mjac

9J -

But not after a coffee !

Young Bucks made some scraps this past weekend in 9J . Only found two rubs in woods so far.

1.American Beech 2. Black Cherry 3. White Ash

I've bought used ladder stands on Craigslist and use them to get to two of my hang on's

For those that say large bore air guns are suitable not for big game should educate yourselves on how lethal these are. Many states have allowed them for years. To call them BB guns is absurd. These guns drop deer no differently than any other legal means in place today. I would disagree with a special season for them, but to use during firearms season what's the big deal ?

No to early muzzy season ! I think that would disrupt the entire season Keep gun/muzzy as it is Maybe Open bow & xbow season 3rd Sat of Sept. as earlier antlerless only. Allow bow & xbow antler to start 2nd Saturday in Oct Allow antlerless bow & xbow until 2nd Sun of Jan.

I'm still convinced it's this mild weather. Temperature is probably the leading reason for deer movement, surrounding states are reporting the same low activity. It would be interesting to save this thread until next year and see if the deer magically re-appear ( if it's typical seasonal weather). If we were overweight and wearing a goose down jacket in these temps, we would stay put as much as we could too. I'm not buying into we are killing all the deer, I saw allot first 2 weeks of October, with less than 1/2 the hunters in Nov. Where did they go if no one hunting them ? Whitetails are survivalists and adjust to all kinds of factors. This year I think it's just mother nature.

My opinion, the deer are here, just noctural this season due to this mild weather. There is food in the woods and in the fields so they don't need to move very far at all this year. I think the lack of hunters is a product of this, since most hunters are weekenders, they don't see any deer and they quit early. My property borders 2,000 acres of state forest in 9J and last weekend I saw maybe 2 cars on the side of the road, none during the week. A steady decline from opening weekend. I've noticed very few hunters walking anymore, most just far enough to sit in a stand for a few hrs. The deer only get pushed slightly , enough to make them bed down and not get disturbed again. Plus, the tremendous amount of food plots on private land these days hold the deer tight, they dont need to go anywhere ! I myself only have a buck from week 2 of bow season and missed two during shotgun, not seeing many myself but I know they are around. I know I'm not quitting, this is sometimes the best 10 days of the year for me, low pressure all season gets them on the usual morning , evening routes again.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/8305.html scroll down on page for chart

It's about a 4 yr old cam, it does good, has burst mode and video too Stealth Cam Unit Ops 8MP STC-U838NG Sportsmans Guide has them on clearance now at 99 bucks, they are no longer making this model

I would be ok with antler restictions for only the late bow/muzzy season. If the smaller guys make it through early bow and reg. season they should be let to grow until next season . Just a thought

I dont know of anyone who throws out trees before Xmas ! I didnt think I had to really explain, but ......after Xmas, people put them to the curb, and I will collect a few at a time with my pickup and take to my property and pile them up to brush in the blind area, the dead trees last for years and make excellent natural cover

I always use a brushed in ground blind, with comfy chair/backrest. I leave up from Sept until after muzzy, with three good sides of view, the back side I always have facing the way the wind normally blows, and against a big blow down, so I never have to turn around in it. I have had tremendous luck with this and gave up the trees long ago. I can drink my coffee, play with my phone, take a nap, snack and stay out of the weather. I put it in the same spot year after year, and have all my shooting lanes cut out. Harvest 2-3 a year. The model I have is the smaller rounder one, with the metal side spring ring frames. Ameristep Doghouse Ground Blind 60" x 60" x 68" Polyester I also collect old xmas trees people trash and throw them around for extra cover !!

Has anyone ever hunted during this extended bow only Focus season ( Jan 10-30 2015) in Tompkins County in Buttermilk Falls State Park or Robert Treman State Park ? I was curious if it was worth looking into

For many years I used to be in before light, but over the last 10 yrs or so I just time myself to be in the stand or blind approx 15 -20 mins before legal shooting time. The reason is, I have never in 32 yrs shot a deer before 9am, almost all my gun & bow season deer have been taken between 930 - 1130 am, and a couple about 15 mins before sunset. I hunt the woods, maybe it's diff if you hunt fields.

My opinion, it's basically the means of survival of the whitetail over thousands of years A deer's world is controlled mainly by 2 things......eating, and NOT getting eaten. After that, for bucks it's breeding the does. Deer move or "dissapear" for various reasons. Mostly is change in food source any place that is a good mix of food and cover is going to be productive . Next is probably change in habitat, i.e logging or clearcutting or humans. The more a particular spot begins to lose it's attractiveness, combined with the natural mast and crop rotation, then the more you have to study it and adjust. With a little investigation, it is seldom a big mystery as long as we understand seasonal deer movement. Pressure causes deer to move. However, keep in mind, a deer only goes as far as they have to find what they are seeking. These days with more private property that hold these keys, thats where they will go. In the case of food source, quite often they come back when the food source changes again.. as pressure, such as hunting decreases or stops, they usually return.