Daveboone

The Finger Lakes National forest provides pretty good small game hunting potential. Lots of hardwoods, and some managed open fields. There is a FLNF office that has maps of different terrains, etc. Generally, the entire forest is available for hunting. I cant remember the road the office is on, but I am sure you can google it. Other than that, there are gobs of state land around, from Howlands Island to the north, to multiple parcels between and down to Geneva, Cortland, , etc. Montezuma has a visitors center also, off route 5. I don't believe small game hunting is allowed, but not sure.

our mail lady asks if our Rottweiler (Lucy) can come out to play, when she stops. of course she can!

When a teenager (crud...35 years ag0) we went to Marine Land in Canada, where they had trained orcas. My whole family was disgusted by the situation- huge intelligent animals kept penned up in a literal (to them) fish bowl. From what I have seen, times haven't changed much. I am very leery of animal rights activists, but I don't think keeping orcas (I guess I should with an open mind say wild caught orcas)is very smart or humane.

I cant think of any reason to affect it. If condition made you more vulnerable it could present a stronger argument for it, possibly.

A .22 pistol is the most affordable to shoot, and lets you develop your shooting skills much more easily. Less distracting noise, recoil, much cheaper ammo, and you can probably find one in a very similar action to your .44, so they even handle in a familiar way. Of those you mention though, the 9mm is by far the most reasonable priced, and generally most available, although .380 has been getting much more available. The more compact handguns such as you mention though, have a steep learning curve learning to shoot. They are designed basically as very close range weapons, with rudimentary sights, are fussy to hold, and the triggers aren't geared for accuracy. I suggest a .22 in at least a 4" barrel if you want to shoot to improve your skill.

Seldom can you be allways "toasty". Just sitting still for extended times slows circulation, metabolism, etc, and you are bound to get some chills, and it is learning not to mind, but... first rule...eliminate all cotton: just like a towel, it holds moisture, and will chill you. Merino wool is fantastic, and even many folks "allergic" to wool can wear it. I base layer with a synthetic (usually polyester base) winter weight long under wear, then have a wind proof heavier fleece layer over it. Usually covered with wool bibs, which keep out the draft from in back. I prefer my wool parka over it. The best winter boots I have found are a rubber insulated boot, mine are the 2000 g. boots as Irecall. waterproof, tall enough to keep snow out of them, and I put toe or foot warmers inside. I like an insulated wool cap, and wear a head/ neck gator. I fully believe the majority of your heat goes out your head and neck, and the addition of a muffler/ gator does wonders. Gloves make for better gun mobility, but colder hands. for quite a number of years I have preferred the mittens with fingers inside, with disposable hand warmers. Just this year I picked up a hand muff, and I love it. I keep another bigger handwarmer in it, and alternate hands within, so I allways have one hand on the gun. I love disposable hand warmers, and sometimes put them inside my coverall pockets and down my arm sleeves. As well, make sure to eat a good carbohydrate filled breakfast for fueling the body, avoid smoking and caffeine, both of which are vasoconstrictors and contribute to cold hands and feet. As was mentioned elsewhere, if walking in any distance ,go slow enough not to sweat or carry a pack with your heavier layers to put on upon arrival at your stand, and carry a foam seat to sit on that will be dry. No matter what, I hunt northern NY, and there are days that you just have to deal with it.

all the big boys are smart, and few and far between.

I didn't see anything on the dduplex site that hasn't been touted by various slugs manufactured in the past. Due to sheer mass, a 12 gauge slug is less prone to deflection anyway, and is generally held to closer shots. Very nice deer ya got there,there Bkln, but how do you know it hit anything in route? About 15 years ago I had a boxcare of a doe stumble within 5 yards of me, I held mid chest and fired. She ran off, untouched.Fresh snow on the ground, no question. Afterwards I found the pencil sized sapling the slug hit, and sent who knows where. Big slugs deflect less than small. Regardless, allways try to find a hole to go through.

Good question! Allways rest on the forearm, not the barrel. Also, although you want to shoot from a solid rest, be sure to pad it. A solid rest (like a board, or stack of books) will make your shot jump. A rest such as sandbags, or I usually use the firmly rolled up wool blanket I have in my car,steadies the the gun, but also keeps it from jumping. An alternative is a rest such as the "shooting Sled" (I think I got the name right). It firmly locks the gun into place, so that the zero doesn't change. Few people really have a need for one though. Be sure to wear a heavy jacket to pad your should also. Such padding helps minimize the little vibrations from the shooter that contribute to sight movement. Ignore the comments that think your initial question is surprising. Every visit to the range I see folks trying to sight in off handed. 09/10 times I get turned down when I offer them my rest...until they see the clover leaf group from my muzzleloader, and they cant keep the shots on the paper.

You can pull over and park anywhere you don't block traffic in wildlife management areas. You very seldom will come across non hunters during hunting season. Most bird watchers, etc. have ample other places to go for those few weeks. If you do of course, just be naturally pleasant and cordial, and a bit more aware that they may not be comfortable around guns. They still have fair and equal access to the woods. Even the very rare times I have met nonhunters in the woods, it has always been on the access roads, never in the woods.

woohoo! Very cool. Try a pot roast. Treat it like you would a beef roast. Bear meat is greatly under rated. I have been lucky to get a few bears in Canada, but my p;ize is a NY bear, which is much harder to come by. Congratulations.

