Daveboone

The bear camps I have been in very heartily approved of the 12 gauge for bear. Ample accuracy for the typical bait distances, plenty of power. Few hunters bring them though.

I would have to think that the vehicle toll would be much lower than down state, but then again the more severe winters may balance that out.

When we decided to get a camp of our own, we looked long and hard at buying land and then putting in the camp. We decided that we were going to be far better off buying with a preexisting building. We have 10 acres surrounded by state and county forest, with a two bedroom, bath that we have a hand pump shower currently, hopefully soon to be upgraded to gravity fed shower, flush toilet (uses water from a bucket). Large master room with gas range.we use a Yeti cooler for a fridge. IT is wired for electricity (Yamaha), and propane lights, with a wood stove and propane ventless heater to help out in the winter. 38,000 eleven years ago. Currently our neighbor has a similar set up with a dug well for sale, wants 50 g for it with twenty two acres. Hate to say more on that because I would like to add it to mine.... From what I have seen, campers are a target for local hoods. Anyone in our area who tried them were broken into. I would think for 50 or less if you look long enough you should be able to do well.

Sounds like you have good reason for your suspicions, but just to mention...every year I need to replace a fair number that just get blown off, the tree pushes em off with growth, etc. Never had a problem with anyone purposely interfering though.

about twenty years ago as we were deer hunting on the west shore of Seneca Lake, we jumped out a group of three deer that jumped down the embankment into the lake, and proceeded to swim across to the eastern shore. they were still going strong when they went out of site. a few years after that, we had one of the white (not albino) deer that are frequently seen around the former Seneca army depot site in our area (again, the west shore north of Dresden of Seneca Lake). It had apparently swam east to west.

Cell phones are strictly, like all business enterprise, driven by dollars. The daks are very thinly populated, with those folks in concentrated areas. Not much residential bill payers there. Next, funny thing about the ADK mountains.... mountains! Cell phones work better over flat areas (like deserts, plains, down state NY etc.) but still need to be spaced to work off each other. The large amounts of wilderness in the adks is because it is not developed. Thank god I can drive up rt. 28/ 12, etc, or go back into the Moose River Plains without seeing the damn towers everywhere. Even where my camp is on the Tug Hill reception is very poor. And I am glad for it. When I am there, I am off the grid. I don't have to be bothered by the nonsense calls from family and friends, or salesmen. I truly can relax. In an emergency, it is well known where I am. If I am not heard from, they know where I am. Hell, If I fell out of a tree stand, I probably broke my neck...end of the chapter. If I have an MI, chances are there isn't any reception where I am at.

Learn from your experience. Six sits without seeing a deer though? That's nothin! Ive had seasons where I have probably sat 12-16 times without seeing a shooter. Then all the sudden there they are. The .308 is a fine round. No cannon is a one shot stopper if hit wrong. Learn your gun and have confidence in it. I did have a .particular .308 that I had problems shooting. It was very light, and had a rotten trigger pull. 54.00 for a Timney trigger fixed her ills, and I was much happier with it.

You have a few inches of growth on me...but I don't think that is a big deal. I think timing your movements is as important as moving slowly, with careful foot placement and the wind. Wait until there are wind gusts, and move slowly at the same time the other trees are swaying. try to keep trees lined up in front of you to mask your movement, and after placing your feet, be sure to very slowly and thoroughly scan all about you. I have a tough time with the patience of moving slowly and effectively like this, myself, but when I do, I have walked up on unknowning deer.

I couldnt plan my trip from the given info. Where is north/ south? ( I am not going to guess that the top of the pic is north) What type of trees are there where? where are the access areas? If I couldn't locate mast trees/ cleared areas, burnt over areas, new growth, potential active feeding areas, I would head elsewhere. This is homework that should have been done well before this stage. Where might any activity in the area come from?

I am in my stand well before sun up, but generally closely hold to legal hours (so much easier when you don't see anything!) In the evening, I have to admit that if there was snow on the ground, I had been known forget to check the clock...... I usually am bagging it at legal closing. I freq. have a walk through dark woods, and although I am not concerned with finding my way, I worry about other hunters who may not be watching the clock OR identifying the target in low light.

ya, fisher. the little antennas on martins are the dead giveaway.

For a whole bunch of years , my Winchester 1300 slug gun was my go to, and accounted for lots of southern tier guns. We were quite proficient with them, using the same set up for rabbit hunting. Back then we used to put on a lot of drives, with a lot of jump shooting of the deer. The 12 g. slug, as Robhuntandfish says, leaves a big hole and has a big margin of error. We don't push deer like we used to, and went to rifles as soon as the law allowed, which certainly I think improved our take...and left us with more meat.

At one time, high tech was our gang using portable CB radios to keep in touch....then we went to hands free radios. I quickly ditched em. I was out to hunt, not chat, and on several occ. playing with the toys caused me to miss opportunities. I can appreciate a cell phone from the safety stand point when alone, but there is no service where I hunt. And I consider a phone ….a phone. NO games, toys, books, etc. I absolutely see more and enjoy my time more without the junk. Exception....when bear hunting, and I am sitting from early afternoon until sometimes well after dark, I have a book in my phone. Most of the junk they have out there does nothing in the long run in my opinion to help the hunt except make more dollars for the retailer. All the toys just give some hunters more excuses on why things didn't go right. Younger folks have become acclimated to having constant stimulation...like having a constant caffeine buzz, so likewise, they (and many of us older folks) are becoming addicted to the need for stimulation.

