PREDATE

I stalked all afternoon in the rain. Saw 8 deer. Stalked to within 50Yds. of a shooter, then the wind swirled. Game over.

remember to pull your bows up, never climb a fence with your bow!!! LOL SW--eeet Buck!

Welcome Tyler. Have you hunted before? I'm not far from there, so if you need help/advice just drop me a message.

I couldn't get out this evening, but I agree Kot2B. This could be a good evening for someone! Good luck guys!

Greybeard, I read the same exact thing a couple of years ago! Don't discount your memory yet oldtimer!!

I couldn't get a constant wind direction last evening to save my life. I called it quits by 4:30PM to avoid being busted. They could've maneuvered around in circles. Lol

BTW I won't start rattling until atleast the first week of Nov. and @ that time bringing a doe by your stand could also bring Mr. Big on her heels. What dave6 said also holds merit. I won't call every stand site just for that reason. If set up in a pinch point of heavy cover with open woods/field to the downwind side I feel more comfortable about calling/clanking, knowing that a smart buck would rather not be exposed in a clearing. I use the same logic for calling daytime coyotes. Keeping an obstacle like a river, shale cliff, etc. on the downwind side of your stand can prevent them from circling. Does that mean they're going to come charging in just because they can't scent check? No, but it just tips the odds a little more. Calling while sitting in wide open timber can be be detrimental. Ultimately making that animal call shy. Just like with calling coyotes, once you call they're expecting to see something. Coyotes will often creep to the edge of dense cover and wait til they spot their prey. If none are seen they could be gone with us never even knowing they were there. I think deer can do similar things, especially smart old bucks.

About the same for me. I too like to mix it up from time to time til' I find what they're responding to. I sometimes think that it ruined it too, but it really comes down to whether or not any deer actually heard it and if they've been pressured. My favorite sequence is this. I let the woods/squirrels calm down(20 minutes), give a few soft grunts just in case there are any deer close by. After 15-20 minutes I'll try to play on the bucks heartstrings by giving a few longer estrous bleats. If no deer after 10 minutes I'll rattle for a minute from soft(sparring) to louder (fighting) while throwing a few grunts in. I give it an hour or 2 before calling anymore. Sometimes I'll bleat just before legal shooting time to pull a buck that has felt very comfortable all night in hopes that he'll think it's safe to check it out.

I was going to mention coyote hunting, but having a loaded gun after sunset is asking for trouble(unless dispatching a wounded animal). If you're coyote hunting (in the dark) in a "no rifle for deer" zone then a shotgun may not be loaded with a slug, only shot. Furbearer Hunting at Night You may hunt furbearers at night, with or without a light, as follows: You may use a light, but you may not hunt from any motor vehicle, including an ATV. All laws pertaining to the use of a spotlight and firearm apply. If hunting without a light, the use of a light gathering ("starlight") scope is legal on any firearm listed below. You may use any handgun or bow. You may use a shotgun loaded with shot (any size). You may use a rifle chambered in any cartridge, except that you may not possess a centerfire rifle afield, during the day or night, during any open season for deer in areas where rifles are prohibited for deer hunting

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/ I've used this for a few years. Just enter your town/city. Shows for the whole month. No excuses!! lol

.......and feed & tack stores aren't going to stop selling corn! It's legal to buy it, but the customer assumes all responsibility

Assuming that you have a license? My father coon hunted with dogs years ago when the prices were up. He never carried around a whole carcass, always just case skinned em' on the spot. Being a trapper/predator hunter I'm always on the lookout for bait. I try to avoid catching coons because they're greasy, but some people still target them and would put it to good use if you're looking to off it somewhere.

Truth be told I never did! I just try to see what kind of reactions I can entice! Although, a couple years ago while working on the millenium pipeline, my brother saw a few. They would shut down the whole job until "the snake lady" came to remove them because they're a protected species. He saw them on Rogers mountain in Bing., near Rt.41 in Sanford, and on Roods creek in Deposit. They would also shut it down when they came across archaeological remains / stone lithics. They actually had an archaeologist on the job @ all times and when he said stop they would bring in the team. I have a nice collection of lithics(tools/arrowheads) from around here. I saw your old post about the arrowhead, that's why I brought it up.

