Two Track

Quiet here. Tried a another parcel of public land on Monday and had a few gobbles around 9 but saw nothing. No other vehicles, so was fairly quiet. Hit same parcel on Friday. Had a couple gobbles at 11. Hit same area again but closer to where heard the gobbles once the thunderstorm broke. Was quiet. One gobble at 10:30 but from around the other side of the high point. Bird may have gone to private parcel. Debating on where to go tomorrow.

I just don't understand why people don't carry out their trash. You could carry it in, its lighter now that it is empty, and can be crushed to make it easier to pack out. When I camp, the spot is cleaner than when I got there. Finding someone else's spent brass does leave a marker on a spot to watch for some future hunting action, but they should clean up after themselves. Those bright red and yellow ones are very easy to spot. I can understand missing ones that are black or certain shades of green. When they are just laying right in the open on a clear stony or short grass trail/road, what could be their excuse? Found a thong once, not kind you wear on your feet. So someone had some other recreation going on.

You will need to re-apply after rain. It tends to wash it off. Deer and ice seems to have killed off my apple tree in the yard over the winter. Couldn't spray the tree in the winter, nozzle would freeze up, so deer chewed it up pretty well then and then ice on the upper branches caused it to snap off. No buds so far. Before that, the spray seemed to work for me. Going to put in a new tree and a tall garden wire fence around it while it is small. Had a support stake by the original treet that mysteriously pulls itself out and drops on the ground 2-3 feet away.

Last weekend my daughter was feeling a bit under the weather and had a Girl Scout event to attend to, so we have not tried anything out yet. We scrunged up a 16 SXS in the family that she can shoulder and work the safety. The barrel is long for her, but the LOP fits. May need to find a recoil for it. Hopefully get to have her try a couple shots with it this weekend using either 6's or 8's. If it works out, she will use it with 6's for hunting.

I layer up too, but the outerwear stays the same, just add/or remove a middle layer, so no moving of back tags for me.

I've got no issue wearing them. Just seems odd the Northern Zone and the Catskills are exempt. You can get 2 extra back tags printed when you get you license. Another option would be to make a color copy your printer and carry the actual license on your person. I have 3 license holders with current backtags in them. orange vest attached to harness system of waist pack attached to my hydration pack when My vest, orange jacket and lined camo jacket all have grommets for the tags. I just leave the holders attached to the gear. Camo rain coat does not have grommets or much for pockets, so I use my waist pack with it. Since had my license in the 80"s, have always lived where it was required to wear a backtag. The law could also be changed the other way and require entire state to use them including for fishing licenses. Just saying.

Wife got the seed trays planted this past weekend and got a couple starter tomato and pepper plants, while I napped from hunting and I did the first mowing of the yard in the evening. Hope to get the garden soil turned over after work and perhaps do a little expansion of the garden area (all done by hand, shovel, mattock). My youngest will come out to help plant seeds, forget the older two for getting any help. Oldest lately is saying "get used to me being gone soon for college." He got a list to take care of if he wants a graduation party. I usually get stuck with all the weeding and harvesting (except for the raspberries, they tend to disappear and I find someone with purplish-red finger tips around the house). Wife picked up some left over wire fencing from a friend of hers. Have to head out to get fence posts to put up some fencing around the planned apple tree replacement later this week. Got to keep the deer away from it.

Never been on one, period. If i had a large private property to hunt, I could see having some trails for one to move stands, cart out a deer, or bring out firewood. But would not drive right to the stand, unless mobility impaired from doing so. By riding, less observation of any tracks, and you can't hear anything but your motor running. Plus no exercise by going hunting. They have their use, but not currently for me. Something else to throw money at (add-ons, upgrades, repairs, fuel, registration, insurance)

