Two Track

I find bead or ramp sights quicker to line up to make those quick shots rather using than a scope, and that eliminates the fogging in clod weather, and did I bump the scope issues. My dad got me a range finder last year, and I carry that with me to check out the area and distances. I carry that in its pouch on my hunting gear belt so it is acclimatized for the temperatures and avoid breathing on it. If deep woods hunting or brush hunting, a smooth-bore shotgun works perfectly fine where shots are not over 60 yards. For 70 - 140 yards, you need a slug barrel and shoot sabots out of it. Some rifled slug-gun barrels do not have sights, just pre-tapped for a scope - something to keep in mind for your shooting preferences on sights. Grew in a shot gun only area, same as my dad. So my preferences and comfort level maybe a bit-one sided. If you only use a smooth-bore barrel, here is an advantage - empty the mag and chamber, and drop in shells for squirrel/rabbit/pheasant if that is all you are seeing and bring home dinner. No need to change barrels or guns to go from deer to small game/birds.

I spoke with dispatch and they said they were were two officers in the area that they would send over if they were available (if not taking care of another issue, or checking licenses/deer). These guys were riding 1/2- 3/4 around stick pond (parking areas 57, 59, and 60). up and down the slope of the meadow, and in part of the wet trail along the south-east side of the pond. Right past the buck rub. I figured local would just chastize them for trespass, and may give them a ticket for that. DEC/Rangers would include property damage, inferring with hunters...

My season was forced to end early on Sunday at Stewart. 6 people came riding thru my area off Barron road in Stewart. Not once but 3 times in 30 minutes - from 2:30 until 3 o'clock. They drove between me and another hunter, both of us wearing the orange and vests. Three of them were breaking branches and beating on trees shortly before they rode thru. One was wearing a red jacket, another a dark blue jacket, and the third was wearing a medium blue jacket. They were around pond messing around the trees on the north side and then climbed up the slope. After a couple shots rang out they high-tailed back to the water's edge. 15-20 minutes later they came riding thru racing up and down the slope and grassy meadow near where I was setting up off of a buck rub and 6 game trails. I saw a doe in the area the week before - it should have been the place to be. Everyone on my side of Barron road, ended up throwing in the towel to not be responsible for an accidental shooting of a trespasser using illegal motorized equipment on state land that was damaging the meadows and water-logged trails, and harassing hunters. If some accident did happen it would be the hunter that gets vilified, not the person trespassing on banned motorized vehicles doing illegal activities. Otherwise I enjoyed the weather. I did pass up a shot. If i missed, I didn't want to be sprayed by the pretty, fluffy woods kitty sporting a black coat with white stripes. So if the weather is nice, and you plan to hunt at Stewart along Barron Rd, beware of quads coming through in the afternoon and few mountain bikers sneaking by in the morning. And yes, I did call the DEC dispatch on them. They have done this before in the Spring Turkey season. Hopefully they do get caught and mend their ways before something does happen to one of them.

Yes, and it was very crowded weekend. 12 cars in that limited parking area and 3 parked on the shoulder on the road. Have not seen any rabbits there (I do not have hunting dog, so take it with a grain of salt), and I saw less squirrels there so far this year compared to last year.

It was nice wearing less layers, only use foot warmers on the day the high was about forty and shooting time started at a warm 26. Downside was more mountain bikers and a few hikers ignoring the gun season ban on the parcel I have been hunting. Deer gun season is limited to just hunters to prevent hunting accidents. The rest of the year it is shared by everyone. Then there is the 6 people on quads that trespassed on to the state land yesterday afternoon. Beating on trees and driving thru the area I was hunting near a buck rub and 6 game trails. They drove between me and another hunter.(both of us in orange hats and vests). That was 2:30 to 3:00, Ended my hunt and a few others hunting near-by. We didn't want to be responsible if something happened their for stupidity and illegal activity.

Saw two small groups of does outside of Washingtonville area Sunday evening at 4:45 on some posted land. Also have seen 2 dead deer on 17 in the Chester/Monroe/Harriman area and one on the Thruway southbound in Rockland Co. in the Monsey area. Not hearing the number of shots I have heard in the past - Stewart or Pochuck Mtn.

On Sunday, if I was loaded with shot instead of slugs for deer, I had a can't miss scenario for a squirrel. It walked up to me, looking at me occasionally, jumped on a log and walked up to 1 foot away from the business end of my barrel. I think it knew I was deer hunting and not squirrel hunting. Probably won't see him again in two weeks and the deer will be back.

They cut the number of 3P's greatly this year. They wantto raise deer population in Sterling Forest. Not sure where to go in 3R, not really any public lands there open to hunt that I am aware of. There is a boy scout and a girl camp in Rockland county. I think you can apply at Scout council for a permit to hunt on scout camp land (shotgun/bow only) and need camp ranger's permission for the intended days of hunting (no hunting while a scouting event is going on for safety reasons). Or at least this was something allowed in the past.

