Jaeger

I started on LI with one of the old bohening (sp?) mechanical bowhunting rangefinders, good to abt. 90Yds. Now have a Leica 1200, like stated above, changed the battery twice in 5-7 years. Great optic but heavy. Tend not to bring it along because of the weight. Have too much $$ tied up in it to change but if did I would definitely make the weight a first priority, they all seem to be plenty accurate these days.

Just bought a code blue doe scrape kit, the soil impregnated stuff. Same questions generally, is it too early to start using it? And where? I was grouse hunting and didn't see any scrapes out yet. How close to a trail and what kind of trails to use on? Major runs or those faint buck runs that run yards away parallel to the major runs? Any advice would help us as this stuff is expensive $$$!!! and I don't want to waste it putting it out too early or in a wrong location. Thanks.

I gave the DEC site a quick look and in the old "Questions" section it said once the deer is cut up for consumption, the tags stay with the carcass. The only exceptions seems to be when transporting the meat, the the tag or a copy must travel with the meat. "Q: Do I need to have my deer tags with the deer meat in my freezer? A: No, the tags remain on the carcass. When the carcass is disposed of, the tags may also be discarded. However, when you are transporting packaged venison, you must provide a tag with the meat." As far as bait goes, I asked a local (Zone 4) ECO a year ago or so before coyote hunting. He told me that only legally obtained carcasses could be used for coyote, bobcat, etc. bait. Your legally obtained deer carcass is ok, but road kill is illegal to use as bait unless you had an officer issue a tag to possess it. So, No you cannot legally use road kill regardless of what others say. That makes sense. Since you need a tag to possess the carcass. Those are the rules as I found them out. Obviously, people will do or tell you what they want to or think is fair regardless.

Used it in my original CVA mountain rifle, the first ones with the pewter nose caps and browned furniture. Now use it in my sleeved .45 hatfield percussion. Planning on using it in my project 24 ga. flintlock Fowler with .58 round balls!!!

I have a love/hate relationship with my 7600 in 30-06. I love its accuracy, 1- 1 1/2 with factory federal 165's. Hate its narrow but plate. Stings like heck. The stock is too pretty right at the toe to cut it down and add a pad. Love that it saved my bacon when I blew out my knee on icy rocks and had to use it as a cane/push stick to crawl home, never sell it for that reason alone!!

Has anyone tried the hornady 325 gr .475 bullets in a harvester 475 H50475B sabot? They run about the same price as the 452 flex tips. I know the SD will be slightly less for equal bullet weights, but most bullets in these ranges should fully penetrate our deer. Just curious as I have an overabundance of the .475's I collected for loading in my ordered 475 Turnbull for practice. I also have plenty of special run barnes 400 gr built for ~1800 impact velocity. Thinking of using them in the LHR got on gunbroker.

Then, I guess I am in the minority, or perhaps the minority. I have time to dream, time to plan, time to prep., time to practice with guns and bow and set them up and time to actually get out to hunt. I have time to be on this site, as all of you do, so that was part of my point. So, I have time to actually read or look up the regulations. The time excuse is a non-starter. If you do not like to read, that is another issue. I'm one of the few, I guess, that actually looks forward each summer to the new reg. booklet and site uploads and the changes to regulations page. I sign up for and receive the press releases informing us of proposed new regs. This is as much a part of my fun as working up a new load, wrestling with a scope mount problem or trying endless factory loads to see if a gun will shoot before I send it away. Mistakes, most unintentionally, are made here by well meaning posters giving advice off the cuff. Mistakes were apparently made in the guides themselves, but would not have been caught if someone had not read them thoroughly. For me, it's me that is going to be out there, alone, when an Officer comes along. I need to know, first hand what the actual rule is. (I know sometimes a minor amount appear to be conflicting). Telling him "some guy told me" will do nothing. If you were offended by this post, so be it. I personally cannot understand how someone can put so much time, dollars and effort into this sport/activity/life style and give the rules to engage in it such short shrift. As far as chastising me for even raising this, the fact that, I can choose to participate or not, you just did the same. I know may will parse the above out and respond to an individual line or thought, attempting to prove them flase or silly. I hope the remaining, thinking readers will view this post in its entirety. Again, if it offended then I am clearly out of touch with the majority of you. I will attempt to keep silent on these type of issues. To each his or her own.

