live in to protect our rights and legacy as sportsman!!