NYDeer

I have a pistol grip stock and a vertical handle forend form my 500. They looked great installed, but I didn't really like the feel of the gun with them, so I went back to the wood as well.. I just keep the 18" cyl barrel on to make handling inside a bit easier, and just want to add a light.. Word of warning when working around the mossy trigger assembly.. Ensure the pins 'holding the works together' never slide or come out.. Its a PIA to re-assemble the trigger group internals, at least for me it was..

Pics would really help, especially on the sport-er guns..

Check this out, and you'll have a better estimate next time.. Age deer by teeth wear.. http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/mammals/deerteth/ages.htm Hope you took the rack, they make great coat hooks & stuff..

You should be able to, as long as you are willing to hunt somewhere new to you.. Many people have work, and miss making appts/reservations.. The numbers go up to 2500, but they never fill all appts. A friend usually hunts standby all the time.. The far eastern properties check in/out off Old Montauk Hwy in a DOT maintenance garage. You can make it there in 15 minutes from any spot out there, and usually the guys running the check station are a bit more 'casual' than some of the ridge folks.. and remember, any does, get you a bonus tag.. Check one, then go back out to the woods! If you choose a Ridge check in location, you'll eat more time up checking a doe and might not make it back out to the woods..

Dunno I'd probably try it.. That's probably why its on the end of a long pole!

Great tip! Someone once told me to make business cards up with my name & place them inside of stuff.. If there ever was a question of ownership, fishing a card with MY name out of the item in front of a LEO is pretty convincing..

Yep NJ it's actually illegal to self pump gas.. Don't lnow the expertise a 16 yr old employee has, but its true..

What little I've read/know of it, it seems like a bad idea.. The problems seem to arise from the waste water used to create the fracture, that eventually comes back to the surface.. If you've read/heard anything about the Pebble Mine issue in Alaska, this is the same issue. The contaminated water, contains heavy metals and other elements.. If it gets released somehow from the containment area, it will create an environmental nightmare..

This is an actual sign from our northern neighbors.. Great sense of humor..

Stopped by on way home, they have most hunting gear on clearance, with additional 25% off.. Treestands, ladderstands, climbing sticks, Blaze/Camo clothing..

Best number I've ever gotten, 247.. Anyone else submit for it? I've like to hunt the montauk area properties for the gun season, I think those deer see way less pressure..

I dont hunt DEC check in properties for bow after Nov 1, too much hastle.. I'll probably go for the SC Parks permit in the spring so I can scout out over the summer.. If I remember, I think the office was in Sayville.. I wear my knee high rubber boots when hunting LI, except the Jan gun hunt...

Speaking of Culling Geese, How about Culling Deer?? Yep, It's true, heard it from the local SCPD patrol a few months ago.. Said he went in Hecksher Park to follow up on an earlier call, and saw a DEC guy, but he wasn't in a reg DEC uniform.. Asked him what was going on, said Deer Cull shoot.. Lovely.. Guys like myself would pay to hunt Hecksher State park, and DEC decides to kill off the herd.. Must have done a REALLY good job, have seen probably 10 deer all season between the pkway-school- and my lawn..

The Pennsylvania Tuxedo! My father's friend used to have pants & a coat from his more youthful & well, slender years, he would don to hunt at least once a season for old time's sake!! Good laughs..

The current nuisance permit situation is ridiculous. It could be an opportunity to open up deer covered land for us.. Establish a program for a 'nuisance cooperative' to harvest deer on enrolled properties.. If you have a legit deer problem, we have the solution. Give a special early season on it, does only, in sept, pre rut.. I know a guy out here with a situation like this.. Land owner is allowing a small group permission to harvest deer he wants gone. He usually doesn't allow hunting, but is tired of replacing landscaping. Everyone's happy, freezers are full, and all getting something they want. I believe the DEC are mostly considered a disposable agency to most Albany lawmakers, somewhere they can make cuts to free up funds for pet projects and swipe cash from our 'un-represented' pockets.. The Renolds Pheasant Farm was a prime example.. The bulk of the state expense was employee expenses, yet from what I'd read, all employees were reassigned other duties.. Where was the 'savings'?? They could have raise TONS of cash, and probably balanced the budget, with a $2 tax on soccer balls.. But they didn't, because that would target 'Avg Joe Ny'er', not a minority group who voluntary reaches for its wallet, pays more that it receives, and has no solid political representation?? or simply, the NY Hunter.. NY hunters should be pressing DEC full steam.. Swamp them with letters, contact them, Contact your NY Assembly rep about DEC issues.. Hit the website to send a message on what you want to see.. Read the 2009 Deer Hunter Survey on the DEC site, has alot of info. If you agree, or disagree, contact them about it.. Yes, this takes time, and can be tedious tracking who to contact... BUT what about planning a hunt, paying for it, then going and seeing little to no game while bumping into your neighbor from around the block 150 miles away and that wasn't a waste of you time?? Look at the NRA, you get emailed a 'letter' to send out to your reps.. Cut, paste, and you have a nice, topical letter going out. Hell, we could even do something like it off here in as a political action forum.. we'd discuss an issue, come to a broad agreement, conduct a poll then compose the letter. Lock it as a 'Sticky' where anybody could copy & email to their reps.. Look at the AR program/crossbow issues.. It was a response to hunter input.. Nothing happens without asking/pressing for it.. It applies to the DEC, our elected reps, and even Obama in DC with Bush's tax cuts.. If enough pressure is applied, whether they really want to or not, things will get done yielding to the pressure.. How many minutes did you spend on the web today?? Could wrote an email! 8)

