left field

I was hoping to fish a couple of little streams in the DEP watershed this year, but the lack of rain and snowpack changed that. Now that hunting season is rolling around I'm looking at a few areas around me mostly for small game and upland birds. I see the blue signs allowing access but there is also evidence of people working the land - fields have been cut or dirt roads maintained. What are the rules of these areas? Complete public access as long as you are there for a legal recreational purpose? If there is a road can you drive on it? Thanks.

Thanks for all the continued advice. Jaeger, thanks for the clothing tip, but my camp is clothing optional so I'll just hunt in the nude.

Blur, leave the snags. There are a lot of animals that depend on dead wood for food and shelter. Take a look at this site for some general NYS info. If you want to there are a lot of simple things you can do to rehab your woods for wildlife: hinging, brush piles, felling large trees to bring some light to the forest floor. It amazing how quickly animals move into newly created shelter. On Saturday, I released an old apple tree on the back of my property, that is, I dropped the surrounding trees within 15' that were competing with the tree for light and nutrients. The cut limbs were dragged into the woods and I created a large brush pile. The next morning I went to check out my work and flushed 6 grouse from the pile.

Thanks for that, DW. How bloody hard is it for the DEC to just write this in clear certain language?

Can someone clarify my BG license for me? I have the large tag at one end my big yellow strip with my DEC number. Is this my back tag and must be worn at all times but for certain areas? The first game tag I come to is a bear tag. Seems straightforward. The second game tag is regular season deer. And on it are boxes for M or F. Does this give me the right to kill either a buck OR a doe anywhere in NYS? Or a buck AND a doe? Then I come to what is my DMP where I wasn't selected, but gained 1 pref point. Hooray for me. The next is marked NY Sporting License and I believe is my actual license which must be carried with me at all times as well as the back tag and the game tags. Correct? Not sure what the next is for. Seems to be a receipt with my game tag numbers on it. Finally, I come to a tag that looks like I use to register DMP tags that someone else has given me. Is that all correct? I need clarification on exactly how many deer I can kill with this basic tag. And secondly, on the back of each are tags that look like I need to punch date and sign. Makes sense, but why are they printed on the back of all the tags giving me 8 in total. DEC just bulk printing because it's easier? Thanks.

I appreciate that you love her, but does she still love you? Let's be honest, no relationship can be expected to last for 18 years and stay fresh, and she knows you've been stepping out on her with other guns. It's a hard fact to face, but maybe it's time to set her free and see if she can find love with another. If she loves you, she'll come back. If not, I will treat her with the respect she deserves and she'll never want for anything. Signed, Lonely in Delhi

A quick glance shows me that I may not have the knowledge to ken that. Give me a few days. You found a LH Wingmaster? I've had no end of people tell me to just get used to a RH eject. Love to find a decent used one from a few decades ago. Used vs. new ... any thoughts?

He wasn't sure. Curse of the southpaw, I guess. If the AB3 Stalker is more of a workhorse, maybe I should pass on the wood and just "settle" for a synthetic stock. Damn, I wish I had a grandfather who just handed me a gun at 16 and said, "Here. Have fun and don't kill any mockingbirds."

Again, thanks. After laying out my preferences to an experienced acquaintance: traditional wood and blued steel, bolt action, no shot really over 100 metres, some stalking through typical Catskills woods; he recommended a .270 Browning A Bolt 3 Stalker with a 22" barrel and a 3-9x40 scope. I may take a harder look at that. I spent a little time at Davis Sports the other day looking at shotguns. Surprised at the quality difference between a new wingmaster and one from 40 years ago. What is the consensus on buying a used unknown firearm?

There's a book written in 1904 by Stewart Edward White called Camp and Trail which offers sound advice on wilderness travel. In it, White says that his only consideration to outerwear is a thick wool sweater, which he finds more versatile and functional than any coat. White spent most of his time in the CA mountains and dealt with a wide variety of weather and conditions. Obviously, you have to consider modern fabrics and technology, but I agree with BM that wool is a great choice for the majority of outdoor activities.

Thanks. It's a challenging or fun dilemma to be in, but I'm probably suffering from a little analysis paralysis. If someone comes to me for fly fishing advice on trout rod selection, I could say "here are 15 9' 5wts, pick the three that seem to "fit" you." (Conventional wisdom says 9' 5wt for trout, though I almost never fish that configuration.) Once they have their three, I'll put 10 different 5wt lines on each and have them pick the two rod and line configurations they like. Between those two, advise them to buy one they can afford. But I typically just say, "take this generic whatever rod and line, and let's go to the river and I'll show you where the trout are, how to cast 20' and how you can best catch them." Need to take my own advice and just get on with it.

