nyslowhand

WOW! You actually defended the DEC's intelligence. That's a reversal of some prior attacks. lol

Stand corrected on two of the scenarios!!! First off, I do NOT bait. I'm not encouraging it either! Not arguing the legality or necessity of DEC's regulations in an attempt to prevent the spread of CWD. There appears to be a lot of gray area within the regulation, which I'm not about to test in court!!! Legal to use Acorn Rage Buck Bomb, but not the bagged product? Isn't this aerosol scent alluded to as a lure? What about the curiosity scents, like vanilla or persimmon? Baiting them in to a non-existent food source by means of an aerosol scent bomb!?! Sitting in your stand eating lunch and throw the apple core on the ground, am I baiting or littering? Haven't we all done this?

About the same vintage as Doc's Ithaca (1969), purchased while in USAF at post exchange for ~$100. A Browning Auto Light 12 Belgium made with a vented rib, improved barrel, bead sight. Shoots most slugs ok for an open sight. If I had a scope, I'd experiment with slugs. It too has an impressive pile of venison to it’s' credit. Have retired it for my TC Triumph.

Then you get into the splitting of hairs; What are considered attractants that are legal and what are the illegal baits? Same scenario as corn; If I get a bushel of acorns or apples and put then under my stand I would be baiting...!?! But it's legal to hunt from an oak or apple tree!?! I can use C'mere Deer, but not Acorn Rage!?! A salt lick is illegal, but I can make a mineral lick and be legal...? I too follow the law the best I can, but "Baiting" is weakly defined. Crazy!!!

As a youngster I hunted with a bow & shotgun. Once during gun season I got tired of sitting in the stand. Started doing the stealth hunt, walk 30 yards and stop for 2-3 minutes. Got into a brush lot and stopped, there was a huge buck at ~50 yards staring at me. I froze and waited for him to look away so I could shoulder the shotgun. Seemed like hours, but maybe 20-30 minutes we had the stare down. Finally, I had enough and moved. He bounded away. Pretty intense! Surprised he didn't bug out sooner, must have heard my heart pounding. Know I could feel it! Had a lot of memorable hunts since, but as a youngster that was an adrenaline charged experience.

Believe this was a DEC "knee-jerk" regulation regarding the CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease).

Wish you'd brought this up ~2 weeks ago, just sold my 3 year old Bushnell Scout for $75. I'm only 15' up in my treestand, so I feel the same about it's use and movement. If I were 20'+, you may get away with movements. I do the same thing as nybuckboy with orange surveyors tape. Happens all too often, all of a sudden there they are and not time to range distance. Easy to judge distance if you have a 25yrd reference.

I also just finished. Moved two ladder stands and did the shooting lanes preliminary trimming for all three ladder stands. Set up a blind near a frequently used travel route and brushed it in. Mostly for foul weather use. Mowed all my paths and ATV trails for the last time. Should not have to enter the area except to do any one-time final trimming and check trail cameras. Oh yeah, will invade hunting area later to check for rubs. I like to let wildlife settle down and reestablish their routines for 6-8 weeks before bow hunting opens. Basically that means no ATVs , chainsaws, brush hogs, mowers, trimmers, etc. I even helped 75 year old neighbor saw, haul and split his firewood so he was out of the area in time. Shouldn't be so fanatical about the "no intrusion" policy, deer see my ATV coming and either freeze or move 60-70 yards to see where I'm going. Last year I had a bachelor group of 3 bucks that bedded down mid-days along an ATV trail. If I putted by at a constant speed and with no body movements, they would only stand up and watch me go by. That happened 5-6 times and they were only about 25 yards off the trail.

As a hunter innterested in preserving the sport I can not condon either. The person that is interested in feeding his family along with enjoying the experience is justified in taking a doe or any legal buck. The trophy hunter that passes on every buck 2 1/2 years old or younger has his own set of criteria and is not to be faulted either. Both types of hunters are justified if their harvests are legal, ethical and makes them happy. I try to achieve both, a filled freezer and a mature buck. Given the circumstances; not seeing mature bucks, weather patterns, length of time on stand with no sightings - have been tempted by less than mature bucks. During bow season my personal choice is always a mature buck. When the muzzleloader comes out in gun & late seasons, filling the freezer is my main priority.

So what correlation is the DEC's decrease in DMPs and the recent post "Deer Hunting & Deer Hunting Trends" The report (2000/2001) said the continual decrease in hunters will make manageable deer populations difficult. Has the number of hunters increased since 2000 or have we been taking more deer? I'm thinking, neither! Do they think there has been an increase in license sales in the zones that DMPs are being reduced? Anyone within DEC listening, what's up!!

Same routine! Exercise to develop muscles. Practice to improve form & accuracy. Quit when I feel fatigued or a point where my accuracy begins to diminish. I'm bad about not practicing from a stand of elevated area. Know I should, but have never had a problem because of it. When I'm at full draw on a deer, I can picture the vitals and where I need to shoot.

Used to be able to archery hunt there by a lottery draw. Never been by there at night, but I'll bet they glow in the dark. Army used to store nukes there.

Did I get sucked into buying one, Yes! Was it a waste of $125+, Yes! Use it infrequently, but have never attracted one in! Generally under my treestand covered up with camo neting. Scared them off, don't know! Will I use it again, probably, as a doe during the rut!?! Do I want to see the big boy spar with my buck decoy, YEAH! Don't hunt fields/food plots, so is it appropriate for semi-open woods??? FYI - comes with an orange carrying mesh bag.

Don't you think that is a huge marketing ploy with the quartering shot, plywood & Hank Parker? May only be relevant if you hunt Africa's dangerous game and your name is Miranda. IMHO, ranks up on the marketing blunders list with the Deer Mirror. Sorry if you use one!!! The FIXED vs MECHANICAL topics shows that for our use most anything works & is a personal preference.

Think in the spring I'll plant a couple of areas with clover or that Sucra to give them a boost in spring/early summer. No huge investment in time or $$. Wish I could get them to eat poison ivy!!!!

I will leave the cam out longer that I had been. Usually I try not to disturb hunting area for ~month prior to opening. Like you mentioned there is a lot of movement during rut. So unpredictable at that time, don't want to chase the photos.

Practice with it off. Hunt with it off. Feel a little more freedom of movement in the treestand with it off.

Collect my memory cards about once a week and can't wait to see the photos. It's almost like hunting without being there. Like you said - Summer photos never tell whose going to be where. Never have left my camera out past late-September, think I will this year. Entertaining, fun and holds you over until you actually can get into the woods to hunt!

The neighboring apple orchards on two sides of my property. My area is a brush lot with lotsa cover & bedding. I let the apple farmers incur the labor and expense and I hunt the travel routes to/from the orchard and my property. Call me lazy if you must, but it works out great for me. Only problem being the deer/antler size is determined by normal browse by the time the apples are ripe. Thinking about some clover in a couple of open areas.

Relax dude! Take a deep breath!! It was a joke!!

Only a few legal issues to resolve, but can have your own starter herd. http://rochester.craigslist.org/grd/1893612870.html

Neat!!

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28605.html#deer

Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Site opens, but is a blank page......?

Thus, my initial question. Has technology and marketing created a hunting mindset that is far removed from why we went into the woods in the beginning? I'm going to hold my principles and meet technology half way to be more effective only. Not worried about getting it done faster so I can move on. If we were the most advanced, effective, efficient killing machines and could get the task completed on opening day...Then what? Go home and play Deer Hunter on the Xbox 'til next opening day?