G-Man

As for taxidermist being wrong, the improper use of the word european. had become so common it has nearly lost its meaning as magazines and media falsly perpetuate it. i especially like how the article said it was RARE to mount this way in the us, we american got lazy in not removing the upper pallet, i'm sure if i looked i could find approximate year the word use changed. One must remember its a lot easier to remove brain and nasel matter with upper pallet removed, especially when there were not many dermested beatles around for use (museums maybe)... the old method used would last much longer and be much cleaner ...For the older taxidermists 60-70 plus years old this new method was known western or american, to us its common. The change in would use would be a good paper for a college english major........

i'm still in a very rural area tree top shots are the norm on cold mornings when squirells sun themselves in the oak tops. if it was more populated perhaps cb longs at close range would be your answer.

https://books.google.com/books?id=zmoCGEO-nrMC&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=german+methods+of+mounting+skulls&source=bl&ots=h7fDUukjQD&sig=exrsBCWpyYMmQnuV_kndCQY-S1k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-GgVKbEGYGbgwS-2YOoDw&ved=0CE0Q6AEwDjgK#v=onepage&q=german%20methods%20of%20mounting%20skulls&f=false hrere is european method circa 1970, the american or western version had teeth left in and is just the skull,remember dermested beetles werent in use for hundereds of years (really in the us for comertial taxidermy last 915-20), and the same magazine showing how we changed the use of european mount to become generaic as its used today. https://books.google.com/books?id=mJaMTRWklpIC&pg=PA43&dq=field+and+stream+european+mount&hl=en&sa=X&ei=beWgVOXvM8iagwTE1oEg&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=field%20and%20stream%20european%20mount&f=false sorry to be a stickler on the term but grew up around taxidermist and old timers that would roll over in the grave seeing how the term has become generalised. its amazing how in 40 years the term and method has become lost.. by the way the true european mounts much easier and flatter on a plack..... and lawdawz most old time taxidermist arent on the web, like you they have limited computer skills but can make animals into true art!

https://books.google.com/books?id=zmoCGEO-nrMC&pg=PA84&lpg=PA84&dq=german+methods+of+mounting+skulls&source=bl&ots=h7fDUukjQD&sig=exrsBCWpyYMmQnuV_kndCQY-S1k&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Q-GgVKbEGYGbgwS-2YOoDw&ved=0CE0Q6AEwDjgK#v=onepage&q=german%20methods%20of%20mounting%20skulls&f=false here is the original european cut circa 1970, this was know as european, the american version with teeth was called western...

I have done the tom study back in 07 and they didn't move birds, they haven't trapped and transfered birds since late 90's. They even let me help in tagging, and releasing as well as be part of the capture. They are currently in the 3rd year of a fisher study here using camera traps. I have a feeling they were pulling a joke on your friend.... I have never had an issue with them and like to see them on the property. I also have a us forest service plot on my property and their workers are again courteous and helpful.

They have been called western for over 30 years that i know of, and taxidermists out west offer both styles at different prices. Easy to look them up on web ,us easterners are making everything generic but there was and is a difference .http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skull_mounts

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1680455. Here is the same debate answered

The term european mount has been tossed around to come to mean generically skull mount, such as the word gay had a meaning of happy once, and now mears something else. European mounts the skull is cut removing the teeth.old issues of outdoor life,field and stream use to show the difference. The same perpetuation of a word is happening again bae is danish for crap, but in social media it is suppose to be a term of enderment. I guess if your fed the same line 1000's of times it becomes the truth ....another example of the polital and media changing the truth.

Very Nice WESTERN mount, european have upper palate removed from skull.

I got a buck that shed it's horns this year br following tracks made in the morning at 1pm. Ended up shooting it in its bed. Have done it several times and got my biggest buck tracking as well.

If this was in ny a lot of people would be just as guilty i'm afraid http://ohiooutdoorjournal.com/2014/12/10/tv-hunting-show-prostaff-caught-poaching-least-18-deer-illinois/

At least in my area there is a ton of state land, most it seems many do not know about.the big pieces of 1000 or more they do but there are hundreds of small 50 to 600 or 700 acre pieces. Get ahold of the dec and find all the state land in your area, a small piece may be the ticket for you to get away from the large.groups at the well known lands.hate to say hunters in general are lazy but most do not reserve lands that are available to them but go where their dad went or friend took them. The state receives land as gifts.and buys new land every year.

