Lord of War

Do you need to be a Shelter Island resident to hunt shelter island?

That's a nice looking buck. The public land on Long Island hasn't produced much opportunity for me this year, where about is that picture taken? I'm trying to help my dad bag his first deer this year with a bow this year and it's been slow going.

Stalk or sit? Does snow mean deer activity will be next to nothing and that they will be bed down?

I haven't bagged anything on long island yet. I was within 20 yards of some doe and missed the one shot I have taken all year long, pulled the arrow left about 6 inches height was dead on though I was contorted to make the shot - something I had not practiced. I will be hitting it hard these next 2 weeks, anyone got advice that can help me with late season success? I assume I have to hunt the deer's pattern and calling/luring in probably not effective now correct? With the number of deer on Long Island it would suck not to bag one this season.

Bass pro has boots on sale right now for good prices. I picked up 2 pairs of Redhead expedition boots with 1000g insulation for 59.97 2 weeks ago. I got one pair at home the other is backordered but they seem very warm and well made and for the price cant beat it. All hunting gear will be going on sale now and in the upcoming weeks just keep your eyes peeled. I have been going on to cabelas, bass pro, sportsmansguide and dicks websites daily and find great deals every day.

Now that the leaves are falling...how do you guys recommend concealing your stand? The only thing I can think of is setting up backwards facing away and using the tree trunk to mask your outline.

First year hunting....have hunted Suffolk county a few times came close 2x but no cigar so far. I had hunted Rocky point regularly until the check in station requirement kicked in. It's caused me some issues as I am over an hour away and I can't regularly commit to reservations. I liked it when I could just swing by whenever and hunt any open spot. Now I know some spots are exempt from the check in requirement but I have not scouted ANY of these spots so I would be going in blind and im sure that there are going to be tons of hunters competing for parking. Is there anyone with experience in Rocky point or Otis Pike that could help give some tips on what time and where I can setup in one of these spots without having to go thru the checkin station? I am not looking to take anyone's secret place I just want to bag something before the season is out, and then I can do some real scouting this winter after gun.

Congratz!

Bad wording on my part....what I meant is I won't kill something for the sake of killing it and saying I bagged another one with no room in the freezer and no plan for the meat afterward. I WILL go out and hunt even if I don't bag anything because I enjoy the tranquility and peace of mind as well as the challenge it presents.

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/indiana-hunter-paralyzed-fall-chooses-end-life-support-8C11535734 INDIANAPOLIS — Tim Bowers loved the outdoors. Hunting gave him the quiet time during which he could reflect on a busy life that included a new wife, a successful business and a baby on the way. The Indiana man was enjoying that time while hunting for deer Saturday when he fell 16 feet from a tree and suffered a severe spinal injury that paralyzed him from the shoulders down. Doctors thought he might never breathe on his own again. Confronted with that prognosis, Bowers' family made an unusual request of doctors at Fort Wayne's Lutheran Hospital: Could Bowers be brought out of sedation and told of his condition so he could decide for himself whether he wanted to live or die? The doctors said yes, and Bowers made his choice. "We just asked him, 'Do you want this?' And he shook his head emphatically no," his sister, Jenny Shultz, said of her brother, who was also often found hunting, camping or helping his father on his northeastern Indiana farm. Courts have long upheld the right of patients to refuse life support. The American Medical Association says competent adults can craft directives stating if or when they want such systems withdrawn or withheld should injuries or illness leave them unable to make those decisions. But it's rare after a devastating injury that a patient would get to make such a decision for himself. The heart-wrenching call to remove life support is more often left to surrogates who must speak for those patients. Even when a patient has outlined his wishes for end-of-life care, the decision can tear families apart. Shultz, of Las Vegas, has seen it happen in her job. But her medical training also meant she understood the severity of her 32-year-old brother's injuries. His C3, C4 and C5 vertebrae were crushed. Though his brain was not injured, his body was irreparably broken. Surgery could fuse the vertebrae, but that would only allow Bowers to sit up. He would never walk or hold his baby. He might live the rest of his life in a rehabilitation hospital, relying on a machine to help him breathe. He'd never return to those outdoor activities that gave him such peace. Shultz said her brother — the youngest of four siblings — wanted to talk but couldn't because the ventilator tube was still in place. She told him that if the tube was removed, they weren't sure how long he would live. But when she asked if he wanted the tube reinserted if he was struggling, he shook his head no. Doctors asked Bowers the same questions and got the same responses. The tube came out Sunday. The last five hours of Tim Bowers' life were spent with family and friends, about 75 of whom gathered in the hospital waiting room. They prayed and sang songs. Through it all, Shultz said, her brother never wavered in his decision to die. "I just remember him saying so many times that he loved us all and that he lived a great life," she said. "At one point he was saying, 'I'm ready. I'm ready.'" Medical ethicists say it's rare for patients to decide on the spot to be removed from life support, especially so soon after an injury. But standard medical ethics practice is to grant more autonomy to patients, and courts have upheld their rights to decide on end-of-life care. Patients often change their minds after they've had time to meet with spiritual advisers and family, said Art Caplan, director of the medical ethics program at New York University's Langone Medical Center in New York City. Dr. Paul Helft, director of the Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics in Indianapolis, said cases in which the patient makes the decision usually involve a debilitating illness such as Lou Gehrig's disease, which compromises the patient's body but leaves the mind intact. Helft said patients have been legally and ethically permitted to make their own decisions on life support for several decades, due in part to court cases and the evolution of the practice of medicine, which places more emphasis on patients' rights. "We give patients autonomy to make all kinds of decisions about themselves," he said. "We've recognized that it's important that patients have the right to self-determination." Shultz said her family had an idea what her brother would want because he had previously talked with his wife, Abbey, whom he married Aug. 3, about never wanting to spend his life in a wheelchair. She knows that not everyone would make the same call. But she's thankful her brother was able to make his own decision. "No outcome was ever going to be the one that we really want, but I felt that he did it on his terms in the end," she said.

