Fish Hunter

I wouldn't worry about it too much.

When compounds cam to the market, the recurve guys were sayin' the same thing, unfair, cheaters, etc. You still have to play the wind, stand placement, scouting, and if the crossbow hunters don't do the above, they may as well carry a sharpened stick with them. I wouldn't sweat it, there will be used crossbows in the local classifieds after they find you still need to know how to hunt.

Out this way, Herb Philipson's Army & Navy Stores have all remaining tree stands and related gear at 30% off....... I used to manufacture 12"ers made from 1" x 1" x 1/4" angle, with 30" X 30" expanded metal decks. I installed wheels on them to be able to be pulled by a 4-wheeler, and once close, you could get in between the rungs and move it around like a rickshaw. I stopped making them as I was not going to be held liable for someones incorrect actions while using them.

Fished west of Lewis Point yesterday, on old waypoints that usually seem to work. First time out this year. 26 fow were where we found some fish, 6 total Walleyes, along with some silver bass. Did not hammer them, but caught enough for a good supper one night this week. Introduced a couple of my son's friends to this.........they seemed to be interested in it.

Some of the slobs I've caught out of Oneida, have come from dead-sticking, in a second hole. We are planning on going Sunday...........finally.

An ATV,(or snowmobile) with a hand-held Lowrance H20/navionics will put you right where the edges/drops/breaks are in short order. I won't take that gear out on the ice until I hear of 12", and it must be close to that about now. Just me. Couple tip-ups, or tip-downs are never a bad thing either. Caught some slobs off those, or dead-sticking a 2nd rod in the shanty. When the kids were little I'd bring a Coleman stove and we'd fry up some 'burgs, and dogs out there. They liked that.

20-25 fow off Lewis Point is what I was told from the guys that work at Marion Manor Marina, last week.

I'll be puttering around with my stuff over the winter. Always something that needs attention, but our elevatated deer towers are numero uno on the list in the spring...and then let the fishing begin.

Have seen over the years that they'll congregate in lower areas with cedar/tag alders and also prefering south/southeast facing slopes, unless of couse a mean, stiff, cold south wind, which there are very few of those.

My son was surrounded in a stand one evening down in this thick bottom piece we hunt during bow season a few years back. He called me on the 2-way radio to "GET OVER HERE!!!". I was up on a hill about a mile or so in another stand and swung by the truck and grabbed a shotgun prior to making my way down to him and they didn't leave the area until they saw the lights of my wheeler coming thru the woods. Last day/late afternoon of muzzle this year there was a bunch of them not far very away at all, when we were field dressing a couple deer. We are going to try and thin some of those fawn-killers out after the Holidays.

That's what I have up there.

I won't venture out on Oneida until there is AT LEAST a good 12". That's just me, but then again, I've been in the water before. Takes a good time, and turns it into a bad time in about 1.3 seconds flat. I've got plenty in the freezer to hold me until the ice is safe.

Up on the Tug Hill a bit higher in Montague, and Barnes Corners, heard they had WELL over 100" a couple days ago. We have about 6-8" on the ground here.