Trad Gang

QuoteOriginally posted by larry:
how is it that a guy can shoot clean over the back of a small doe not 3 yrds from his stand and then a couple days later drill a small possum out of his stand at 22 yrds.   :knothead:  

Wiil that possum eat well Larry?

Seen a few deer here in WNY, no shots yet,close a few times but hunting on the ground has been fun but hard so far,going to be going as much as possible this comming week,my bro in law shot a small 7 pt on sat with his 50# martin hunter, and 4 guys from church have killed deer one with a 53# selfbow, also a friend from church had a nice black bear in front of him on sat. in Java and wasen't sure if he could shoot it or not, chance of a lifetime ,gone.  going in the morning.

Nice doe Philip (I'm just above Binghamton).

I saw a spike with interesting little antlers tonight that curved back tight against his head like little goat or sheep horns.  Had my camera in a Baggie and fumbling to get it out of my coat pocket was too much noise.  That's one deer that looks up.   :rolleyes:    Still looking for his dad or uncle, but he never offerred me a shot regardless.

Seen quite a few so far, one buck snuck up behind me in a natural ground blind yesterday. I was looking out the front of the blind for a bigger buck that I expected to be there BUT the littler one made sure that no deer were going to come around.  :)  

Hopefully get more close soon!

Congrats on a fine Doe Philip  :clapper:

Way to go Philip!  Delicious!!!!!

No deer on the ground, but lots of sightings in the Alleghany State Lands. My son and I saw 9 deer just yesterday morning. Bucks are starting to chase in the area and does are very alert.

Thanks guy's.
I killed that doe on Friday. The weather was really nice. Crisp,cool October day. The wind was mild and in my face. Sweet.
  (http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/supreme2011.jpg)


I took my signed green stripe Sat/Sun. No deer but felt so good to have her out there with me!
Sullivan,County NY got hammered with 8" of snow that blew sideways but that did'nt stop me.
Was a magical day!


   (http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/2011hunt1.jpg)
   (http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/2011hunt2.jpg)
(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt247/87philip/snow.jpg)

congrats Philip very nice doe   :thumbsup:

Guys it's nice seeing all the action. I got hit WAY hard by me. Just got plowed out today. Still no electricity, and living in a hotel as of today. Telling us Wednesday at the earliest to get power. I took a few days away from work to hunt, and this storm hits. Just my luck. I feel like they are moving all around my spot right now, but I'm tending to more important things, or so my wife says...

I hope to hit the woods again this weekend, but unfortunately the inlaws will be visiting. That still not stopping my morning jaunts..

QuoteOriginally posted by Zmonster:
Guys it's nice seeing all the action. I got hit WAY hard by me. Just got plowed out today. Still no electricity, and living in a hotel as of today. Telling us Wednesday at the earliest to get power. I took a few days away from work to hunt, and this storm hits. Just my luck. I feel like they are moving all around my spot right now, but I'm tending to more important things, or so my wife says...

I hope to hit the woods again this weekend, but unfortunately the inlaws will be visiting. That still not stopping my morning jaunts..

Sorry to hear what happened to you,especially about the inlaws!

Good luck and hope things turn around quick.

Casey,

Keep your chin up.  Hope it's not the NJ inlaws, if so, better make some tree stand time, you will need it.  

I hope to be calling you this weekend to swap hunting and harvesting stories.

3 hour sit this afternoon, 3 crows,3 squirrels. and a mole is what I saw!

Had a mess of action yesterday. No shots taken. Court, lawn mowing and other necessary evils killed hunting today. Maybe Friday. Things are gonna kick into high gear in a little bit.   :pray:

I have off Wed. and Fri.    :bigsmyl:

(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/2011%20deer/11deer002.jpg)

QDM here...3 pt or better. Finally got a few hours tonite to sit. Eased into a nice location, settled down by 4pm. Had two twin 4 pts and one spike walk by. Spike walked up to a blowdown, maybe 15 yds from me and chomped down some leaves.

All three fed around me for about 30 minutes then moved on. A mess of squirrels were out tonite foraging and running crazy, drove me nuts. Thank God a hawk zoomed in and scared the hell out of them. Quieted things down until dark.

New spot tomorrow afternoon...hope it pans out. Keep The Faith fellas...it's only going to get better.

Ooooooh Larry, I know possum blood when I see it.

Someones gotta story to tell.   :readit:   WTG Larry!

Good Luck Joe, keep at it.  That 3 point rule got me the first year they implemented it. Thought I had a fork walking in, turned out he had a really tiny brow tine on one side and like an idiot, I never positioned my self for a shot due to me thinking he wasn't legal.   :knothead:

They are hot an heavy at the family farm in WI, they will be here also in no time.

no great story, just some meat for the freezer, had a yearling doe walk by me when I was in the killing mood. double lung hit, went maybe 40yrds, down hill into the swamp of course. decent blood trail.

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/2011%20deer/11deer003.jpg)

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/2011%20deer/11deer004.jpg)

I cleaned her up some for the pic, cause she dropped right in the leaf filled brackish water (of course) you can just make out the exit where the little bit of red is
 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/2011%20deer/11deer005.jpg)

45lbs at 27" centaur carbon elite axis shafts with abowyer brown bear heads arrow weight 550grs. went through her so fast it wasn't funny

:clapper:  Congrats Larry.

Tdog got something good in all that snow Sunday.Come on Tuck,out with it.

QuoteOriginally posted by larry:
no great story, just some meat for the freezer, had a yearling doe walk by me when I was in the killing mood. double lung hit, went maybe 40yrds, down hill into the swamp of course. decent blood trail.

  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/2011%20deer/11deer003.jpg)

  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/2011%20deer/11deer004.jpg)

I cleaned her up some for the pic, cause she dropped right in the leaf filled brackish water (of course) you can just make out the exit where the little bit of red is
  (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/2011%20deer/11deer005.jpg)

45lbs at 27" centaur carbon elite axis shafts with abowyer brown bear heads arrow weight 550grs. went through her so fast it wasn't funny

Congratulations! Fantastic

nice job Larry , congrats   :thumbsup:

Good eats, Larry.
 :clapper:  

I have a commitment Saturday so I countered by arranging to have Friday off.  Looks like a good day - and this morning my wife saw a small buck following a doe across a field a mile down the road on her way to work.  Hopefully we're finally getting a rut on.

:thumbsup:  Larry!

I am lucky enough to have this whole day to hunt the dairy farm. Saw some nice sign yesterday in a cedar stand. I'm stoked!

Pretty nice possum you have Larry   :bigsmyl:  Congratulations Bro   :thumbsup:

Good luck today Jim. You're overdue!

Sunday afternoon got a nice eight. I'll post a pix soon..

Congrats Larry!!  
Tdog cant wait to see the pics.  Joe

Got my license finally. One step closer to hunting...
Congrats guys. Good job!

Tried it on the ground this afternoon, crazy   :knothead:

Was out in Sterling today..saw 4 does but 2 far for a shot...the sign looked more promising for sure. It was definitely odd still seeing so much green on the trees with snow on the ground..lol..all in all a good day. Will be back at it next week...good luck to all

things are picking up , seeing rubs and scrapes.  saw 4 does last night while ground hunting.  tonight i moved 50yds closer to where they have been coming out and i saw 5 does ,just at dusk, 50 yds further away.
i know they didnt see or smell me, sixth sense ?? you'd think i'd be frustrated but nope ,just more determined and intrigued
only using my recurve and wearing green / black woolrich shirt and green canvas flannel lined jeans.  goin old school.
glad to hear folks are having luck, keep it up.

Nice Lare   :clapper:

The bucks are chasing guys.Had a 6 pt. at 8yds this morning sniffing a scrape but he never gave me a broadside shot and then he commenced to chasing the does again.Got to watch him freshen a licking branch over another scrape too.
Got to another stand at 2:30 and there was a 10pt. and 2 other bucks running does all over the field.It's on!

It's On Boys and Girls.

My drivers (non hunters) are reporting deer all over the state all times of the day.  I know the must be in the middle of fields and the sides of the road because they never otherwise see deer.

They were even excitedly reporting buck sightings to me.

Wisconsin is hot and heavy NY shouldn't be more than a couple days.  Its here boys.

2 of my friends (wheely hunters) shot 2 bucks, 1 monday, 1 wed.(twin 4 pointers) In the Fishkill Rural Cemetary property we hunt. I was fortunate to be hunting yesterday morning when my buddy Joe shot his buck. Got to congratulate him, and help with the dressing and dragging!!!

Maybe Momma had triplets!!! Wish me luck tomorrow!!!!!   :pray:

Good Luck Chuck.

I received a Text from Indianabowman.

Blood has been spilled this morning!

Looks like I'm too sick to go back to work this afternoon   ;)

I have some comp time that I am going to put into use here really soon - like in a couple of hours.  :)

hack hack hack,sniffle sniffle, ooooohhhhhh.  hows that sound , convincing?
saw 5 does last night just before dark, but havent seen any bucks in a week

Things started to pick up quick Saturday evening. I shot this guy Sunday afternoon afternoon having passed up some of his little brothers. He wasn't the buck I was targeting (he is bigger!)one of the largest body deer i have ever taken.My Morrison Dakota and Abowyer performed flawlessly. I think this coming week things are going to explode. Best of luck to all my brothers and sisters!    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v298/1966kodiak/2011buck.jpg)

Wapiti, That's a real nice one..

Congrats   :clapper:

Wow, what a beauty. Congratulations!!!!

:clapper:     :goldtooth:

geesh Bob, what took you so long?  :D  

good looking buck  :thumbsup:

Man, thats a nice buck!

Think rattling would be any good at this time? Havent seen crap yet behind my home. At my work found scrapes the trails are black with tracks and found a very nice rub. I may just hang out there for the new few days  :)

BTW Nice rack! I like them tines they look "sharp"

Nice buck Bob   :thumbsup:

Gotta love those western NY bucks!  Nice job!

Nice buck Bob! Some Westchester blood got spilled today too...

Nice buck Bob! Some Westchester blood got spilled today too...

Ooh, I wanna hear about this Jamie, I head down there tomorrow.

Nice buck, Bob.  


That's what I'm a askin for.    :pray:

Saw a nice 18'' 8 pt. tonight,he came to only 40 yds.i was on the ground with my asat leafy suit on,never saw me but, the wind shifted and he left.Ground hunting has been fun.

Nice buck Bob! Congratulations!

Back from Wyoming. Had a great hunt & got within 13 yards of a very nice 4 by 5. Problem was I had no shot until 3 minutes after legal shooting light. Ended up shooting a 200lb crotch horn the last day @ over 200 yards with the rifle. Meat in the freezer. Brother & I both filled our antelope tags with the rifles as well. Back to it with the bow here in NY this weekend. Congrats to all who have filled tags & good luck to all of us with uncut tags.

Thanks guys. The best week of the year is right around the corner.

Great buck, Bob!

saw a half dozen does scurrying around this morn, all out of range, never did see the guy stirring them up. this afternoon, two does and a young buck trailing them, still just out of range.

tommorrow will be cold but should provide good action!

The north wind really kicked butt tonight. Couldn't believe how strong. Sat for 3 hrs and all I saw was around 20 bushy tails. Carried 3 judos in the backquiver...made good use of them. Never did connect....but I did scare the crap out of a few.

Saw four bucks today had a nice one in to 15 yards but he was quartering towards me so i had to pass the shot. I also had some turkeys but they never came closer than about 30 yards. All on the ground, my stands have gone dry so I'm getting mobile.

Nice buck , congrats Bob   :thumbsup:    :clapper:

Sat from 3-6:30 PM-by the time I left I was stiff as a board! Couldn't have pulled off a shot if I wanted to.  Didn't see much of anything.  Chick-a-dees, blue jays, nothin' else.  Need to plant some food plots, not much food to draw them in here.

i'm headed out in the morning for 5 hours or so.

