catskillkid

So sorry for your loss

Awesome buck, congratulations !!

Awesome, love the sheep pictures

Funny, I gave Kurt a few porcuppines a few years ago. He asked for them to mount for a couple of guys that wnated them. I shoot around a dozen every year, munching on my cabin.

The guides that I hunted with in Newfoundland all packed Helly Hansen rain gear. You can also pay a fortune for Sitka.

I can't speak for 4F, but you can shoot all the dogs you want in 4O in my part of the Catskills. Lot's of them, unfortunately I shot one while turkey hunting this past weekend

Coyotes picking clean a deer overnight is very common in my area of the Catskills. I've had a few deer that I had bow shot in evenings and found in the morning devoured by coyotes. I'm now reluctant to shoot a deer close to sun down.

I agree, the program is not for everyone. My forester developed a Forestry Management Plan and I enjoy performing the Timber Stand Improvement myself.

You have to recommit every year to extend the program out 10 years. In my case, it was a no brainer. the cost savings is $6k per year. My certified forester lets me know when he thinks the forest should be harvested. About once every 15 years. This is not a forced timber sale but a mutual agreement based on my use of the land, i.e. wildlife management and forest / land conservation. Yes the township receives a small percentage of the timber sale as compensation for the reduced land taxes. The State of NY does not receive anything from the sale. My forester put my timber out for bid last year and we both decided on which bidder to choose. The timber sale more than pays for the taxes every 15 years, so the land is now paying for itself. It's a great fit for me as I have no intention to sell the land anytime soon.

That's why I put my 210 acres in the Forestry Program. Reduced my taxes 80%. The tax assessor has not happy with me. I said too bad !!

I have also been seeing that a few land owners are now asking for "Pie in the Sky" prices to see if they can get the high price.

Has anyone noticed the rising land cost this year? It seems that most parcels of land in my area of the Catskills "Delaware County" that have been on the market have sold this year. Prices are soaring also. I'm sure the cause is because many people are trying to move out of the city areas or just wanting their own piece of paradise. Many months of being confined because of COVID and now the ability for most to work from home has them rethinking their life styles. On the positive side, if you owned pre COVID, your land is worth much more. On the down side, if you are looking for your own hunting land, you are going to be paying a lot more.

Received mine on Saturday

I received my dmap permits in the mail today. I have my land in the Forestry Program. Had it logged last year and the under growth now looks like a jungle. Great cover for deer and other critters. Last year my Forester recommended that I apply for the permits as he noticed a lot of browsing of the forest regen. I'm overrun with deer in 4O, especially with the awesome fawn crop this year. Most of my land owner neighbors that abut me are still old school and don't believe in harvesting does. I'll fill the tags as long as they all go to needy families.