ApexerER

Well, I am going to answer honestly and say that I would have 100% probably emptied my gun at that running deer when I was younger. Even more honestly saying I am not even sure if I would have been aiming...I hunted a lot of years being the type of hunter that you all hate. I stumbled around the woods having no idea what I was doing and had nobody really to teach me what I was doing. When I think about it now it seems so stupid and I have learned a lot and still have a lot to learn. Now there is no way I would take that shot and most likely wouldn't be able to shoot if it was standing broadside at 25 yards because I would be shaking so badly I wouldn't be able to settle the crosshairs. If anyone needs a list of what not to do as a hunter, I could probably help more than anyone on this forum.

Grow, just out of curiosity, I have seen you mention that you grow hemp numerous times. Is that grown for the deer? For Food or Cover? Or do you process it and make things out of it? You are the only person I have ever seen mention it as part of a food plot so I was just curious...

All of my hunting buddies do this as well....I never have been able too. When I shot my buck on opening day last year and said I had a buck down everyone was texting me back....How many points? I said, I have no idea but he is wide....Maybe it will be different for me this year, I am finally hunting with a good set of Binos and realize I should have had a good set of Binos a long time ago. Wouldn't have made a difference on that buck though...Never would have touched the Binos the way it unfolded...

Live from the office here in 5R....Looks like a perfect morning, still and cold with weather on the way in....Wish I was out there...good luck everyone!!

Wooly...no matter what life brings you I hope you don't leave the forum...I enjoy your posts and love your pictures...my father quit Hunting at least 15 years ago because he just decided he couldn't kill animals any more. He hunted a lot of years and only killed 3 deer that I know of...he always enjoyed the time at camp way more than Hunting....don't second guess your gut....

Buy a bow...I wish I did 25 years ago

Been in the tree since 3:30 for a rare (for me) evening sit and even rarer week day sit...I thought it would be perfect with the cool Temps and weather conditions tomorrow...this stupid wind is blowing much harder than I thought

My wife bought me a PSE Fang for Christmas last year when I mentioned it in a sale flyer. Then I saw the Barnett GameCrusher in another flyer and mentioned that one so my wife went out and purchased that one. (what a great wife) I didn't want to have a lot of $$ invested in a crossbow for a two week season which for me will equate to two days in the woods. I messed with both of them and decided I likeed the GameCrusher better (even though it was cheaper) and returned the Fang. I thought about returning both of them and buying a better crossbow but I couldn't justify the money. I will be hunting with the game crusher for the first time this season. I kept the Game Crusher because it felt a lot more natural to shoulder and because while the scope isn't great...it is 10x better than the one that came on the Fang. The Fang was faster by 20FPS. The scope that came on the Fang seemed like it belonged on a childs toy. I have read a lot of poor reviews on Barnett Crossbows. I hope this one serves me well a couple of times a year. If NY goes full inclusion I am sure I will want an upgrade...

Live from the office...I got all my gear in my truck and I can't wait to get out of here.....I figure with all the wind since last Friday...Today was too good to pass up. I am getting out of here around 2...Should be in my stand by 3:15.....Good luck everyone...

Now that's what its all about.....congrats....that kid will be hooked for life.....

This is what I have the biggest issue with.....Was your first buck you ever shot a so called Mature Whitetail? You have never in your life shot 1.5 yr old buck...even when you were 12 and out with your father? I guess if you haven't than awesome for you... I have killed some 1.5 yr old deer and I was super excited to get them....I mean beyond excited...knees knocking...shaking...just super pumped...Then if I came on here and was basically told why did I shoot that little *$%#@ deer...That would really bother me....we need more hunters to keep the tradition alive. Not belittling the ones that are out there. What point does that prove? Good for you, you have killed some beautiful deer. I will admit i wish my trophy room looked like that. Doesn't mean i wouldn't be happy for the guy that was excited about whatever deer he shot...

I have tried every doe bleat call while I could see a doe. Primos Can, Woodwise Hot Mamma, Woodwise Fawn Call. They never seem to care one way or the other. On a plus note I have never had them run off from the calls either. Just surprised there is no reaction at all. The don't even look my way...

I was expecting a lot more answers, so my question must either be stupid or nobody really knows. I think although what ChrisW said wasn't what I wanted to hear...It makes a lot of sense. Deer don't have to go on a walkabout to stay comfortable. Hadn't really thought about that before...

I wish I saw this earlier.....I wouldn't say Rotterdam is around the corner but it isn't far either. Please, if you do more of these in the future, post about them earlier, I would have loved to attend.

Lots of Great land in Ballston Lake...My inlaws have a farm in Ballston Lake that I would love to hunt but they won't allow me too (or any other hunters) But they don't do a thing about all the people that trespass. Sore subject for me...lol

That is a really good idea...I might steal that...

Some guys are just PIA's....You mean to tell me you couldn't go sit in a tree with your bow until 10am....walk back to your truck and swap your bow for your shotgun and small game hunt till 3...Then walk back and swap and sit in your stand until dark....What law would you be breaking...There are a lot of good DEC officers out there and then some just like to bust balls...

Now I have a lot to learn but going by rack size I would have thought that first deer was older....I guess 1.5 year old bucks can range pretty greatly in headgear...

I imagine hunting will be better than working no matter what days you pick!

Boy, I might have to find a piece of state land....I feel like we have to many guys on our hunting lease for how big it is and across the tracks from us there are a lot of hunters....Makes me wonder if I could find state land that is less pressured than the land I hunt....

