nyslowhand

Same situation for me this year! Ugh...! Shot her Oct 15th . She had few teeth left and no clue how big (#), but heavy for sure. Last I saw of that doe family's typical travel route or pattern for the rest of this year's deer season. Also obviously had some influence on my general lack of buck sightings in that area after the girls changed their habits &/or home range.

Like to think of all us hunters as a brotherhood or part of a tribe. When a member is called away by the Hunting Gods, have to think they're still looking upon us with pleasant memories and hopes of us continuing in their footsteps! We all are grieving with you! Heartfelt sorrow and condolences go out to you, your family and your dad's friends!

Yeah, me too - first trip out there last spring shopping for a handgun I also drove right by the place. Even with a printed google map and having been in that area a couple times prior!!! They obviously keep a low profile with their brick n mortar business with NO blatant signs out front.

If you were around when that infamous, blurry ~60sec video of an alleged bigfoot surfaced, you had some doubts or at least skepticism about their existence. Since then, the whole bigfoot and regional hybrid phenomenon has turned into such a hoax or "3-ring circus" on TV, it's hard to take it serious. Myself, I'd like to believe, but w/o a single bit of hard evidence...... Maybe the US govt has the body of one in Area 51?

Dude, more details would help your search! Older caplock, flintlock, modern inline, scoped, location, budget, timing...

Thanks for correcting me! Maybe ... The USDA should put "deer farms" into two separate categories?? One for harvesting the venison for resale and another for those that only extract a whitetail's by-products (urine), also for resale. With different testing requirement for each. Like you're idea of controlling the sale of urine based products to only NYS products and restrict inter-state sales of the same BTW - Also in that same issue of NYON or within same article (IDK), there was mention of the DEC redefining their current feeding/baiting regulations. Mainly so they can enforce it w/o hesitation after the Sullivan Co ruling. Possibly NYON misquoting or merely sensationalizing an otherwise unnoteworthy news event? An example was given of the people that put out bird feeders that might attract deer would now fall under the new baiting/feeding definitions & be prosecuted. My issue is NYS DEC's knee-jerk reaction to the situation that happened in the upper mid-west decades ago and the very isolated event in central NY (Oneida Co?) concerning escaped deer from a high fence farm. Has to be some facts involved and not merely an arm waving reaction! Government at its' best... (sarcasm!).

Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't the DEC already monitor "deer farms" for CWD? So, if these farms produce urine based scents currently under strict monitoring, what's the theory behind this ban? Not to be a conspiracy theorist, but it is pretty obvious the DEC wants to remove themselves from this monitoring effort and simply do the knee jerk reaction by banning their use.

Thanks! Very interesting unbiased in-the-field review. BTW - You probably will NOT be getting any endorsement $$ from Ozonics! LOL

Amen!!! Like lots of others have mentioned, the undergrowth is what currently draws deer into that area, a secure travel route. Rethink that plan of clearing it! Your biggest issue (IMHO) might be the bigger, mature trees and the canopy or shade they produce during any crop's growing season! So.. you start clearing the undergrowth for plots and cutting some bigger trees for sunlight, you've kind of stripped away what drew the deer to that specific area in the 1st place, the security. Yes-No? I'm by NO means a food plot expert, but in my hunting experience over the years, corn & apples are the best draw for deer during (SZ) bow season. Other crops are better suited for getting the deer herd healthier and promoting antler growth, all summertime food sources. You could get by with very little clearing if you planted several hardy, domestic type apple trees. Do your research on what varieties are resistant to what, cross/self pollination and which can get by with the least care. ie; Pruning, spraying, thinning, blah, blah. Then sit back a few years to see the literal fruit of your efforts. Ironically, you really need to protect the young trees from the deer (rubs, over-browsing) that you are trying to draw into the same area! Huh!?! Have no clue if deer have a prefered variety! LOL. Might be wrong, but in my experience crab apple trees are super undependable producers. Out with the old, in with the new!

Location Location Location Knowledge of prey Tactics Adaptability Luck

Exactly why I pull my trail cams about the 1st week of November!! Don't need any reminders or evidence I was in the wrong place at the wrong time! lol

Very cool! I have a couple of similar, but smaller slab, wood burning art pieces I got at a craft show. Nothing as spectacular as yours! DId your sister do the artwork? Very nice! You may want to do some research, after a while mine began to split some! May depend of what wood was used!??! Maybe some wood preservative coating, etc...?

Agree with most.. One of those situations where you just do the right thing & never mention it again! If you're not up to the task or let legalities prevail over your ethics, there's always the cycle of life solution.

Wish there were a "Hate You" button. Kidding, dude!! You seen to have the almost perfect deer hunting scenario. Okay, so I'm envious!

Think the article's author meant this concept to be on a culling basis in specific areas or situations and not as a generalized theory as you may be interpreting it to mean. Counter-intuitive though, huh...?

Still an issue with rubber boots! Those can be temporarily patched though with marine Goop. Rubber boots will fatigue or dry rot, so they're definitely not a lifetime investment.

