Two Track

Finally found some Savage 300 - old stock - in Rockland in a small shop that I never knew of before. Remmington 150gr clean-bore haven't seen that on a shelf before (except in my grandfather's gun cabinet). I remember as kid shooting some Western Super XXX ammo (rifle and shotgun) - guess they are long gone these days. Now not worried to hit a range to sight in (iron-sights and scope) for the season with the Savage.

There is no logic to not wear hunter orange - other states have required it since the 1970's. Didn't matter if on public or private land, it is a safety measure, just like unloading before crossing over/under a fence or climbing a tree stand, or having working brake lights on a car. Just because you know where you are and hunting buddy are, doesn't mean some else wanders into a high brushy area in full camo that you can't see due to the full camo outfit (happens public or private property). I have experienced it more than once in deer season, kind of expect it in turkey season on public lands. If you are on a new parcel of public land and get turned-around, will they find you easier in orange or wearing full camo? What if you fell and got hurt, could they find you? The answer is not cell phone GPS and 911 call, there are plenty of places that if walk 10 minutes into the woods there is no service in the southern zone, don't believe me, I can take you to a spot a ~ 1/2 mile behind a firehouse in central Orange county on public land on a hill top. Verizon and T-Mobile maps show service there - neither device had any service. Wearing orange does not affect hunting deer, squirrel, rabbit, pheasant, or quail (or Dove hunting where I grew up). Even had a red fox walk up within 20 yards of me wearing orange while sitting on the ground facing him. Small game and deer gun season with no orange to me seems backwards like that you would expect in places like Appalachia. No trade-off to me, if cool enough, will give early doe season a look (actually was very quiet on opening where I was, had to repair mower and then mow the yard and other home things on Sunday), gives me an scouting excuse while carrying with less people afield, and considering Black powder since that added a few days. Since have to work, the reality was only two additional days to hunt if hunted with a muzzle-loader, now 4 additional days (two weekends) it is worth considering the costs of additional tags, powder/ball, etc. Who ever is out there for early season, stay safe, hope for a short drag if successful while temps are up, and easy access to ice to cool off the meat until reaching your butchering location.

Last week Walmart only had 2 boxes of 270 in Spring Valley(rest of the shelves were empty of ammo), and only BB and pellets in Harriman location. Haven't been there this week to see if anything has changed. Squeezed into Davis Sport Shop in Sloatsburg at 6:50 as they close at 7, they just got some ammo in, no Savage 300, but had the Sabots for the 20 gauge. Basically $30 per box of 5. Picked up stuff for father-in-law too that he needed. I handed my wife the reciept, Now the wife understands why I said that she is not going to use the 20 for target shooting/learning to shoot a gun. She thought the Savage 300 rounds were expensive that I bought 3-4 years ago at about $2.25 per round. She told me to make every shot count at $6 per round.

Found no Savage 300 in Rockland or Orange county so far, or in Bergen county, NJ. Will have to check a shop in Sullivan county on next camping trip up that way.

I am having issues finding .300 Savage, 16 gauge anything, and 20 gauge sabots. Have been checking last couple of months for the upcoming hunting seasons. Stopped at Ramsey Outdoor Sports in NJ - they haven't seen much of the standard hunting caliber's coming in (like 308, 30.06. 30/30, 270, 243). Most of what they get in are the AR calibers and some pistol rounds, but gone in two days. Similar experience at another shop in Rockland County. Another shop I was at in Goshen said they have sold 100 guns in 12 days, of course if ammo is in stock, they pick it up with their new gun. One site I checked has .300 Savage marked as clearance with nothing available. Wonder if they are stopping any production of it, or if temporary until production starts meeting demand of the standard stuff.

Opening day of the Southern Zone regular season - sit in the cold all morning in Sterling Forest and had 1 doe slip by quietly just out range (plus no doe permit for 3P). Come home for lunch and there were two does in the back yard - too bad I live in town. Saw nothing all afternoon. Sunday tried pushing though another part of the same woods - nothing but squirrels. Okay, slow start of the season, but it is a start. Last Saturday morning I had a bunch of leaf clean-up to do around the yard, and got my grill propane bottles refilled. Looked up after putting down the 2 tanks to see why my dog is fussing and there is a buck in yard. Changed and went to Stewart, took 45 minutes to find a spot that was not filled or in the swamp. Hiked to an area I want to hunt and saw a doe run through one of the power line right-a-ways. I grabbed my grunter and made a soft grunt and she slowed down and disappeared. After a while, I started munching on my apple that i packed to snack on - half-way through started hearing a few different sounds. Something that sounded like huffing and a couple roars. Roars got louder and I dropped my apple. A doe burst out of the tree line opposite of me running with two deer right behind her. The second was a buck with short heavy antlers in hot pursuit. Shouldered my gun and took a shot, it was a bit on the long side. The three kept going and I quickly lost sight of them going through the trees and over the crest of the hill. I checked for blood and tried following their trail - no signs of blood. Their trail split in two directions - leaves kicked up in both directions of the forked trail. Check both directions for 30 minutes each - no blood or deer laying down found by 4:30. Hiked back out without any deer, but it was sure a good afternoon otherwise. Can't wait for the next day off that I can get out again.

