LIVE From The Woods 2020 - Let's hear stories and see some pictures!

[Catskills54]

12 hours ago, wolc123 said:

Doe patrol is all about comfort and convenience for me.  In the last 20 years, I have killed a total of one doe, after opening day of gun season.  I had planned to hit my swamp edge hang on stand this morning, where I blew a good chance on one back in 2018, on this very weekend.  Two little bucks chased a doe twice around my stand that day.  My firing pin froze up on the first "chip shot", and I missed her clean, on the second lap.

The slight drizzle has me holed up in the lower level of my two story blind over in my parents woods.  I have never killed a deer from the lower deck of this one, but did take what may have been my heaviest buck ever (43" chest girth), from up top back in 2016.

My sister's house is about 400 yards to my east, and she has been seeing a doe and fawn feeding on apples near dawn, each morning this week, in an old orchard between us.  I will pour my first cup of hot cider at 7:30, legal shooting time.  Maybe the aroma will draw them in for a shot.  I certainly am dry and comfortable anyhow, and I will be warm and toasty after I start sipping.

Jeez Wolc, I've been hunting for years all wrong... Take me under your wings and mentor me! 

Would love to know what it feels like being in a 2 story blind with hot apple cider when legal light hits. Would probably feel my hands & toes! 

[wolc123]

9 minutes ago, Catskills54 said:

Jeez Wolc, I've been hunting for years all wrong... Take me under your wings and mentor me! 

Would love to know what it feels like being in a 2 story blind with hot apple cider when legal light hits. Would probably feel my hands & toes! 

Does must not like the hot cider smell.  None showed up today.  Two, 3.5 year old bucks have approached from downwind, while I was sipping it, over the last 4 years.  The last one actually came in on two consecutive weeks. 

The first time, I had my cross bow hanging on a hook, and he got spooked by the shiny silver cup, as I was putting it down to grab it. I wraped the cup with black electric tape the next week, and shot him at 100 yards, on opening day of gun season.

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by wolc123

[Catskills54]

7 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

You nailed it. If it wasn't for the trails you couldn't hunt it.  Can't hardly walk thru it and when you do it's getting cut and scratched up and swampy.  Lots of deer trails thru the thick but no way to shoot into it.  And yes hardly any trees .  We put up stands on the ones we can and along property line.  It's all wetlands that have grown in.  And can't cut any trails into it either.  Biggest problem for gun is there is nothing to hold deer here.  Once everything is dead no food for them and nearby are fields and a golf course.  So they are just gone after the rut. Tough gun hunting . During bow there are some good ones about and it's ok hunting but gun esp after opening weekend is usually a bust. Haven't seen a deer in 10 days in daylight. 

Ditto. Nothing like the 7's or 8's. It's hard hunting, lots of ticks  (in my experience, unless in the catskills but the density, AR restrictions and private land make it...interesting). I'm looking at max 50 yd shots unless I'm in a climber...then I get maybe 75, almost never 100 yds.

[goosifer]

36 minutes ago, 46rkl said:

Made it out for the last hour and a half today thanks to my wonderful wife. Not only did she spend most of the day helping me make 30 pounds of summer sausage but she also shooed me out to hunt and did the cleanup by herself! No deer seen but still a great day. 

You are a lucky man!

[Catskills54]

7 hours ago, Bionic said:

Probably shot it from a Yukon Denali with Jersey plates.

Honestly don't know which post was funnier...Bionic's or Biz-R-OWorld's 

Edited December 6, 2020 by Catskills54

[Catskills54]

2 hours ago, wolc123 said:

It was good.  My wife's is never quite as tasty.  My wife is making soup with leftovers from a venison neck roast for dinner tonight.  That is usually spectacular.  I will be happy if it is as good as mom's chile.

Check the new HuntingNY users! Make sure your wife didn't just join! #huntingwidows

[Catskills54]

1 hour ago, Warrior15fl said:

My brother in law and I went out this afternoon on the property we hunt in 3m

Wind was pretty brutal but right before sundown my brother in law caught this guy coming out of thick woods into the swamp by his stand. Small 7 but for late in the game he will add to the freezer. After passing on several bucks during bow I’m still after my target buck who made an appearance after the closing bell with 8 doe last week. So I’ll be back out solo tomorrow. 
 

Public or private?

