Trad Gang
Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: adkmountainken on June 22, 2010, 07:42:00 PM
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ok here we go! a close friend of mine called me today after a kayak ride. i was about 10 miles in on the West branch of the Sacandaga river. the area is BIG woods and remote. as they came around a bend he said a HUGE, MOSTER of a buck waldek right down to the water in front of them. he said it was a 10 point and very wide in full velvet. this is where i HAMMERD him with questions. i said now come on its June no way a buck would have a set of horns like that yet! my buddy call me a couple of very awfull names as he took it i was calling him a liar. now my buddy Jason is one of the very few people who's word is gold in my book but but still i needed to ask the questions. he is an avid hunter and knows his bussiness on deer size. he said the but was a 10 point if not bigger, hard to tell all the little things with velevt. he is willing to take me to the exact spot and show me. now here is my offer to YOU. i do not have the time for a hunt like this. you would have to have the Earth, moon and stars alaign to get a shot at this buck if you were to see ANY deer at all. this is MASSIVE woods assiable only by canoe/kayak. 2 years ago i would have jumped at a chance like this. this year i want to kill my first trad deer and this place does not give me a good shot at that. i would have to believe this is the buck of a life time. heres what i offer if anyone is interested. i will go there, get gps cordintes for you and scout around for a few days. i could set up a 2 man tent when the time comes. will supply canoe, bow, food what ever ya need. will offer my own house if you want to commute every day which would be hard to do but your choice. i could leave you with a 5 mile 2 way radio and come up and check on you at a prearranged time. i do not have the time to do this hunt but do have 4 or 5 days to scout and perhaps hang a stand. i can take pic's and video if you would like them. i'm just throwing all this out there at once. this is BIG woods, do not expect to see many deer. however i KNOW he is there, waiting, getting bigger!!! ok, any questions???
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i sure wish i had time to do that it sounds like a grand adventure
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it is BIG woods and absolutly beautifull! i could pick no better place to sit back and heal lifes wounds.
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Ken is right about the area,remote rough country. It's a great place to wander. As far as the deer hunting it's tough. There are some nice bucks to be had.....but, it is a very fortunate hunter who gets to see a slammer in that part of the world even this time year let alone during hunt season. The state estimates there are .5 bucks per square mile. That's why I never see one, I'm looking for a whole one!!! But as Ken said great place to get away from the daily grind and heal! :thumbsup: :notworthy:
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Unbelievable offer Ken....... :notworthy: :notworthy:
David
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its just an offer David, a one in a million chance but one things for sure, he IS there and it is beautifull country! if someone does indeed want to go after him i will hunt with them for 1 day and do what i can to help. i really want to kill a couple with longbow this year and i have a couple great spots that i'm %99.9 sure will give me oppurtuniys, this place however is hard hunting.
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oooooo, that is mighty tempting, IF I were in a better financial situation I would totally jump! It has always been a dream of mine to hunt like that, canoe and all. Hard hunting is the way to go!!! Wouldn't have it any other way. I am going to hunt the Potomac this year, I know a little island in the middle of the river, same deal, only accessible by boat! Cool style of hunting!
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Ken what hunting zone are we talking about. Whats an out of state license cost?
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Burnsie,
will get you all the info tonight, just getting ready for work now. i believe the zone might be 7h which is Hamilton county but i'm not sure. Ron w might chime in here as he knows the area also.
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I would sure want good compass skills for area like this, would be fun if you know how to navigate.
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Ken,
I am interested. I spent a week in the High Peaks Wilderness area back in '04 and have wanted to get back to the Dacks for awhile now. Sending a pm.
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You have to wait for snow up there & track them. You need to be in great shape & a bow might not be the best weapon choice for this. There are groups like the horn hunters out of Glens Falls that kill huge bucks up there each year. Mike
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Trully a great offer for someone to hunt in gods country,semi guided by a great guy! i just got back from a week of camping and hiking around wallace mtn area,town of benson! not sure how close this is to the area your talking about,but it is some surelly pretty country! The mtn. lays about 3or 4 miles west from the river! I was up there scouting for new bear hunting areas! It would be worth the trip just to see some beautiful country!! I'll be starting a new job and won't see that area again for another year!
Good on you KEN :clapper: :clapper: :clapper:
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Thats some offer!! Wish i had some time
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Kens word is good.
Great guy to deal with there.
Sounds like a great getaway if nothing.
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The area Ken is talking about is 5H on the DEC map for deer management. jimmerc, the Benson area is east of the spot Ken's speaking of, not all that far really. The west branch of the Sacandaga River flows around to the north of Benson. Years ago when the deer herd was better many deer from that area would migrate to the Benson area to yard and winter.It's a very big and remote area.
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Beautiful area.
