Nomad

So your saying you guys have trained your dogs , interesting this knucklehead has trained me !

Not hard to do in some areas....... In Old Forge you can hand feed them Skittles .

If you want to see something interesting see how many you get after posting a " good" buck photo either dead or a trail cam one. I often watch others "views" grow after they post one, just to see how many hunters are checking them out . I also end up on profile pages when using the iPad , the screen seems to jump a bit just as my finger reaches it ! I also used to watch the " posts to views" ratio some folks are way higher .

Lots of good advice above. Used is a big savings as there is no shortage of guys who want the latest greatest bow , as they think it matters. Same advise for cars and Rolex's . Let them take the hit for you. Don't over think this any modern bow will be fine. I've been bow hunting since '88 killed a buck my first year and most since. I have owned two bows. A Golden Eagle something for 18 years and Hoyt's cheaper brand since , Reflex I think. Don't ask me my draw length , what release ,sites , arrows , rest I use I have no idea right now. Had it set up then just shot it , I don't mess with it or experiment much or really at all.

Ok that map has me more confused than a termite in a tin can. What the heck "area " is 8h now in? Lake plains Because of finger lakes? That does not make sense to me but none of the names fit the area .I would call it North west myself ....

It's best to touch up between uses if one can, a simple strop or a few light passes on a fine stone. Using a Sharpie on the edge prior , will show you if your angle is correct . Btw all the guys are telling me tons of deer around despite the winter.

You've hit upon something here that has bothered me for awhile. Poor shoes, and poor shoe stores. Anyone in Rochester remember Grassroots? Quilty shoes and a staff who knew the product and how to fit a person correctly . First time there they measured me said size whatever , no,I wear size x, no you don't .... Bought an American made boot larger then I ever wore and hum my feet did not hurt ! Those boots lasted years upon years. Now it's a lot of foreign made shoes with spotty Quilty and sizing that's all,over the place. Even the Red wing store I went to, low selection of their own product line and the woman knew very little about their own product to boot . Then you have some outdoor stores that have a few hunting and a few hiking shoes but again low selection none of the higher end ones and staff that just came over for the golf area to fill in. Put your money in shoes and sheets, you spend the most time in them.

I have a pair of Red Wings as i got them through my Dept. for work . I don't wear mine , to heavy for me, most guys love them . I really liked Danner when they were USA made. I wear Rockeys at work they'er ok . Merrels off duty, my foot Dr likes those and added a " built up padding thing" under the insoles ( I have arthritis in both feet ) Now I am a big Allen Edmonds fan, hand made in America by Americans , can be recrafted as well. Pricey yes but they are not made by kids in China . Now this pair does go,on sale for around $275 from time to time, but may be a bit stylish for a rough and tumble man such as yourself , I love them. Not sure how hard you'll be on your boots though . http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/producti_SF6021_1_40000000001_-1?style=6043

Manly yes but I like it too ! https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sQk-imB1m2k

Right now nothing. Did my chainsaw work and moved some ladderstands in the spring . I have a couple hang ons to put up in the usual trees ( steps in place) and one or two new sites left to prep and hang when it cools down a bit. I do want to get my one daughter up in a ladderstand soon for some practice climbing up using the harness and so on , just getting comfortable up there ( ground blind Hunter prior).

To be 100% honest last ten years or so I used the scent free soaps, but plenty of times when I'm out of it or shower at work prior to hunting I do use I.S.I've also eaten Life cereal most mornings for 40 or 45 years. I'm not against change, I justdont jump right into the first new thing that comes along....

I have used nothing but Irish Spring to shower with my whole life, would love 100 bars for five bucks !

Mine tend to smell like a fresh spring morning , so it's never been and issue except for those deer that realize it's Fall.....

Hum don't know much to say, I have arthritis in the balls of both feet , have for years I no longer cross county ski but that about it . The cold has zero effect on it for me though . Good luck .

If you were closer I'd open up my private range to you, what some call " The Webster Militia Proving Grounds"....... No rules there .