NYS bowhunters are not "saving" the bow seasons they are expanding them and at the expense of the rest of the hunting community. It's not "jealously..shoehorn(ing,sic.) their way in" when it was agreed by NYS bowhunters at that time that it was to happen simultaneously. Don't distort the facts or indulge in revisionist history. The early muzzleloader season and youth hunt were the quid pro quo for bowhunters getting the Oct. 1st bow opener.

Any one know of how to get going in water, not field, duck hunting in north west delaware county?

The early muzzleloader season, along with the Columbus day weekend youth hunt, was part of the 3 part deal and promised us when the bowhunters got their Oct. 1 opener. The proponents of the early muzzleloader season and the youth hunt fully supported the bow hunters in their quest for an earlier Oct. 1 opener in this 3 part deal. After getting the Oct. 1 bow opener, NYS bowhunters had the early muzzleloader season killed pulled from the deal. They got what they wanted. And they fight yearly against the Youth Hunt. If we are fortunate enough to get the early Muzzleloader season, it will only be what was promised.

God I miss duck hunting. I grew up on eastern end of LI, and duck hunted all the time, mostly sea ducks with a smattering of mallards. Now that I'm up in the Catskills, I'm finding it hard to locate people who duck hunt and places to go. Most of the people around here are field goose hunters. I'm longing for a good old fashioned duck blind!! Any ideas (other than DEC sites) who to talk to or where to get started? There's got to be some public stream or pond hunting around here somewhere!

I'd post and then more importantly, be present. Locals find out about property sold and quickly move in until you show them it's private. But that's the fun part, being present, using you new hunting place. Don't worry about disturbing the deer or changing patterns, you're probably going to be hunting it differently than it was in the past so your first season there will be a change for them no matter what you do. Just let your dad and yourself enjoy it, and Post!! Good luck and Congratulations!!

So, how to put this politely? Why are many members so confused about the regulations in some of these threads, for ex. set back shooting distances, what implement is allowed during what season and when, etc.? There been a lot of back and forth on some threads about the rules, most of which end in a link to the appropriate DEC hunting page. What I find funny, and a little disturbing, is it is happening HERE, on an internet chat room. Not some small sawdust floored small town gun shop (no offense intended, I love small town gunshops, a wealth of local information). Guys (and some gals), we are already on the internet! If you can navigate to and around here why refuse or avoid the DEC pages? I'm as guilty as any other about too quickly responding/posting without reading someones full thread, but if its a regs. issue its a simple matter to check on line. Maybe I'm just venting but it seems silly that one would have the knowledge and skills to get on an internet chat room and not feel they can check the regs. on line. And for smart phone users there is a free application "app." Is there something about the DEC hunting regulations website pages that makes it difficult to use? If so, post your issues with it here and maybe we can send them to the DEC in an organized fashion so they know.

Good luck to all this morning! It's overcast and about 40 here in the NW Catskills. Perfect!! (but I'm stuck working)

I've recently been telling people I wish that deer season and the rut were in February. By then 10 degrees feels normal and 20 degrees brings out the t-shirt and sneakers!! We're used to it!! Seriously, people complaining now about 35 degrees would love that in FEB.!!! Snow is good for hunting, it gets cool for deer season in NY and if you want to shoot in your t-shirt go south and deal with 'gators, snakes, 'skeeters, and spoiled meat. Love Deer season in NY, (Just wish I could acclimate to the cold quicker, by Feb I comfortable with anything over 15degrees).

Hawkenwoodsman, nice handle. first what do you mean by "LG"? Second, I'll be down on the Island in a week or so, what town is LI outdoors in? I'll be out in Southold (my 'ole hometown).

Where in NY are you guys buying your Blackhorn 209 powder? Or are you ordering it online and paying the haz mat fees??

