Caveman

I need a new string and cables on my bow and after polling everyone at work about their shop of choice Flying Arrows and Brown's were the top two. Which would you recommend over the other?

Ok I'm kind of embarrassed to ask this question as it undoubtedly makes me look like a noob. I've only been hunting for a few years and in the past I've hunted on my cousin's property back in WNY so figuring out where I can and can't hunt was never a problem. Well, I recently moved out the Albany and I realized I'm on my own and have no idea how to decipher the DEC's regulations on where to hunt. About the maps in the syllabus, can you hunt in any area that's DEC lands that are that light green color? If so how will i know where they are? Will they be posted in any way? If you couldn't tell I'm absolutely clueless, any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated guys.

I'm not sure that mindset would catch on Tony. Especially for those like myself who hunt state land. I see 8 points that are out of my comfortable range with a bow and I wish I could get another chance. But if a 4 point walks by in range later that day I still take him because every day more people fill tags on the land I'm hunting and my chances of seeing that 8 point again get that much slimmer.

Quite frankly I'm not really sure what the big deal is with Realtree this and Mossy Oak that. Everyone tramples each other for the latest and best, the most "realistic" camo pattern. My grandfather used to go out into the woods in Dickie's work pants and a plaid flannel shirt and he always got his deer. I'm not saying that camo isn't effective. I'm not sure anyone can make an argument for that but is it really as important as we all make it out to be?

The problem is that a lot of it depends on the store manager. Some will sell at really low prices just to get last year's stock the hell out of the store. Others, like my new manager, refuse to sell anything cheap for some reason. Case in point, we were selling 2 types of backpacks. They were both field and stream, one was $70 marked down to $9.98 and the other was $50 down to $5.98. I bought two of each at those prices and the next day when the manager found out he had all the prices changed back to about %25 off. It really depends on what store you're near and who's running it.

A guy I work with got a $400 lone Wolf climber for 100 bucks last year. One more perk to working there, first crack at clearance merchandise.

Dick's is just starting to get theirs in now. Kinda late for my liking but then again we've had it all in the backroom for a month and we just now got the word to put it on the shelves. Clearly no one at corporate is a hunter.

Hey guys, I'm looking to get into muzzle loading so I can get a little more accuracy in gun season. The problem is I don't know a thing about it. What will I need to get started and what tips do you all have for a beginner?

I shoot the Nova. As a bow I like it a lot. I got it at Bass Pro a few years back for around 250 all set up. One thing to watch for though, I hear the guys at PSE are real pricks with their warranty service. I work the lodge at Dick's and I hear horror stories about their customer service on a daily basis. If you want to perform your own services this won't be a problem for you. All in all though, it's a great beginner bow to get started with.

WNYBuckHunter, I apologize if I offended you. By having an open mind and not looking down on me for the deer I harvest you are showing me that you aren't one of the people I was talking about. To each his own, words to live by. I would love to hold out for larger deer, but with my situation, public land and an empty belly, I need to take what I can get. By the way, what part of WNY are you in? I live in Albany now while I'm in school but I grew up in the Buffalo area.

I'll ruin the surprise now and tell you there's nothing impressive hanging on my wall lol. But I probably look at the meat in my freezer and the knowledge that I am self-sufficient with more pride than I would when looking at antlers on the wall.

Holier than thou hunters irritate me. The guys who turn up their noses at your spike because it's not a trophy. I am a 20 year old college student. I pay my own bills, rent, etc. Part of the reason why I hunt is because the meat it gives me really helps cut down my food expenses so if a spike walks by me I harvest him. I see no reason to be ashamed. Not all of us want antlers on a wall some just want venison on the table and memories in the woods. I work just as hard for my spike as they do for their 8 point yet they look at me with the same disdain they would give a poacher.

I always use camo paint. I feel like a facemask gets in the way especially with my bowstring. I think the paint is just a lot easier. But yeah, deer definitely pick up a human face. Gotta camo it up one way or another.

