nyslowhand

So..If the OP already knows the travel routes in/out of field and basically only wants to ID big bucks, is plot watcher the best option? Not saying they don't have their place for scouting. Out of curosity, those that use DSS or plot watcher, do you get many daytime photos of bucks when they are carrying bone?

At least what I'm aware of, while in plot watcher mode a cam takes timed photos or vids, by-passing the motion sensor. Believe some trail cam models do use both together while in plot mode, timed & motion detection. Seems like you'd get a lot of blank vids/pics if in timed mode. Mine has this feature and I could never see any advantage of using plot watcher over strictly motion sensor. Even if you're trying to get photos outside the detection range, doesn't this food plot/field activity happen mostly at low/no light conditions when the bucks are in full headgear? Meaning, even if you randomly got a timed photo of a monster that was beyond the motion sensing range, the flash capabilities probably aren't much better than ~60'.

Funny as hell!!

First of all, this is not the right place to pose that question! Pretty limited number of experienced Xbow users on this forum & the fact that NYS has only allowed them in recent years. There are a couple of great Xbow forums that have members from across the entire US with many more years of experience than are on here. Just be aware there is a lot of brand loyalty with Xbow hunters, much like compound bow hunters are to their Hoyts, Mathews, etc. Disclaimer; The following advice is from my limited experience as a green belt rookie, but I did have to go through the same buying process as what you will. The trick to buying a 1st Xbow is similar to getting your 1st rifle. Meaning a cheaper model rifle with a good scope will give much better results &/or satisfaction than a more expensive rifle with a disappointing and cheap scope. If you look at the mfger's websites you can generally see what scopes they use & how the reticules look. Most newer scopes have the illuminated dots/X-hairs for low light conditions. Word of advice, if left on these scopes can drain a watch battery overnight. Carry a spare! Decide how you'll be using the new Xbow, in a tree stand, blind, stalking, etc. Then you need to decide what you expect from it and you can narrow the candidates from the 3X different styles, recurve, compound or reverse draw. Recent trend is narrower compound styles for better maneuverability in a tree stand or blind. You won't need the latest & greatest model to kill deer within a 40yrds range. All the "bells & whistles" are added costs and IMHO you don't need a 200#/370fps Xbow. Okay, so your budget fits into this somewhere! lol Common sense says; "Shoot one first", but that option isn't always available due to the limited number of mfgers &/or models bow shops carry where you can actually test drive one. So, you pretty much have to rely on customer satisfaction ratings or reviews. Again, a better source for these is the Xbow forums and not Dick;s, BP, Cabelas, etc. Ideally, any gun club or Xbow organization that has an event where you can shoot other peoples equipment would be preferred, but those are pretty limited. With your background, you must know a number of bow hunters that might have crossed-over and would be willing to share their equipment for a trial shoot...!?! Be aware that Xbows are pretty heavy, meaning a sling &/or shooting mono-pod stick would be very helpful!!! They're amazingly awkward to carry, especially thru any thicker habitat!!! This applies to maneuvering around while up in a tree stand. Of course you no longer have the holding at full draw issue, but with a Xbow it can be extremely difficult to conceal your movements for a shot to your sides, left or right. More so than while standing with a vertical bow! Very noisy to shoot, but that can be dampened down some what. Nothing near as quite as a compound!!! So...those 60, 70yrd shots people are bragging about will be pretty rare. FYI - Xbows are one size fits all, no adjustments required. Other than maybe the scope eye relief distance. After you've done all your homework & research, now is actually a good time to be looking (shopping). The SHOT show in Feb debuts mfgers newest offering, so they try to get the older models cleared out of the dealers inventory. These may be more noticeable in March/April with sales &/or rebates. I bought mine as a lifetime investment, since I'm about your age and probably will never buy another one. Of course, there can also be the buyer's remorse if you splurge. Nothing wrong with buying a used Xbow. Naturally, you wouldn't go this route without handling, inspecting and shooting it first since there are no guarantees or returns when buying used equipment. This is where good reviews are especially helpful for existing older models, something new models don't have a history of.

