nyslowhand

AMEN!! Are you quoting from "Treestand 101"? If not, lets add it there!

Burmjohn, hope you are getting the idea from all the posts that it really isn't rocket science. Yeah, it's nice to have someone with experience walk you through the first couple of attempts. You can eventually accumulate the specialty tools like the grinders, meat saws or vacuum sealers. I've done them with only a crude means of getting the carcass hung in a tree/garage by the rear legs. A good, sharp folding hunting knife and a clean hacksaw with a coarse blade are the basics. Helps to have a bigger knife, a meat saw and a large workspace available. Hang it, gut it, skin it, wash the cavity and let it hang (preferably away from critters) overnight. Saw it in half lengthwise, know what you want in you cuts of meat and go to town with each quarter/section of the deer. The key is in the wrapping to prevent freezer burn. Vacuum sealers are great! Nothing worse than spending the time processing only to get meat out of the freezer and find it freezer burned!! Like Doc, I have gotten lazy in my advanced years. But when you take a deer to a processor, they tag it, throw it onto a pile of 50-60 others and tell you to come back in a week.... Who knows what the carcass has been subjected to and what meat you are taking home!!!

Everyone is correct! My experience is you won't know much until you begin to see the rubs. May(?) give you an ideal of a bucks core area. All bets are off when the rut approaches, as everyone mentioned the unpredictability. I've read that the whitetail experts have proven that most mature bucks, 2 1/2 years and older take an extended trip of at least one mile twice during the rut. Assuming they then return to their core area. I guess, be smart, be there and they will eventually come. About as scientific as deer hunting for mature bucks gets. If you are getting a lot of Trail Cam photos of the more predictable does in an area, the boys will eventually be there. This has worked for me, may not be ideal for all areas or hunters!!

Hummm... Think you are onto something!

Stay on my property, so no legal issues arise with registration, etc. Have a older 2005 Bombardier (Can-Am) Traxter 500. Same as the John Deere Buck. Made to be a work horse and that is exactally how I use it. About half of my property is DEC designated wetland, thus the mud. On 60 acres I have made about 2.5 miles of trails and narrower paths. Also have an Otter tub dumping trailer that gets used constantly. Hauled a lot of gravel with it at ~1000# a load. Oh yeah, that's my hunting camp, a pre-fab 12'x24' workshed.

All my jackets, pants and coveralls for warm & cold weather are Realtree AP, except my blaze camo outfit. Seems to work well. Try to match my scheme for jackets and pants. I tend to break-up my treestand outline with netting or branches (fake or real). My opinion is that if you are 15' (min.) up in a tree your choice of camo is kinda of a mute point, as long as your face is covered/painted, scent-free and movements are limited. Personally, I think a deer sees the outline of a treestand 1st and then after focusing on that, sees the object in it (you). Who knows what they see? Years ago I wore brown Carharts, an obscure military green camo, no gloves or face mask, NOT scent/UV free and any old ball cap. Used to smoke and pee while in the stand. Had many deer walk within 10 yards and didn't appear to notice me and weren't alarmed. Who's to know!?!

I got spoiled with my 1st Game camera purchase. Believe it was a Woodland Outdoors Sports. Couple of guys with backgrounds in electronics that were also avid hunters developed the camera. Took a regular 4Mp Sony digital camera and made their own motion sensor. Took excellent photos. Could even unplug the Sony and use it as a regular digital camera. Excellent lockable, waterproof case and it cost just over $200. Believe they went out of business, couldn't compete with the outfits made in China. See several very similiar ones (Trail Watcher/Stalker/Swamp Ghost/Treebark) for $400+. Last year bought a HCO Scoutguard that had high reviews and everyone was bragging about. Really crappy pictures very disappointed. Looking to replace the HCO with a differnt cam. Don't think I'd be happy with the cheapo $100 units, but can't justify $400/$500 for a top of the line. What does everyone use and do you like it?

Don't hunt in an area that has a high buck population, so they don't naturally hear rattling or grunting. I've tried it with not much luck. Out of desperation, tried grunting last year when the big boy was chasing a hot doe and a smaller buck away. Of course both bucks had the hot doe on their mind and whatever I was doing was a waste of time. One unique thing I've found that works for me is to doe bleat after I've released an arrow. The last three bucks I've shot ran 20-30 yards, stopped and looked back for 5-10 seconds. Retrieved all three within sight of my stand. That short 5-10 seconds relates to a significant distance they would have covered. I'm sure it is not a patented technique, anyone else do this?

WOW!! More power to you! You're a better man than me, at least more blood flowing through your veins.