Years ago I used to. As time went by, I realized it was really just extra weight....anthing...ANYTHING....that may require a bullet I figure could just as well be handled with whatever rifle I was carrying. if a 2nd shot was needed, a neat shot at the base of the skull worked fine. For a while I carried a .22 pistol, thinking for small game. Then I decided if I was deer hunting, I was deer hunting. Honestly, I don't believe there is anything in the woods I need to worry much about, and goons tend to prefer places where there are more people to pick from...not secluded areas where they are probably armed. Anyone else in the woods I am more likely to see first, and can avoid if I so choose.

I have shot five, all were down with one shot behind the leg. The heart essentially is located the same as where you think of for a deer BUT all the hair makes it look deeper chested than they are. I don't get what peeps mean by the "middle of the middle". that would break the back ribs, maybe clip the lungs and liver. I would simply aim half way down right behind the front leg. They aren't hard to kill, but the fat clogs up the wounds quickly, so even if they are dead on their feet and run a short distance, they can be hard to find. The bow hunters who are successful on bears where we were, are very patient to get a shot behind the foreleg as the bear stretches the leg forward opening the zone up.

This is my best friend....Daisy! She looks much more serious here than she is. Rottie.

I love watching the buggers. They used to call them Fools Hens. I had a cock pheasant that would follow me in to my stand every evening, then wander off. (he was released). I think he had an untimely end, as he was around for about 6 weeks all the time, then was gone.

I thought he was working on retirement? I imagine,considering the pace of his life, he could scale back a lot and still consider himself retired... I have read in several magazine articles he is an avid outdoorsman, spending a lot of time in Scotland salmon fishing and shooting. I would love to read an in depth interview/ article about this.

The guys with the bows usually can consistently put one arrow after another into a peapod in their limitations. They (We) the vast majority of the time are hunting from a stand. Bring the gun you shoot best, no reason at all to bring anything else. Do not think you can consider yourself actually hunting if you are carrying your backpack/ camping gear. Have you practiced any shooting with your pack on ? That will be an eye opener.The best bet is to set your base camp and still hunt from it. Your gun is the most important piece of gear you are bringing, (well, perhaps boots are) don't compromise. I hope you go and have a great time, but you need to realistically understand the conditions you will be in. Of course, by now you have scoped out an area and scouted (just like the rest of us have been doing for months, right?)

Springfields were a great arm, but I have read a number of times that many of them should be considered wall hangers...metallurgy and steel hardening issues, I believe. Best do some home work first. The fine old arm is over a century old...I would probably get a bit brittle too!

you absolutely want to register your gun. Look in the govt. listings for the closest customs office. It is free and painless to do, call first so they are expecting you. If you tell them you are going to Canada to hunt, and then tell them you don't have a gun, it will be a flag for a search. Returning, having our paperwork in order, it has always been very painless and quick. I recommend doing it before the trip, avoid doing it as you are crossing. the border is a very busy place and not the place to do something like that at the last minute, when it is easily done well before hand. The same going into Canada. Go to the website, fill out the form BUT DO NOT SIGN IT! You must sign it in front of them after they verify it. Canada Customs is very easy and painless if you do as expected. If not....just like at the US Border, you may not like the outcome. REad the form and their regulations. they are simple and reasonable. Be honest, have your paperwork ready, and be pleasant, It usually only takes a few minutes (we last crossed in the beginning of September). For a shotgun, I would think you 100 rds or so is very reasonable. Deer meat / antlers /etc. are all fine to bring back, but you must have your import permit filled out by your guide. any antlers/ etc. must be cleaned of all hair/ meat/ brains.

Last week end there was a big outdoors fair at a local fish hatchery...demonstrations on fishing, trapping, ML and reenacting...quite a decent show, with a corporate sponsor (In Manlius, as I remember, Carpenters Brook Hatchery maybe? I was out of town and missed it).

A number of years ago I was riding my mc north out of Constantia NY, closing on Parish (rt 26 if I remember correctly), when an antlered Elk walked into the road ahead of me. I stopped to give it some room. It had a tag on it (its ear if I remember right). It looked at me, wandered in a circle a few times and walked up a dirt driveway/ road, out of site. Not too far from there is a taxidermist, who at one time raised some exotics, for a pay to shoot. I am guessing he came from him.

I am a firm believer in that the minutes you are reading, it is most likely that a deer will show. Generally you really only have a few seconds to act on. That said, I used to bring a small e-reader with me when I was bear hunting....very long sits, and I was able to keep focused better than if I was nodding off all the time. Books? I don't want anything that is going to totally absorb me or make me laugh out loud...Maybe a mystery/ detective novel.

James Mitcheners book "Chesapeak" discussed and told of punt gun use quite a bit. Apparently a fair number of guns/ boats and gunners ended up on the bottom of The Bay when they kicked the back out of the boat.