phade

Ever find out who stole that other one?

Good luck...its getting close. I'm tired of hanging stands all year this year. Easily at 20 new or moved stands this season, not counting blinds or sets made for mobile hunting. Time to glass, relax, and get the mind ready.

Good for funny or interesting, but people would be crazy to post a big buck photo before it is dead and document the name and town of the person who got the pic and where it was taken.

Speed is overrated for its value in hunting.

A corn field with liquid fert. is an instant invisible deer funnel. They'll avoid it like the plague. It's coming down way early this year.

I will agree a 200 yd shot on a standing deer versus the running deer is the same safety-wise. It's the land and conditions that dictate that, not the deer. If the deer wasn't there, the shot would still either be safe or unsafe. Not really sure what the like vs. not like thing is all about.

I have a pair of 2010 Elite Z-28s. First bow I ever came across where I said, I don't need another or newer, or better bow.

Is there a minimum poundage requirement in NY? Most states have one.

Did you see that? A working Stealth cam!!!! LOL, just messing with you. Nice buck. Hopefully it's a honey hole for you on public ground. Certainly looks like a dog, odd.

Avoid that cam. Leupold made a faux pas putting their name on that product. It's really poorly designed and ever more poorly performing. If you really shop hard - i.e. look everywhere, ebay, amazon, custom1, wing supply, Rick at Cam-O, etc. you can find some deals. Here are the cams that in my opinion, are worth buying if you decent pics/reliable use/battery life: $100 range: Spypoint G4, Covert MPE5 $100-$150 range: Covert MP6, MP6 Black, 2012 Covert Red 40 or Black 60 from Custom1 (a steal!), Moultrie 880, Spypoint 2N1 or their other BF cams $150+ Covert Red 40 or Black 60, Moultrie 990, Bushnell's black flash BTC, Reconyx Cams this year (2013) to avoid imo: Moultrie 555 series and those below it (better off with the Spypoint or MPE5). The 555 has a fish eye, bad night pics, and poor night illumination. The Primos line...Have seen quite a few problems from their high-end BF cam. When the high-end cam is having issues...that's not a good sign for the lower end models. I expect 2014 to be a big bump in quality with Primos as the Bushnell ownership and tech transfer starts to be noticed in the cams. WGI is always a dice roll. Natchez has demo Bushnells that can be wortwhile, but it's a lottery pick. If you can a good one, then it's a steal. Some people have had 2 or 3 duds in a row. The cams are refurbed 2010s (despite the "demo" distinction). 2010 model year was the worst year for BTC...the ones that have been jolted with newer internals have better performance, but some still don't work well. I you want to spend less than $100, this is the ONLY route I would go for a cam, unless you can get a new cam deal of the ones noted.

Mature bucks or ones with a few seasons under them do not typically use "main trails"...some may, but for the most part, those big cow paths are for does and young bucks. Subtle paths are much more exciting. Good luck with him.

I'm sure you'll have another shot. Will you hold out for him?

I told you all along biz you were missing something at that spot. Now you know what it was. Sucks missing...everyone does sooner or later. Best way about it to get back in the saddle.

I'm not missing with that thing this year seeing as how it didn't get much action last year with the Gander mess-up, lol.

Once a deer is hit imo, there is no unethical shot. Unsafe shots? Yes...unethical...No. If I think I hit it, I'm plugging away until I hear click click click click click click...click click click...lol.

If I shoot three this year, it'll have been a good great season. I used to fill quite a few tags in bow season. A couple years in a row, I filled all of my tags in bow season save for the reg season tag. (statewide antlerless, either sex, two first draw DMPs, two second draw DMPs, and two consigned DMPs). Expesnive year for BH and arrows. Nowadays, I may plug one doe and that's it, unless someone else needs the meat or help with the doe numbers.

I own or have owned all of the mentioned. They all have their place. LW for mobile sets or for where entry/stealth is needed, or for carry in and carry out. Screw-ins for my web or high theft areas. Ladder sticks for straight trees and rapid rails for crooked ones that will have a stand staying in it.