I bought a Norinco SKS about 16 years ago for 119.00, just to tinker with . I was pleasantly surprised with the quality and engineering. I cleaned up the trigger, scoped it, and had a fair bit of fun with it but never really had a use for it. The gun case was too full already so I sold it towards another gun. I do wish I still had it.

Not quite sure what qualifies as an old guy, but closing on 40 hunting seasons count? My advice if you want to be a "real" hunter... Be out there year round, know what the dear are eating, and where they are bedding. Shoot your firearm...a lot (not in one sitting)-know your gun. Have patience to be out all day, regardless of weather, but still know that it is the first few and last few minutes of shooting day that are most important. Be out there, every minute you can! I have shot them two minutes into the season (which sucks!) and at last light the last day of the season many times (which is perfect). A traditional hunter is out there for meat- the bones can boil all day, and you still cant eat em. Don't get deceived by the TV and magazine mutant monster deer. Understand a trophy is in the respect the animal gets from you, not the oohs and ahhs from the crowd. Hunt the wind. Always. Be still. If hunting, hunt. Give it your 100%. And I do use a game camera, but it is more for my own entertainment. Every year I see mature bucks roaming rut time that I never saw previously, and I never seem to see the average to middlin bucks that I do get on my camera.

Google earth shows my land pretty darn good.

The scent was a big concern when we started using them too, but in enclosed ground blinds, hunting with the wind, they worked. Rule #1 of scent control....watch the wind.

I have used one religiously the past four years bear hunting in Canada (spring). I used to use a head net, leather gloves, heavy canvas coverall, and tape all the seams shut, with fair success. I was given my first Thermocell by another hunter. I reluctantly tried it in a ground blind. I was amazed. Within five minutes of lighting it, all bugs had left the blind (mosquitos, black flies). I was able to hunt in a T shirt after that. I still bring all my battle gear for back up, but they absolutely work, and haven't seemed to affect the bears at all.

Sure. Nice pile of venison. Boil the rack all day and you still cant eat it.

For over 20 years, my Ruger ultra light .308 bolt with 1.5x5 Leopold. I added a competition firing pin and spring and Timney trigger, glass bedded. Strictly my own Speer 165 gr. Spitzers. I am hoping to have back from the gunsmiths with time to final tune and sight the rifle Dad always carried, and I shot my first buck with, an Oberndorf 8x57 Mauser. It is being drilled and tapped, and will wear the same scope as my Ruger. Another Timney and firing pin/spring will be added. Also my own reloads- 175 grain Sierra spritzers.

AS someone else mentioned, don't neglect basic obedience! It goes hand in hand with the field training. Find a local obedience class and start there (or along side) for the field. I raised pheasants for my Llewellyn Setter. Even as a pup, she had no problem. I found them easy to handle, and even as a 6 mo. old, she had no problems. As an added bonus, up in your neck of the woods, a number of the WMAs stock pheasants. Get her out in the field a lot and early, to get used to all the new signs and smells. Make sure each training session/ outing is FUN for her and you both, and nevernevernever get angry with her. Any dog problem boils down to a people problem. I am trying to remember the name of the book I got the most out of...I believe it was Delbert Smiths. The Gundog series of books is also very helpful.

Hell, go to the ADKs anyway. I agree there is no such thing as spot and stalke in the NE, and in NY almost all bears are incidental to deer hunting, but there is nothing like big woods hunting.

My books don't list it. I would go to the manufacturers website and find a techie # to call. They should be able to help you out.

Per my manual, I load 55 gr. of 3031 for a 350 grain hornady RN. This is a load only for modern single shots. The Speer manual lists three diff. tables, one for traditional (older) weapons, one for modern lever, and a separate table for Ruger #1 and Browning single shots, due to their heavier actions. I have only used mine for bear so far (4/4, single shots). I always intend to use it for deer hunting, but the darn thing is so long it is a bit clumsy.

My Rottie is a constant companion when I am in the woods. She stays close, and is very active with her nose. She has found and flushed quite a few grouse and woodcock for me. I highly doubt I can train her to point, but she works fantastic as a flusher. I do at least as well with her as I did with my English Setter, who tended to range much further out in the woods. I actually enjoy jthe time with the Rott more. I am very casual in my grouse hunting, as is the dog. We have a fun afternoon in the field. Actually quite a few Rotties have been used for hunting. Go ahead, have fun with her.

I bought a used 1.5x 5 VX3 several years ago. As it was going on a heavy recoiling rifle, I called Leupold and asked if they could inspect it before I mounted it. They told me to ship it to them and they would take it apart, clean, inspect and return to factory new specs, and return it to me free of charge, within a week! Amazing..

I have served it prepared pot roast style to 3 different sets of guests this summer, all knowing it was bear. All agreed it was hard to distinguish from beef. A friends family gets bear yearly, and they prefer it to venison.