Dont expect to fill your freezer however you can expect to get great photos and make memories to last a lifetime. Also in the meanwhile you will meet a great guy in the process. Maybe even catch a trout to cook over the fire in the process.
Bring a GPS and a compass. It is big country and you cannot rely on only one tool fo navigation. People get lost up there every year and it can be serious. Bring an emergency kit for first aid and survival. It is a must have.
Take lots of pictures and please share here at tg central.
:campfire:
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I hunted the Maine Big Woods for a lot of years with rifle. Big country and big deer. We hunted timber copmany land way back in. I mis it. Used to hunt the Horse Mountain area west of Ashland and Portage Maine. We stayed in a log cabin at Spider Lake. Propane lights, stove and refrigerator. Beautiful ouhouse too!
Like Ken said you don't see a lot of deer, but when you do, oh boy. The biggest I saw was a 10 point that dressed at 295 hanging at Dean's in Portage Lake! Good luck whoever gives it a go.
Gil
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Dude what an offer but it is out of the Question for me!
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perhaps a couple people might want to try to double team him and cover more area? i will everyting i can, could pack in and stash some wood as well. as i said i would make a full day hunt with you. highly reccomend a GPS and compass. you could use the river as a guide to make sure you know how to get out if you need to leave quick! i will provide canoe/kayak also. heck even a bow and arrows if ya need it!!! i would absolutly LOVE to see someone kill the buck of a life time or even get a glimps with bow and hand! i will see how this weekend looks just to go see for myself and give you a better idea of what i think can and can not be done.
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Here is a picture of a big woods Maine Buck. It dressed 265. The bases were over 8.5". It filled a full size chevy pickup. Just in case soembody wants to play hide and seek with a big woods Adirirondack buck. I thought this might fire you up. It was what used to bring us back to Maine every year. I wish I was the one who harvested this one.
*****only trad bowkill pix please*****
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i have been VERY VERY lucky with rifle before i started hunting trad, i took some slammers here in the Dacks including a B&C brute. they are here trust me. i have saw 3 and killed 2 of them that would make a grown man cry.
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******Only trad bowkills please******
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Ken I love hunting big woods and always wanted to give the Adirondacks a try. If I wasn't already locked into Ohio for two weeks I would be taking you up on this offer. I hope somebody does, it is a great opportunity you are offering.
Gil
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Hey Ken,I,m ready for you to hook me up with a buck of any-size,just let it be a adirondack buck...Getting pumped!!!!AimSmall...Shoot-Straight.......
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3Feathers[Tim], this fall we'll hook up and we can go up to the camp I belong to and I'll show you around. Can't say you'll see Ol' mossy horns but you'll love the country!!!!!!!
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Hey Gil, nice pic,I the miss the northwoods every year{have'nt} gone the last two, & even stayed at Deans for a few yrs.Killed a couple nice bucks further north,there's no place I'd rather be,God I love that state.I still hunt the adirondacks out of my wall tent around Speculator.Ken, nice bucks! its what the adk bucks should look like!
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I hunt over in the Benson area, too. I believe the name of the mountain is Norton. Big, beautiful country, but the deer herd has been down lately. Maybe the milder winter helped. The area Ken is talking about is fairly close, I think. I spoke with a gentleman last summer who lives on Rt 30 a few miles north of Northville and a moose was hit by a car not long before. The second one in about 3 or 4 years, he said. Like everyone has said, this is a beautiful area.
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Jim that picture is at the gas station and little store across from Deans. Deans is in the background across the street. I love northern Maine also. This year we are doing Ohio, next year a DIY elk, but the year after we are headed to the Big Wooods again.
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Gil, know it well,I can smell the air as I write this!The last 2 yrs. the winter kill was so bad it almost wiped out the herd.Last yr.wasn't so bad.I'm still toying about going this fall.Good luck in Ohio,some really fine Bucks there.
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pm's answerd, lools like some interest. i would REALY love to be able to do this for a whole week myself but as i said i really want to punch a few tags this year and have such places to do that. i will definitly be going to take a kayak trip this weekend to get gps readings, pictures, video and if possible a short walk around to look for mast crop trees and deer trails/ if there is anything anyone wants me to look for just let me know.
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another big Dack buck. 189 pounds, peak rut 10 point
*********Only trad bowkills please*********
Com'on fellas, let's keep this a trad bow only thread...thanx!
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Ken,Give me a buzz!!!If you need company.
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whoops my fault, just trying to show what does live in them mountains!
Tim i will be going for a kayak ride Sunday, i'll give ya a hollor.
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Wow Ken, what an offer. If I were a younger man I would jump on it. I gave up the gun and started trad hunting in 2003 and like you, I'm still looking for my first trad. whitetail. I was lucky enough to bag a good gobbler a few years ago with the help of my son's excellent calling and one of Bernie's wing bone callers. Hope this will be my year for a good buck. I really want to change my avatar! LOL. Good on you.
