wolc123

I can relate to that. These days, I try and hang onto my buck tags until the mid-point of archery season and until Thanksgiving (during gun), unless a good shot at a 2-1/2 year or older buck is offered. I have also never punched a buck tag and later saw a larger one, when I was out working on DMP tags. Much of the wind leaves my sails, after my buck tags are punched, and that certainly plays a part. After that, the effort I put in is much less, especially if our venison supply is secure. We try and live a subsistance lifestyle, and that takes 4-5 deer to get from one season to the next. I do not consider any season to be a complete success unless both of my buck tags are filled (the size of the antlers does not matter) and our venison supply is secure. I am not overly concerned where the venison comes from, as long as it is cleanly killed and handled properly. "Gifts" from friends are cool, as are fresh road-kills. A buddy from work blessed us with a fat button buck last year, as did a hit-and-run motorist a couple years prior. Those are treasured above anything on our table, and if you ever ate one you would understand why. It has been about 5 years since I shot one myself, maybe this will be my "lucky" year. I saw what might have been one with his/her momma up in the NZ on Friday with my crossbow, but they were out of range. I always target the largest antlerless deer first, which has resulted in only 25% of them being button bucks, thru the years. That would make it very tough for me to take one with a crossbow. If it was at home in the Southern zone gun-season, then they would have a good chance of making the short trip to "deer-heaven" (our family's food supply), together. That has happened a few times in the past. I don't get very excited about killing does for several reasons. First, they are tougher for me to process as it always takes more time to trim the higher percentage of fat that they typically carry. Second, I always think about the bucks that they will never be able to produce again. Third, they don't come with those nice wall decorations that provide great "reminders" of past successful hunts, and handy grab-handles to drag them to the loader or ATV. I would like to see NY state provide a third buck tag for those who purchase a gun, bow, and ML licence. Three 2-1/2 year old bucks, and one button would be a perfect way to fill the freezer, and meet the protein needs of my family for a year.

You come across as bitter and frustrated. Let it go, for it is kind of like drinking poison, the only one you are hurting is yourself. I have shot and killed (6) deer since getting the bloodglow, 3 years ago, and all have dropped in sight or close enough to hear crash. I don't count on "luck" to recover my deer, but I do rely on my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is the one who has the final say where all living things wind up. I suggest you do the same, if you are not already. Woodsmanship will only get you so far in life. He will get you all the way to Heaven someday. He has also managed to put every deer that I have shot at over the last 12 years into "deer Heaven" (my family and friend's food supply), and that is a nice side- benefit. I hope you are feelin better soon and continue to have many more successful hunts. As far as using the bloodglow on a deer when it is not needed, I don't have the spare cash for that. If I did I would rather toss it in the collection plate at Church.

I am about to start my first hunt of the season up in the Northern zone for some crossbow/ML hunting and it looks like there is rain in the forecast. My rain protection failed me last year on that trip and I ended up getting soaked to the skin. I used one of those tree umbrellas, combined with a hammock seat. The problem was that the hammock seat collected water from the tree like a bowl and I got soaked from the bottom up. This year, I picked up one of those cheap $ 8 stools from Aldi's sale a few weeks ago, which should solve that problem when used with the tree umbrella. I also picked up a $ 30 pop-up blind, at the same sale, which is supposed to be water resistant. For outerwear, I go with a 10X Goretex, light-weight cammo rain jacket that I picket up from BPS about 15 years ago. It still keeps me dry (up top) but is kind of noisy. This year, I am also bringing along a cheap pair of dark green, light-weight rubber bibs that will hopefully work on the lower end. "Water resistant" thinsulate-lined cammo bibs failed me last year. I have killed lots of deer on rainy days at home in the Southern zone where I have three enclosed metal-roofed blinds that are very comfortable, no matter how hard it comes down or how windy it gets. Hopefully the new canvas pop-up blind, free-standing stool, tree umbrella and improved rain gear will do the trick up north. Getting soaked to the skin sucks. At least it is not as bad when it is warm, which it looks like it will be this weekend.

