Two Track

Perhaps persons caught doing something like cutting straps on ladder-stands should be prosecuted the same as cutting someone's brake lines on a car.

I say false accusations (no matter whom - doctor, lawyer, neighbor, etc) should have a 2 year mandatory jail sentence for attempt to strip someone of the Constitutional Rights, and filing a false report. No early parole either. If their accusation takes someone to court and it is proven false, they automatically go to jail (no trial) something like being in contempt of court. What liberal, city-dwelling, city-centric mindset of an idiot. He is also trying to ban 50 cal rifles and have them confiscated. Guess he doesn't know the most common .50 rifle used in NY is a muzzle-loader. Guess everyone will have to trade-in for a .42 and not be able to hunt deer/bear with it. Idiots like this need to be sent to live on kodiak island with a pen-knife (no gun, no pepper-spray), just how he likes to keep people "safe".

Had a similar situation during early bear. Was scouting around for another spot for deer season and kicked out a buck along an abandoned woods road. So I looked around for a spot near the game trail crossing the road and a hawk lands in the under story. The hawk moved between three different trees before flying off. Could get the camera out and on before it flew off. Not sure if I am just noticing hawks more often or if there a just more around.

Nice buck. Can't wait to get out of the office to hit the woods this weekend. If he has a twin brother, send him over my way!

If plan on Turkey hunting in Sterling, it is only bow until Nov.1 and you need a permit from Sterling. Nov. 1st is start for firearms in the portions that allow hunting. Note there are Bow only areas and some no-hunting areas. The hunting guide pamphlet is needed. There are places at Stewart State forest too, but you are competing for the single parking spots scattered through out the interior for Deer, Turkey, pheasant, duck, and small game hunters. I have seen Turkeys in parts of Westchester, but sure where to hunt there, but you can look into that too. I have been busted by turkeys a few times, their eyesight and ability to move quietly is no joke. Then there is the smart one that just sat behind my vehicle in the parking area where it could not be shot at. Take some Hunter Orange to display when other hunters are near. You do not want to be mistaken for a turkey. I have called in another hunter before. At least I had a better view by being uphill from them - stopped calling and put on my blaze orange hat.

Doe Management Permits are valid for all deer seasons.

The longest we ever had our ladder stands out was less than 24 hours. They were put up late in the day near sunset on private land and taken down when done the next day. Just never know what a trespasser will do, and didn't want anyone to figure out our spots.

The idea is not necessarily a bad idea, just need to keep yourself protected from lawsuits. Another thing to consider is how long do you wish to keep the property or if you want it to stay in the family. If you want to eventually sell it, perhaps have a buy-in. Have a new partner(s) buy-in at xxx dollars per year/month until year x to be a co-owner and have a planned buy-out?

Their use to be an army firing range in Blauvelt/Nyack area of Rockland county. Sometimes the rifle rounds would end up dropping in town (over the backstop, over the hill, through the trees, and then drop). They closed it a few decades ago and its remnants are part of passive park. Things like in higher density areas is why it is shotgun only. Stewart lands are near an airport, wouldn't suck to take a shot at a squirrel in a tree and hit a plane that just took off. There are safety reasons of some places to have them shotgun only.

Unless they are a strict vegan, they have no leg to stand on.

If no uncles or grandparents that could take you out, I would ask some of your friends that hunt to see if you hunt with them and their dad - with mom's approval of course. That would probably be the safest starting point. Maybe check at a local hunting club that has junior memberships? I am too far out too and not that experienced in bow hunting. Been gun hunting for years, just picked up archery my self.

