AaronBlaine

yea I used to go up into the woods hours before day light but after a few years of doing so I really didn't see the results that would justify it. I like to go in an hour before sunlight and if I spot any eyes I stop and turn my head lamp off and wait to sunrise. Most of the time you are just pushing the deer around and away from you as you go in when you could be hunting them at first light. Although.....there is something nice about being all alone in the woods in the dark waiting for the sun to creep out and listening to a podcast or some tunes, or even just the sound of the critters running around. Beats screaming kids and a nagging wife who doesn't eat venison....

Dude your not kidding! my wife spotted my deer and helped me track my buck. She was amazing at following a blood trail. It was raining out and she still found the trail with no problem. It was when we were dragging it out of the woods together that I decided I was going to marry her lol and I did and we now have two beautiful children!

Oh man I think it's great to take a nap in a tree stand! Your up 20' in the air being rocked back and forth by a light breeze all wrapped up in expensive boots and hunting gear in a heavily padded tree stand. No nagging wife or screaming kids! I think the less you obsess over getting a kill the more relaxed you become as a hunter and the better you hunt. Enjoy the time in the woods. Reeelllaaaaxxx it's what it's all about. I have even taken naps on moss beds on the top of a ridge it's great! I love the 12:00 nap sometimes it gets me through the dead zone of the day to make it to the evening hunt. Ever since I slowed down and relaxed my spot and stalk slowed down and became more effective as well. So I say relax I think the goonies said it best "don't you realize? The next time you see sky, it'll be over another town. The next time you take a test, it'll be in some other school. Our parents, they want the best of stuff for us. But right now, they got to do what's right for them. Because it's their time. Their time! Up there! Down here, it's our time. It's our time down here. That's all over the second we ride up Troy's bucket." The woods are "our" time so I say enjoy them any way you like!

I am sorry to hear about your loss it's never easy. I am glad to hear he is in a better place now no one should have to go through that. I lost my mother a few years ago to cancer and it is a horrible disease. If you are ever in the southern zone and looking for someone to go hunting with let me know I would be more then happy too.

Yea I hear you I have never eaten bear and this was the first time presented with a shot on one and I let it pass. It really is a rather large undertaking to harvest one properly. I would def be interested in having it butchered and I would love to hand out meat to all my friends. Any time I harvest an animal I have a huge first and invite all my friends. There is an increadible amount of joy in watching someone I care about enjoy the meat from my bounty!

Yea I have been pounding the woods mostly scouting since oct 1st and nothing's moving around at day. Tons of sign but very few sightings during the day. It's amazing how they bed down and hide during the hot oct days

I thought that bear spray was illegal in ny too lol I think your right about that I am prob over reacting. Ever since I had kids I second guess every risky decision I make these days lol

Yea I guess it's possible that the cubs were in the den. I hung around for an hour or so but nothing stuck it's nose out. I wasn't getting too close to it either figure 25 yards tops. I have heard that the rangers will help you drag a bear out if you get one however cooling it down in these temps would be difficult. I wouldn't mind a bear rug however it's really a lot to think about. I could have easily flung an arrow at it hitting target however I really wanted a good shot and wasn't presented with one at the time. It's crazy hunting deer and then all of the sudden being presented with an apex predator to take it's a totally different ball game. What do you guys normally use as a backup after shooting a bear? I know it's illegal to have bear spray in ny and I haven't gotten my pistol permit yet. Is taking this bear even something I should be attempting alone ?

Hey man I was just there today! Ok fill out the form online hit send and print a copy out or 5 in case you loose one or 4 and when you park in the designated spots. You don't have to report to the check station before or after the hunt until November 1st. Now as far as the pointers I would def get a bottle of permethrin and apply it to whatever your going to be hunting in if you haven't already. The place really doesn't heat up until later in the season. It has some monster deer in it however it's very popular so if you want a spot you have tog o early. It's a very large place to hunt and it's easy to get ,lost in there. There are so many bedding areas that it can hold a ton of deer without you ever getting close to them. I plan on holding off hunting there until the weather cools off nothing was moving and there were a ton of bikers and runners there. Oh yeaaaa one very important tip is if you get lost and wind up popping out down the road from your car be very very careful walking back on the side of the road. The people drive luck nut jobs and I had a lady swerve to hit me today no joke. I don't think she would have been so tough outside of her protective vehichle however keep in mind this is liberal Long Island and a ton of people hate hunters. That being said have fun be safe and I advise you to do some scouting it's a cool place changes a lot from one side to the next.

I hear ya next weekend I'm setting up a stand next door to em

Hey guys so i was out hunting today with my bow in the southern zone at a local state park. I decided to do a bit of spot and stalk on foot / scouting trip on some old territory at a place i used to hunt a lot. Not a ton of sign but definitely some decent spots to hang a tree stand in as the season heats up. So i was on my way back down the mountain heading out towards the car still a half mile or so from the parking lot. I was heading down hill when i heard a branch break 30 yards off to my right. I looked over and low and behold the most beautiful black bear i have ever seen! I froze in my tracks and slowly started to creep towards him closing the distance. I easily could have hit him however there were some obstructions between us like some minor brush and some rocks. I had a clear back drop for the shot as he was along side a rock ledge that was going up hill. As i closed the distance he saw me and turned and dove into what looked like a hole in the middle of nowhere! I could not believe my eyes he just vanished out of thin air! So i am guessing he dove into his den. I stood there with my bow just as i was getting ready to draw with my jaw on the floor and then decided to leave. Something felt unethical about hunting a bear hiding in its den. I know that you are not allowed to shoot a bear IN its den but it just felt wrong. I would like to bag this guy he was a nice sized bear for early season being as big as he was and i was wondering what some of the more experienced bear hunters think i should do? Set up a tree stand near by? If so how far would you consider to be ethical and when do bear usually come in and out of their den? Either way it was an amazing experience to see such a magnificent animal in the woods. I always heard there were bear in the park but once you see one in person its a completely different story. So any input thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again guys and good luck out there!

Yea it did sound like there were multiple rifles firing I remember thinking that when I first saw it this morning

Yea it's hard to say how people are supposed to turn around and come back from having such a low respect for human life. Something is changing in modern times in the human condition that is disconnecting us all in a way from each other. there was a time where we used to have to knock on the door to talk to someone. Drop by uninvited just to say hi or make plans. I remember having to call a house line just to talk to half the house hold before tyou finally got the intended recipient on the phone. This was normal. Today most people would rather text then talk on the phone. I feel that the lack of social connection between each other is an inevitable path we are following as technology increases each year. What if sanity no longer plays such a large role in the matter. Maybe society is becoming so disconnected that this is going to become the norm in the future. We seem to be witnessing this kind of behavior more and more as the years go by. I think there is undoubtedly a trend that is forming and until we get to the bottom of the viscous Cycle we have gotten ourselves wrapped up in we will continue to see this type of behavior more and more frequently.

Crazy I us saw em rip

So freaking exited! I can not wait until that alarm clock bangs! Good luck out there it's gonna be great just to get back in the woods!