Two Track

Drone with camera, record everything sent by the drone regarding the trespasser. Wonder if you could add a sound card and speaker, and tell him.. I see you... via the drone.

I called a couple does to me last year using the "can". Problem was they circled behind me in the one direction that was not safe to shoot. It was the first year I tried the "can". Have antlers from my 2nd buck that I have tried to rattle with, not luck so far with that. Could the method, could be in the wrong spot at the time. If nothing close enough to hear, it won't work.

Geeze, sounds like some of you never small game or bird hunted - just deer hunted. 95% of my shots are free handed, standing or taking a knee like you see kids do at football practice. That how my father, uncles, cousins, and grandfather hunted. Distance shots on groundhogs, well, my grandfather had a couple sands bags for that, but he was about 70 at the time. Didn't anyone go to scout camp and learn how to shoot prone, kneeling, and standing? A tree branch, felled tree, stonewall, fence post, etc can make a good rest as along as it is a comfortable height for the shooter.

There is an indoor range, Davis's Sport Shop in Goshen. I think they have a few different guns that you can test drive before you buy. They normally have a large stock of new/used in their Sloatsburg location if you haven't purchased a gun yet. Don't spend a lot on gear until you have been hunting a few times and decide if you enjoy it or not. Pre-season and after season is a good time to buy, but do some homework first before buying to make sure it is good stuff, and not crappy items left-over at end of the year sales. My current gear has been acquired over the past 8-10 years. The turkey stuff is over the past 3 years. So no rush once you have your basics. If budget is tight, some stuff can be gotten at yard sales, as people stop hunting, out-grew, or stopped hunting certain game, or need to down-size the amount of gear they have. I have even seen hunting knives in a pawn/estate-sale shop. If you will be carrying a magnetic compass while hunting, don't put it in a vest with magnetic pocket flaps. Compass may become off by 180 degrees - not fun when off-trail in a new area while trying to align a map. Also, dirt also tends to stick around the magnetic clasps. Keep that in mind while looking for a hunting vest. But it is all personal choice. Also buy a hunting vest big - plan on layering clothes for warmth. Figure at least 1 size up if buying a game carrying vest (for gear and room for rabbit/squirrel/pheasant/quail/grouse/woodcock). Even if not small game hunting, it is useful for carrying an extra sweatshirt, or to put in a layer when the day warms up to not have to sweat it out. We could probably meet up sometime.

Grandparents had a 80 lb German Shepard that would jump in your laptop at the first crack of thunder. Real fun in August without air conditioning. My dog will watch fireworks from 1 mile away, anything closer, she is shaking like a leaf and looking for someone to protect her. She is very nervous in thunderstorms, tends to hide under blankets if she can get into a bedroom.

Stocked pheasants don't stay where they are put. I have found them 1.5 miles from the stocked fields. Took one in a stand of small pine trees once. I have flushed one from a field edge right into the forest across the road. Now if there are areas that have assigned parking for the section of land, you would think they would be more aware that someone else is out there. I was on a footbridge to access a pheasant field on Sunday, less then 30 seconds later 2 mountain bikers crossed the bridge going the opposite way I just did. Before that 2 horses and a burrow walked past my parked car. While the weather is still nice, you just have to deal with some of it a bit more. Sometimes seeing some else is a good thing, I have assisted lost bikers before while turkey hunting, they lost the riding trail. Had experienced the reverse too, compass got re-magnetized.

If want access to private leased parcels, you would need to lease your own parcel or join a club. Monroe Chester Gun Club, Woodbury Field and Stream, Shawagunk Fish and Game, etc. http://www.ocfsc.org/site/lev/MEMBER-CLUBS.htm The Catskills are about an hour away - can hunt there too. If have some outdoor skills and equipment, can camp and hunt there. Can't advise on where, haven't done that yet. Pheasant is currently being stocked at Stewart and Sterling, and is popular activity until deer gun season starts. If you want to try pheasant hunting, get some practice with clays. You have to learn how and when to lead your shots depending on direction it flies. Easier if you have a trained dog, but still do-able without one. There a a few threads on here regarding what to carry when hunting, some things are must haves, others are personal choices and for comfort. Must have: orange vest or jacket orange hat gloves for cold weather that work with you gun (some gloves are too bulky to fit inside some trigger guards) good waterproof boots hunting license permit (for some parcels of land) gun ammo knife pen (fill out tag for deer/bear/turkey) string to attach tags

