Meet ups?

[Iluvracks1359]

So, 

Back in the day I was in the car scene and owned a mustang cobra and joined a new York mustang forum, and the guys on there were great, I met up with some local mustang guys regularly, we shared stories, hung out, showed our cars off. I know hunting forums are a little different, but that is kind of the reason I joined this forum, aside from taking in the wealth of knowledge that many of you can provide. That being said, anyone close to the capital region/central new York? ( I live 30 minutes west of Albany) who would consider meeting up during hunting season, finding some public land and doing some drives? I had one really good friend that I hunted with but we don't talk much anymore, so I hunt alone 95% of the time, and its honestly just not as fun.  I would offer to bring some of you to my spot , but my uncle has told me he only wants me on the property, so that's that, but I think it would be fun to get some guys together somewhere someone is familiar with and slam some deer. id be willing to travel an hour or so, I often go hunt in garrattsville, which is close to Oneonta, my buddy has some stands there on land he was given permission to hunt, but again, when I go, its usually alone, and when my friend goes up there, he goes with big hunting parties, and they shoot deer out of the cars and shit, and im just not all about that.

 

Thoughts? Let's hear em!

[Doc]

Hunting buddies come and go. Yes it is a lot more fun to have people that you can hunt with and count on not to do some of the things you mentioned. But hunting partners have to be screened carefully and chosen with care. Case in point, I had a guy from work that hunted with me on my property. Next thing I knew his brother-in-law showed up and then friends of the brother-in-law. Before long my driveway looked like a parking lot.

I had another situation where a guy that I hunted with decades earlier had a brother who suddenly showed up unannounced and was starting to set up a drive through the thicket in front of my house (without introduction or permission). He had about 8 guys ready to push through the area when I went down and put a rather unfriendly permanent end to that activity.

There are other surprises you can encounter when you decide to hunt with somebody. My Brother-in-law from Canada invited a couple of people down for a few days of hunting. The day before the opener, we set up a target to check their guns out to ensure they survived the trip without any changes. The one guy proceeded to rip off 5 shots as fast as he could pull the trigger. I'm kind of a "one shot-one-deer guy", and I really don't like being around the lead sprayers. Its a safety thing. Apparently he was raised with using deer dogs and his past meant laying down a wall of lead at deer running flat out.

The other guy was worse. While we were walking up to check out the targets, he was hanging back doing something with his shotgun when all of a sudden, we heard a shot right behind us. I have no idea what the hell he was doing, but his gun accidently discharged (fortunately into the ground). That is when I turned around pointing to the opposite hill across the valley and told those two that that is where they would be hunting.

The point is that it is great to have someone to hunt with, but you have to know them a whole lot better than just being members of the same forum. Bad things can happen when you don't screen them VERY closely.

Edited July 28, 2018 by Doc

[Jdubs]

37 minutes ago, Doc said:

Hunting buddies come and go. Yes it is a lot more fun to have people that you can hunt with and count on not to do some of the things you mentioned. But hunting partners have to be screened carefully and chosen with care. Case in point, I had a guy from work that hunted with me on my property. Next thing I knew his brother-in-law showed up and then friends of the brother-in-law. Before long my driveway looked like a parking lot.

I had another situation where a guy that I hunted with decades earlier had a brother who was starting to set up a drive through the thicket in front of my house (without introduction or permission). He had about 8 guys ready to push through the area when I went down and put a permanent end to that activity.

There other surprises you can encounter when you decide to hunt with somebody. My Brother-in-law from Canada invited a couple of people down for a few days of hunting. The day before the opener, we set up a target to target practice at. The one guy proceeded to rip off 5 shots as fast as he could pull the trigger. I'm kind of a one shot-one deer guy, and I really don't like being around the lead sprayers. Its a safety thing. The other guy was worse. While we were walking up to check out the targets, he was hanging back doing something with his shotgun when all of a sudden, we heard a shot right behind us. I have no idea what the hell he was doing, but his gun accidently discharged (fortunately into the ground). That is when I turned around pointing to the opposite hill across the valley and told those two that that is where they would be hunting.

The point is that it is great to have someone to hunt with, but you have to know them a whole lot better than just being members of the same forum. Bad things can happen when you don't screen them VERY closely.

Fingering a firearm while others are downrange is about the biggest no-no that I can think of.  Unreal.  You're lucky to even be able to tell the story Doc.

I don't want to be anywhere near unsafe knuckleheads and I'm not entirely polite about it.  I had a Fudd at my range all to eager to show me his WW II Colt 1911.  Gorgeous piece...until the duncie muzzle swept me with it.  Of course it "wasn't loaded" until I forced him to do a clear & safe at the line and a live round miracuously ejected while pulling the slide back.  

Fortunately, the few neighbors that I hunt with are squared away and we all work together to stay safe first and drop deer second.