Padre86
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Everything posted by Padre86
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Pistol cartridges are inherently limited when it comes to lethality. You don’t have as much leeway with shot placement as you do with a conventional rifle cartridge. With that said, I’m using my .357 mag to track and dispatch wounded game, not hunt healthy animals. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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M&P R8 (basically a S&W with a few tweaks here and there). I also just picked up a Diamond D Custom chest holster custom fitted for the pistol; very pricey as hostlers go, but after trudging around with this revolver on my waist for a few tracks, I think a well-made chest holster is worth every penny. Already shot this thing a few times at the range. The action and trigger was tuned by the S&W performance center. The DA trigger pull is, well, a weighty DA trigger pull but still decent and predictable. The SA pull is very crisp and allows for very good shots. As far as revolvers go, this thing shoots very well. Love it so far, especially since I can pick a few boxes of .38 special on the cheap for practice.
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The actual law (Penal 400.00) is a bit hazy on this issue. Technically, all pistols are illegal unless you have a NYS pistol permit (which provides an exception to that regulation). There are only certain types of licenses issued as per 400.00: Section (f) is the license type that most people get and is informally referred to as "unrestricted." There is no target/hunting only pistol license according to the actual law. As you can see in the above text, it states to "have and carry concealed." Most people interpret this to mean that you can only carry concealed. However, handgun hunting is allowed in NYS. Just about everyone I've talked to, including DEC officers, have acknowledged that it would be impractical to have your handgun concealed during a hunt. The practical interpretation I've received from most pistol instructors and LE is that open carry is allowed at designated ranges and while hunting afield. I've also seen some people open carry pistols while walking out in the woods to do some target shooting, but I think LE's acceptance for this practice would vary greatly from one county to the next. Also, it should go without saying that you can carry any legal firearm (pistol, rifle, shotgun) however you want on your property. Clear as mud, but that's NY for you.
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I’m away from my house for the weekend. I’ll post a pic when I get back. It’s the m&p r8 (pretty much the same as the s&w trr8 with a few minor differences). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Ended up getting an 8 shot S&W chambered in .357 magnum. 5” barrel. Scandium frame, so a bit lighter than the average stainless steel magnum revolver but still heavy enough to tame the more powerful loads. Perfect for my needs. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Congrats on your hunt! Where did you get the bear?
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Middle of the middle is what I've always heard. Bear hunting magazine is a great resource. They just started a podcast too.
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Just FYI, shooting a sow with cubs is NOT ILLEGAL in the Northern Zone (which is where this incident took place). The man was ticketed for taking more than 1 bear and hunting over bait. I would not be surprised if more than a few successful bear hunters up there committed the same crime as this man (hunting over bait) as finding bear up there is not easy.
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It’s a moderately technical 4x4 road. Last time I drove it (2-3 years ago) I was in a 4Runner with skid plates and a rear locker, also with a friend in another vehicle. Unless the road has seen significant maintenance since then, I would only go down it if you have a good 4wd vehicle. I did use the locker at least once, though I suppose good throttle application would have worked too. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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There is a 4x4 road which goes all the way to the southwest corner of that lake (approaches from the west out of the Independence River Wild Forest). You could just drive in instead of going by float plane. As for hunting intel, your best bet is to get in there and do some scouting. It's rugged terrain and you'll have to get a feel for the local food sources and the travel corridors used by the animals. Consider bringing some predator calls with you.
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Good to know.
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Big Otter Lake west of Old Forge?
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How did you get your dog trained for bear? I have been laying artificial deer blood tracks for my dog and as well I have used deer hide. Did you use a similar method for bear? I've heard that bear don't leave the same sort of scent trails as deer.
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There are plenty of areas that are 5 or miles away from a road, dirt or paved. There are many roads also listed on maps that are either closed off to the public or no longer active at all. Also, traveling 5 miles, or less, of off-trail terrain can easily take a half day depending on the type of terrain. How many miles from a dirt road? It seems like you're playing with the semantics there.
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I was up in the central Adirondacks this past weekend. The weather was hot (low 80's) and the foliage was still up and green. I might make an attempt in some areas next weekend if the weather cools down, as it is predicted to do. But the foliage will still present a problem...there wasn't much visibility in the areas that I had checked out. I appreciate the DEC's gesture by allowing for an early bear season, but I haven't found it all that productive over the past few years. Trying to still hunt a black bear in warm weather with heavy foliage on the trees in a place like upstate NY is a tough endeavour.
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The typical hunting season up there is prime weather for hypothermia. You're fine if you keep moving, if for whatever reason you have to stop and you're unprepared to deal with the cold, you can quickly find yourself in a rough spot. If hypothermia isn't even on your radar while hunting up there, I'm not so sure you should be hunting up there to begin with. Also, I've been agreeing with almost everything you've said up until this point, so I don't know why you feel like deriding my opinion.
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Okay, but again I think different people have different understanding of what true backcountry hunting entails. If you have an established tent camp or primitive cabin that is road-accessible with potentially helping hands there, yes a drag may work and may even been viable because you have a safety net to fall back on, so to speak. If you're hunting out of a lean-to or small tent and you're alone, 5 or more miles away from the nearest dirt road, a drag that takes several hours or more may not be viable. In fact, I'd argue it wouldn't be safe too seeing as if you get too exhausted, hypothermic or hurt, you have no one to come help you. There is plenty of terrain I've seen up in the ADK's through which I would have no desire to drag a 180lb deer by myself...just too much work with a whole lot of risk. Drags work until they don't, and if you're unprepared to parcel up that animal in the deep woods, you can quickly find yourself up sh#t creek without a paddle.
