Two Track

Is she crafty? Stuff for scrap-booking and a scrap booking book. Get a large book for it. I got her one last year that was designed for 1 year of memories. it is not finished yet, but that is because she is trying to figure how to add pages to a pre-bound book that she still has more stuff than there are pages for. How your kitchen stuff? Ceramic and Teflon coated pots and pans do wear out - is it time for a new set? Does she ski or snow-board? If yes could get her equipment or give a gift of a ski-weekend retreat or lift passes. Into holiday decorating - start her on a miniature village set. Something you could add-on to every year. Does she go camping - add to her gear. Wife is a co-leader for girl scouts and they are just starting to camp. Got wife into family camping a few years ago. So last year she got stuff of her own at Christmas and not need to raid mine - waterproof match case, fire starter, pocket knife, compass, etc. (some of the stuff I would carry when on an all-day hunt for an emergency) A car starter for her could a gift for you too. You don't have to start her car and clean it off for her all the time. Leave the defroster on to start the de-icing from in the house. Gift certificates for pedicure. Among the usual things I buy for her some thick warm, comfy socks (not the cheap ones) to lounge around the house on cold weekends (also a gift to me, as not having to deal cold feet being put on me), and a nice bottle of wine. Some years I pickup seasonal spiced holiday wine (with hints of ginger) for that seasonal touch.

Decoys are a personal choice. Some people use them others don't. You can use decoys to mark the desired range for where you are sitting. Decoy can be used the make the turkeys think that is the source of the calls. Not using decoys, may make them look more for what bird is making the calls. Don't forget to either camo paint your face or use a facemask, and wear gloves, both can stand out and be spotted. Wet fresh-plowed fields can make hard to spot a turkey that just sitting out there. Feathers may blend with the dark brown soil. Plan to start the day on the cold side and get hot coming back from sitting. there is a lot of temperature swing in spring turkey hunting. If you have a long walk, bring some water to drink. May even do something like wear a pair of shorts under the hunting pants so you can ditch the pants for the hike back out (helpful if you have a mile or 2 to walk back). Bug spray is a must for spring turkey - do apply to neck, ears and face, even with a face mask. The bugs will go any exposed skin and it is really hard to sit still with bugs in your eyes. Always assume another call that is approaching you could be another hunter. Be prepared to show off an orange hat, or say something to let them know you are there. I have sat inside a field edge with a decoy out in the grass and watching that field just to have a hen walk behind me in the woods. Also have been in a "hedge" row between two fields. Pre-season scouting saw turkey in the fallow field, so that is how I set up for turkey season. A tom was in the plowed field gobbling behind me to the left, out of sight and range. Moved quietly as possible through some poison ivy in the hedge row and poke my head partly through some brush just in time to see him move off further out-range. Couldn't call him back. It may be disappointing, but it is very exciting and gives you an adrenalin rush. Last spring the small plants (we are talking 6 inches or shorter) were moving like something was under them. The movement came towards me and up popped a grayish-colored weasel, just two feet away. You just never know what pops up around you in the spring. Good luck and have a safe and fun hunt in the Spring.

Phade, I know what you mean about pressing ahead or get left behind. It is how things are these days in all aspects of business. To clear my head, I need time to totally disconnect and re-focus. That means not being bothered by the office at all, hunting gets me disconnected for a day or two in order to do that. Some days I have to be super-focused on one thing and not seem to make any headway, or have 8-10 different things bouncing through my head to take care and can't completely focus on any of them as I have various people keep having me shift gears. Some times it gets like this for a few days or weeks at the office. The break clears the head and re-focuses the energy to get everything running smoothly again. You need a time out to avoid having a burn-out at the office, and from bringing the stress home everyday to the family. Mulling over a few things related to work while hunting is not bad unless that is all you are doing while hunting. Then you might as well be at the office instead of hunting.