Good luck ADK..Catskill, I agree.. my usual hotspots are stone cold this season. The mast crop was poor and I don't know where they've been feeding. Finally on Wednesday I saw some chasing...but at 75yds so there was no shot opportunity. I'm back out on Tues next week and then again Wed and hopefully Fri. I hope the rut is really going...havent seen a single scrape or rub in my usual haunts so far. Will be trying some new ares within the park boundaries...fingers crossed.

So, I missed a nice buck this afternoon. I was walking out to my stand area and saw two big deer up ahead of me near where my stand was. The one farther away was definitely a buck but the one closer I couldn't see the head. So seeing both deer I decided to shed my pack, crouch and move forward a bit. After moving 20 yds closer the deer closer to me went into the woods on my right. I decided to pull the grunt out of the pack and gave a couple grunts on that thing and immediately the deer started moving through the brush in front of me and to the right. So, I got ready expecting the deer to pop out nearby and sure enough he did. Nice rack and only 8 - 10 yds in front of me!

By the time he came out of the woods fully I was at full draw, hit my anchor and then watched the arrow fly about 1 - 2" above the back of this buck. He ducked a little bit but as I watched the arrow fly over the back I knew that I hadn't picked a spot! This is my first year with a recurve but I KNOW better!

To make matters worse, he jumped a little and then came back to watch me only about 10 yds away. I was able to get another arrow nocked while he snorted at me trying to figure out what I was. I was pretty well hidden in some taller weeds but he could still see something wasn't right. After getting the arrow on I slowly raised my bow but he wasn't going to let me get too far. So, he took off, trying to get downwind of me by moving to my left. I got ready and watched him moving in thick brush off to my left and when he hit the only opening I had in that area I was going to send another arrow, hopefully picking a spot this time. Unfortunately he put his head into that opening, looked right at me and decided it was time to move on. Not terribly spooked but certainly a bit more cautious.

So, I was hoping to report a bloody arrow, instead I have a muddy arrow.

Still, very thankful to God for the opportunity and the blessing of seeing this nice mature deer that close.

Enjoy your day tomorrow folks. I know I'm looking forward to it already!

QuoteOriginally posted by Pointer:
Good luck ADK..Catskill, I agree.. my usual hotspots are stone cold this season. The mast crop was poor and I don't know where they've been feeding. Finally on Wednesday I saw some chasing...but at 75yds so there was no shot opportunity. I'm back out on Tues next week and then again Wed and hopefully Fri. I hope the rut is really going...havent seen a single scrape or rub in my usual haunts so far. Will be trying some new ares within the park boundaries...fingers crossed.

All the deer we have been on/shooting have been in low swampy areas full of bar berries. That is what most have been feeding on around here. If there are maples in the area dropping their leaves all the better. The deer have been HAMMERING the leaves on the maple limbs that fell during this snow.

I finally took the stick out and tagged a great buck.

http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=110186

whoa..monster six Greg  :thumbsup:

Sat in a natural blind this morning, called in a 4 point to 20 yards. No shot he stayed in the thick stuff, had two coons fighting and chasing each other. If in they'd would have come closer I would have had a new hat    :bigsmyl:

Only saw two deer today, A Hoss of a buck pushing a young doe.  Easy come easy go. No shots and for the rest of the day just saw turkeys.  Joe

Hey Jim,that coon hat would have looked real good hangin' next to your Stickbowman hat.   ;)

saw 5 does today NO SHOT!!!!!!! will be back after them tommorow morning.

Hey Ken....so how do you paint them deer on the inside of your eye lids????? Just asking.....   :dunno:    :nono:

its that time of year my man they are MOVING now for sure!!! saw 2 on the way up, 5 while hunting and 4 on the way home!

:saywhat:

Hi Ken, glad you saw some deer bro. Keep after it & shading one of those babies soon. I wants to see hero grip & grin pics.

Had a great day on fri,shot a 19 1\\2'' 8 pt in the morning,I have a pics but can't get it here too share. Need help.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/HPIM2693.jpg)

    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/HPIM2694.jpg)

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Fell here; but regained it's feet.  
    (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/Stumpkiller/Bowhunting/HPIM2697.jpg)


Unfortunately, this is all I have to report at this time.  Nice little four point, possibly a six by some counts.  Blood trail petered out and after 100 yards on my hands and knees with a flashlight I decided to mark the last spot and pick it up in the AM.  Pray the coyotes are occupied elsewhere tonight.        :(

Good luck Charlie.  Not much makes it overnight around here, too many Yotes.

I hunted this morning in a different town than the one where I shot that six point......and had another encounter with a great 6pt. I really wasn't looking to shoot another buck today unless a monster came by. This guy showed up nudging a few does who i hoped would move my way. They didn't and when I saw they weren't going to, i put the bow on the hook and grabbed my camera. This 6 offered me some great shots. His body is huge and he's an old guy. All scarred up and judging by the way he walked he is really stiff all over. Ishiwannabe is coming down to hunt with me tomorrow and i really hope I can put him on this deer. All of these pictures were taken at less than 25yds, most of them right at 20yds. I even started shaking, just running the camera!

 (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1858.jpg)

 (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1857.jpg)

 (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1862.jpg)

 (http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1856.jpg)

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1854.jpg)

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1853.jpg)

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1861.jpg)

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1859.jpg)

QuoteOriginally posted by Catskill Longbow:
Good luck Charlie.  Not much makes it overnight around here, too many Yotes.

Good luck. You never know, sometimes we have coyotes on deer in less than an hour and sometimes they lay all night and the dogs never touch them. Keep us posted

Thanks.  Made me sick to do it, but once I saw he'd flopped down and got back up I was afraid I might be pushing him.  I know I got one lung solid (even found frothy pink at times) but I don't think I got both.  I won't get much sleep tonight.

The gut pile from the doe I took on 10/15 was still there two days later.  I'm hoping against hope.     :(

QuoteOriginally posted by longrifle:
Had a great day on fri,shot a 19 1\\2'' 8 pt in the morning,I have a pics but can't get it here too share. Need help.

The easiest way is to upload them to a photobucket account and just paste them here.

Congrats can't wait to see him!

Any word from Charlie yet?  Hopefully he is butchering looked like a hell of a blood trail.  Joe

Idk, is it me??? I've been hunting every morning this week untill 12 - 1pm and haven't seen a deer since wed.!!!!!

Looks like it's shut down around here!!!  :confused:

(either that or they're running in the evening when I can't hunt...)   :banghead:

I spilled blood on the ground on a good one this morning in Ulster County.I'll try and post pics.

Sorry about that.Boy of The Bow is my son,I'm on his computer.

***Re-size the pix buddy***

Made a great double lung shot on this guy at 8:05 this morning as he was trailing a doe.He made it about 80 yds.

Awesome Buck Jeff! Way to go buddy

Nice buck Jeff , congrats   :thumbsup:  


Charlie , hope you found him . Drew

Congrats Gerald

Oh Yea Jeff! That's A Nice One!

... mike ...

Jeff,what a buck and some great pics, like the bow to. >>>-----> ED

Wow! That is quite a deer.congratulations Jeff

great deer Jeff!

That is a pig. Don't forget to weight him. I'm glad I was there to give you a hand loading him up. Those pictures do him no justice. That is a big deer. That was alot of fun this morning. Congrats Brother. But where's the stick bow man hat? Man you where chatty like a school girl with a new puppy. That was great arrow placement. He looks alot like the one you took out of there a couple years ago..Good job..Your tagged out..

Great Buck Jeff, congrats!  Congrats to all who scored so far this season.  I really havent been able to get out that much.  I've also been with out a computer for 5 months, sop I haven't been on here all that much.  Good luck to the rest!

Yea! Where is the Stick Bow Man hat buddy?

saw my first shooter buck of the season tonight, but unfortunatly he got downwind of me and the gig was up -sigh-

what really stinks is that I wanted to take this week off to hunt, but work was spotty last week and this week it's full and pressing...sucks to cause the bucks are really starting to move  around here. got to wait till Saturday to get out again, grrr

Tuck,it's time to post about your buck...don't you think?  :saywhat
Mike,it was chilly this morning so I opted for some warmer headgear.  ;)I'd say team Ciccone is having a good season so far.   :campfire:    :archer2:

Nice buck Jeff but re-size your pics or they will be pulled.

You were right Jim.I told Tyler they were too big.

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa476/TylerWilliams95/10pt-2011.jpg)

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa476/TylerWilliams95/10pt-20113.jpg)

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa476/TylerWilliams95/10pt-20114.jpg)

Great buck buddy, congrats!

Holy s##t!!! Thats an old man right there. Hes fine looking. Congrats.

great deer!

Three nights in a row not seeing a deer. Hope things turn around soon.

Nice buck, Jeff!    :clapper:  

I am heartsick and defeated.  

Let me give the full tale.

Last night at around 5:30PM – just as the sun went behind the West hill and with still 30 minutes of legal light I had a four-point approach my stand.  This one is higher than I like, 18 feet to platform, but otherwise it was well placed – he was walking straight at me.  Now, I know not to take frontal bow shots, I tell folks not to take frontal bow shots.  When he stopped at 10 yards and tipped his head back to either eat some apple leaves (still green) or sniff for apples I had my bow up, the string back ¾ of the way and a lock on where I thought his heart would be.  Suddenly I found myself at anchor and the arrow was away.  Stupid.  Poor decision, but it went straight and to the spot I was focused on.  As he spun I saw 10 or so of arrow, meaning it was in 20" or so.  He crashed off, I heard some wheezing , and them walking.  

I gave it 20 minutes and lowered my bow and climbed down.  I found a good bunch of hair on the ground, but no blood.  After 20 feet or so I started to see blood and at 30 yards I found the last 8" of my arrow, with some blood on that.  At 75 yards I found the two large pools – apparently where he stood while wheezing.  When I looked down towards the creek where the blood trail went off the path through some thicker brush I saw him piled up against a tree 40 or so yards ahead with his head doubled back, and with my binocs I could see he was panting.  "Hot Dog!" I thought, and backed away; figuring I'd go back to the house and get my wife (and tractor) to hold the flashlight while I cleaned him.  

We were back after another half hour.
I ended up bringing the smaller garden tractor – the big tractor had a load of rocks on the carry-all – and my wife walked along ahead using the headlights to see.  When I got about as close as I figured I could with the tractor I shut it off . . . and it gave a huge back-fire.  "POOM!"  

"Was that him" my wife asked.

"What do you mean?"

"A deer just jumped up and ran across the creek."

Sure enough – the spot he lay had a small amount of blood smeared around.  Less than the earlier two pools.  I also found another 14" of arrow shaft soaked with blood just into the brush past those two pooled spots.

The plan changed and we went back to the house and got additional (and brighter) flashlights.  Though I have a Fenix PD30 (like the Wentzel's Mainbeam) and that was doing fine.  After another half hour had passed we picked up his trail on the far side of the creek.  It was spotty – a drop every two feet.  After 200 yards and a few zig-zags it was even further between drops.  I'd get ahead 10 feet and when I found a drop my wife would bring up the drag rope (a system I found helps show trends).  A couple time I spiraled when the trail stopped and picked it up  little further on.  

By 9:10 PM we were stymied (I'm what the doc. called "color deficient") and THE ADMIRAL was beside me scanning by then.  I marked the last blood spot by tying my drag over it and I decided to pick it up again in the AM.

6:00 AM today (having remembered to set our clocks) I headed out and, by good light, I was back at the last spot.  I spiraled, I did a grid, I got my head down near the ground and looked for disturbed leaves.  Sure enough, in spite of our prior walking around, there seemed to be a deer's path.  I went along and started to fan side to side a bit.  Found a single drip of blood on a birch root.  He'd headed up hill.  Again, after that single drop, nothing.  I started spiraling, nothing.  I want back and crawled around, noting more leaves were falling and the wind was blowing the nice big beech leaves over and around.  And by now the squirrels were helping as well.  