I just dropped the hammer on one with a 24" barrel and the loose powder adapter included. You can't seem to get the adapters so buying a new one was out of the question. Reviews indicated the adapter is necessary to wring all the accuracy from loose powder, esp. blackhorn 209. The recommended bullet is the Scorpion pt in 300gr in a harvester ribbed sabot over 110 gr(by vol.) of Blackhorn 209. The reason I chose it over the new T/C Strike is the better Green Mountain barrels with cloverleaf rifling and better quality walnut (these were made one at a time vs TC mass production). I rarely have to rely on warranties anyway. Also, the T/C strike has some sort of easy load rifling less lead into the barrel reducing the working rifled length of the barrel. Now can anyone tell me where in NY I can get Blackhorn 209 powder?

RSRAINS - just curious what made you think this or where you read it. I'm always interested in where misleading information is coming from. No offense intended, just wondered why you thought you couldn't use it same as last year. And by the way, a crossbow during the regular season isn't a bad idea if there a good trail behind your house (like mine) and the neighbor is closer than 500 feet. Mine is right over 300' so I can use my crossbow there ( and quickly get back for hot soup!!)

What about the State Forest it borders? Is it large >500 acres? Is it quality hunting? I go through this every few years, how much land do I actually need to control (and pay taxes on) vs huntable land (adjacent state forest)? If its over a couple of hundred hunting acres, then that price for a property with a decent building and on site electric might be worth it.

I bought some vinyl camo tape from Dicks, the Hunters Specialties No-Mar gun tape. Looks dull enough. I need it to cover the what so far is the best still hunting gun I have, a Puma/Rossi 92 16" bbl with fiber optic sights in 454 casull. Use heavy 45LC Buffalo bore or light Win 454 deer loads in it. Very fast. But its the Stainless Steel version!! shines like a beacon, buddy said he could see it across 2 mountains last year the Adirondacks, hence the vinyl tape. Just hope it doesn't reflect light.

Excellent books. Very tough licensing exam, but Deer Search Inc. does run a review course that is well worth it. Got my tracking license as well. Schatz (my Deutsch Drahthaar) and I have not been out on a live track yet. Very hard to train when your buddies won't wait to let you scoop up enough blood. The best I can do is salvage defrosting blood from old deer in the freezer. Hope we can get out this year!! Good luck to you Tom and Luna as well!! Schatzie and Jaeger

Replace a Lost Certificate Call 1-888-HUNT-ED2. You will be asked for your name, date of birth, type of course you took and when and where you took the course. Certificates dated earlier than 1980 cannot be found or replaced. If you need a certificate and yours cannot be found, you will need to retake the course. Other State Certificates New York State accepts Sportsman Education Certificates from other states when purchasing a sporting licenses. Certificate Requirements in Other States and Countries: To verify whether a New York State Sportsman Education Certificate is accepted elsewhere, visit the International Hunter Education Association (External Link) to find certificate restrictions and requirements in all other states and countries. Many states and countries will require to see your hunter education certificate and will not accept your hunting or trapping license as proof of a certificate. Found this on the DEC site "Sportsmans Edcuation" page, hope it helps. Jaeger

If you can find one at Gander, the Tikkas are an excellent value. Detachable box magazines, slick bolts and super accurate. Wood or synthetic (I have, in synthetic, the .308 compact and .204 stainless light, both were under $500 ea.). For around 4-5 you should be able to get a good one. Skip the tikka scope mounts and go for a talley or DNZ. I know the buy american crowd will howl, but the rugers I handled lately, esp the so called compacts, were very heavy and just personal preference against the accu-trigger.

Revamped my old compound with a new sight and string loop for release. My old flipper/plunger rest is throwing the arrows way right (no matter how much I adj. the sight) and hits way nock left. Rather than fool with the plunger ('80's model as is the Hoyt ram hunter bow) I am going to put a wisker biscuit on it. I'm pretty set on the biscuit as it is the norm in my area and the camp guys are very familiar with it. 1. Will it fit or work with the bolt pattern on an old '80's bow? 2. Is the Pro model with its more precise adjustments worth the price? and 3. Do I still need a plunger?? may be a stupid question, but the rest arm seems to have an elongated horizontal slot to clear a plunger. Thanks, nothing like waiting to the last minute I say!!!