Thanks, fellows. Appreciate all the solid advice. I am also looking at a 20G shotgun. My preference is probably an older Wingmaster with tradition and aesthetics being the drivers. I'm assuming the gun functions well for my needs.

Thanks, everyone. Just found chuckhawks.com which seems to have a lot of the info I'm after. Is there a NY range that rents rifles or is PA my best bet?

Thanks. To clarify, I'm considering a bolt action over any other, though a lever would be fine. I prefer wood and steel over composite. Used is fine, as I like tradition. I'm left handed. Hunting area is typical Catskills mixed hardwood - maple, beech, cherry, birch, poplar, and hornbeam, A lot of bramble due to some poor logging management. I would say there's no clear shot past 50 metres. But it holds everything - bear, deer, coyote, turkey, coon, porcupine, grouse and woodcock. And one fisher. For what it's worth, the fellow I bought the land from used a .308. I also appreciate that I can pick up any gun and accommodate it. So I guess what I'm hoping for is a short list to start with and then do the hands-on research. Then again, as thphm just suggested, maybe a ML is a good way to start - inexpensive and simple. If anyone has an idiot's primer on calibre, I'd appreciate the link. Haven't found anything yet.

Thanks. All good and straightforward advice. Yes, I could visit a gun shop, but without actually shooting the rifle it seems a bit of a crap shoot. The best solution seems to be a rentable range - does anyone have a recommendation for a range near NYC or heading upstate toward the Western Catskills? And let me dumb this down even more ... is there a recommended deer calibre for a newbie? Articles I've read are all over the pace. Once I clarify that, my decision may be easier.

I have very limited experience and have only really shot a few rifles one afternoon. I have a basic understanding of calibres at best and no experienced hunters to advise me. I don't plan on deer hunting this year though I have been going through the motions of clearing stands on my Catskills property, cutting shooting lanes, putting up cameras and scouting just to get my head around what I will need to do for next year. I may let a bow hunter use my stands this year. So, how does someone with no experience or mentors wade through the multitude of options? Gun shops are great, but they seem limited in what they have on hand and I don't want to get it wrong. Are there ranges that let you rent a wide variety of firearms? Thanks.

I was at an art opening last weekend in Delaware County. Easily half the people there were gay couples who have second homes in the country. On average, their properties were 90 acres. Few of them hunt, but they all have gardens that get destroyed by deer. Comb your hair, tuck in your shirt, develop a little light banter and hit the gay country cocktail circuit. You'll have no end of places to hunt.

Thanks.

But muzzle-loaders.com won't ship to NYC. Anyone have actual knowledge of this?

I'm seeing conflicting information. ML okay in NYC without registering with the cops?

Thanks for the replies and advice, fellows. Second question - is there a recommended FAS for trembling in the tree stand after the shot is made?

I've been watching a lot of hunting videos, mostly deer from stands, and my question concerns the moment after you shoot and know you made a solid hit. How long do I have to keep whispering into the camera? Until I find the deer? That night around the campfire? Two days later when I'm back at the office? New Year's Eve? Thanks.

Phade - I wonder if that would work. Trail - can you shed light on the locking system? A regular allen key won't work on this? Core - good idea. I am considering a pile of old lumber pointing at my driveway to see who comes down the lane. Doubt anyone would look there. Can't find a place up high to cover the area that isn't obvious.

Has anyone used Gear Nation's Cam Guardian instead of a cable lock? Uses a steel band that sits flush to the tree and harder to cut than a cable.

Thanks, Larry. It's a complicated issue and probably beyond my ken. I'm not a fan of Peta or the HSUS from the days when I trained protection dogs and butted heads with them over bull breeds and BSL. But in 2016, and where hunting is concerned, perception is everything. I'm dealing with that right now with a show on rat abatement with dogs on organic farms. You want organic chicken? That means chicken feed and no poison, and that means rats. I figured networks would be all over a guy and his dogs saving the family farm from ruin - rats destroy feed, buildings and eat baby livestock - but getting a lot of pushback on seeing dogs killing rats. Anyway, I don't blame UA as the way the kill was presented made this controversial and a no-brainer from their perspective. Put aside from the legalities or ethics of baiting and the efficacy of a spear in taking down a large animal, it's basically a video of a guy jumping out from behind a tree to throw a spear at a bear he lured into position with food. There's just no way this is going to go over well with the general public - the majority of people you're left with from both sides of the issue after you toss out the hardcore hunters (assume spear kill, bro!) and the insane antis (you should have a spear shoved up your ass!). This video could have delved into the reasoning for the spear, the ethics around that choice, the training involved, the decision to take this particular animal. Instead, from what I saw, it was a really stupid video with no purpose other than "look at me." Or from another perspective, this was a video of a kill, not a hunt, and that may be the key element here.