Very well so far. Been skiing a lot , floating In the pool drinking gin and tonics, workouts at the gym have been good as well. I'm tan as can be . Both kids came over today , one slalom skied very well on the bay with the wife and I , the RN crashed pool side , coming off nights . I cooked on the grill for them, all is well. Can't wait to retire in Tennessee , no snow , much better deer hunting, way lower taxes, Better gun laws and on and on and on . Oh and way longer summers!

Lots of good comments . As for kids today .... I guess it's whatever ones are in your life that we base things on. For me the vast majority are working way harder than my friends and I had to. Our oldest has two bachelor degrees and works as an RN . She worked may jobs while in high school and college and studied way more than I ever thought of doing . Most of her friends work in medical fields , PT, OT, pharmacy and so on. Trust me they work hard and are held accountable. Our youngest just got her Masters , with a gpa of 3.94, while being a TA teaching 3 undergrad classes ,correcting all the papers and tests and also studied for and passed 2 parts of the CPA exam at the same time. Her senior year of college she worked 20 hours a week at an accounting firm while going to school full time. Over the summers she worked 3 jobs, 20 hours at parks and rec, 20 accounting and week ends at Sea Breeze.... Most of their friends got jobs right away, the future CPA got hired by one of the big four a year before graduating . There are plenty of kids that work hard and are good citizens just like always. Is it harder for some ? Sure gone are the days one could walk out of HS and get a good factory job , but we know this prepair yourself . My wife's company was bought and 350 decent factory jobs are going to Mexico next year . She has gotten job offers with out even looking..... But she has a skilled office job, if your only skill is driving a tow motor (what I did there many moons ago) it's going to be hard.

Around the 1,950's Rochester saw a large number of Southern Blacks move to the area to seek work at Kodak, Xerox , B+L, Delco , Gm . Many came with a strong Southern hunting heritage , which continued here. The reason we don't see their kids and grand kids in the woods hunting today is the same as why we don't see white kids and grand kids afield as well. It's not a race or urban/ rural its young from all walks that need to be reintroduced . If urban kids need a lift to the woods perhaps they could catch a lift from the Hippster hunters ....

Fletch , you sure got your system down ! Eddie that's a wonderful story/knife , 45 years ! That knife must really bring back some memories each time you use it . I have a Shrade Lb7 ( Buck 110 clone ) that I've used since the '70's lost It once , I was heart broken it now sits in the safe most of the time .

Binoculars . I don't enter the woods ever without them, a set hangs in the kitchen by the door and a spare set in the car as well.

I start at the sternum . The Sharp Finger is a Classic. Learn to sharpen a knife .

My friend lives on Bainbridge island off of Seattle , he has taken Blacktail on the mainland not in July though. He has hunted with the St. Charles family and has held most offices in Washington state bow assc . Fwiw

Ok I've had neck surgery and been to PT for my shoulders ,( two impingements, bone spurs and frozen shoulder ). I also just finished pt for a pinched nerve in my neck making my arm and hand numb as well as limited neck movement . I would recommend seeing a PT to learn the correct exersizes and the correct form, weight ,amount, and order for you and your specific case. Picking random movements off google or what others do could make it worse.

I love the outdoors, in fact whenever I'm not indoors that's where you'll find me.......

Doc is correct , most all advisors will tell you to wait . There are a few things to take into consideration , your life expectancy based upon your families history and your health, your break even year being the most important . My wife's family does not live that long , my mom is 93 and going strong , my Dad made it to 89 and I have grandparents that lived till their 100's . She will collect earlier but not at 62 as you gain 8% a year . I'll wait till FRA with my life expectancy and the break even point it'll pay off handsomely . One also has to look at who,is the highest earner and consider who'll likely die first to maximize what they will collect in servivor benefits . If SS is a major part of ones retirement doing it correct is critical to helping the surviving spouse live as well as possible. There are thousands of ways a working couple can collect, luckily there are programs to work,it out for you . I have a pension plus deferd comp. my wife has a fat 401k yet SS has taken a few meetings with two different "planners " I use as well as a lot of my own research .