Steve D

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I keep information on all hunts and when I don't hunt I make notes of why I didn't. I do this from the beginning of hunting season til the end. I keep it all in a 81/2 x 11 office calendar. At the end of the season or when it is convenient I tally it all up. And set it aside for reference later. They store flat and don't take up a lot of room. Be amazed when you look back years later and see what happen compared to now. I refer to them often from time to time and figure if nothing else I will have some good reading material when I get to old to hunt. I can set in my easy chair and go back in time.

Don't get no better than that

So this morning I hit a piece of state land. Nice cold frosty morning. Leafs are like walking on glass. Get in about 1/2 hr. before day light and about 15 minutes later I hear the patter of something coming in behind me. The wind is slight blowing right to left and what ever is coming is on the downwind side. Finally figured it was a squirrel so I didn't get to exited. Turned to my left and there stands a beautiful coyote 20 yards from me. Figured it had to smell me and would bolt at any time but it just kept coming. Immediately I think " I don't want to shoot this with a shotgun" so I reach down slowly and pull the pistol. It catches the movement and bolts to about 30 yds. to my left. I let one fly but miss and off it goes. Then about 15 minutes after that a flock of turkeys start going nuts about 75 yards from me. Didn't see any deer but all morning I am thinking:

Not as big but same thing here ALL SEASON

Or color blind

Back out this afternoon with the same results. A big fat zero. Kicked a doe out of a small patch of woods on the way out at 5:00 way to late to shoot. Shined 9 deer in the field behind my house last night and the trails cameras out are only getting them at night. Nothing in the day time.

For me thinsulate works the best. Thinsulate and wool is the best. Even if it gets wet once you get moving it will keep you warm. Tried gortex and gortex & thinsulate but have found that for me thinsulate works for me. Also am a big fan of Smartwool socks which come in different grades.

Another ho hum morning. No Deer no shots...very slow in this area for sure.

The "Contigo" snapseal tubblers will keep it hot for hours. There are also ones with a 12v connector that you can plug in your vehicle that will keep it hot also.

100 yd. Shot in the chest with a .270....doesn't sound like an accident to me.

Went out this morning for a couple of hrs. Cloudy & foggy and it started raining @ 7:30. Only one shot fired the whole morning and that was a 1/2 mile away. Pulled trail camera on the way back still shows they are moving between 11:00 PM & 1:00am. Lots of tracks but they are all at night. Nothing freah.

If you have looked at the price of boots lately you won't get much for $100. If you plan on standing in water for 30 minutes at a time I would suggest a solid rubber boot like Lacrosse. I have a pair of mucks I have had for 4 or 5 years that I mostly wore coon hunting (it doesn't get much rougher than that)and they are just as good today as when I bought them. When I coon hunted or do any type of hunting in the brush I wear a pair of chaps over them to protect the boots and my legs. Have not had wet or cold foot yet and they are as comfortable as hell

That is exactly what I said and you disagree with it. Granted the size of the rack will be determined by diet, health, etc. Bob Estes President of the big buck club put a presentation on one time where he did a study on different bucks over a period of years. None of the young bucks that were 4 or 6 points grew up to be 8 or 10 points. As they aged their antlers got bigger but they were all the same points and had the identical rack configuration from year to year. Same thing with young 8, 10, or 12 pointers. They will have the same configuration year after year and the size will be determined on diet health, and age. Have to go eat, drink, watch football, & be merry. Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!!!!!

I just would like to make note that there has been some PRETTY NICE bucks taken in the state this year and I have seen a lot of them posted on this site. One thing we seem to be forgetting is the fact that Little bucks (with little racks) breed little bucks. Your bigger racked bucks regardless of age will breed bigger racked bucks. We have had a big bodied four point around here and if I get a chance to take him from the gene pool I will. He is a mature buck but does not and probably has not ever had a decent rack. Every doe that he breeds this year that has a buck fawn will end up with a small rack like him. There is a difference between shooting young bucks with small racks and shooting older bucks with small racks.

