DirtTime

I agree! I remember when we had real winter here in NY. Tons of snow, you had to wear a wool sweater and a heavy coat, wool socks, and two pairs on insulated bottoms just to walk the 60 feet to the mail box every day. I hate severe cold but, I will welcome it back over 50 degrees on Christmas Eve..

Well, that two weeks is over, and everyone lived through it. I guess now we wait and see what good or bad it did. Soley based on the members here, I say most just hunted anyway. Took some nice does to boot. I am guessing the DEC will wait the whole season to "see" how this actually impacted the deer as a whole in NYS. My huge issue is the DEC always conducts these tests or gather data mainly from Mid Central NY., Syracuse area. NY is a pretty big state, with a lot of very deer friendly land. Different terrain/habitat will yield different deer. At least from I have learned. Anyway, the two weeks is over, lets see some dead deer pics and stories, over asking how the two week thing worked out right now.

Anyone hunt this state land? Was looking at some maps and though small looks promising. Just made a call to the local Ranger and left a message asking a few questions.

If you are doing Albany and Schenectady, you might want to add Montgomery, Fulton, and maybe even Saratoga to the list. Montgomery: Tribes Hill Fish & Game Club - http://www.tribeshillfishandgame.org The Recorder ( News paper, not sure who you need to contact there ) - http://www.recordernews.com Fulton: Pine Tree Rifle Club - http://www.pinetreerifleclub.com Leader Herald - http://www.leaderherald.com ( Don't hunt that area any more so this is all I have, sorry ) Saratoga: The Saratogian - http://www.saratogian.com Saratoga Springs Rod & Gun Club - http://sarasparodandgun.org/pages/saraspa These are just the few I know of/remember.

Layers as mentioned. Wool is great as it holds heat even if it's wet. Ground blind/hut/enclosed stand with a small propane heater.

So, you think all the scent "killers" work? But not the "cover" scents? Just a curious question.

I didn't mention the bino's because whether still hunting, tree stand hunting, or ground blind hunting, I figured everyone already uses them for the specific circumstance to get a closer look. I don't like to rush things when still hunting. It's a patience thing. Discipline.

I agree cover scents are a better way to go. But, it depends where you are hunting how much you really need to be concerned on the issue. If you are hunting an area in the burbs like The Albany Pine Bush which is surrounded by gas stations, major roads, fast food joints, houses, office buildings, hiking trails, and even a mall, scent isn't all that much of an issue. Deer will be used to human interaction and the smells we emanate. Now, if you are hunting the woods, 20 miles from the nearest city, then scent may be more of an issue. You can shower with all the stuff they advertise, buy all the scent crap you want, but, if you are packing in a climber and a pack to sit the whole day you are going to sweat. You want to cover your smell more the try to eradicate it. As there is no 100% way to make us smell like the woods. Maybe if you have food plots on the way in roll around in them, stick small pine branches in a pocket, or dirt. You wanna smell like the woods, you need to "smell" like the woods.

The way it reads is for the few counties/regions still not allowing the use of rifles, or in bow only areas.

AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Are they related to "twoflingpoo"? Or maybe "takpooclan" who sit in trees throwing poo at people? Perhaps all of those clans should join the "ifidundoitshutup" clan. Or the "wrekathredclan".

I am not going into the Native American name you have. So you are a monkey. Don't they throw poop? I seriously do NOT want to know how you get poop into the woods, or if you poop and the take up in the tree to throw it around. Seriously, that's just gross. Forgot to add the quote stoneam2006, you have a link to that story? I would like to read that as I put toe first.

NONE! I have had many does in the 25-50 year range in the bedding area over the past 20 years..

If it's a really heavily used hiking/walking trail, odds might be people feed him. Hence no fear of you.

Snow is the best. Tracking and spotting really fresh sign is super easy. The part I highlighted in red was because I do things the same way. You want to be a ghost. It might take me 20 minutes to get from one tree to the next 10 yards away. I do my best to make every step count and be as quiet as possible. But, as we all know, walking through the woods on dry leaves or crusty snow, you cannot be that quiet.