Do not dispair, for there is a very easy and safe solution to your problem. I did the same thing with an old traditions "fox-river 50" about 20 years ago (some beer was involved). Here is what you do: 1) Use a screwdriver to remove the little screw in the end of the nipple port, and/or remove the nipple with a nipple wrench. 2) Pour a little powder into the nipple channel thru the threaded opening(s). That powder will end up behind the bullet. A nipple pick, or a pin can be used to force in a little more powder. You will not be able to get a full charge in there but plenty to force the bullet out of the end of the short pistol barrel. 3) Re install the screw and/or nipple 4) install a cap, point in a safe direction, and pull the trigger.

I use to think the same thing about rain, however I picked up a night time blood tracking product called bloodglow that is supposed to work even better in the rain. You mix it with water and it makes blood glow bright green in the dark under the star and moonlight. Now I hunt right up to sunset even in the pouring rain (with my crossbow during the open part of the season, from a covered blind). During archery season, the action is usually best right before sunset, so why not take advantage of a little modern CSI technology to hunt that time, regardless of weather ? My first crossbow hunt this year will be Friday, up in the northern zone, and I think there is a chance of rain. On one hand, I am hoping any deer I hit will drop dead in sight or close enough to hear crash, as they all have so far. On the other hand, I would really like to get a chance to see if that bloodglow works like it is supposed to.

You will struggle a lot less with that if you change over to a crossbow next season.

What we a seeing now is the last-minute dying gasps of the anti's, in what will very likely to be the last season before their ship goes down and full inclusion arrives. We should try and comfort them in this very trying time. Maybe point to the adjacent states of Ohio or PA, where the sky did not fall. It will be ok folks. You are very concerned with what weapon we use, but we are mostly all ok with you continuing to use your compounds, recurves, and longbows in Our seasons. Happy hunting to all, whichever weapon you use. I am off to the northern zone tomorrow, where the good times started rolling today.

That is good to know, thanks for the tip. I will throw a bottle in with the gear I am taking up to the northern zone tomorrow, for a crossbow/ML hunting trip. I bought some "bloodglow" night-time tracking agent a few years ago, but that only works after the sun goes down. All the deer I have shot since getting it (with crossbow, ML, shotgun, or rifle) have dropped dead in their tracks or close enough that I could see or hear them fall, so I have not got to try that stuff yet. I will gladly take all the help I can get, just in case that does not happen the next time. It would be nice to have something for the daylight hours, especially with the above normal temperatures that are predicted. I already have a sprayer packed for the bloodglow, if needed. The faster a carcass is gutted and put into the meat-locker, the tastier the venison. It is all about the meat for me, and nothing bothers me more than loosing it to spoilage or coyotes. That said though, a slightly off-tasting carcass tastes better than none, so I will still wait for a time (depending on the hit location), prior to heading off in pursuit, even if I do have the HP (day) or BG (night). It is a lot better to let the deer lay down and die in its first bed, rather than bump it off to who knows where by too early of a pursuit. If I see them or hear them fall though, those guts are coming out ASAP.

I hunt similar terrain, in the Adirondacks, with a standard-size Ruger M77, 30/06 with 3-9 scope. This rifle has got the job done, while sitting and "ambushing" deer, but is less than ideal for stillhunting. I skipped opening day up there last year, because I was not confident with it in the wind-driven sleet/rain/snow. To cover those conditions, I picked up a new Marlin 336 BL 30/30. This one has a short, 16" barrel and open sights. This season, I will hunt with the Ruger in calm, fair-weather conditions that are more suited for "sit and ambush", but use the Marlin in high winds, rain, and snow (especially in combination), when I will spend more time still-hunting. I am covered well on those extremes, but have a bit of a hole in the middle. My next rifle will probably be a short-barreled Ruger American in .243, with a 2-7 scope. That could handle the "in-between" conditions. For your situation, unless you are extremely confident in the .223, I would stick with your other two rifles. Like Buckmaster says, that is not enough gun, on big northern deer, for other than broadside shots. If it is calm and clear, I would go with the .243 and sit and ambush. If it is windy, with rain/sleet/snow, then I would go with your 30/30. Confidence in a rifle is very important. I will never sell my 30/06, because it has cleanly killed every deer I have shot it at. My 30/30 is unproven. Hopefully, I can do something about that in a few weeks.