I've had live trees since I was born. Even grew a few acres of trees for college funds. Wife thinks she may be allergic and buys a fake one. - scrawny and horrible looking. Even looks like cheap plastic. I moved it out of the room so I didn't have to look at it. Come home from work and she says looks better decorated doesn't it - she replaced it with another and wasn't sure if I would notice the difference. I still don't like the way it looks. She is still stuffy, running nose and coughing. I told her see its not the real trees, you get a cold every Christmas season. According to her, it is cold this year, past Christmas' was allergies. Tempted to buy a tree after going hunting this weekend. I can tell her I am bringing something home, whether I got deer or not that way. No pine needles around the house is nice, but miss the smell and look of a real tree.

Starting to like tag soup for me too. Saw doe on Saturday, wind had changed direction on me. Turned around for the wind change and heard what ai thought was squirrels again. A doe popped out 30 yards away under pines next to a large dirt mound. She spotted me at the same time and ran off before could raise my gun. Tried to sneak around the mound to catch up, but she ran across the road and I heard a shot 10 minutes later from that direction. Saw nothing while hunting on Sunday. Saw 2 groups of deer (about 15 total) in two fields on posted land 1/2 mile from the public I was hunting on while driving home.

I got turned around once and tried to use my compass with the map. Couldn't get it figured out because map and compass did not agree.on directionality. I got to that area following several game trails, making difficult to back-track late afternoon. My vest pocket that the compass was in was close to another pocket that had a magnetic flap. It reversed the compass's polarity. Called the wife to left her know I was turned around. I ran into two hikers that frequent that area. They got me back using an old unmarked abandoned woods road that shortened the trip back by over a mile. The road was not even on the hiking map of the area - glad I ran into those hikers. Carrying a second compass is a good idea. Besides compass and map, I carry a zippo lighter, 1 liter of water, pocket knife, sheaf knife, mini first-aid kit, extra hat, phone, extra power pack for phone, flashlight, headlamp, some twine, gloves, pocket rocket type of stove with fuel, 2 cup pot, and a radio (either my FRS or my HAM HT). Some places I go may only be 3/4 mile from a paved public road, but not have phone service, so it is good to have a backup device to try to reach someone. Even if it is just to coordinate with a search party looking for you. I wear BDU style pants for camping, hiking, and hunting. Those pockets can hold a bunch of stuff, and carry the rest in a waist pack harness system or daypack (varies according to my needs, or need of the group I am with on the outing. Don't knock carrying extra's. Sometimes they are no longer extra's - batteries die, items can fall out of a pocket.... My extra bandanna's became a sling for kid who tripped and broke his arm. We had to hike him out 3 miles to trail head to get him to his parents and medical care. You just never know. I have built a shelter as a teen and slept in it overnight - was warm and cozy (also had a sleeping bag then as it was during a camp-out). If you need some ideas on this, see Army Survival Handbook, Boy Scout Handbook, Wildness survival guides. Good sources on info for outdoor skills. Always let someone know where you are going, and when you expect to be back. I always check-in with the wife near sunset that I am on the way back to the car and how long I expect it to be before I am on the way home. Normally check-in around lunch time too, just so she knows I am okay and let her know if staying in the same spot, or going elsewhere.

Welcome to our addiction - time outdoors with a little (or alot) of time hunting. Don't sweat it - still have 2 more weeks to go for gun season. Getting a deer your second season is good. I didn't even see a deer my first 2-3 years.

portable ladder stand - use the ladder as a ramp to load it in.

Glad she's ok. Should have kept the deer ... pre-tenderized already. Think of it as a reparations for damages and mental anguish (YOU BROKE MY CAR!!!). Last month $4500 in damage to my mother's Altima, never located the deer. Dad got even and shot one 2 days later. About 3 years ago if i swerved right instead of left, I could have gotten one with my Cherokee after hunting all day. Of course that ended up being the last deer I saw that season. Wife had one deer run into or push off the side of her mini-van - 2 blocks from the house. Only a small minor scrape on the side of her car. About 20 yards was another car on side of the road - same thing happened to them. Never found a deer then either.

Boots a little bigger leave more space for fluffy wool socks to keep feet warm and wiggle the toes to keep blood flowing. I carry in a backpacking stove and a 2 cup pot to fix warm apple cider and a cup of soup on really cold days for all day hunts. Use a neck gaiter after hiking in - keeps drafts out while sitting. Hot seat - beats a cold rock or cold stand seat. I put a caribiner on mine to clip it to my belt. Gets windy and really cold - face mask or double-knit hat with built-in face mask and a mega warmer on lower back by kidneys. Really cold days I use gauntlet style gloves to eliminate drafts at the wrists and put hand warmers in them. Mild days, wear fleece half gloves.