Awesome job and great story! Congrats...

I think one of the cool things about deer hunting is everyone has an opinion and a little bit different way of doing things. We all enjoy being in the woods, so that right there should be common ground for all of us. My opinion on what will make me happy has changed just this season. Even though I hunted with my dad for about 10 years he wasn't a mentor for the woods. He was a guy that enjoyed hunting camp and would go out and sit on a stump for a couple of hours after breakfast. (I loved hunting camp) I tried to take hunting more seriously than the guys at camp did but I had no idea what I was doing. Since my Dad (retired from hunting) I have learned a lot. It took me a lot of years being in the woods before I killed my first buck. It was a 4pt and I was so proud that I finally did it that I seriously thought about getting it mounted. That was only a few years ago. DMP's were hard to come by and I didn't hunt with a bow. I think it was the following year that I killed another 4 pt on the last day of the season and I started thinking, WOW....20+ years hunting and two deer in a row...I was really excited..It got me excited enough that I purchased a bow, and started practicing, took the course and started bow hunting. My first year bow hunting I saw more deer than I ever have in my life including a few bucks but none were close enough to sling an arrow. This got me even more excited. Last year I harvested a big doe with the bow and that was awesome. Then I was able to get a 5pt with the bow (both posted in last years archery thread) and that was even more awesome. Not only was it the biggest deer I have ever gotten but I got it with a bow!. Then on opening day of rifle last year, at about 7:30 in the morning, I had a big 4 pt come in...He was really close (within bow range) and I decided to let him walk. I sat there and pondered the fact that I just let a deer walk that I would have been jumping up and down in my stand if I had gotten him only a few years ago. I was rewarded for letting that deer walk by shooting the 8pt in my avatar around 4pm that afternoon. When I walked over to that deer that I dropped in its tracks, I looked up and thanked god (and I am not very religious) and I had to keep myself from crying. That deer now hangs on the wall in my family room. It is also a deer that some people on this forum would have let walk and see what he became next year. So far this bow season, I have let a fat momma doe walk twice because she has a fawn with her. I let another doe go because it was a lone deer and I was having a very difficult time judging size (I know some people say it is easy) and I was pretty sure it was the fawn that I had been seeing with the mother. I have seen a 4pt and a 3pt from my stand and even though I didn't get a shot I wouldn't have taken them. I am just getting incredible enjoyment out of seeing them. I am not sure what exactly will make me happy now....I know a lone doe that I can tell is a large deer will get an arrow or .308 round. Any bucks I see will be a game time split second decision for me now....I guess what I am saying is...nobodys opinion is wrong and ideas can change....When I see a thread of a deer kill, I just hope no matter what size that deer is that the person is as excited about it as I am when I get one....

So with the horrible hunting conditions this weekend. While I was sitting in my stand I was asking myself this question. I thought I read or heard somewhere that deer need to eat and drink every 5 hours. I have no idea if that is true or not. When I got to my stand Saturday morning the weather had been miserable most of the day on Friday so I figured the deer would be moving Saturday morning. The weather quickly became awful with pooring rain and wind. Some of my buddies were texting me and couldn't believe I was still in the stand. I said the deer HAVE to move at somepoint...I have heard every 5 hours, I ve only been here 3 was my response. I didn't make it 5 hours but it was close and I saw nothing. I thought Sunday morning would be great....even if it was supposed to be windy I figured the rain was gone and even thought it was windy the deer would have to move to eat at somepoint. I did see a small 3pt just after legal shooting hours Sunday morning but I believe he was pushed by another hunter that had to leave because he was called into work. The wind got to the point by 10am that I was thinking it was dangerous to stay and I didn't see another deer. So how long can deer stay bedded down and not move if the weather is not ideal for them?

So my one of my hunting buddies asked how my $300 dollar fan was doing this weekend. I thought that was funny, but I am still hoping to prove this does something... Saturday 10/22 In the stand and set up a little before 6:30 am. Temp about 40. Just as I was deciding I was very glad I came out when everyone else didn't go it started pooring and the wind picked up. It was blowing so hard my tree umbrella did very little. My coat did a good job keeping me dry but my pants not so much. I took the Ozonics down before 7:30 because I didn't want to ruin it and packed it away in my back pack. Stuck it out until 10am and didn't even see a squirrel until 10 minutes before I headed out. It was the most miserable morning I can remember spending in the woods. Sunday 10/23 I was excited for the morning hunt. I figured after more than 24 hours of crap weather the deer would have to be moving. I was in the stand and set up again before 6:30. Temp about 45. The wind was blowing but not super hard yet and seemed steady. I have another hunter closer to me than at any other time this year sitting in the oak stand across the ravine about 300-400 yds away. About 7:30 I have a small 3 pt come up out of the ravine behind me moving very quickly and go directly behind my stand and quickly disappear. Had this been a deer I wanted to shoot I don't think I could have grabbed my bow, stopped him and made a shot even though he was well within range. He came in directly up wind and I figured he winded the hunter on the opposite ridge and was vacating the area. About 10 min later I got a text that the hunter was out of the woods, that he got called into work furthering my belief the little buck was pushed. The ozonics played no roll in this siting. By 10 am the wind was blowing so hard that I decided sitting there was becoming dangerous and I didn't want a tree to fall on me. So I packed up and headed out. I have never had that happen to me before with wind so hard I didn't feel safe. Overall a pretty crappy hunting weekend.