[Swamp_bucks]

Christmas shopping is all done, I'll bring down the tree and decorate tomorrow after I get out of the woods.  Then mama gave me full permission to hunt as hard as I need want to fi ish out the season.  I'll have 4 tags available at the spot I'm going tomorrow so anything minus a fawn should be worried 

[Catskills54]

42 minutes ago, diplomat019 said:

Lol. Well i had to explain to dog walkers that it’s hunting season and they cant let their dogs run off leash.  Its a pain but part of hunting certain public lands.  But theres a decent amount of public land available.  

I love my dog and wife and make sure both of them wear blaze. That being said, I'm ok with off leash, gets the deer moving!

Would get REAL worried about my black 50# curly bear cub looking dog running around without it! Also, the most expensive retriever that I haven't taken out in the field. If only I could explain to him how ducks are REALLY tennis balls, I wouldn't have to hit up the meat tree (aka supermarket for the downstate liberals).

[Catskills54]

40 minutes ago, Biz-R-OWorld said:

 

Depends on the spot. There’s tons of DEP lands. Some have hikers but many don’t. Some of them have Antler restrictions and other special rules, so just make sure you read the signs. I think some of the Kent ones have the no bucks rule first 2 days of season and then have to 15” wide or something


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Jeez, I though AR were a bit interesting with pressure. Measuring width? I dunno, that seems...like we can only hunt them if they're socially distanced by 200 yards....

[Catskills54]

32 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

Does must not like the hot cider smell.  None showed up today.  Two, 3.5 year old bucks have approached from downwind, while I was sipping it, over the last 4 years.  The last one actually came in on two consecutive weeks. 

The first time, I had my cross bow hanging on a hook, and he got spooked by the shiny silver cup, as I was putting it down to grab it. I wraped the cup with black electric tape the next week, and shot him at 100 yards, on opening day of gun season.

 

I'm still loving your style though if all I have to do is camo my hot cider mug and bucks are still coming! As for the does...have you tried adding cinnamon to the cider? 

[wolc123]

9 minutes ago, Catskills54 said:

I'm still loving your style though if all I have to do is camo my hot cider mug and bucks are still coming! As for the does...have you tried adding cinnamon to the cider? 

No, but it is funny that you mentioned that.   I told my mom that her chile was particularly good today, and tasted a little different than normal.  She said she added a tablespoon of cinnamon to the pot.

I always got away with the shiny silver cider cup from my blinds, where it was hidden by the three foot wall all around.  It didn't work so good from the hang-on stands or from the ground however.  

[Catskills54]

3 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

No, but it is funny that you mentioned that.   I told my mom that her chile was particularly good today, and tasted a little different than normal.  She said she added a tablespoon of cinnamon to the pot.

I always got away with the shiny silver cider cup from my blinds, where it was hidden by the three foot wall all around.  It didn't work so good from the hang-on stands or from the ground however.  

This is why you need Canadian tactical hunting cup!

I haven't done cinnamon to chile (yet!) but my sister in law does cocoa powder to chili and holy smokes, it does taste better! Random and I didn't believe it until I tried.

[manmathison]

Got out for a couple hours this morning and again in the afternoon. Saw 15 deer in total, on the day, some I’m sure we’re duplicates. About 5 mins before last light a decent size 6 pointer stepped out and ate one of my hand loaded 308s. Quartering towards shot so the exit wound is a little far back. Surprisingly ran about 100 yards with tons of internal damage. Tenderloins we’re all cut up and one lung was was basically gone.

 

Not a huge rack but a solid bodied deer for sure. This is the first deer I’ve harvested with my new Savage 110 and the first deer I’ve brought home and hung up in my garage. My two girls were so excited to be apart of the process when we got home. Thankful for another harvest. May slip out tomorrow afternoon for a little doe patrol

 

 

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[Catskills54]

3 minutes ago, manmathison said:

Got out for a couple hours this morning and again in the afternoon. Saw 15 deer in total, on the day, some I’m sure we’re duplicates. About 5 mins before last light a decent size 6 pointer stepped out and ate one of my hand loaded 308s. Slight quartering towards shot so the exit wound is a little far back. Surprisingly ran about 100 yards with tons of internal damage. Tenderloins we’re all cut up and one lung was was basically gone.

Not a huge rack but a solid bodied deer for sure. This is the first deer I’ve harvested with my new Savage 110 and the first deer I’ve brought home and hung up in my garage. My two girls were so excited to be apart of the process when we got home. Thankful for another harvest. May slip out tomorrow afternoon for a little doe patrol


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That would be an awesome day for me this season, or any season seeing 15 deer this late into gun in one day.

