finfeathr

A semi sneak is supposed to be just that..SEMI sneak, meaning head close to even with the shoulders. Mckenzie even sends out a poster for taxidermists to keep in the shop to show customers, and explain the difference to them. It clearly shows a dotted line going through the form between the head and shoulders to illustrate the differences of the three main poses..roughly even with the shoulders is a semisneak, below shoulders is fullsneak, and well above is an upright. WNY buckhunters deer looks more upright or semiupright to me...do you know what series# from mckenzie it is? Like I said, there are lots of different classifications of forms nowadays, but a semisneak always had the head roughly even with the shoulders. I will try to show a photo of a semi I did last week when I get a chance. The head is much closer to the shoulder height than the photos you guys have posted..I will try to post something up...

You need to get a copy of the federal regs that cover the many different waterfowling zones of NY..NYSDEC prints them out as a pamphlet annually, and are generally available when you buy your license or duck stamp. All of your questions are answered in it.. In short: Yes, the boat can be under power to retrieve birds, but you cannot be under power to shoot cripples. No, you may not shoot at birds you have scared up while the boat is under power. This is "rousting". Your shotgun must not hold more than 3 shells [one in chamber, 2 in mag]. The magazine must be plugged so that only 2 shells can be loaded into it. HIP # is annual. Keep in mind that all waterfowl hunting infractions incurr a dual fine, federal and state...

Trying to judge a mount by a photo alone is difficult at best..you really have to look at it in person. Camera angles and flash settings can make a great mount look dopey sometimes. The ear position is ok. Alot of guys want thier ears in different poses, and whitetails can and do rotate thier ears independently. The eyes are rotated one rearward, one forward. This is correct for a deer looking toward the rear like the one pictured. Like I said, the photography is probably more "off" than the mount. I know that I sometimes take quick photos of mounts before customers pick them up, and they don't look as good as the mount on the wall sometimes to me..... Dave, your mount does not seem like a semi-sneak from your photo at all. I would classify that as an upright or semi-upright. A semi-sneak is like the mount you don't care for, head more even with the shoulder. General rule of thumb: Head above the shoulders...upright Head even with shoulders...semi-sneak Head below the shoulder...Full sneak Of course, with each new catalog, there are new positions, such as: semi-upright,flehmen, pedestal, wall pedestal, full sneak head up/down, 90% turn, offset shoulder, aggressive, hooking, and on and on.... Rich

never heard anything about it since it's cancellation last year, I am an exhibitor..would hope they get the word out early when it does come together...

Welcome..there are plenty of duck hunting opportunities on Long Island...but you really need to upgrade to a duckboat with an outboard. Join the South Shore Waterfowlers Association, and network from there...

Hot glue and clothespins should work for you..

I grew up running beagles with my family..it was pretty much all I did until I discovered waterfowl....no place to really go anymore....Rich

