Padre86

This thread just needs to die. Out of all of this, there were probably 1-2 pages of mildly useful information; the rest is just argumentative garbage.

Actually there is a magazine limit of 10 rounds, which essentially applies to all firearms (semi-auto and bolt action). The often referred to 6 round hunting limit only applies to semi-autos though. Not too many regulations for bolt-action rifles. Pistol grips are okay, since your rifle is not semi-auto. So are muzzle breaks and I think even threaded barrels, though silencers are still no-go for some stupid reason. The only hard restriction that I'm aware of is the state-wide 10 round limit on magazines, though that really shouldn't be an issue for your purposes. I will say to the OP though, that your Ruger Precision, while no doubt a good solid shooter, is not going to be ideal for anything other than very stationary tree-stand hunting (and even there it's weight will be a hindrance). I used to be in your shoes; I pieced together a very solid .308 FN SPR, with a 4-16 Vortex Scope, Bipods...it shoots very well, but the damn thing is just too heavy and unwieldy to be carrying around in the woods (I've done that before, but it's no fun). And when you're thinking about how heavy and cumbersome your gear is, you're not focused on getting deer. My advice is to get something lighter, and a bit cheaper, for hunting, like a Ruger American or a Savage Model 11.

Yeah, sorry I didn't catch this post sooner. Unfortunately, at this point I don't know if the meat is still good, or if coyotes may have gotten at it. I'm not familiar with Deer Search other than having heard of them. I couldn't tell you how many trackers they have in this area and what their availability is. If you find yourself in the same situation in the future, definitely feel free to reach out to me. Some people on here were giving you grief for looking for help too quickly....unfortunately that kind of attitude is not helpful when you're trying to recover a wounded animal and hours count. I imagine there are other certified trackers on here too who can help.

Your options: 1) Carry less gear in your backpack, though you should always have the basics (fire starting kit, compass, water, emergency tarp, map, ect.) especially for remote areas like the ADK's. If you're close enough, you can drag the deer back. 2) If dragging isn't an option you can enlist help from a friend or you can field dress and quarter the deer and carry it back in a sturdy backpack. I've also seen some carry the whole deer (minus guts and internals) on their back having the deer's legs tied together so that it forms a backpack of sorts on the hunter (this method is potentially dirty and tough if the deer is big). 3) Deer carts can work on some trails and roads, but they'll be tough to drag on the rugged trails.

Grampy, do you know of anyone in Deer Search in the western NY area? Specifically in and around Rochester? I've sent two emails to Deer Search asking for more info on how to join and I haven't gotten anything back. At the very least I'd like to meet up with some trackers to get feedback on training ideas and best practices.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again....hunter recruitment and promotion is key to keeping these traditions alive, both culturally and legislatively. People who hole up on their nice secluded properties or secret spots and don't give a care about bringing other, new hunters into this community are only hurting us.

OP, blood trailing dogs are a good option if you can't find your quarry. There is no required wait time on calling in those dog teams, but most leashed dog trackers would want to know that there was at least some effort put into tracking by the hunter, which it sounds like you have. Deer Search is the main volunteer group in NY that does this sort of thing. Their website and contact info is here: Deer Search. Anyone who works with their group must have been certified in the NYS leashed tracking dog program. However, not all certificants are members of Deer Search (nor are they required to be). Contact Deer Search for help. If they can't help, feel free to send me a PM with your point of contact. I have my NYS leashed tracking dog permit and would be more than happy to drive out and help you (I'm out of Rochester). My dog is still learning the ropes, so I can't promise anything, but I'll provide what assistance that I can.

How did your hunt turn out? It turned out to be a beautiful day today where I was in the Central ADK's. Cold, but beautiful. It feels like the chill is just now getting to the point where animals, and people for that matter, really have an incentive to get up and move in order to stay warm and find food.

I'm not hunting a particularly agriculturally heavy area. The ADK's has few true farm fields. Most of the openings are from old clear cuts or blow down. But I will keep your tips in mind for hunting Turkey in other locales. Also, why is fall hunting harder than spring hunting?

If I know the shot will be under 100 yards, I can see how iron sights are preferred. Less weight, less complication. For anything over 100 yards, I'll take a scope.

A sow with cubs seems to be most likely reason for a black bear to attack or interact with a human. For the most part, they seem inclined to stay away from us. Yeah, yeah, I know...there's always that random one who bursts into camp and steals your food or acts aggressive. I've run into one like that. But by and large they seem to be a bit more timid than brown bear.

Great tips so far! And I when I referred to ambush hunting, I wasn't referring to stalking Turkey. Rather I meant breaking them up, as Bill explained, and then waiting for them to reassemble.

