PREDATE

Welcome! It's very fun and relaxing just being in the outdoors. Safety, responsiblity, and respect for nature is the first step. Keep in mind that hunting and killing are 2 different things. Stay positive and learn all you can about the animals and nature. Are there really wild pigs on L.I.?

So what's your address again? I wouldn't think twice about reporting ANY violators. Keep that in mind before posting this $hit like a dumba$$ fool. Coyote season closed 8 days ago. Joseph, traveling all the way down to PA?

I see no reason to skimp out on ammo. HEVIshot has good ammo and a box of ten will last a few seasons. I agree that 2 3/4 shells are adequate.

+1 on hunting til' the closing bell. One of my longbeards last year was shot at 11:57. I like to be there in late morning when the hens hopefully leave the tom to go nest. I take public land birds nearly every year. Good luck on these crafty ol' easterns this year.

That's pretty funny! I think I'll stick to sweet cream butter and a touch of maple syrup on my hot cakes. I can't get enough asparagus, but texture is half of it. I don't think the pollen will do it. Found a few patches of wild chives the other day. They were only 3" tall. I'm gonna transplant some. Cheddar & chive biscuits! Yum

Same scenario here. The only apple I saw was floating down the river. Never did find it's source.

Well as of 59 minutes ago the coyotes can live in peace til' Oct.1st. The fish and gobblers on the other hand are in grave danger!! I can almost smell the campfires and grills already

My yearly go-round with the cattails in the pond kinda turns me off of them. I've probably yanked thousands of them over the years. I do know that flour can be made with the dried root. I may have to give the burdock a try. I'm hoping to find some wild horseradish this year too so I can transplant some on the farm.

yep this rain we're getting has them out in droves. I refuse to pay $3.50 + for 25 crawlers. That's about 5 minutes worth of hunching over. Good luck tomorrow. I'll be heading to a stocked stream, but my secret spot usually has a few hold over browns. This weekend I'll be on the west branch of the Delaware to hopefully hook a slob!

I understand your logic. My area has little to no AG activity. Your does. One could say that those select few producing trees in your area are just a supplement to ag crops which sustain them well year after year. So there must be other contributing factors as to what's holding them on that specific tree(s), like safe bedding areas. I prefer to head the dear off at a confluence of bedding areas and feeding grounds. It is there where they are most patternable. In years where buck groups are still holding together well into bow season, I like to watch a confluence to see which bucks are coming off the beds before dark. In my experiences the inferior bucks will visit the food first and it could be well past shooting light before the mature guys show up under the tree. This is where trailcams prove invaluable. Like you said, finding the specific tree makes it easier. Yes, but that could change overnight and then there you go bumping around looking for the next tree,which could be on the next guys land. Bedding areas on the other hand remain unchanged, unless they get too much pressure. Which is why setting up closer to them will give more chances at a shot. Also, their route of approach is more predictable, which allows the hunter to hunt the right wind. I'm not trying to argue points or to dissect yours, just stating why I try not to put all confidence in food sources(or lack thereof) or a specific tree. Whatever works! The deer will be lucky to even get any apples after I pick the orchard! I like em' more! lol

The ones(lillies) I had were out of my grandmas flower bed, but they were transplanted from wild ones and come up every year. The dirt in her wildflower beds differs none from surrounding native soil. I love dandelion greens, especially sauteed in a bit of olive oil, then drizzle some balsamic vinegar over them. Better than spinach and probably better for you. Can you guys give me any tips for selecting/cooking fiddleheads? I know the small tightly rolled ones are preferred, but isn't there a layer that needs to be removed?

To heck with deer, I just want apples. Apples. APPLES. Apple crisp, apple cake, apple pie, apple dumplings, Etc.! "easy" and "mature buck" do not belong in the same sentence. Relying on food sources to bag mature bucks in itself is dealing alot with luck. Patterning a buck off it's bed can be more productive imo, since many bucks won't reach their feeding spot til' just before or just after dark. Hunting near food doesn't become super important to me til' the rut when I can hunt where the does will be feeding.

The year before last I had a stellar crop. Last year, had nil. So far this years outlook is normal.

Absolutely! I can't risk being around people on April fools day! lol

I'm in the same boat as DOC, although I'd prolly try it once. If Miss Kay won't eat the brains , then I'd have to pass. lol

Now if they could only cure the didymo problem in the Delaware that would be great!

This is an article put out by my local news. Good news for a change! Ithaca, NY (WBNG Binghamton) Hydrilla, a dangerous plant threatening the life of one of the Finger Lakes, may be on it's way out. The Tompkins County Water Resources Council and the Hydrilla Task Force met Monday at the Transit Center in Ithaca to recap last year's efforts to rid the Cayuga Lake Inlet of hydrilla. WBNG E-News - Sign Up For Our Newsletter! Hydrilla was discovered in the inlet in 2011. It's an invasive aquatic plant that spreads rapidly, and has the ability to overpower it's environment and essentially kill it. At the meeting, local officials discussed how hydrilla plants have been treated in the past year, and how the local environment is reacting to it. New project manager of the Hydrilla Task Force, James Balyszak, says they have not found any tubers, a main part of the hydrilla plant. He's pleased with the outcome of last year's treatment, but said the process is going to take several more years. The treatment is a herbicide called endothall. Endothall damages the cells of hydrilla but does not affect areas untouched by the herbicide. The Hydrilla Task Force will unveil their 2013 plan of action at a public meeting from 4 to 6 p.m., April 11, at the Tompkins Public Library. For more information on the Hydrilla Task Force and hydrilla, click here.

The buds from Tiger Lillies, also called Day Lillies. They are yummy and they do taste like asparagus! Saute the green unopened buds in a little butter! Delish!!!!! There are alot of wild edibles that I'll try soon. The next one I'm gonna try will be Fiddlehead fern tops. The lilly buds are one of my faves thus far and they are not hard to locate!! lol

Honestly, I didn't bring a single leek home last year. I did snack on a few while out trout fishing.

Aah, the ever popular question. Honestly, morel spots are comparable to your secret hunting/fishing spot. Would you announce it? Prolly not. I will say this. First be sure that you can properly distinguish the difference between "true morels" and "false morels". Then it's alot of footwork. In early spring I will search well drained, southern facing slopes because the soil in these spots warms up faster. Then as morel season progresses you may want to do the opposite because like I said before, they are very particular of when/where they will grow in refrence to temp and moisture. There's alot of info on the web and BTW there are 3 main species of morels(black, yellow, and gray).

Very true!

and in turn, coyotes make good mountain duck killers! lol You've got 10 days left of yote hunting season!

You mean next trapping season. Correct?

Research each coin thoroughly and don't give in to lowball offers. Sending them for grading is a good idea too. Some coins have errors that may not be noticeable to just anybody. The coin dealers probably know what to look for and most likely won't bring it up if you don't.

Do you use a bow sling? Does your bow fall forward after the release? If your patterns are the same then that's all good. IMO the stablizer gives just a bit of added weight so the bow falls forward consistantly when the arrow is loosed.