New York Hillbilly

I think on a day trip with my daughter and grandson once, when we were back visiting from Alaska, we drove though a part of the park. I remember there was a pull off or rest stop that had a great big wooden chair, and we took some pictures of them sitting in it.

I'm impressed your wife was brave enough to jump in on such a project. I think mine would have been too "sheepish"! It reminds me of in Italian Bulls Horn necklace. Looks good. Glad you both survived! : )

Fixed! And, thanks, yes a good day for sure. Ditto!

It's official. My season is now over. Finished on an exciting note. Leaned to pick up my phone and rolled over sideways out of my beanbag chair. Note to self for next year. Don’t lean over when sitting in a beanbag chair! : )

Did the late Christmas with family, fixed bathroom sink, and back in time to close out the last hour of the season. Sitting behind an old piece of weed and moss covered plywood, overlooking the field I saw the deer the other day. Toasty warm sitting in a beanbag chair. Lol. Fingers crossed!

Very cool! As a young man, I was a State certified welder, pipe fitter, and worked on commercial and residential boilers, heating systems, and basically anything HVAC related. I spent a lot of time in Revere Copper and Brass, Rome Cable, Pettibone, Remington Arms, shoe factories, and every other factory setting across NY, preparing, maintaining or prepping for insurance inspection. I shared many laughs with the folks working at these places!

Ok folks, it seems I may have goofed someplace. While I appreciate the warm wishes for a happy birthday, mine is not until March. And, with me gonna turn 64 (I think...hahaha) this year, I am not racing to the finish line this time around. So again, thanks for the early wishes! : ) Oh, and on a different note, I want to add one more thing: This year I have enjoyed the time spent with all of you remaining on this site. Even though my deer season has not been a very productive one, it still was fun. The environment of positivity, sharing of stories, encouraging and congratulating each other on their successes have been a breath of fresh air. The absence of negativity, snarky comments, name calling, back biting, and trolling was for me a welcome change. For the last 3 plus years as front line medical provider, I had gotten my a$$ kicked on the job and it really took a toll on me. Literally, it nearly cost me my life, and I am forever changed by the miserable experience. Physically, people who have known me for years cannot even recognize me when they see me. And, to be honest there are times I don't recognize myself. Historically, I do most of my posting here during deer season, as it has been sort of my chosen virtual deer camp now that I have nobody to deer hunt with anymore. But, to be honest, it had gotten to the point where I avoided posting at all on this site, anytime, for fear of coming under attack by a select few and/or their supporters, or seeing others attacked. I have always hated bullies and avoid them at all cost. I deal with enough sadness, suffering and heart ache in my professional life. Including for the past about 12 years caring for our veterans both here in NY and in Alaska, seniors, children, adults, and all ages with autistic spectrum disorders, developmental or cognitive issues. Basically, all individuals battling with mental health issues and substance dependence. So, that said, I don't know how long this site will actually be around, but want to say thanks to Eddie, Al, Grouse, greg54, 9jNYstarkOH, and all of he rest of you here (would be tough to name you all) who have allowed me to be part of your deer camp this year. I hope we can do it again next year! And, maybe keep chatting back and forth, if and until ,they turn off the lights here. Thank you! Peace! And, Happy New Year! NYH

lol....thanks! We grew up so poor all we had for toys was our wit and sarcasm. Both have been known to get me in trouble over the years. Class clown and what not! Not a mean bone in my body and never a trouble maker, but yelled at a lot for cracking people up, and very little filter. : )

Everyone who put blind hatred for one man over common sense, and love of county.

Came in on a string! Thought it was a buck at first, but it's head "B flat". lol

So when they force food shortages on everyone, drive prices through the roof, and outlaw gasoline/diesel powered tractors, tillers, etc., they will know who to come searching for to keep them from screwing up their plan. If they can't control your food source they have less control over you. Conspiracy theory? I think not! Just like every other one that has been shown to be true.

I would love to go there someday, after reading so much about it on this site over the years.

Several things going on with this, from my experience anyway. First it is to show they know something is up and let you know, they know! Second to sound the alarm to other deer in the area there is reason to be on high alert. And lastly I think, they seem to be clearing their noses to keep testing the scent in the wind. What I have seen over the years is they do it most if they are not quite sure, and are trying to get you to move, sort of like when they foot stomp, so the can confirm either by eyesight or hearing that there is trouble near by. If they just bolted off every time they smelled something potentially dangerous to them, they would be running non stop. They will try to circle downwind while watching and listening, and if If they put a couple of their senses together they beat feet out of there. But, if they can’t quite be sure, I frequently hear them keep blowing as they drift off. Also, I have noticed it being mostly a doe thing. I’ve watched and seen bucks snort or blow, but typically only once or twice when first startled, and then they are out of there.

Happy birthday!