Prayers sent. The hunting and fishing are surely spectacular beyond belief up there, and hopefully we will all get to enjoy it some day. Good luck to you this season, down here below, where everything don't always go exactly right. Don't be surprised if he puts in a good word for you with He who has the final say where all living creatures end up I lost a real good hunting buddy to ALS a few years ago, and had one of my most successful seasons ever the fall after he past. It is hard for me to believe that it was "just a coincidence".

The main reason we will see full inclusion, in the next few years, is that vertical bows are not an efficient enough weapon to control deer numbers. Much of the state is grossly overpopulated, after two consecutive non-winters. The silence of the crossbow is the secret of it's efficiency, compared to firearms.

I am down in VA for my niece's wedding this weekend. It is mid-eighties and partly cloudy here. It does not sound very good hunting weather up in NY yet. Hopefully, it cools down a little by Thursday, when I head up to the Adirondacks for a few days of crossbow/ML deer and bear hunting. If it stays warm, at least the fishing should be comfortable. I do not feel comfortable heading into the woods until a few hard frosts slow down the bugs a little bit.

At this point in my life, as a pure meat-hunter, I would not be interested in an African hunt. After our kids move out, I would at least think about it (especially the buffalo), if I were financially and physically able. I would probably go for an Alaskan moose first (I know they taste great), and the African cape buffalo second. God populated the earth with animals to feed mankind. Participating in that process, when it all goes to hungry folks, is especially awesome. Did they allow you a taste of the tenderloins ? If you did and they tasted great, then Africa might move ahead of Alaska.

Pretty girls, nice scenery, decent looking gun, ugly hunter and dead buck.

I do not see any correlation between owning land, but I do see a correlation to what stage of life the hunter is in. Most young beginners are not too fussy and will take the first legal deer. Many enter a "trophy" stage after a few years. Family obligations (more hungry mouths to feed) pushes some (myself included) towards the meat. Empty-nesters often return to the trophy stage for their twilight years.

I appreciate your bluntness and honesty here. Most anti-crossbow folks do not come right out and admit that they want less hunters in the woods. Some say that archery season was created to increase the challenge and they wish to keep it that way. If they truly wanted to preserve their special time of "increased challenge", would not some additional hunters increase that challenge ? I think there is a good chance that the challenge may lessen a bit with full inclusion, especially during the rut. The reason for that is: the "full-inclusion" update also includes categorizing the crossbow as archery equipment, and requires the archery course. My guess is that many will be too lazy to sit thru another 8 hour course. The way the rules are now, anyone with a gun licence can hunt the rut with a crossbow, merely by signing their name on a little piece of paper.

I always put a single number on the packages, that corresponds to when the deer was killed that season, starting with a number 1. The first deer of the year gets packaged in zip-lock bags, because it is a waste of expensive vacuum bags if it is eaten within a couple months. All the rest get vacuum sealed, which can keep it tasting fresh up to 5 years. We try to eat them in the order that they were killed. None ever lasts more than a year and a half at our house. We are almost down to the last one of five from last year now, and I am a little more than a week away from my first hunt of the season. We also always eat the tenderloins fresh, but everything else usually goes in the freezer. For younger deer, we make more roasts, steaks, and chops, but on some of the older ones, we grind all but the backstraps. My kids go thru a lot of grind, and they just can't seem to get enough venison tacos. I love stuffed cabbage and peppers and spaghetti with meat sauce, goulash, and lasagna.

I can not recall ever missing a deer with a vertical bow, but my recovery rate was about 70 %. That was not good enough for me, so I gave it up 3 years ago. With a crossbow, my recovery rate has been 100 %. I can live with that. Full inclusion would be nice, but now I have a little more time for fall salmon fishing, small game hunting, and to get get my stands and blinds ready. I am very thankful to have the whole peak-rut week to use the crossbow, and to have access to some prime hunting in the northern zone, where I can use it a few weeks earlier if I want to. Are you going to run a poll like this for crossbows ?

