Daveboone

Bow/archery tags for either sex are strictly for use with those implements during thier respective special seasons. During "Regular Season", either northern or southern tier, it is buck only unless you have a deer management permit (doe tag).

Opening morning (used to be Tuesday) and thanksgiving....traffic on the throughway and 81 like it was rush hour, with every vehicle full of red /orange hats. The old drives did move alot of deer...if you sat still, chances are you would still see something getting moved around. A few locations we went to it seemed as though there was a hunter behind every tree. Down on Connecticut Hill, the barrages would start way before first light! That was scary!

And just as important as being safe, shoot strait! Dont waste ammo! (remember the old days in the southern tier when you werent ready for a day without several dozen rounds of slugs weighing you down? At least we dont hear those barrages like we used to...)

A coworker is trying to find .308 saying he is out. I cant believe that in a normal year anyone would let themselves shoot out all their ammo, especially in light of recent times ( I am referring to ammo supply, no social issues esp.). And to wait until the week before they need it? Then be content with whatever handful of ammo someone gives them? I know guys who are still shooting up every round they have planning on being able to find more...sorry, I am not going to have any spare ammo for them.

I hate to sound all doom and gloom with it, but boy was I disappointed. Google Henry Single Shot rifle trigger problems...there is alot out there, especially on the Cast Bullet forums and single shot rifle forums.

I had the single shot in .308, one of the guns recalled. It was beautiful, with the nicest wood of any gun I ever owned, but I cant figure out why all Henry rifles wood..despite being so nicely figured, are so poorly matched to the metal... That said, I had it for about a year. The trigger was absolutely the worst I ever had on any firearm, very heavy with a horrible step right before let off. Misfires averaged about 40 percent. After spending a tremendous amount of time on the internet researching the problem, it boiled down to a poor trigger/sear/spring design. No, i didnt send it back because the overwhelming feedback was that they returned no better than they were. I traded it for a gun I didnt have to worry about. Since then, Henry has had the recall on the firearm for exactly these issues, I havent heard anything as to if the problem is fixed. I was very disappointed, and soured on Henrys from that. I was really looking forward to that rifle. If....the problem is resolved, I may revisit getting another.

I picked on up along the road a few years back, not a mark on it. They really are built alot like a house cat, especially thier legs/feet. I enjoyed watching a big one near a creek, taking a dust bath and marking its territory. It was

Alot of huge deer were taken in the thirties...I I am sure that during the depression alot of deer were taken ...off the books...for the table, but there was also no deer season for quite a few years in alot of areas. I would iimagine that there were some awesome deer taken for a number of years after it reopened. I would think alot fewer deer were also killed by cars..the old model Ts werent driven at night so much or as fast.

A tree that lands on your property is yours to deal with as you see fit. It is considered an act of god, so the owner is not obligated to do anything.

To add to my earlier comment...I do try to wear rubber boots that are left at my camp strictly for hunting in. I always make sure my truck is fueled up the day before. I will use some doe P (not estrus) which is not seasonal, but just sprayed on my boots a bit. I have had deer walk right up the trail on my tracks and not been concerned.

I keep my hunting clothes airing outside until I put them on to walk to my stands, avoid stinky stuff and try to minimize my exposure to smelly contaminents. Otherwise I hunt the wind and absolutely know that I spook deer downwind. I dont have any faith in scent killing sprays or covers or scentproof clothes. they have all been pretty well debunked anyway. Hunt the wind, stay off the ground and be still.

Absolutely without fail. It isnt just for moisture, it is to be sure no solvent/oil is there. The night before this years NT muzzleloader season when I popped a cap, it didnt sound right. popped a 2nd, same. I pulled the breech plug to find the flash channel totally blocked. I had shot this several weeks before and very thoroughly cleaned it. At the end I always blow compressed air through the breech plug, reassemble and run a patch of hoppes down the bore, as i have for....well, about 4o years. The flash channel was solid with residue. I had a hell of a time working a straitened piece of clicker pen spring into that hole and wiggling it back and forth...about two hours worth ! Eventually I got it cleared though. No matter what type of propellent you use, there is still plenty of residue. Just preplan for your outing and pop your caps. Once I pop them, I run a dry patch down the bore to get the residue and load. That is my sight in routine too. You can leave your ML loaded as long as you dont have a cap on it.

absolutely never wear any cotton....it holds moistue and acts to cool you. Synthetics or wool are your friend, and fluff is your friend (thickness...fluffy insulations...think down, polarloft, etc). It is amazing how much heat a head/neck gator/muffler helps. Same with your feet. surround your feet with foam or thick wool liners and NO COTTON SOCKS. When it is really cold, (below 20 or very windy) I use the large disposable warmers and put them in my shirts chest pockets, boots and hands. If it is REALLY REALLY cold, I put them in the upper arms of my shirts. I love my extreme cold synthetic fleece bibs from cabelas, and outer bibs on top to help keep the kidney heat in.