A couple of does and fawns, a small 4 pointer, lotsa tracks in the mud. If it has rained, occasionaly a coyote track. Within 3/4 mile of where I hunt a 2nd bear sighting this summer. Very, very rare for northern Wayne County. Buzzilions of mosquitos & deer flies. Damned deer flies are kamikazies when I'm on my ATV.

May be a stupid question or an useless topic, but do all you diehard archers hunt the late or 2nd season with your bow? Personally, by Thanksgiving these old bones get too cold and are covered with too many layers of clothing to fumble with a bow. Once the early archery season closes the bow is put away and the muzzleloader comes out. Call me a wuz, but the fun with my bow ends when its 20º, snowing and the wind is howling. Sure it is not this way for you younger guys or is it?

What I pass up on opening day of bow season has made me think twice by the end of the season on numerous occasions. The last weekend before gun season when the same small-ish buck you already passed on is within range and broadside, will an arrow fly? I have, but it really depends on how the season has gone, the overall situation and my mental state at the time. Adrenaline makes reasoning difficult.

Use to hunt State forest with seasonal roads throughout. Guys would stop their vehicle, hen call, not hear a response, slam the door and drive a little further on to repeat the process. Think a hunter could call one of these toms in that was within 1/2 mile of the road....? Oh, the turkeys were there. Your spring turkey hunting strategy took on another level of complications. A tom with hens, a buck with a hot doe or closing time at the pub - You will not separate them. In general, toms with hens are the most difficult until you learn to hunt the hens. Public land has it's issues also.

Forty years ago I had a couple of different bows that I don't recall what they were. Chances are they were the cheapest thing on the rack at Hesselson's or Fay's. Got back into archery 10-12 years ago and got an Archery Research (div. PSE), AR-31. Excellent bow except it had a very small, distinct valley/back wall. At full draw if you backed off into the valley it would almost jerk your arm off. Last summer I shot two arrows through a BowTech Swat at the local shop and bought it the same day. Really like the feel of the smooth draw. No valley/back wall issues, so I can hold at full draw longer. Not the fastest or fanciest bow on the market. I shoot well (good enough) with this bow. No Robin Hoods! Excellent bow for me, but may not be for everyone. To each, his own.

Won't even pretent I understand the human eye or the optics within a rifle scope!!!! What you are refering to is called eye relief. Scopes advertise a certain eye relief. This is not a constant for all manufactures, scopes or shooters. A rifle & scope setup for you may not work for me depending on how we shoulder the rifle. Check this out, a decent explaination of what you are asking. http://www.gunsandammo.com/content/the-essentials-of-eye-relief

To all you "Traditionalist" (true smokepoles); Have any photos of your accessories? I love looking at replica hunting bags, powder horns, antler measurers, etc. Think I was born 300 years too late. The colonial NY, pre-Revolutionary War era intrigues me; Iroquois, F&I War, etc. Have to get my gear out and take a picture.

How about Roger Raglin? Is he good ole boy or what?

Someone got offended in another thread "How do other hunters irritate you?". Don't see anyone praising their perfection!! Have to assume everyone is intelligent enough to know they are not perfect. If I thought for a minute I was perfect, I'd be in therapy! Probably wouldn't hurt, but not for this reason.

That's a scene from the movie Jeremiah Johnson with Robert Redford & Will Greer. Love that mountain man movie!

Every one familiar with this organization and what they do? Has any one used it's services to find a deer? Can you briefly retell the experience. I thought this would be a great retirement project. Training the dog and helping other hunters! Then I came to the realization of when I'd be called on to track a deer, hunting season. Guess I'm just too selfish! http://www.deersearch.org/

Fred Eicher, been on a couple of different shows and married to the founder's daughter of Muzzy. He's a down to earth type of guy. Not too particuliar about what he harvests. Saw him jumping around like a maniac when he got a cow elk. Another show he was in a blind along a bear trail hunting griz. Think on the same episode the guide had to dispatch a griz with a handgun that was charging them. I said he was entertaining, not super intelligent.

Pretty sure all hunting license revenue is posted to the dreaded GENERAL fund. You know, where the lottery revenue also goes. You're right about the "Old Time" cost of licenses and splurging for the lifetime fee.

Bet they have been around 30-40 years. Recall them being $350, but annual licenses were hardly nothing. Should have gotten one them with my license now at almost $100 a pop.

If you wear glasses, you probably paint your face like I do. Masks hide the glare, but fog your glasses and you can't see them.

Great site, interesting conversations!!! Lived in NY all my life, Schuyler, Yates and now Wayne county (8F). Hunt whitetails and turkeys on a 60 acre, abandoned farm. Over-run with multiflower rose and poison ivy, but I have been plugging away making trails, etc. Do what I can at 63, can be challenging at times. Hunt deer with bow and muzzleloader. Can October 16th get her soon enough?!?