nyslowhand

Granted, this is a hypothetical scenario! Since I've never hunted the NZ, any of you who do please answer this question: Just how far do you go into those big blocks of wilderness? If you look at a map of the Adk Park, doesn't appear to be any areas where there might be any roads more than ~30-40mi apart. Yes - No?? Okay, I'll play the "what if" game. Knowing I was naive enough to not have a basic knowledge of the area from viewing maps, or what direction I started the trek, or at least a compass to get me back in the reverse direction..... Probably want a couple Xanax or Prozac pills to control any panic attacks. Which would probably kill me long before any hypothermia or dehydration did! You're lost, days from civilization, in a dire situation and you'd want to have a camera as an essential survival tool? Don't understand that one!??!

Experts claim a buck can lose up to 25% of his weight due to his rutting activities. Do the math, a BB may not look much bigger than a mature doe after the rut.

Okay, so I was lost from the beginning of your story about this rifle. Kudos to you for making me search for info on it! Very cool and older 22 rifle. If video is correct, only 750 model 52Ds were produced & available to the public. So to get one in all original & pristine condition, definitely a Holy Grail find. Did find this interesting video from Larry Potterfield (Midway) on the Win 52's history. FYI -About a 5min video and at ~3:38min mark is the 52D reference.

These are the typical SOPs of the mature bucks in the area of 8F I hunt. Once the summertime fun & crizing is broken up for the bachelor groups, the more mature bucks seem to always return to their secure, core home-base. Typically for my area, about the end of October I begin to see strange bucks I've never gotten cam photos of before and then disappear again. Also, unfortunately some of the summertime regulars are never seen again either! Not to say that they aren't still in the approximate vicinity. It's been my experience that all of these rutting forays seem to be based around the BBs home-bases. My little micro hunting world is only part of a semi-isolated area of ~6-700 acres, but I can see a BB foraying several miles if the terrain/habitat allows it. Biggest factor prompting these long distance forays is probably the buck to doe ratio in the general area of the BB's home-base. Sort of akin to the old fable about the old and young bulls standing on the hill viewing all the cows in the field below them. When the young bull say; Let's run down and...... You know how the rest of the fable goes!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing! I always try to seize any opportunity I think I may come to regret when looking back at a past deer season. This winter when you're enjoying your steaks in garlic butter, think about the old proverb, "A bird in hand is....". BTW - Garlic butter doesn't make tag soup any more palatable! LOL

Sounds very similar and painful to hear. Past summer a guy in the local diner was talking about deer hunting, BBs, etc to someone I know. Suddenly my ears perked up when he mentions a Cty Rd that's a little off the backside of my property. I invite myself into the conversation. Mentioned a couple landmarks on that Cty Rd. As the crow flies, his property is maybe 1/3mi from mine. We talk about BBs and I jokingly mention that we've both probably seen the same ones! So I pull out my cell phone and show him a video of a super nice BB I'd gotten photos/videos of a couple years ago. He asks if I had another video.... watches it & then he says "Yea, looks exactly like the one I have mounted on my wall!" Doh! Really hate this guy now, kidding!! Was able to muster up a meager - Good for you, congrats! So I put all the cam shots on a DVD I had of that buck from the end of May thru the end of October, before he disappeared off my radar. Dropped the DVD off at the guys place of business with my cell # and casually mentioned that someday I'd love to see his wall mount. Someday maybe I'll get a close-up view of that great BB!

Can't speak to the number of hunters, other than the lack of shooting compared to what was typical in the past. Hell, think I only heard one pre-dawn shot in my neck of the woods. Have talked to numerous hunters and overheard many other conversations, general consensus is there has been a lack of deer movement & sightings so far this season. Can't verify any DEC advertised over-population, but even up until the time I pulled my trail cams (~Nov 12th), most activity was during the darkness. Assuming that still holds true. So...warmer, southerly weather pattern, full moon effects, less hunters afield, nocturnal deer, hunter motivational issues - you decide! I'm betting the 2015 harvest #s will be down from past years.