Kind of glad the options in my county were rejected. Would have affected one location I hunt and the Rennaisance Faire grounds. The roads there are a mess all of August through Sept - every weekend when the faire is on. Another location in my county would have affected my drive to another parcel I hunt and getting to certain businesses we use. Either of those locations would greatly affect my Friday commute home.

pan-roasted with potatoes, onions, and garlic is how we fixed my first squirrel. My Italian mother-in-law probably would have made sauce and dropped it into the pot like she does with blue-claw crabs or sausages. Now that deer season is done and almost done preparing for the holidays, I got to get back out there for squirrel and more pheasant.

If it was a clear shot with a good back-stop at legal shooting time that I felt comfortable taking the shot, then yes. If it was legal shooting time, and not light enough to be sure it was clear beyond the target, I would wait it out or track it when I had enough light. I have packed it in early many times because the woods was just too dark for safely taking a shot, and let some walk because not a safe direction, no good backstop, or clear target to pull the trigger. Obviously, some of you did not notice the original OP did say if the legal time was changed to 1/2 before sunrise. So, 1 minute after legal shooting time, safe shot/backstop, clear target, sufficient light - the deer would be in my sights while the trigger gets pulled. I grew up in a 1/2 before sunrise state. There is enough light to shoot most directions at that time. assUme gets people into trouble all the time. That is why when something does not work right or assemble correctly, the first response is usually did you RTFM. Missing one line of text can make all the difference. In this case some read the date on the photo as the time and ignored the "if the legal time was changed to 1/2 before sunrise" part of the question.

Hunting was a family tradition that I am trying to pass on. Grew up hunting on grandparents farm with dad, uncle, grandfather, and my dad's cousins and uncles'. Never was a rich family, so hunting provided additional food, and occasionally the meat for the winter. It also was about family camaraderie. Telling stories and playing cards afterwards in the evening. It gives me a peaceful break from the office - limited cell service so I do get to escape from the job for a few hours (no emails hit the phone until back at my vehicle, or conveniently "forgot" the office cell on the seat) It calms me down (lowers blood pressure) and reduces my stress levels. I get to enjoy nature and watch as the woods wakes up and animals play and search for food. The thrill of the hunt, rush of seeing that deer or turkey... My wife says I am more relaxed at home after a day or two hunting. Happy wife makes things better... And of course, enjoy eating a tasty animal I spent time finding, "harvesting", and cleaning.

I would use one to find my dog when she breaks loose chasing squirrels. She runs like a grey hound. That drone may also be a good way to look for turkey.

Why wouldn't it be legal? Some state land by me has LEO's and DEC officers at the exit point doing checks to verify guns are unloaded and deer/bear are properly tagged. Not sure if having both implements in a vehicle would lead to questioning/ticketing. Where I grew it was and still is, separate seasons for big and small game. No over lap. Legally they could check your vest/pockets for what rounds you were carrying. All you needed was to miss taking out a single slug from your vest when the season changed to small game to be considered poaching deer out-of-season or the reverse when it changed back to winter anter-less season and you still have #6 in pocket from rabbit/dove/quail/pheasant season.

Wonder if you can legally do hunt a deer with the muzzle-loader/bow in the early morning, go back to your vehicle and swap for the shotgun for small game later in the day without having to drive back home and do the swap. After all, it would be rather difficult to carry both around, especially the archery stuff with a long gun too. Not saying impossible to do, just not easy to haul all that with a stand/climber, lunch, calls, scents, extra gloves/hat, etc.

I think using another person's hunting license/buck tag is more than just poaching, it is also identity theft. You are pretending to be someone you are not for illegal gain. There may be people out there that witness someone taking two bucks back-to-back and fire a shot near the offender (or take out two of their tires while they are field dressing and dragging out the illegal game) - you know, an instance of hunter-rage at the a-hole that took too many bucks in 2 minutes. Could happen...

The only real opportunity I had this year was a scrawny small doe on top of a ridge that I was also standing on,a no shot deal early in the season. Heard very few shots, especially the last two weekends. Heard only 4 shots on this past rainy/misty/foggy Saturday, other than from the local police range. And maybe the same off in the distance on Sunday. Most of hunters I ran into had similar reports the past 2 weeks. The majority of the deer I saw after shooting hours this year is also less than in years past. I did see several groups of deer on posted land and laying in people's yards that there is no hunting opportunity. There were less deer hanging out on the local golf course this year too. Local numbers may be down by me. We see when the harvest numbers are officially released. Did notice that we had almost a full moon for the start and end of the season. Does not mean mostly nocturnal feeding?

