grampy

What a wonderful gift idea for a young sportsman!!! That's a gift that will keep on giving for a "lifetime"!!! You guys rock!

Garage Band????.......... I did that once. What a blast while it lasted!

I won't comment on where you should hunt this property without actually walking it myself. Too many variables to count, to be able give specific stand sites. But......I have hunted similar terrain most of my life, and have a few generalizations that may help. Bucks like to bed just over the top of the ridge, with the wind at their backs, and to be able to see down, especially south facing slopes. On some of these side hills, there will be benches, or steps that is more or less level ground that can be walked on the side of the hill. These benches, are used as travel corridors by the deer. More so if there is a stand of prefered oaks along that hillside. These trails will be very evident when you find them! The deer have been using them for a long time! A great pinch point is at the head, or top of a steep gully, in between feeding areas! Deer will use the relative easy way around the top, instead of the steep sides of the gully. Classic funnel. I've used this on public, and private land with success. A large, thick, swampy area, at the foot, or between hills will always have deer bedded within it's thick and wet confines. Walk the edges to find the heaviest deer runs coming into and out of the swamp. If there is heavy human pressure, the thickest, nastiest cover is where the deer will always go. So don't bust them out! Hunt those major trails coming and going from the swamp to and from feeding. But only when the wind is right!!! This is where multiple set ups within a good, small area are a must, so you can move if the wind changes. Speaking of wind....... In the hills and mountains, the thermals and drafts can be a friend, or a foe to the hunter. Always keep in mind that cool air sinks, and warm air rises. And just because the wind is blowing a certain direction on top, it won't mean the wind is the same on the ground where you are! One of my favorite spots on the lake property usually will have a NE wind. But on the ground where I'm set up halfway up the hill, my wind will be SW!!! As the wind comes over the top and curls, picture a wave. As I said, these are just generalizations I've picked up in the last half century hunting the hills. There are so many more, and no two properties are exactly the same. But the pictures look very promising, and I wish you good luck and much success hunting in PA!!!

Perfect birthday gifts for an eight year old, that is really into the outdoors! You and him will have so much fun shooting/fishing together!! And wow!!! That boy can eat!!! Nice job making his day dad!

Dang.......I coulda joined the Webster neighborhood instead of buying my new place!!! I would have torn up all that silly golf stuff, and put in food plots though.........

We REALLY don't need ANOTHER crossbow debate on here!!!

Valid point my friend......

For two thousand dollars, I'll make the first shot count on my old $300 Sniper 370, if I choose to use a crossbow! But that is a pretty cool concept from Excalibur though. Figured it was only a matter of time before someone came up with a viable multi shot option on a crossbow. Though not sure if it will be legal here in NYS????

Cool!!!!! Bet I'd fit right in, in Snyder!!

Looking good! Can't wait to see how it all finishes out!!!

Exceptionable buck!!! A true monarch of the deer woods. Sorry it wasn't meant for you to put your tag on him. But you certainly did him proud with that mount!!! Thanks for sharing this with us!

I honestly think bail reform is at least a part of the current issues. If there are no repercussions for criminal activity, there will be no reason for one to curtail such activities. The police arrest a suspect with a gun. The gun is taken away, and the suspect is released a couple hours later. To pick up another illegal gun, and carry on as before the arrest. How will that curtail gun violence, or any other criminal activity??? Obviously there is no shortage in illegal firearms! The Safe Act did nothing to stop criminals from getting illegal guns into their hands. The only thing the Safe Act did, was require law abiding citizens to jump through more hoops. As criminals by nature, do not follow the laws!! Most all of the inner city drug gang members have easy access to a firearm. And laughable to think they, or any criminal, would obtain a firearm legally! So what good are the toughest of gun laws, if the majority of people committing gun crimes don't follow them? Lastly, there has been a huge culture change in the last twenty five years or so, glorifying violence in our society. Just listen to most of the popular "music" most of today's youth listen too. Also the video games, and today's "stars" kids look up to. It's all filled with violence and bad behavior. No one can be "disrespected" without repercussions! No more talking things out, or even a punch in the nose! Nope, you go get your strap, and make it right! Family values have also tanked for the most part in the inner cities, and elsewhere. Where gangs become a "better" option for replacing a young person's family! As some parents are addicted to drugs, or alcohol and or, just don't care. Young people have no decent role models, so they look to find "street cred" through gang activity, and other dead end influences. Politically dismantling law enforcement, over a PC culture, is the last thing common sense would dictate, to fight the violence in our streets! If anything, we should be making it easier for law enforcement to do just that. Enforce the laws!!! As there truly can be no society without laws! If you are not breaking the law, you should never have a problem with the police! There is no easy fix to all the problems we now see out there. Drug addiction, mental illness, poverty, the "ME" culture, have all taken a toll. Took years to get this bad. And hopefully in time, more common sense people, will lead the way, with common sense answers to the problems we now all face. I for one, am not holding my breath.

Happy Birthday and all the best to you Brad!

Cool pic's!! Gotta be a den nearby.

Nice job and looks great!!! I have mostly Leupold scopes along with Zeiss and Nikon. All of them have the duel reticle, heavy on the outside, fine in the center. This seems to fit nicely for me and my hunting applications. Easy to pick up the target quickly, then fine tune aim.

Sorry I'm late to the party...... Happy Birthday Sir!!!!

Happy Birthday Paula!!! We miss ya around here! Hope Bones and Otis are doing well!

Happy Birthday America!!!! God Bless The USA!!!!

Had my name been drawn, that is what I'd have chosen too! Great little predator rifle! Congrats to your buddy!! All in all it was support for a great cause, and I'm happy the raffle was a success for them!!!

As part of group two, my feeling is since you stepped up and started the two groups, you get the 45-70. I will not bid for it, and my one eighth stake is hereby transferred to you moog. I feel you were the leader of our two groups, did all the collecting and such, the rifle should be yours! Just my two cents, and I'm not speaking for anyone but myself.

Me either. Oh well......congrats to the winners!

I wonder if this was the bomb squad equivalent of...... "here, hold my beer"????

100% Common Northern Water Snake. The milk snake will have a checkered belly. As said above, they're harmless, and non venomous. But can be quite feisty when handled. I'm more afraid of being twenty feet up in a hang on stand than any snake. Oh....forgot to mention big ugly spiders! They make me squeel like a school girl!.....hehehe

Nice looking award!!! Can't wait to hear the details! Any participation awards??? That would be the only chance I'd have of receiving anything!!

Best of luck to all the forum members signed up!!!