Daveboone

now, that is a fine bear to see out in the woods!

The only problem with bear, is most hunters don't treat it like real meat. Try a bear pot roast.

I don't know where you are located, but you might want to check online at a couple places, even if it is a bit of a drive... Kittery Gun Shop is about an hour north of Boston....they have a huge inventory, and prices are reasonable. Close by is a Cabelas, also. The PA Cabelas had a great inventory too, all three having a large stock of used Remington shotguns when I was there last. I had been sorely tempted a few times by 1100 slug guns, but darn it, I just don't have any use for one any more. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to google gunshops in your area, and just call them too.

Things add up.... Smoking (nicotine) and caffeine are both vasoconstrictors, which reduce you blood flow to your extremities....don't overdo the coffee, chocolate, etc. before you go out. Make sure your boots arent ight. As already mentioned, keep em dry, and avoid cotton like the plague...its absorbent, but like a sponge, it holds moisture (including sweat) which will chill you. I love merino wool socks, and wear them year round. For hunting, I get heavier cold weather socks (might be expensive, but get a few pairs and save them, they last a long time). The warmest boots I ever had were a pair of the Cabelas 2000 gram rubber boots. They are absoluetly water proof and with the wool socks, warm for me all season. Because they are rubber, they don't breath, so plan on changing your socks several times a day. Last, be sure to cover up your head and neck. Heat lost there will also be felt at your feet.

Is that a fixed aperture? Holy moley! For quick shots at close range, that may be fine, but generally the smaller your post and aperture the finer you can hold. Both my redfield and lyman apertures came with several sized peeps. If your did, you may want to experiment for which gives you the best sight picture. Remember that you do not expect the rear sight to be in focus. When sighting in mine, I hold the very top edge of the front sight to the very edge of the target...quite literally, the fine line is my target. The finer you hold, the tighter your group potentially. If you are starting fresh with new sights, You probably want to start at around 50 yards, to minimize the flyers as you sight in. Certainly the longer your sighting plain the better potential accuracy. That is where the old tang sights came in.

A colonoscopy is one simple (relatively) test that can save your life....Dad died from colon cancer at 59. I am 58, and hate the prep ,but will stay with the routine. Most health insurance cover it completely.

What is the NY legal magazine capacity now?

Hey, I have a menu idea....We should all get togther for a potluck stew, made of last seasons game found this year! So far we have a squirrel, pheasant, egg salad sandwich........a few snickers for desert, what more has anyone have to contribute?

Get in the woods. If possible, get a game camera or two up, but there is no other way around seeing what the woods tell you.

I hunt a different region/ northern tier, but make sure I have the last week of the season off hopefully to have snow, fewer hunters out. I love to take some early time, usually during the NT muzzleloading season only because it is so darn beautiful that time of year, but I dont get serious until we get sloppy weather.

I see references to DEP land...what is that? Is DEC what is meant (Dept. of Env. Conservation)? New York has skads of land available to hunt, be it state forest, DEC Game Management Areas or the Finger Lakes National Forest, not to mention county owned forest lands. Quality of hunting is like an ice cream flavor....everyone has their own favorites. I would visit the regional DEC office for an area you are likely to hunt, and get brochures for the areas offerings. I did that when i started bird hunting in Jefferson County and surrounding areas. They sent me packing with enough matereals on different DEC lands that I still havent been to them all. The Finger Lakes National Forest also has a full time staffed office that is worth a visit, and they have fantastic maps, showing land use, type of forest /game cover, etc. Foot work is what shows you what is best. One good week end of hunting equals at least one good week end of scouting put in before. In the spring, summer and fall, nothing I enjoy more than taking my motorcycle on a cruise to explore new areas. I just pack a lunch and a couople water bottles in a light day pack, I admit my smart phone gps helps alot! In the winter, small game hunting is another great way to scout new areas. There is never a short cut for getting out in the woods.

Outstanding bull...and it is great you could get it out whole. On our hunts (way back country) the moose were field dressed. Under the best of conditions ALOT of meat needs to be left behind. You are getting about 1/3rd more yield than we did.

It is great to hear from ya, and that you are doing well. I miss Low's Lake, having been there a number of times. Your tent camp looks more luxurious than my cabin! Enjoy the fall and good luck!

Me think that is better than the squirrel I forgot about !

