genesee_mohican

Not sure, I have a family celebration in the afternoon tomorrow and it's forecast to rain most of Sunday. The following weekend looks free and good weather.

I don't know how long I've been on this site, but it's been a long time. I see no need to change, ( well, I would like to change my user name. It seemed cool at the time but lame now.

It does seem like the hunter numbers are down again this year. I didn't hunt this past Sunday but I drove around the access points of Letchworth park near me and only saw 2 vehicles. It was pretty quite most of bow after opening day. I am hunting less this year myself. Just tired out from working 50 hr weeks and staying home with family. It will probably be that way until I can 'semi retire'.

It's hard to enjoy sitting out there if your cold. I have a pretty good system that works well on cold days. The main defense is the disposable hand and toe warmers, good wicking base layers and the MVP * the Heater Body Suit * Walking in I'm wearing wool base layers, wool pants and medium weight jacket, 1000 thinsulate boots, wool socks. A light wool hat, light gloves. I pack in an extra heavy weight shirt, extra warm hat, neck gator, balaclava, hand warmers and the heater body suit. Once I get in my stand, I slip into the HBS, deploy the hand warmers, put on the extra stuff to keep my head warm and I'm good for the day. Comfortable and can sit all day in cold weather. Stay away from cotton and use wool and wicking layers, add a neck gaiter and good warm hats. Put toe warmers in each boot and have some extra hand warmers. That will help a lot.

I sat all day yesterday down by the river. I had a spike go by at 2pm and a 4pt go by at 3:30. I could hear another hunter grunting 100 yds away. The spot used to be good, I've had a trail cam nearby for 6 or 7 years and it's gone pretty quiet. Oh well, I'll try another area next weekend.

Aliens? Doesn't sound like a deer, they try to be as quiet as possible. I've heard bears walk through the woods before, they sound similar to a deer, a tad louder. Maybe someone's lost livestock? Maybe someone messing around? May never know.

Playing the wind is #1 of course, it's a no brainer and is taken into consideration always which is why I have 12 tree stands set up for different wind directions. Keeping our scent to a minimum is a LOT of work. During bow season I have maybe 4 days a year where I sit all day and want to give it everything I got, so I take several steps to keep odor to a minimum. Scent elimination spray on all gear, shower with scent removal soap, brush teeth with hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Scentlok clothing helps too and for a couple hundred bucks (buy when it's on sale) one can take another step to minimize human odor. That's just me. Deer need to be close during bow season. I know I can't totally eliminate my odor but I'm smart enough to know that with a lot of work I can keep it to a minimum.

My A clothes are all scent lok and merino wool. I put the scent lok in the dryer to recharge the carbon, then store it all in an air tight bin. My B clothes are washed in All Free and Clear and stored in an air tight bin or hang in my man cave/shop.

Thanks!! Lots to be thankful for and lucky to be born in October. Hunting was burned into my soul.

Nice fish Wolc. I stream fished for trout a few times, did some early season walleye fishing with no luck and had a lot of fun bass fishing catching over 70 fish and some real beauties. Hopefully in a few short years I'll have more time to fish and stay healthy.

"We were expecting to find that angling in general has positive effects on mental health — however, we did not expect that the more often you fish, the better the benefits are." Well yeah, we knew that! https://www.foxnews.com/health/fishing-health-benefits-more-men-go-fishing-better-their-mental-health-study-finds

Was that over on the west side of the park? I didn't get my trail cameras out till Sept this year but I did see one going across a field just south of us.

I'd say if one isn't too excited about shooting a buck that passes by on the first day they get out to hunt, then it shouldn't bother them later in the season .That's just me. It wouldn't bother me because I like to see bucks have a chance to grow. If a small buck walks by my stand during the season and I give him a pass, there is a decent chance he'll be in the same area again next year, only bigger. If someone else takes him, good for them! That's hunting and unless you own 1000 acres you have no control over that part. If someone wants the meat and takes the deer I pass, that is fine with me. Bottom line : shoot what you want and enjoy it.

I saw a red oak with the same size. I haven't seen any white oaks producing yet.

You have some really amazing trail cam shots there! I think it's a one in a million shot to capture coyotes with a bear cub meeting right in front of your trail camera. With your description of the set up and the proximity of the yotes, I feel bad for the cub, but maybe mama was about to charge in.