If you read up any on pirates and thier like, they never had two cents to rub together. As soon as they took a ship the plunder was split. As soon as they hit shore it was quickly spent on whores booze and food. There was no such thing as "burying treasure". It was hard enough to keep them working together on a ship...usually boozed up all the time...not to even think about major engineering projects and physical labor.

Get out and drive every road you see. Get familiar with the areas. When we decided to get our own camp, first we drew up our requirements...where, what was important for us to do, how close to home, etc. Then do NOT be in a hurry. If you are going to have the land for years, be patient. I love just wandering on my cycle. So once we got an idea of where we wanted to go I spent alot of time just back road wandering. We also monitored Craigslist, local papers and advertising. I think the best deals are from the owners, not realtors. Like has been pointed out, tax sales can be a great deal if you are ready to do something (for that matter, why look at all if you dont have the means set up?). If you find a place, be sure to check out the surrounding area and walk the property...alot!

About 10 years ago we were riding our cycles around Nova Scotia, and had breakfast at a diner very close to Oak Island, which is only a stones throw from the mainland. Shooting the bull with a few native/locals, I asked their opinions on OI. They all chuckled but all also shared the same opinion...."Good for business".

Each vote = one registered voter. Simple math. More votes than voters, problem. Trump paid how much in taxes? And you worry about fair? The presidential idiot publicly told his followers NOT to use mail in voting, etc. So they didn't. How many didn't vote for him because they wouldn't/couldn't go out? Democrats clearly won a number of states on the strength of the mail in /early voting. This is one of the easiest examples of how Trumps leadership failed.

Patience. You would rather be slung back in a hammock, so would the deer. Aint none inside. But this is why I take my time off to hunt the last week of the season.

Which Bear Swamp? I know of three at least....

Great first outing for ya! I would recommend just putting the pee on the surrounding brush, stand, etc. not on you. You dont want a buck to get romantic with you (without your consent, at any rate!). Dont get spoiled though. Most of us spend days/ weeks just waiting for what you experienced so quickly. Have patience and good luck! Uh, and if a buck does get romantic with you, we really dont want to hear!:)

Gotta have my hearing aids in...I have absolutly been tipped off by hearing them, but usually only when it is very "crunchY". I have been more frequently tipped off by other critters...squirrels, etc. complaining about intruders. More often than not though, I see them. I like to hunt the sloppy weather, which means alot of background noise to start. I most frequently see the little moving patch/spot in the woods and zero in on it. Much easier to do from a distance when snow is on the ground, so I prefer to hunt the later season.

I have owned a 39 a (1950s production for many years. It may rankle the Henry owners, but once you have handled/shot a 39, the Henrys just arent in the running (yes, I have owned, handled and shot the Henrys).. Wonderful craftmanship, smooth as silk, dependable and accurate. You have never been able to find many used simply because once you have one, you never get rid of it.

That big front coming through later today/tomorrow should make for some great conditions! I normally love getting out just before it comes through, but dang it...have other plans today. We should have good snow on the ground for a few days up on the Tug, but it will be gone by the time I may go out next week end. Actually, if the weather forecast holds for next w/e (temps in the sixties and clear) I will probably take the opportunity to get out on the MC for one last good long ride. It is nice having one in the freezer (ML), I can sit back and relax until the end of the month when I have another week off dedicated to the woods.

Is your bore dry ? make sure there isnt any cleaning residue. All screws tightened? It doesnt happen much with .22s, but as the bbl heats up if there is any pressure on the bbl from the stock or elsewhere, the POI can change. It can be avoided by slow measured shooting, ensuring the bbl stays cool to touch between shots. I had a couple instances of moving groups too...I was able to identify that it was due to poorly torqued mount screws actually affecting the scope tube. Lots of variables. Pays to get this out of the way well before the season.

I like to butcher my own deer when I can but if it is warm ( mid forties and up) I get it to the butcher. Ageing is a dicey thing. If cooler, mine might hang a few days at most, but I tend to cut it up asap. Other than an old buck, I have never found any difference in the quality of the meat...either tenderness or flavor. Field care and the deer shot makes a bigger difference.