Slugger09

I like in Westbury but primarily hunt delaware country. I get out a few times during the season to suffolk, but I'm not a big fan of hunting out there.

I'm from nassau, primarily hunt delaware county but during the week I go out east. I agree that the sawyer products work, hunted quite a few times without any problems with ticks or chiggers. Only thing I don't like about the suffolk public lands is the pressure. I'll be in a stand for a few hours and depending I almost always see other hunters walking through ruining the hunt.

I'll be in the stand an hour before sunrise, and stay in the stand the whole day. Once in a while if nothings moving I'll head back to the cabin for lunch. During gun season I may take a walk in the middle of the day to stretch my legs, but I try as hard as I can to stay in the stand all day. I always have 2 big pee bottles and a lot of sandwiches and water bottles. I usually stay in the stand until I can't see anything at night.

Probably about 10-20 yards. I have a pin set up for 40 yards, but wouldn't feel too confident taking that shot.

Last week I cleared lanes, made sure my stand was ready to go. I've been shooting for a few weeks now and I'm right on target. The cabin is all ready to go with fire wood. Now I just have to stay patient...1 month seems so close yet so far.

Last few years I used Rocket steelheads 100 Grain. They flew just like field tips and put a nice sized hole deers and bear. This year I'm using Trophy Ridge Sidewinder 100 grain. Pretty much the same head.

This is a farely recent article from newsday on Long Island about using the deer decoy. Kaitlin Grady heard a sound, stiffened and whispered, "Car!" She and fellow state Department of Environmental Conservation police officer Josh Verhague flattened themselves against a Calverton hillside and waited. Soon, a blue SUV came bumping down a dirt road and slowed in front of the officers. Verhague fingered a remote-control unit, and a deer on the opposite slope pivoted its head. Its tail would have swished, too, if the mechanism hadn't been damaged by a poacher's shot. But being shot at by poachers was the reason the deer was there. Buckshot, as it has been named by the DEC cops, is a $1,300 hybrid: the hide of a real deer covering a foam body containing remote-control motors. Since the DEC purchased Buckshot three years ago to flush out poachers hunting out of season or in prohibited areas, the decoy has helped nail four shooters, one for each slug hole in its hide. But the driver of the blue SUV never stopped. So the officers continued their stakeout. Temperatures had sunk below freezing when the team, headed by DEC Lt. Dallas Bengel, arrived in Calverton around 6:30 a.m. during the last week of the monthlong deer season that ended Jan. 29. Buckshot helps the DEC catch people "roadhunting" - shooting from a road. The practice is not only illegal but "a very dangerous activity" because other people on the road or in the area might be shot, Bengel said. "A couple of bad apples hurt the whole sport," said Bengel, who hunts for deer himself with bow and shotgun. "We're after those bad apples." It's a misdemeanor to shoot from a roadway, shoot from a vehicle or have a loaded gun in a vehicle. The penalties include loss of a hunting license and thousands of dollars in fines. Bengel and his team selected an area near a condominium complex where hunting is never allowed. They carried the 40-pound mechanical deer up a hill behind a yellow sign that read "Restricted area. No hunting," positioned him on the frost-covered leaves and tested the remote control. "We think it doesn't look that realistic, but apparently the poachers do," Bengel said. "The movement is what gets them," Verhague added. About 6:45 a.m., Grady and Verhague climbed 50 yards up the opposite slope to be out of the line of fire and moved some branches to conceal their position. Officers Dustin Oliver and Jeremy Eastwood drove their vehicles off in different directions so they could box in a poacher. Although their breath was visible in the frigid air, the officers shrugged off the cold. "You get used to it," Verhague said. "And you dress for the occasion." "It could be a lot colder," Grady added. "And you don't have to worry about ticks because it's too late in the year." Bengel describes stakeout duty with Buckshot as "hours of boredom" broken up by occasional "frantic activity." While they wait, Verhague and Grady discussed the reaction of those caught in a "takedown" if they shoot at the decoy, often after making multiple passes to scope out the situation. "They're kind of in shock when the deer doesn't fall down," Grady said. "Sometimes, they take a second shot because they think they missed." The blue SUV was the only vehicle to come along until 8:30 when Verhague hears something and says, "There's a truck!" He and Grady flatten themselves until they realize it's one of the DEC chase vehicles. Bengel decided to call it a day. As they carried Buckshot back to a truck, Bengel said the DEC's use of the decoy is widely known. "It's the worst-kept secret in the hunting community," he said. "But it seems like the poachers get caught up in the moment."

I'm still a beginner hunter, but opening day of bow season has been very lucky for me, 2 deer and 1 bear. My other deer was the week after thanksgiving. All were shot at around 8:30am.

I am up and down through out the day to keep the legs from being stiff. But usually when I see a deer during bow season I stand the second I lay eyes on him to prepare for the shot, since it's easier for me to shoot the bow standing. During gun season I stay seated since I use the gun rest on my stand to shoot.

Shot opening day -Gun season

4W