Robin

Thanks wolc123, I enjoyed that post. Glad you got a nice doe and good idea of getting it processed right away. Good luck on your later hunt. I'm not sure what next year will bring, I still plan on a canoe in wall tent camp, we'll see.

Here's a video of the trip.

Nothing, my two big efforts where paddling back up 5 beaver dams looking for sigh or activity. I spent the better part of a day there and came out in a cold 35 degree rain...and then I spent some time sitting on the edge of a swamp on a well used trail but nothing.

I got back last night after 7 days in my wall tent at Lows Lake. The weather was an issue for me, on the way in I got caught in a cold rain which turned into a downpour so I made camp only 3 miles from my truck rather than the usual 12 miles in. I never took advantage of any breaks in the weather to move camp,, just too much effort to break a wet camp, paddle and portage the extra distance and set up again. So I hunted a few times around Hitchens Pond but the wind and cold rain sucked the desire out of me, I even passed on going out the morning of fresh snow. I also felt my age this trip more than ever, just a fact of life. I did enjoy plenty of camp time and just being out there made it all worth it. The interior frame really held up well one night when the wind gusts had to be up in the 40-50 mph zone, trees where snapping all night long. That was a long night! and my favorite past time...

Well I stopped at my 85 yo father in laws place today to say goodbye and check up on him, and he said "your looking at snow opening day young fella, be careful" He was watching the weather channel and is as pumped as I am to get back to the big woods Yes, looks like snow and lots of it. I will spend Friday getting my camp ready, and I will be prepared for an early start Saturday morning (opening day), not that often you can get some fresh snow on the ground opening day. I think the front will move thru pretty fast so if I get on a track I will be able to follow it with a safe trail back out. Thelegs aint what they once where, but just to get on an ADK bucks track would be pretty neat. I'm all set, going to bed before the debate (told my wife I'm not interested in two old people arguing) and I'll be at the put in at Lows Lake about 8 am, hope to beat the winds/rain and get my camp all set early, get some rest, then process fire wood for the coming week on Friday I'll report in next week..

Today's my last day of getting my gear in order, as always I have to be careful not to try to bring too much crap. I'll be putting in tomorrow up at Lows Lake in the Adirondacks. I have a few things that I have changed to try and make it a more comfortable week or so. I'm camping at one of the western campsites to avoid the n/w wind, and I'll still be able to paddle over to my hunting area around Tomar Mt. when the wind kicks up Saturday. I'm also bringing in wood for the wood stove from a local supply to get me thru the first few days. Friday will be my wood processing day and I hope to have a good supply stashed for the week. I'm only paddling a 15' wood canvas Chestnut Chum, so space is limited. In the event I get a deer, it will have to be boned out right at the kill site. I have some decent packs coming along and I also have a good pulley system to hoist a deer if necessary. So, one more day of getting my outfit ready and some "honey do's" done then I'm off for the big woods.

Thanks for the well wishes, means a lot. This year I have a friend joining me, he has his own wood canvas canoe and a nice hot tent too. He's retired too, and like me he won't be spending all his waking hours in the woods. Moderation is the game plan. I also received a note from another hunter that he too will be hunting Lows the first week of the big game season. He has done some prep work, scouting and cut/split some wood. I offered to help move a deer if needed. So everything is moving along well, I'm not sure how many times I'll go thru my outfit between now and then but that's half the fun.

I'm getting the itch to get back into Lows this fall first week of northen zone. I had some health issues this spring, prostrate cancer, direct result of my infantry days in Nam according to the VA. Alls good now, but the radiation has left me a little fatigued by afternoons these days. All my friends here, please keep an eye on your PSA #'s, early detection can save your life, it saved mine. On a brighter note, I just got back from 6 days solo canoe trip in northern Ontario. Weather was all over the place, fishing was very good, and I spotted a couple of Woodland Caribou one almost walked over me while I was taking my afternoon nap..haha during a big lake crossing, I just made it to an island before the real wind came in. from lake to frying pan, a fine shore lunch in northern Ontario,

Thanks, I have been working on my 16" Chestnut Pal, it's a little bigger than the 15' Chum in this video, hopefully it will be ready for the fall trip. After many trips both in the ADKs and Canada it was in need of alot of repairs, alot are done but it still needs to be finished. Your correct, I need to go lighter on the provisions, leave room for all that venison I'm going to haul out. Thanks Fletch, I'm glad you like the thread. Hopefully this fall will bring another trip and maybe some success, although just getting out there is alot of fun and I would say somewhat successful.