OK, heres my take.. If you know what you are doing, do it yourself. If you don't, then take it to someone who does. I own Fins to Feathers Taxidermy on Long Island, and process about 200 deer a year for hunters. I have heard all the horror stories over the last 30 years about not getting all the meat back, etc...let me point out a few things: It's a deer, NOT a steer! Most hunters think that if they shot a 100 lb deer, they should get several boxes of meat back. This is simply not the case. Once the hide, head, and feet come off, you lose alot of weight. Add the fact that most 100 lb. deer are no where near 100 lbs anywhere except the proud hunters perception. Most guys inflate the size of the critter. Next, you have to take into account how much damage is done on that particular deer. Each animal is different, and gunshot/arrow wounds can have a drastic effect on large areas of edible meat. Blood is a natural laxative, and you don't want meat saturated with it. It isn't very appetising to look at, and it isn't healthy to ingest. Just because there is a small entry or exit wound doesn't mean there isn't extensive damage once the skin comes off. I get my boxes from a meat packer, so they are the same size the butcher shop gets. Most deer fit comfortably in one box, unless it is a real bruiser. I cannot speak of the practises of the butchers you guys are using, but I can tell you what I do for identification: Upon arrival, each customer is giver a reciept with a #. A waterproof tag with corresponding # is attached to the deer's hind leg. This tag [and leg] stays with the deer for the entire process. The shank is the last cut on each deer, and at that point, the tag is cut from the hoof and placed in the tray with all the cuts to be wrapped. When all meat is wrapped and boxed, the numbered tag and usually the DEC tag is placed in the box, the # written on the outside of the box, and the customer notified. It takes me about 1 hour to skin, butcher, and wrap a deer working alone. During rifle season, I have a crew helping to cut and wrap, but I still skin EVERY DEER, so that I am in total control of every deer and customer's requests, i.e. saving horns, hide, feet, etc... One of the biggest problems with butchers is chopmeat...there is simply not enough scrap to on an individual deer to warrant cleaning the machine, so most guys make a big hopper full at the end of the day, and divvy it up amongst everybody. I do not even offer chopmeat on my butchering for this reason. It isn't right or sanitary to mix several deer together and then dole it out as "your" deer. When done correctly, there shouldn't be very many edible scraps to make chopmeat from. I make alot of stew, and hunters can always get a small grinder from Cabelas to make thier own if they wish. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the same thing goes for sausage, pepperoni, bologna, and all that gimmicky stuff some guys offer. I will tell you right now that it's all a mix of many different animals, not just yours. I even know of one unscrupulous processor who accepts deer as part of the venison donation program, and uses much of it to make sausage,chopmeat, etc, and swaps it out to customers. So in summation, there are alot of bozo's out there, but there are some guys who actually care and realize that the game you take is important to you. It requires alot of time, patience,money,and hard work to obtain, and should be treated with respect. Be careful out there, and have a good season! Rich Fins to Feathers Taxidermy P.S. If you do it yourself and want to mount the head, leave the skin and head in one long piece, and let your taxidermist cut it where he wants, and don't make any cuts in the skin from the brisket foerward!

Just make sure you leave at least from behind the front legs forward. I have to replace at least 10 capes per year that customers have cut way too short, or thier butcher told them it was more than enough...personally, there is no need to cut the body skin from the cape you need for mounting at all, just leave it all one hide and let your taxidermist cut the cape where he wants to. Even if you cape it out correctly,[usually not the case], the taxidermist still has to turn the lips, eyes, nose, ears, and flesh the hide, so you really aren't saving him any time. It's best to let the guy doing the mount cape it the way he wants...unless you are in a remote location and you do what you have to do...

Now hold on a minute, there is alot more work involved than "scraping" a hide, and beginning the mounting process. I commercially tan all capes before mounting. if your taxidermist is doing this as well, that will explain why it takes a while to get the mount back. Short cuts in taxidermy become evident after a while. If you are just salting/scraping a hide and putting it over a form, you will undoubtedly have an insect problem at some point. I would say that if you are having fun learning and doing your own, fine. But putting out a commercial mount that is properly tanned and mounted correctly is very time consuming, and far from "easy".

You can reach me at 516-847-0087 Rich,Fins to Feathers Taxidermy

excellent!!!!

Thats it...your new name is "googler"...I like it! :-*

Not really sure, I just know that eventually all the townships fighting it will lose, and we are one of the few states that doesn't already have a saltwater license...it's money that the state needs, they aren't going to give up, so I just ponied up while it was cost effective...

Got my lifetime last year...there is no way NY is going to give up that extra revenue..it's an eventuality.

I think it is an overstatement to say that it would "kill our sport." Trespassing on posted property is far more damaging to our image than legally hunting unposted property. So is road hunting, baiting, etc. I would bet all of these happen far more than any issues on unposted land, primarily because there is not a lot of unposted land around to begin with. I think the law needs to be changed to protect landowners' rights. I agree that it should be illegal to hunt on land without permission. But I highly doubt it is very damaging to our sport, let alone that it would "kill" it. You say it's an overstatement that it will kill our sport, because you are from the Finger lakes region, where hunting and guns are still a part of everyday life... On L.I., those are dirty words..the general public has a disdain for all things guns and hunting down here. There are constant attacks on the sport and it's implements on the island. The bambi lovers, bunny huggers, anti hunting, anti gun and tree hugger groups have done significant damage here. They are constantly trying to pass no discharge ordinances, make entire townships [including bat bottoms] illegal to hunt, and close down ranges. I cannot tell you how many times a customer drops off an animal for mounting at my shop, and gets horns blown at them along with cursing and a middle finger salute. The fear of an end to it all on L.I. is legitimate, I assure you.