Buck tracks in snow are usually staggered (much greater width between left and right sides),may drag feet in the rut. Doe pee marks are at end of standing track, bucks will fall between tracks. Individual deèr tracks can be singled out by size or shape or a chip or certain curve of the track. a wandering track near thick cover usually means it is looking to bed. Unless you see it wander from bush to bush where browse marks will show on twig ends. I like to back track any deer I shoot to see where it came from or what it was doing. Learned more from dead deer that can be applied to a fresh track then by following fresh tracks alone freshness in snow .. look at your own track if it's melted or snow has settled it's older. If it looks like yours get on it and be ready.nothing wron with following an older track Esp one from previous night.deer bed and you may find it there.

Happy Festivus!

My mother has a problem with deer eating flowers and apple trees in the back yard.I chose not to hunt there as there is nothing worse than being in a tree hearing your mother yell for you to come open a jar.... but I digress. I allowed 2 people to hunt there with the point being to reduce the herd. One consistently killed does usually several and has got a nice buck as well.after takend a doe or two. The other waits for a buck. There is only 1 hunter allowed now can u guess which one?

practice with a regular bow and long shorts aren't hard especially at a non moving target .My good friend got a buck this year at 70 in an open field with a pse x force dream season bow( I know how far it was as I was with him on the recovery). he practices that shot every night from his back door to a block target at the edge of the woods. nearly cut the deers heart in half. but as he said not possible in a woods.

If you shoot livestock you are in trouble in nys,I guess known deer ft om z farm don't apply. What if that ear tag was tore out and the hunter had no idea until it Showed up and it was killed and tried to enter in the books... seems likerecord books are going to be tainted when the wild game being persued is raised as livestock as well.

Was an average season at camp 9 buck taken but only 5 doe. (we usually take 10 doe a year) had a lot of standing corn and it was finially cut the last day of muzzleloader. nothing like seeing 20 doe in a field of cut corn the day after the season, little worried abotu a population spike this next year. i do not like to see heavy browse damage on the new seedlings and that is the main reason we take 10 doe a year. but on the bright side a lot of good bucks made it thru this year because of the corn so next year is already looking up in terms oF QUALITY avaliable.

Congrats! that sounds like a great learning season! let me add this insite from almost 40 years o hunting.........the hardest part to learn and bow hunting a few seasons will help you learn this faster than anything, there is a big difference between seeing deer that you might get a shot at, and getting a shot at a deer you might see.... stand and setup locations are most critical. i may not see a ton of deer but every deer i see is in range and presents a shot. you need to decide which will make you a more sucessful hunter.

Good job! And its good to know the rules and regs where you hunt! a minor..(cough cough) thing it seems to be here in ny.

A longer, season (later in year) even for anterless would result in bucks that dropped horns being taken. i took this buck on the 15th this year with muzzleloader on horn had shed and the other popped off in my hand when i went to lift the head. while 60-80% of take is during first week of gun, a spilt season would allow greater harvest as a two week rest period would allow deer to return to normal patters and would result in 2 opening days type harvests.fitting with in the 4 week gun period we have now . or starting a week earlier. I have found sheds as early as dec 13th and have shot bucks in muzzleloader , that have lost one side or both and have no stress induced injuries. Although injuries are responsible for losing horns even earlier. such as this buck i got in its bed on the 13th , both pedicals are healed completely over and it had a small caliber hole and infection resulting from pass thru shot on its brisket. i hope that makes more sence to those confused by a split season. and that deer do shed horns earlier than some think. i believe wooly got a buck that horns were ready to drop this year as well.

Bucks are dropping horns by middle of dec, a longer season won't help, but a week of gun then close for 2 weeks then reopen would.

As was said above, I have never killed a bird in a field in spring, I usually get them in the woods near roost trees. As for locator calls I use owl (reed and barrel) peacock,hawk,crow call,dog whistle,and elk bugle,as well as a horn from an 85 Honda moped.

Work on food plots, rebuild 2 stands, a lot of winter scouting ahead, pruning and fertilizing apple trees..same as always.

arborvite is a prefered Deer food try a spruce