PREDATE

I bait coyotes every year. My favorite time to do so is on the coldest nights. I'm talkin sub zero and beyond. I sit for hours in a treestand and strain my eyes in the darkness to catch a glimpse of movement against the snowy backdrop. If you think you have the constitution to do that, try it and tell me it's not hunting.

even though the yote in the reference pic is a youngster, that is a big frickin cat!

Any chance this lake is in Vestal?

Most importantly, be safe and enjoy your time in the woods. So please wear alot of hunter orange. Dress properly so you'll be comfortable and warm. Once you're in your spot, just sit back, relax and watch the woods come to life. If you hear shooting don't get bummed out or discouraged. I shot a coyote last year on opening morning at first light and an 8 point 30 minutes later all from the same spot. The deer will be moving around all day so stay vigilant. Will you be hunting alone?

You may be right, but I think 95% of downstaters voted Cuomo in office and will again. lolAssumptions can be made on every topic known to man.

If you're coming up to scout try to keep in mind that there will be little if any foliage on the trees during gun season. Bring a map and get familiar with the area. Make sure to mark down the locations of obvious parking spots. Try to pick a spot that's far from parking spots because people will enter the woods there first and hopefully push some deer your way .Climbers can be great, but also cumbersome at times. To use them you need a straight tree with no branches. You can bring a small saw if there is a few small branches in your way. I like to pick trees ahead of time so I'm not trying to find a tree in the dark. Treestands can be great, but you can also do good from the ground. Will you be there on opening morning? Opening day on public land is hit or miss. You could have deer in your lap at first light from people pushing them around. On opening morning try to get in the woods early. I like to walk in no later than 30 minutes before daylight

I'm with ya. Baiting is seen as a cheat or advantage, but in reality we all have the means to utilize what occurs naturally. It might not be in the very best spot to hang a stand, but if the deer are congregating there it is up to the hunter skillfully set up for the kill. Here I will raise another question. If baiting were legal, how many guys wouldn't get outta their pajamas on opening morning because the bait pile is within range of the bedroom window? Lol And who would feel bad for the pretty milf next door who likes to go all trad archery on opening morning of SZ gun?

No. That would be considered luring. Bait is something they can actually eat.

Cool dude! Can tell he was excited!

Yeppers. I'm in

real nice!

Corn Holer

I don't care to bait anything other than the coyotes. I like to explore all season and am always looking for new spots. I do believe the no baiting law creates more of an even playing field. I also agree that effective bait sites need to be established well before hunting season, but that can be detrimental to the herd if baiting ceases after the season closes. Will yearlings know how to survive the winter without a constant supply of feed? If the bait site is located where it's most convienent for us to plink them then will it also be suited for deer to survive harsh winters? If baiting were legal I bet we'd be hearing even more moaning & groaning about coyotes because we just laid out a dinner plate of easy pickin deer/turkey/grouse/etc. that were simply there eat the food they've been accustomed to.

haha. killing any animal out of season would be alot more than un-sportsmanlike! I hear it often where guys wish NY would allow yote season all year long. Take PA for example, they have year round yote season and it hasn't helped. That was proven last year when they put a bill through the house to allow bounties on coyotes. As unfortunate as it is, we kind of bring it upon ourselves when we plant foodplots, essentially creating a killing ground for more than just us. The main objective for most hunters is to lure deer into a predesignated area for hunting opportunities and/or to provide nutrition, but when the herbivores show up, the carnivores will soon follow suit. It's natural. As for the pic I was leaning more towards it being a fox, but the droopy/curled tail makes me think it's a feline

That's just a pup. Don't get me started on the year round yote debate! I've said time and again that yote fur is worthless in the warmer months and it's true that the more you kill, the more will reproduce to fill the void. Their time will come, but killing animals just to kill is not sportsmanlike. Looks like you've got some decent bucks to hunt there.

Did you upgrade your 700ML to use the 209 primers instead of the #11 caps?

I would not be pleased to see a lead ban in NY during my lifetime, but this thread did help me find my next muzzleloader bullet. The Knight Bloodline sabots(all brass). I will be giving the slug gun a rest this year

Are you looking to be totally enclosed from the elements or do you just want to be able to move around a bit?

Any sharp broadhead will do if you can hit your mark.

Nice little spot. I've been there a time or 2. We won the catty derby a few years back with a 13.9lb cat caught just down around the corner behind my grandmas house. Just got back from taking the nieces & nephews to the J.C. field days. They don't start back to school til Thurs.

I prefer chickens over hens, but some people love hens.

One more thing. I've swung my fair share of sickles and it works, but a hedge trimmer attatchment for a weed whacker is awesome! It'll easily cut saplings/brush/weeds up to 1"

if they are indeed black chokeberries(aronia), they're still edible. They're tart which is why they get the "choke" name. Hey at least you're weighing your options. If nothing else, you could hang an observation stand and figure when they're visiting the oak/apples. If you're up to it, you could go swing a sickle for a few hours to create a path(ambush spot) and maybe a strategically placed scrape. Good luck. Find any good fungi lately? I haven't been out since picking 5lbs of chanterelles in July. Now's the time for hens and chickens.

Can you get a brush hog down there? Though it's a little late you could mow a swath all around there and get some nice green grass growing

Pretty sure you got some huckleberries. Edible. Deer & bear will eat em. Deer will also browse on the twigs