Go bag some pheasants and add to the pot to kill the paper taste. That's what I am doing. Got soaked Saturday, the pheasant sat there staring at me while unloading slugs and load up shotshells. At least I missed the large doe crossing the road at 4:50 in front of the car on the way home. May need to take dad up on his offer of his muzzle-loader for next year, he hasn't used it in a few years. Have to check what caliber it is since he is in a different state. Then I need learn how to load it and add a sling - already has built-in swivels on it.

How long I stay out depends on how wet I end up. Jacket keeps water out, Pants, not so much. Have to choose between two evils for the boots: insulated and not water proof with a squeaky last in one boot insulated and water proof with a hole in one outsole, but quiet to walk in

Doc, I agree about some pest control for things like woodchucks, we called them groundhogs where I grew up. Their burrows were hell on harvesting equipment. I would hang out with my grandfather checking his fields while he taking out groundhogs before I was old enough to hunt. That farm has been gone for 30 years now. For normal edible game, our rule was if you won't eat it, don't hunt it. Hunting was a pastime and a way to reduce grocery bills for meat for multiple generations in my family. Guess my ethics and values are different. We would sometimes send a rabbit or two over to a friend of the family who grew crops that we didn't. He would give us some potatoes & squash in return. He didn't have time to hunt - ran a farm and had two other jobs, plus 3 kids to raise. This is all back where I grew up, not in NY. Back home, fox was chase-only on Sundays - no "harvesting" a fox. They were something just to observe. We had no Sunday hunting - Blue Light laws. But you could fish 7 days a week. Imagine working M-F or being a full-time student and having 1 day to hunt per week in a two week deer season - made it more challenging (this is before trail-cams existed). If you got a buck and a doe, you were done for deer hunting. That is all the tags you were issued. Could purchase a great buck tag, but the had to be 10 pt with a certain antler-spread size, but there were very few of those deer in the area I grew up in. That is the deer hunting I had growing up.

I was brought up only hunt what you are willing to eat and take only what is needed (numbers wise, not half a deer and toss the rest) I have no problems with someone donating a deer, but fill all your tags and donate all the meat when it is all from from public lands seems like abusing the right. My dad donates a deer or two a year, but this is from private land and using DMAP tags for crop damage and over-population on his friend's family farm. Some of us work 5, and occasionally 6, days per week and have other responsibilities that may further take time that reduce time spent afield. Not everyone works close to home. Not everyone is allowed to possess a firearm on company property (including in your locked car in company parking lot) for an early morning on the way to work or way home from work hunt. Not everyone bow hunts or has a muzzle-loader to hunt all deer seasons, or has the time and money to hunt both the northern and southern zones. Not everyone can afford trail cams to monitor the wildlife for you. Not everyone can afford hunting club memberships and exclusive hunting rights. Not everyone has access to private lands. I am not saying everyone is entitled to getting a deer on public land, but everyone deserves a fair chance. If you do not eat venison, why hunt to tag out early breaking up herds and normal patterns for everyone else. Take one early and wait to late in season to fill the rest for all you are going to do is donate it. Enjoy hunting but don't need the meat, make it a challenging hunt for a very large deer to donate. Taking more than you need from public lands seems like greed to me, but that is how I was raised. Not saying don't help those who need it, some people are on that border of struggling paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet and need a deer to cut their grocery costs and get through the winter, but earn too much for any assistance. My family went through times like that when I was kid, dad's deer got us through the winter. Taking 5 deer on public land could be reducing the chances for a hunter who is struggling and is working long hours. But again that is how I was raised.