Specifically to the OP's question - Once an arrow from a vertical bow or a bolt from a Xbow are released, the exact same thing happens upon impact. It's a cut on contact, bleeding out type of wound and it kills the same as for ALL of bow hunting. Nothing like rifle or shotgun impact wounds or kills! Drop 'em in their tracks is not in the bow hunter's vocabulary! Again, after the arrow or bolt flies, the advantage goes to the Xbow! More likely to get a pass thru due to Xbow's inherent higher fps & Ke. Not to say the performance of newer compounds don't rival these or even those that shoot ~60+# draw wgt aren't in the same ballpark.

Interesting article in latest issue of NYON (11/25/16) about AR by one of this forum's member, Buckstopshere. Article, actually more of an editorial opinion is entitled "Making a point on antler restrictions". Buckstopshere, please correct me if I'm interpreting your opinion incorrectly! The crux of his opinion against any AR, mandatory or voluntary is that shooting younger bucks allows the 2+yo bucks to develop & grow at least another year. Very interesting concept which has some merit! Although the theory is somewhat counter-intuitive, culling the younger bucks to have bigger, mature bucks around your area. I've actually done this occasionally in the past if I've seen an overabundance of younger bucks on summertime trail cam photos or during bow season. Problem is, we all know exactly why we hunt, especially during the rut - those big, old bucks!! Not a lot of bow hunters would tag-out on a smaller buck and then sit out the rut or continue hunting with the antlerless/DMP tag only. I do agree with the author about mandated AR taking away the hunter's choice or options. Do NOT agree with his disdain for the DEC's campaign to educate hunters about voluntary passing on smaller bucks to allow older (2+yo) bucks to mature or develop more. This is actually something I suggested to the DEC when they were soliciting input about deer management. Basically to not impose statewide regulations with no regard for the hunter's choice of harvest. Also suggested they (DEC) educate the hunting community about doe and buck management and let the hunters decide and micro manage their specific locations. This education campaign is not a shaming ploy as the author suggests, merely an instructional tool.IMHO, it's more of a - harvest what you want, but just so you're aware shooting younger bucks might reduce the number of BBs eventually. But by all means, enjoy deer hunting as you would. Anyone else see this article? Agree with the author? Am I full of crap?

Soaking any game in a brine mix will draw the blood out of the wounds. In my experience, sort of a SOP for small game. As a general practice for venison, to soak ALL the meat is not necessary. Pretty sure a brine soak would do nothing for tenderizing the meat, if that was the theory. Lesson learned, huh?

Very cool!!!!!!!!!

Isn't that typical any more, most snow plowing services requiring seasonal contracts? If we get another mild winter with below average snowfall, might seem like robbery. But... If we have a record breaking snowfall, $350 would seem like a bargain. If you should go for the contract, check out the plowing service & the individual involved. Last couple of years there have been scams local to W Wayne/E Monroe COs concerning failure to provide services after collecting the contract fees. Still remember working from dawn to dark, coming home and having to clear the driveway! Ugh...!! Last thing I wanted to do after a physically or mentally stressful day at work! Move south, dude! LOL

^^^ attach bayonet & finish 'em off! So who do you think has the more pathetic look in their eyes, you or the deer. Deer is probably thinking - Dude, what have you done to me, just end it! Or you wondering why you didn't bring another box of ammo? Just kidding, been there & done every possible stupid thing myself! Worst case scenario is a downed deer with a spine shot from an arrow. Not promoting hand to hand combat with a dying deer, but I have stepped on a doe's head and finished it off with a knife just to put it out of its' misery. This is when you wish you were allowed to carry your 9mm.

My days of carrying a box full of 12ga slugs on each SZ hunt as a kid are long gone. Anyone remember the shotgun slug bandelarios? Like Wooly, if using the ML it's loaded and a couple spare speedloaders. Maybe one of those 209 primer holders with a few spares. Damned things are hard to handle with cold hands, so dropping one is pretty common practice for me. New to rifle hunting this year, so a couple of 4rnd mags will be toted. If I can't get 'er done with that, a trip back to the range or an appt w/an optometrist is in order.

No way...really?

Second photo of just the cart is a little deceiving, wheels are actually centered over length of cart. Yeah, does make a slight difference how deer/load is placed onto cart. Ideally the center of wgt/mass should be over the wheels. Uneven distribution only makes a slight inconvenience hauling cart out of the woods with a load, By either holding up or pushing down on handle to adjust for any uneven distribution of wgt. Used it 3X this year, once hauling a blind & chair into woods and 2X hauling deer out. First couple of uses are trial & error, but once you get a technique it's a lifesaver for my old bones! Slick part about this unit is when you get back to vehicle, you simply align the cart with the angle iron frame, lift one end & slid on. By no means am I endorsing this product (Uriah Car-Go-Cart), it just works great for what I need it to do! BTW - If you need a receiver platform for a vehicle AND a deer cart, you're in the $$ ballpark of one of these. Other issue with having 2 separate units, what do you do with the muddy/bloody cart after you've put deer onto the platform? FYI - If interested, there is a min receiver hgt, so PM me with questions. Completely off topic, sorry! Back to DIY getting a deer into a p/u truck!