Thanks Doc, appreciate that.

Thanks Folks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. My two sons are very good hunters here in Connecticut, they each harvested a bear just over the border in Massachusetts last year plus bow/rifle deer here at home. Unfortunately, work/family keeps them close to home so trips like this with me are hard to do, so I go solo whenever the conditions allow solo, and I have found these Gopro videos a fun addition to the solo trip. I don't do alot of physical activity once camp is set up, the canoe is easy on the legs so I do most of my scouting from it, I checked every sandy beach and every muddy area for tracks, very little sign. I did see a nice big deer standing in the water/grass close to where I put in, but other than that nothing. My plan is to head back in by late Sept to prepare for my October hunt. Thanks again for the nice thoughts.

Now I know this is not a hunting trip, but I did post a video of my recent trip into Lows Lake on Youtube, and thought some folks might like to see it. Just like the last 3 out of 4 years I plan to head back into Lows opening week of deer season, the last week of October barring any drastic weather forecast. I used my same fall outfit, a small wall tent, wood stove, cot, food box (wannigan), I ate good got some quiet paddling in with my wood/canvas canoe, drank alot of coffee cause the beer/booze is a thing of the past for me these days. I had planned to cut and cache some firewood for October this trip, didn't happen, but I found a good source so I'm pretty confident I'll be good this fall.

Thanks Grampy I do get alot of enjoyment up there at Lows, and with no wind it was great to be back. I scouted around and found a good supply of beaverwood for this falls trip too. I haven't fished Lows in many years but back in the day the floating bog was the place to be for bass. My campsite was close to that portage over to the Oswegatchie. My son and I did pretty good with the brookies above the falls one year, but we paddled in from Inlet. Thanks

I went back in this past weekend, 4/14-17/16 to camp and scout. I was the first canoe camper into Lows Lake this year, probably because the gate was closed and I had to cart my outfit in 3/4 mile to the put in. I surprised a good size deer standing in some water/grass but other than that saw no tracks or sign from the canoe. I spent some time around Tomar Mt again, not much sign, some trails but no old rubs. Again, I'm not your best or hardest hunter, pretty much just enjoy the big woods and the Adirondacks. I'll be heading back in come fall for sure. The wood stove came in handy, temps down to the low 20's in the morning. Canoe and campsite, Virgin Timber Landing west end of Lows Lake, 15' wood canvas Chestnut Chum, my tent evening with Tomar Mt in the background, Daytime scouting, ice had just left the lake so I hugged the shoreline. Pack contains my lunch, a set of clothes and some birch bark, matches punk wood for a quick emergency fire. Good trip.

I carry a compass and map when I hunt the 5 Ponds Wilderness (Lows Lake), but I rarely travel very far into the forest from the lake. Being older (67) and solo I err on the side of caution. I still do solo canoe trips in northern Ontario every year and for that I bought a SPOT device a few years ago. It has a 3 easy functions, one sends a message to any email address that says "I'm ok", the next button says "I need help but not life threatening" and the third button sends a message to the closest SAR authority's that says I need an extraction. Each message function gives my co-ordinates. Even when I hunt my own place here in Ct. I carry it, should I fall or drop out of my stand (old guys nap alot..haha)I can call for help via the SPOT Here I am 10 days in on a 100 mile solo canoe trip in northern Ontario a few years back, SPOT device in hand, sending an ok message before a grueling mile and 1/4 portage that hadn't seen a traveler in many years

Thanks, flying in must have been pretty neat. I saw a plane land there many years ago, dropped off some fishermen. I guess it stopped a while back. I saw an older guy than me heading in when I was coming out, although he had modern ligtweight gear and looked to be just going in for an overnight camp. He was so old that I thought he called me "sonny"...haha Thanks, I too have paddled many places in NY, lots more in Quebec and Ontario out near Manitoba, seen lots of great country. I just sold that big 18' wood canvas Old Town canoe, it was ok to paddle solo but too heavy for me to move around out of the water anymore. I have lighter Chestnuts, my 16' Chestnut Pal is in my shop now, and I'll be paddling that into Lows next October.