Suffolks Parklands are worth hunting in your opinion?? The tech at one bow shop hunts them exclusively, and told me about them, but I already dropped $50 for the state 4X4 permit for Moses, so I didn't pursue it.. Maybe next year if you guys think they're worth it....

Nice camps!! Love all that woodwork on the inside!!

If it's a 'check in' property, it's usually the mad dash to get back to ridge in time at night.. Where'd ya go, and did ya see anything?

Well, I'd think the early spring would be a good time to knock on some doors to see what is available.. Before the growning season hustle & bustle.. The farms & nurseries are prime pieces, and the vineyards too, but from people I've spoken with, usually the 'help' and families hunt these.. BUT, In this economy, 'Friends of Ben Franklin' may have more influence!

;D ;D Pretty good! Gonna send that one out..

Yes, I wrote it.. It's sorta a compilation of observations & thoughts. It's primarily directed at the Catskills & Adirondacks, where bulk of the 'forever wild' land lies, literally locked up by the classification. The more recent acquisitions of state lands in NY are state forests, so they are actively managed for forest health, but not for the majority of land holdings, which are the oldest state owned ones. The idea of preserving them was great, and was one of the first nationally, but not necessarily the best plan for long term forest health, and the animals residing in it. If you look at the history of the state lottery programs, you'll see that the early states who jumped in were SOLD the idea of additional revenues to help with schools, this, that , blah, blah.. Guess what?? When governments realized they would be getting additional money for education, they decided they could reduce they're contributions! If 'peter's' paying, 'paul' can spend his cash elsewhere. States that have entered into state lottery programs after recongnized this 'bait & switch' tactic, and legislated locking education funding at current levels into the lottery authorizations, than adding the lottery monies generated on top, REAL additional funding for education.. Georgia is the prime example. FREE college to residents, plus a host of other educational benefits, all made possible by lottery cash.. All started from an impercfect idea, perfected over time with observation, then set into law to keep it from being tampered with.. That's exactly my point on reclassifying the lands.. The 'forever wild' idea has been improved upon, through the newer land classifications. Launce a program to apply the newer classification & management methods on some parcels as a test bed, even put a sunset window into the legislation that if specific goals aren't met in 20-25 years, the parcel reverts back to the original classification.. Lock any revenues generated from the lands to the lands.. Control the diseased woodlots to propagate the forest, not let it become stands of immature trees that don't produce any mast.. Eliminate the fire hazard of tinder from blowdowns covering whole mountain sides.. Nothing radical, just today's' accepted common sense forestry practices already being applied to the other land classifications on some of the parcels locked up in being the classified early on.. From thier website & public surveys/meetings, DEC seems to want more of the public input.. I'm sure its to justify their funding/existence, BUT thats not the important point, the end objective is. Keep themselves busy. If we, as NY Hunters could advance better hunting opportunities, and keep the DEC a busy, vital branch of government, both entities will benefit. In the Nov10 Field & Stream, Heroes of Conservation colum, the spotlight is on The Mule Deer Foundations' Northern Front Range chapter. They worked with the Colo. State Div of Wildlife to add spring fed drinkers to Cherokee State Wildlife area.. They also plant trees & reseed pastures.. WOuldnt it be nice in NYS lands were able to be improved in a similar fashion?? I'm just an regular guy, I hunt & fish, have a family & a job, not in any outdoors field.. I've know some extremely intelligent people, who had great ideas, but didn't voice or act upon them. I'm just putting this out there where it may catch someones interest, and a grass roots project might get rolling, who knows.. 30 years ago, if you heard of 'QDMA' you might have thought it was some obscure government agency..

