Reel Doc

No takers? It'll be here in the basement staying dry for you.

Just the horns and a photo. My buddies in college got me into hunting, so I started later than most, but in the 15 years that we have lived on our current property I've been fortunate to get a couple wallhangers, one by bow, one by shotgun. For me though, the bowhunts are truly special since the trophy is always a great hunting memory with a really challenging method of hunt. I admit to getting that rush whenever a deer comes by the stand, regardless of whether it is a deer to harvest or one to watch walk on by. It's a priceless feeling that is the reason I go in the woods in the first place. Greg

The deer played trick or treat with you Nice going, nice buck

Just a great hunt yesterday afternoon. On stand by 2, not much happening other than some small does and a spike, then about 3:30 a good sized doe hops by waving her flag. She settles in some tall brush at the edge of a soybean field about 75 yards off. I wait for a buck to follow, nothing. Hit the Primos can and 20 minutes of nothing. Finally, from the total opposite direction, this buck meanders down through the beans another 50 yards beyond the doe. When he's in line with my stand and the doe I hit the can and he turns and moves to the brush and finds the doe. She teases, but not ready to stand so as he seems sick of her I hit the can again and he drops her like yesterdays news and heads right in. Gives a perfect broadside shot at 20 yards, a staight through chest shot and he was down within site of the stand and done in less than 5 minutes. I must admit, I've never had a call work that well, but that doe being a day away from standing heat gets a big assist on this one. Greg

Great buck, and great to hear about the guidance from above

Way to go Your first bow deer is a great memory that you will always remember and he is a nice one.

Nice hunt and nice deer. Congrats

I'm with you 711. But is this conversation on this forum like preaching to the choir? The frustration with poor sportsmen is you cannot get the point out to them about the dangers they pose to themselves, others afield, the game their after, and most importantly, the future of hunting and fishing for that matter. Every incident that occurs afield is fodder for the antihunting movements that get stronger all the time. Greg

Way to go Ray The future of hunting counts on all of us doing the right thing. Of course, that yearling will be far more tender than some tough brute. You cannot eat the horns. Greg

It is starting to heat up for sure. Friday had a quick stop home to pick up some things about 5:30. Down below our pasture on the woods edge two bucks were jousting, the bigger bodied brute was having his way with what looked to be a yearling. After about 5 minutes the young buck took off and the other worked up a scrape. Midday Saturday I poked around down there and found fresh rubs and 2 scrapes. If you believe in hunting by the moon, (which I do), then the middle of next week will be the time to hit the woods hard as the bucks will be looking for and probably finding lots of love. Greg

Coup, It will get really good if your little side kicks take up the sport. My oldest is 11 and already he and his brother are having a good time trying to poke holes in the leftover squash and pumpkins from the garden. I look forward to taking them afield in the future, no different then being on the water with them. Greg

Gotta add my 2 cents on this one. Regardless of weapon in the woods, it is all about responsibility. If you are a true sportsman, (that is the term of the 21st century, not hunter), then you are well versed in the use and application of your weapon, and the reason you are afield is not just about the kill, but the joy of being there. We do not fear each other when we go afield, we fear the nonsportsman who is just out there for the kill, and has no clue about the game he is after or his reponsibility to that game and to the other sportsman afield. Like the road rage driver, all of us want to avoid this person from a safety standpoint, but also, we do not want them around for the sake of maintaining the sport. With decreasing numbers of sportsmen, and the increasing age of those of us who are sportsmen, we need to take the lead in setting a good example to the next generations going afield or afloat for that matter. No doubt the DEC needs to keep the deer harvests at certain levels to maintain proper herd numbers, so adding rifles in more counties is their way of making it "easier" in the minds of many to fill a tag. I would love to use a rifle in Seneca county, (currently not allowed), only because I have never really enjoyed the shotgun kick. Either way, when the shooting starts, I only sit in stands in the center of our property, as the hunting club gang that rents the neighbor's land has some of those nonsportsmen that I prefer to avoid. In a perfect season, my harvest is done before the shooting even starts, and I'm hopeful that can be the case again this year. Greg

Jason, You were right when you said 3 weeks ago there was still plenty of good fishing ahead. Sounds like the fish are refilling post-spawn. With school on and the weather cooler, my crew has bailed on me, so now I'm looking for red meat in my free time; not really that bad of a predicament. Can I ask you about the Weenies? Do you run them off riggers, copper, or drop them down with dipseys? Are they a seasonal lure, or effective trolling throughout the year? Greg

Hey Rovente, Sounds like you were given the same advice I had from Splitshot and RustyRat. Rumor has it they sell used, slightly wet boat parts to supplement their fishing habit. Welcome aboard the LOU. Greg

Wow, what a shot. Did anyone find the remains of that buck? Be really curious to know how far that cat took him for a drag.

Beautiful deer, a lasting memory with that photo. Congratulations

Wish I had the free time to tinker with it. I've been using Fingerlakes Meat Processing in Romulus. He does some of our lambs and a beefer each year and I can't complain with some of his hotdog and sausage combos. The whole family enjoys them. Getting back into fishing maybe we'll try a smoker in the near future.

Are the Lakers still carrying eggs?

Perch, It seems every successful hunt has a great story attached. If you are like me, the best part for you was a total whiff and reload. Bowhunting is great for giving second chances. My biggest fear in the woods is a poor shot that wounds one with no recovery. Knock on wood, it hasn't happened to me, the closest was when I gave a buck a belly shave with my Bear Whitetail back in the day. Santa brought me a Parker, trigger release, and graphite arrows for Christmas that year, so there was a silver lining. Greg PS Do you make your own sausage, or use someone around Tburg?

No doubt about it, our first trip on the water in our own rig on August 30, 2009. Words cannot describe my feelings after patiently waiting for so many years to finally complete the dream of having a boat to take out and fish these wonderful lakes among us. So many of you at this site were a part of that first day, and the many more to come in the future as you willingly opened up with information and advice on how to fish, where to fish, and how to have a great time doing it. I will forever feel a debt to this site and the many great people who make it work. I'm hoping in time my repayment can be in learning well enough to someday offer advice to the future fishing newcomers. To all of you, THANK YOU. Greg

Way to get the season started Hope you rub off on the LOU CREW!!

Mikey, It's all good...if I can't take it, I won't dish it out. Or expose my waterborne inadequacies. One thing to remember about me. I grew up near the Connecticut coast by Long Island, so minimal fear on the pond. My wife is an upstate landlubber getting her first experience with water action. 2 years ago in August we tried a charter trip out of Montauk. Beautiful summer afternoon. water was like glass. My wife and 2 of 3 kids are chumming over the side within an hour. Not having been out in years, I really do not want to quit, but we cut the half day charter in half again at risk of me living alone. Cut to last year, we do a charter off Martha's Vineyard and the family is geared up with every seasickness item available. There was a 1-2 foot surf and I'm saying my prayers to the fishing Gods. Luck would have it, no green family and we slammed into some 20 lb plus fish. If that didn't work out, I probably still would be dreaming about someday getting the boat we now own. So with that background, you know where I'm coming from. My wife and kids love me alot to put up with and even encourage my fishing habit, so I really have to give them some love back, and that does NOT include jamming a 7 foot tall boat through a 7 foot 1 inch opening. Greg

We took our 24' Wellcraft Walkaround out of there a couple times in September. (See photo). The first time there I asked a couple guys, (knowing what I know now, probably Splitshot and RustyRat), how it looked to them as I was a bit concerned. Of course, not their boat, so no problem, just keep your rods down. We get to the bridge and I thought my wife was going to jump ship If we had a hard top we would have become a convertible. The second trip out it was choppy heading back in, and being a new skipper I must admit to fearing the boat's windows would be in trouble if we strayed too far from center. It'll be a long time before I try it in the dark, if the fish are South we'll launch Deans and do a long boat ride. I know some Trophy's look tall in the center console, but how it compares to ours I do not know. One thing for sure, when you get to that bridge keep your head down. Greg

You guys are great, you take me back to college days when a smelt might "accidently" wind up in the foot of a buddies chest waders.

Will do Split...I'll keep pestering you fellas on board setups until Spring. Oh, can you send a photo of RustyRat's boat so I know who to try and follow? Greg