Uncle Nicky

I like 30-06 best, never had a deer get away that was hit, ammo's cheap, and easy to find.. A lot of the younger guys seem to prefer .270.

Never had to pull a gun on anyone so far, thank goodness. I've almost been shot three times. Once as a youth hunter my father was loading a lever-action rifle, and was "easing" the hammer back when it went off, a couple inches left and he'd have shot me in the foot. I think he was more upset about it than I was. Another time was "driving" deer and a hunting partner sent a swarm of buckshot my way, claimed he didn't see the orange I was wearing. He's now an ex-partner. A psycho live-in girlfriend once pointed my home-protection revolver at me during an argument. I tried taking it away, and she sent one flying past my head. My current wife is a little more tame.

My experience has been that it's a crap-shoot; if you find (and keep) good tenants, it's a decent source of steady income. If you get a bad tenant, it can be a nightmare. I've had both. It can actually be a decent tax write-off, if your accountant knows what he's doing.

Yes, small vacation house I rent out. Inquiring minds want to know why you are asking?

Yeah, I would keep hunting. I'd probably give you the better spot, or do anything else I could so that you'd fill your tag. And shake your hand & wish you good luck before each hunt.

I'm a member, as others have said, I'm not buying everything they're selling. But I do think the $35/year is money well spent, it's insurance that you get to keep your guns, and the magazine you get isn't half bad.

I got one for a gift one time, it only lasted about 3 months & died. I used to work as a meatcutter in a supermarket and had my own processing business, we used a belt sander to put an edge on the knife, and finshed them on a sharpening stone. I still use this method.

Entrapment? Contact the OP and he turns out to be a warden or friend of a warden? And really, it was just a passing thought, and a lame attempt at humor. I'm sure they DEC has better things to do.

I ran a processing business for 15 years, this guy sounds like a magician to me, LOL. The chops ARE the backstraps cut into slices. I can see seaming out the leg muscles for cutlets, and butterflying the backstrap/loin for cutlets. Parts of the shoulders could conceivably be seamed out & cut into cutlets, but unless you're butchering a fawn or button buck, will eat like shoe leather. I wouldn't even bother trying to make the neck into anything but roasts or ground meat.

Anyone else wondering if this is some sort of DEC "sting"?

I started using #6 Winchester hevi-shot at the suggestion of a gunsmith who worked on my gun last year. The few birds I shot fell right in their tracks, I plan to keep using it, I guess if I have a complaint it would be that it puts TOO many pellets in the kill zone, I noticed I was picking a lot more pellets out of the meat than when I was using #4 lead.

I have a picture somewhere of one that was shot near Tully a few years ago, the story was also in Boar Hunter magazine.

I know that chufas are big down south, I don't know if they'll grow in a colder climate. Turkeys will mostly eat whatever deer eat, the standard foot plot mixes should work fine.

It would depend on how I felt that day, I suppose. In all likelihood, I'd let it go, it's not really a "trophy" in my eyes, and I'd feel stupid paying $400 to mount someone's livestock...but I'm guessing the thing ate pretty well, so it might be decent table fare. If I DID decide to kill it, I think I'd just keep it to myself. Once word gets out you shot someone's farm deer, you're bound to get grief from the game farm owner, regardless of whatever the law may be. Who needs the extra aggravation?

Very few & far between in PA, I think you'd have more luck in NY to be honest with you. Maybe if you had a couple dogs you might be able to get on one, but hogs are mostly nocturnal. You'd be better off making the ride to GA or FL if you want to kill a wild hog

Blaze orange is mandatory in PA, and sometimes I think the regulations are a bit overboard. When I deer hunt in NY (gun), I'll put on orange when I'm moving, but I take it off once I'm in my stand. If someone mistakes me for a deer 15 feet up in a tree, they better hit me, because I may just send one back their way if I'm still alive.

Bow or gun. I DID forget shells one time, that turned into a scouting expedition.

Not when I make the ride to NY, no. That;s strictly a deer or turkey hunt, but I might whack a coyote if I could get one to stand still long enough to get a shot. ( Not during spring turkey). Here in PA-all the time. In my part of the state, deer is shotgun only, I use a smooth bore, and if squirrels are in season, I'll take a handful of #6s with me. But they are catching on, as soon as they hear the click of me cracking the barrel open to change shells, they're off and running.

Thanks Suilleabhain! PM sent.

No, thankfully I never had to. I've spined a few over the years, I either finished them off quickly with a gunshot to the head or another arrow. I hate to see anything suffer, and the thought of being gored or kicked in the head or shin doesn't appeal to me.

Ha ha...did I show up on argument day & nobody told me??? Dave- I guess you definitely have a point. I DO use a quad to drag deer out of the woods sometimes, I use it for setting up stands and hauling logs, and I used to use it plant food plots before I gave that up. If it was a choice between not hunting at all or taking a quad...I'd take the quad. But in the spots I usually hunt, a quad (or game cart) will only get me so far, so I'd need to find new places to hunt, I suppose. I often hunt alone also, so I worry a little about tipping the thing over, breaking a leg, and being a mile away from any help (hopefully, I can get cell reception). No disrespect meant for any of the older guys. I was poking fun at the younger guys (my own kids included) I sometimes hunt with who pout when I tell them I'm leaving the ATV or truck behind and they have to walk to their stands.

I hear you, I'm a year shy of 50, and NO WAY am I taking a quad out just to get to my stand. Nothing against those who do, but if I wanted to ride in a cart I'd start golfing.

WNY- it all depends where you hunt. Both of my "regular" spots require a minimum knee-high creek crossing, through woods or briars with no established trails. To me, dragging a cart out through that slop for a couple deer a year is more trouble than it's worth. All my stands are a minimum 1/2 mile walk uphill from camp or home, and I agree, I enjoy the exercise as much or more than the hunt. Like I said, I drop a deer that looks like a heart attack, it's either find an ATV or pack it out in backpacks.

I'm having trouble with a Savage Model 99A I own, it has a tang safety (on top of the receiver). Twice now, while loaded, I have switched the safety from "Safe" to "Fire"..AND THE GUN HAS GONE OFF WITHOUT MY TOUCHING THE TRIGGER!!!! The first time it happened, I chalked it up to my being excited, and accidentally squeezing the trigger; the second time, I know it wasn't error on my part. I did a little research, and this doesn't seem to be a common issue with Model 99s. I contacted my gunsmith who says it's an easy fix, as soon as I get a little extra $$ it's being brought in for repairs.

The carts are OK if you're going across fairly flat or smooth terrain. If possible, I try to get an ATV in as close as I can and drag to the ATV, at the end of the day so I don't mess up anyone else's hunt. If I can't get an ATV in, I'll skin & quarter the animal in the woods, de-bone all the meat and haul the meat out in a couple trips, in plastic trash bags in a backpack, like I've seen outfitters do. Leaves a nice meal for the foxes & crows, LOL. If I go this route, I try to enlist the help of another hunter or one of my kids if they're around.