Not a personal attack in any way, but your posts seem to promote behavior that is damaging to hunting's image. Even if you don't do it, if you're telling everyone else it's ok, you are certainly contributing to the problem. To all that are following this thread.... ALWAYS find out who owns the land and get permission before venturing on....it's the ethical, moral, and respectful thing to do, and you will go a long way to promote POSITIVE hunter image.

And that right there is the problem...YOU didn't see it as an ethical problem, even though it clearly is. It's all about how you justify it. I also find it interesting how you post your own property to keep others out, but have no qualms about entering another parcel, just because that landowner did not...you are truly a unique individual, and do your fellow sportsmen proud. You will hold your nose in the air and proclaim to all that will listen that you can go where you want, but you still can't just do the right thing and ask permission first. We will eat our own young. When your favorite pastime is gone, make sure you clap yourself on the back for your intense efforts to speed it along... It MIGHT not be gone in your lifetime, but I doubt the kids are going to be able to hunt in the next generation if this is the example you are going to set for them.

No....because your land is obviously not "uninhabited." Complain to your lawmakers, not to those who follow the letter of the law. I understand letter of the law, but the bottom line is, you know damn well it isn't yours, so why would you not just do the right thing and ask first? The landowner is certainly going to have a crappy outlook on all hunters from that point on..but I guess some of you don't care..you got away with it, and screw the next guy, who cares? After all, all you have to do is drive down the road to a spot where the posted sign blew down, and you're in like Flynn again, right? I have said it before, and I will say it again: we are our own worst enemies, hunters will eat thier own young. 6 pages later, and not one person that waves the no posted sign flag can answer the question honestly: Why can't you just do the right, honest, moral, ethical, and most of all, RESPECTFUL thing, and ask permission before entering property that is obviously not your own? I swear, this thread has taught me one thing, some people get so hung up on a technicality, that they throw common sense out the window... Be respectful, do the right thing, and show a positive image of your fellow hunters..is that too much to ask?

HOLY CRAP!!! I don't believe I just read that! do you seriously believe that if a parcel isn't posted, that means the owner is INVITING you to hunt it??? If so, then I give up hope for you guys. That is exactly the kind of attitiude that will one day end all hunting on L.I...mark my words. There are quite a few politicians trying like hell to shut down discharge of firearms in Brookhaven,[by the way, they include archery gear]. This kind of attitude is fuel for thier fire. Pleas stop spouting that crap about "land speculators" or "housing corporations" not caring who is on thier land. That is nonsense..do you really think that because they got denied on thier permits, they aren't appealing? or making changes to the application? No, in your mind, they just gave up, and are letting valuable L.I. property rot, and do not care about it...They are still paying taxes on it, period. They deserve the respect that the situation entails, I.E- asking permission. They absolutely do care who is on the land, especially with a hunting implement, which could logically cause harm to someone, in theory. Enough of this garbage,those of you who venture onto land you don't have permission to be on, are doing so because you know deep down that if you ask permission you will be denied, and then you wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Most of these corporations are not going to give you the go-ahead because of liability, and they certainly aren't going to look the other way...they would be putting themselves in jeopardy. The land is an investment, have you really bamboozled yourself into thinking they don't care? I'll ask again..Why can't you just do the moral, ethical thing and ask permission? I know why, either you can't be bothered doing the homework, or you are flat out afraid of being turned down, and losing "your" hunting spot. Which, since you don't have permission to be on in the first place, isn't "your" spot anyway. NOT POSTED= INVITING TO HUNT? I have truly heard it all now. Just do the right thing...ASK PERMISSION!

get outta the casino and save your money for land.......and posted signs. [hee-hee]

Being on land that you don't have permission to be on is wrong, plain and simple. That stuff may fly upstate, but on L.I., it's a recipe for a ruined hunt, bad future relations with said landowner, and probably having to go to court just to sort it all out... Again, why is it so hard to do the right thing and ask permission????

Don't spend too much at those casino's they are designed to take you to the cleaners....didn't you ever watch "Casino" with DeNiro?

Turn of the century styrofoam. It's ok papabear, even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while!

I certainly would never insinuate that harm should come to you for any reason,Joe. It still is not right to be somewhere you don't have permission to be, though. Hunting it until someone kicks you off said property is kinda silly. It seems like you acknowledge it's trespassing, but that won't stop you from doing it until someone objects. If it's working for you, fine, but it's still wrong. As a side note, I don't think that the landowner that finally sees red over the issue will look the other way because your brother is a detective. You might not want to use that as your defense, it could backfire...