I always like to age the venison, to allow the rigor mortis to break down. I usually age a 1.5 year old deer for a week, and older deer for 10 to 14 days. It is easier when the outside temperature is cooler. Then I leave the hides on the carcasses and hang them in our insulated garage. The hide keeps the meat from drying out too much and insulates against temperature extremes. I open the garage windows at night, to let in the cold air, and cover them up by day, to keep out the sunlight. If the daytime highs are predicted to get to the upper 50's, over the aging period, then I skin the deer as soon as possible and remove the rear quarters. I have an old fridge in the garage with all the racks removed. I hang the rear quarters from hooks on top, and rest the front part on the neck on the bottom. The fridge holds the carcass at 35 degrees, and keeping the door closed, on an old, non frost-free fridge, keeps the skinned parts from drying out too much. So far, no one who has eaten this "aged" venison, has been able to tell that it was not beef. I know a lot of hunters do not do it, but I wonder what their wives and girlfriends think of their venison. Here is a hint for you guys, learn how to age you venison, and she will encourage you to spend more time hunting.

The best thing about having access to multiple properties, is that makes it easier to avoid "burning out" a good spot. Deer do not tolerate much hunting pressure. Picking the spot to hunt usually involves what the deer are eating, where they are bedding, and what way the wind is blowing. If I can narrow it down to a few spots, based on those three considerations, I will usually pick the one that has rested the longest. One other variable that comes into play on certain days, like the opener of southern zone gun season, the second Saturday, and Thanksgiving morning, is the effect of other hunters. Hunters are easier to pattern than deer, and certain spots will allow you to take advantage of deer movement caused by other hunters. The longer you hunt a particular property, the easier it is to identify the "hot-spots" for those days.

What we all need is a lot more love and a lot less hate. My prayers are with the victims and their loved ones. The increased violence is largely the result of increased "non-contact" communication and instant access to information. A better name for a popular device would be "dumb-phones". Many people have got "dumbed-down" to the point that they can no longer distinguish good from evil or right from wrong. They loose sight of the fact that evil has never and will never prevail, and your attention should always be on the road. Wake up folks. Maybe spend a little more time with a Bible than on your smart phone. That is where you will find the real answer to how we can get out of this mess.

Congrats on that shot. There was nothing "crappy" about it. Your arrow may not have struck the deer where you intended, but it did hit in just about the perfect place to minimize meat damage and needless suffering of the deer. I can really relate to it, because that is very close to where I hit the last deer I killed with a bow, about 5 years ago. I heard that buck crash, about 40 yards from where he took my mechanical broadhead thru the jugular. I also did not aim for that spot. I did watch him turn, duck and whirl around after my release, resulting in the "lucky" strike. I am pretty sure he caught a glimpse of my draw as he passed thru the hedgerow, below my treestand. That put him at "full-alert". He stopped, quartering away, just over 20 yards out. A "full-alert" deer can cover a lot of ground in the time an arrow takes to move 20 yards. In these two cases, about a yard from the center of the neck to the center of the chest. The sound of the bow's release is the signal for an alert deer to duck. This is commonly known as "string jump" and is most pronounced on calm days and at ranges from 15 to 35 yards. Closer than that, and the deer will not have time to move far enough, farther is out of the immediate "danger zone", where a deer reacts quickly to a sound. On windy days, the background noise will usually cover the sound of the bow's release. "String jump" is only a problem when shooting at alert deer. Smells, Sounds, and Sights can alert a deer. If you think you are shooting at an alert deer, I would always aim low, about mid-heart level. I usually aim there anyhow, "just in case". If the deer ducks, the arrow slices thru high-lung, just below the spine. If it does not, then the heart shot puts them down quick. I am thankful that NY made the crossbow legal 3 seasons ago (at least for the rut), so I will never again have to worry about shooting at an alert deer. I like it much better when the deer is in the same place when the arrow arrives as it was when it was released. Eliminating the need to draw with the deer in close, almost assures that will be the case. Also, I will never again make a buck alert by rattling or grunting, unless I am armed with a firearm. No deer is fast enough to duck a bullet. I am not that upset about missing the early part of archery season in the southern zone for several reasons. First, it is usually too warm then for me to easily handle and process the venison. Second, I don't like bugs (especially ticks and mosquitoes). Third, I have access to some fine hunting in the Northern zone, where the crossbow and ML are legal before mid-October, and Fourth, The local deer numbers are such that I have not struggled to obtain plenty of venison, starting up north in mid-October.

