Steuben Jerry

Hard to post from the particular stand I was in due to barely-there cell signal, but was fortunate this morning. Story in the harvest thread.

Got this guy after a stupid interruption to the morning. My wife and I were about 400 yds apart on our own property when shots rang out between us. No one else has permission except for family that was not here today. Got down from my stand to catch the trespassers, but they took off before I got to the spot. Blood trail and gut pile all on my property, a couple of hundred yards deep. Then I heard their truck drive through the field up toward a house down the road. So now on opening morning of rifle, I'm stomping all through my spots instead of hunting for a buck. Hiked back to my stand and figured it was a blown morning so I was going to have a sandwich and some coffee, head back to the house and go out later for an afternoon sit. Well as I've heard many here say "it all changes in a minute". So with a sandwich in one hand, a coffee in the other, I see a doe a couple of hundred yards out across the field. Get the glass on her and see the buck dogging her. 192 yard poke (ranged it after the shot). My heaviest deer to date, 195 lbs on the scale with his nose touching the ground. Was a 10 point, but broke off one brow tine, so a 9 point for the tag. Big neck, all rutted up. It all changes in a minute. At lunch time I drove over to meet the new tenants in the rental house down the road. We had an amicable conversation, and I believe he is now very clear about my borders and is very aware of my presence.

This morning's weather report for Saturday says wind whipped rain, 30-40 mph winds, gusts over 50 mph. Don't think I've hunted in those conditions. Yet.

Hmm, a side piece could keep me warm (and occupied) in Saturday's weather. Too bad I don't have one lined up!

Have to make sure the barrel is all the way outside the door when you do that. It's damn loud inside when you don't. Don't ask me how I know This is just outside my living room. Put it up the other night just in case. It's screwed to the deck with fender washers holding it down. It's not going anywhere in that wind.

My Remmy 700 Buckmasters edition in .270. Later in the season, a .243 Savage that I've had for a few years but never hunted with.

Don't look up - it stings your eyes.

Wooly, I really enjoy seeing your artwork. We're low on doe permits, but if we get one or two that I can abscond with the skull, I'll ship it/them to you. Free shipping - just like Amazon Prime! I'll pm you if we drop one or two and can get the skulls.

Congratulations - great shot!

First time I've seen this guy. Welcome to the neighborhood, feel free to stick around for a while!

So that's basically still her summer coat then, right? Must be struggling in some of the recent temperatures!

And that's exactly why I feel conflicted. I do agree. I really do, but my wallet doesn't. Between the property taxes, the loss of the deduction, and other higher costs of living, 6 more years of living in NYS vs say North Carolina or Tennessee, the total difference in finances will be over 100k for me in that time. And I live pretty modestly in NY. I'm wondering if I'm wiser to just pull up stakes and vamoose NY for this reason. I could probably get a part time job (I'm planning on working part time anyways just to avoid becoming a sloth) and just about retire now.

+1 3-6 years from retirement here. I was 50-50 on leaving the state when I retire due to high taxes (property taxes have almost tripled in 9 years with no major improvements done to the home). If this goes through, I'm out, maybe ASAP.

Then there's this one that was taken in West Bloomfield/Binghamton/Corning/Massena, etc, etc.

Sorry, but I'm firmly against that. However, I wouldn't mind the ability for a hunter to transfer a buck tag, provided that 1) they became area specific, 2) there was a limit of only one per transferee, and 3) You must use it if you shoot a button buck (please refrain from using the word "tasty" if you respond).

Welcome! I'm originally from Rochester (Greece and Hilton). Enjoy the forum!

If you had mentioned what happened, I apologize for missing it, but I hope that is a quick and a 100% recovery Wooly. Glad you were able to get out and get it done!

Simplest answer; because I wanted one. I've bowhunted for years with a vertical bow, but I kind of wanted an xbow before it became a legal hunting implement in NYS. The allowance of it in archery season a couple of years back gave me the green light - justification wise. This is the third year of carrying it, and I haven't taken a deer with it yet. Passed plenty, but haven't pulled the trigger. I'm kind of a gear junkie. I didn't have one, so I needed one, right? ps. she didn't know I was buying it, but I didn't hide it from her either. She bought me a soft sided case for it a few weeks later for an early Christmas present.

Hang in there Grow, you'll find him!

I'm living vicariously through you guys until I'm off work on Saturday! I have a 90 minute one way commute to work down the southern tier X-way, and then up past Ithaca. I saw more bucks on the way in this morning in the frosty fields than I have all year. Loners, with does, running in front of the car, standing beside the shoulder of the road, including an absolute giant of a buck just north of Ithaca. They're moving!! Good luck to everybody today, hope to see lots of deer in the harvest thread.

Good for you Moog! Two of my successively best bucks (well under 100 inches) were questioned by so-called friends. When I questioned back, "why wouldn't I shoot the best deer I've ever had that gave me a opportunity?", I was told that I just don't "get it". Mind you, these were guests on my property who never pitched in and never paid a cent of taxes. They don't hunt here any longer. That buck needs to mean something to you, not others. I don't know you personally, but I feel very good that you took the deer that you wanted!

I looked this guy up on FB. Interesting post from several years ago. Looks like he may have two profiles, but the same person?

Pricey land in that county. 285k in Steuben would probably get you 300 acres or more with no prohibitions. But that's why they say location, location, location. NYS property taxes suck! Good luck, hope you can keep it in the family somehow.

Gotchya. I don't spend a lot of time mowing (a little less than an acre) so it's doesn't get in the way of my hunting to keep it below the windows, lol.

Mine hasn't stopped growing yet. Mowed it last week and it needs it again for sure.