All right, so I'm new to hunting Turkey. I've spent the last 2 weekends up in the Adirondacks looking for them. I see these things all along Rte 28 during my numerous drives up to the Adirondacks, but I've never seen them on hikes and certainly never during any of my hunts up there. So what I am missing here? As I understand it (someone please correct me if I'm wrong), the general idea behind fall turkey hunting is to find a big group of them, break them and then hide out and ambush them as they regroup. I've heard bringing a dog along to help with the break up is sometimes helpful. I've heard calls are sometimes used as well, but they seem to be more relied upon in the spring season, when they aren't as grouped up. 1) So where do I look for Turkeys, especially in an area as big as the ADK's? I've spent some time going down old (no longer active) logging/hunting roads and trails. Sometimes I head off the trail to move through some brush in an attempt to flush anything out of hiding. 2) Is the weather and foliage optimal for fall turkey hunting? I've noticed that the weather this time of year is a bit warmer than usual. As well the foliage has only just now started to turn. In fact, when I was moving through the woods today, a lot of the foliage was not only still on the trees but still very green, making it very hard to see very far in any direction. With all the racket I make stepping on dead leaves, I feel like I'm bumping and scaring away any potential game well before I see them. 3) Should I be using a Turkey call, even for the fall season? 4) Do Turkey like moving in the rain? It's been fairly wet this weekend so far, almost a constant drizzle. Is hunting for Turkey in the rain worth it? I know some game species prefer to say put in rainy weather. 5) Is ambush or calling pretty much the only way to hunt Turkey? I've heard that Turkey have amazing eyesight as well as hearing. So head-to-toe camo and stealth seem to be essential. I just have a hard time sitting still in some place like the ADK's. It's a big area, and wildlife isn't nearly as abundant here as some people think it is. If I don't pick the right spot, I could be doing a whole lot of sitting without seeing a single animal (I know from experience). Anyways, those are just a few questions/issues I was trying to work through. I figure if some more experience Turkey hunters on this site offered some feedback, we might be able to get a helpful dialogue going for myself and other hunters new to Turkey.

That's a smart move. If I could find a verified den site, I'd probably use that same approach. For as big and clumsy as black bears seem, they sure are good at staying quiet and hidden in the woods. I've heard one outdoor writer refer to them as the "ghost of the woods." Without a good layer of snow, it's pretty tough to still hunt them up here. I'm up here myself, probably looking to do some turkey hunting near the Blue Ridge Wilderness...those damn things are all over the place on Rte 28 when I drive up here. Of course I brought my rifle too, so if I see a bear or bear sign, I'll likely make a quick trip back to the truck to change out firearms and go bear hunting. There are some great opportunities up here...you just need to have a rough idea of where you want to focus your efforts.

Good luck out there. I don't know how much bear hunting you've done in the ADK's, but I've been up there the past few weekends and it has been slow, with little movement or sign. That's probably due to the somewhat warm weather we've been having up there. It seems to be cooling down this coming weekend, so that's good.

Well, as has already been stated, we can currently hunt them all the way through the end of March. If people in NY were to actually take advantage of the current season, the fawn would without a doubt have much better chances of survival later in the spring. And I'm not trying to argue against extending the coyote season. I'm all for it. I'm realistic though in that I don't think it will change anything. Most hunters in NY won't hunt coyotes, regardless of how long the season is. I think most hunters view it as too little reward for quite a bit of effort. Me personally, I enjoy hunting them whenever I can; it's simply another opportunity for me and my dog to be out in the woods.

You can heavily depress or wipe out a yote population if you use a spectrum of methods to include, trapping, poisoning, hunting (public and government). We've universally agreed that some means, like poisoning, are too harsh because they indiscriminately affect many species, not just coyotes. And simply hunting coyotes does not usually lead to a depression of their numbers. This has been proven in multiple studies and papers published by state game biologists, who are by no means aligned with the anit-hunters. I did read the whole article Rattler. The part about coyotes that I specifically noted said this: Basically, it was a widespread extermination campaign, using some methods that we'd likely no longer find acceptable, that kept the yote numbers heavily depressed. Sport hunting does not usually do enough to keep their numbers seriously. Now I don't have any problem with someone taking a few out while deer hunting, as I have no doubt that the fawn in that area will have a better chance of survival due to it. But to put a serious dent in the yote populations, you'd have to have widespread trapping and hunting, likely with government rewards or sponsorship, in order to motivate enough hunters to get out there and depress the yote numbers. Again, the NRA article that you quoted says this very explicitly. And many other state game studies have confirmed this. And, yes I'd be all for extending the yote season, if not making it year-round. But as it is, we can hunt them all the way into the end of March...so if people we're so inclined, they could go out then to take a bunch of yotes out in order to give the spring-born fawn some breathing room. However, I suspect that that most hunters here, or in NY in general, don't go out for the sole purpose of hunting yotes simply because they don't find it as appealing as hunting other game. If even a 1/4 of all of NY's hunters took advantage of the current yote season and made serious efforts to hunt and trap them, I suspect we wouldn't have as many as we currently do, or at least they'd be pressured into moving away from popular hunting grounds. Moral of the story is people should stop complaining and get out there and hunt some yotes and the DEC should incentivize their hunting and trapping where appropriate.