Since the crossbow became legal in 2014, I no longer hunt with a vertical bow, but back when I did, I addressed the left/right issue by practicing drawing and slowly unloading, alternating left/right with one of my old bows. I always work out in the mornings before work anyhow, so I just added the bow in place of something like dumbell curls, doing 2 sets of 12 reps, left and right, starting about April every year. I used an old back-up bow for this, to eliminate the wear on my hunting bow. It was an old compound with only about 25 percent letoff, while my hunting one was 65 percent. 6 or 7 months of that, prior to hunting season, kept both sides equally developed. Practicing more with my hunting bow (all right handed), the last few months and thru hunting season, still led to some lop-sidedness and some occasional elbow, shoulder, and back pain. I am happy not to have to deal with that anymore, now that I am in my fifties, thanks to the crossbow, which draws symmetrically, using both arms and shoulders, with the rope pulley device. My elbows, shoulders and back seldom cause me any pain any now, like they did back in my forties. The crossbow is almost like a "fountain of youth" in that respect, reversing or eliminating the aches and pains of the aging process. Mine has a low enough draw weight that it is not too much struggle for me to load it in a pinch without that pulley. So far, a second shot has not been needed, but if it ever is, I could do it faster without the pulley. I am also fortunate to have access to some good hunting in the northern zone, so I only have to wait until mid-October to start using it. So far, all of my crossbow hunting has been from blinds or stands that are equipped with good rests, so all shots on deer have been similar to bench-shooting a rifle, enabling me to strike on or very close to the individual hair that I aim at. My entry-level crossbow is also narrow and not overly front-heavy, like some of the higher-end models. I am looking forward to a little still-hunting and off-hand shooting with it this year, both up in the northern zone in a couple weeks and in the cornfields of home, starting in early November. I have practiced some of that off-hand shooting with it, and can hold a 2" group at 20 yards. That is considerably farther than I could shoot in the corn. So the bottom line here is that there is now an easy solution to your issue. You just have to pick up a better weapon for an old guy. How are your elbows and shoulders feetling now ?

I know we have talked about this in the past, and it is likely more the fault of the guns, but three of my good friends have lost real big bucks because their T/C contenders, chambered in 35 Rem did not fire. That will always cause me some concern of buying a rifle in that caliber. Also, I do not reload and would not expect to see better price or availability of the .35 Remington than the 30/30. I think that is the biggest strike against the .35 for most folks. I do understand the performance edge on deer and bear however (if it goes off). I have yet to fire my 30/30 at a deer and if it does not perform up to my expectations when and if I do, then I would definitely consider a .35 rem , and probably in a 336 Marlin. It seems that Remington finally has their act together on those, based on the fit and finish of the new 30/30 that I picked up a few months ago. Hopefully, I can break it in on the second weekend of rifle season up in the Adirondacks this fall. I am hoping for some rainy/snowy and windy weather, like we had last year on opening weekend, so I can try it out still-hunting. My only other concern with the .35, is recoil compared to the 30/30. Is it significantly more ? I can notice a reduction from the 150 gr 30/30 compared to the 170 gr, so I would think the heavier 35 would hammer the shoulder a bit more. It would not be a big deal for me, but my daughter may have a problem with it if she decides to take it up in the next several few years. I may hang onto the 30/30 for that reason, and pick up another 336 Marlin in 35 Rem and put a scope on that one.

I use the range finder a lot more before the hunt than on it. It is great on the range when practicing or sighting in. For rifle, I use to have stakes every 50 yards out to 400 and they were a pain to mow around. Now, I just use the rangefinder. Similar, with my crossbow, every 10 yards out to 50. Earlier today, I used the rangefinder from the ground and sighted my stands and blinds, putting bright ribbons at 50 yards (max effective range of my crossbow), and 100 yards, which is where I sight my rifle, shotgun, and ML. Doing that work ahead of time eliminates the need to take the rangefinder on hunts. When a deer shows up, it is nice not to waste time ranging it, by having those markers in place. This eliminates the guesswork and allows me to hit right on, or very close to the spot I aim at on the deer. I do take it with me when I am hunting new areas, or still-hunting. When I find a good spot to stop and watch for a while, I site some landmarks where I expect a deer may show up. When you do that for a while, it gets easier to estimate the range of objects (or deer). After you get a few years of practice with your range finder, it will not be so important to have it with you on your hunts.