pitweiler

Are you actually able to glass, spot animals and stalk them or is it too thick?

I haven’t hunted ADK yet. I want to but that’s planning, camping, days off work and $$. Really stinks that DMPs are not issued up there. I hunt 6K, 6N, 7F, 7J and I might try 7R this year. I have DMPs for 7F and 7R. I need to get on the ball next year and hit the shop Aug 1 so I can apply for 6K and start getting preference points.

Where in ADK are you spot / stalking? I spent a lot of time up there as a kid and don’ t remember areas like that. ADK is about two to four hours away from me so it’s just far enough to be difficult to get to. It’s also hard to justify taking a trip up there with no DMP when I can get a DMP down in 7 with ease.

I hope you lay it down tomorrow. I wish we had more areas to spot and stalk in NY.

Typically all I do is still hunt. I have a hard time sitting still. I only hunt public land right now and finding a spot to set up a stand / blind is nigh impossible because I’m afraid it won’t be there the next time I come back and typically the area is too thick. I’ve been able to get out three times so far ( I don’t bow hunt) for a total of about 22 hours. Still hunted most of it. So far I’ve encountered three deer (does, although i never got a good look at one of them, that I don’t have a DMP for). I stalked them for practice and never could catch up to them. I snuck up on all of them from behind. I played the wind and followed the fresh sign. It’s such a thrill to stalk like that but man it’s hard when you can’t get a shot. Either legally, safely/ethically or they spook. Anyone feel the same way?

I think opening the season on the weekend is a terrible idea. Given that weekends are the only time most people have to hunt like someone said it turns into an orange parade. I think moving the regular season open days to Monday and then extending each season by a few days would benefit everyone. You wouldn’t have a huge influx of people on one day, the public lands wouldn’t get hammered so hard and it might just move people around a little to help with congestion. I pretty much refuse to hunt any public land, especially WMAs on the weekends because it’s just too crowded.

https://www.sportsmans.com/hunting-gear-supplies/hunting-packs/binocular-harnesses-cases/alps-outdoorz-bino-hunting-harness-x/p/1433640?channel=shopping&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt7rnu7rA5QIVA3iGCh0O8gIcEAQYCCABEgJLfvD_BwE I have used this harness for the past three seasons. Awesome product. Mine is a touch small for my Nikon Prostaff 7s binos but now they make a larger size for $5 more. Quality is top notch. I found mine on sale at Herb Philipsons for $25 three years ago. Shop around and you can find them for $30-40. Well worth it.

I’m so behind. With the kids, work, church, family life I haven’t even bought my tags or scouted at all. Hard to find the time. The only expectations I have are to at least get away from society for a few days. I see deer almost every night at work. I hope I see one when I’m in the deer woods. Just gonna thank the Lord if I’m able to get out there and my boy can come with me.

My .243 is solid. I absolutely love that rifle. I actually think I’m just going to load some 85gr TSX bullets for it and use that. I have a Marlin 336 chambered in .30/30. I’m just going to build it out as a back up. It needs new sights and could use a new pair of laminate stock/forearm and maybe a more durable foul weather finish than the bluing. A Wild West loop and trigger, Beartooth Mercantile safety delete with some Skinners on it would make a great rifle.

I wish someone would make a true standard length action. I think the Winchester M70 can still be had in a standard / intermediate length. All the ones I’ve seen have been $$$

I’m just starting to jump into reloading. I was looking through the Winchester ball powder information and the fastest they had a 230gr .45 ACP loaded to was 771fps. Are some of these manuals loaded light for liability reasons? That was my guess.

I agree. When I bought my .243 I was debating between that and a 7-08. I wasn’t reloading then so I went with the .243 because finding 7-08 ammo where I lived was really difficult. Now I find myself mulling over different ways to rebore/rechamber, rebarrel or just leave it alone. As for for the two rifles mentioned, Ruger hands down. Both are more than accurate enough. In my opinion the Ruger has a better fit, finish and feel than the Axis. One thing that annoys me about the Axis, and to me just seems like a major cheap short cut, (don’t mean to offend anyone, just my opinion) is the use of a humongous Savage long action for all cartridges. I suppose if you handload the ability seat bullets out farther than normal could be an advantage, but at that point I’d just buy a long action .270 if you’re contemplating a 7-08 and you handload. The Ruger also seems to have better after market support. I have a Savage 111 in .30-06 and I swear that action is long enough to stuff a .50BMG in it (sarcasm). That being said it is a very accurate rifle. If you go the Savage route I would just jump up to a 110 series rifle instead. Just my $.02.

NYS Deer Population: Tons (Official, 2018) Good amount of car/deer MVCs in late September through very early November. After the first week of November they started decrease. It made me think that perhaps the rut is longer or starts earlier than we think. Once mid October hit it was a lot of bucks chasing does.

I think it should just be incorporated into basic hunters education.

Add in that a bow hunter education course isn’t required for crossbow.