If you plan to hunt public land in Orange county, it depends on where for Rifle. The largest tract is Sterling Forest, but some areas may not do well for rifle, nearby homes, roads, or thick woods and limited distance on the terrain. Stewart Buffer lands - no rifle. it is by Stewart Airport, and planes fly over it everyday. Not even a .22 for squirrel season. Rifle is allowed at Storm King Mountain and parts of West Point (special permit required to hunt, which is only deer, need a 3P doe tag). For an everything gun, go with either a 12 gauge, or 20 gauge magnum. Good for small game and can use rifled slugs for deer/bear. If buy a combo (includes a 2 barrel that is rifled), use sabot slugs which puts it into a medium rifle range 120-160 yards. First week of deer season, it is tough to get a spot a Stewart. Sterling Forest, you need a permit for to hunt ($5) and first couple days of deer are for those who applied in early September. No firearms allowed in Sterling until after Nov.1. Goose Pond Mountain is a preserve, so no hunting there at all, same for orange County park land. I have heard of permits for hunting by the county jail, but never looked into it. Orange County is WMU 3M for deer doe tag. Sterling Forest is WMU 3P deer doe tag.

Not the area I would pick to hunt. You also run the risk of shooting an escaped animal from there. Didn't see the fence, was even it legal shooting time yet?

guess I travel heavy for all day hunts: 1 liter or more of water back packing stove with fuel canister lighter 2 cup pot & cup soup apple cider mix apples crackers rope compass map phone 2m HT radio (sometimes no cell service) pocket-sized camera the "can" antlers from my first buck (for rattling) extra ammo head lamp extra flash light (it sucks if batteries die or the bulb fails) pocket knife hunting knife hot seat extra gloves warmers (foot/toe, hand, & body) extra set of car keys gun back scabbard If rain is expected then add rain gear. If severe, unsafe weather, then i leave all the gear, the gun locked up and pull out Cabela's Big Game Hunter for a couple hours.

i hear the ringing right now..... wait that is the office AC. Seriously though, we should be taking better care of our hearing. I have heard of noise suppressed shotguns, but NY would probably ban them. I spent years performing in band (concert, stage, and marching band) through college, and gone to a couple of rock concerts. I know I do not hear the same as I once did. I notice ringing after being at a concert or other loud on-going sounds. I notice the loudness more when mowing the lawn than i did as a teenager. Maybe there should be a push for reduced sound levels in firearms for everyone's hearing protection. There are mufflers for cars, shouldn't there be an similar device be produced for firearms without it falling into the "silencer" category. Meanwhile, Lets start using some ear-plugs or other hearing protection in addition to wearing vision protection. Wearing shooting glasses has protected my eyes more than once from a low thin branch while pushing through brush. A scratched cornea is no fun.

No scopes on my shotguns. Definitely not drilling the 16 gauge A-5. I use it for everything. My son has an H&R single slug-gun scoped. Feels awkward to me to look through the scope. But to each their own style and needs. My grandfather's rifle is scoped, either need to adjust it or pull the scope. I see more around the area using bead sights. Easier to follow after you take the shot and get on target again if need to make a follow-up when it starts running.

Once had two bucks come to the same film canister that had doe pee on the cotton balls in it - within 30 minutes of each other. We had two bucks to drag out that morning. The shots (one miss & one double-lung kill-shot) from dropping the first one did not deter the second one from coming in. The rut was on.

I carry a pair of ear plugs that are on a string. I have worn them more often mowing the yard than while hunting. Wear them more often small game/bird hunting than deer hunting. When it is freezing cold and have a hat on with the hood up, not much can be heard then any way. The magnum rounds seem harsher on the ears than do the 2 3/4 shells to me. They also have to compete with my Bluetooth for when my wife calls (to check up on me) or dad calls me to say he got one down or is tracking one he hit (never mind that we are hunting 5 hours apart by car ride in another state)

No 3P this year. I usually get one. Most of Sterling forest is 3P. A couple small portion show as 3M which has the first weeks of bow as doe only - makes no sense. Of course this is the some place that is listed for Early bear by the state, but the Palisades Park commission is not allowing it to happen. The bears are there, not on the other two parcels of state lands that are open to hunting. Geniuses.

Already replaced it - Amazon. Came with fresh energizer batteries for less than going to the store. Needed a case for my new phone and it was cheaper to get an Otterbox that way. Now I have a spare end-cap, lens, and 2 additional bulbs. I always carry two lights. Ever since one camping trip that the light-bulb burned out. I had new spare batteries on me and a spare bulb in the base of the light. Just had no light to see to replace the led bulb at 9 PM in November in the middle of the woods.

move the deer off trail if they are on one then gut them for the drag out. No yotes or bears where I grew up. Now yotes are starting to drift into the state. They have to either swim 1/2 mile or across bridge to get to my previous home state.

