Doewhacker

"Call me a gorilla for pounding my chest when I shoot a decent buck but that is what excites me. Especially on my own property. Thats why I hunt. My 2 1/2 year old 8 point that measures maybee 100 inches shot at my own place means more to me than shooting a 140 inch deer in another state." So then why can't another guy feel the same way about a spike? The big ones aren't there, not because every one is shooting them but instead because the soil won't provide enough minerals to promote "large" growth. AR's, as DEC has already stated, are a social issue and provide no benefit to the herd.

Thats stuff is an issue for all of us.. what about a pair of foreceps or clamps like a Doctor would use, could your hands deal with those or would they still lock up? Sometimes I leave it on and get it off when I thaw it to cook it, makes it a little easier.

Taxes puzzle me..why do I pay $5000 a year for .9 of an acre and somebody down the road pays alot less for the same? And where do my taxes go, I live in the country and we have a snowplow and few roads to cover and not much else to worry about... sorry just venting

Me too, I can't wait to take my boy again this year..I just hope I don't miss cause I will never hear the end of it from him, damn critic making fun of me if I miss. Once I was out in the back yard and he tells me to hit a letter on my block target. Sure no porb buddy, here we go.... I came with in 1/4 inch from 40 yards and he says, thats no good you didn't hit it! Any way I agree the sooner kids are exsposed to hunting the better, they may loose intrest for a while but alot of times they come back to it later in life. My brother and I were ready at a younger age than the state says and were killing deer as soon as we were legal. It deff depends on the kid and the parent.

The reasons they chose your area are, high hunting pressure, poor minerals in the ground which limit antler growth. AR did nothing to address those issues and now alot of pressure is on the 2.5 year olds. 2.5 is a long way from 4.5-7.5 mature buck. I understand why you guys like AR but it doesn't really hit the mark and do what it is intended to do especially when DEC is more concerned with total deer take and a healthy herd not rack size. DEC also notes that it doesn't work well due to the fact that the state is so large it is impossible to control each area, which is why they recomend it as a voluntary program. Meaning we can manage our own land better than they can, we see whats there and know the age's of deer, obviously rack size doesn't indicate age.

If you read the exerpt that John posted the goals were both to increase satisfaction and save 1.5 year olds. Satisfaction increase was hit and miss and buck take has dropped 30% which will further push satisfaction down. The program is a fine voluntary program, this according to the DEC themselves.

Sure Doc anything for you, by the way it looks like they have more data that has yet to be "refined", what ever that means. Try this... http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/arcomment09.pdf

I am acrossed the river in Gansevoort, the Town of Northumberland which is 5J. I have been looking over there for a spot to hunt and have gotten to the point of looking on the map and canvasing the area begging to hunt..haha

"For hunters seeking to see more 2.5 year old bucks, antler restrictions may be effective. However, antler restrictions may be only minimally effective for hunters desiring to take more, older bucks. Data from New York’s current pilot antler restriction program reveals only a minor increase (about 14%) in the average number of 2.5 year old and older bucks harvested after several years of antler restrictions despite a dramatic reduction (about 65%) in average yearling harvest." "Additionally, surveys conducted in the pilot antler restriction WMUs (3C, 3H, 3J, 3K) indicate similar division whereby the antler restriction has further increased either their satisfaction or dissatisfaction." "At the present time, the Department sees no specific biological or management benefit associated with the antler restriction program. We believe it is primarily a social issue, and it is clear that hunters are deeply divided" "...data from New York’s current pilot program indicate that the total number of bucks taken with antler restrictions has remained on average about 30% below preantler restriction levels." Oh they have plenty of science and facts to back up their rules, you will not see AR grow in NY, but you may see it go away some day.

Yup, ours is 13.5 square feet, manual defrost so you don't get freezer burn, and a chest freezer so you can cram more into it..kinda like a over stuffed suit case, you have to jump on the top of it to get it to close. haha

See, it pays to know a few guys that love to shoot does.

"Most can't shoot too well at 100 yards, never mind 500 or more!" You might as well have just said "Doe can't shoot too well at 100 yards, never mind 500 or more!" haha I stink with a gun, I think the farthest I ever shoot was @150, it took me two shoots but I got that doe!! She was to fat to pass up and weighed in at 135#

I know a guy that didn't check to see if he hit a buck last year and it was only like 80yards, he found it later in the season right where he had last seen it. What a dummie..no its not me and no I don't hunt with the guy. I think long shots is more of a western united states thing, I can only think of a couple of spots where it would even be possible around here. You know last night I was shooting the bow from 50 and I thought to my self, I need more arrows so I can stop walking back and forth so much. I worked up a sweat shooting the bow!

Wait a second, so your'e telling me that I shouldn't shoot 500 yards with my 7mm that I never take to the range to practice with? ;D What about the bow, can I shoot 50 yards at a walking deer in a stiff wind? haha, I wouldn't want to walk 500 yards to check to see if I hit the darn deer anyway. I try to keep my shots close to avoid any form of exercise.

haha thats sad but true..they give us the fix we need some times.. my favorite thing they do is when they go back for the recovery the next day and the deer is still flexible...meaning it just died, but 100% of the time they state proudly that he didn't go 80 yards and was dead last night....or in reality what happened was the guide tracked it and finished it off for them.

ha!

"At the present time, DEC biologists see no specific management benefit associated with the antler restriction program and do not consider antler restrictions as necessary to improve herd condition." This isn't any thing new but worth a re-post from the DEC.

Culver... follow the link I provided...Steve is right you can use it in the late season. Fourth bullet below. Except: May be used for Antlered or Antlerless Deer [/size] • In Westchester County (WMU 3S). • In Suffolk County (WMU 1C). • In areas restricted to bowhunting only. (WMUs 4J and 8C) • In late seasons (with bowhunting or muzzleloading privilege). • Next Fall, September 27–30, 2011 in the Northern Zone bowhunting season with 2010/11 bowhunting privilege

Here you go zeke, See page 26 of the Hunting and trapping guide, or look online here http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/37136.html under section titled Big Game Hunting. You can use your DMP in bow. I tried to cut and paste but it didn't work out to well.

Yes since it is called a Bow/Muzzeloader tag its usefull for either season but not gun season. I get my Bow tag every year and use it first followed by my doe permit, if it is in the right zone that is. So really one could use all but a regular season buck tag in archery season.

I have never heard of a chart like that either. Personally I shoot a 75gr Muzzy three blade and have alot of success with them, with your arrow you may want the 100gr. Just remember to match the field points to the weight of what ever broad head you choose, it will make set up easier. And you could shoot a real heavy head if you wanted to, the arrow will just drop more in that case.

We never have any extra to donate but way back when I lived at home if there was a surpluss it would go to a local family or people at work. Now that my brother and I have familes we can't get enough meat it seems.

Don't forget to get gas in the truck too! haha It was my first time at KTP, they have LOTS of guns, and good prices on some stuff, like left handed bows. Cool store.

Nice! when is the camp warming party? How about 10/16, I got that day open. I'll bring my stuff just in case you need me to kill something.

Technically I beleive it is worded some thing to the effect of "greater than 35 pounds" so really it would be 36# and up.