In 3M, heard lots of shots in the woods to my east and lots of people calling on Sat. Owls calls until 9:30 or so. Tried stirring things up wth a pheasant alarm call - nothing. Had a crow hanging around me calling every so often, so it was pointless to try using my crow call. To bad crow season was closed, he was sitting 4 trees down from me most of the morning. Sunday was pretty quiet, heard 1-2 shots other than when the Police started up practice at the their range a few miles away. Less cars/trucks parked by the gates and parking lots than expected. Places that are usually mushy in the Spring were dry here too. Almost no dew on my boots from walking in on Sat. and Sun., very unusual. May have to head closer to the swamps and away from the open fields. Although the guy that was by the swamp closest to me never took a shot either and guess he saw no birds since I called him up over two slopes a good 1/3 - 1/2 mile away. You get a good work out coming up those two slopes. Got a few looks coming out of the woods when the bikers (MC clubs) rode by. Knife on hip, gun in hand wearing full camo, waist-pack with shoulder harness, etc. Probably not what they expected to see on a Sunday in May.

I've been shooting 16 gauge since the mid-eighty's. Never an issue finding 6's for rabbit/squirrel/pheasant. Usually can get the sluggs close to deer season without an issue too. I have got almost a full box of 2 & 8's as well. I just don't have a 16 that fits her. Thought a 410 may be light on a turkey, but I would be there to follow-up with my gun in case she had a bad shot. Not picking up a crossbow for her. She can't pull back a 40 lb recurve, and i can picture her wanting to feel the bolt head. Can you change a barrel on an H&R 1871 youth 20 gauge slug gun (single-shot) that was not a combo package?

She has shot a 22 and a youth sized 410 during her Hunter Safety course and hit the targets. She watched the 15-16 year olds get kicked with the 20 gauge and thought it would be too much, which I kind of agreed with. She is thin framed and short for age, a little over 4' tall. If my uncle wasn't overseas on another stint, I would check to see if he still had his single shot 410 and if he would loan it to her. I have read mixed ratings on the Rossi's. Some good, others that it is a piece junk (sights way off, parts breaking easily, etc.) So am a little leary on them. Which are better of the Rossi's older or newer? Local gun shop's hours are shorter than my work hours, so can't really look until after Sat. Turkey hunt. Just needed some ideas before going there. She helps me clean pheasant and squirrel, so the dead animal and entrails are not an issue. Just don't know her reaction when kills a game animal for the first time.

My 12 year old daughter recently got her Hunter Safety certificate and wants to go bird hunting (turkey and pheasant mainly). She is on the small size and don't think she can handle a 20 or 16 gauge. So I am looking into a getting a used 410 for her. To keep it simple, not looking for a pump or semi-auto. So I am thinking about a break-action or a bolt action. I had her try the hammer on a H&R youth 20 gauge slug gun, It was very hard for her to cock it back, The gun fit her but was too heavy. The Mossberg Bantam youth fits, but they do not keep a 410 in stock and she doesn't like the camo or all black stocks either. She prefers the wood stocks. I was thinking about a Steven's model 59A bolt action with 3 round capacity. or something double-barreled. Want to keep it under $200 as never know if she will decide later that hunting is not for her. Any suggestions?

Part of Warwick is Pine Island, the black dirt region. Great soil for the crops and a few dairy farms for the deer to jump into the pasture and feed there too. Have seen deer on a couple horse farms too grazing with the horses.

Got one finishing Hunter Safety course on Sat. If my gun will fit (I hope), will be going out on Sunday and napping in the afternoon when we get home. Otherwise will be doing some shopping one that does fit for May. Good luck to all the youth this weekend and stay safe out there. Remember a good hunt means a good day enjoying nature and the wildlife you do see and maybe an opportunity to take a shot. A great day is bringing home something you bagged on the hunt.

Don't think my dad ever had to take the course. The system came after many years of hunting with a license already. Now he has aged out where he lives. No purchase of a license to except for the extra's (Turkey, doe tags, federal waterfowl stamp). You do have to take a madatory turkey class before you hunt turkeys there. I covered mine with contact paper and I know where i keep it. My son's, idk if he knows where it is.