Just spent the last two days (Mon. & Tues.) snow blowing and cleaning out. Some parts of the yard you can see grass yet we had 2-3 feet drifted in the driveway and 5 feet drifted in front of the basement door both days from the wind. Took a walk out back this afternoon and there is 6-8" everywhere with drifts in spots 3-4 ft. deep. A few deer tracks but not many. Pretty tough walking. Haven't hunted since opening day & don't plan on it until some of this melts down.

Old Forge is a tourist area and while they do see bear quite often I wouldn't say there are "tons" of them. Like Larry302 says if you are going to hunt up there it is very hard to actually get anything. There are miles & miles of state land there but trying to pattern where deer or bear are is like purchasing a lottery ticket. If you lived there an could spend the time you might be able to get lucky and see or shoot one but just going occasionally and not knowing the area you plan on hunting the odds of getting or seeing one is not good. Most of the deer I have seen up there especially in the winter are hanging around houses & residential neighborhoods.

I have hunted both...pretty rugged country and not to easy to hunt. Areas that are not to bad to hunt are loaded with hunters. There are deer there but you have to work for them. I have shot a couple of nice bucks there over the years and saw a real nice one taken on Canadice Sat. morning. Haven't hunted Hemlock to much because it is rougher than Canadice but there have been some REAL nice bucks taken from the Hemlock area. Don't know about Hemlock because I haven't been there yet this year but if you hunt Canadice beware of ticks.

From DEC News Letter Town of Ashford Injured hunter: On Oct. 22, DEC Forest Ranger Robert Rogers was notified by Cattaraugus 911 of a hunter falling from a tree stand. Rogers was the first responding unit in the area. Upon arrival, Rogers located a local farmer who was reportedly on the phone with the hunter. The farmer was familiar with the hunter's stand location and was able to lead Rogers to the victim. The Forest Ranger assessed the hunter's condition and called for EMTs from Morton's Corners Volunteer Fire Department. According to the hunter, he was bow hunting and began to climb out of his stand when the stand failed. The hunter then fell approximately 25 feet to the ground, injuring his lower back and hitting his head. The hunter stated that he was able to get to his feet, walk several steps to find his cell phone, and make a call to his mother before being overcome by pain and falling back to the ground. Further medical care was provided by West Valley Volunteer Fire Department and Mercy EMS while Ranger Rogers organized extrication. The individual was transported by Morton's Corners Volunteer Fire Department off road rescue unit to an awaiting Mercy Flight Helicopter. The hunter was then flown to Erie County Medical Center for further treatment. The hunter reportedly suffered fractured vertebrae.

Lots of guys/gal out yesterday. For what it is worth according to the paper a senior biologist says only 11 deer including 7 bucks were checked in at DEC in Avon.

Livingston County man in his 80's dies after falling from his tree stand on opening day. Happened in West Sparta.

Just the ADKS alone makes this quite a feat. I am sure there are areas that probably hold deer on a constant basis but for the most part there are few deer for the vast area. It is a very hard area to hunt. One could hunt there all their life and not shoot a deer.

Buckmaster my hat goes off to you. Just the drag alone would have killed me. That is one hell of a buck. You don't see many 200 lbs. & over. Congratulations!!

Went & hunted the Canadice state land this morning. Trucks all over the place. Got in at 6:30, shots started ringing out by 6:40 (still dark). Counted 26 shots before 7:00. Things quieted down after 7:00 and by 9:00 there were no shots at all. Had one doe come through at 7:30 doing 80mph and three more to far away at 8:05. Nothing after that. Saw a nice big 8 point that was taken on the swamp side but other than that it was pretty dead. Taking a couple of days off to rest and get back in the mood. From the sounds of it there won't be much rest if we get the snow they say we are.

That is for sure but look at the times they are moving. That is what has been frustrating me...can't shoot them when they are out & about.