If you head over to the NYtrappers forums there is likely a licensed trapper near you that could probably trap them for you. I am a member there. The DP(dogproof) coon traps may be an option.

1.)Hunting near freezing/frozen water can become tragic in a moment. Be mindful of where you're walking. River mud can be very slick! 2.)Watch overhead for "widowmakers"! Every tree will fall at some point, even a small branch can impale you. 3.)Always carry a lighter! The lint from your socks is an excellent fire tinder.

Yep and when you ask another hunter in Bingo where he scored, they just say," oh, up on south mountain". lol That's when I tell them that I saw the biggest Timber Rattler of my life up Penn Ave! Then their eyes light up,"really"?

Yes the state woods do get pounded during deer season! I hunt Ketchumville(newark valley)and Tracy Creek(south of Vestal). If you head north try out Robinson Hollow. I can't really help you out with private land because I struggle to find it too. You might want to pay some landowners a visit and ask for permission. Atleast you have some good trout fishing nearby! Good luck!

Hi everyone, I have'nt been on the site in quite a while. Nothing hunting wise has changed. I'm still chasing deer, turkey, predators, ect. I just started trapping K9s last year. I fish alot too. I've been involved with another forum, but I feel like this one will suit me better since it exclusively deals with NY(my home state). I look forward to alot of good conversation with you all. I've been out a few times bowhunting, but have'nt seen alot of daytime activity yet. I'm starting to find scrapes/rubs now. Good hunting!

You shouldn't need to jam the bullet. If you do, then the barrel needs to be swabbed. Some fouling in the bore sometimes makes a difference for the better or worse. You'll just need to figure out what your gun prefers. I always load for hunting on a clean barrel, therefore I practice with a clean barrel. After you've swabbed the bore, fire a primer(no bullet or powder) to clean any moisture out. I usually leave my ML loaded for up to 5 days. I recommend a barrel "condom". Air tight speed loads are also convenient. An observation I made on 777 pellets, The magnum(red box) were too hot and made for radical bullet patterns. I stick with the regular(black box) and get more consistant hits. I have good results with 250gr.T/C shockwaves. I'll never use powerbelts.

I've hunted them a few times up around cortland. I too wouldn't mind getting a shot at one, but I don't like to think of a statewide population of them because of the resources(food) that they will take from our native species. I think that if they did become very populus that hunting them would catch on quite a bit and hopefully keep them in check.

Oh you'll have some company alright!!!(in the form of CANINES)LOL. That's all the company I seek when I go Yote' huntin'. I haven't been out since bow season opened. You guys getting any?

Just before last light a good 8 pt. came in out of nowhere. He stood on the path that I walked in on for about 2 minutes then turned and walked right behind my tree at 10 yds. He was kind of leary and watching behind him(I could swear that I heard doe bleats coming from where he came from). He got downwind of me and ran out to 40 yds.(my max). In the fading light I didn't see the twigs which affected the flight of my 100 Gr. Muzzy. I just got home from retrieving my sparkly clean arrow. I've been beating myself up pretty bad for not drawing on him sooner, but I think he would have spotted me because he was glancing up at me. The dang seat on my climber was making noise as I was turning to shoot and that's what spooked him. He was also nervous after smelling my footprints. Now I'll be sure to wear my rubber boots and stand up while in the climber. All that makes me remember all the other times things like this happen. And it does happen!! I Love Bowhunting!!!

Very cool!! That's exactly how I shot my very first bow deer(button buck) 13 years ago. Except that by the time I saw him he was 15 yds away. I was very impressed with myself. he ran about 20 yds and dropped( I was very "BAD TO THE BONE" at age 14)

There are all different color variations of coyotes. If the deer I hope your hunting is the big buck making the scrapes I'd bet a coyote wouldn't mess with him(unless he's mortally wounded by, say a BROADHEAD)!!! Make it happen, he's still there!!

If the land you hunt on isn't public and if you don't pressure them too much they might push them onto your land. On the other hand if you figure out a good stand location for a shot with your bow, the rut could bring a buck in on the heels of that doe!!(should be soon). Keep them doe's comfy in your area and setup downwind of where they bed down(usually in secluded thick cover). Good Luck!