Nothing worse than walking into a stand that used to be there. I had two cams and a stand stolen at once...I walk in, realized it. I sat for 10 minutes trying to make the best of the situation since it was hunting season. Promptly got up and went home because I was so mad. I feel for you. Stealing a double is ALOT of work. That's some brave d-bag. Most likely it was two people to move that thing.

Big +1 on the Spot Hogg Wise Guy. I bought two in case...should buy another if they ever stop making it.

Not to make blanket statements or anything of the like, but Amish/Mennonites are known to be trespassers themselves. But again, that's the same with any group...there are simply slob hunting lawbreakers. I just don't get people sometimes.

An observation stand is certainly something worthwhile to pursue when called for. But honestly, if I am observing...why not do that before the season starts so you know where to be on day 1? If it's not an observation, why hunt stands where your odds are less than where you should be because you've patterned your deer? Do the homework and take your best shot when the conditions/sign warrant right off the bat. The Oct. 1 opener is a difference maker as compared to the old mid-Oct opener. Patterns are more likely exploitable. It's never a guarantee, but If you have a lead, make your move. People under-use and under-estimate the value of our October 1 opener in the SZ. Of course, I concur with Landtrac...enjoyment is prime.

Me and a friend went out to a parcel to hang some last-second stands at high Noon yesterday. Property has a hilly field, with a small knoll and dip about 1/3 the way up. While walking up the edge with two stands, pole saw, back pack, snips, etc. We saw some antlers breaking the knoll line. We kneeled down, got the binos out and saw it was a dandy 8 (looked like a 3.5 after getting to watch him) in full velvet, minus a small bloody part on his driver's side. The buck dipped below the knoll line casually and we waited to see if he would pop up again.Mind you we're about 25-30 yards out into the field from the woodline. After a bit, we believe he headed off and slowly crested the knoll, only to find the buck staring down a tree top that had fallen over into the edge of the field at the bottom of the dip. There we stood in the wide open about 50 yards from this deer. He proceeded to shed his velvet (I videoed it on my phone) in front of us. I've never seen it happen live, so this was neat, especially for a solid 130 in. 8 point. We were basically stuck int he wide open with no cover to hide behind or even duck down on the back side of the knoll and we had stands and gear on our shoulders. The wind was in our favor, but we should have been had as he clearly looked at us several times at about 50 yards out, but without a single care - his disposition at that moment was much like a buck around the first couple days of November when frustration signposting takes place and they get hyper-focused on beating up a tree, brush, etc. He was brutally beating that tree top. There is no doubt in my mind we should have been busted. When they want that velvet off, they want it off. By the time he started moving away after about 10 minutes, he had 90% of the velvet shredded, and he ate most of the velvet. He had one long strand left on his right side hanging as he walked off.

Never worry about tagging a buck early. I never really understood why people "worry" about it. If the buck trips your trigger, it is what it is. I'm never hunting a lesser stand. I'm always hunting the best stand (so I believe) for the time, condition, deer movement. I don't consider a rut stand a "best" stand or a stand on the edge of doe bedding a "best" stand. I've never really understood the "saving" mentality unless it is in the context of pertaining to a rut stand, but even in those cases, they aren't the best early season producers in many situations. I know I won't plug a doe early if the temps are up, that's for sure. It's not fun to deal with if everything isn't lined up (a cool room or an empty freezer you can quarter/store them for a few days. Plus with the season starting on a Tuesday, working the next day makes matters worse. If it's a buck, I can burn a PTO day the following one as I won't need to take time off for bow here in NY. I get one here in NY and I just go to Ohio, although this year I'm planning on sticking it out here until I tag one of the bucks I am after. Not going to bail on NY until the tag is filled.

A release is very important to a compound archer. I'd opt for a new one as you can get some decent ones for cheap, and people don't often sell ones they like unless they've been used quite a bit. Truball and Trufire make great releases for most people. I am a HUGE fan, HUGE fan...of the Spot Hogg Wise Guy. Absolutely worth the investment. I'd rather shoot cheaper arrows and BH as a trade off for a nice release. Good luck in your search.

I'll rise above your feeble attempt at poo flinging. A prime example of who starts crap on this site, right there. Let's not derail what has been a good thread.