Uncle Nicky

My keys. I was at the hunting camp 300 miles away from home, parked 100 yards off of the road, cell reception wasn't available at the time, and the truck was locked. I walked the whole side of the mountain that day, so backtracking to find them wouldn't have been too productive, especially in the dark. I had to walk about 2 miles toward town before I was able to call AAA, they said they'd send a locksmith. Walked back to camp, they never showed, so I hiked back towards town again. AAA left a message that my key was electronic, so the best they could do was tow me to a Dodge dealer. I said send the truck, walked back to camp again. Driver finally showed, then said he wasn't supposed to leave a paved road. I offered him $50 (about all I had on me) to take the driveway back to where my truck was, and he finally gave in. Dropped the truck at the Dodge dealer in Hornell, then got a room at a motel, was about 3 AM by the time I checked in. Note to self- NEVER TAKE YOUR KEYS IN THE WOODS AGAIN!!! Now I leave them in the tailpipe when I hunt. Lost my wallet (wallet) temporarily in Texas last December, looked everywhere in camp and the outfitter's truck, no luck. Had my money to pay the outfitter, and my ID to get back on the plane home. Only place I could think of was the blind where I'd sat the afternoon before, luckily it was under the chair I had been sitting on. WHEW!!!

Wasn't in the mood to Google this morning, but here it is. I do realize that anyone can sue anyone for anything, and if the judge isn't knowledgeable or wants to prove some sort of a point, they can try, but the way it is supposed to work, you are not supposed to be held liable if someone gets hurt hunting on your property if you are not charging a fee to hunt there. If this weren't the case, nobody would give permission to let strangers hunt on their land. I do realize that the law is different once leasing or money comes into the picture. NY: http://codes.findlaw.com/ny/general-obligations-law/gob-sect-9-103.html PA: http://ilborough.com/FILES/Misc/Act 586 Recreational Use of Land and Water.pdf

I don't see any problem with someone leasing their land, a hunter paying for a lease, or a middleman making a buck in the process. It's common practice in a lot of the country, not so much in NY or PA. Best of luck in your venture. The one thing I question though, the way the laws are written in NY & PA, isn't landowner liability INCREASED when you lease out your land? The way I understand the law in both states, there is very limited landowner liability involved if you give permission for others to hunt your property, but once you start charging a fee to hunt or use your land for other recreational pursuits, that becomes null & void. I'm assuming your company picks up the insurance once a landowner signs a contract?

No, hunting the Northern Neck peninsula, near the Chesapeake/eastern side of Virginia..flat as a pancake there. They don't use cell phones because multiple guys are communicating on a drive, and you need to be ready if the dogs chase a deer your way. After reading up and research, I'm fairly certain they are using marine radios.

It's a sign of the times. Up until about 20 years ago, everyone told ethnic and smutty jokes, nobody thought anything of it. Comedians like Red Foxx, Andrew Dice Clay, and Eddie Murphy made a career out of it and were popular. Nobody heard of the term "sexual harrassment", we kept Penthouse Playmate calendars up in the meatroom of the butcher shop where I worked, nobody was offended by it. Now the whole world is PC, and you have to walk on egg shells around everyone it seems, especially at work. Some old guys (I'm almost in the club) just don't care, I guess they know their days on the planet are numbered, and they're gonna have a little fun before they go. It doesn't bother me in the least, I always enjoy a good laugh or joke, as long as it's not meant in a mean-spirited way.

Just my $.02, but it's old history at this point. Sure, it would be nice to have the rack and maybe a mount to look at, but as they say, posession is 9/10ths of the law. I had a guy steal a buck I shot years ago; I was a teen, first buck I ever shot, I tracked it to the carcass and gut pile, never heard a shot after mine. The guy dragging it basically laughed at me, I wanted to shoot him I was so mad, now I just laugh when I think back on it. My advice- move on, kill another deer like that, it's do-able. And try to be "that guy" who would be ethical and considerate, if the shoe is ever on the other foot, set an example for other hunters and do the right thing. Karma has a way of rewarding those who do...

Cheesy move on his part. Not sure why someone would want a big set of antlers from another guy's deer. I could possibly see getting the meat before it spoiled, but as mentioned, he could have called to tell you he found the deer.

I average one full day on a fresh set (I think it takes 8, have to check). Not dirt cheap, but if you're going all the way to Canada.... My uncle has a Fishin Buddy that's rechargeable, would love to get my hands on one, but have never come across one since. I'm sure they stopped making them.

Yes, I had one about 15 years ago, it was junk. I've bought Humminbird Fishin Buddys ever since, I'm averaging about 5 years with them, which includes an average of 1 trip to Canada each year.

The land where I'm hunting is flat (Northern Neck area). Someone suggested marine VHF radios, does anyone have experience with these?

