bluecoupe

dunno, something tells me that Central Hudson isn't going to be in any big hurry to provide service to me when I'm getting electricity supplied by someone else.

dunno, something tells me that Central Hudson isn't going to be in any big hurry to provide service to me when I'm getting electricity supplied by someone else. OH, and BTW IR - aren't you supposed to be hunting?!? PUT THE PHONE AWAY, you'll survive, trust me.

And who do you call when your power goes out?

Congrtulations! Don't overcook the backstrap meat. For the pics, put 'em up on either tinypic.com or photobucket.com and use the urls from there.

Not what you wanna see:

I don't know but I'd bet it was the first thing shut down. They'll take any opportunity to keep guns from being sold.

Congratulations! >1) Is there a big difference from a 2 3/4" vs a 3" sabot slug? Do lightfield hybred EXPs have good knockdown power? I want a clean humane kill. I have a the same Mossy 500 only with a Leupold sitting on top. I shoot 2 3/4" Federal sabots. They drop. Different shotguns like different slugs. You have an identical gun to mine and yours may spray the Federal Power Shoks all over the place where mine puts 'em in pretty much the same hole. You have to try different slugs to see which one your setup likes. As far as 2 3/4" vs 3"? I wouldn't even think twice about it. You're shooting about an ounce of lead out. It's a force to be reconed with. Not much of anything going to stand up to it if you do your part. > 2) If I buy scent killer is it as effective as running clothes through with a scentless detergent? This one I can't answer. I don't buy into all of that stuff. I do take old time precautions but stop there. > 3) How important is your scope and is mine "good enough"? Yours is "good enough" if you can see clearly through it and it puts 'em in the same spot. I always recommend putting the best glass on that you can for various reasons. Clarity, paralax, fog, variable power, etc but as long as it's accurate, it's fine. > 4) Im looking to buy a knife for mainly field dressing. Was considering this or this? I want to spend sub 70~ I didn't look at the links prior to quoting so I can't see them but the main thing with a knife is that it's sharp and a sturdy blade. > 5) What is the best time of day to hunt for whitetails? All day. People will tell you "oh they won't move then...." Lemme tell ya, deer don't have watches. They move when the mood strikes 'em or something pushes 'em. Hunt all day. Now, that said; I don't hunt in the hard rain anymore. A nice soft drizzle though and I'm not moving. > 6) Last year I had a few opportunities to take a doe but my father in law said I shouldn't bother but should try for a buck. Is there > something wrong with taking a doe? Does the meat taste any different between the two? This one's a "can of worms". MY personal preference is - give me a young doe any day. More tender and milder flavor generally. I've tried cooking those horns every way you can think of and they ain't worth squat 'cept lookin' at, and that's not why I personally go. Everybody's different there. My Father was adament that you did NOT shoot doe. I'm not. >7) How important is camo? I have a camo jacket/headnet/gloves but was considering just wearing jeans out to the field? How well can >deer see colors? Can they see orange? Movement is your biggest enemy when it comes to their sight and will probably bust you more often than most anything else. I wear a full blaze orange camo suit and I've had them walk right past me (I hunt from the ground, I wasn't bred to be crawlin' in and out of trees). Personally I'd stay away from jeans. I think they reflect a good amount of the ultraviolet spectrum and that'll bust you real quick. These rambling are just what I think and only right for me. Someone else will tell you that what I said is crazy, and for them it is. It's all a personal thing and finding what works for you. Just remember; deer have been killed for a LONG time and with various weapons long before anything we have available to us was even thought about. Good luck

Congratulations to the young lady!

to all of you guys and gals who are hitting the woods in the early morning hours.

Phew, thanks. I didn't think I was that far gone.

Around Union Springs?!?

The pic id is tough. Most probably a deer. I thought maybe a yote but just doesn't seem to fit that. The thing that makes me go "hmmmm" though is the blur that in the tail position. You don't say where the pic was actually taken which doesn't help. "upstate NY" has about as many meanings as "oh, a while ago". Did you go look along that route for tracks?

So we can legally bait politicians?

You forgot about painting your face with the blood.

1-Do I gut it where I find it or drag it closer to my car to avoid getting dirt inside the carcass? Gut it where you shot it, or close. One of the key things is to get the meat cool as fas as possible. Removing the insides help to do that. I also cut a stick to prop the cavity as open as possible when I'm done. My deer are skinned, quartered, and into a fridge/cooler with ice as soon as I can possibly get them there. Usually within a couple of hours. 2-Do I have to bring it to Ridge to check it in? No. You don't have to check it in but you DO have to report it through the DECALS system and of course your tag needs to be filled out fully immediately! 3-Do I just bring it to the taxidermist for butchering and mounting or do I have to make an appointment? Cut it up yourself, it's not difficult and then you know it's your harvest and you know how it was taken care of. As for the mount question; I'd recommend talking to your target taxidermist beforehand and get their recommendations as to the handling of the carcaas. After it's down is no time to begin formulating a game plan. That needs to be clearly defined now.

Boy it's really tough. Looked at pic2 and immediately thought injured, then with 3 I'm in the "I don't know, maybe" camp. Pic 2 just looks like things aren't where they should be. lol Could be either but I think I'd bet on injured.

Good luck with the draw! "Ever do something stupid?" - You don't have enough time...

Injured

lol - thanks! I should probably retract the prior post though. I can just see the cops at the door after someone actually does that...

Welcome back and good luck!!

Well, I'd planned on it but probably not. Last year (pre-accident) the landowner gave some new guys permission to hunt. They came in and setup stands within 25 yards of where our stands had been for years. We politely told them they were encroaching but they didn't care. I went out to do some tree rat hunting recently and they're back so apparently I'm done there. Have to get out and pound the pavement and see about finding a place for next year. Such is life. I'm not about to hunt on public land. Way to many sound shooters there.

Cool! Sounds like a nice trip! I'm gettin' better all the time, thanks. Good luck at the camp!

Hey Paul, I hope your trip was for pleasure! Talk about being able to screw up a one car funeral... You'll love it. lol I couldn't deal with the incompetance any longer and bailed. It may be a good thing in the long run though as this place is focused on NY.

Thanks! Yes, not too bad considering. Hope your wife comes along well.