what would the old hunter in you tell the young hunter you were

[Jeremy K]

10 minutes ago, wildcat junkie said:

They don't make it anymore.

I think they're actually starting to ramp up production as we speak.

[Nomad]

We made more land , by extending the break wall out into the water and filling it in . Guess they frown on that today though .

[landtracdeerhunter]

Take a good look around you at Mother Nature while deer hunting.  She has a lot to teach if you are willing to learn.

[Hunter007]

Buy your own land if you want better results but if your patient and like the  great outdoors and exploring different places scenery you can spend a lifetime hunting all the hundreds of state lands open to hunting in New York State and other states  . Look at it as a adventure in it self .

 

 

 

 

[Curmudgeon]

Read up on how to field dress a deer before you have to do it alone for the first time.

[G-Man]

Don't assume your time hunting with your father and friends will happen for years to come..accidents happen. The time spent with friends and family far outweigh the big buck hanging on the wall.. R.i.p. dad and Gary g.

[NFA-ADK]

Know your trajectory from 5 ft out to your max distance.  Never give up, always put your scope on the lowest power and get a bow to hunt deer its much more fun.  Explore more area and enjoy the ride while you are able to!  Learn tracking (And reading sign!) it is one of the best ways to find and at least for me interpret deer movement and patterns.  Even though snow is the easiest way to track learn how to do it without snow because many times you will not have any.  Learn how to call deer, besides tracking it has been one of my best tools and underutilized when I was young.  

Last but not least enjoy the company of your friends and family, like G-Man stated above they are more important than any deer or individual hunt, cherish every moment with them.  RIP Greg and Chris missing you guys!  

[moog5050]

1 hour ago, Stay at home Nomad said:

We made more land , by extending the break wall out into the water and filling it in . Guess they frown on that today though .

Is this area now a food plot, bedding area or transition zone?

[dbHunterNY]

don't buy a compound before a recurve or longbow. join QDMA sooner.  don't hunt hoping a big one is there. hunt where you know big ones are around. you'll learn a lot experiencing stuff for yourself but do all you can to keep hunting with family and friends.

[Five Seasons]

to the land buyers. Question.

My dad curses my mom for not letting him buy "more land" when they were first starting out. At 63, he is certainly in a better financial situation now and admits they couldn't afford it then. 

I've passed on land for a nicer house/commute/school district and I don't think I'll ever regret that. How many of you really had the means in your 20's to buy land?

[G-Man]

14 minutes ago, Belo said:

to the land buyers. Question.

My dad curses my mom for not letting him buy "more land" when they were first starting out. At 63, he is certainly in a better financial situation now and admits they couldn't afford it then. 

I've passed on land for a nicer house/commute/school district and I don't think I'll ever regret that. How many of you really had the means in your 20's to buy land?

I started buying land when I was 22.. didn't go to bars or out at ..I bought land..300bucks an acre back then..now it's 1000 plus.. doubt I could buy half of what I own now .. 

There is a lot to land ownership..logging alone may pay for the property and taxes for years... making your inital investment go much further

Edited December 13, 2017 by G-Man

[Fletch]

I would of told myself to first just slow down. Most of the missed shot ops and such is due to not being slow enough. So slow down and enjoy the heck outa it!!

Also pick your friends and hunting partners wisely. A bad decision here could cost dearly.

Leave it better than you found it.

And I am one of the buy land party...if done correctly even if you do not end up wanting it sell it for more.

[stubborn1VT]

10 minutes ago, Fletch said:

I would of told myself to first just slow down. Most of the missed shot ops and such is due to not being slow enough. So slow down and enjoy the heck outa it!!

Also pick your friends and hunting partners wisely. A bad decision here could cost dearly.

Leave it better than you found it.

And I am one of the buy land party...if done correctly even if you do not end up wanting it sell it for more.

Couldn't have said it better.

[wooly]

I would tell my younger self to keep on doing what you're doing..., and some day you'll be as good as me! 

[Steuben Jerry]

36 minutes ago, Belo said:

How many of you really had the means in your 20's to buy land

When I was in my 20's (1980's) I drove a Trans Am, and had a 20 ft cuddy cabin boat. Land was going for around $500/acre at the time.

We had some good family times on that boat, and the kids bring it up fondly.