I am not old yet, but not young any more. My knees are not what they use to be, Ran long distance track and knocked one around a bit. That has caught up to me. Steep terrain takes longer than it use to go up. The portable ladder stands feel heavier than I remember them being back in college days. Lately been ground hunting only. My older relatives that had rabbit dogs have moved on to the "Happy Hunting Grounds", so I miss hunting rabbits that way, much more difficult. Now on public lands. Grandparents have passed on and the farm was sold off minus a few acres, but not enough left to hunt. Those hot spots are now a housing development. On the plus side I now have access to places to pheasant hunt and get to turkey hunt (rare to see them where I grew up, but the birds are starting to make a come back there). Growing up, we would out for an evening hunt are school - now at the office for long hours and an hour commute. So its some weekends and a few days I take off of work just to hunt.

Haven't started mine yet. Normally a couple varities of radishes, red peppers, tomatoes, scallions, lettuce, squash, and black raspberries. Deer ate the apple tree (now it is just a large twig). Deer ate the tops off of half the radishes and the raspberries last year. They didn't seem to mind the thorns. Wife was going to start in seed trays last year, got her the trays and starter soil - still in the garage. This winter got a "green house" rack stand with cover to get plants started - still in the box. Maybe she can get it started on Saturday will I am out on a college visit. I am not doing melons. No sandy soil. Besides I harvested, loaded/unloaded melons 6 days a week for 5 years to make money for college. I may eat a slice of melon once through a whole summer - maybe. Once I get the garden expanded some more, thinking about putting in some potatoes.

My grandfather kept a rifle handy in the truck every spring and early summer and then again early fall. The scope on it was zeroed in for head shots/long shots. If he wasn't working on a field or orchard, he patrolled for ground hogs. Their burrows and tunnels aren't very nice to the corn or wheat harvesters, or a wagon carrying a load of freshly harvested tomatoes in stacked baskets (or while walking through bean field in mid-summer). If you were one of my neighbors, I would come over on the weekend to help put him in a pine box.

Grew up hunting and married a city girl. First it was no guns in the apartment, period. So I would have to plan a trip to my parents to hunt for 1 long weekend a year hunt. Came back with fresh venision, and she like that. Hunting not too bad, no gun in the Once son was a cub scout and the pack did annual campouts, she decided to tag-along for her first campout too. Now we normally do 1-2 family camp outs a year. She is confident enough to take her girl scouts out camping (cabin or tent) these days. Then I could have a long gun in the house locked up with triger locks out-sight and ammo locked up separately. My son start hunting, and has his own gun from my dad - so she said lets go get a cabinet. Took fourteen years, but at least I have my stuff with me now. Yes compromises are necessary, half-day hunts for family stuff or cetain days can't go out. I do have to reminder her that i can't go out late to hunt in order to drop off a kid for SAT's tests on my way for a hunt. She forgets about the no guns on school property. So we compromise on that, I go half-day hunting (either have drop-off or pick-up duty). Usually something happens at the office during Spring Concerts, so solution is I take the day off. Turkey hunt in the am, have afternoon with the wife if she is not working, and go the concert in the evening. Now struggling to find a class for my youngest who wants to get a license to go hunt. She will have some weekends that she spends a few hours out with her friends and have the kids.

Passed by Cortland when visited Cornell. Very attractive land on the ride there (except for the cities). Stayed in Ithica when visited Cornell, didn't smell too good there, so we ruled out an Ithica college visit very quickly. Cornell has a very nice looking campus, parking is not so great there. There were a couple programs that my son was toying with there. I have to head out to SUNY Binghamton this weekend and then Stevens Technical Institute for my kid to make his decision. Travel time is similar. but he can take a train to get 95% of the way home from Stevens. He was at Harvard last summer for a couple courses and hoped to get accepted for this fall. Harvard was number one on his list. He was deferred until last week when he finally got declined. If got in, it would have been a no brainer. But he still has 8 Harvard College credits to his name, plus all the AP classes for the last 2 years. He is quite busy with the 4 AP classes this semester. He has been accepted as a 4+1 year student at Stevens, will come out with a Masters degree in 5 years or less. They have a good Alumni program and have a few projects with the defense dept and homeland security. Can take a ferry over to NYC to access museums, Broadway Shows, or internships in NYC (for the Arts, business, or engineering programs). We have a great offer on the tutition for Stevens. Parking at Stevens and Harvard is tough. Will see how Binghamton is this weekend and see what offer they will put on the table. Room and board is insane from what it was in the eighties/nineties. I could earn 3,000 - 3500 a summer to cover my own room and board for the year in college. Now there is no way to make enough money to pay for that yourself.