The video is not very hunter friendly. I can understand getting frustrated at the kid to take a shot, but I know that if not ready or unsure on taking the shot, It is better to let the kid make that call. If the kid's brother finished him off with a shot, was the brother a youth hunter too? My son has had two opportunities to drop a deer last year, but he was unsure on a backstop on one and uncomfortable at the distance for the other, 100-120 yards. Better safe than sorry, and you have to make the right call for yourself. Seeing game and not having a good shot that you are comfortable taking, is still a good day out hunting. My daughter just asked me the other last night about going hunting with me. I told her she is not old enough to actually hunt, but I can take out with me and she will need to try to be quiet while hunting. I let her know the there are classes that you have to take in order to get a license and there are age restrictions on what you can hunt as a youth. Also told her she would need to practice shooting with a real gun before ever going hunting. Will have to see what a trip or two out with her does first before taking classes. She is good at spotting things, is the first one to jump into a stream, and dives right into a pumpkin to rip out the "guts" to make a jack-o-lantern.

You are just getting more sensible or penny-wise. When started rabbit hunting as a kid, jeans, an old regular jacket, orange vest & hat. No camo type gear until bit older and started deer and goose hunting - brown brush pants and brown hunting jacket for sitting in field blind. Tosses on the orange hat and vest for deer and rabbit. Later Dad got a couple pairs orange insulated coveralls to use when tree-stand sitting.. After college and married - needed new gear. Less active and my wife's Italian cooking made things a bit tight. Bought most stuff off season on sale, unless there was a real need. I use over-sized camo pants to layer under them as necessary - warm day may be a pair shorts or moisture-wicking hiking pants under the camo pants. Cold days will be fleece-lined climbing pants bought on sale 25 years ago from LL Bean under it - very warm and comfortable. As base layer I do use a silver-lined moisture-wicking camo shirt for scent control - on sale at Walmart. 3 years ago. My hunting insulated orange hunting jacket is highly water resistant - bought on sale 75% off from Cabela's online. Water resistant Insulated camo gauntlet type gloves from Dicks at 75% off It is the deals like that to get to good stuff at a reasonable price.

I picked up a used recurve to practice /start bow hunting with. My dad had a long bow that felt comfortable to use. He got rid of a two years before I decided to try my hand at bow hunting. I have tried those compound bows couple times when went to Scout events when they had the range open - just did not feel right to me. Guess I am a bit more of a traditionalist - prefer look and feel of a wood stock firearm too, Last year saw one of the shops at the Renaissance Fair carrying long bows in addition to swords, daggers, pole-axes, and armor. These were 75-100 lb bows. Figured I still need my shoulders to last me another 40 years or more, so I passed on them.

Sterling Forest has a couple release spots too. The fields I went thru would be easier to hunt with a dog - waist-high grass, shoulder-height wild blackberry bushes, green briers, a few holes, and a soggy wet area hidden in the tall grass. At least I was able to bring home dinner - baked the pheasant with strips of bacon on it. Thinking about it is making my mouth water. Bring on the pheasant season!!

Here is my usual list: water apples peanut cheese crackers granola bar sandwich ramen cup of soup for cold days apple cider packets I carry a pocket-sized backing stove and butane fuel canister to heat the water for soup and hot cider. My hunting spot is usually a good 10-20 minute hike from where I would fix the soup, or may even go back to my wheels to fix it if there is a significant temperature change (drop layers, add layers for the reminder of the day). I keep extra water in the car in case I did not carry enough when hit the woods.

If you can deal with a single-shot, another option would be an H&R 1870. can get it with smooth or rifled barrel and in 12 or 20 gauge. Rifled for sabots and smooth for all other game loads. My dad has one in 20 Magnum, rifled and scoped. Dropped 2 deer at 140 yards or so that were standing side-by-side in one shot. With the heavy barrel, reduced recoil. Firepower is more like a 12 gauge. That is his go to now after decades of using a 12 gauge semi-auto. Want faster reloads, go with one of the combos mentioned above by other posters. You have more areas to hunt, and more game options by going with the a shotgun. Been hunting off and on for over 20 years, 95% of the time I was in a shotgun only state or in a shotgun only area. Lots of deer are taken by shotgun.

