OldNewbie

I find it hard to believe that those two little hinge cuts would make a difference. But, on the other hand, I never saw deer bedding there before I cut those trees.

Looked out the window this AM and saw these does bedded next to the house. They stayed there till about 8:30 when my neighbor came out and started clearing his driveway.

pflueger president [6930] gets my vote. For float fishing a longer rod (8-10 ft) gives more control especially on bigger/longer stretches. Have several St Croix rods also, good choice.

Here's what the new world record buck looks like.

When I researched this I saw the one-wheel design being used for trekking and for hauling game, on places like this: http://forums.bowsite.com/tf/bgforums/thread.cfm?threadid=428097&forum=5 So it seems to work for some people. And I pushed my 115 lb daughter around on it and it seemed fine (not too heavy or tippy), but the real test will be "field conditions", going over logs, around trees, etc. I'll try it out this summer with firewood and such. BTW I have never been able to carry heavy loads with the "construction style" wheelbarrows without them tipping over and dumping the load. They just feel top-heavy. This design feels more stable, maybe due to a lower center of gravity or something. In the end if it doesn't work out I can always change out the wheel for a two-wheel set up.

Sounds interesting but having trouble following the design.. Are you hanging the deck from chains attached to the 2x6? Maybe you could sketch it out and post a photo if you want more feedback.

If I wasn't so cheap I would have bought some 1/2 or 3/8 plywood instead of using the 3/4 that I got for free. That would lighten it up. But holes would work also.

In the summer/fall I like to shoot from several distances and angles around the yard to get ready for hunting season. With this, I won' t have to lay the bow on the ground while retrieving arrows from the target, or lay the arrows on the ground while shooting. The golf bag caddy was a yard sale purchase many years ago. The arrow tube is part of a leaf vacuum suction tube that was in my junk pile. Half-inch foam in the bottom of the tube for arrows to rest on. The green spacer is cut from a pool noodle ($0.25 at yard sales). I was surprised and pleased to find the bow balances very well when hung as shown. I can wheel it around and its very stable, no bumping or slipping, at least on the concrete floor. Hard to see in the photo but the bow hangs by the string damper rod and the wrist strap, around the plastic bag support on the cart.

Posting a few pics a deer cart I finished recently. Wheel and fork came from a bike someone was throwing away. Plywood from my mother-in-law's basement. Handles (aluminum tubes) from an old Windsurfer boom. The only thing I purchased was the nuts and bolts. I have a padded backpacking belt that I'm going to fit to the handles, haven't done that yet. The brake is there if I need it, haven't rigged a cable yet. Total cost was maybe $15.

Target in Big Flats (actually Town of Elmira) does have a large food section. Love their Archer Farms toasted hazelnut coffee. Lowe's is directly across the road from Target.

I know a spot like that, it's is surrounded by a car dealership, residential housing, and new apartment complex. Someone we know who lives nearby said there is a giant buck living in the little patch of woods. Virtually impossible to legally hunt.

Definitely in Chemung and Tioga Counties

The plaque I purchased was the small size (10" high x 6" wide), in walnut. I was pleasantly surprised by the quality, price, delivery. Plus made in USA!

Here's my DIY mount of my first archery buck taken Nov. 19. I bought the plaque for $10 from http://www.hardwoodxpress.com/. P.S. I didn't sacrifice an arrow for the mount, it was broken when the deer went down.

Best: Venison from my harvest this year, and from a friend who has fed us tenderloin, roasts, sausage, etc. Worst: Venison that was in a stew someone brought to fishing camp. We started eating it and everyone around the table sort of looked at each other, finally someone said "What's in this?". Would like to try elk, bear, boar sometime.

Yeah, when all is said and done, there is no substitute for gaining actual experience doing the thing you are trying to learn about.

Every was talking about a big snowstorm heading our way today, so I finally checked the weather.. and they are all crazy. Just a few flurries on the way. However, I also ran into this article: http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2016/12/08/polar-vortex-arctic-blast-cold-snap/95142654/ It says temps will drop into the teens and even single digits next week in the upper midwest and into the northeast. I still have a couple of bow/muzz tags I was going to try to fill.. How will this blast of cold affect deer movement? How well does a bow perform in such weather?

We got a solid three inches last evening in 8W, but it is starting to melt now.

Venison Chipolte Chili Me: Are these things hot? Wife: No, but they have a great smoky flavor. Me: OK, in they go! ....later on.... Me: OMFG!!!! My mouth is on fire! Only then did I get this critical information via Google: " a little bit goes a long way. Start with small amounts and add more to taste. Or, use the sauce from the can instead, which has the same great flavor, but much less heat. The first time I used these peppers, the recipe called for one pepper for the whole pot. That didn’t see like very much so I threw 2 or 3 in there, and it was SO hot. I couldn’t even swallow it." And I put the whole freaking can in! 6 or 8 of those suckers.. Still, I'm on my third bowl.. I'll pay later..

Cool story. Thanks for sharing.

TF- Looks dang good. Do you make it just like regular chili only substitute ground venison? Do you mix a little ground beef in with the ground venison?

Had our first (as in first ever) home cooked venison roast tonight, using a recipe found on the internet. I trimmed the meat really well (and gave the sauteed scraps to my mini-dachshund). Marinated the meat all day in a mix of ketchup, bbq sauce, steak sauce, olive oil, some other stuff.. Pan fried it with onions and porcini mushrooms.. Sides of mashed potatos, peas, a baguette, a nice avocado/kale salad.. I'll just say.. there were NO leftovers for the dog.

I am considering doing to the same in my woodlot. I have large and small poplars, plus ash, hemlock, and pine that are dying from infestations. Thinking I should either drop or hinge cut a bunch of it this winter, in hope that it will benefit the maples, oaks, and the few white pines I have left. Seems like many species of trees are dying from one thing or another on our hill (Chemung County NY). I have a large hemlock that is riddled with insect holes, ash borer, pines have some bug that makes holes in horizontal lines, beech are mostly gone, and I've had healthy maple and red oak blow down in wind storms, I think due to drought stress this summer. The only type that seems healthy and disease free is the poplar (of course..). Feels like the whole forest is sick.

This is my first year bow & crossbow hunting, and so will also be my first time hunting the 'late' bow/muzz season, after gun season ends. I did some scouting today and found a hardwood grove with half a dozen or so active/fresh rubs, some fresh pellets, and a decent ground blind spot. I've read about the second minor rut that can occur around that time.. Will this be a good place to sit on December 12, with some doe-in-estrous wicks nearby? Or are there better tactics for the late season? I remember a family friend saying he hunts over a turnip patch around that time (which I don't have access to). I only have access to public land, and one small private patch of woods with acorns. If I scout a few more times before the 12th, what should I be looking for? Staging areas near fields? Acorns? Rubs and scrapes? Thick santuary type habitat (I know a marshy area surrounded by pine woods I've been meaning to scout..) Thanks

Come to think of it, if you wanted a privacy screen for a portable latrine for a canoe camping/rafting trip his would fit the bill.