Me too, guess I was expecting by the topic title to see a recipe for actual wings and not a chip dip. Sounds good all the same! Maybe Tostitos multigrain scoops instead of the Fritos...or just a spoon?

......and many more years in the woods collecting sheds, chasing deer & turkeys & taking those great photos! 42, huh..pretty soon it'll be time for one of those mid-life sports cars? lol Enjoy the day!!!

Most anything for the main meal works fine for me. Not too fussy! BUT....those damned Pizzelles are addictive!!

As funny & stupid as the above comment may sound, it is true! Long barrel length & super full chokes are a trade-off. Give really dense & tighter (small) patterns at closer distances, but give suitable patterns at longer distance. As you've seen from most members, a shot size of #5 or 6 is prefered. I personally use the #5/6 combo as my gun likes it! Think I've purchased most every turkey call ever made over the years. Part of my gobbler hunting ADD..! Never could seem to master the slate/glass calls, just me! Had a ~30yo Quaker Boy box call that seemed to never fail me. Distance, tone, call varieties, etc. Could even hold it backwards and give a 1/2 a$$'ed gobble. Cheap box calls in the big box hunting stores are mass produced from cheap, less desirable woods. Thus, the tone is not great on most. FYI - Not promoting this, but on ebay you can get a great box call that's handmade out of more preferable woods and sometimes even etched with designs for ~$50. For the beginner, definitely a slate or box call to begin with, but you'll eventually want to get proficient with a mouth (diaphragm) call for close-up, hands-free calling. Set-up is paramount! Meaning, for example - if you're s/u in an open area calling & the Tom doesn't see the hen, he'll lose interest. Or, if in thicker cover, they can come in silent & be in your lap when you're not prepared to shoot! Also, there's a fine balance between over calling and not keeping the gobbler interested. All part of the frustrating learning curve of hunting gobblers. Fun, addictive and frustrating, all at the same time! TV shows depicting turkey hunting are ....misleading, at best. Most are in areas where turkey populations are very high. Like others have mentioned, a 30min show has been edited from hours/days of hunting and make it look almost too easy! Best you can hope to gain from watching them are the basics. Wish I could point you in the specific direction, but the very best one I've ever seen was video of just the turkeys milling around & their sounds (calls) with no hunting. May have been on YouTube..? Do NOT use actual turkey calls when scouting in pre-season!!! Lot of the reason why public land gobblers are so hard to hunt. When hunting, as you'll find out, shock calls like crow, woodpecker, bike horns (??), etc sometimes get a response gobble. If they are close, these calls give you a better chance to s/u. If you've located a nearby Tom with a turkey sound, he may already be on his way in and it becomes a WTF scenario. lol BTW - If you don't own one, get a ThermaCell. Nothing more distracting than trying to "talk turkey" when the small black flies are swarming around your face mask! Not to mention, getting eated alive! The first one you get after he's come in to your calling, all fanned out, strutting, feverishly gobbling, whether a 4" or 10" beard......YOU'LL BE HOOKED!!!!

Freaky rack whether a buck or a doe!!!

Make sure next year I'm in the right place, at the right time (God willing) to get an opportunity on a big, mature buck. Isn't that everyone's plan?? I'm getting a new lucky charm or mojo spell.

Pretty sure you can't edit after someone adds to the thread after your post. May be wrong..? Don't think it's a browser issue...!?!

Wasn't there some artificial lighting introduced from the cam's flash making it appear deceivingly brighter...? IF..it were all natural lighting, you'd be a fool to say you wouldn't shot in the scenario Phade described!!! Sorry Moog, there's no bro-code when a buck like than is in front of you at 20yrds.