Feel bad for the hiker's family. I am sure that the rest of the group is a bit shaken up. I think perhaps they should post on the information boards on what to do during a bear encounter for those who don't know what to do. That may help some one else. Try telling NYer's to carry bear or pepper spray. Last posting I saw regarding those products was that they are illegal in NY. I think we found our solution to get Cuomo out of office. Send his supporters out to meet the bears with the same protection that he plans to restrict everyone down to, a small pen-blade pocket knife and a bow if it is hunting season. They get two options: visit bear prone area with just a pen-blade for protection vote for a new governor that will remove the "un-Safe" act laws and cares about all NYers, not just NYC residents

Thirteen years have gone fast. but we will never forget in my house. My then pre-schooler walked in just in time during the live broadcast to see the second plane hit - he was nervous about seeing any planes in the sky for the next year or so. Maybe this is why the college visits so far have all been to schools within a few hours drive? One of my B-in-laws lost friends at WTC that day. Now we have to worry about ISIS either coming or already here. The world has really changed since that day.

Welcome to the forums fellow OC resident.

Poor turn-out in my area. I didn't get to the polling place until 8:40 last night and I was number 109. The staffers said less than 10% turn out across the parties in my town. The usual block-voters got their candidates in - they cover both parties here. Which means I am most-likely in a lose-lose position for election day - both Rep. and Dem. candidates are bought and paid for. Hope Rick Astorine drops the Fracking, I am not for fracking at all - bad environmental practice. But we got to get rid of Cuomo.

You never know about some of the girls. I have a daughter who plays Big Game Hunter and makes some really good shots on it. On the flip side, she won't even gut out pumpkin to carve it - grossed out by it. Put a cooked pheasant on the table, you better quick to get some or she will eat all of it. And she is my pickiest eater. If the other one could stay quiet, may have a chance to take that one out. She was good at spotting fossils on a fossil hunt. She found one first and she was only 3-4 years old at at the time. She would make a good tracker. My wife claims she will keep me company on turkey hunt one day, just to get away and see what it is like. So far, she either gets called in to work, or has something for else scheduled.

For items that you need there are a few recent threads on gear, like "whats' in your pack". Deet seems to not do that much in high tick areas, Permethrin work great. Treat hunting clothes in advance, can be as little as 12-hours before wearing them. The scent of it is gone once it dries. Carry enough ammo. Second time I was out deer hunting and had deer in range, I went through a whole box of slugs in less than 2 minutes - with no deer down. Gun only held 3 rounds. deer trotted in straight across my path and others right next to me - my eyes were bugged out. Deer 10 yards in front and others 5 feet to the right. Did hit the same tree 2-3 times. Learn to take a breath, relax, and pull trigger on the exhale. just seeing deer on your first deer hunt can be all the excitement needed to keep you happy for the rest of the hunt.

Sterling is the closest piece of State land to me to hunt. It drives me nuts that can't hunt there until Nov.1. That is half of Turkey season and a large chunk of bow season for the bow hunters. Perhaps it is for the hikers, safety concerns? Or due to Renaissance Fair and the Haunted Forest events? Hope it is not the last two, as they are not hunt-able areas due to all the buildings. I have heard rumors that bears are sometimes at Huckberry Ridge near Port Jervis. Haven't been there myself, but I would plan for a lot exercise there. Parking is by the lower area, everything is up from there. Parking area can be seen from I-84.

I was out at Pochuck Mountain State Forest until the thunder rolled in on Saturday. Saw 1 other hunter in full camo, but the parking area was full - 8 vehicles. Heard no shots, and saw no drag marks when I left. The ditch in the center was just soft mud and the stream was down to a few puddles. Only saw a couple small deer tracks, no bear sign in the areas I went though. Last year the squirrels were every where. It was two hours before I saw any squirrels - only saw 4 of them for the 6-7 hours I was out there. The bear that had been going through the neighborhood around trash night seems to have disappeared too.