My great uncle's 16 gauge Browning (pre-ww II vintage) 120 lb doe. She dropped in her tracks on what was my grandparents farm from a single shot through the lungs. No pic's as I was in college and was not lugging around my 35 mm plus lenses for a Friday/Saturday hunt. This was pre-cell phone and pre-digital camera days. The cutting edge meant having a 386 laptop computer. Now that parcel is a housing sub-division with a mini-mart and library. The place has changed in 25 years. Use to be a peach orchard and apple orchard with 100 -120 yards of woods containing a spring in between the orchards. It also had a stand of old Christmas trees that were left to grow for 30 years in one field corner. The check-in station was just about across the road from one of my fraternity brothers that I pledged with. Just didn't know that is where he lived at the time.

I have to get a new flashlight. Pulled out my trusty mini mag-lite that I have had since 1990 - dead batteries. Opened it to replace the batteries and they had swelled up and not removable any more. This the one that keep in the house to grab when needed. Batteries get changed out every year and I re-apply petroleum jelly to the seals to keep them supple every 6-months. Guess I have spare parts.now.

No time or equip to reload at this point in my life. Factory loads for me. Brand doesn't matter for what I use, you get what is available on less popular gauges and calibers. There is only so much 16 gauge and .300 savage rounds made every year.

Smart thing is to not upgrade until after you verify that all your components (touchpad/mouse, video card, network/wif-fi) have available drivers for Windows 10 and the software you plan to use on it is compatible. Windows 7 Pro has the option for running a Virtual XP computer with in it for old softerware that was not compatible. You can do a similar thing with Windows 10 (download and install the virtual software and install Operating system in the virtual computer) as long as you have a licensed copy of windows that is being installed in the virtual PC. If you consider having a virtual computer for old software, you need have 4 GB of RAM or more on the computer for it to run decently when the virtual PC is also running. The new web browser, Edge, and Internet Explorer 11 do have issues with some websites. Especially with commercial banks and vendor portals. For now, sticking with Windows 7.

If you want a 3P for Sterling Forest/West Point, make it your 1st choice for DMP. Normally no 2nd choices on 3P tags given out.

Core, My LL Bean Gortex lined, insulated Maine Hunting boots were around $150-170 that I wore out after 20 years (weekend hunting, snow shoveling, and camping 2-3 times a year). Nothing beats a good pair of boots that you take care of. I have been winter camping with people that had the wrong footwear - they were stuck by the campfire until it was time to head home in order to keep their feet from freezing. Insulated boots are a must when it gets cold. I have been deer hunting in the southern zone in below 30 degree temps. That is why I carry a backing stove and small pot (hot soup and a hot drink). If you can't swing a really good pair now, buy an insulated pair that will at least get you though this season. If they are not water proof, buy a pair of rubber over-shoes that fit over them. Tractor supply carries them.

Note the traffic may be heavy getting there this time of year on the weekends - nice weather means people hitting the trails and the Renaissance Fair is on (RT 17A in Sterling Forest). I suggest going to the visitor center by cutting over in Sloatsburg. NY State Thruway Exit 15. at bottom of ramp turn left. take exit ramp off of Rt 17 just after Davis Sport Shop. a few miles down the road turn right onto Long Meadow Road (at a traffic light "T" intersection) A few miles up the road on the left is the entrance road to the visitor center. Think the second right takes you to the visitor center lot. FYI It looks like a private road in the woods. If you have you hunting license with you, you can fill-out the form for the hunting permit while you are there at the information desk. Take a peek at the 3D table map with the trails on it. Might provide helpful for navigation later.

Core, Boots are very important, depending where and what you hunt you may want or need a couple pairs of boots. At least should have a pair of insulated water-proof boots for deer gun season in cold damp weather (or wading across a shallow stream). If also hunt early season, may want something lighter-weight to not have your feet sweat to death in your boots - perhaps a pair of light-weight hikers. That should be a later add-on to your gear. I use an Energizer headlight that has the red-light beams on it - they are not expensive. After having mine for 6-7 years the padding is starting wear off, so I picked one from Amazon when the price dropped recently. You can also find them at Walmart & Target. Sometimes you can find some gear at yard sales from others who have stop hunting, or those reducing their abundance of hunting gear. Being first year hunting, don't go crazy on equipping yourself. Start simple with some basics. If you enjoy hunting, put items on Christmas wish list and watch for the after Christmas hunting gear sales. Sometimes score items for 70% off that way.