I am looking at a 1/2 - 3/4 mile hike in and back out - it will be hot hiking out for sure - pants, long sleeves, gloves, mask, hat, vest, calls, etc.

Been busy with new job, doing things for kids for school and preparing one kid for a two week foreign study trip and looked at the date - oops time to check gear and retreat with Sawyers. One time i did leave the house without most of my calls. luckily I keep one or two mouth calls stashed just in case. Once it was a very short trip out - left the parking permit home. Being they are calling for the temps in 80's, thinking shorts?

CCR, Def Leppard, Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Enter Sandman - Metallica, Guns-n-Roses, Scorpions, Possum Kingdom by the Toadies, In the Still of the Night - White Snake. Magic Carpet Ride & Born to be Wild - SteppenWolf, 7 Nation Army - White Stripes. Joan Jett, early Bon Jovi.

Ground pine looks very similar to he crow's foot we use to harvest for Christmas greenery (wreaths's, vases with winterberry cuttings) on the now defunct family farm. I know of three park lands that have the stuff growing in it, one in Rockland county in a passive county park, and 2 places in Orange county. My turkey season ended on Saturday just like deer season did - invaders on motorized vehicles. A side-by-side and 6 motor bikes this time. The previous weekend I had a single rider on a motor bike in Sterling Forest where they are banned too. The motor bikes literally rode around me in a circle on the woods road in the state forest I was in. They didn't seem surprised to see me wearing full camo, face mask, vest with a decoy, and carrying my gun. After they pulled away and I could hear again, I made a phone call and DEC met me in the parking lot 20 minutes later. Two of the riders were doing wheelie's while going up hill. At least they were wearing riding gear and helmets. Not sure if they got caught, but that DEC officer high-tailed it to the other side of the forest to check the gate and to try to catch them.

No real great buys as of Saturday night. Only things I saw drop in price was some clothing - got a turkey vest at 30% off, last time it was only 20% off. Tree stands, blinds, calls, decoys, gun cases, coolers, camping gear, generators, boots still 10% off. Nothing i looked at was 40% off. Only 1 register open on a Saturday.

Saturday I set up where I have heard a few gobblers in the past and I heard a few gobbles, but couldn't get anything to come into view. So Sunday I moved to the other slope that I thought this bird may have been on Saturday and heard nothing - tried clucks and yelps from slate, glass and crystal pot calls, purs and yelps from a box call and clucks from mouth call. Even pull out a gobbler-shaker to do a couple jake gobbles and nothing. Get back to the car at 12:15 and hear clucks behind me - the turkey was sitting 35 yards from my car by the gate. To top it off I had some kid go riding through on a mini-bike at 11:20 - state forest land that bands all motor traffic. Called that one in. he's been tearing up the fire road in every damp spot turning it into a big mud hole and tearing up some of the woods by riding through it. Not sure if the ranger did ever find him. Last I saw and heard the kid, he was headed towards the Appalachian Trail. If I am lucky, I get two more days to hunt out of a three day weekend and two tags to still fill. Good luck out there, stay safe.

Due to heavy rain and canceled vacation time so far - only had two days afield. Seen nothing and heard one. Now having to cancel all my vacation time - the person I am covering will be out for at least another month. So can't get to cousin's wedding out of state or class reunion out of state. guess that leaves two additional weekend days to hunt and no week days. Did I mention that having to cover for this person also removes Memorial Day from the hunting days list even though business is closed for the holiday? Lucky me. Hope everyone else is having a better and less stressful season.

On Monday night they had lots of various Yeti coolers in stock - 10% off. Ammo shelves were very thin on stock. Was 10% off of the Hunting Stands and Blinds - their end-of-season sales were more than that. I may swing by there Saturday to see what dropped price wise after Turkey hunting. A turkey vest may make a bit easier than rummaging though several pockets (pants and jacket) to find that my slate strikers are still in the waist pack behind me, the pouch with my box call never made it onto my belt, or the face mask is still in the car. Once didn't have my license on me as I switched from a heavy warm coat to a lighter one as the season warmed up. Wife says do you really need one - well, I think I do.

Finally got to Gander Mon. night. Wow 10% off hunting and shooting accessories (ammo, cleaner, cleaning pads, cases, calls, game cams, decoys, etc) Same deal on tents and cooking and most camping gear. I saw nothing 30% off - but I didn't get over to the boating and fishing area. No ammo left on the shelves for what shoot. Guns in-stock was way down - 30% of their firearms left and being bought out with just 10% discount is surprising. No single-shots or 22's left. A couple double barrels left at $2,400. So basically I saved on taxes for basic gun case. Doesn't seem much like liquidation discounts - I had better deals at radio shack; electronic parts (90% off) and UPS replacement batteries (60% off). Will have to stop by later/next week to see if the discounts increase on the other items i was looking at. I saw the same signs that they are looking for help to run the store that they are closing in Middletown. Guess the smart staff were like rats - fled the sinking ship.