I tried a "connect the dots" and went out a ways in the direction the buck had last taken – nothing after more than 100 feet.  I went back and tried a bigger spiral.  At about 80 yards out(!) I found a spot with six drops and another couple further past – but perpendicular to the last line.  So, I didn't know if he was going East or West.  I tried West first, as that was how he was trending.  Nothing.  Then East.  Also nothing.  More spirals, fans, I walked a grid.  Nothing.  I found that it was hard to see ahead when facing the sun, but looking into the wood with the sun at my back allowed me to glass around.  So I had an idea.  

I went down to the stream (now about 300 yards upstream of where he crossed, and did a flat, 100 yard wide zig-zag back towards the last spot just looking for a body or any blood.  Nothing.  So I continued on up to the top of the hill (1/2 mile from the house – which is 250 yards from my stand).  Nothing.  By now I'm pretty discouraged and have been looking for six hours.  I started a walk along a power-line right of way that passes along roughly East to West – figuring the grass might show if he doubled back that way.  When I got to the stream I moved south 50 yards and went back to the top of the property.  I repeated this for the rest of the afternoon and by 5:00 I had swept my property and two of the neighbors.  (The original farm was ½ mile square and divided into five strips for the five kids.  I did four of these strips in what are the "wooded" sections or these properties West of the ravine/creek before light failed.  Found two rubs, seven or eight scrapes.  Bones from a long dead deer; but nothing of the one I wanted.            

So, I've learned a lesson I already knew about not taking frontal shots.  Looking at an anatomy drawing I thing I went below the heart and hit nothing major.  All told I'd say there was a pint of blood, mostly in the two pools at 75 yards.  Maybe I nicked a vein or artery, but it certainly wasn't the heart.  I did find one bit of frothy pink blood just across the stream.  Barring infection he may recover - I'll just never know.  

I'm mad at myself and heartbroken.

Jeff have T post it on here...

It happens Stumpkiller but don't beat yourself up.I know you know this but"NO MORE FRONTAL SHOTS".Just learn from this experience and get back out there bud.Have a good season and good luck!

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa476/TylerWilliams95/Tuck_Bu8ck_2011.jpg)

TDog's buck taken last Sunday. Nice job Tuck!

Charlie - Thanks for sharing your story. The lessons learned are good for all even though they are hard. Especially the effort you put forth looking. Very commendable.

Had a similar experience a couple years ago that didn't end badly but the anxiety of realizing that I had wounded one and not having a clean kill was very troubling. I'm sure it is for you as well.

Thought about asking if you needed help looking last night but I think you are pretty far away for a day trip.

Blessings....

Bummer!

(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa476/TylerWilliams95/Tuck_Bu8ck_2011-1.jpg)

Guys,sorry for all the posts.I know how to turn computers on and off,any technical help I get the wife or kids.My son has trouble sizing the pics. so........

Jeff I sent you an email, your PM inbox is full so no one can PM you. email me the pics and I'll post them for you. You did stickbowman proud   :thumbsup:

Jeff thanks for posting that..

Jim,the pics. are on the previous page.Whew,glad we got this settled.

Awesome buck Jeff...congrats on a fine kill. Was this the same buck you saw the other morning chasing does? Take care..........   :thumbsup:

QuoteOriginally posted by J.Williams:
Jim,the pics. are on the previous page.Whew,glad we got this settled.

:thumbsup:

What a buck!
Congratulations!

Charlie sorry to hear you didnt recover him. Are there any Deer Search teams in your area?

Great deer Jeff!


David

Finally got on the board.  Only buck that presented a shot.  23 yards.  Deer was trotting and ended up hitting it farther back than I hoped.  Learned a few lessons but got the deer.  It only went 80 yards and died quickly.       (http://hrhc.wikispaces.com/file/view/2011_5.JPG/272808350/2011_5.JPG) It is my first deer taken with traditional archery equipment

QuoteOriginally posted by Wapiti Chaser:
Charlie sorry to hear you didnt recover him. Are there any Deer Search teams in your area?

Unfortunately, the only ones I know about are a local group of volunteers.

 (http://cache.boston.com/resize/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2010/02/16/1266378022_5717/539w.jpg)

Another sit this mourning......almost 50 hours in the woods this year and see have not seen a deer...

Ron, where the heck are you hunting? I can understand that kind of luck up north but not in the southern zone. You are welcome to come to my neck of the woods if you want to see deer. May not be close enough for a shot, but at least you should see a live deer.

I was out your way crotch horn and didn't see anything out there either. Around my area [4a] the deer density is the same as the northern zone, a good friend has a camp in Norway and he isn't seeing anything either, so it's not just me. I guess I have to go back to Illinois.....at least I saw deer and some good ones at that!

I saw my third deer this year yesterday in Central Square (Southern zone).  Mr Buck won the stare down!

It is settled.

There are No Deer in Westchester County!  :readit:    ;)    :confused:  

Tony THANK YOU for your hospitality!  I had a great time.

Jeff I heard you shot a nice one, I will have to wait until I get home to see pictures,

Congratulations!!!!!!!

There are plenty of deer in Westchester County... Plenty of bow hunters too... Kinda turned me off this morning, anyway...

Yesterday was a good day. After Tony and Charlie left we went into the woods around 1pm. This ground pounder found a nice natural blind along a high rock wall. Had it all figured.  :rolleyes:  Wind is this way, I came in that way, deer should be over here for the shot... Nice... Right! You guessed it. A young three or four point walks in from behind me on the other side of the wall... At seven yards I try to move and he doubles back from where he came. No shot. My Bad.  :(

Got to the area this morning but there were many vehicles parked already. So I drove back home. Public Land is just that.

... mike ...

Great encounter Mike, Glad you guys had some sightings. It is a great property but much to nice out. There were stands or evidence of stands every 50 yards it seems. For a property just opened this year, that gives people an idea of how many people are there.

Most of them only hunt for a couple hours but it does eat at you a little.

I bet 2 weeks from now you will see fewer people.

Charlie,

Sorry to hear of your luck. I've seen deer consistently around me, but it's been a much harder hunt than last year. They have moved to the residential area nearby and it doesn't feel right to hunt where I can see my neighbor come out of their house to walk her dog in the morning. I didn't have to look hard last year. This year I'm hunting hard to find them. You are all welcome to come down my way. Drop me a line. Its private property, but I can cover for a few. Saw a brut of a 8pt on Sunday within range from the ground. He busted me as I was drawing on him. First huge buck I have ever seen in the state since moving here.

Dont feel sorry for me Casey,

I have spent the last 3 days in the woods, saw some old friends and made new ones.  I Brother, am one of the lucky ones.

I was just trying to be funny posting about Westchester. You have to admit spending 3 days there and not seeing deer while hunting is pretty funny. I did see many deer however in back yards and driveways.

Hope you get a chance to post pictures of your little hunter with his new Bow.

Will do buddy. I will be meeting Glen tomorrow to pick it up. Ill have pics to post with both his new Bears.   :readit:

No Joe,i'm sure it wasn't the same deer.Hope that other one is still around though.
Dropped the head and cape at my taxidermist yesterday and he scored him at 144 1/8".He's gonna look at the teeth and try and give me an age,too.
tdog and I both figure he was 180-200lbs. dressed.I wish I had a scale.

Wow Jeff, Now I REALLY want to get home to see it.  

Hopefully you can get Tyler on that other one...... that is, if he has time between work and girls  ;)    :p

Yeah Charlie,if he isn't working he's chasing skirts.That's my boy!   :thumbsup:
We'll have to get out for some stumping/bunny hunting again this Winter.Until then,have a good season and I hope something good walks your way.

There were 6 vehicles parked in the area where I leave the truck on my trips to Sterling Forest...crowded is an understatement. 2 of those guys were shotgunning for squirrels..what a day. I did close the gap to about 50 yds on a couple of does...needed another 20 but they moseyed off before I could get there. Caught up to them about a half hour later but this time they busted me...will try again tomorrow or friday....interestingly these were mature does...I really expected them to be on the run from a buck but no such luck...good luck fellas

What do you make of this doe? Isn't there a term for deer like this? She sure is a good size!

(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/horatio1226/poticmtn1011.jpg)

She is a pibald........not sure if that is the right spelling. I got a buck up north that had his front legs marked like that! It's genetic.......

Piebald. Really cool. Ive seen one in Harriman,NY and one in Indian Lake, NY. Bad luck to kill them, eh Ron?

Ive been seeing deer just no shot taken yet. Passed a few that I am questioning now but we've got some time yet. Havent seen Mack Daddy again.It seems to me that the deer herd is up from last year in my areas though.

Some of you fellas are really getting the job done on some nice deer. Congrats fellas.

Izzy,    :laughing:  

I saw one in Harriman also from the thruway about 4 years ago.  It is the second one I have seen.

Very cool.

Is it bad luck???

Thats the one Charlie, at least its his kin. That big field by the toll booth was  my favorite place in the world when I was a kid. I remember seeing a hundred or more deer there back in the day as we drove past it on the way to the Bronx and on the way back home. Seems Ive seen more yotes there than deer the last 10 years or so.

Brian, I have heard and read of Native American legend that said it was bad luck to kill them as well as albinos and melanistic deer. But Denny Sturgis killed one and his luck hasnt run out.

Izzy, you have to have some luck to have some bad luck........   :readit:   And Denny Sturgis isn't hunting in New York!!

She's skewbald (white & any color other than black).  Piebald is black and white.

I got lectured on this once and remember.    :biglaugh:

Well I moved to the other side of the notch and found a good run with a few rubs.  Had 2 does at 10 yds. for a while and passed to see what might follow.  Turned out to be nothing! Sure was a nice feeling not to get busted.  They were all around me nibbling on branches.  Hard to drop the string on something like that.

Had a great evening. Saw a nice 8pt Buck not in range. A couple of does out of range. Than a 4pt walked right up 10 yards from me. I was on the ground & he was facing me head on. I passed the shot & just enjoyed the night. Evening ended with one of the biggest skunks I have ever seen walking up to me. I left the other way and we were both happy.

missed a 4 pt at about 15yds from a ladderstand tonight.
  was just to damn excited to finally have a shot with my bear and i just plain missed . my POC's and zwickey sailed right over his back.
he was walking away, i hit the bleat can and he stopped, pee'd alittle, flicked his tail and came right to me.  awesome!

izzy,I have seen that half white doe no less than six times thIs summer on my way to work in Rockland co.I too remember seeing the giant herd of deer in the fields by the Arden house in Harriman when we moved up from Staten Island mid 70s.n
now just a few now and then.good luck,glen

Yes the 70s, thats about the time Glen. Wasnt it cool? Deer werent as plentiful up my way back then so it was a real treat to see so many. What I would have given to walk those fields with a bow in hand.

I remember those days at Arden too.  Used to drive up from NJ as a kid and see a hundred deer from NJ line to Harriman toll booth.

I hear a visiting NY Bowhunter had a look at some deer this past weekend.

Perhaps he will be along to tell his story.

Manny, Man up  :readit:    ;)    :D  

Glad you had a great trip.

Will post tonight!

F-Manny

I look forward to hearing about your hunt, Manny!

You go Manny!  Get one of them Montreal musk ox or a polar bear?

Well friends, that will be the story of an arrow over the buck's back, in a moment of stupid over confidence   :knothead:  

But it will be more than that, the story of friendship, of family warmth, and extreme generosity from Drew who worked so hard to put me on game!

You NY trad hunters are a class of your own! Kenny, Drew, Charlie, Ron, Ken...

