Rebel Darling

Zero action during the sunrise sit, and the subsequent (albeit quick) still hunt here in 4L. Fresh trail, fresh scat, no brown fur to be seen. Off to work...

Thanks, all. Much to learn, and I hope it never ends. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Light wind, overcast, 37 degrees in 4L. Early morning bow hunt, and hoping for doe. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just returned from a tour and walking out for the last regular season sit in 4L. Counting on luck along the deer trail. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quiet morning in 4L. Two shots heard around sunrise, likely from the same gun. Sat in the stand from 5:30 until 8. Took a still hunt walk from 8 until 10:30 through a marsh hoping to jump a buck. Came across a bed, and some fresh scat later along the track, but no sightings.

For sitting: I've been able to keep my core and legs warm with synthetic wicking long underwear. Over that pant layer, I wear a bottom of primaloft insulated long underwear. I wear a merino wool sweater over the top base layer on days below 30 degrees, and then a primaloft top (just the primaloft top on days between 30 and 40 degrees). The outer-shell is made of fleece-lined windstopper material. I totally a agree with the above comment on the wind. Block the wind, retain the heat. I've also found that a thermal seat cushion helps retain heat in my core. I have a problem keeping my hands and feet warm, however. Last evening I was compelled to purchase a pair of Irish Setter Elk Stalkers with 1,000 grams of Thinsulate. It's a bit of a bank-breaking investment for me, but I'm spooking game with all my movement just trying to stay warm, and the boots have very positive reviews. I hope they work. At the moment, I have to take my gloves off on occassion, and use handwarmers. I haven't found a pair of gloves that keeps my hands warm. --- I haven't had any issues staying warm while still hunting, and often dress with fewer layers.

Hello. This is my second year hunting. Hunting was not part of my family's traditions, so I have a great deal to learn and experience. I hunt both bow and rifle seasons, and live in WMU 4L. I took my first antlerless deer this year with a bow, and have had a few more opportunities that I botched through inexperience, but consider good hunts because of the strategies I used. I hunt as often as my schedule allows (a few times a week), and I'm looking forward to learning and contributing. - Mike

I wrote to Len, and figured I'd share my comments: "I’m a new hunter, this being my second year, but I figured I’d share my opening weekend experiences with you. I hunt both bow and regular seasons. On opening weekend for regular season, I hunted on my property (13 acres) within WMU 4L, Rensselaer County, NY, Southern Zone. I sat in a stand from before sunrise each day, taking a mid-day break to warm up (I would have preferred to sit all day, but I just can’t keep my fingers and toes warm) and then sitting again from 1 pm until after sunset. Saturday - 11 doe. A group of 4 around sunrise, and a group of six in the afternoon (3:00 p.m.-ish), and a single doe around sunset (my neighbors spooked her). Sunday - 4 doe, 1 spike buck. The same group of 4 right around sunrise, and a spike buck rushed them, and then trailed them up the hill to flatter ground. The same group of 4 returned in the evening, but my neighbors spooked them again. I heard around a dozen, give or take a few on either side, fired around sunrise and sunset each day, but have no numbers on how many deer were taken, or whether they were doe or buck. I also hunted the property Wednesday, and Friday. I saw nothing, and heard very few shots, less than a handful. I’m leaving the property alone for the week to bow hunt in 4J. I saw a cruising buck in 4J on Saturday, no doe. Earlier this year, I was chatting with a friend of mine from the North Country about the timing of the regular season. I’m unsure of which dates the season ran looking back many years, but I noted that this year’s season started a full week later than last year’s. From what I’ve been reading, most of the rutting behavior is seen prior to November 15, and most does are bred on or before the same date, give or take a couple of days. To me, that means that bucks are less active in daylight hours past November 15. Regular season started on November 21 this year, and, judging by what I’ve read, most of the rutting behavior was already complete by regular season opening day. I asked my friend for his thoughts on why regular season started a full week after rutting behavior is expected to slow down. I offered the following suggestion: DEC is toying around with the idea of implementing a statewide buck management program, as written about in the 2015-16 regulations guide. Maybe DEC is running around the implementation of the rule by shifting the season’s dates and achieving a decreased buck harvest through scheduling a season with less deer activity. Currently, I’m finding numerous fresh scrapes, but the bucks don’t appear to be moving much at daybreak, or in the evening."