First-light

An article on the con side of drilling and one in the middle, http://www.yesmagazine.org/planet/the-fight-against-fracking http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/10/will-new-york-rebel-against-fracking/

It's up to you as an individual, sportsman and hunter to protect the environment. Too many articles out there about the good and bad on gas drilling. A good example was the article a few issues ago in NY Outdoor news, it painted such a rosy picture of the perfect drilling site with no problems. At no point in the article did they visit a town that had problems. Do you home work before leasing, fracking fluid is toxic and the gas companies don't want you to know what's in it. Accidents are a small percentage to the amount of wells that have been drilled but when they happen disaster strikes. Sorry but the same can be said about the gulf and look what happened, that I'm sure is not over with. I'm not pro or con, still much to be learned.......

That deer still alive in the photo?

Good information for all to see, I don't think Fracking has been going on in N.Y. for 30 years?? Your description is perfect if all goes well, just think if your that unlucky person that has a problem. Do yourself a favor and get a good gas lease lawyer before you sign anything, it will be worth it. I'm not an expert and you can find more information on http://www.pagaslease.com/ it is a great forum to learn about Gas drilling in N.Y. and PA. Again I started this post to try tpo find out what hunters thought about gas companies using hunting properties to drill on and how it might change things.

Good deal eddie, enjoy the meat.

Good point Wooley, I could of been busted then by taking that 8pt. BTW it was a gut shot deer that the hunter never found, the thing was all stinky and bloated. I was surprised that the coyotes didn't munch on it.

Fracking has not been going on for years, drilling yes but fracking no. The only huge lease offers to date exceedeing $3,000 bucks per acre are down in the Catskill region. This is the core area of the Marcellus shale. Out lying areas like the southern tier are getting a couple hundred per acre.

If I left my camp and was driving down the road and saw deer in my field I would stop and stalk.

Thanks for the replies guys. Doc your right fracting has been going on in other states. The gas co pumps down into the ground a toxic mixture at high pressure that fracts the shale but the mixture has to be removed. Most problems happen when the mixture is spilled at surface level. My question is would you be willing to give up you peaceful little 100 acre hunting camp and have a 4acre well pad installed with holding tanks for gas and waste water, 24/7 generator that you can hear while in the woods and the change to your small town that comes when big Co's come in to drill for gas? LADWAZ has a great point, so you take the deal, it would be hard to pass up. What would be the cost? I don't think most people are going to hang around after getting that much cash? Maybe it won't effect us that much (hunting) drilling only goes on for 6-8 months, sure they could be drilling during hunting season but that would be only one season. I often wonder about this subject while in the woods sitting on my stand. Would I let them drill, at what cost and how will it change my life here in a place I can't put a price tag on (or can I) ??? ??? ??? ?

So it's a hot topic, I haven't seen it talked about here, maybe an older post before I joined. How do you guys feel about this? I want to know is the hunting part of it, encroaching on your property, right-of-ways, drilling sites and storage. We are so passionate about our hunting privileges will they be compromised? Are you willing to lease to the gas companies and let them use your property to drill on? How about state land, how do you feel about that? I'm in the Southern Tier so it's a hot topic, Catskills should also be in the same situation.

Couple seasons ago found a nice 8pt dead during archery season, couldn't use the meat but I did take the horns.

I can't wait to get back. Cancelled last weekend but have a three day muzzleloader set Sat-Mon next week.

Funny Steve! I have never had a jam in the gun, sorry it did jam when I used 3" mags on the third cycle. Other than that it is a great gun!

My 1187 has been very very good to me but she has put on a few pounds the last couple of years! Man those guns are heavy, I need to work out some more!

What a hot topic. As this season comes to an end it seems that the weather and lack of hunters played a big role in deer take. If you read the posts on this forum lack of hunters (nobody pushing the deer around) was a problem. Now this may be specific to where I hunt but my neighbor has a 350 acre chunk of property that is hunted by relatives. 11 of them come up from down south. I wonder what and how they would react to AR's. Would it keep them from coming up meaning we (I) have less guys in the woods pushing deer. They don't practice AR, they want their venison to take home. Again this may be a small problem ( I don't even know how many OOS hunters come to N.Y.) but it's a thought. I like the right to choose what I want to shoot but I am always open to debate and change. You know, WNYBUCKHUNTER said it the other day, when hunters were complaining about lack of deer, "get out of your stands and start moving around and you'll see them." I guess NYS hunters may have to change it up a bit in the future to increase their positive experiences in the woods.

Don't we all. Nice deer!

What would you do with them?

CHC, That is pretty cool! Nice place, that's great they let you put some footers in.

i just think about those people out in the midwest, out jogging on a trail that get mauled or killed by a mountain lion. You have no defense against a big cat like that.

I agree...and like so much of what we do during hunting and scouting and really any persuit....apply a little courtesy and common sense and it usually works out fine. I try to put my self in the mind set of......what if someone did this to me. If I conclude it would bother me.....probably shouldn't be doing it to others Excellent point!

Never said you would poach a deer. If a person spotlights on my property I will ask them to move along and I will take down their tag number. It would give the police a good place to start! Your analogies don't work for me, unless you have night vision you need a spotlight to kill a deer after dark. This is how "I" would handle it and I know many others that would do it the same way. I wasnt trying to say that you thought or said I would. My analogies work fine, you have to walk into a bank to rob it, no? How about this one, its like saying a Corvette owner breaks the speed limit consistently. As far as how polite you would be to me, well Id be polite right back to you and probably tell you that Ill let you know if I were to see anyone poaching deer on your land. I would then go about my business of viewing deer. Your first analogy doesn't work for me. The second is better. If you walked into a bank with a gun (spotlight) that would be a different story. You need the third piece to the action which is the spotlight or as in your second example corvette. I'm sure "you" would go about your business and keep on looking but I bet most people would move on. Again, it is legal just apply a little courtesy and common sense and it will go a long way.

How does this work for you? Me: Hey I would appreciate if you didn't spotlight my fields. You: Hey I'm doing nothing wrong. Me: You know we have had alot of deer jacked lately and they all use spotlights so It makes me wonder when I see someone spotting my fields. I hope you can understand that? (By that time I have you tag number and I'm not following you around, people get shot doing that!) You:Sure I can understand that, have a good night. Me: You too. No harm done, no harassment.

Never said you would poach a deer. If a person spotlights on my property I will ask them to move along and I will take down their tag number. It would give the police a good place to start! Your analogies don't work for me, unless you have night vision you need a spotlight to kill a deer after dark. This is how "I" would handle it and I know many others that would do it the same way.

http://www.cottonhanlon.com/ Talk to Bob

I th I think it goes hand in hand with jacking deer and that's why it gets frowned upon. If you came by my fields spotlighting I'd be sure to come out and find out what you were doing and take down your tag number. You would be the first one reported back to the police if there was an incident during the year. Yes it is legal but that's just the way it goes, too many jerks out there that ruin it for the person just out having fun.