Thanks Steve. Is this the same model of Midland radio you use?

I'm looking for the best walkie-talkies to buy, using on dog-drives in Virginia (legal there). What brand and model would you suggest? Looking for something rugged, dependable, and fairly simple to use. Not looking to go cheap, but don't want to over-pay either. Thanks.

I only turkey hunted there, but there are deer everywhere, huge racks. I've never been interested in paying to bow hunt, but if I was, Kansas is where I would go.

Toby Hogan-Innovative Outfitters

Oddly enough, one of my neighbors where I have my camp called me out of the blue, and asked if I was interested in selling my land. Not sure if he saw this post here and made the connection or if it's just a strange coincidence. He gave the asking price, plus gave me 2 more years of hunting rights. Should be a smooth transaction, win-win all around.

Purchase offer just received, thanks for looking and letting me advertise here. Mods can close this down if they want.

Nice deer, and nice job on the European mount.

Not old enough to be a buzzard yet, but closing in... I grew up hunting with SXS shotguns. Got away from them for a while, but fell back in love a few years ago, LOL. Had a Stevens, but couldn't hit the back of a barn with it, traded it in for a Stoeger, now it's pretty much the only gun I use for small critters. I like the fact that today's SXS guns have interchangeable chokes.

Thanks Let em Grow and Growalot...yes, it's a beautiful area, pretty rural but close enough to walk if needed for help- I did a TON of looking before I finally settled on this property for a camp. I've seen bear tracks and scat, saw the first one in the woods 2 years ago during deer season, but didn't want to kill it, I've shot a few already, rather see someone that wanted one worse get it, if that makes any sense....

I am going to put my camp in Allegany county on the market. My first move is to list it here and a few other places before I involve a realtor, I would like to sell it to someone who plans to hunt and enjoy the land as much as I did, if at all possible. If I don't have any serious bites by May (turkey season), I will start contacting realtors. It's 58 acres in area 9P, on North Almond Valley Road (32), border to the west is Bully Hill state forest, thousands of acres of other state forest nearby, nearest towns are Hornell/Arkport, Birdsall, and West Almond. Road to camp is paved, with utility lines. It's a mixture of open fields (about 5 acres), brush (about 10 acres) and hardwoods, mostly maple & beech (43 acres). GREAT deer hunting, the property next door (about 60 acres) is all overgrown goldenrod and hawthorn trees, which is great cover. I did plant food plots the first couple years I owned the place, and the fields could easily be planted again. I have permission to hunt the one neighbor's property (he doesn't hunt), and I'm sure the next owner would have no problem either. The Canisteo river runs through a small section of the land, but is easily crossed either on foot, or with an ATV or pickup truck. Logged about 15 years ago, I'm told it will probably be ready to be logged in another 10-15 years. Fair amount of grouse, turkeys are hit and miss but usually get 1 or 2 each year, coyotes come and go, haven't heard many the last few years. I also built a small 12 X 16 shack that I've been staying in when I go there, nothing fancy but it will keep you dry, fine for storage also. I bought the property 12 years ago, I'm a little sad to sell it, a lot of good times and memories and some nice deer killed there over the years. But I'm getting ready to go into semi-retirement in the next couple years, probably further south (Eastern Shore of Maryland or Virginia), and can't justify the property taxes and the 300 mile drive to hunt a couple weekends a year any more. I had originally planned to retire to the camp, but as I get older, I'm liking the cold and the mountains less and less, LOL. I was hoping for a home run with the gas leasing talk a few years ago, but don't see that warming up any time soon. I'm asking $75,000, all mineral, gas, & timber rights included, I'll split the lawyer's/closing fee down the middle. Send me a PM if you are interested. I can give you directions and tax map coordinates if you want to take a look yourself, or can take you for a walk in May when I go up to hunt. I've included a very rough map of the property, but it gives you some idea of what the land is like. Thanks for looking-Uncle Nicky NY land.pdf

No plans yet, I figure I will cross that brige once I come to it. I'll probably go with an outfitter once the day comes, since I don't know the area, and this is probably going to be a once-in-a lifetime hunt. Sure, I'd be open to anything, always nice to hunt with a buddy.<<thumbs-up>>

Here is a distribution map, I think it's pretty current.

Pygmy- there is a small population of Gould's turkeys in Arizona, it's EXTREMELY difficult to draw tags to hunt them. I've been applying 5 years now, no luck but some points built up. The outfitter I talked to said on average you have to apply 10 years before you get drawn.

Mountain lion with dogs. Looked into it a few times, but out of my price range. I could probably afford and have as much fun going to Maine and killing a bear with hounds, but no desire to kill any more black bears.

Axis reminds me of moose or caribou....less wild and bloody tasting than whitetail. My $.02, anyway. Downside is they are usually smaller than a whitetail.