Cool. It is me or does the last pic look like there's still velvet on his antlers? Maybe just from the blur of the pic?

Just remembered another one that some might forget, you can use ground anything to make jerky. Mix the venison, some Worcestershire sauce ( or w/e ) and w/e spices to taste. Marinade over night, use paper towels to dry it, spread it out and use a rolling pin to get it thin. Use a smoker or bake in an oven at lowest setting for 14 hours. Ton of recipes and how to vids all over the web on to make jerky from ground meat.

We probably all have our own way to still hunt the woods. Will be interesting to read how others do this. I prefer a somewhat open area to walk though, so I am not crashing through brush/thickets/etc.. I prefer tree to tree method. Once standing close to a tree I will look the area over for at least 5 minutes ( usually more but feels like an hour ), plan where I want to stop next, then look for another few minutes and move to next tree. Always trying to keep the wind in my face. I try not to jump deer, but when still hunting that's going to happen. If you are a still hunter, then you know what I mean. We have all walked right up on a deer and they jump up at 5 yards and scared the crap out of us at first. How do you prefer to still hunt?

This by far the oddest post I have read on here, searching for a fox corpse..... I am very scared to ask what you need a dead fox for.. Why not just go get one on your own?

Chili-Mac, goulash, variation of chipped beef on toast with gravy, variation of a Swedish meat ball, use with Sloppy Joe mix, hamburger helper..............Huge list of things to do with ground venison.

Basic Mossy Oak coat and pants. Nothing overly fancy. If was gonna hunt a 20 degree day I would probably use my black insulated rated to -10 snowboarding pants and the Mossy Oak coat. Lotta deer been killed wearing those red checkered wool coats and blue jeans while chain smoking. Or way back in the day w/e people had in the closet that would keep them warm.

Tree stands are preferred by many, not all. Some prefer to be on the ground and don't even use blinds of any kind. Rule #1: Make sure it's big enough to compensate the type of hunting you are doing. For bow you need a bigger blind to make sure you can draw your bow with no issues. The best set up for a store bought ground blind or a ground blind you make yourself is position. Wind is a big part, but if you only have one I would try and set it up in a spot where deer have to pass by you getting to/from a bedding area, but not too close. Never set them up in the open. If hunting fields set it up on the edge a little ways back in the woods. In the woods try to set up somewhere that has a back drop, bushes behind it at minimum. I like to set a ground blind up where I have something behind me, and trees on the sides with a full open view to where I have scouted deer coming from. You also have to brush it in. Another tip I will offer is get some UV Killer spray the blind. As for a seat, if bow hunting, I never use a seat that has arms on it. They get in the way at times when trying to draw the bow. Get a tripod seat or camp chair with no arms. For gun, you can use a $10 camp chair with arms on it, but I prefer the camp chairs with no arms so I can use the same seat in all seasons. Another tip I almost forgot, Don't pay attention to that "shoot through" screen BS. Open the screens as well as the shooting windows.

First, why are you set up so close to a trail? Second, if you set up that close to a trail on public land you can't get mad at other people using that land. Or if they run through the woods screaming like mad banshees. It's public land. Comes with the territory. Another 8 days and I can start getting after deer NZ regular season. Took a ride yesterday morning south to do some small game hunting on state land. Was more of a scouting trip then anything really. Saw a couple small does and a 4pt while just slowly walking the woods. The buck was milling near a thick brushed old stone wall and and didn't seem to care I was in the area. He stared at me for a few minutes ( orange vest and all ), then just went back to slowly walking the brush line before heading into it about 80 yards from me. Got the blood pumping.

I am just going to hunt this year! I am not going to concern myself with web sites, what other people have to say anymore, I am just going to hunt the woods. Deer, rabbit, squirrel, or anything else I can kill legally and eat. That's what hunting is.

What happened to the old rule that semi permanent stands and blinds have to be in place at least month before you start hunting them? You should be fine. Just try to get in set it and get out.