Bow season: 60# PSE Nova Hunter, Easton Raider Carbon Arrows, 100 gr. Rage 2-blade broadheads Shotgun season: Remington 870 12 ga., smoothbore with saddle-mounted red dot scope (also my turkey gun)(also waterfowl after removing the scope and mount) Rifle: 1942 Mosin-Nagant 91/30 w/ iron sights....currently saving for a Marlin 336 in .30-30 Small-game: Ruger 10/22 w/ Tasco 3-9x32 scope Upland: saving for a Stoeger uplander in 20 ga

Ok, I may be a traditionalist but that's a good looking firearm!

I've never been a fan or sporterized milsurp rifles, I'm more of a traditionalist I suppose. But hey, to each his own.

Just because a store sells them doesn't make it legal. The Gander Mountain I used to shop at back in Buffalo sold Acorn powder deer attractant. Definitely not legal in this state but still sold.

.303 British? I take it you're using the old Lee Enfield?

In archery season it's just plain camo but any time gun hunting is legal I wear the vest over my jacket. Also I bring my orange vest in archery season because I prefer to sling my deer over my shoulders rather than drag it out. Wrapping my blaze orange vest around the carcass makes me feel a little better.

Doc, my uncle bought a used Ithaca Deerslayer when he was 18 and hasn't used another shotgun since. That was over 30 years ago. He describes it the same way, adequate. I feel the same way about my Remington 870. It is not flashy, it isn't light, it isn't the pinnacle of modern ballistic technology. But it's tough, reliable, and it gets the job done. It's probably the only slug gun I'll ever use, until I hand it down to my future children that is. Even then, I'll probably just buy another 870!

My point exactly Doc. And the worst part is that these people seem to represent all other hunters in the eyes of John Q. Public. It gives the anti's more ammunition to portray us as a bunch of drunk blood thirsty rednecks who get off on killing. I'm of the opinion that a true hunter takes more pleasure in the hunt than he does in the kill. Not so for these guys.

Yeah, I've heard that about Pine Bush. I work in the lodge at Dick's sporting goods in Latham so I get to talk to a lot of Capital District outdoorsmen (dream job for a sportsman by the way). Anyway everyone I talk to seems to tell me there's a ton of deer in Pine Bush, and big ones too. They also tell me there's a real tick problem and that it's crowded. The one guy I work with told me to beat that just hike in aways. Everyone sets up shop within a quarter mile of the road. I really need to give Pine Bush a try though. I live right there in Colonie and I could probably be in my stand within 10 minutes of leaving the house.

Does anyone here besides myself hunt with old Milsurp (military surplus) rifles? I myself hunt with an old Mosin-Nagant 91/30. For those who aren't familiar with these guns it was the standard issue Russian Infantry rifle from the late 1800's until the 1965. It fires a 7.62x54r round. It's comparable to something between .308 and .30-06 Springfield. I got it at a gun show for $120 and ammo is pretty dirt cheap too. Works every bit as well as the $800 Remington 700's too. My only complaint is that it's a boat anchor. Unloaded weight nearing 9 pounds. So how about you guys? Anyone else here have an affinity for hunting with a piece of history?

Yeah I've been trying to decipher the DEC website for a few years now. I was lucky enough back in Buffalo to have family with land to hunt on. To make things better that family member was my cousin who is the Region 9 zone supervisor for the NYS Forest Rangers. I think I'm just going to call a Region 4 Forest Ranger and get it straight from the horse's mouth. Whereabouts near Saratoga are you anyway? My roommate this past year at UA was from Ballston Spa, not too far away if my geography is correct.

I'm tired of seeing hunting shows that take place on high fence ranches in Texas. They've got 9 box blinds set up all over the property with 700 yard long shooting lanes cut back which more resemble dirt roads than the outdoors. Then they spread out some sort of attractant which brings in every deer for miles. Finally the guide picks out a deer for the hunter to shoot and it's just a chip shot for the guy with a .338 Lapua Mag which drops the deer in its tracks and they all celebrate as though it's some sort of an accomplishment. I want to see average Joe's out there trying to bowhunt public land sitting in a stand miserable in January because they still have a tag and it's getting late. Basically i want to see something realistic and sporting. I'm tired of long-range target shooting with live deer as the targets.