Tonight I'll be able to post and have some pictures up!

F-Manny

Spent 3 hours in the ladder stand this afternoon, had a few squirrels fooling around but no other action.....this is getting old, Fast!!

Where are you hunting Ron? I can surely put you on some state land where youll at least see a deer. You need to move to the east bank of the Hudson , let me know man it may be worth a try. I only have 2 days to hunt left before gun opens but Ill be sitting the "Escarpment Stand" where I see deer 90% of the time and have killed over 20 deer from.

Been hunting a new this year stand that was kind of abstract, not much sign or food  but relied on terrain features and thermals hoping to catch cruising bucks checking the corn fields from above. So far it hasnt paid but I think its about to get active. Theyre still rubbing the trees there but not when Im in the stand. It was worth a shot and might try it late season again. Man if we could only get deer season Mulligans.

I'm hunting where I have access, And with the price of gas I'm not traveling all over hells half acre to see "if" I can see a deer. I'm on state land and private. There are just not many deer around. I'm talking to other guys around here and most are seeing very few animals. There is almost no mast crop......just tough going!! I sad part is I have seen more deer sign up north where it's really hard hunting!

Just had a chance to skim this thread - nice bucks Tdog and Jeff!  Stickbowman is dancing a jig!  LOL

I just returned home from Westchester. I have to shower, eat, and spend some time with the family. I do have a story to tell, and Greg has pictures. Maybe he can post the tree pic for now...

Jamie, I cannot wait.

Next year you and I coordinate this hunt together   :readit:   and you can ride with me.   :thumbsup:

It was intense Charlie. Felt like an hour but was only a few minutes. I had a decoy out, and somehow a buck got within twenty yards without Greg our I seeing him...talk about nerve rattling!

:bigsmyl:

I got the next 3 days off. Hopin its not too windy tomorrow. Sitting a new stand that has loads of potential!

I am looking foreward to Saturday in my new stand.  Plan to hunt all day.  I saw a real nice 8 standing in the middle of a field today at noon.  When he decided I was making him uncomfortable he ran toward me instead of away and crossed the road right in front of me.  Could have mowed him down with the truck if I wanted!

Posting these for Jamie!


(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1873.jpg)

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1872.jpg)


(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1874.jpg)

It would appear that someone brought paint to the woods.......or else    :readit:    

Now I have t o stay up to see the conclusion.    :readit:

Somebody hit a deer with a big rock!

I managed to get a shot. I missed...the deer bounded all the way out to eight yards, I didnt miss again. Charlie, it went about 90-100 yards...with both lungs deflated and the top of the heart sliced.
Gotta sleep. The story tomorrow.  :)

Heading out in the morning in search of does,already used my buck tag last Fri. should be a good morning.

Good luck Gerald   :thumbsup:  I have off today and saw a nice one yesterday afternoon.

I'll be praying for you Jim,that God gives you a chance, dusting of snow here,should be a nice day.

Yeah Jamie!Looking forward to hearing this one.

QuoteOriginally posted by ishiwannabe:
I managed to get a shot. I missed...the deer bounded all the way out to eight yards, I didnt miss again. Charlie, it went about 90-100 yards...with both lungs deflated and the top of the heart sliced.
Gotta sleep. The story tomorrow.   :)  

Sorry, I was wayyyyy off  ;)  

Get some rest Bud, I'll be patient.

BTW those 3 yard shots are tough.  :smileystooges:

Another buck down. 11 is my lucky number but 11/11/11 ??? "Fuget About It!" Story this evening, got to get some rest. Was off work sick today due to a bad cold that made me lose my voice but Im starting to feel better.   :smileystooges:

Triple 11's musta made you REALLLLLLY lucky Izzy.Better to be sick and hunt then be at work,huh?Looking forward to the stories guys.

Geez,

There goes My evening! I will be tuned in, hitting refresh non stop.  :knothead:

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Geez,

There goes My evening! I will be tuned in, hitting refresh non stop.   :knothead:  

This is AWESOME!

The morning started great. I got into a spot where I watched the big six chase a doe halfheartedly. I was actually stuck in my stand after dark the night before until he moved off. Once Greg and I met u, we hatched a plan. He would take the high ground where we saw decent activity, and I would get into the valley I saw the action in.
8 comes, nothing. We decide the moon and the high temps has them bedded already, we are going to leave early, and get back in early....

Congrats Jamie and please , please , please tell us the rest   :pray:

On the walk out, we jump a buck out of his bed. We were right. We are back in the stand by 1230, knowing we are in for a long sit. The wind picked up, and it got chilly. Branches snapped off in the early snow are constantly dropping. Trees fell. All the while, not a deer spotted. I thought I saw one on the side hill in front of me at one point, but couldnt be sure.

I saw three and passed a five yd shot on a spike .

Around 4:20, I heard what sounded like a dog hacking up grass. I first thought Greg c oi ughed or sneezed, but realized it was more behind me. I turn, and see nothing. Then a maple branch taken down the snow starts moving, and I see antler from behind a tree. Instantly I am up, bow in hand. I move the large bow hook as far out of the way as I can. He makes his way towards Doe-reen, a montana decoy. There he is. 7 yards broadside and no shot due my bow hook! He circles downwind of the deke, and very close to downwind of me. I spin 180° and lift my bow slowly over my climber. He turns back towards the deke, green light! I draw, anchor, and the arrow sails right over his back! He bounds right passed my tree...and stops to look at Doe-reen.
Be back, gotta get the wife from work.

Jamie, You are to cruel!  
Good stuff.

Come on Izzy, where are you at?

While he was bounding, I managed to turn 90° in the stand, and nock an arrow. He had no idea what happened. He looked around, at the deke, up at me....the whole time i a, trying not to shake, breathe, and burn a hole where I want the arrow. I cant move...them he steps forward, putting his head behind a large tree. I draw, anchor....THWACK! Perfect shot! He takes off through downfalls, barnerries.....anything in his way. He turns uo towards Greg, and I thought I heard my arrow smack a rock. Over the wall, and down! Im shaking so bad I almost fall. I throw my hands out in triumph and almost throw the bow. I look up to Greg, he is doing a similar dance. What an amazing rush!

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Geez,

There goes My evening! I will be tuned in, hitting refresh non stop.   :knothead:  

Thought I was the only one that did that.  :)  Funny.

On a side note, is there some sort of training thread that instructs members how to post snippets of stories and drag them out so that others will impatiently wait to hear the rest of it? If so, I would like to see that.  :)

I,ll wait til Jamie Lamb finishes his tale but I had an action packed day. I saw the most deer Ive seen in one sitting in quite a while. One of them left me this to follow. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMAG0324.jpg)

And this. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMAG0320-1.jpg)

And this. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMAG0318.jpg)

I gotta go but Jaimie, you aint right kid. Your killing me with suspense.   :banghead:

:coffee:

I had a ton of action this morning saw a dozen deer.  Right tree wrong deer.  i had a 4 point pushing a doe that was under my stand for about 20 minutes.  The doe tired of being pushed held up in a deadfall.  The 4 point made every vocalization I think a deer makes.  I heard the growl for the first time.  Just an observation but he did not use the growl as a dominant thing towards other bucks, for them he snort wheezed.  He seemed to be growling at the doe out of frustration, just thought I would share that.  I also got to see a little hooking and jabbing between the little guys.  Joe

Goods stories are flowing    :thumbsup:

We waited until last light, hoping a doe would show up. Greg was down first, and walked to me. We found blood, and eventually, both halves of my arrow. The autposy revealed both lungs, and the top of the heart. The bh actually made it through the off side shoulder. Not bad for a 52# Shrew sporting 30.5 beman mfx classics with 325 up front. Greg has to  post pics, as I am currently typing in my cell. A greater guide, hunter and friend cannot be found. I love him like a brother, and look forward to many more hunts with him. Thank you Greg. I cannot express how much all you have done is so very much appreciated.   :notworthy:

Way to go Ishi and Izzy!!!

Jamie, Now you HAVE to keep the bow   :readit:    ;)  

Congrats Brother, cant wait to see the pics.

(http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z267/horatio1226/thread_is_worthless.jpg)

Congrats Jaime and Izzy ! Now lets ee the pictures    :clapper:

Here you go guys. Finally a picture of Jamie's deer!


(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1876.jpg)

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1878.jpg)

(http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g167/skipmaster1/DSCN1884.jpg)

I was/am truly under the weather this morning but it was either be sick in bed or in my tree. My cold kept me up most of the night so I was out of the house at 5 and in my tree by 5:45. At 6 a cat came through from my left and wouldnt you know he looked up at me, comoed and as scent free as I could have made myself.

      A lot of shooting going on on about a mile over the other side of the mountain with geese flying non stop. At 7:00 I hear noise on my right and here they come, one after another til there were 6 flat tops and I was ready to kill either of the big ones but the oldest, biggest witch of the herd looked right at me and drew the rest of their attention to me. I recognized that old gal right away as she busted me on 10/16 as well. They finally moseyed off further to my right and just kind of lingered 50 yards away for about 15 minutes til they moved on.

        I kept watching their backtrail hoping a buck was coming. I turned left watching squirrels for a few when 5 of them scurried up trees at the same time. I knew something was coming but they werent chattering and tail waiving so I was pretty confident it wasnt a predator but a deer.

       Sure enough, here comes a 6 on my left nose down on as if on a string. He stopped in a n opening of a stone wall about 15 yards and broad side, yep 15 and broadside. I shoot and looks like hes heart shot from where the arrow seemed to go and runs 10 steps and stops. No bronco kick though, whats wrong? I already have an arrow on the string and when his vitals come out I see no blood and shoot again. Crack, I hit an unseen twig and my arrow eats dirt. The buck walks off and Im not seeing blood on him. He lingers about 50 yards away eating beech and sniffing everything. When he goes out of sight I get down to check for blood. My arrow is clean with a dozen or so white hairs on the ground, I shot lower than I thought.

     Im not too bummed cause hes not hurt so back up the tree and settle in. Fifteen minutes later here comes another deer on the same trail as the 6. Stops in the same opening as the 6 but get nervous when he smells where I knelt down to check my arrow. When he turns angling away my arrow is gone and angles from the second rib from the rear into his chest.

I had a great time this week hunting with Jamie and he is like a brother to me as well. We had a blast, managed to stay on the deer which has been no easy feat this week with the full moon and i got to watch him make meat with my old shrew. What an awesome experience.

Awesome bro, the smile says a million words. Im very happy for you . Hope your boy was psyched when you brought the deer home.

After an easy tracking job through the open hemlocks heres what I found. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMAG0325-2.jpg) Not my biggest and I passed him on Monday but times running out. I only have 1 more day to hunt before gun season and to be truthful Im thrilled with him and very grateful for this deer. The smallest spike on the right is loose and not attached to the skull but held on by skin. Ill know more when I butcher and skin him. "The Escarpment Stand" does it again. Its the place where Id like my ashes to be spread.

Come on Izzy, you can't drag this on like Jamie did! Congrats buddy!

Awesome fellas!  Congrats Jamie, Iz...and Greg for being such a fine guide!

Awesome Izzy! Congrats!
My boy is totally excited, but getting mad at me because we cant eat it yet. I gotta get it cut up! Lol.

The funky spike. (http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o244/2crazyboys_photos/IMAG0331-1.jpg)

This is making my Bad Day be GREAT!

Jamie forgot to mention he used a VPA terminator 250 broadhead.

Izzy, what was your set up?

Awesome Izzy! Congrats!
My boy is totally excited, but getting mad at me because we cant eat it yet. I gotta get it cut up! Lol.

I used a 150 grain Zephyr Sasquatch on a douglas fir from my trusty Shrew, "Five-O". Those Sasquatch are 1 9/16" wide. They really go to work.

sorry for the weird posts. My phone has a mind of its own.

