SteveMcD

Well... I love eating wild game. But I would say my main reason is about getting close to nature and experiencing the outdoors. I also love the chase and the overall experience of the hunt. And for as long as arthritis let me.. because I still can!

Question for anyone. I went and checked out my gun season hunting area beginning next Saturday. This area is bow only and I usually hold of hunting the area until gun season starts. The problem is, except for a few perimeter scrapes, I am finding absolutely NO Buck sign. Last year there were buck rubs everywhere. This year not even one found! A little discouraged other then some deer posibly pushed into the area by gun hunters I am wondering why bother. Or am I putting too much stock in Buck Rubs?

Doc you're right. It has actually been a good year although deerless thus far. Have seen all kinds of critters including bears. I've been keeping an outdoor journal and plan to post it on Facebook at the end of the season. Good Hunting! & Good Luck!

Yes, me too! Been a tough year. Hunted hard normally Friday's and Saturday's from Sunrise to Sunset, not seeing a lot of deer this year. Had family matters this morning, but will get out this afternoon again. I never put my longbow down, switching to a gun or muzzleloader to me, I'd be cheating myself, out of a greater reward. During Gun Season I just move to Bow Hunting Only Areas, later in the season, most gun hunters have either filled a tag or given up.

That is just terrible! My sincere condolences. I am very sorry. Prayers to the Warden's Family and Friends.

I had some Animals Right Weenie leave a brochure under the windshield wiper of me SUV today. I am coming out of the woods at sunset, and I see this car stopped in the middle of the road and this D**KH**D hanging over my SUV. So I just make my way to the road and begin to walk towards my SUV still 100 yards away. This character is sta...nding there looking around like - is anybody watching me? Maybe I can screw something up on this car here. He sees me walking up the road jumps in his car and speeds past me. The idiot has to drive past me! So I got the make and model of his car and partial plate. I will pay a visit to the local sheriff tomorrow. He leaves a home made leaflet on my car that says there should be no hunting, animals have feelings and shouldn't be eaten, etc., etc., no name, no organization. Clearly a home made leaflet. I have a feeling it's one of the liberal tree hangers that has moved up from the city and probably lives close by. It worries me, what he might have done if he hadn't seen me coming.

Hounder.. whereabouts in Schoharie County? I am a new property owner over in South Gilboa.

A sad experience. But the value and judgement made by Predate at the time, is intrinsic to his personal values and judgement. Is letting nature take it's course corrrect - yes. The conflict comes from the fact the "Nature" is cruel and makes no moral judgement. The conflict comes from man as a hunter - Has A Conscience. A broken Neck.. personally I would have shot her, left her for the coyotes who were going to have her anyway. And left it at that. Use one of my tags - No. Not that same. But BAITING DEER in many states is LEGAL. Just because it is the law & legal, doesn't make it moral or ethical. I have no judgement. Nor do I wish to be judged for what I might do. The circumstance and the hunter. As they say.. "It is what it is".

Sounds like dehydrated snake oil to me! I believe all deer attractant lures will work as curiosity scents some of the time. But, more often than not they scare deer away, and if anything checking what they smell from a safe down wind direction. Nothing beats scouting and knowing the local deer patterns.

I had to work all day yesterday and all through the night, so catching a few winks and I'll be out this afternoon! Good Luck, Everyone! Good Hunting!

That was my point as well. Camo in public tends to be a bit "tacky". The non-hunting public needs to know, who we are as hunters. Doctors, Lawyers, Accountants, Programmers, Carpenters, etc... but If I go to my doctor and he walks into the patient room with Camo hunting clothes on, you can bet I won't be going back. Walking into a bank wearing all camo is bound to be upsetting to some for obvious reasons. To some maybe I'm an elitist. I can live with that.

I agree with you Steve. I will not say all technology is bad. Some of it is very good. The key is not to let technology replace skill or fair chase.

"I would be curious to know who else might hunt with such antiquated equipment?? "... Whoa... hold on there! Antiquated? Really? Here is one of my antiquated Flatbows I will be hunting with this fall. One of several Longbows that I own. They all hit what I am looking at and kill just fine. FYI.. my oldest is a 1966 Fred Bear Grayling BearCat Recurve.

There is a good article in PBS (Professional Bowhunters Society) Magazine this quarter, that talks about how Bowhunters are their own worst enemy, and will be the demise of bow hunting as we know it. If we don't police our own ranks. Sadly, many "bow hunters" and I use the term lightly, do not even think about practicing until a couple of weeks before the season starts. Add to that how many probably never tune their bow to their broad heads, they shoot a couple of field tips, then remove, and slap those broad heads on the shaft without a second thought. There is no place for "CAMO" in public. You don't need to advertise to the bank teller, grocery clerk or anyone else that you are a bow hunter, wear the camo where it belongs, in the woods. No wonder the Anti's hate us, they give a good argument to the non-hunting public. I won't even get into the buffoons on the Outdoor Channel. We have products like: "Maniac", and "Monster", and "Bow Madness" "Dead Down Wind" and "Rage", are we all a bunch of Maniac Monsters in Rage with the animals we hunt, and if we miss we get a case of Bow Madness. This is all ridiculous, bow hunter's and the hunting industry need to wise up, this behavior will not be tolerated forever. Turn on the Outdoor Channel and watch "Lips Like a Maserati - If I Only Had a Brain" Nugent.. Whack em and Stack em, in between Wild Game Violations. And the other idiots over celebrating their kills with High Five's, Laugther and Snickering and enough Happy Dancing and Hip Gyration in Stand that would make Elvis Presley envious, and get you fined if it were the NFL! Sorry, to me traditional bow hunting is a passion, I am ashamed of most bowhunter's today. I am happy to consider myself not one with that crowd.

Thanks, Gentlemen. Yes, I'm really looking for next year with spring trout fishing; and something to paddle on Lakes and get from point A to point B, for camping and possibly for hunting camp use.

I am thinking of getting a Mad River Canoe, looking at the Adventure 16 Ft Model. My intent is to use it in slow water and lakes for fishing and wildeness hunting. Anyone have any experience or opinions on these canoes?

BearPaw makes an excellenet quality fletcher that you can buy the different clamps for. They support 3, 4 & 6 fletch arrows. Dial setting no screws or hex wrenches to fiddle with. Check out at www.KustomKing.com

I have been holding out for a particular buck for two seasons now. Last year tag soup was not very filling. I will shoot the first legal deer (Doe) that comes by, but I am still holding out for this buck though. I am ready, this past weekend I notices this buck has opened up some scrapes already.

STOS 130 gr. 2 Blade

Iodine, sewing needle and thread, aspirin, snickers bars, extra socks, 2 compasses, map, flashlight, extra sweater and thinsulate coat (in winter), extra knives, whetstone, survey tape, rope, bottle of water.

I'm an Aqua Velva Man myself! ??? I'm sure many scents will bring about deer curiosity especially early in the season. However, the smarter bigger bucks know better. Do they work.. sometimes. I gave up on scents years ago. Watched an old patriarch doe become spooked by nothing more than doe urine. Fact is it was a deer's scent she did not already recognize and become instantly wary of it.

I agree wit Dave & Burt. New York Conservationist is an excellent Outdoors magazine. It is not a "Hook & Bullet" magazine, and I think in it's own right, that is refreshing!

Probably your security setting. I have IE and no problems.

Having some experience bear hunting I would recommend looking for places with plenty of Ridge Top Beech trees. Bears will be devouring beecnuts like no tomorrow in the early season.

Very Nice!