Yup! He's a great SIL, because he is a good husband for my daughter and dad for my grandson. They make a nice. loving little family, so my wife and I feel blessed. I never give it a second thought when they call me out of the bullpen. In fact, I actually look forward to working on projects for them. On any given weekend you might find me up on their roof, installing a sump pump, unplugging a drain or fixing a leaky pipe, or building my daughter her raised bed garden. Its like that with my son as well. Several times thanks to FaceTime I have walked him through his projects. I loved the night I step by step had him pull his washing machine apart, to retrieve the rogue sock I told him he was going to find stuck in the pumps impeller. His happy "whoo hooo" and big smile when he found the sock, I'll always remember. "Hey Dad, how the heck did you know that?" he said. I always tell the kids I'm not all that smart, I'm like the insurance company commercial that says "I know a thing or two because I've seen a thing or two!" lol

Well! After looking over what now amounts to a greenfield in front of my box stand in a sea of brown brush and snow covered woods; against my better instincts to stay and watch over it, I couldn't fight the urge to try Round 2 with the deer I messed with the other day. They beat me again! Those son of a guns lay there, in the thick stuff, watching and winding anyone who tries to sneak up on them. Again, as soon as I move in on the area at a snails pace, they start blowing and wheezing. I caught one of them as it finally took a couple bounds and then walked off, but there was no shot possible. I pushed further in and decided to just stay in there to see if they circled back into the area, but it was a bust. I left with enough time to check out the greenfield on my way back to the house, and low and behold there was a great big doe and her young one there browsing. I managed to get within 80 yards but there was a big bush between me and the big doe, and she finally knew something was up and bounded up the hill out of sight with little one in tow. Tomorrow morning will be a wrap for me because me and the wife have to go do a late Christmas with my daughter, SIL, and grandson near Rochester. And, while I was on stand tonight I got a text from my SIL asking if I could "help" him "fix" a bathroom faucet he tried to change. lol He sent me a picture from under his sink of the most mangled drain I have ever seen. I sat there perplexed wondering what ripping the drain apart has to do with changing the faucet, but I just said, "no worries, we can fix it!". Looks like my deer season will be like the water in his sink tomorrow when I get done, both will go down the drain! : )

Came back to the house to handle some office stuff. Now headed back out to play in the woods. A little sneak and peak, and then snuggle into the bushes to watch till dark.

The deer should be loving this day as nice as it is right now. Where was this weather earlier in the season?

Picture perfect weather for hunting! But can’t get work out of my freaking head. Urghh

Well, after another busy clinic week, I now have a day to hunt. Thankfully it looks like a break from the bone chilling cold and wind. I do hear the wind chimes ringing a pretty tune outside my window, but not the loud, frantic noise they have been making all season. Past Sunday I took a short stroll and found the deer in the thickest brushy gully, where the swamp, grown over apple orchard, goldenrod fields and open woodlot all meet. They place was tore up with tracks, paw marks, and a few beds. I sneaked in and saw a couple sliding through the area not 60 yards away but had no clear shot. We had a stand off for better than an hour and a half, with me moving a couple feet and stopping, and them non stop blowing as they tried to scent me, letting me know we both were on to each other. This morning I'm headed to a spot I have not been in a couple weeks, if for no other son than to be out there. I'll save the deery spot from last week for this afternoon, in case they are still in that area. So I do not spook them out.

Merry Christmas! : )

My old computer plays tricks on me, so if it's not really your birthday wolc123 forgive me. But, if it is, Happy Birthday! And, Happy Birthday to anyone else here on the list who celebrate it today!

0730 this morning, from living room window, I watched 5 deer cross in front of the house. It looks like they are following the narrow hedgerow towards the only cut over cornfield we have in the area this year. My guess is they holed up during the worst of the weather and are now making towards a source of calories to deal with this frigid cold and wind.

lol. I stopped looking out the window. I put on my ugly Christmas sweater, grabbed 4 freshly homemade oatmeal cookies, made a cup of coffee, and sat down to watch for the bizzlionth time (and loved it as much as the first) Ralphie get his Red Ryder carbine! Every time I watch that movie; a flood of how I felt as a kid comes over me. Remembering hours of laying on my grandparents floor with my feet under the end table next to the heat duct, as I scoured threw my uncles pile of Outdoor Life and Field and Stream, dreaming about owning my own gun so I could hunt everything I was reading about. And, when I got my first firearm, a .22 that my Uncle Pete bought and then let me work on weekends with him to pay it off, it started a lifetime of my own Field and Stream experiences and memories. My guess is there are a few of us here who can identify with Ralphie. : ) I don't regret staying in this afternoon!

What is wrong with my head? I'm sitting here fighting the urge to toss my clothes on, get on my wheeler and drive over to my box blind and sit until dark. Looking out the window; it's near white out conditions with the wind blowing, and everything including common sense and the warmth of my pellet stove is telling me to stay in, but still I'm being nagged by my head to get out there. Urghh!