nybuckboy

In the old days you walked until you picked up a track of a big buck and you walked and walked and walked until you got an opportunity for a shot. That was before all the land was posted and you were welcome to walk a mile or two after a good deer. nowadays you’re lucky if you can walk a quarter of a mile before you’re on posted land unless you happen to be on state land.

It appears that I probably should reacess my sighting. I use 2 pellets and 270 gr power belts. I do have areas where I sit that are easily 150 yds though. I do like the idea of citing it at the 50 yard distance though, and perhaps 2 inches high at 50 might be more suitable for my area.

How does everyone sight their muzzleloader? I have mine about 2.5 " - 3" high at 80 yds. Is there a better way?

I guess I should have been more clear - Snow and a light wind Or 45 and rain.

Would rather be on stand on a 45 degree rainy day or a 15-20 degree snow and windy day?

No, but I have passed up killing a small bucks and does because there’s just as much work involved with little bucks and does as there is with a trophy buck. I hunt for mature bucks first because I can always get meat later.

No doubt about... the original variant that started it all in March of 2020 was the most potent strain and each strain thereafter was weaker. That's not to say if you have a compromised immune system you can't still die or become very sick but generally you will recover quickly w/o a lot after affects. I lost my sis in law Oct 29/21 in just 3 short days. She was obese, diabetic and heart ailments... poof - gone!

North country- (use the very small bleat can) walk slowly but not like still hunting, and every 50 - 60 yards or so and turn the can over just once.

Last Wednesday I decide to make a push to a friend and was going to make a wide round circle and stay about 30-50 yds inside the field edge. After I got away from my friend several hundred yards I decide to walk with the small doe bleat can in my hand and every 50 or so steps turn the bleat can over once. Sure enough not to far into my walk as I was heading down into a gully... from across the gully I hear walking and tending grunts. The buck was coming down the opposite side of the gully so I stood next to a tree and waited for him to come into sight. With snow the ground and with binos I could see a deer and identify horns through the trees. I dropped down on one knee and raised my rifle and through scope could see what he was. Turns out be small 8 with decent G2's (5-6") but just a crab claws on each side. I decided to let him go and he kept coming up my side of the gully saw me and took off. When I got down in the bottom of the gully I was overcome with the raunchy smell of rutting buck. I decide to continue my slow push and turn the bleat can over every 50 or so steps and didn't realize that at some point I began to push 8 doe ahead of me because when I got back to my friends stand he said - "well that worked out well, you pushed out 8 doe. They would only trot about 100 feet or so and turn around and look back, then trot another 100 feet and turn around and look back then finally they ran off." He said that I only came into sight not a minute after they fled.

Thats great if you have someone who can come in to pick you up and move the deer out but I don't. That said I think that's a good way providing you can get to the field.

How do you handle leaving the stand at last light with deer in the field? Do you wait it out half an hour or more or do you just quietly get down and leave? What if it’s one deer that you have no interest in shooting?

Go right back tomorrow... he will still be around and the same thing could happen again.

This weekend should be the start of bucks on their feet in the daytime action! Should be about 32 degrees each morning at daylight. I plan to hunt each morning starting Friday morning. Good luck to everyone!

As long as you are well enough to get out and sit, do it! Quarantined to the woods. I'd do it.

I know many of us know this but thought I'd share anyway for those that don't. If you figure in NY State, most fawns are born from mid-May through mid-June, then you can assume that June 1st would be the prime day for fawn births. Count back 202 days for gestation to November 11 (prime day) so the first heat comes in about 2 weeks earlier or October 28th until November 25th each year.

I went on a bow hunt in Illinois in 2009. Requirement to hunt was you must have and wear a harness. I found that after wearing it all week it really wasn't a problem to put it on nor was it uncomfortable. SO when I got back I bought one for my son who was turning 17 and we always wear one now everytime.

I think if a hunter concentrates on these 3 types of locations (draws, saddles and benches), they will have the best opportunity to kill a great buck every year. Agree, disagree or other?

By far the slowest season I can recall in all the years I've bow hunted since 2000. I have never had so many hours with out seeing a deer, let alone a buck, on the hoof during hours in the stand. I've sat different stands at different times to no avail. The best 2 days for action were for my son Nov 4 & 5. On the 5th I saw every deer he saw but from a distance.

I get the "want to use" in using a rifle but unless you are sitting on a field edge can anyone think of a better weapon for a whitetail than a 12 g slug. I've often said there is nothing more powerful inside than a 12 g slug inside 50 yards... maybe an elephant gun.

ha ha ha

When setting up a climber or hang on stand how high will you go. I saw a stand well over 25' up the other day.

let em bark!

Do you let em out quietly or let em bark!

What kind of activity are you seeing either on camera or in the stand action?

To bad it wasn't Nov 1st