Nice buck, and even nicer to have the family enjoy in the bounty! Sounds like you were shooting from ground level?

[manmathison]

That would be an awesome day for me this season, or any season seeing 15 deer this late into gun in one day.
Nice buck, and even nicer to have the family enjoy in the bounty! Sounds like you were shooting from ground level?

I’ve sat this property in various locations 7 times since gun opener and didn’t see a deer and thats after seeing deer every sit during bow. Dad whipped up some fried tenderloin for dinner too when we got home.

Yes, I was tucked in a hedgerow next to a big tree. Got lucky actually, I had just stood up and about to check the other side of the hedgerow when I saw him. Was able to get rifle repositioned on my tripod from a standing position and take a clean 120 yard shot.


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[wolc123]

3 hours ago, Pygmy said:

Venison neck roast... Probably the TASTIEST  roast on the deer, IMHO.....Enjoy. My Friend  !!

The neck roast soup that my wife made tonight was so good, that it has got me wanting another neck roast.  She wants to get some sleep before church tomorrow, so she is not letting me hunt from our bedroom window.

 I am going to try and get out for the first hour, in my front tree stand.  Hopefully, a doe will be bedded in the standing corn and get chased out quick by a buck, or come out to taste some turnips.

Edited December 6, 2020 by wolc123

[Warrior15fl]

56 minutes ago, Catskills54 said:

Public or private?

It’s private land that my brother-in-laws good family friends own. Only about 20 acres but we’ve hunted it for about 25 years now. It’s a pretty good producer but we see more action there in bow season than gun because of the bordering properties in which some have gun hunters on. You hunt 3m? 

[Catskills54]

2 minutes ago, manmathison said:

I’ve sat this property in various locations 7 times since gun opener and didn’t see a deer and thats after seeing deer every sit during bow. Dad whipped up some fried tenderloin for dinner too when we got home.

Yes, I was tucked in a hedgerow next to a big tree. Got lucky actually, I had just stood up and about to check the other side of the hedgerow when I saw him. Was able to get rifle repositioned on my tripod from a standing position and take a clean 120 yard shot.


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Sounds like a perfect day to me. Always hard hunting still from ground, and in my experience, the deer ALWAYS come from where you're not positioned...

But getting him at the last minute and enjoying you hard work with that situation? That's gotta feel good! Plus fried up backstraps always helps 

 

[Catskills54]

4 minutes ago, wolc123 said:

The neck roast soup that my wife made tonight was so good, that it has got me wanting another neck roast.  She wants to get some sleep before church tomorrow, so she is not letting me hunt from our bedroom window.

 I am going to try and get out for the first hour, in my front tree stand.  Hopefully, a doe will be bedded in the standing corn and get chased out quick by a buck, or come out to taste some turnips.

That's why you NEED subsonic .300 AAC 

[Catskills54]

5 minutes ago, Warrior15fl said:

It’s private land that my brother-in-laws good family friends own. Only about 20 acres but we’ve hunted it for about 25 years now. It’s a pretty good producer but we see more action there in bow season than gun because of the bordering properties in which some have gun hunters on. You hunt 3m? 

Started to this year. My in laws are in 3M, and after a few years of family gatherings I smacked my head and said "Hey!, why don't I actually hunt 3M during thanksgiving and family stuff?!" Always a ton of deer in the developments there, but I'm doing public land (stewart) so it is what it is.

[TreeGuy]

I thought About jumping on his back and riding him like a bucking bronco till I could Get a knife in him. 
 
 

The difference between a good hunter and a great hunter is one that acts on his thoughts. Way to drop the ball on your first sit....

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[doebuck1234]

Up havin coffee,hoping today is the day.27 degree's and a feels like temp of 19 brrrrrrr

[Swamp_bucks]

Up I have to  be out the door by 5-510 this morning. 45mins drive really hoping to see one today.  

[Warrior15fl]

Congrats to all who have harvested already this season. Seen some amazing bucks taken by this hunters here and even though I haven’t posted much I learn something new every time I read this forum. And good luck to everyone who is still working on filling tags- like myself! 
Even though it’s cold and windy here in 3m, I’ve learned  to always expect the unexpected. As long as you’re in the woods good things can happen at any moment.