nyslowhand

My problem with this issue is there probably isn't an employer in the US from the NFL to Joe's roofing that wouldn't support an employee following their convictions - after hours or off site! What an employee does on the job directly reflects on the employer's image. Not against the individuals protesting or airing their grievances, just that there's an appropriate place & time for it.

^^^^ great use for those cheapo ratchet straps that come with new stands that hopefully you've set aside. More power to those members that select a "skinny" tree in the ideal location. Went that route once, never again. Being up in these during 20+mph winds will definitely test your nerves... white knuckle hunting.

The further you have to drag them out of the woods, the heavier they are!! Uphill & gully crossings add weight fast! I've had several that weighed a ton....

When I'm 15-18' up in a ladder stand, I like to feel secure & safe! I always re-gift those crappy ratchet straps that come with the ladder stand, as well as that lashing rope string. Have put up & relocated a lot of ladder stands myself, there is a technique to doing this solo that hopefully you've found or have help. Have found a 22-24" section of PT 2x10/12" plank under the ladder's legs will keep it from sinking in during wet times. Once you get a ladder stand erected against the tree of your choice, those ropes that go from platform/last step area, around the tree and secured to lower/~2nd step. This is the only thing that is securing the upper/platform section when you have to climb up the ladder and secure the top to the tree. Invest in 100' of nylon (camo) ~1/2" rope. That's enough to do 2X stands. For the platform ratchet strap(s), I always use 2k# ratchet straps, one at upper/tree claw and other one at lower platform section. Now it's time to install the vertical brace. So I'm OCD about my security, but at the vert brace I use a ~1500# x 12/15' ratchet, run from ladder -around opposite side of tree - to other side of ladder. In a "X" pattern. Your choice, but I do not like what the mfger supplies to secure ladder sections together, snapper pins. I replace them with 1/4" bolts, IRC they are 1-1/4 or 1-1/2" long. Along with regular 1/4" washers, I like to use bigger/fender type washers also to keep the sqr tubing from crushing. This will help ladder sections, esp when ascending and they typically "creak" some. Little squirt of camo spray paint hides the shiny bolts and helps corrosion. All of these things I've mentioned were purchased from Tractor Supply, less the PT lumber footers. They are an added expense, sure, but they will make the cheapest or most rickety ladder stand super secure. If your budget won't allow all these items, at least invest in the HD rope upgrade. That makes the biggest impact, esp when you 1st go up the newly erected stand to initially put on top ratchet straps. Spooky times.... Seem like over-kill...!?! You'll thank me on windy days or when you ascend your stand and it does NOT have that bouncy, diving board feel. But... If you still are young enough to feel immortal, do whatever makes you &/or your budget happy! FYI - Ladder stand Stay At Home Nomad had photos of above are the best ones I've found. Believe they are the Dick's/F&S Outlpost XL or something like that. Not crazy about the nylon seat/back support the mfger now uses. Old padded seats/back support were much better. Rugged materials, decent platform size and so far after 5-6yrs - durable. Occasionally on sale pre &/or post deer season.

This is a super neat, novel DIY idea!!! Wonder if you can really see these at 30yrds when you need to make a snap yardage judgement, esp early or late shooting hours? Trail makers, hell yeah! Yardage markers,...maybe after leaves have all fallen. Sticking with my surveyor's tape streamers for yardage markers.

Going to rephrase one of my questions: Why is bigger better or more "manly"? Okay, so if I spent a lot of time in grizz country, I'd be carrying a big boy. Other than that, just can't imagine any practical use for protection, LE, combat purposes. Aren't they a beast to shoot compared to something more practical, say a 40cal?

What I've always done is buy name brand SD cards in pairs. One in cam and 2nd one recently swapped is taken home to view photos on my PC. Size of SD card depends on several factors, ie; how often cam is checked, photo vs video mode and the ever present weeds/leaves present that will give you 1000s of photos with nothing around. Meaning... do NOT s/u a new cam w/o checking its' results in about a week. Even if you've tested it in the backyard! Hard to justify a ~$20 Python cable lock for a sub-$50 cam. They are more of a deterrent than an actual anti-theft device as the can be cut with lineman's pliers. Shhhh...! FYI - Members than have multiple cams and want them secured, you can buy quantities of Python cable locks off eBay that are keyed the same. Super convenient, if you go that route!

Idiot's question... So how do the 44 or 50cal handgun loads (either factory or hand loads) fair in a ballistic gel test? Guessing "most powerful" means largest caliber a shooter can hold in his/her hands and shoot, but probably not most practical or efficient...? Inform me!!

Super cool, dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lot of details, huh!?!

... do I hear the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard?

^^^^ or orange surveyor's tape for yardage markers. Me too, I do carry a rangefinder, but have never gotten it out when a deer was coming in.