This is from the DEC site: Q: Why doesn't DEC do more habitat management on state lands? A: New York has one of the largest percentages of both state land and state-managed conservation easements in the United States with some 4.6 million acres managed by DEC. While many hunters would prefer that all state lands are managed solely to promote optimal wildlife habitat, DEC manages its lands for a variety of purposes including watershed protection, recreation, forestry, ecosystem protection, open space conservation, and protection of wildlife habitat. Of DEC managed lands, about 63%, more than 2.6 million acres in the Adirondacks and more than 300,000 acres in the Catskills, are held as "forever wild" lands protected by Article XIV of the New York State Constitution. The Forest Preserve has exceptional scenic, recreational, and ecological value, though the Constitution specifically prohibits the sale, removal, or destruction of timber from the Forest Preserve. Thus, DEC cannot alter these forests to create the conditions preferred by many game species. About 17% of DEC managed land is State Forest and another 16% is comprised of private Conservation Easements. On many of these lands, DEC's Division of Lands and Forests uses timber management as a tool to enhance biodiversity and to create habitat features that might be lacking in the landscape. Other portions are managed to protect and enhance rare, threatened or endangered species. Unit Management Plans are developed with public review to guide the management activities within individual State Forests. The remaining 4% of DEC managed lands are held as Wildlife Management Areas. On these lands - including more than 124,000 acres of upland and 53,000 acres of wetland - DEC's Division of Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources (DFWMR) manages specifically to promote wildlife habitat and wildlife recreation. Annually, DFWMR conducts a variety of habitat improvement projects including timber harvest, mowing and brush hogging, seeding and planting, burning, fruit tree release, water level control, and invasive vegetation control. The 'Forever Wild' clause mentioned, of the New York State Constitution reads, “The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed, or destroyed." When the forefathers of NY created these 'Forever Wild' guidelines & added to the NYS Constitution, they were acting in the BEST interest for the lands & resources for future generations. There was nothing like it anywhere in the world. It was the only method to stop the destruction, and rape of the land from the industrial practices of the time, so they 'preserved' lands constitutionally & made them unmarketable/worthless to profiteers.. They did what they could at the time using the best information & tools they had available. NY State is now BLESSED as one of leading states with the MOST land open to the public for use. We all owe them for their foresight, and the cojones to take action.. In hindsight, in over 100 years or so, forestry and land management have come along way since these terms & conditions secured the lands by the NY Constitution. Since then, New York now has two other NYS owned land classifications, State Forests & Wildlife Management Areas. These weren't in existence when these lands were first acquired & classified, and allow for long term protection of the lands, but adopt modern land management techniques to improve habitat. If they existed, the 'constitutional' preserve wouldn't have been necessary in the first place. Please understand, I'm not suggesting this change for all preserve lands, the original old growth Adirondacks should be left for eternity as is for just an example. Delicate, unique ecosystems & natural wonders be preserved & protected still. Stands of Beech trees that are effected by blight could be controlled.. The ice storm damage of a few years ago could be cleaned up, making traveling through the forest possible again.. Restoration of native trees like spruce, firs and hemlock to where they were before being harvested for profit. Finally, the financial aspect of this. Modern forestry methods ARE renewable resources that could bring habitat improvement & funding to the DEC. Managing lands for wildlife habitat can influence the game of ther land. QDM, NWTF, are prime examples.. The management of NYS Land assets could be the ticket to putting NY as a big Buck destination again drawing out of state sportsman's dollars to upstate NY economies.. What if the lands we use/own could actually FUND itself to being improved, creating better outdoor opportunities for all, with little additional expense?? Furthermore, NYS DEC actually needs increased funding, not cuts as we're seeing.. The Marcus shale gas reserve permitting/enforcement fell to the DEC, in addition to regular duties they already were understaffed to handle.. The real tricky part here probably isn't actually getting the land classifications changed, but keeping the funding going back into the lands care, rather the claws of the fiscal vultures of Albany.. Just an idea.. What do you think??[/color]

Not that I'm aware of, and if they did, it would definitely have some type of conditions attached to it.. Other states are working with hunters improving habitat, but usually public land parcels.. This link was alot of info on where the NY Dec is, and wants to go.. 2009 NYS DEC Public 'Deer' Meetings Summarry

I don't duck hunt, but considering it since I have a spot down the block where its allowed.. I ran into a guy a few years ago in sports authority.. Said he hunts ducks and bring a fishing pole with a big floater surf plug for water retrieves..He sticks to close shots, then casts out over his bird to snag them..

That's a stereotypical anti-hunter piece of literature I've seen somewhere before.. It does happen, but these guys aren't hunters, they are poachers.. DEC has animated deer decoys they employ to get these guys.. They set up in a field that is easily viewed from the road, then watch vehicles slow, stop, and some, unfortunately will shoot the decoy.. I remember one of the officers quoted said some weren't so surprised at the arrest, but by their faces were surprised the deer took a solid hit & didn't drop.. I think the article was in the Conservationist..