upstate

Good luck today, hope you get a big one, make sure you stop by the deer check station

Pouring here and I am whipped. I'll scout all summer.

I miss the days when I would sit in a tree stand with my boys. My oldest, who loves to hunt, was about 7 when I would take him out with a bow. One of the first times we went out about 6 AM and he was excited and the deer had just starting to see the bucks chase. The spot we were in was a place I used to call the game farm, it was nothing to see 50 deer in the various fields around this farm. First thing we kicked a dozen or more deer out on our way back to the stand and he was upset. About 30 minutes after day break we saw our first little buck chasing a doe and he could hear it grunting. Shortly afterwards he thought I should shoot a doe that was with a fawn. But I explained that the land owner wanted bucks only taken, preferably mature ones. So he was mad. We stayed until noon and he got to watch a big 8 point, in the woods behind us (we sat in an "island of trees" about 80 yards from the woods and swamps, surrounded by fields and other thickets) check out and push a couple of doe. Then he saw another buck and he was just a bit smaller and his ears were back. They fought for a while and the smaller one took off. The larger buck then made a series of scrapes, licking branches, making rubs. We watched him for an hour. He did not seem all that excited. About a week later he gave me his art drawing which was awesome, I still have it somewhere. It was a picture of us watching the deer, showed us in a stand, bucks sparring and doing rubs and scrapes. I miss those days. Enjoy them while you can

First time since I've ever been hunting deer that I never even took a shot at a deer. Never even pulled up my bow. Only had 2 deer in crosshairs. One, running flat out, the other a doe, in the Adirondacks.

One shot, when she's close, will get her attention, and remind her that it's deer season and that there's hunters out there. Now, if she's pasted in orange, she knows, she doesn't care. These people exist.

250 grain 100 gr powder. it would have been like throwing a rock at it.... a pointy one

Was out ALL day in 7F. Buddy passed on a button buck mid day. At 4:25 finally saw deer in the upper, upper field. A Nice buck with 2 doe. Thing is it was 440 yards out. I checked the chart. I needed to be 137.5 inches high to hit the target. Lol Headed to 7 M for last hoorah!!

With a windy forecast you're wasting your time in a stand for long periods. Get up and move around a bit.

Which is why I tell gun hunters they don't know what they're missing. Bow season is great but tough because harvesting can be very tough. But you get to see deer in the natural environment. Not spooked. I'm also a firm believer that bow hunting makes you a better gun hunter. You're more patient. See the woods differently. But that's just me.

Where in 7A? I'm in Caughdenoy area. I don't understand why people think that taking other people's things us ok. The area I hunt in 7M, near Solon is quite rural. There's a section of the land I lease, and other areas of the state land that people use to dump garbage. Tires, mattresses, just junk. I had to call the owner to report new dumping just two years ago. I just don't understand people's behavior any more.

This is a big factor in deer sightings. Organized still hunts works much better than drives per se. The days of banging pans, bells, whistles, barking and shouting are over. I showed one of the biggest advocate of such drives the brutal truth when we watched two 140 inch bucks simply wait out the drivers and sneak through the drive. We take hours to walk over grown fields , woods and trash lots. The deer eventually roll out. As a walker you know where you are, as well as guys next to you. You know where stands are. You are safe or you don't come back. I've watched family get excluded from hunting because they don't stay in line. Of course, we don't have the land to do this any longer. Long story short Hunter access and lack of hunting and hunters is huge part of the issue. Sitting all day is just that, sitting.

Quiet as hell this AM in southern Oswego County. Had some behind me 20 minutes ago. Never got a good look. First morning out with smoke pole. Looking for a deer, any deer, of any size, to come through. Worst season I've had in 30 years of deer hunting. Killed 2 with vehicles. That's it.

My father still lives in Ogdensburg. I went to school in Canton. HATE the drive up Rt 11, some of those small towns are 10-11 miles long! I usually take 81 to 12 to get to Dad's. He still owns a diner up there.

My experience has been a little different with whitetails. Sure, if they're pressured or have been pressured they'll run like hell. But in the Adirondacks and Tughill I've seen them spook and run, but not very far, usually 40-50 yards and typically trying to get downwind in order to assess. These deer rarely see humans..

Great story. I was born and raised in an upstate city and never knew anyone that hunted. Joined the Marines at 18 and came home as a reservist at 20, went to school and had a couple of fraternity brothers that hunted. Then I met my future in laws. 388 acres and a huge cabin on the tughill. First time out I killed a 6 point 200 yards behind the outhouse! First time out, first shot! Then it took me 6 years to get another.... Glad that you picked up the sport. That is a late season beauty buck. I'd mount that head because you never know when you'll get another one. You'll know you love hunting when you can't wait for next season, even when your season sucked (mine did- never drew bow back and only had one running deer in my crosshairs).... Good luck, those deer are much better than Wegmans

Regular season tag is for soup. I still have a tough southern muzzle tag to fill.

We walked for miles today. Went into areas we lay off. Pushed a nice 7 point to my nephew who wasn't ready until he was right on top of him. Shot under him first time and dead into a tree on second. Oh well, was good to hear shooting

Man do I miss hunting Bare Hill near Rushville. Heard it was a weird year there as well. Good luck. I miss hunting the Finger Lakes area badly. Land is ridiculously priced. I remember when farmers had , "welcome hunters" out front and you could go and hunt.

And here we go!! Off to the town of Solon in 7M today since 7 A and F was a dud yesterday! I'm sure muzzleloading season will be better , ha ha

I have a buddy who when deep, DEEP on state land can get them quartered and deboned in about 30-45 minutes.. He will pack them out. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it.

There are truly some special assholes out there. Is it any wonder we can't find access? Who, in their right mind, would let assholes like that hunt??

. We're in Caughdenoy area. Just on edge. Headed to 7F next.

Gotta love the neighbor who thinks it's just fine to sit on a stand that isn't theirs and is on posted property. The good news was he took his 8 year old daughter. The bad news is he's teaching his kid to be a shit bag.

Here in 7A. Can hear a mouse fart. More shots this AM than I've heard since opener. Somebody is seeing them.

38 and no wind here in Central Square. Headed over for some pushes, at first light, in 7A, then skip across river to 7F. Now if I can just get these damn kids to slow down and stay in line on these walks.... or we'll be all done by 9 AM and just talk about the running deer.