Caveman

As long as there's nothing pressing going on for school, I'll be there.

Thanks a lot everyone in this thread. I'm going to get back to the PM's this afternoon. 1 thing to be clear though, I'm grateful for your kind words about my success so far and I'm in no way considering giving up hunting. I enjoy every second I spend in the woods and realize I've gotten off to a better start than most. I'm just realizing I missed out on something valuable by not having someone to learn from is all.

Thanks guys, it's not so much that I think I'm doing it wrong, it's that I don't even know what I'm looking for and if I did, I probably wouldn't know I found it when I did. And I know that 2 deer in three years is good but I can in no way attribute that to skill. I got a button buck two years ago when a guy I work with took pity on me the last weekend of ML and put me on a trail on his friend's farm. Then the next year I set up on tree with no real strategic planning, simply because it was easy in my climber, and a small 6 point happened to walk by so I arrowed him. Sometimes dumb luck is as good as skill but it would be nice to feel like I know what I'm doing.

I'm 23 and I've been hunting for 3 years now. In that time I've killed 2 deer, 1 ML and 1 bow, predominantly through blind luck. I'm the first hunter in my family so I attempted to teach myself which I've learned is not the most efficient way. So I have a proposition: Is there anyone who knows how to scout in the Western NY area who would be willing to take me out on a scouting trip for a day and show me what you're looking for, what you're seeing, why you're looking for it, etc.? I'm not looking for a hunting buddy or permission for land, or anything like that. I'd just like (in the offseason) a hands-on crash course in scouting so I know when I don't kill deer in the future it's not because they're not there. I'd be willing to reimburse you with an equivalent amount of labor as instructional time. I have a good attitude and a strong back so I can split wood, hang signs, move stands, trim lanes, whatever can help you out. Also, I know people are weary of strangers these days, and rightfully so given the number of thefts, trespassers, etc. I'd be willing to meet up for lunch/coffee/beer beforehand to put anyone's mind at relative ease. Again, no ulterior motives, I just don't want to stagger aimlessly through the woods anymore like a blind squirrel hoping to find a nut.

I found this hilarious for some reason. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

No, real hunters chase them down, jump onto their backs, and bite their necks. If you use a club you can't even call yourself a hunter.

Yes, if you don't hunt how he hunts, you're not a real hunter.

1st sit of the year. No movement yet. Another hunter passed me at 5 yards and busted something 40 yards to my right but it was still too dark to see what it was.

1st sit of the year. No movement yet. Another hunter passed me at 5 yards and busted something 40 yards to my right but it was still too dark to see what it was.

There was a F&S article not too long ago. A company did a study on scent killers and cover scents using blood hounds. The results were that the cover scents didn't slow the dog down from detecting the human at all. The cover scents confused him for a little bit but not much. I'll post the article if I can find it.

Not true. State forests (if that's what we're dealing with) allow target shooting on the conditions that your target is not something that will be left behind (glass bottles and clay pigeons) and you're not intentionally damaging state property (tacking your target to a living tree).

So you don't agree?

I'm not saying you need to cry or become a vegetarian. But we should keep in mind that we are in the woods to extinguish a life. As creatures aware of our own mortality we should be especially empathic if for no reason other that we appreciate our own lives (something most predators are incapable of). Again, I am always excited to fill a tag. But I have not killed one animal when my excitement wasn't tempered by a sense of respect for my quarry and an odd sadness at what I had to do to continue my own life. I don't think that makes me any less of a man or any less of a hunter to admit that.

I came across this article while surfing field and stream. It sums up what I've been trying to articulate to other hunters for some time. What are your thoughts? http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/gun-nuts/2013/09/presence-death

Sorry to revive this thread but does anyone know how this change is going to change the permit/tag structure? I get how the licenses change but I can't find anything about tags.

I replace my car every 2.5-3 years. Not because there's anything wrong with them, just because I get bored and need something new. I do all the work myself unless it's completely out of my comfort zone. My last truck had 164,000 on it when I traded it. Not super high mileage but high enough.

I got 9m and 9h. Unfortunately my landowner permission in 9h may have been revoked as the old lady forgot she gave me permission and now has to "consider it." Oh well, what are you gonna do?

I don't doubt there are well-adjusted lawyers out there. I just mean that if the way I felt every morning this summer is how I have to feel every morning about going to work for the next 50 years, I won't be one of them.

For those asking I'm a 2nd year law student. The problem is I'm really good at this. I'm second in my class, law review, and teach legal research and writing to both inmates in the NYSDOCS and undergrads. I have the grades, qualifications, and work ethic to go just about anywhere around here I want to. The problem is this field is completely incompatible with what I truly want out of life. I want to wake up and not be completely pissed that I have to go work that day (not including hunting season as that would be an unrealistic expectation). I'm not greedy, I just want enough money to take care of my family and put some away for retirement. I look at my internships and everyone is miserable. It's a saturated market and they're all overworked and either depressed, alcoholics, or divorced (or a combination of the three). I woke up every day this summer and absolutely dreaded going to work. Before this I was an EMT in the City of Buffalo and worked 60 hours a week for $10/hr. I know that's not the life I want to go back to. I'd love to teach research and writing to 1st year law students. The problem with that is those jobs are hard to get, and if it doesn't work out the odds are you're going to be stuck just being a lawyer. There's also the money aspect of my education. I've already taken out 50K in loans for school so I feel like I might as well see it through since I'm already in for 2/3 of what it will cost to finish my degree.

I'm 23 and having serious doubts about my chosen career path. Anyone 45+ (I know you're not technically an old-timer but by now you should be able to contribute to this) want to share: 1) What you do for a living; 2) How you got into it; 3) If given the chance, would you do it again? Or would you pursue something else? I'm just curious how many people out there are happy with the decisions they made at my age.

I know there are special rules for WMA's. At this point I think it's easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.

I spoke with my cousin beforehand (Lt. in the NYS Forest Rangers) just to be sure, and he said you can leave a stand on state land 2 weeks prior to opening as long as you tag it with your name and DOCS #. The regs book I was reading says the rule requiring you to remove what you bring exempts non-permanent tree stands. There are actually quite a few threads on this site discussing it too. If you have info to the contrary please post it. I don't mean that in a confrontational way, I just want to know if I should go remove it before Cuomo auctions it off to fund more communist legislation.

I went out on the state land by me today and hung a cheap comfort zone hang on. I found a promising spot where two trails converge and enter an old overgrown orchard and I set up 15 yards off it. Unfortunately it's a fairly obvious spot for other hunters and I have a feeling when I go back on opening day I'm going to find my tree sans tree stand. Oh well, I knew it was a gamble when a hung it, that's why I use cheap stands.

Be thankful for the time in the woods with your boy. I've had family in town this weekend and haven't made it out yet at all. Hoping to get out tomorrow morning in 9m.

What's the smallest round you would consider sufficient for coyotes? I'd like to preserve the pelts so I'm not keen on using my deer rifle. Is a well placed .17 HMR ok in your opinion?