Does anyone here know of a good butcher or meat processor in the Blue Mountain Lake region of the Adirondacks. It's pretty much in the middle of the park, just east of Racquette Lake.

I'm glad someone chimed in with some common sense. I have no special sympathy in my heart for yotes, at least no more sympathy than I have for deer, bear, cottontails or any other species that is widely available. I do acknowledge that they have a role to fulfill in the ecosystem and as well I respect the hunting seasons laid out by the DEC (even if I don't 100% agree with them). And I have no problem with a hunter legally taking a few out to give some fawn a better chance of survival come springtime. But people need to realize that in order for coyote levels to be truly depressed or managed, we would need a state-wide (and probably state-sponsored) hunting and trapping program, kind of like what some of the southern states do for their hog problem. Taking the random shot at some coyotes while out deer hunting won't do much to their population in the long run, as their females will just have bigger litters to compensate for the hunting pressure. The NRA article even says as much. They're not like wolves where their numbers can be quickly depressed through public hunting.

Well, that's the issue. "Wiping them off the landscape" is easier said than done. You take out one, the others are usually wise enough to disperse and stay out of sight for a while. And they are genetically programmed to produce more offspring when under pressure. That's why their range and population has expanded so greatly from what it historically was about 100 years ago. At a localized level though, I agree you can deter their presence by putting a little hunting pressure on them.

Can you guys just take it easy?! The OP is asking for some simple advice on where to hunt. No need to disrupt this thread because he gave responses in another thread which you took issue with. OP, the ADK's and Tug hill areas have lots of areas to hunt with little to no pressure...now, a lot of those areas also have little game compared to other areas of the state (ADK's more so than Tug Hill). If you gave us some feedback on where you're coming from, how far you're willing to drive and what kind of hunting experience you're looking for, I'm sure some here could give you advice more tailored to your situation.

Lol...trust me Grow, I know which public lands are in close proximity to Rochester. Thank you for your Google expertise though. If you'd like to put your money where your mouth is, you're more than welcome to come out with me and show me in person where all this "good hunting" is on those public lands.

I've seen a lot of articles discounting the need to hunt coyotes. The basic gist of them is that hunting coyotes doesn't decrease their population, and in some cases, it even causes the population to go up (the female yotes are genetically inclined to birth more pups when the hunting pressure goes up). This is all true, but what a lot of "experts" fail to realize when citing this study, is that hunting them can have an affect on a local level. And more importantly, hunting them right around the spring, will give fawns a bit of breathing room....yes the yote numbers might recover or go up when the next litter comes around, but hunting them in the spring will ensure there are less jaws to snatch up young, vulnerable deer. Unfortunately, coyote season only runs through part of the spring...a longer season would be more helpful.

I'm not at all surprised by this. Hunting, and anything firearm-related, is considered taboo by a small, but very vocal, minority in Monroe. The rest of the population is either neutral, like Grampy was talking about, or is part of a yet smaller, and mostly quiet, minority of hunters and firearm enthusiasts. The thing I've learned about hunting and firearm culture in Monroe is that it's there, but you need to be subtle in how you bring up those topics. Once you get a feel for who is and isn't into these activities, you'll find there are like-minded people you can converse and even hang out with. But if you just start blabbing about your hunting and shooting experiences, you risk getting some very weird looks from people. It's not like the rural counties, where you can pretty much take it for granted that many, if not most, people you run into have either hunted or shot a firearm at some point in their lives. I think it's unfortunate, because I suspect there are a lot of young people, especially young men, in Monroe who would absolutely love to get into hunting, target shooting, or both, but there just isn't much of a culture there to mentor and introduce these young people to these sports. I think those that do get into those sports slowly figure things out on their own, like I did. It would be awesome if there was more outreach from the firearm and hunting community to those areas of NY. Something like an elective course at high school or even a presentation in the auditorium would be great, though politically, that might be a bridge too far. People like Grampy are much appreciated and sorely needed in those areas.

Again, I'll ask where are you hunting them in Letchworth SP? I'm not asking for a grid location. But in general, are you hunting them in the gorge itself? Are you hunting them on the high ground on either side of the river? If so, what are you using for a backstop? There are roads and private lands very close to both sides of the park, so outside of archery, I don't know how you'd be taking shots on the high ground. I've been there before, as well as to Rattlesnake. And while I'll concede those pieces of state land have higher deer densities than the remote parts of the Northern Zone, I've never thought them to be the trophy buck havens that you're making them out to be. And I still don't get why you're making that drive. There is plenty of clearing, logged land and farmland on the edges of both Tug Hill and the ADK's. I'm sure if you posted up on the public land adjacent to those areas, you'd have no trouble finding a decent-sized buck.