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Just wear gloves and check yourself for ticks when you're done handling the deer. It's not that big of a deal. The rope and drag method will not work in the remote areas of the Northern Zone, especially for a solo hunt.
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Maybe I'm misunderstanding the OP's question, but it seems he is asking how people get their animals out of the "Big Woods." I interpret that to mean vast tracts of wilderness (either public or private) where road access is limited or prohibited. If that's the case, 4x4's, ATV's and tractors really aren't relevant solutions. I pretty much agree with @Buckmaster7600: carts are mostly impractical; dragging can work if you are close enough and/or you have help; packing out is the most viable solution for true deep woods hunting. I think not a lot of people like to do that here in the northeast, for whatever reason, and so a lot of people limit themselves on how far they'll go out from the trailhead. Gear for packing out: I'm still trying to figure that out. I've heard garbage bags can help reduce the mess, but they'll also gather up the blood and if the meat sits too long in that stuff it can go bad, so there is a tradeoff. I think there are packs specifically made for packing meat and gear out, with vent holes in the bottom to let the excess blood escape. Right now, I'm using some old, external frame military packs; they're not necessarily designed for this stuff, but I didn't have to spend much money on them and they'll work. Long term, I'm looking at getting some dedicated packs from either Hill People Gear Hill People Gear or Mystery Ranch Mystery Ranch. Steve Rinella actually had a decent discussion with someone from Mystery Ranch on gear setup; the discussion was focused on sheep hunting in the Mountains of Alaska, but some of the packing considerations are perhaps relevant to wilderness hunting in the ADK's. Meat Eater Podcast
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Yeah sure, the local economy gets some benefit from taxes and local industry. I am not opposed to resource harvesting on certain lands, although some ADK advocacy groups are. So long as the operations are conducted in a responsible manner. I am opposed to exclusive use of the lands though. Which is why I'll generally favor that lands be made public rather than remain in the hands of private organizations. If the remaining timber companies want to stay viable up there, they'll have to find a way to allow for more public access (easement). The old model of harvesting the land and leasing out to a few select hunting clubs is no longer viable in my opinion, at least for the ADK's. The public can access all of these lands. The classification of Boreas allows for road access up to within a few tenths of a mile from the main lake. Some of the logging roads around the lake are closed off now. Anyone is free to drive up and then hike into that area, whereas before only a select few could. So the land will get some use still.
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To some extent, I agree with you. Although I do like having some roadless wilderness areas in the Adirondacks, I do also think it's good to have some road access to facilitate hunter, angler and snowmobile access (the latter activity is the biggest driver of the ADK's winter economy). Anytime the Nature Conservancy acquires land, there is always a big fight over how to classify it: Wilderness (no roads) or Wild Fores (some roads). But truthfully, I'd much rather have access to said land, whether it be wilderness or wild forest, rather than no access at all. Prior to the Nature Conservancy acquiring these private timber lands, like Boreas Ponds, we, the public, didn't have access to them. So the road access and hunting camps that existed there before were a moot point IMHO; they only gave access to a select few.
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I'm looking at the big game hunting opportunities in Ontario, CA. According to the province's regulations, non-residents (with some exceptions) have to hunt bear and moose with a licensed guide. So, unguided, DIY hunts (at least for bear and moose) aren't feasible up there. I've looked through a few different guiding websites to get a baseline for the prices that are charged: $3.5k-$6k per person for Moose hunts (depending on the level of guide services); and $2.5k-$3.5k for black bear hunts (again depending on the level of guide services). My question: are there any guides/outfitters which offer minimal services, and cheap fees, for hunting these animals? For example, is there an outfitter which takes on a non-resident hunter as registered guest but allows him/her to hunt DIY for a cheaper rate than what is mentioned above?
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Lighten up Francis.....
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The Nature Conservancy is a non-profit group that buys up lands (throughout the US) to transition them to public use/ownership. I'm sure they have a large endowment set up, which is dependent on wealthy donors. I agree its sad to see some of the old camps get torn down, but then again, many of these lands were entirely off limits to the public prior to state ownership. The public gets more lands to enjoy once these lands are acquired by the state. I do wish the APA (Adirondack Park Agency) would be a little bit more selective with keeping certain historical structures and roads in place. Any transfer of land to the NY state usually ushers in a huge debate over how to classify the land (which is not something I'd necessarily blame on The Nature Conservancy or the APA).
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Welcome! Where are you trying to hunt? For western NY, you really need to learn the lay of the lands to figure out where public land hunting is viable. Some areas are half decent, many areas get a lot of pressure. Bow season typically, though not always, sees less hunting pressure than gun season on state lands. You could also look into getting into a lease on farm country. For caliber selection, I agree with @Buckmaster7600. A .308 is a very good, and widely available, jack-of-all trades cartridge. If you were to be consistently hunting the bigger end of the big game spectrum, a solid argument could be made for other cartridges. But for typical northeast hunting, a. 308 rifle is a solid, well-rounded option. Plenty of used options on gunbroker too which I wouldn't shy away from (good barrel life + minimal shooting from most owners). I'm out of the Rochester area too. I'm only 2-3 years into hunting as well, but I still consider myself new. If you ever want to meet up to talk shop, send me a PM. I don't run into a lot of fellow hunters in Rochester...most everyone around here seems to think that steaks and burgers magically appear out of thin air. Edit: Just saw the update on your purchase. Good choice and good deal! I have a Savage Model 11 Lightweight myself. The Model 11's are good hunting rifles.