So if you get the consent of all the neighbors he could hypothetically hunt it? I would confirm that with dec first.

I bought the lager 2.3' extreme rage broadheads for this year. I wonder how the wound will compare to what you posted.

Well I will only take what I can and will eat and/or what I know I can give away. I don't intend to hunt for the sake of hunting, but if I do have good fortune I might bag an extra one for you guys haha.

Thanks guys. I was at my local sporting goods store to renew my saltwater license and the employee asked if I wanted additional doe tags. I was like free? I declined because I haven't used the tags I already have but now on second thought....more tags couldn't hurt right? Maybe I will have a good weekend and can use em.

I am pretty sure I know the answer but I don't want to leave anything to chance. Is there a limit to how many deer I can bag in one day? I think I can bag as many as I want in 1 day as long as I have tags for them.

Thanks for the heads up. My fishing gear has been collecting dust but I might go renew my saltwater license and head out early am and try my luck. Do you need the overnight pass for field 6? Where can I go so I don't need any of those passes to get in?

I'll give it a shot.

I am sorry to hear this, I enjoy hunting but I think most of us agree leaving an animal to suffer is not something we like to hear about. From the information provided it sounds likely that the animal was shot from above via treestand. I am not familiar with Port Jefferson hunting opportunities but I know that deer can travel large distances and it is possible that it ventured into hunted private or public land and was shot there. Also, if there are several deer in Port Jefferson and they have become a problem a nuisance permit may be issued if I am not mistaken in order to control their numbers. I think your best course of action would be to notify the DEC as other have said. I think they would be able to answer any questions you have and they would be the best bet for helping the animal perhaps tranquilizers or putting it down. I would caution you NOT to help the animal yourself as they can be aggressive especially if it's wounded. A video was posted this week of 2 hunters who helped a stuck buck and almost got gored for their efforts.

I tried and I couldn't find any on the tree strap itself. All of the videos were about putting on the harness which I have no problem with. Its the strap that attaches to the tree that doesn't sit right with me.

I am currently using the harness that came with my summit climber but I don't like the belt tree strap. I tighten it but it becomes way to loose when I move around.... am I doing something wrong?

If you hunt the wind, you set up in a good spot with some decent cover you won't need the best gear to be successful. The best piece of gear I own is my climbing stand which keeps me comfortable for long periods....so comfortable in fact that I can stay completely still for hours. I picked up some cheap thermals for a base layer, good socks and camo fleece gloves. Outer layer I have Rain jacket and pants and a fleece camo hoodie if rain gear not needed. Try to get the bare minimum u will need for this season b/c when this season comes to an end I will really stock up on camo with the clearance savings. If you are bow hunting, you will want warm and quiet so make sure you move around when you try the clothing on to see how much noise you make.

How do they keep track of the spots for the day? In other words some hunters hunt am other go pm. Do you have to check out at the end of your hunt? Would I be able to check in for a pm hunt or do you HAVE to get there in the am in order to secure a parking permit?

No good deed goes unpunished right? Good lesson for the rest of us, deer are beautiful and majestic but they can kick our butts if they wanted to. If I was them id sack that one next year lol.

So I have been hunting rocky point and I understand that starting Nov 1 I will have to go to the dec check in station in order to park. I have never done this before and just wanted some clarification on what this process is. Do they just give you a parking permit? is it for a specified spot? Being new I just want to know about it before I go.

Definitly go to a shop and try test shoot different ones to see which you like best. I got my pse stinger in skullworks camo (see avatar). Its a great beginner bow and can be had for $399.