NICE! Way to go guys.Get busy cutting that deer up Jamie...that boy of yours wants some fresh venny.   :thumbsup:

:bigsmyl:     :bigsmyl:    :bigsmyl:    :bigsmyl:    :campfire:

Great job Izzy andJamie. congratulations to both of you.

Hey nice job you two   :thumbsup:

Congrats guys!!!!!        :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Glad to see you guys got into them!    

I, on the other hand, have been just watching the show.....from a slight distance away.  Everything just of out of range......or in the case of one old girl......I must be sitting in her favorite treestand to look at!

Jamie.....that made the trip to Westchester worth it, huh!  Greg is probably the best guide in the county!!!

Well done folks!  Gotta go for now.....back out for an all day sit....thankfully the wind has died down.

  :campfire:

Congrats fellas nice deer!!  Jamie I now its been a little bit of a bumpy road for ya this year, makes this buck real special.  
Izzy those old flatties can be fun one day and a thorn the next.  Let us know what you find with that antler. Joe

Joe, you ain't lying bout those old gals. I really am in awe of their instincts and wariness. still, I like the challenge of trying to kill her. she's big with short little ears like I've seen in pics of those Saskatchewan deer. I would recognise her from a hundred yards.  wewe have let Doe pass there for a couple of years after a bit of over harvest. Its paid off as we are seeing more deer but she is fair game. I don't mind getting my but schooled by her though. It will make her that much tastier if I ever win a match again her.

Izzy I have a doe that I have tried to kill for a few years and saw her again yesterday.  She has busted me three times before yesterday.  She has  coarse looking hair on her head not slick like the others and for the third year has twins. I thought I had her yesterday as she was being pushed and I thought would be a little less alert.  Well at 6yds she caught wind and turned inside out.   She will get an arrow if the opportunity comes even during the rut. Oh Yeah shes big!!  Joe

Nice job guys.

just recieved a text from CyclicRivers he saw a nice buck and right now there is a deer bedded in front of him!!!!

:campfire:    :archer:

I have an 86 year old friend that likes his deer small because he only has the freezer over his fridge. I try to shoot him one every year. I shot him this button buck this morning, Howard Hill Big Five wood arrow and a Howard Hill head.

  (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y275/420W/100_0909.jpg)

Good on you Jim, nice deer & pic.

Note the Stickbowman hat   :archer:

You do StickBowMan proud...maybe that's a "lucky" hunting hat.Looks like the old guy will be eating good.

Congrats Izzy , nice job  :clapper:  

Jim : Its ok you don't have to make up small freezer stories here hehe , congrats on a job well done

OOHH Charlie , where are you its well past dark   :wavey:

Crazy Charlie saw some critters. Waiting on his detailed report. I wound  up working a double and swung by my house to let Jack out and saw 2 across from my house. Veeeeeery rare in daylight. Saw more deer than crooks today.

Congrats Jim nicely done.  Safari tuf quiver?

Sorry Guys, I was hungry and had some Moose meat begging to be cooked. Thank You Tony for the Moose meat.

Long story Short, I didnt see anything this morning. I decided to try and sneak around and hopefully get lucky enough to see a deer before it saw me, and then MAYBE get a shot.

I got out of my stand and stashed it so I wouldnt have to carry it everywhere. This is about 11.

I went for a small walk and came upon a area that looked "nice".  Upon Further inspection it had several heavy, heavy trails and a spot where they had been going up and down a bank that is cut deep from traffic. Upon further inspection, you could tell this wasn't from just the same 2 or 3 deer going back and forth. It looked like every deer in the state had walked through this spot.

I saw 3 more heavy trails leading to this area and that was all I needed, I huffed back, retrieved my stand and was shimmying up a tree in no time. Now I am attaching a bungy cord to a tree to attach my quiver, look up and see a buck cruising the hillside. He stopped on a dime when he hit my scent where I came down the hill and trotted back the way he came.

I finished setting up and put an arrow on, then gave out a few grunts.  No Luck.

I was just getting comfy and look up, there is a deer 45 yards out. It just magically appeared like they do.  it browsed a bit then bedded. Looked at my watch, its only 12:30 PM.

After 2 hours the young deer got up and was feeding in my Direction Sloooooooooooooooowly.

It made it to about 25 yards but was in heavy brush, I thought for sure I would get a shot but 2 does came through about 10 minutes apart and the young deer changed its course to catch up with them.  I sat till dark because the deer were still 60 yards or so.

I will be back in the morning, then probably not for a couple weeks. I will make any necessary moves then. Oh, there was a lot of poop there too. I like to see that, because it tells me the deer spends a lot of time there.

wish me luck.


Great Deer Jim!  Congrats   :clapper:  (for the record, I like young deer too     ;)    ;)   )

Congrats Jim, looks like a thick deer and will be tasty.

QuoteOriginally posted by JoeM:
Congrats Jim nicely done.  Safari tuf quiver?

Yep Joe   :thumbsup:

Charlie is hunting the area Im working this morning and I just saw a flock of turkey headed his way.   :pray:    :pray:    :pray:    :pray:

Great job Jim. I'm sure your HH is loving making all the meat this year.

Going to the bow only zone near Albany on Monday, maybe my luck will change   :dunno:  !! Even if it doesn't work out I'll get to hunt and have lunch with a good guy. Maybe we can lift the curse!!!

You are a great man and a great archer James...nicely done!  Hope to join you on a hunt someday!

C'mon guys. lets post these on the harvest thread. We nedd to represent New York here on tradgang!!!  :readit:

Congrats Jim, thats 2 so far with the Hill,nice shooting.

Well, This weekend really turned around for me!!!!!   :scared:   It really boosted my confidence knowing that if he was a deer, he'd be dead right now!!!

This morning I was settled in my stand by 7am... About 10 minutes later, I hear leaves crunching, sticks breaking, and a buck grunting, up the hill from my stand... Nothing!!! Oh well..... About a half hour later, I hear the crunch,crunch..... crunch,crunch..... (like a horse) of a deer coming in behind me. I look to my right and here comes the same 3pt from friday morning!!! He keeps coming, and passes right in front of and under my stand!!!!! (he still seems TOTALY oblivious to the buck lure I again put out today)    :confused:   He stops for a second,about 6 yards from my stand,quartering away but practicaly straight down.....

It was "awkward" but one of those "Dead-Nuts" "No Brainer" shots that we all love and.....

I MISSED!!!!!    :eek:   Yup, you guessed it, right over his back!!!!! Well, for all you "newbies" even us old farts forget to pick a spot sometimes.....   :readit:   He "spooked" but he only run about 50 yards, then stopped and looked around. He never knew I was there, or what it was that spooked him. He also doesn't know how close he came to DIEING!!!!!

About an hour later, I hear deer running in behind me. I look to my right just in time to see a spike and a 4pt cross the trail and run up the hill trough the woods!!!

So, I saw 3 bucks today,(I have not seen a doe yet) blew a shot, and had one of the GREATEST days in a long time!!!!!   :bigsmyl:

Well Chuck,

I saw 16 Does today and no Bucks.

I sat in the same spot as last night.  Almost had a yearling step into a shooting lane at about 20 yards. It turned and went back to the saftey of the herd.

For hunting public property, I am starting to like it there. This little honey hole is bound to produce. Next time I will make a stand placement adjustment!

Hunting Pine Bush, Charlie???

Charlie , how many ticks you get today!!!?

Yes Chuck.

Ron, I found one crawling up my pant leg.  between the cold and the permithrin, I have only had 3 or 4 in the past 3 weeks. all have been found crawling up my pant leg when I found them.  I can handle that.

I saw about 5 snakes on the walk out.

I passed on a small doe I snuck up to ten feet of in the corn at Dads , man what a rush .

Well for me since I moved my stand it's 2 that I passed the first day there to 2 more days of nuttin'.  I have to learn to shoot the doe and hang out and hope the buck follows.

Sounds like an exciting encounter Drew!

BTW, you dont have to save all the deer for Manny and Adam   :readit:

It was cool Charlie , love sneaking up on them on the ground .
Gotta leave some for the other fellers.

I got set up on the intersection of about 3 trails a couple days ago. Tried hunting them but was real windy on Friday and then yesterday the guy on the adjacent property had a shooting day. Touched off about 300 rounds. I waited for about 3 hours for it to end but never did. So today I go in at about one. I just know that these does I've seen while scouting are coming over this little knoll about 30 yards in front of my stand. It was a little windy today but I had a good feeling about this afternoon. Sure enough at about 4:00 a doe comes over the knoll just as I was visualizing. It doesn't see me in my stand. Coming right towards me. It needs to come about 5 more steps into where I figured I would shoot but stops and turns its head away from me.I have a broadside shot at about 8 yards. There are some small branches that I have to shoot through, but I figure I'm gonna take the shot. I was so concerned with the branches that I didn't pick a shot and shot over its back. The deer jumps but doesn't know what happened. It turns and looks up at me forever. Finally takes a couple steps and its head goes behind a tree. I quickly grab anotheR arrow from my quiver and nock it.back to the staredown with the doe when I see another doe coming over the knoll out of the corner of my eye. The 2nd sees the first looking up and the staredown continues. That went on for what seemed like hours. Well they both put some distance between me and them when sure enough a 3rd comes over the knoll and walks away with the first 2.Shoulda stuck with the original plan. Shoulda been patient. The good news is I had my stand in the perfect spot, maybe a little TOO close, but they were comin.They came right from where I figured they were going to come from. I just may be starting to catch on to this stuff. Great day!!!

Good work Jamie, Izzy and Jim.   :thumbsup:  

Had an eight-point rub my nose in it tonight.  Wind was from the South and blowing into the dense brushlot I sit beside.  I could hear him slowly walking in there for 20 minutes but never saw him.  He paused on the opposite side of my neighbor's tractor path for five minutes before crossing.  I think he winded me in there and worked East of me and then slowly passed 60 yards behind my tree - just walking slowly.  When he showed no signs of stopping or turning I gave a little "bleat" call and he never even twitched an ear or changed from his walk.  Short rack but I could see antler 4" to either side of his ears - good enough.

We'll be looking for him next Saturday in different gear.

Yesterday I just missed a trotting coyote.  As I lead him and my bow limb hit the tree.  That noise put him into turbo boost and I leaned back for clearance and tried a grouse style shot - releasing as I passed through with a catch-up swing from behind.  The arrow was good but the witchhazel it got to before the coyote shatterred the arrow into two pieces.

Well I am new to writing on this site, but have been reading the treads for a very long time since my son got me to become a member. It is unfortunate that we live so many miles apart and do not to get to see each other often, but through this site and the email and phone we do our best to stay in touch. Charlie lives and hunts in NY, and I in WI. But we still can hunt together, I am not a wizard when it comes to technology, but with the ability to stuggle though texting we are able to share the hunt when we are in the woods. We can share weather and stand locations and deer sightings and other animals. This past weekend waas a good one for both of us, weather was cool and I had snow to start Saturday off and saw a doe right off, but out of range. We both moved to new spots and Charlie saw dee right away, my new spot was in a valley were many trails led to one leading to a corn field. had a very nice 8 coming my way and would have been perfect if not at the last moment for no reason to me he turned right and away. Sunday was warmer and over cast for both of us. Charlie in his new honey hole on Public land and saw deer right away, just nothing close for a shot, for me i saw a coyote, that saw me first and then a very nice 10 point and a shot that was less than perfect, but after a long wait and a search, I found a arrow with a missing tip and confimation of a hit in the leg bone. Then as a I was sitting and looking in the direction of the bucks travel and not paying attention to the rest of the world, a very respectable 8 walked just to my right and offered a close range shot. But to his good fortune, the bow was not in my hand and he just walked away. But a great day in the woods for both of us. So even with many miles between us we can still share that day as it happened.
Good times and memories to all that hunt.
Chuck

Welcome, Mr. Janssen!  My wife and I had the great pleasure of hosting your fine son the other weekend.  We had a great time, but, as luck would have it, no deer!

