nyslowhand

FYI: Hodgdon's sells a magnum 777 pellet (Red box) that is about 60gr each. Gives a mid-option between 2 vs 3 pellet loads of the typical 50gr pellets. Not always easy to find at BassPro, etc. Like others have mentioned, before sighting in your ML you need to determine what your typical range and max shot would be. Obviously hunting along the edge of open fields would differ in max shot distance opposed to hunting in thickets or small woodlots. Might seem counter intuitive, but if 90% of the deer you've seen in your favorite spot are at 50yrds or less, sighting in a ML at 100yrds might be foolish. JMO!

The 100s of $$ I've spent over the years on scents desperately hoping one would work.

Wonder if this is typical of most stock TC barrels? My triumph is the same way. On the range, this is a definite problem.

Lilke Phade eluded to, best time for hunting bucks is about Nov 4th-10th, +/- a few days per weather, doe density, etc. They're in the seeking mode and not vigorously chasing does. They seem to be on a leisurely walk seeing does and can easily be stopped for a shot. Numerous years I've seen bucks doing this walk-about the end of October. May be more of an inventorying journey for their future reference. The true rut is fun to watch, but generally not a lot of shot opportunities. Unless you happen to catch a buck away from his home base or one seeking between does.

Xbow mechanical BHs are made stiffer to not allow them to deploy with initial 180/200# release force. JMO, use them on my xbow and never had one malfunction upon impact. Assuming the blades are simply a snugger fit when retracted.

Ishi smoked???

What Rob said. Saw a study of 115 deer being processed. First, field dressing tended to reduce overall weight by ~25%. Then from a field dressed deer, the study saw a yield of 48% usable meat.

Last I checked these Xbow bills still sat in the Enviro Cons sub-committees ... again!! To have new legislation in place it needs to get out of those committees and put on the schedule for a vote before about mid-June when the legislative summer recess begins. Seems like this issue is stuck in the same limbo as the past 7yrs.

Super cool story!!

Any one remember those old, behemoth, tubed 32" TVs. Most required a bear hug carry and getting thru a doorway was an interesting maneuver. Thank God they are a thing of the past!

FYI per an email I got from NYCC: Legislation pending in the Assembly and Senate, A1299 (Woerner) and S7747 (Mannion), would be a major step towards Full Inclusion of crossbows into the Archery Season. Changing the license requirement from muzzleloader privilege to bow privilege, allowing all Junior Archery holders, anyone 55 and older and those between 16 and 54 with doctor certified disability to use a crossbow during the entire archery season, including all archery only areas statewide. Additionally, they remove the 17” min width and 200 lb. max weight restriction, turning over equipment specifications to the DEC and changing the discharge setback for crossbows from 250 ft to 150 ft as all other archery equipment. The current 10-day northern zone and 14-day southern zone crossbow are still intact for the 16 – 54 year-olds that do not qualify for a disability exemption. Although they do not achieve our ultimate goal of full inclusion, there are gains for everyone, especially with the width and draw weight restriction removals.

Okay, so it would be nice if it were to pass and be implemented, but I'm not holding my breath. Been pretty much the same bill now for 8 years with no actions taken.

^^^ and if you happen to have wide feet or a high arch, the fit is horrible. Had an old pair of Much boots that the sole separated from the boot's body. FYI - boot is still waterproof w/o a sole. just a little thin and prone to puncture. Goop marine adhesive was used to reapply the separated sole on my boots.

Sounds like the very same bill that was introduced in 2015 and subsequent years since with NO actions taken. Let's just do the KISS strategy, turn over the control of all crossbow regulations to the DEC! Quite apparent our legislators have no clue and are unwilling to consider these Xbow bills. NYCC's strategy of trying to wear 'em down simply isn't working.

Don't get your hopes up, it's only 12" A-A. So no more than probably ~14" outside width. And then there's the $$$.

Not to derail this topic, but just as a side note, since most large deer processors are no longer accepting whole deer I have to assume their participation in the venison donation program is also nil for past couple of years. I've generally tried to harvest a doe to be donated over the past 12-14yrs, but with no where to drop it off currently, I haven't for last 2 years. As far as the DEC guess-timating deer populations and specific zone densities, it leaves a lot to be desired. I hunt an area that is supposedly over populated, but when I hunt and see few deer I just have to laugh at the DEC's methods of tallying deer numbers. It's possible for me to get 7X deer tags, so if I filled all of them within a couple of years there'd be very few deer around where I hunt. Precisely why it's necessary to micro-manage the herd within your specific hunting locations. There is an ethical difference in simply killing deer to fill tags and actually hunting them for the sport. At least in my simple brain...

I made covers out of pie tins with a semi-circle cutout and used an "L" bracket to mount to the tree. I quit using them when I finally decided they were obstructing the sunlight and gave me poor quality photos/videos. Maybe just an issue with the Bushnell cams I was using.

Generally, what others have said. Sort of depends on the cloud cover also. Think we all have seen early morning hunts during a full moon when its' light was masked by a lot of cloud cover and it appeared more like a new moon night.

Come on Bob, go all in for the extravagant, big Yukon moose hunt!

I also got a short video on my cam of a fawn nursing last week. Momma didn't stop it either. I also thought it was pretty late for that activity.

Anyone hear rumors about why these lager deer processors are not doing whole deer any more? Wonder if it's lack of employees, strict DEC regs, less money than farm animals, etc...? Know last year when I was looking around, one place said there was an abundance of beef & pork butchering scheduled. So, I'm assuming it's a $$ thing.

Pretty sure there is no need for FFL involvement with just the BP pistol, either to purchase or ship. Some online sellers don't know each states laws, so they default to requiring a FFL. To carry or possess one along with BP will require the pistol be added to your permit, as stated above. Because of the type of pistol it is, there weren't any questions or further background checks done on me before simply being added to permit.

What I was informed about ML pistols/revolvers: No permit needed to own or even carry. Once you have BP along with the pistol/revolver, you need a permit. Along referring to having in possession and not necessary already loaded. If you already have an existing permit it's easy to add-on in your county.

COVID

^^^ Exactly!!