upstate

I am a bow hunter that supports full inclusion, just like the states that surround us.

Your argument and logic is flawed. Plus this argument was used when they were considering making compound bows legal and guess what? I'll tell you, the sport survived, and it will continue to survive. Remember my point - The biggest challenge facing deer hunters today is access to hunt and television shows, not a means to get a few hunters in the woods.

I've bow hunted for more years than some of you have been alive. My profile photo has me bow hunting in it. I've heard all of these arguments before (except the cross gun). Right now it's a big old dick swinging contest. You're not a man if you don't bow hunt. I'm confused, I thought I wasn't a man cause I shot a 1.5 year old buck? The biggest challenge facing deer hunters today is access to hunt and television shows, not a means to get a few hunters in the woods.

From the recliner. Gear packed away, guns cleaned, crossbow unstrung.... and I'm fine with it. Not a great harvest year but a good year with my sons and friends. We secured a new spot after finding out that there's poaching on and very near our lease and we're looking for more land to lease and learn.

Here in 7A (Hastings)it was -5 when I headed out and 0 when I came out. Only thing moving was snow, off the trees. Sadly, this may just be it unless I can find someone to go check out new land with me tomorrow during a rain/snow/sleet event. 4 and 5 years ago I did the triple. Deer taken with bow, gun and muzzle. Last year 0 deer This year 1 buck with cross bow..... Until next year

It took me an hour and 45 minutes to go from the Hiawatha exit on 81 to Central Square this evening. No deer were moving in that nonsense. I'm hoping the calming winds and cold have made them want to eat.... so I'll see how long I can last in the AM.

Headed out here in Oswego County, just west of the line. It's gonna be a frigid one, but I've killed many deer on days like tomorrow. I won't last long (plus I have a lunch meeting) but it will be good to get out. Saturday looks like a garbage weather day and I'll need make a game day decision on a drive to Whitney Point mid morning.

Please accept my condolences. I'm very sad to hear this. My father is almost 84 and in poor health and I dread the day. He told me this one day not long ago after receiving last rights and I told him, "I'm not ready pop" He looked me dead in the eye and said, "This is how it's supposed to be son. You're a parent, I know you understand, I don't want to bury another child." I understand. I also know that there's not much solace in most words written here, but I would be OK leaving this life that way, with a deer and my sons.

Fat lady took off my hunting clothes and put them in the washer. She also wiped down my rifle and shotgun and put them away. She didn't take my muzzleloader yet so I'll see you tomorrow. 2 years in a row, did not even shoot at a deer. Never had one in scope. Bad year- just found out that our neighbor to south has killed 15 deer since June!! His family lives off them. We pay a pretty penny for 60 acres of woods which doesn't really hold the deer. We've seen a steady decline and I'm not planting any feed to draw deer into a poacher. Thankfully I have just secured about 400 acres of hillside in Whitney Point.

The hardest tracking for me is when they hit the overgrown fields and it's night. You have to be extremely careful with knocking over the weeds and grass the deer may brush up against. I have tracked countless deer and lost some and found some I shouldn't have.

I hit a mature 8 point a little high in the shoulder from 40 yards with my bow. I knocked it ass over tea kettle and he took off with the arrow. I KNEW it was a shoulder shot since it didn't penetrate much and it sounded like I hit a piece of plywood. It took me a while to gather my friends out of their stands but within an hour we were on it. We had great blood and it laid down within 100 yards, but got up, still bleeding and left the comfort of the woods for some field running, tracking was tough so we kept guessing and would find the trail on the edges of the woods. Blood actually got heavier and you could see where he fell a couple times. After 2.5 hours of tracking we finally saw him and he was bleeding pretty good and only a piece of the arrow sticking out. We set up a small ambush and pushed him to a friend who arrowed him real good. We found that my arrow had initially lodged in his shoulder blade, then he must have fell on it because it became dislodged and sliced him wide open (hence the uncontrolled bleeding). I offered the deer to my buddy who refused saying that "is what hunting is all about"

My area on tughill will be getting slammed, Montague 6N, closed on Sunday. I logged 0.0 hours in woods there this year. With that in mind. I will be out in 7M Friday and Saturday and 7 F Sunday. Have not fired a gun at a deer in 2 years. I did get a weird looking 5 point with my crossbow this year. We're also going to look at a piece of property near Whitney Point that could be our new home. I will make a separate post on access, neighbor problems. Muzzleload season I will be all over but out and about

This map is great to locate state land to hunt. It's got roads, hunting spots, terrain, etc. http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/45415.html Find a spot, park and go in deep.