Anything that is 50 yards from the property line and my canine alarm goes off (slow moving car, dog walking by, kid on a bicycle, deer in the yard, squirrel in the neighbor's yard). Except for the three times we had a bear come by, otherwise she sounds off loud and threatening. Sometimes we have to babysit one of the b-n-laws dogs (depending on which one it could be one of two german shepards, or a bull mastif) for a couple days to a week. They back each other up. One of the shepards actually herds the deer up and escorts them off of our property - and we live in town. We have had ground bee's nesting by our canoe - nature's own deterient. They really lit up my hand while mowing last fall. Good luck stealling that three seater unnoticed by the bees and the dogs. Some of those sensor lights suck. Bulbs blown after 6 months in our dusk-to-dawn one. Hopefully the replacements are better. Make sure you pick up a quality light. If you have older windows (wooden frames), you can drill a small hole and put a nail through to lock the upper and lowerportions together. With critters wandering around the yard, trip sensors away from the house will not be a solution unless you have a gated area close the house that animals do not get into. Then you could use infared beams as the outmost sensors. Unless you have a power backup system, if you lose power, you lose the alarm/camera system.

Get an assistant for the bee heavy work, or cash it in. I like the honey, but my dad had us do most of the honey extraction in August (this would be south of the Mason-Dixon line). So I don't miss the work. It really sucked - no airflow in the garage, the echoes of the running extractor were very loud. I only helped out in the field twice (happen to be allergic to bee stings) so I contructed/repaired the supers, assembled frames, painted the boxes, extracted the honey, and bottled it. There were some phone calls for dad sometimes when he was working on the honey, if they didn't know he had bees, they got the wrong idea when mom would say "hold on, he is in the garage working on his honey." Their response was normally "ugghh, I'll call back later". Transporting hives also got my dad out of a traffic stop, a hive start to break open. Officer came over the speaker, and said just move along and you have a hive box coming open and left. We had to educate my wife about bees and honey production/processing, making your own apple sauce and apple cider. They just have no idea in Brooklyn. Now she is no longer a city girl, but not yet a country girl.

I can vouch about keenaf looks to many persons eye. Summer job back in college I was working on the university farm. They had two test plots of keenaf. Every week there were state police helicopters flying over the plots. That can make you nervous while you are actually working on the plot installing irrigation when they are circling over-head. You are just a college student working out there and the lead researcher or professor is 2 hours away in his office unable to confirm what is actually growing in the field at the time. After harvesting the keenaf, the stalks were stripped of bark and then chopped up for testing for use as a litter substitute - another fun job.

Nothing wrong with having a second one on hand or something similar as a backup. What if firing pin breaks, or some part of the action fails, or it takes a spill and scope ring breaks. You are out of luck until it gets back from repairs, or you get the parts, install it, and retest it. Picture that in the beginning or middle of deer season. It happens. May be wants something similar, but with less recoil - no harm in that either. Last time I looked, ammo was cheaper and more plentiful for a 270 than what I shoot. That may add to the itch.

Clint's Colt Walkers packed a real punch in Outlaw Josey Wells. Just not hip/belt holster gun at 6 lbs. Not sure if in reality he could have carried that on a shoulder rig. Really liked the Young Guns ending. Especially Charlie plugging the tracker John Kinny in his dying breath.