Daveboone

Hunting southern tier I have shot alot of deer with 12 gauge slugs, including many heart shots. Darn things still would run heart shot dead on their feet for a good hundred feet. There is no doubt that a 12 gauge recoil is about as stiff recoil as ever handed out, and they are more difficult to mount a scope to. Once our ST area went ok for rifles, we never looked back, shoot less and get more deer.

By chance anything stinky in a pocket or overlooked somewhere?

What did you sight in at? (at what range is it dead on?). It may very well be dropping that much for you depending on what your actual rested dead on sight in is. It doesnt mean that it is actually dropping that much. Now, my patched round ball is sighted dead on at 25, and at 100 yards drops about 16 inches. No clue what it will do at 200. I cant see to hit that far, and never will find out.

Every one in my family loves pickled venison heart. Slice it thin and slow simmer it in a mix of vinegar and water, some pickling spices. I forget the exact proportions, but easy to look up a recipe. We just cold pack it and eat it up. I want to try some of the sear fried recipes for it.

Depends on the exact angle, more than anything else. Sometimes we overthink things. I try to avoid hitting the shoulder,so just behind the line. Large margin of error and will take out both lungs. I aim center line or a smidge higher...better than aiming too low. Heart shot deer almost always bolt and can run a good 100 feet or more dead on their feet.. the longer the shot the more likely I am to aim for center of the boiler maker for margin of error.

We always had a cat growing up, and the wife had one for a long time ...the thing was seventeen when it died! We are primarily dog people now, but there are times when I miss one. I am very particular about my cats though. We had Siamese (real Siamese, not the bred out stupid things that are popular now) and Manx.

I own ten acres, but the deer only move through a few acres of it. Same as if you go to a thousand acre lot. The deer still generally only use a smidgen of it. (We are northern woodland, no crops, but some wild apples).

Paula, I dont think so. She was tiny when I got her, if she got kicked she would have been a smudge spot on a hoof. Me thinks just weird.

Goofy is ok in this neighborhood. I was on a bear hunt a few years back up in Canada. A group from New Jersey (of course) showed up, and everyone was acting like a girlfriends husband was hiding behind every tree. The next morning they left early. The chief guide/outfitter related this to me... After dinner as he (the guide) was leaving for errands, the eldest, apparent leader of the group approached him when they were alone out doors. He asks the guide...."Level with me...is there anything out there that can "Gitcha?".. The guide responded....."Well, I've Never been got". The next morning the group departed back to N.J., before breakfast call.

Just dogs barking on TV, or horses. She hates horses, which is weird as she grew up around them., and she knows the difference from cows. weird dog.

A lot depends on where they are planning on hunting, and expected ranges. I am not a fan of either, and have shot both. A better compromise of the two would be a 30-30. Better range and flatter shooting than a .44, more mass than a .243 (yup, I am well aware of velocity differences) , and a lot of rifle options. Not to mention bullet choices. In this day and age though, I would give considerable thought to the cartridge availability.

I am very particular on letting others use my stands, for this reason. Of course, you cant always know if you spook deer...if you dont see them. If I spook deer from a stand, I consider that stand done pretty much for the season., or at least several weeks. If deer show up after shooting light sometimes I am in for a long sit before they wander away.

I have used a green twig with a patch cut out of my shirt in the field....worked well in a shotgun. A rifle is more tricky, but I know of one guy that pee'd in in his barrel to clear snow and mud. Worked, and saved the hunt.. Needless to say, he was very meticulous cleaning it later. That rifle was known as "old pisser" after that. Certainly didnt hurt it any.

pre season I hang most outside for up to a week to get rained on / uvd, then air dry. AFter that I keep either in a closed tote or heavy duty garbage bag. never any scent wafers or the such...to me they are just a mix of chemicals, and though they may smell like " nature" to us, they probably smell like chemicals to the critters. I do cut pine branches and gather leaves from where I hunt to put in the plastic bags I am wearing. Once at camp, what I am actively wearing day to day gets hung outside when dry, in the back well aired back porch at night/otherwise.

I have some, and especially the drawers elastic is shot after a season or two. Not going to replace it with the same.

I have had days when I just couldnt " get the groove". Just saturday pm, we went out on stand (NT rifle). It was very warm, I was out primarily to let a buddy (a novice hunter) get out. I only have a buck tag, and really do not want to shoot anything so early in the season. I want to be out alot more, and I enjoy the later colder season much more. I sat for about ten minutes in my tree, and said enough is enough. I went for a nice long two hour slow stroll through the woods, casually spotting for sign and just enjoying the evening. I got back to the cabin about dark. The next a.m. was foggy and misty. I had a bunch of little critters scurrying about, and enjoyed myself much more. As warm as it has been this season, I have had difficulty motivating. This week it is coolinig off nicely. Even if I am unlikely to take a deer yet, it is starting to "feel" like hunting.

Great pics! I have paddled the Fulton chain numerous times, Lake Lila, Lows Lake, Stillwater Reservoir, and many others, but have yet to make it to either Cranberry Lake or the St. Regis chain...I need to put them on the short list.

Only if the "doe" identifies as a buck.

I have been twice to Patey and Sons in the northern peninsula. My buddy is going back a third time (no money for me). I would happily go back. It is a fly in ...sea plane or chopper. One on one guides, very hard working. All the locals treat us like gold, or long lost cousins. I love Newfie. My wife are planning a hopefully two week drive vacation through the provice in 2023.

I hear you loud and clear. During ML season I am perfectly happy to take a nice mature doe. Good meat in the freezer. Two years ago I had consistent pictures of several bucks showing during daytime hours. The plan changed. I passed does several times in the hope of one of the bucks coming by, but they didnt. Last night of ML season I was back to the original plan, and happily took a nice doe. I never did see those stinkin bucks!

I think most camps have a rule of no drinking /alcohol until after the hunting is done. That said, I have hunted with a number of guys who pocket a beer. Myself, a beer on stand in the morning is....well, maybe the problem lies elsewhere. A beer on a warm afternoon on stand...well, ok I guess. Chances are that hunter isnt going to be awake long enough to worry about shooting anyway. Then you have the guys who look at hunting as just a chance to drink away from home. They wont be hunting with my crowd. I have a brother in law who wonders why I dont bring him up to camp with me. He will sleep in, and when I get back, my bottle of Jamieson that has been sipped at for four years will be empty...before noon.

Hunting for what? What season? Fair weather or foul?

Nuthin for me this week. Saturday and sunday were down pours almost all day, but I was still out there. Monday pretty wet too, went home for some chores but came back for the evening. Tues. and Wed. were nice days...too nice. Too warm. I dont think it helps any with the full moon...the deer are more active at night,and not so much morning/evening. I got alot of chores done at the camp, at any rate. It is cooling off in a decent way now, hopefully a good frost isnt too far off. No doe permit for me this year though, and that is what I hope with for ML season.

Suggestion...whatever you shoot and have ammo for, is the caliber you should aim for with current supply issues prevailing

And we are off! I am heading up to my camp on the Tug today, having the next week off for ML season. Rain for tomorrow and sunday at least. Normally I love hunting the rain, and do not mind it much with the cap and ball rifle (Lyman Great Plains). My hope though is to use my flintlock this year as much as possible, and the damp makes them....shall we say, iffy. Monday looks ideal...cool at night, weather clearing and if I remember right, a new (no) moon.