I haven't shot a NY deer yet - seen them before hours, after hours, or the one direction that is not safe to shoot. 2 years ago almost got one on the way home, if i swerved right instead of left would hit one. I have had them in my yard in town while I was out hunting. Opening day saw nothing, heard 8 shots all day. So next day went to a different piece of State land - very crowded, people were leaving early. Had two does come in behind me on the right - while I was sitting on the ground, back to a tree - impossible to shoot for a right-hander. On the third day, had 4 turkeys walk right to me in the same exact spot. I was wearing a blaze orange coat, so they had to see me there - standing 15 yards from them. This past Sunday found a few tracks on the way out in the fresh mud. Didn't notice those on the way in. It was very quiet, few shots, even from the bird hunters as I saw their trucks with occupied dog boxes. Full moon making them more nocturnal, less deer, hiding out on surrounding posted private lands - or all of the above?

H&R slug gun is a good gun. My dad just deer hunts these days. He bought the H&R 20 gauge magnum with heavy barrel, sling and scope and hasn't missed a shot in 5 years with it. We are talking 60-140 yards and getting multiple deer every year. Even a couple 2-in-1 shots. Nice gun, just a little heavy. Very loud, so wear hearing protection if you pick one up. His Remington 12 gauge semi-auto he bought when he was just a teenager is retired due to the H&R slug gun. Mo matter what gun you pick, I suggest asking the the salesperson to show you how to at least break it part-way down for cleaning.the barrel. For cleaning and maintenance ease in the order of easy to difficult (IMO): break-action (single or double barrel) semi-auto pump bolt-action lever-action Like a car, try before you buy. If it doesn't fit well or seem to handle comfortably, look at something else. Awkward at a range, we be more awkward afield, especially after adding layers to keep warm while deer hunting. If on a tight budget, there is nothing wrong with a good used firearm. Well built, well maintained ones last a life-time or more. There are many people deer/bear/elk hunting with a WWII era M1 Garand or Moisin-Nagent for instance.

There are a few fields I go by occasionally and they are fairly consistent on having a couple flocks of geese in them by Warwick too. See them when going to Davis' or passing through to Pochuck Mountain.

I learn to shoot on running rabbits that were chased out by my great-uncle's hunting dogs (he usually ran a pack of 4-6 dogs). Easier clean-up taking head shot at small game when they are sitting still. Other-wise clean out the shot/pellets in the body before cooking. Oven roasted squirrel with potatoes and onions isn't bad either. Squirrels, turkeys, and deer do sometimes feed in the same areas. Hunting one, may provide some insight on hunting the others (look for tracks, scrapes, rubs, beds, scat, dusting bowls, and foods)

Black dirt area in 3M is very fertile land. plus have some areas that are protected, so they have a few refuges to hide in and further reproduce. Have several swamps for them to hide in too. Some of deer live in town or the outskirts on non-huntable land. Sometimes have 3 does in my yard, and I am in town. A 5 minute walk and have a choice of a few pizzierras, Chinese food, barber shops, library, etc.

My dog and my daughter learned about sugar-free gum sitting out on the coffee table - trip to the vet and a very tired dog not feeling so well for 24-hours. The dog leaves things alone on the table most of the time since then. Still goes bees after having been attacked once. In the bees defense at the time, I think she was digging up their ground nest.

Most companies are no longer providing phones. They will re-reimburse you up to a set dollar amount per month for the plan, but not the cost of the phone. Companies do not want to be stuck in a phone contract for an employee who left the company. So they expect you to provide your own phone, and they will contribute to your monthly service payment. I went to a pre-paid for work, so I won't get stuck either. A few months later, we had to upgrade our personal phones to keep in touch with son in college. As supposedly 3G service was not available, but they put in 4G service there and not repairing the old 3G equipment (so they claimed). Had dropped calls every two minutes using the old basic phones everytime we talked to him, so we upgraded. First phone upgrade we did in 5 years. Had to pay for new smartphone, got a new "plan", buy new cases, and had an upgrade fee to top it off. Got on campus for a visit, and the connection indicated we had 3G connection not 4G while there in the city, and I get 4G at home in semi-rural area.

I have hunted off and on since I was 11 or 12 - different state and on family farm (now gone). Since I moved to NY, I am on public land and always checking the regs. So don't be afraid to not shoot if you are not sure of the time, season, etc. I have not pulled the trigger, and found out that something did not have a season in NY (like Doves), and found out something else was in season, and couldn't relocate one the next day. Always play it safe. If unsure, don't do it. It is a learning process just like everything else. For the first 4 years, I kept a copy of the regulations for NY in my vehicle to double check with every time I went out hunting. I carry a copy of the seasons and limits with me in my vest or jacket. You can print out a copy of the sunrise/sunset times for NY to carry with you to verify legal shooting times.

If you have plenty of time, use the apples to make hard cider or apple brandy and fix some pop-corn while waiting for the deer to show up

The last rattler I saw in the wild was in the 1980's. I was backpacking.in New Mexico and had a choice, follow the known rattler down the trail, or try the waist-high grass and hope there were none there. We followed the one we knew about at a distance. Not a snake fan. They do have there place in the food chain, so I leave them alone. If they are rattling and coiled, set to strike, I may pull the trigger for self-preservation/protection. But that would be a last resort.