Could of bought 40-ish acres, but I would have had to borrow the money, just like I did for the car and boat. The car and boat are long gone, and the land would be worth at least 2-3X what I paid for it. Probably would have had it logged once or twice since then which would have given me some income. (I had 25 acres of hardwoods logged in 2007 and got just around $10k for that).

[Jdubs]

Well, my "younger self" only started hunting 2 years ago, but I am really enjoying all of your replies.   Thank you for candidly sharing.  The comments about buying land especially have made an impression.

Having made a mountain of mistakes so far, the biggest difference between filling tags or not this year has come down to one simple thing: Always be ready to shoot.  

[rob-c]

Buy land with your house purchase, wife and I went back and forth on this and we ended up just buying a house. But I had land to hunt up till just recently 

second, would be getting my wife into hunting sooner than I did.

my biggest regret, is to not have started saving sooner for a surprise hunting trip for my dad and  i to  go on. He passed before I had the money saved up ..

Edited December 13, 2017 by rob-c

[Fletch]

Just with the money I spent on booze in my 20's would have bought a nice chunk of land!! lol

[rob-c]

1 hour ago, Belo said:

to the land buyers. Question.

My dad curses my mom for not letting him buy "more land" when they were first starting out. At 63, he is certainly in a better financial situation now and admits they couldn't afford it then. 

I've passed on land for a nicer house/commute/school district and I don't think I'll ever regret that. How many of you really had the means in your 20's to buy land?

That is the major reason we didn’t buy land with  our house,  we could have made the higher payments but it would have been tight.. 

[Five Seasons]

1 hour ago, Steuben Jerry said:

When I was in my 20's (1980's) I drove a Trans Am, and had a 20 ft cuddy cabin boat. Land was going for around $500/acre at the time.

We had some good family times on that boat, and the kids bring it up fondly.

Could of bought 40-ish acres, but I would have had to borrow the money, just like I did for the car and boat. The car and boat are long gone, and the land would be worth at least 2-3X what I paid for it. Probably would have had it logged once or twice since then which would have given me some income. (I had 25 acres of hardwoods logged in 2007 and got just around $10k for that).

 

1 hour ago, Fletch said:

Just with the money I spent on booze in my 20's would have bought a nice chunk of land!! lol

that's the whole deal isn't it though? We chose/choose to spend it differently. I love hunting. #1 passion after my family, but I've spent money on good times, motorcycles etc. I wouldn't trade them. I mean the stories from that boat and car and the stories from the boozing? all gone? 

[Steuben Jerry]

4 minutes ago, Belo said:

I mean the stories from that boat and car and the stories from the boozing? all gone? 

No, and many great memories from fishing and beach time with my wife and daughters when they were growing up. Lots of downrigger fishing on Lake Ontario.

But we could have made many memories just as well camping, shooting, hiking, etc and the land would have been a mature investment right now.

Now if I could have the money back from speeding tickets and higher insurance rates from when I drove the T/A, well that may have got me another 20 acres - lol. 

[Four Season Whitetail's]

4 minutes ago, Belo said:

 

that's the whole deal isn't it though? We chose/choose to spend it differently. I love hunting. #1 passion after my family, but I've spent money on good times, motorcycles etc. I wouldn't trade them. I mean the stories from that boat and car and the stories from the boozing? all gone? 

True that. Also remember that for the person with the means, Car,Time,Cash for gas..There is some of the best hunting out there for free. Cant tell ya how many call me a fool for not hunting the 900 plus acres of decent hunting to travel 2-3 hours to hunt state land.

A guy does not need to spend the extra cash to buy land.........But it is a very nice feeling of knowing you can fall back on it.

[Just Lucky]

I would tell myself fewer beers, lift with legs, and do more cardio. Being big and strong doesnt help joints and back with older age. Oh and wife will get use to hunting season, she'll stop nagging and enjoy you going as much as you do.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I'd start with "do not shoot the yearling 8 point at 7:30am 11/11/17, because a 160" 9 point is going to wander in at 9am". Also buy bitcoin that same day

[wildcat junkie]

5 hours ago, Steuben Jerry said:

 

 

. (I had 25 acres of hardwoods logged in 2007 and got just around $10k for that).

I had 15 acres of White Pine logged in the winter of 1998-99 and got $10k for that. Trees were 30" at the stump and if I remember right it was around 290K board feet of #1 pine.