Don_C

I heard a report this morning that stated MOST New York gun owners are not registered to vote. Complaining on a forum does not change a thing.

Well said Doc.

There is aparently no set fee for this transaction? This from WGRZ in Buffalo... "The state has put a cost to this… where a dealer can charge up to $10 dollars for a background check. But it may cost us up to $20 to do a background check, in man hours and keeping the records and all that kinda stuff…it's going to cost a store money to do a background check." "So in the long run, it's just going to cost the consumer, he said. Some gun owners told WGRZ that while they have enjoyed doing business with Taylor, they are already making plans to start buying ammunition in other states like Pennsylvania. There, they expect to be able to buy ammunition at a lower cost, and with much less hassles than in New York, a state, which Governor Cuomo— who championed the Safe Act— is often fond of saying, is "open for business". "Well, they're about to lose mine," one hunter said.

I would recommend an x-bolt or model 70. I own a Browning X-Bolt Stainless stalker in 338 win mag topped with a Leupold. It's more accurate than I can shoot and the quality is excellent. I'm planning on picking up an X-Bolt hunter model this month in 7mm-08 for next year's deer season. They also have a new model this year with a classic stock if you're not a fan of the more modern design. My favorite rifle is a Modle 70 Featherweight Stainless in 270wsm with a Bushnell on top, it is also deadly accurate and you just can't beat the classic styling. The new models are said to be even better than the pre '64's.

I do not agree with A&E's position, and I do not agree with Phil's comments, but it is his right to make them… and others have a right to condemn them. For A&E the bottom line is THE BOTTOM LINE. They are a private corporation owned by liberally minded organizations. The Robertson's are as conservative as they come. How is that ever going to work? Its like an episode of Wife Swap on steroids. At some point they agreed to a deal that would generate millions of dollars for A&E, people they fundamentally disagree with on many if not all social issues, for the prospect of making millions for themselves. In doing so I believe they demonstrate that they will compromise their core principles if the money is right. I think they are undoubtedly good, honest people, but they should have had enough common sense to know what they were getting into and the same goes for A&E. The network had to know Phi's position was potentially controversial, they should have had an agreement preventing him from doing interviews outside of A&E's network and therefore control what got out. Agree with Phil or not, you just can't say things like he said if you are a public figure and not expect to be slammed for it by someone. It is not a constitutional, freedom of speech issue though. He is not being arrested, he is being fired. It is a private business matter. They are employees of A&E. Any one of us can be fired for any number of things, including what we say or do in public. Interesting fact - I overheard some people in my building this morning, talking about wanting to watch the show now, because they wanted to know what all of the fuss was about…NEW viewers! Maybe the Robertsons and A&E are smarter than we think?

Weimaraners. We are enjoying our third now. They have been big babies in the house, can be decent hunters, have amazing personalities and all have been fiercely protective. Right now our two-year old Blue Weim is turning out to be a pretty good bird dog with zero field training. When i was younger I spent countless hours working with our dogs with limited success, due mostly to my lack training ability. This time I decided I just wasn't putting in the time and would focus on training him for the home as a companion and pet. Well go figure, he's a natural on birds... I can't explain it, but I'll take it! We're hoping some of this snow melts down this weekend so we can run him on some pheasants next week.

On topic… on the last day of regular season we heard coyotes yelping late in the afternoon immediately followed by a gobble. I have never heard a gobble time of year before.

I am sorry, Early. No offense intended. No more than you intended in your initial comments to Growalot anyway…. But I am looking for something to do today so here goes…. In response I must say I read quite well and am reasonably well educated, I was however, shockingly unaware, that you are an authority on the English language, and clearly bestowed with the honor and duty to educate people on how they "should" or should not choose to use the Queen's English. I will concede to your wisdom. FYI…yes, it is the Queen's English, perhaps YOU are shockingly unaware that there is currently no King of England, hence, the term Queen's English is proper…. English. Hmmmmm. My apologies if I hurt your feelings with name calling. I didn't realize you were the sensitive type as I am new here. Though in my defense, outlining one's behavior isn't actually name calling. It is regretably one of my many weaknesses... I simply find it intensely amusing and quite irresistable when belligerent individuals rant about a particular topic when they themselves are the party in error. (That means wrong…Early) Just messing with you, I'm bored in the office today and the tie is a little tight… Honestly, no offense meant.

Seriously? The stuff all over this site today is beyond funny today… Early, did you finish Elementary School? merriam-webster: plural also turkey : a large North American gallinaceous bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that is domesticated in most parts of the world. Crazy old coot? Maybe. Uneducated in the English language? Probably. Not smart enough to even bother to look it up before telling someone else they are wrong and making an A$$ out of himself? Undoubtedly. It is correct either way, ANY elementary school student will know that.