After 3 years I finally got mine back this hunting season. Had an acquaintance offer to do mine for free. Was so happy I bought him a bottle of expensive booze. He then decided to beat up his baby momma, move 3 times, and try to extort cash, which I balked but said, "bring me the skull, I'll pay" A friend saw it in a pile of his junk at a family member's home and just snagged it (it had unique brow tines). It's nose cavity was broken (looks rustic now) but otherwise it looks great. It's too bad, the guy is a great hunter, but essentially one of the bigger scum bags I've ever met. Yours look great Chris W

Not very much movement in 7 M at all. Wasn't in woods from 10-12:30. Only about 5 shots heard all day. Glad to hear they're moving elsewhere.

Ha- I'm having a Treehouse Green in your honor- if you're still awake...

Went to my spot in 7M today and got to the stand about 2:15. facing downhill, directly in the wind. About 4 the wind picks up and it snows, hard for a while, coating the ground a nice gray. I was thinking perfect, I'll spot any movement. Not 10 minutes later there's movement but it's off almost behind me. I pick up binoculars and I can't quite pick it up in the really thick stuff. I'm not using my scope because I am 502 feet behind a pain in the ass (who is in law enforcement and decided to shoot into the woods a few weeks back knowing we were bow hunting- another time I'll discuss). I lose it. Did it bed? I can't believe it hasn't winded me. Whatever it was, was big. Found his tracks on way out where he crossed, running. Just glad they're out. Nice buck Rockspec...

What will break me? Physically not being able to do it any more. In early 2011 I ran out of patience with my nephew and sons, running up a ladder to a roof to physically show them what needed to be done. I broke all my own safety rules and only had one foot on the roof when the ladder slid, I fell into and down we went. Two vertebrae were "burst compression" fractures and two other lumbar vertebrae were fractured. I was lucky I could walk again. Today I struggle with pain in my hip, leg, feet due to the narrowing of my spinal column and lack of any discs at L 3-4-5. However, I still hunt as much as possible. I walk slower, move more in my stand and my excitement wanes a bit but I still love it. I have a Ranger for my spot near Truxton (very hilly, steep) and a 4 wheeler for my spot on the tug hill, but 2016 was the first year I did not even unpack my gear on the hill. Opening weekend saw 3 inches of rain and I needed to address flooding issues. Thanksgiving saw over 3 feet of snow on the ground. I'm only 52 and will hunt til I can't, but I already don't climb trees or walk crazy steep hills because its not safe for me to do so. What I am currently looking for is land to hunt that is reasonably accessible. So, I'm not giving up yet.

This same exact thing happened to me but it was about 20 years ago, during bow. It was also in an overgrown field that was hill like. My buddy was with his 8 year old son and they were stalking the same deer I was in the overgrown field. There were a few of the drainage type ravines, ditches in the field. The buck was upwind and not even looking our way. Losing sight a few times as I got closer, I'd have to glass the field from barely over grass/ scrub bush stuff. I was within 40 yards and I decided I would find him and try to get him to stand. As I was looking I saw movement to my left and I swore it was a deer within 30 feet of me, in the tall thick stuff. Matt was wearing a brown hat with gray on it. I turned with my bow up and then picked up his dad at a full draw. I looked at where the deer was and he was getting the hell out of there. I killed him the next weekend. 138 inch 10 point. I miss the days that I could do that

Then you're doing QDM the only way it can be done properly, with big plots (total!!). It's not working if there's not many deer there and it is not only about the bucks. This can work. I'm not sure it should be mandatory anywhere in NY because the aim is to manage the herd. Access to hunting lands is the biggest threat hunting faces, not AR.

My days of seeing a big buck and actually pursuing him all season are over due to the limitations on where I have access. I used to hunt over 200 acres near Rushville NY and there were always big deer to hunt. Even then, they'd get killed a half a mile away. I have 60 acres, none of it the best habitat. I am looking for more. Hunting is becoming a rich man's game and many won't or can't pay.

more info in this report http://news10.com/2016/11/29/new-york-encon-officer-shot-in-leg-while-responding-to-shots-fired-report/

http://midhudsonnews.com/News/2016/November/29/HuntingAcci-29Dec16.htm Appears true- sad news. Hope he's doing OK

Seeing reports on social media, no official news releases, nor reports from credible sources. This was what was on Facebook post "Prayers needed for an Encon officer Shot by a hunter in Columbia CountyTrauma center" I hope this is wrong

I can let bucks pass, and I did on opening day. This topic is like arguing religion and politics. I studied QDM for years. It's not only antlers, its herd management. I have 55-60 acre plots of land to hunt, I lost my big acreage to development and another patch to a family members retirement needs ($$$$$) so my days of actually hunting a big buck over. I get lucky and one passes through but actually spending bow into gun season, its not happening. So, I fill the freezer first. So that allows me to pass on the little guys. As season wears on, I am less selective