I live right in Cleveland....I think its great the school was sold to the DEC. Many downsized schools are left vacant...right up the road in North Bay is another elementary school that suffered the same fate, still empty and another up in Williamstown has only a small portion of it in use (last I knew). Vellas North Shore is still empty, and is sorely missed in the community. The Vellas were foundations of the community and are missed in many ways. Hopefully the school re-use will help attract a new grocery owner. The school had been on the open market for years....at least a real estate sign has been out front. I don't think anyone will complain about the price, just be happy it has a good planned future.

I usually hang my jackets and pants out on the line to get rained on/ wind dried for a few days, then put them in a bag with some pine branches from the trees I sit in. Other than that, make sure my flashlight has fresh batteries, drop my knife and a few shells in my pocket as I go out and we are ready for the season. Oh, I also bought a fresh bag of Snickers bars. Last years are ok, but getting real chewy.

Usually meat...but.... If I have an empty freezer, I hope for a nice doe with muzzleloading season (NT). Once I have meat in the freezer, I am happy to hunt the rest of the season just to be out in the woods...BUT if a nice buck comes along, so much the better. That just kind of gives me a reason to go out. This year though, I have quite a bit of venison from two big deer in the freezer yet, along with about half a moose. I have to do a meat inventory soon. I may choose not to shoot one if it isn't exceptional...be it buck or doe, and likely not until late season. My scheduled time off I can use stretching my cycling season, fishing or small gaming in the S tier.

Cool! I had a poor picture of one on my camera once, but I don't think they frequent our area.

That's it! Great movie, fascinating book. I found the book on Amazon for about 3 bucks.

my biggest problem is usually loading it onto my atv rack. Once it is on there, I am pretty close to the truck level. Using a sheet of ply wood to slide it onto, then up and in is a real good idea. I think I will look into that, and make a few cuts in it to hold straps to hold the deer in place. Any one have a good idea to load one on the atv solo?

I am sorry not to remember the name, but a Russian movie came out based on the book/ logs of a Russian military/ mapping officer in Siberia, in the 1900s...It was mostly about the elderly native Siberian hunter/ trapper who assisted them. It was great, showing his skills, wilderness survival methods, etc. Subtitled, but a great movie... Considering Jeremiah Johnson was a hunter/ trapper, I have to go along with that as my favorite runner up, but The Revenant was great also. I can remember watching "A Man Named Horse" as a kid, and thinking that was a great movie (Richard Harris as an English gentleman on a western hunt), but I recently watched it and it was god awful.

Outstanding! I love bear hunting, haven't been in a while, need to plan a hunt! What did you use? Bear cooks and eat very well prepared like beef pot roast, just try to trim as much of the fat as you can.

It doesn't surprise me they aren't doing well. I have only been in the Cicero store, but from the start it hasn't seemed like they knew what their market was. I understand the mark up on seasonal clothing is huge, thus a lot of profit, but they have a fraction of what the old gander had. The shoe department is greatly reduced and not shopper friendly...set up self serve. Anytime I had an interest in a firearm, I was amazed at the complete lack of knowledge of the sales people. They may be able to answer simple questions about the more common stocked firearms, but gheir general knowledge is horrible, and no one has ever been able to show me how to field strip ….even a colt .45/ variant. (Before I buy, I will know how to and have done a field take down on each weapon I buy...also lets me get a better idea of the workmanship/design), The handgun selection is really crappy. they seem to have a lot, but then you realize they just have a lot of the same models. I worked high customer service retail for many years, and their sales people just suck. No customer awareness or courtesy at all.

Even if the Who is just Roger and Pete now, I would love to see them but cant afford the tickets. I would have loved to have seen them in their Keith Moon days, but I didn't even know who they were back then.... I saw the Stones in Syracuse in (jeesh, I forget, 87 or 89...Steel Wheel tour?) We had 11th row seats, which were great. They put on a fantastic show and looked like they were really enjoying themselves. I wouldn't mind seeing them again, but am concerned I would be disappointed after my first show. I am amazed that they are still putting out the quality of show that they are.

Cool, a little mink I think, or at least some type of weasel. Up around the 1000 islands, fairly frequently we see mink along the shorelines, occ. swimming out around our boat looking for bait or other goodies. They can be very bold! Keep your fingers to yourselves though, they are vicious little thugs.