Good luck up there in Wisconsin!

Went for a 6 hour sit in the bow only zone near Albany today before the rain. Just before lunch "I SAW A DEER". After 62 hours in the woods this year a deer jumped the fence 60 yards away from me and then walked the other way. That brings this years total to 1.........

Hello Heyslope, I have seen your name before in other treads. Charlie is a great son and I miss spending time with him. But it is good to know he has made many new and great freinds in NY and other areas through this site.
He has gotten me back to the basics of hunting like what I started with and hope next year I will feel confident enough to carry one of the bows to the woods. He just sent me a 1953 Grizzley Bear for my birthday like the one I grew up with. His little brother broke that one many years ago trying to string it wrong.
I hope to be out that way again this spring for a visit, maybe our paths will cross at that time. Saturday is the gun opener and with high hope his other brothers and I will be at the family farm sharing more memories together and hoping Charlie will be able to join us agin if not in person, then through technology.
Take care

We'll keep an eye on him for you and report back if he gets out of line.    :biglaugh:

Charlie was a good partner on the trip to Colorado!!   :thumbsup:

Mr. Janssen : It is a great pleasure to meet you , even from a distance . Charlie is a great guy and friend to all of us that know him you should be very proud.   :thumbsup:  
Best of luck to you and your family with the deer hunting .
Drew

Charlies' a good fella, crazy but good. Ive enjoyed hunting and talking to him. His tree stand texts are a welcome distraction when Im working and not in a tree myself.

QuoteOriginally posted by Chuck Janssen:
 He just sent me a 1953 Grizzley Bear for my birthday

Correction it's a 1969 Grizzly  :readit:   :p

Dad, Don't listen to what everyone says. Its probably not true.  Hunters are a lot like fisherman.     :wavey:  

For the record, the respectable bucks he's talking about in WI are bucks of a lifetime here in NY.   ;)   Don't let my Dad off easy he is a little modest at times.    :campfire:

Here is an idea of what happens at camp when you are in the woods hunting in WI.  Oh, the days when you should stay at the cabin instead.    :rolleyes:    

1st Noon time picture same day target was set up. he's a 2 1/2 Maybe 31/2 Year old tops. Its hard to tell from this picture alone.

  (http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/trail%20camera%20pics/1321315375.jpg)

Here is an example of what not to say to a buck.  they attached the antlers to the target. Unfortunately the trail cam didn't catch it due to the limited range unbeknownst to the camera man.        

   (http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/trail%20camera%20pics/1321315396.jpg)  

Here is the crime scene in relation to the cabin.

   (http://i1135.photobucket.com/albums/m637/cjohntalk/trail%20camera%20pics/1321315379.jpg)

I agree with what everybody says about Charlie. Wisconsin's loss is New York gain. Great sons come from great dads. You should be very proud! Good luck with the hunt!~

Charlie is top notch and so is his father who i had the chance to turkey hunt with, the man knows how to talk turkey!!!

Saw 10 foes this evening but no bucks. None of the does came into range either. Fun day out. Will be at it again tomorrow & Friday evening before gun opens Saturday.
good luck to everyone still after it.

Dan,

10 Foes? I would have been flinging arrows like mad   :smileystooges:

good luck the rest of this week.

Thank you all for the kind words about Charlie, we grew up together and I tried to get him and his brothers out hunting and fishing and camping as much as time would allow. Many great memories and pictures shared. Look forward to many more in the future. Being there with his first deer and turkey and then with his first one for the wall. A hunt in the mountains of Alaska stands out As the 2 of us spent some quality time there watching wildlife.
With our gun season just a few days away and so many decent bucks out there. I look forward to more time in the woods and with family. Thank you all for keeping a eye on Charlie for me. Hope to meet you all some day. Ken that morning on the mountain with you will stand out as one of my most memorable turky hunts, even if we had nothing to carry out that morning. Thank you,
Good fortune to all of you.

Another day out....uneventful!!    :dunno:

Ron, I think your dressing too warm and sitting in the sun. A fella has a hard time seeing deer when his eyes are closed.

Izzy, I'm not hunting stupid city deer like you!

City deer huh? I wish they were stupid, Id be done hunting with a full freezer.

The deer up here cranked up today ! Saw five bucks hit in the road today and a big guy standing in a cut corn feild with that glare in his eyes. My wife went to town this morning and another big one was standing like a statue in the yard of a hunting camp around the corner. If there is anyway you can hunt tommorrow I think it may be the best day of the season. Good Luck

I really feel the Flu coming on   :readit:    :bigsmyl:    .  May have to start using my sick days.   :dunno:

Yes, they are foes, as well as does. Today was interesting. To hot for great movement but had a little action. Went north with the rifle this morning. Nothing happening there. Went to the range to check zero on one rifle I fell with coming off the mtn in WY. Still right on & checked my other rifle. Glad I did. It was shooting 10" high at 100yds. Went south with the bow for the afternoon/evening. Busted one going in @ 1:30. Got up the tree with my climber & a doe decoy about 30yds upwind of me. 4 pm I hear a deer in the pond behind me. 20 minutes later here comes the same little 6pt I passed the other day. He is standing 10 yards from me staring at the deke. About 5 minutes goes by & he turns to leave. I hit the bleat can & he spun right around to stare at the deke again. Not sure why I didn't shoot him but passed on him again. Saw 4 other deer but nothing else in range. He will not be as lucky Friday or after gun opens. Friday evening is it for me then the guns come out. Hunting with a pistol this year. Good luck to all.

I'm starting to think I'm the only guy hunting in NY thats not seeing many deer...its getting very frustrating   :banghead:

Fred, you are not alone......your not seeing many, I'm not seeing any! Frustrating is a gross understatement!

Guy's I hunted many days in a row and saw no deer but other days I saw plenty. They just seemed to be in different areas this year. Areas with standing corn seemed to be the best.

QuoteOriginally posted by 1/4 away:
I'm starting to think I'm the only guy hunting in NY thats not seeing many deer...its getting very frustrating    :banghead:  

I'm seeing them, unfortunately I keep missing them.    :banghead:    :banghead:

Standing corn   :saywhat:      :biglaugh:

Fred, You're not alone...I've gone 7 hunts in the two weekends without seeing a single deer!Things a very wierd for me this fall. Since deer season started I've not seen or heard a turkey!

It can all change in a second....keep the faith!

I also have not seen turkeys like most years, I had a close encounter opening weekend and have not seen one since....strange......

They can't even grow corn where you hunt Ron ? That is a sad state of affairs for sure. I haven't seen any turkeys either come to think of it , hhhmmm may be something to that.

Guru & Ron, well at least I'm in good company. Had plenty of turkey, deer and even a couple of coyotes on the trail cams prior to the season but since opening day the deer have been scarce and the turkey seem to have vanished. Nothing on the property I hunt has changed so I've been chalking it up to the warm weather for the lack of movement and the lack of sign.

You"re not the only ones! Since I got laid off I've been hunting almost every day. I've seen two deer, one I jumped from there bed (scared the crap from both of us) second was in my old hunting area in Pharsalia. I did not see what either was. I'm going back to Michigan Swamp (Pharsalia, NY)tomorrow and Friday. Changing tactics and equipment. Dusting off my HBO and matching arrows taking them out for the end of early bow season.

Ive been seeing deer pretty steadily in every area Ive hunted this year, even ran into some in the real  big woods Adirondacks which isnt always the case. I even think there are more deer in some areas than last year but turkey, whats the deal??? I havent seen or heard one while hunting. Even in some back yards and wood lots in town where I see up to 30 birds on a regular basis theyve been absent. Cant recall such a thing to this degree.   :dunno:

Drew, we have corn but not where I hunt....what is here was cut a month ago. Most areas I hunt the major crop is rocks...........

The deer have to be eating something and whatever it is in your area that is were you want to be. If your just hunting the same ol places then you need to switch it up.

Believe me Jim, I know that    ;)

I Know that also....I have been all over the place, I'm hunting in 4 different counties, if that's not switching it up,   :dunno:   I can only hunt where I have access.

I've been skunked the last 2 times out.  Wishing I hadn't passed the 10 yd doe shot earlier.  I am going to try to make it out Friday and hope to change my luck.

I've been hunting in 2 different counties and have 3 different stands set up on the primary piece of land I hunt. Changing stands & counties haven't helped much with seeing deer.

I have not many outings where I saw deer. I had nearly 100 hours with only one deer sighted at 50 yards. Then last weekend, I saw 20 deer in 2 sits,  one evening and one morning.

I have also seen about the same # of turkeys. all my game sightings have been on Public land.  Up until last weekend, my strategy has so far been change it up until something works. I keep changing locations and times in the different locations. Obviously I choose the locations with best judgement. i have not given up on bowhunting yet. will probably spend a lot of time with bow in hand thanksgiving weekend.

I keep forgetting the turkey calls, almost had some less than 30 yards.

The deer I have seen were eating leaves off some sort of shrub. They were yellow leaves but not sure what the plant was.

got busted by a doe tonight,  just looked over my left shoulder, nothing there, looked right, nothing there.  
readjusted my recurve on my knee and a doe is standing 10 yds over my left shoulder , where i had just looked literally 15 seconds ago.  she saw me and ran off.  
amazing how quickly and quietly they can appear.
came  home and made a treestand blind out of a tree umbrella and some 4 x 12 leafy netting. just cut it into two 6ft pieces and attached to the umbrella lengthwise.  looks pretty good
plenty of room to stand and shoot a recurve or longbow .
as soon as i get it set up in a tree i can get some pics.  hopefully friday before the orange army invades

Funny about the turkeys. I have been thinking the same thing. I usually see lots of birds but not 1 all season. Will be out Friday evening.

we've been seeing deer in the thickest nastiest cover and swamps. No real trails this year, because they are browsing as they move so it's been tougher to pin point them. with the warmer weather and full moon the deer have not been moving much during the day, seems they are on their feet a little at first light and again around 10 am this week.

Saturday i had a great encounter with another huge 6 pointer. It was a in acres of rose bushes, a place that makes Briar Back Mountain look like a good spot to vacation! I was crawled my way into the area with my lone wolf hang on and sticks and set up in a huge hickory that split into 4 trunks about 12' up. From my Vantage point I could see through the briars down hill and saw the 6 pt about 200yds down hill and directly down wind of me. It took him about 30 minutes to make his way directly toward me. He was testing the wind every few steps. He closed to 25yds and spent close to 10 minutes directly down wind, testing the air. He finally turned away and I thought he was going to leave, but instead he bedded with his back to me, still too thick for a shot. he stayed bedded for close to 2 hours and I was running out of time. I splashed some doe in heat on the ground around my tree and hit the can call. he finally stood and worked his way past me at 21 yards and never offered a shot! Close but no cigar. About that time the area came alive with deer, I don't know how many there were but i know they were in almost every direction, all headed north towards a field. Darkness set in without a shot and I just sat there until the deer had moved off. I did a little recon this week and found a better tree right in the middle of the action, this one with more shooting lanes and easier access. I know where i'll be this weekend. The cool part is that this is essentially public land, the same place I took the 6 pt earlier this year. It's town owned and all you have to do is take a proficiency test, hunt from a stand and call in and out when you hunt. It gets very little pressure, especially in the areas that are hard to get into or offer no trees for a climber. We can't leave stands in, but it;s no big deal to pop up and take down my Lone wolf.

I'm hoping to make it out Fri. after noon the last day before Kaboom season.