May be true...!?! All the marketing spec for a bow are at its' full "bore" setup and shot with lightest arrows. I for one, would never criticize any bow hunter that can shoot a vintage bow with consistency and harvest deer every year. Also have a lot of respect for those that have been using long bows! Hate to beat a dead horse, but aren't we all shooting a majority of our deer in the 20-25yr range? Moog, there's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about with that grouping using a recurve and esp at 40yrds. Overweight Indians don't get fewer deer, they're just cast bigger shadows.

What happened to the pre-cam days when you sat in the tree and evaluated deer as they mysteriously appeared? I'm in same camp as older mature aged experienced hunters above; either a doe, buck, young, mature, WTF!!!!

Love to be able to believe these legendary and highly romanticized creatures really exist in today's world. The folks they have on TV that claim to be Sasquatch experts don't do their cause any justice, esp the crew that is actually hunting them with rifles. Wasn't the crew of Finding Bigfoot in Whitehall a few years ago investigating one of the original sightings in the area? Also like to believe those that claimed to have been abducted by aliens, examined on the spaceship and then returned to Earth, but...... Alright, enough sarcasm! You either believe or you don't!

Not to side-track this discussion.. There's a reason the FBI is going back to the 9mm.

And ... in the Redneck 007 movie's opening credits, instead of all the GIFs and Bond theme song would there be banjos playing and faint sounds of pigs squealing????

Dude, you've missed some great Bond girls by not following the flicks over the ages! Of course, many not so great James Bonds! Just in case not everyone knows this.. The Broccoli family that have produced most of the Bond 007 movies are the ones that have kept the legacy (??) alive since the 1960s, good or bad. Show me the money...!

OP situation - Being outside and doing what you believed would have been defending your home or family could get very sticky, legal wise. Since there is no Stand Your Ground law in NYS, you'd probably be standing in front of a grand jury even if the "nutjob" threatened you/daughter and you shot him/her. Different story if the "nutjob" did break into your castle, just empty the Glock and there'd be far less questions asked. Believe me, I'm not criticizing you, it's just the NYS laws are thinking they are protecting both the victim and assailant. For DEFCON 4 or lower situations, there's a Glock near my bed fully loaded with a 2nd mag handy and a dog for alerting me to intruders. DEFCOM 3 or higher, handgun is closer to my side where ever I am inside my home during daylight hours. May sound weird coming from a hunter, but the situation would dictate if I were able to actually shoot another human being. Think I'd be just as happy to flash the Glock, have the intruder(s) flee my home and then call 911. Just to clear up my wus factor, the cell phone would be the last thing I reached for in the case of a home invasion.

Hasn't the compound bow technology pretty much max'ed out in the last 5yrs or possibly longer?? Seems to have been only sight improvements in cam technology giving modest fps gains, somewhat smoother draw or only slightly more let-off. JMO, Biggest advancement has been in the marketing BS. Here's my justification sales pitch: Just what %/portion of a successful hunt can be attributed to equipment and at what $$? Ranking how this "pie" is distributed, the hunter has the biggest chunk. Followed by pure luck and then the modest piece of the pie that's left is having the best equipment to perform the task. How much more successful will a hunter be with the latest or greatest equipment? Of course, there's the old and worn out analogy - how much deader will the deer be? IRC, most deer in NYS are reportedly taken within the ~20yrd range. Throw all this out if money is no object or you're a techie and need the latest and greatest.

BTW - How tall are those bears. Looks to be 36-40", unless sis is a WNBA player. All your efforts look really amazing! BUT ... you made me cringe watching the video of you carving with the saw while the log was rocking around...! Don't want to hear about any of your "trial n error" mistakes involving blood!!!!!

Ask this question again in 15-20 years. JMO, one more 007 movie in the works will pretty much OD viewers on Bond for awhile! My vote is for Scarlett Johansson if they want me to watch yet another remake of 007!

Deep Woods Off on every exposed skin area!!! Cooler mornings are helpful, but few and far between in August.

Wow, this is way out of Clapton's comfort level. Wonder what's up!??! I'm a huge fan, but wondering if at 73yo he's simply run out of creative juices?

About 300-450' and yeah it gets boggy at times!! Never gotten a web hoofed deer, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Pretty much seen it all... In the mornings the gal's are primping for work, hair, make-up, etc. Guys are NOT exempt, saw one dude eating a bowl of cereal going 60+mph down a crowed Xpressway. Afternoon distractions are mainly cell phone related. If you're following a car that slows down, speeds up or is swerving - telltale signs of texting. Not to say there aren't a lot of cell phone calls made all hours of the day. Pretty rare to see someone pulled over obviously using their cell.