Oh Yeah, do you remember this arrow?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v340/ccbunn/ARROWS/GosdeckArrowfromKen.jpg)
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yup i remember that arrow! i still hunt with a couple just like it.
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Ken,
Have been watching this thread with great interest. Would love to take you up on it but I too would like to bring home a trad buck this year & have more likely places to fill a tag. Even so, will discuss it with you because I may just give it a go for a couple of days. Will be talking to you.
Dan
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Dan,
as i statedthat is EXACTLY why i'm not going to hunt there, chances are slim man! i;ll give you a call by this weekend about getting with Ron W and bow making. i am going for a kayak ride Sunday if you would like to go.
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Ken,
As per usual I am working all night and sleeping days. PM your number as I can't find it right now and I will try to get a hold of you this weekend while I'm awake.
Thanks,
Dan
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will be heading down the river in the morning by kayak. pic's and video tommorow night.
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Look forward to it. Hope to talk to you maybe in the evening.
Dan
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ok first the dilemma! ok the West Branch of the Sacangags river is HUGE with a TON of state land. many put in places for kayak/canoe. at the Good Luck Lake bridge put in where we start you can go up river towards Good Luck Lake ( all state land ) or down river which is about 5-8 miles of state then runs smack dab in to 600 acres of private land whic just 6 years ago was an active, high fence deer farm know as Averys deer farm. the owner passed away and the farm was closed down, land now belongs to his son. now the buck my friend saw is very close to this land ( 600 acres) but can definitly be hunted before you hit this parcel. the other option would be to travel through or drop in compleatly off the property. the problem is 600 acres is HUGE and not well marked at all, a few posted signs, you can see the old fence in places, very hard to determine. heres what i will do. i will contact the son and let him know i am interested in hunting an area close to his. i will not ask permission to hunt his land as i'm %100 sure permission will not be gained from anyone. i will ask for his help to STAY OFF his land. i would hope this approach would let him know i do not want to hunt HIS area and step on toes. i will also contact the local game warden who i know had been sent in there many times after poachers and explain to him i would love to have his help showing me where i can hunt near this area. if all avenues are exhausted the easy fix is just hunt up river in Good Luck or down past this parcel. i did not get out of my kayak but i did find a WELL USED deer trail coming of a mountain right to the waters edge and accross the fly. this area you could see held hard woods unlike the huge section of pines we had been passing through. it is here where i believe you would find sign of this buck as where he was spotted is only a mile away. i will do all in my power to get an area scouted in this section. as i said the other option would be to compleatly by pass this area which still leaves MILES AND MILES of area. i can not stress enough that in the first 5 miles traveld by kayak you could get out and hunt NUMEROUS mountains, this area is VAST to say the least!!!!!!!!!! i know atleast one person is interested in this hunt, Matt Fowler who i will do what it takes to make it happen man!!!!!!
these are the first signs by the road.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/sign.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/sign2.jpg)
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first view of the river. river is about 30 feet wide in most parts and up to 10-15 foot deer in spots.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/firstview.jpg)
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this pic is an area right by where the buck was spotted. i felt a pull to go over by the taail end of an eddy cause something just seemed right. laying in the water at the base of the mountain was a red tailed hawk feather. it was at the end of a steep deer trail coming down the mountain. this is the spot!!!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/mtntrail.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/feather.jpg)
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a vid of a few mountains along the river.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/th_waaaayoutthre.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/?action=view¤t=waaaayoutthre.mp4)
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That sounds like a great trip. Lot of fun and work but it would be well worth it.
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/th_picmtnvid.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v119/adkmountainken/west%20branch/?action=view¤t=picmtnvid.mp4)
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:pray:
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man is that sweet country or what hold on im droolin all over the keyboard sorry. lol :nono:
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its just the tip of the iceberg! the land is vast and it would take a life time to hunt.
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a life well spent .in my opinion :campfire:
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Tempting , very tempting .
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way to go bro :clapper:
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Video 1- way way out there
Video 2- Way way way out there
Awesome stuff.
Ken, are the ADK's like the Catskills where you may practice low impact camping below 2000 ft.?
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lol lots of low impact camping at sites along the river. pick a place and soothe your soul bro. its places like this that recharge your life battery.
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Well, looks like me and my brother are gonna do it. We had a canoe trip in the Dacks planned about 15 years ago, maybe more, and got screwed up with licenses at the last minute. Never got around to doin' it. But thanks to Ken we'll get that trip in:)
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Good Luck Matt. Hope you and your brother have success. I will most likely give it a shot for a day or two as well depending on time. I have other spots that are more likely to put a trad kill in the freezer but a canoe hunt for a day or two is something my brother & I will be up for.