Today would be an wesome day to be in the woods. Tomorrow looks even better. I will be watching the woods out my work window  :(  

Greg, Even though your spots sounds great,  I would not want to vacation at Briarback.  Just sayin  :dunno:  

I guess the general theme is that deer are not in tune with their natural patterns and people have to adjust to find them.

Did something a bit different to today, got back from the gym and thought " I'm not going to see anything drinking coffee and watching the Today show". So I got my stuff on grabbed my bow and went hunting....no sitting today, today I'm going back to what I did most of my hunting career.....sneak and peek/still hunting. I thought with low deer numbers maybe I have to get aggressive and go after them. Don't ya know only 20 minutes into the hunt I see a deer. Just a flag mind you ,but a deer. I may have been going a bit to fast or it winded me....maybe both. I guess I know what I have to do now!!

Yup Ron stop putting bengay on those old knees and plant something tastier then rocks   :rolleyes:

So there is a deer in NY   :readit:    :bigsmyl:

Hope you get him Ron!

headed out in the morning for one last try in Sterling...I realize we have a late season but I've never seen a deer there in the late season. It was an odd year...very little action in places where I've usually been lucky..I have a cousin in Westchester and he's had some luck but that place is always crawling with deer..I may have to invite myself if tomorrow doesn't work...lol

Ron, if you get one in the eleventh hour you'll be my hero   :notworthy:

LOL...I have never been a hero.......can't say it will start now!   :biglaugh:  Saturday things will change with the guns going off all over. Hey you never know!

I'm hopeful for you Ron. Heck, I am still hoping I put one down Friday evening myself. Hardest part will be getting out of a nice warm bed after 3 hours sleep to get out those last couple of hrs before the big bang gang Saturday. Of course I will be one of them.

Last day of bow, I went out this a.m. Missed a doe on the ground, shot over her. I will be taking my 7 year old son tonight for the last Hurah !!!!!!

Good luck Gerald, shoot straight.

Well, I'll be the first to report tonight.  Started in my stand at 1:30. Not long after the trucks started pouring in to the hunting camp beyond our property and the 4-wheelers started ripping around, eliminating 2 of my approaches.

About 4:30 I'm quite cold and frustrated so I decide to get down and still-hunt home.  Finding a pretty good stump to hide behind I settle in for the last 15 minutes of hunting light.  Within 5 min I here a deer coming, quite fast.  Turns out to be a doe and coming right at my stump.  She presents a shot at 10 yds, but I have to thread the needle between some brush.  I pass because she is going to be in the clear at 7 yds.

Well, she changes direction and begins angling away.  I don't get a shot til she's 20+.  I take careful and deliberate aim and release-A perfect arrow, but the distance is too far and she jumps string and wheels around.  I'm happy with the shot, but not happy about attempting it-too far for my arrow speed.

Well, not more than 2 minutes later I hear the buck following her.  He angles in the direction she went and is 35-40 yds away.  He messes around over there for a while then decides to walk right back at me!  He gets to 20 yds and decides somethings amiss and starts doing little circles, stopping broadside several times. Now I get a good look and he is a decent 6 point.  Based on prior experience and diminishing light I decide not to shoot and he eventually moves off.

No deer, but what a rush having them that close while kneeling on the ground!

Having an almost is pretty cool.........   :thumbsup:

So Ron how did it go today?

Didn't make it out....spent the day with the little woman. I'm not a hero this time......I am to the wife cause I made her dinner....LOL!!

Nor did I, Joe and I worked out together this afternoon.

I was sick this morning when I got home from work. Plan was to sleep til 12:30 then get up & go. Woke up still feeling lousy so back to bed. Hope somebody on here had a good day.

No deer  seen tonight with my son,I will be going in the morning with my 77 year old father. He is a gun hunter and so will I be tomorrow. I plan on taking my bow some during the gun season,I have a doe only special permit for Letchworth park, and they said during the gun season the does really pour into the bow only area. Blessings and be safe to all who venture out in the morning.

I saw a bunch of deer today. Unfortunately the only one that was within shooting range was in thick brush directly behind my stand. Nice 8 pt too. Saw a big one in the AM, probably one of the biggest I have seen in the field. He caught wind of me as he headed my way. No way for me to avoid that. He didn't spook too bad so hopefully I'll get another shot at him.

Gun season starts tomorrow and I'll be out there with my bow. Excited as the deer are really moving here.

why, oh why must he always come by at night?

 (http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y106/lgmarshall/trailcam2011192.jpg)

whoa doggie, you need a light on your bow :0)

Is he winking at you Larry   ;)

OK Charlie.......time to tell the story!!!     :readit:

I was sitting in the stand this morning when I finally saw your text....and saw the picture......time for the "tell"!!!!

BTW....   :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Thursday afternoon I had a half rack a six and a spike all come in at different times to the grunt.  Also missed a fox TWICE that makes foxes 4 me 0 over the last two years.  Joe

OK where were we? Gun season is over for me and now its back to the stick the rest of the year. I had a great time with Noah and his gramps but if I was alone I would have had a bow in hand.

              Pulled out (Hillbilly Deluxe) my 55# Zipper curve last week and man o man, the king has returned. That bow is truly the shootinest bow I have. Shot 3 deer with it and retired it for longbows but Its out for the rest of the NY season. Good luck fellas who are keeping after it.

QuoteOriginally posted by hayslope:
OK Charlie.......time to tell the story!!!      :readit:  

I was sitting in the stand this morning when I finally saw your text....and saw the picture......time for the "tell"!!!!

BTW....    :thumbsup:      :thumbsup:  

Sorry Tony, Not a Bowkill. I'm brining the bow back however now that the meats in the freezer.

WOOPS!!!  My bad!  Congrats regardless!

Hi guys!! Shawn

Hello Shawn how did your season go?

How ya been Shawn?

Larry old buddy do you need someone to hunt with ya?    :wavey:

Bob, the deer magnet that you are, I'd probably put you in the stand and less than 5 minutes later he'd be right under you

Hey Shawn good to see you back. Hope you caught up to one of them biguns.

Izzy saw 2 of the big ones a few more times. One was killed by Grumpys buddy opening day of the big bang season. The big 11pt. is still going! My season was hot until the 5th. or 6th. of Nov. than the actual breeding began and it shut down. Been terrible for 2 weeks now, saw a few monsters but nothing close. Still hunting in the bow only area but had surgery Friday and it has slowed me some. Did not get back to truck until 530 tonight due to my slow walking. A true PIA!! Gonna be at it again in the am. if the rain is not too bad. I killed a nice 2.5 year old early with my Belcher/Border combo and passed 15 different small bucks early but have only had 3 deer in bow range in the last 2.5 weeks. Shawn

I hear ya bro, had surgery myself today. Should cure my chronic sinus troubles. I should be back in the woods with my old Zipper this Saturday or Sunday. Please tell me that white racked 8 isnt dead.   :pray:

Yup, he is dead! The big 11, that was with him is still alive. I will send ya a pic. Shawn

Great Guys.

Hello Shawn,  Congrats on your deer.

Izzy, I will ahve to talk with you about your surgury. I think I will need it someday and have been putting it off.

I will be at the Pinebush this weekend again with bow in hand. I think I have figured them out but you know how that goes  :banghead:    :biglaugh:

Heding out in an hour or so, my buddy saw a big 8pt at 830 this morning standing under one of my stands. Maybe he bedded nearby and he will walk by me this afternoon! Shawn

The surgery was a breeze Charlie. Felt 100% better right off the bat. I can smell and taste already. Gonna lay off for a couple more days then be back in the woods. May even hit the Pine Bush. Good luck Shawn, put em down.

Good luck guys and have a great Thanksgiving!

OK its been 5 days since anyone has been here.

Has anyone been out the last week with a bow?

I went out yesterday but didn't see anything. I had a good feeling but nothing transpired.

I did however find an excellent tree to sit. It's only downfall is lack of cover but you can get up pretty far and there is a large dead branch that helps break up up a little.

I finally got out 2 hrs yesterday and today. Had two twin 4 pts walk by me at 15 yds. They look like two year old deer real slick....but...we are QDM here, 3 pt or better per side. Had to let them walk.

Still have 2 tags left...maybe next week I'll be able to get out more. I figure next few weeks should have the bucks getting antsy again and start some chasing.

Larry sounds good to me ! I would even give you a steak.

Hunted with my longbow in Letchwoth Park on fri. Almost shot a doe but she spooked on me, fun to hunt with a bow during gun season.

Went out with my 67' Bear and some cedars today even tho it is gun season. Did some scouting and found a good spot for late bow.......then at another spot I found something disturbing. 4 deer in a pile, all short faced skippers, all bucks. They had the best cuts of meat removed and the horns had been cut off with a saw at the bases. The best they could have been was spikes or small forks, the bases of the horns were only 1/2" in diameter. I left the area with a sick feeling and I'm not sure I will return. This was on public land in a county forest. Really sad!

I'd definitely be reporting that one to the DEC. Hopefully they will keep a close eye on the area and find out who did that.

That makes me really sad as well.

Yeah, definately report it to the DEC.

Been pretty sick the last week, devoloped a bad infection after my surgery. I feel much better today and even though Cindy is having a fit, I am gonna go to my bow-only area and hunt this afternoon. No climbing yet, but I have a ladder stand that is only a few rungs and I am gonna sit that. It overlooks a cornfield and will provide a very close shot of 5-6 yards in any direction. Wish me luck I am going buggy sittin in the house. Shawn

Good luck Shawn. Didnt know about your current surgery bud glad you are feeling good enough to hunt.

Go git em Shawn. Holler at me if you need someone to track and drag.

Izzy, I may do that! Hope no tracking involved on close shots like I will get here, but dragging I cannot do at all. Shootin anything I see today. I have to get back in the game. Gonna shower at 230 and head out, I doubt I can sit for more than 1.5hrs due to the nature of my surgery. I had a repair done on my ass for those who don't know and developed a massive infection and was pretty sick for the last week. I recieved a massive does of anti-biotics and am taking more daily. I know I should stay home but cannot stand it anymore. I will post how I did when I get home! Thanks! Shawn

Good luck and go slow!

Nothing like fresh deer liver to get your strength back.    :thumbsup:

Found out today that the old doe that busted my b###s all season is probably still alive. Shes given other hunters, wheel and gun the same trouble as well as late as Thanksgiving morning according to my buddy who owns the farm she resides on. Ill try for her again after gun season. Ive named her "Karen" after my ma in law cause shes so onery , always giving you the evil eye and sticks her nose all in your business. Almost hate to drop a string on that old doe.

Well, just got back. It was a great sit, I saw nine doe's and fawns as well as 6 tom turkeys and 2 bobcats. Wish I could of gotten to the stand I wanted to but the turkeys prevented that and a few minutes after setting up in a stand 50 yards away, the parade of doe's started. Of course they all came out with 10 yards of the stand I wanted to sit. Gonna be back at it again in the morning. I have to be to doctors but not until 11 so I can sit a few hrs. for sure! I will shoot any deer that walks by for sure. Izzy I hunted a doe like that for years. I finally killed her and had her aged, she was 11.5 years old. Very healthy and was the biggest bodied deer I have ever shot as she dressed 187#s. My best buck dressed 183#s. She was in a bow only area and would walk right down the middle of a big field blowing all the way, yet she new she was safe as she stayed 50-60 yards from either edge. I will tell ya how I killed her sometime! Shawn

Id love to hear the tactic you used on that old gal brother.  My wife can only tolerated so many heads in the house before they get auctioned. Might as well put a green light out on the old gal. I would guess her to be  170 live but I dont believe shes  the biggest Ive ever seen. Glad your getting out. Like I said if you wind up shooting one in the afternoon give me a call. Ill drag it for you and put Jack on the blood. Was strapped for time as usual the day I killed my spike so I never got to put him on the trail.

cant wait for the bloody arrow pic.