Think we're getting into the old scenario of every ML brand &/or model shooting differently. Every ML has a specific load it shoots best. Whether it be granulated or pelletized BP, regular or magnum (hot) primers and sabot brand or style. Not to contradict what some members have said, but some of the advice is just not true with my ML brand & its' favorite load. Think some are even getting into the older style smokepole problems. Enough said..! As many have already stated, start with a clean & unobstructed breechplug. In case you're overly curious and tempted to saw your breechplug to see how it's made, don't..LOL

Can't speak about ALL MLs, but my T/C Triumph's breech plug port will only take a 0.019/0.020" gage pin. In a Triumph, the port has 3X diameter holes. Cleaning with Q-tips, pipe cleaners & a small diameter pin or wire is necessary. A shot of air helps, either canned air or from a compressor. I also use Triple 7 pellets and have never had a hang fire. BTW - Moisture is the worst enemy of any blackpowder during storage and useage. You know; Keep your powder dry! Also, there's a slight difference in primers, some are hotter than others. IE; Winchester T7 209 primers. Before loading any ML after cleaning, always fire a cap/primer only to clear debris &/or olis out of the port.

..........in the new issue of the NYON, bottom participant of the Sounding Board question? Semi-famous..! lol

Very neat project! Good luck! A written journal detailing progress steps would be great to look back upon, but more memorable would be a photo journal. IMHO

Best I can, two so far!

Boy am I glad it's not just me!!! Racking my brain trying to figure out what happened in my area to have none to little deer sightings during the SZ regular season. Seems to be more widespread across the state to be any isolated issue. Had been getting lots of photos of a many deer all summer long. Lot of sightings of does, fawns and smaller bucks during SZ bow season. Once we got closer to Halloween, the bigger, mature bucks were moving around. Mostly still at night, but some during daylight hours. Best of my knowledge, the bulk of the chasing & breeding took place the week before SZ regular season opened. Since then I haven't seen a single deer. Not a lot of hunting pressure around where I hunt either! Had my trail cams out latter than usual this year, until about Thanksgiving. Majority of photos since ~11/15 were during the night, mainly 10PM thru 4AM. Still a lot of fresh tracks around also! They're still around, so it must be something about their behavior that's changed them to become more nocturnal. I tried to blame it on the increased number of coyotes I've gotten photos of this year. Certainly didn't disrupt the deer's behavior during the summer & early fall time frame. Can't wait to see the DEC's harvest report for this year's deer season!!! This has been a single event, so attributing it to hunting pressure by bow hunter, new Xbow season or Youth hunts doesn't seem reasonable, at all!! I've written it off as a weird year!?! Zombies...?

Am I interpreting this correctly? Is this is a "backdoor" check of a pistol permit owner's mental health or police record since initially applying as stated by the permit owner? Little confused as to why these databases aren't automatically checked periodically and any red flags sent out...? Or is this a personal privacy issue that's trying to be circumvented? Seems to be putting an undue burden on the 98% of sane & lawful permit owners, simply to weed-out the 2% that might not be. Enlighten me, aside from any conspiracy theories of course..!

Hope those bucks are keeping the necrophiliacs out. You or your friend may not be old enought to remember that incident maybe 20/25yrs ago.

The cemeteries up Lake Ave.?

Rather be "water boarded"....

Just a side note; Those of you that prefer to think you're partaking of a very lean, low cholesterol meat (venison), stay away from the organs. They are typically super high in cholesterol. Believe this is why most have simply discarded the "gut-pile" over the past couple generations of hunters. Knowing this...there's nothing better than sliced, fresh venison heart, slow fried with gobs of real butter!! Have tried liver & it's pretty good. Just can't get past the traumatic experience of growing up and being forced to eat the weekly meal of fried liver my dad loved so much. Generally purchased from the grocery store, old, gritty and with a nasty taste. Of course, nothing like fresh deer liver! The rest of the overlooked organs the OP & article refer to, feed the scavengers.

Oh yeah, face masks and glasses don't mix well!

Just a thought, but think the more appropriate word would be; regretting.