Legit 3 feet at our cabin in 9K

I use the Hot Hands toe warmers in my boots. Stick them to the bottom of a wool sock and go to go for most of the day. Muff with a few inside and no glove on shooting hand. I also use the adhesive backed hot hands body warmers on top of my base layer. They are really warm and last all day. But when it is really cold, nothing beats a packable down jacket. I have one from L.L. Bean that compresses into it's own pocket, i leave it in my pack, if i get really cold i throw it on under my outer layer and i'm good to go for the rest of the day.

You're over thinking it. They both kill deer by the 10's of thousands every year, go shoot a deer and enjoy yourself. It won't be any more or less dead than with any other gun. I have had a few 270s over the years, they are great deer guns. I have a 270WSM currently and will probably take it out Saturday.

With the iPhone I have never had trouble losing the app's GPS capabilities even when the phone does not have service, but admittedly I do not hunt extremely remote areas. I'm not saying that an app can replace a good GPS unit, but for my purposes it is more than enough and for the few dollars it costs, it may be worth a look depending on where you are planning on using it.

I had a Garmin Oregon 450. I liked it a lot, but found an app called Motion-X GPS for my iPhone that works just as well for my purposes, check it out before buying a dedicated GPS unit. I sold the Garmin. It was a nice unit though.

It all depends on what i'm feeling that day and where i'm hunting.... 270WSM - Model 70 Featherweight Stainless/Walnut with Bushnell on top 338 Win Mag - Browning X-bolt Stainless/Composite with Leupold .50 cal - Traditions Vortek 30-30 Mossberg

We received TWO more in the mail yesterday. Someone must have really screwed up the lottery this year.

My two sons and I were all denied 9K. We received one in the mail on Saturday. I'm hoping for at least one more.

Its a porcupine.

That's a difficult request this time of year. Third season in and having taken deer with a ML and a bow already isn't a failure. Here are some great books to consider... Strategies for Whitetails - Charles Alsheimer Mapping Trophy Bucks - Brand Herndon Precision Bowhunting - John Eberhart - (Video series is supposed to be great as well.)

He said he is 270, that is pretty big.

I am 6'5" 275 and I am a big fan of Summits, I bought a new Summit Viper last season but sold it on CL only last week because i didn't like the front bar, my favorite climber is a 10 year old Summit Cobra with an open front. You can NOT beat a Summit stand for stability and comfort, and when you are big, the lack of either of those things is magnified in a tree stand. I have a GamePlan gear transport system so carrying it a distance is really easy. Don't cheap out on an entry-level stand when you are a big guy. Look on Craigslist, you just may catch a good deal on a near-new higher end stand, I sold mine for 150 and it was literally new. Of course I know most of the morons on CL try to sell their old crap for 50 bucks less than new, but its worth a look. I also use the HSS vest, its the basic one, but it is comfortable and easy to get on and off and doesn't tangle. If you don't want to spend the money on a high end vest/harness now use the ones that come with a stand, they work just fine and always use the tether strap when climbing, falls happen during ascent and descent with climbers. Stay attached to the tree.

In my opinion Laura Caroll is right, it IS no different than cattle ranching, it is deer ranching, not hunting. The kill is predictable and hunt preparation and "scouting" is often as simple as choosing the buck you want from an online catalog or actually pointing him out in a pen. Remember the story a few years ago about the guy who paid for a lion hunt and shot it in the cage? Some of these outfits are so far removed from hunting that they don't even deny it. Love it or hate it, it is here to stay as long as there is a market for it. The article also clearly stated "most hunters find great disdain in a known outcome....and follow a code of ethics beyond reproach" the author did not lump all hunters into this group and in my opinion was attempting to point out the absurdity of the entire practice.

2014 Silverado. 27 miles.

Most of my deer have been shot in the morning as well, but I have one friend who only hunts afternoons, he just won't leave the cabin in the morning and he is successful year after year. Do what you enjoy or what works for you.

Many years ago I was in an old wooden stand one morning in southern PA... I was a kid then and I got bored, I climbed down and walked about 100 yards into a large area of thick, tall ferns, I stopped, looked around for a couple of minutes and heard a faint noise behind me, I looked over my right shoulder and a beautiful buck slowly rose up from the ferns not 10 feet from me. Immediately, with one snort at least a dozen other deer rose from the ferns one by one all around me. Not my closest encounter, but it was the most amazing site, i was right in the middle of a group of bedded deer and had no idea they were there, I'm sure if i would have kept walking they wouldn't have budged an inch. It was absolutely "ghostly" the way they rose and bounded off.