Those old Gals can be much harder than the bucks to hunt.

Sat all day today and saw 4 deer. I was planning on sneaking out mid day but then I saw a deer at 11:00 so I decided to tough it out and eat when I got home.

I had a doe come within 15 yards but I couldn't get a broadside or quartering shot. She came straight at me, then at 15 yards turned to head back to her mother.  when she turned she was broadside but behind a big pine.  Its the closest I have come to a shot all season.

what a rush.

Tradganger Steve Helstowski shot one today at the same public land I was at, perhaps he'll be around after cleaning up to tell about it.

Well hopefully I get us NY guys back on the board tomorrow morning. Meat and I are going out and he is hunting with his stick, he goes both ways!! Charlie glad ya got some excitement!! I hunted hard Thursday and yesterday. Saw deer just nothin close for a shot, actually saw 9 thursday afternoon. Should be cold in the morning and that should help movement. I also believe we are gettin into that second rut, had a 4pt. harrassing a doe yesterday evening so the next week may see some rutting activity again or at least the bucks out sniffin for the young ladies or an old lady that did not get bred the first go around. Good Luck Guys!! Shawn

Thanks Shawn.

Hope you and meat make meat.  I also hope you are feeling better after your surgery.

I agree there should be a lot of movement in the morning.

Good luck.

K,got a long story about my morning, which was one of the best in a couple weeks! Be back in a lil' while. Shawn

That text about broke my heart shawn. What are you gonna do?

Glad your getting out Shawn now on with the story   :bigsmyl:

Ok, I was up at 4:50 and to my hunting spot by 5:40. I set this stand up weeks before the start of the season and it was our last stand to do this year and number 56. We called it the powerline pine stand. It is a long walk in and it takes a good 20 minutesof walking to get to it. I was there by 6:05am. I sat for a few minutes to cool down before I got dressed(I carry 90% of my clothes in cause of my acromegaly I sweat terrible otherwise)I than took my time and got dressed and up I went. This stand is high, probably 27ft. or so but it is because of its location on a side hill so the shots mostly are 15-18ft. below except off the backside which than is about 35ft. or so. It was a perfect morning and the wind was steady out of the south. I had the bow pulled up and was settled in by 6:20, which by then it is getting light. Be back soon, gotta turn the chicken on the grill! Shawn

must have stopped to eat that chicken too  :rolleyes:

:coffee:     :D

Dang chickens!!!

And then?

:bigsmyl:     :thumbsup:

Is the chicken done?


David

That chicken must be hell to catch.

Sorry guys, grill had some issues and than I did have to eat. Ok it was now getting light out. The first thing I here is a cock pheasant sounding off in a field below me, so I turn and scan the field with my bino's. While doing this I look up and out across the bottom and look up on the power lines about 250 yards away I see 3 deer. One big doe and 2 fawns. I watch them on and off for about 1/2 hr. and it is now 7:30. I look again and see another deer has joined them, turns out to be a nice 8pt. He is just feeding with the doe's. They slowly feed off. About 15 minutes later I look to the lower field again and there is a small 4pt. walking the edge about 80 yards away. I grunt at him and he looks up but just keeps walking with his nose to the ground. He gets down wind so I let him walk without calling to him again and he disappear's into what we call the brushy hillside, a 15 acre patch of hell that we leave totally alone, kind of a sanctuaury. I wait about 15 minutes and figure to do some blind calling. I hit the can twice and follow this with a series of grunts, wait 3 or 4 minutes and repeat. The whole time watching the power lines to the front and left and a little funnel that is created by the power lines and a creek that runs along the field below and behind me. Stupid me, all the deer have been behind me, so I turn just in time to see another buck in that bottom field, he is standing and has his head up looking up my way. I figure he is looking for the source of the grunts or doe he heard a few minutes before. He slowly walks the way the other buck went. He is a 4pt. too but quite a bit bigger body and horn wise. This time I figure with it warming up and the thermals rising i mind as well give him a couple grunts, even though down wind. I do and he stops and looks and angles slightly towards me yet still going away. I figure he is gonna go to a creek crossing about 100 yards away and circle me a bit and come thru that funnel to my right that I had been watching. He heads towards that creek crossing but now is out of sight. I wait a couple minutes and hit the can twice and do a quick series of grunts. Now I just wait and watch, even though the spot I am watching is directly downwind I let go a few milkweed pods and I watch them hover and stay high in the air well out, I can see them at 60 yards with my binos and know if he is close my scent should be up and over him. I finally catch movement and there he is, about 50 yards but coming. Ok I will be right back, gotta get my shots as Cindy is harrassing me. Shawn

c'mon Cindy, just jab it in him!

come on man

Ok I will wrap this up. He is there at 50 yards so I decide to stand and get the bow off the holder. He kind of hangs up, so I give a few soft bleats with my call. He turns and comes, he gets to about 25 yards and turns broadside, I put some pressure on the string but decide to wait. I figure he will come closer, he takes his time but works in to about 15 yards. When he gets this close he seems to get a bit nervous and turns and starts to angle away, I figure it is now or never, I draw pick a spot low almost below him as he is on that downside and maybe 30ft. below. I release and whack, I hit a limb about halfway to him, he bolts and I bleat and he stops, but too late he knows something is up and even though he hangs around for 10 minutes never offers me another shot. I sit and put another arrow on the string and figure I am done for the morning. I nock another arrow and sit back and not 10 seconds later I hear a grunt. I turn and look below along the creek and standing not 12 yards away but about 45 ft. below is a nice 2.5 year old 6pt. Back in the game I figure, well this buck stood there for over a half an hr. and he did not move a muscle. I think he must have caught my movement earlier because he is frozen. All of a sudden he just turns and walks down into the creek and acrossed it, I than decide to grunt and when I do, he kind of tucks tail and heads away. I really blew it. I decide to climb down and as I am leaving I look into the woods and see my arrow. I walk in to get it and low and behold I should of never shot at the 4pt. when I did. It turns out he was just heading down another run that would of lead him right out onto the power line and would have given me a 12 yard shot in the wide open and not so mch if a steep angle. Sorry I did not get us back on the board and sorry for the long post but figured you guys need some encouragement!  :bigsmyl:  I will say this I think the bucks are looking again and on my way out I noticed several scrapes that have been opened up again after not being worked in a few weeks. As for the post from Izzy, there was a close to 180" deer hit by a car about 1/2 mile from the house today. He actually laid dead within a couple hundred yards of several of my treestands!! I will be at it again tomorrow, hopefully with a story about a dead deer!! Goodnight! Shawn

Sounds like a good day. I truly miss the cackle of a rooster pheasant of which I haven't heard around here in 25 years. I saw a lot of deer today from the cruiser in some funky spots. That's usually an indicator that there's some real chasing going on. Good luck brother. I described that buck you texted me to my cousin and he swears he saw him in the railyards.

Keep at it & good luck.

Sounds like a great Morning!  :thumbsup:

Did not get out today, daughter had someone total her car on her way to college at 630 this morning!! She is fine, I will be out in the morning!! Shawn

Has everyone else given up on the bow except Shawn and I ?

YEP!!!!!

I have to admit I have been doing the rifle thing, but when the 59'er comes in it will be back to the bow! I hope you guys are right about the new rut activity because it is dead here for now.

I may go out again once the fools have gone back to the couch. I might as well see if I can finish the season with out seeing a deer........

Saw rut activity last weekend!

Good luck Ken, I bet your new 59er will be beautiful. any new update photos?

flintlock Sunday and longbow next weekend.

The gun hunters have pushed all the deer around here so hard they have moved into places I can't hunt.

It would be nice to have a bit of snow for late bow....but if we get it, we will most likely get 2 feet. That moves the deer right out of the area...if there any left. A lot of night hunting going on from what I see and hear.

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Has everyone else given up on the bow except Shawn and I ?

Still in it, brother...

QuoteOriginally posted by Bowspirit:
 

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Has everyone else given up on the bow except Shawn and I ?

Still in it, brother... [/b]

I won't give up until the the sun sets on Dec 31st..........and then I head to CT for a month!

I will be out Saturday and sunday

Good luck Ken, I bet your new 59er will be beautiful. any new update photos?
Charlie, no new pics, but John emailed me that it's in the mail!

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Has everyone else given up on the bow except Shawn and I ?

No choice down here....gotta stick with the stick!  Deer sightings are down lately, although with mid-20 temps tomorrow, they should be moving.

I did see a bobcat this morning at Angle Fly.  It's been many years since I've seen one in the fall.

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Has everyone else given up on the bow except Shawn and I ?

That's funny Charlie    :laughing:

There hadn't been any activity on the thread, so I figured I would bring it up with enough of a curious question, that I would get some response.    ;)    

I had a sow bear with 3 cubs in tow walk right up to me today right at noon.  I started waving my arm when she was 20 yards but she didn't turn. I thought she was gonna come steal my PBJ as she was coming straight to me as if on a string.   At 15 yards She did an upper body 180 pivot on her hind leg and her cubs followed her out.  I guess the tree with the grape vine tangle hid me pretty well. I was wearing orange because it was public property.  Same spot I saw a spike at 30 yards the weekend prior.  Pretty much the highlight of my season so far.

I don't like seeing bear when I'm deer hunting!, so far they haven't gotten down this way in N.J. except for a few stragglers. If I were allowed to pack a side arm I wouldn't mind seeing them as I would have some protection encase one decided it was snack time.

They shot an 800+ pound bear in North Jersey!

I give you credit for standing your ground while it was coming at you, but I guess that is what they say one should do.

Ken,

I wasn't concerned about being a snack, she wasn't looking for me. Not my first time withing spitting distance of a bear either. However the only thing that had me uneasy was the cubs. That could have made things more interesting than they were.

Oh Yeah, I've heard about not getting between the mother and the cubs, like being between a rock and a hard place.

I edited my above answer because I remembered they shot that 800+ pound bear in North Jersey, that is a big blacky.

Most times they will not want to share space with you cubs or no cubs. In  New York you can not carry a side arm while bow hunting.......although some do! Bears are kind'a cool!

I was out this afternoon. Seen 2 does but not close enough for "JK" to fling an arrow at. Will be out this Thur/Fri...back to work Sunday night.

Things are quieting down here now with the family, not much time to bowhunt this fall so I'm really looking forward to the Winter hunts in Jersey. Hopefully my new Fedora will arrive before then...

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Ken,

I wasn't concerned about being a snack, she wasn't looking for me. Not my first time withing spitting distance of a bear either. However the only thing that had me uneasy was the cubs. That could have made things more interesting than they were.

I've been real close to bears a couple times myself Charlie,and the only time I got a little concerned was when 2 cubs came across a trail about 15yds. from me.I looked around for mom and hoofed it out of there to my treestand.
I'll be out with the bow Monday and next weekend.It ain't over 'til it's over.

Still taking my homemade Hill style longbow,had 3 does at 20yds. on Sat. Was hunting at a friends place near Rochester,we both had longbows, I saw 15 to 20 deer walking nose to tail all in a row in the morning, no shot too far,he has a ton of deer at his place, saw 6 different bucks also,I was there for does only, no buck tags left for me, it was just nice to see that many deer.

This morning in Westchester...

•  (http://www.tradgang.com/upload/curt/P1090132christeve.JPG)

Story and pix tomorrow   :campfire:

Man Curt seasons over up here and i'm already bummed. Looks good ! Merry Christmas brother

Yeah A X-mas story for us!!! Cant' wait to hear it Curt, Merry Christmas .  Joe

:thumbsup:  Curt!

David

:coffee:  Bet Santa was good to Cade.

:coffee:

Curt, Loved the Story, again Congrats!

After Bushy tails in the AM.

Wind, squirrels, and crunchy ground were not on my side this morning.

It was a beautiful day none the less and a few stumps were shot up.   :campfire: