New York Hillbilly

Sorry for you and your family's loss.

Congrats on the deer Grampy! And, I share your sentiment regarding the tax situation!

Felt good to sleep in this morning. : ) I have a quick question. Where do we post the details about our hunts? I thought I would share but cant find the proper place. I know I saw a thread earlier in the season but cant find it now. Thanks

After assembling and putting up another ladder stand today at 2PM, success at 3:30 today! : )

6.5 years

Didn't hunt this morning. Instead, took it slow and easy. Finally put out the 3 trail cameras I bought about 4 years ago and never opened. I know absolutely nothing about trail cameras these days so not sure what the outcome will be with this effort. There are a couple half worked over scrapes now so maybe I'll get lucky and get a few pictures. I also re-checked several of my ladder stands (5) to make sure they were still safe. Good thing I checked because one of them had every one of the pins that hold the sections together pulled out and taken. That would have been a nasty fall! What is wrong with people? It's bad enough they trespass, but then take it to another level when they do crap like this. Earlier in the season someone took it upon themselves to crush into the ground one of my ground blinds the very day I put it up. Now that I think about it, I hope nobody wanders on my land and see the cameras I just put out. I'm sure they would have not problem swiping them.

Gonna play it safe with this wind and sit in the field blind tonight.

Pretty much sums up my season so far as well!

In the ground blind to stay out of the wind. Saw no tracks in the snow on the way across the fields. Has a real deery feel though today. Now to see what happens.

Settled into my ground blind out of the wind for the most part. Forced to take it really easy this year, so mostly here to get fresh air and avoid going stir crazy. Good luck to all out in the field today.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I will not be able to eat much today being limited to just a few ounces of mashed potato or something similar. But, as screwed up as my deer season and life in general became 3 weeks ago following a middle of the night medical emergency, subsequent surgery and a week in the hospital, I am thankful for simply being able to still be here with my family. I'm thankful for my wife, kids, and 5 year old grandson being here to enjoy the day together, and the hope for more deer seasons to come.

If he has, I have never seen it.

Good luck and safe hunting everyone!

Vaccine thread I have no opinion on, but respectfully disagree about the political section having nothing to do about hunting. Sadly, politics has everything to do with everything in this country in its current state. I think people are absolutely blind to the dangerous times we are facing and the threats to our freedoms and liberty. As hunters, gun owners, citizens of this country, I think the more conversation (respectful) the better. On an interesting side note; these threads gave me, and I think others, a good window into the minds and personality of many of the members on this site.

Was always a Yamaha/Honda guy, but last year I needed a new machine and the deal was better to buy my Polaris 450. I love it! It does everything I would ask, including plowing my very long driveway all last winter. I never had EPS until this machine and was on the fence about going the extra money. I can say without any hesitation now I am glad I have it. EPS comes in very handy when plowing, or when crawling over rocks and logs you might encounter on the trail. It also makes it where my wife can drive it without any difficulty. She even likes and asks to take turns plowing the driveway!

I agree, which is why I agonized over mine possibly not making the requirement, and was very happy to discover my CP measured a pinch over the 17 inch minimum. I was ready to take it back if it did not. My concern about what might happen to me if I caught on my own land was not nearly the issue as my worry about casting a negative light on an already under fire means of hunting. The last thing I want is to add fuel to the anti crossbow argument by giving legitimate ammunition to those against it by being ticked for breaking the law, despite my viewing it as STUPID.

I hear ya buddy! All the help I got here 2 weeks ago getting me up and going with the new crossbow went right down the toilet. : (

What part of the state of Kansas are you hunting?

Or banana clips!

Mine are all about women clothing. And I assure you I have not worn anything of the sort....in years! lol

You saw my medical record? More shooting downstairs. Really accurate at this point with field points, so sacrificed a broad head. Guess what? Same exact point of impact, but after going through the deer target and into the yellow bee target, did not open! I'm not taking any chances on a deer after seeing that. Even if they work every time after this, just having that happen I would be worried all the time. And if it did go South on me in a real hunting situation I would beat myself up mentally afterwards. Back to the store for a sling and fixed blade broad heads!

OK here is an update for anyone interested. First; it took me probably 3 times longer than the video guy I watched to assemble it because I was being extremely careful not to screw this up. Once it was together I was pretty confident it was done properly, but with all the horror stories and pictures of stuff gone wrong and people getting accidentally injured, I'll admit to being more than a little nervous . So, now I just came upstairs from shooting the new crossbow. Holy Crap!!! Did I ever under estimate what I was dealing with here! I discovered quickly after several attempts there was no way on earth I could ever cock the thing with the rope. I had strength enough to draw it to me, but I ran out of me! lol. I don't have the height to close he gap pulling straight on, and not strong enough to pull the rope over my head to make the last 3 or so inches to get it engaged and locked. Thankfully it came with the winch type cocking device. It was a little confusing at first, and I am still not easy with the process of getting it off the string once it is cocked, but am a bit less freaked out about it and it beats just putting the crossbow in a corner and walking away. Already nervous about putting my hands accidentally in the wrong place and chopping a finger or hand off, the first shot blew my mind! The bolt blew straight though my deer target, through the 4 inch foam board behind that and straight into my block wall! The bolt looks like a cartoon exploding cigar, and the field point and insert are still stuck in the concrete block. With only one other bolt downstairs I put my square, yellow 'bee" target between the deer and the foam backing board and that put an end to taking out my house foundation. I got lots of steps in tonight walking back and forth pulling the bolt from the target, but it also gave me time to think in between my shots to figure stuff out, get more familiar, stay careful and calm. At 20 yards now I can put the arrow pretty close to the same hole every time I shoot, so at that distance I seem to be dialed in so I called it a night. I'll do more with it tomorrow to get it to 30 -35 yards or so but I plan to make that my distance limit for this year.

Hey guys! I just got home, opened the box, put the tape to it and low and behold......17"! : ) Time to watch the video and assemble. Then I'll head downstairs to do some careful practice. I appreciate all the help! Good luck to all who head out in the morning. NYH By the way. I was not sure about bolts when I stopped at Cabelas, so I tried to take the safe route and went with those made by CP. They are not lighted knocks, 400 grain, and I went with the NAP Spitfire broad heads because I thought I remembered people on the site speaking well of them. I have always been a fixed broad head guy (Thunderheads), but with no experience with crossbows I am watching, listening, and trying to learn from you all.

Well now it gets even more interesting (confusing..lol) for me! I thought I read here on this site where someone put a tape measure on it and got 17". And, that is what the fella at Walmart told me too, that the crossbow actually measures he said "17", plus a little" overall and met the requirement. There was another guy (customer) who saw me buying it and just walked up to me and told me it was a "great crossbow", "you will be happy with CP, I bought one like that this year and love it!", and he then walked off. No idea who he was other than obviously being another enthusiastic crossbow person with a fondness for CP. That said; GC how do we get a final ruling on this before I needlessly take it back, or we both potentially get pinched by these crossbows? Metaphorically speaking of course. : ) Oh...and also, I did read it is measured "tip to tip", at the widest limb spread. So if you are getting 17" as far as I am concerned that does meet the criteria. If you don't mind and have a moment, and not too much to ask, perhaps you can check yours again before I need to take mine out of the box and put it together to check for myself, and before bringing something back needlessly. Thank you so much!

Been looking for one because it looks like what many here like and are happy with. But cant find one. I do see Cabelas in Utica has a Sniper 390, but not sure if it is same as the 370. I'll stop in tomorrow night when I pass through town.