Thanks WOLC 123 Good thoughts, I enjoyed that nice read...Thanks

No, I heard a coyote a few times near camp and I saw some recent moose tracks on a sand bar. I paddled close to shore for about 4 miles when I moved my camp and checked every likely looking spot for any tracks, like sandbars, beaver trails up into the woods, never saw any deer sign.

HaHa, Funny

Thanks All, I wish I could have been a little more positive, but I showed you what happened, no sugar coating. Sometimes things just ain't so great and maybe if I was younger I would have sucked it up, hunted the wind and rain, came back to camp wet and thought nothing of it...but I'm older now and more cautious..just getting out there was an effort for me this year. Sitting here next to the wood stove tonight, I think back and wonder if I had done this or tried that, the trip might have been different, but in the end I know I needed to be cautious, I made the best of it and have no regrets. On the way home I said never again, but I'm already re-thinking my options and how I could plan ahead for these conditions next year. Thanks Fletch for the offer, but I'm a true solo type person when it comes to these type of activities...I have a hard time coping with my own company...haha

I spent 6 days at Lows again this year, the plan was to arrive on Weds and hunt the following week. The weather gave me fits some high winds with rain so I bailed out Monday. Good time, good eats but very little time hunting. Not sure if I'll do it again, age is catching up to me. Next year I might just use the remainder of my small game tag in early October. Here's a video of the trip,

Thanks Rob I'm loading up tomorrow and heading north weds early am hope to be in Long Lake 8 am to buy my tags and get to Lows for an early put in. Long paddle in, hope to beat the wind, I plan to stay at site 35, if anyone is in the area, stop in for a coffee if my canoe is there, or maybe some fresh venison tenderloins.haha Think Positive.

I grew up 8 miles from Eatons Neck in the 50's/60's and never heard of or saw a deer, I used to hunt ducks on the Pecoic River and never saw a big deer, just a few skippers and small bucks..Times have changed

I'm all set for this years canoe in deer hunt. I'll be putting the canoe in early weds., October 21st. I'll spend Thursday and Friday setting up camp and maybe a little scouting, but come Saturday the hunting starts. I have received my back country permit to camp till November 1st which will be about the best I can do. I have an 18' wood canvas Old Town OCTA this year, but I'm still on the fence about taking my trusty 15' Chestnut Chum. I know I could fit all my gear in the Chum, but what if I score a deer? One option would be to leap frog my way out for two days....to be honest that would be a good problem. The plan is to camp at site 35 on the s/w section of the lake and hunt around Tomar Mountain. Maybe spend some time down towards Bog Lake area if the winds are up. I'm very cautious about hunting the big woods and that pretty much dictates my hunting style. If I see some sign close to the lake I'll work it, or maybe circle the mountain and look for a spot to sit during the week. Deep penetration of the woods is just not going to happen. I have been tuning my outfit for the last few weeks, checking the tent and improving my interior frame, tinkering with the wood stove, getting it all cleaned up, packing and repacking the wanigan, checking the canoes, planning meals, studying the maps, staring at google maps earth.. Lots to do, getting ready is half the fun.

Thanks Grampy, I am going back into Lows Lake probably the last week and 1/2 of October. wall tent, wood stove canvas canoe, lots of good food, coffe, a cot to sleep on. I'll bring the camera and share my trip with you. I'm very thankful to the people of NYS who planned so far ahead that I can walk thru a big woods and not see a stump or logging trail, beautiful huge hardwoods, eagles, hawks, beaver and maybe a chance to harvest a north woods buck. At my age, 67, it's a great feeling to look forward to the trip.