Don_C

For me the answer is "when I see it I will know it." It changes for me every year, sometimes every hunt, sometimes in the middle of a hunt. During the morning rides out to the woods we always have the "what are ya shooting today?" conversation to get ourselves excited for the day. It ranges from "the first buck I see" to "only that big one" It depends on so many factors, from the time available to hunt to the number of deer seen to the mood of the day. Last year I held out and was fortunate enough to shoot a very nice and old buck. This year, who knows? We have a perfect 10 point on camera that I would love to see my son get a shot at. He will be a really good deer in another year or two and that may prevent me from taking a shot if I do see him, or maybe not... If I have an opportunity to put an arrow in one of the smaller bucks we've seen and it feels right, I'll do it.

The X-Bolt is manufactured in Miroku, Japan.

BEAUTIFUL! I'm partial to blondes myself...

Why not just buy the Muzzleloading tag?

Hell I don't want to tough it out anymore either! LOL! Every year comfort is becoming more important for me, so I am going with ladder stands until the weather gets nasty, then I'm trying a hub blind for the first time ever. For Christmas last year, my wife set me up with a Barronett Big Cat blind, a Cabelas Comfort Max Mag Elite chair and a Buddy heater. I'm really looking forward to trying it.

I'm in! Good luck everyone!

I hear ya and nice job! I use the umbrella roofs and love them, but we left them in the trees last year and a snow storm destroyed all them. Thanks for the reminder, I have to pick up new ones this week.

I always wore safety vests with climbers and portables, but since changing to ladder stands about 5 years ago I stopped. I always felt very secure in them, but not chancing it anymore. I know a guy who died last year due to a fall from a ladder stand, an experienced hunter who hung countless stands over the years. From now on I'm planning on wearing a vest, and strapping in to the tree once I'm up. I'm not using my life line climbing ropes for the ladders, but I have never and would never attempt climbing any other type of stand without being attached to the tree right from the ground. Its just not worth it.

I primarily hunt 9H, near Varysburg. Very little pressure on the properties we hunt and lots of big dear out that way, though rarely anywhere near me. I have hunted 9M, 9K and 9G quite a lot over the last 30 or so years, WNY holds a lot of nice deer, but like you said, there is a LOT of orange in the woods on public land.

I have had two problems with hunter harassment. The first was many years ago. A farmer next to the property we had access to was not happy we were there. They wanted to buy this property from my friend who was elderly and did not hunt any more. The farmers were hell bent on preventing a sale to anyone else. When we were there the wife would send her kids out on ATVs to rip back and forth along the woodline for HOURS at a time. We called the Sheriff, they did nothing because they weren't riding on our property. My best stand was only 80 yards into the woods so it was a real problem. The very last time we hunted there she sent them out during rifle season. Yep, she sent her 12 and 14 year olds out to harass a group of men with guns. I found another property after that. The second problem was only three years ago and is more of a "lease gone bad" story I guess. I was a member of a hunt club that leased 125 acres in Catt county from a couple of brothers who had a family cabin on the property. They did not hunt and lived in Long Island I think, they only traveled to WNY a few times a year. It was a great situation. One early October day a woman drove up as a few of us were getting ready the first bow hunt of the year. She was a sister of the brothers (who knew?) who decided our group of 8, some of which had been hunting there for 15 years, had to leave immediatly so her newly found State Trooper boyfriend and her could "enjoy" the property. We did have a lease and basically ignored her for a while. She pretty much moved into the property and began calling the police whenever we would arrive. She and her boyfriend would use his bullhorn to scream into the woods if they showed up after any of us were on stand. It was nuts, I never went back, not worth it. The neighboring farmers told me she called the police on them any time she heard a gun shot as well. Total nut job. This took place in early October, we never got our lease money back.

Thanks for the info! I've used them all and nocturnals work best for me, the simple switch on these is even better. Ordering 6 today.

I use Nocturnals, have for years and will always use them in the field. There is never a question of where that arrow hit with them. I have never noticed one bit of difference in flight or point of impact with or without the nock installed and they have always worked without fail. I do buy new ones each year and use the previous seasons nocks when practicing, so I always have fresh, new-for-the-season nocks on the arrows when actually hunting.

I have a full set of MAXpider fitted floor liners for a 2014-2018 Cherokee. They are in perfect condition, My wife traded her 2016 in for a Wrangler so she doesnt need them. I have had every brand of mats and liners over the years and these are the best by far IMHO. Asking $90, Im in the Buffalo area. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thats really cool! Beautiful buck too! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks guys, I couldn’t be happier with it. I hammered him in Varysburg, and I dare to say I saw one WIDER than him opening day. Looking forward to October! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Picked up my 2017 buck this week from S&S in Springville and could not be happier with the results! Those guys do great work! Just thought I would share, it is my biggest buck to date with a 24” spread. . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's interesting and I agree, in that video the thing seems quite large to me until it runs past the fire wood, then I quickly realized it's the height of my dog who weighs 75 lbs. I have only ever seen two dead bears in person and both were over 500lbs (one in PA and one in Leon NY) so I guess I thought most were that size. I think it is really cool to see they are becoming more common.

Yes, I thought it was a younger bear, but I have no idea what I'm looking at. My buddy said he thought around 150 pounds too. I personally have no interest in shooting a bear, but it sure would be cool to see one from the stand in the fall.

We have a bear on the property that I hunt in Varysburg! My buddy, who lives there, shot this video last night. Pretty cool!

Did you call them? I had a similar issue a while back, I never received an email saying it went out.. When I called they told me the item had actually shipped and in fact I received it that day. Give 'em a call, you never know.

The number is correct. I was selling it because it rarely gets any use, BUT... son wants it so it's no longer for sale. Lock 'er up please.

I had one a few months ago, my doctor gave me a new prep medication that actually tasted good, well good is a stretch, but very tolerable. There was no cramping or bad side effects other than 4 "OH NO!" trips to the bathroom. I think it was called Prepopik (not 100% sure, ask your doctor), they told me most insurances do not cover it, fortunately mine did, but it would have only been about $50 anyway and they strongly recommended I get it over the standard prep. WELL WORTH IT! Good luck.

Good point... this is an excellent woodchuck rifle! Make an offer, it's gotta go.

You really are a man of many and great talents! Beautiful photos.

Yes, perfect rifle for a two-fer! It really is a fun gun to shoot and the recoil isn't nearly as bad as you would think. I once shot a jar of tannerite with it and the combination of the gun and that stuff sounded like a darn nuke went off! As far as shooting deer with it... well I can honestly say we have had less meat damage with this than the '06s or 270 WSM. It just seems to make one nice clean BIG hole! Speaking of 270WSM, if anyone shoots one, I have a 2 boxes of Federal 130gr. ammo I would be happy give away. I no longer have that gun.