Even the large, local processor (~500 deer/yr) has commented about the occasional rutty smelling buck. Not just hanging in the cooler, but after being aged, skinned and the sectioned meat is lying on cutting tables stinking up the entire processing plant. So you can imagine how they taste! My philosophy is - does go in the freezer and bucks go through the photo opportunity, racks sawed off & meat donated to local Foodlink. You know all the details, but I believe it (taste) has way more to do with what those old boys had been doing the preceding 2 weeks than how far they run/live after the shot. A world of difference in the taste of a BB shot in October as opposed to during the peak of the rut or just after!

OMFG, a monster bear and with a stick & string! But... after the initial excitement of killing a beast, would then wonder how the hell am I getting this slob out of the woods????

Don't want to dispute the OP's attempt at leveling the playing field,..."We all hunt the same NY woods." , but we don't! In the terrain I hunt, a 100yrd shot would be rare. Most would be in the 50-70yrd zone, with some even closer. So, as was implied, why would I sight-in my weapon of choice, a ML at 100yrds? You need to decide what the majority of your shots will be, for the terrain you hunt and sight-in your weapon accordingly. This is where 2 different weapons being available would come in handy, depending on where you were hunting any specific day. One for close quarters hunting and another for sniper longer ranges in big woods or open fields. Back to the OP's question... There's no rule of thumb that applies to a majority of hunters &/or situations using different weapons! Answer is, it depends!

Envious! Should have been a viewer discretion warning for those that were less fortunate hunters. LOL

.....ahh, the paycheck?

As I'm loading my ML with BP pellets and reach for the sabots...oh crap, must have left them home! Fortunately I had 3 of those tubes loaded with full charges and used a sabot from one of them. Duh..! Other notable senior moments... Forgot my bow release (once!) after walking ~200yrds towards the stand. The dreaded walk-in the dark because batteries in flashlight were dead & no spares. Turning around and driving back home to get certain clothing I'd forgotten. And the obvious, forgot to be in a specific stand when the deer were near a different one, not where I was!

For elk I can understand, but isn't that a little "over-kill" for deer? lol I've used the 350gr T/C Maxi-Hunter in my Renegade and that is pretty devastating. Think the Noexcuses is a better conical?

Also Red (Magnum) boxes of 777. Equates to ~65gr/pellet.

Unfortunately, it is!! The sad part is that there are those that continually mask it under the deer management umbrella. BUT, it's all about the horn & bragging rights on social media.

Pretty sure that unless there are no advertised hiking, horse, etc trails or rustic camping areas- Nothing is maintained.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/35010.html

Maybe 10 years ago there was a young bull that made it all the way to the NE region of 8F before it was darted and sent back home. FYI - That's ~25 miles east of downtown Rochester. So I guess it's not too unusual for these young studs to travel far & wide looking for love!

How were we ever able to shoot deer decades ago before all these scent-free products hit the market? One last consideration, hasn't the average bow kill distance been ~20yrds for the last 50+ years? Whatever seems to work, keep doing it. Short of Zag's "...rolled in crap..." theory!!!! Wait..there may be some merit to this?? Next time you see fresh deer droppings, pick it up & put it in your pocket! Gotta work, right!?! lol

Where's the post from a few years ago showing an arrow sticking out of the deer's head?

..."3 Step"....Hell, you could fill a book full of things to do to cure buck fever!! Since those actual encounters occur in the woods, a self-help book that was written in a home office isn't easily applied! Exactly what Sweet Old Bill said! Once you determine you are going to shoot, it then should become a target and focus on only the bulls-eye point. Yeah, right!???! Also years of up-close & personal encounters might soften the buck fever, never removing it! WTH, if you don't get the fever, time to trade in the bow for a bowling ball!

Close enough Eddie, but actually a day to honor all military veterans! My heartfelt thanks go out to all that served their country. Any veteran that is observing this day should especially honor those that served and were returned home injured. We honor you and do our best to show our gratitude!!! Thank you!

^^^ ditto!

Have to admit, the 1st photo is unique, hunter had his cell phone glued to his ear telling someone about his BB. Don't blame him!! Nice bucks, thanks for sharing.