PREDATE

There are some whoppers in them hills. I suggest picking a spot with good sign and studying/scouting it. With the rut about to kick in, you should be focusing on the does. The bucks will soon be in tow!

I was out til' 10 this AM. No sightings, but did hear a faint grunt or 2. last evening I let 3 doe pass at 20 yds. One of them was grunting the whole way as she passed and as luck would have it, the buck came through after shooting light. I couldn't see him, but he sounds big

You should be coming back to some good action. Your spots could probably use a week of rest too. Enjoy SC and eat some boiled peanuts for me!

I found some scrapes in Delaware county over a week ago

Woodchuck- how many acres are in your parcel and is the bothersome neighbor really close enough to smell a few pigs? Growalot brought up a good point about the possibility of them re-selling. How long do you think the retirees will be up for hobby farming?

I heard some grunting/chasing last evening. I haven't been able to get out much, but it's game on now.

Nice. I do good with "trash sets" on gray fox, but I use a fresh rabbit pelt. It's almost like a cubby set. I make sure the front log is high enough that he cant just stand on the log to get the bait. Just gotta make sure the carcass isn't visible from above or it would be unlawful because it would attract raptors. I've caught some feral cats and 1 house cat. All but one were successfully released. 1 of the ferals was caught by both front paws and it fought the trap so much that it had broken both legs. I put it down quick with a .22 The house cat is still prowling and frequently visits me while bow hunting. I like scaring the crap outta him. I let him get about 10 feet away then wave my arms. lol. That curious cat never learns.

but it's a natural smell. I can't think of a better cover scent good luck out there guys/gals

Good question, but the whole point in the law is to prevent any more hogs from escaping into the wild. The DEC wants them eradicated because of the destruction they can cause.

Time constraints are forcing me to be picky of when/where I hunt. If he's bedding across the road, then he's likely making this fresh sign after dark. I must find when and where he's moving through to be able to determine the best wind. This spot is at an intersection of about 6 deer trails and the wind likes to swirl.

Short hunt this AM. I took a different route out of the woods and found 2 huge scrapes along with some thrashed brush just a mere 50 yds from my vehicle. Gonna throw a cam in there tonight and find out when he's coming through. This is the spot where I spotted a 150's class buck last December. He could be enormous this year!

That is No man's land. Look into it. That might be your way to get an ECO to knock on his door.

Enjoy laying the steel guys! I'm way too busy right now. Was looking forward to the new bobcat season, but I'll do some K9 trapping when things settle down.

I don't think the Alleged perpetrator is very afraid of you because the law hasn't come down on them in the past. If you have definitive proof of who is trespassing, the DEC would most certainly investigate.

He's probably trying to sabotage your hunting or he's trying to spook the deer over to his property. He could even be throwing deer-b-gone around your stand! Carry a digital camera with you and catch him personally. What if he were to throw a pile of sweet feed under your stand and then call an ECO? You need to send a message and press charges!

as was discussed, a territorial reaction is the intended goal. if a dominant buck smells another buck, he will check back to keep them off his turf. It's the same reason we rattle antlers. Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2

Yep HuntingNet would've been me. I haven't been on there all year.

I've probably put these pics on here before, but oh well.

I've been wanting to try those buck scents. So you've been scent checking the does?? lol JK. It may be a tad early for the most part, but some biologists suggest that a small % of deer breed in early Oct. Each herd of doe will go into estrous at different times. Bucks are fighting now, so all they're waiting for is a hot, receptive doe.

Huh. Oddly enough, there are cat "guru's" here on the site who seem to laugh at the notion of cougars in NYS. That is until there was the confirmed one that passed through and was killed in CT. I don't claim to have seen one, but I've heard some pretty compelling eye witness stories.

Typically you would want it in an area where you expect a buck to come through to check up on the local does. If you can place it downwind of doe bedding zones and on the edge of cover, you could get the attention of some cruising bucks. Personally, I wouldn't use any estrous scent for another few days. Start with just plain doe pee, then after this weekend start giving it a few drops of doe estrous or buck urine.

TeeBugg, what time do you plan on clambering into the swamp?

Ground hunting is fun, I do it all season long because I never stop scouting. Try to pick a shady spot with good cover behind you. Never too late to hang a stand. We are only on day 18 of a 46 day season.

I can't speak on what the moderators see fit for banning, but if you scroll to the bottom of any page on the site you'll see the terms of use/service link. I'll paste it up herehttp://huntingny.com/forums/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

I call it the Walleye moon. An all day sit could see results, but I'm gonna wait a bit longer for that. I can't wait for 30 degrees and sleet!