I was brought up only hunt what you are willing to eat and take only what is needed (numbers wise, not half a deer and toss the rest) I have no problems with someone donating a deer, but fill all your tags and donate all the meat when it is all from from public lands seems like abusing the right. My dad donates a deer or two a year, but this is from private land and using DMAP tags for crop damage and over-population on his friend's family farm. Some of us work 5, and occasionally 6, days per week and have other responsibilities that may further take time that reduce time spent afield. Not everyone works close to home. Not everyone is allowed to possess a firearm on company property (including in your locked car in company parking lot) for an early morning on the way to work or way home from work hunt. Not everyone bow hunts or has a muzzle-loader to hunt all deer seasons, or has the time and money to hunt both the northern and southern zones. Not everyone can afford trail cams to monitor the wildlife for you. Not everyone can afford hunting club memberships and exclusive hunting rights. Not everyone has access to private lands. I am not saying everyone is entitled to getting a deer on public land, but everyone deserves a fair chance. If you do not eat venison, why hunt to tag out early breaking up herds and normal patterns for everyone else. Take one early and wait to late in season to fill the rest for all you are going to do is donate it. Enjoy hunting but don't need the meat, make it a challenging hunt for a very large deer to donate. Taking more than you need from public lands seems like greed to me, but that is how I was raised. Not saying don't help those who need it, some people are on that border of struggling paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet and need a deer to cut their grocery costs and get through the winter, but earn too much for any assistance. My family went through times like that when I was kid, dad's deer got us through the winter. Taking 5 deer on public land could be reducing the chances for a hunter who is struggling and is working long hours. But again that is how I was raised.

Two years in a row we had a bear visit in the summer raiding the neighborhood's trash cans. I have seen 2 bears in VA in the Shenandoah Nation Park, and bear scat while backpacking in New Mexico back in the 80's. Saw three bears this year while hunting. One walked head-on towards me with range and then turned 270 degrees and walked up the ridge on opening day of gun season. Saw the other two (at least one was a cub) on the 24th - same state land, but different tract of it.

I just don't think it is ethical to get a bunch of tags, use them all and not eat any venison at all. You want to hunt and donate some meat, fine. Take a deer and donate it. But fill-up a bow, muzzle-loader, buck, and 2 doe DMP's on public lands and donate it all when there are others that are looking to get a deer to fill their own freezer to get through the winter, just does not sit right to me.

By the way, it is legal to load 10 rounds in a ten round mag for a range use or if using a .17 or .22 for small game hunting. State Supreme court struck down the 10 round limit in the NY Safe Act as being arbitrary. Shotguns must be 6 rounds of less (3 rounds for federal migratory birds), rifles 6 or less for big game.

My ethics and safety values have kept me from getting a deer in NY in the few years I have hunted here. I have opportunities of 4 a$$ shots in the past couple of years. This year had a chance of shooting a scrawny yearling doe on top of a ridge line that has houses in the valley below and a bear cub followed by slightly larger bear (larger sibling? very small sow?) That is also why I will not shoot a treed squirrel while rifle hunting deer. It may be legal, but I am not convinced that it would be safe. If using a shotgun, will swap out my slugs for shot shells. Hunting to fill all your tags and donating all the meat is just not right, especially if taken on public lands. Some of us hunt ethically and want to put meat in the freezer.

My deer (in the past and out-of-state) were all morning deer that I have taken. I have seen bucks running in the afternoon (regretfully I was driving to access a different spot when they came out). The scrawny doe I passed on last week (very small, and a skyline shot) I saw at 4:10 PM. Mornings are colder, evening hunts are normally warmer. Except last year when had an afternoon snow storm on an all day hunt. The later it got, the colder it got that day.

Sterling was pretty empty on Sunday, at least where I was. Only heard 2 shots all day. Only saw one set of deer tracks in the snow, lots of fox and coyote though. Only two sets of boots in the snow, one was mine. Yes they check permits for parked vehicles, spoke with a park ranger when I came out of the woods for lunch last Monday. Advised him of locations of bear cubs in case they need to know about the local bear population.

If have just he right spot, you only need one. My dad got three from the same fixed stand this year alone.

It is always better to take a clean safe shot within a distance you are comfortable with. Anything else could be trouble, or cause regrets for an unintended target. Passing on that one could to a bigger deer later, you just never know.