Good Morning

It won't be long 'til that smell is in the air again! Bring on the cool weather already!

   Got 2 blocks and 2 corn feeders in  my backyard in Upper NY. The corn only gets done every coupla weeks when I get there but you would think a track or poop  would be around. NOPE just  Coons.. Mile of woods behind me maybee more.
I know that logging is supposed to be good and all that but since they logged behind and alongside me 2 years ago its been DEAD.
Took a walk way out back yesterday and the tracks were few and far between. This aint no beginner looking either- aint Dan Boone but know my deer.
When first moved in 4 yrs ago the place looked like a Zoo- Tracks , Poo  and Deer in the yard day and night- Turkey too. That was w/o the salt and feeders.
One hard winter and that logging--zippo. Hope to live long enough for it to come back.
  Count your lucky stars when ya can look out the window and seeum cause stuff happens that can change that -quick .

Banner? Gee whiz raise your sights a little.

This one oughta be a banner year for you as well now you can finally drop the string on all of those giant mature 5 and 6 points with no brows that have been haunting you since AR

We will find out when I pull the camera. Actually, they have all been 6 points for the last 8-10 years (no 5's). Rumour has it two of them got dropped last gun season by folks who have problems with math but I'am sure their offspring are still without brows.

ORIGINAL: Esox_Hunter

ORIGINAL: DarDys

ORIGINAL: Esox_Hunter

We have been seeing a fair of amount of deer thus far, including a couple great bucks. 

Should be another banner year!

You have never seen a banner year. 

Sorry.

Sorry.  I do not feel that you are even remotely qualified to make that assertion. 

When I know that I will have the opportunity at taking one of the several bucks over 140"+ roaming around, it is going to be a banner year regardless of whether I connect with one of them or any buck for that matter. 

 
Having seen banner years, I am qualified.
 
Who isn't qualified to define a banner year is someone that thinks what they have now is one.

   A little embarased to ask this one but here goes--
     When first got my place in Upper NY it was crawling with deer. Hunted it a few times and never shot anything at all- was waiting out for a big guy and shoot eaters here in CT. Could see a Deer most anytime for the first coupla years.
      Now NO deer in my yard or close to the place. In the the year before my Deer pop. shut down a neighbor told bout the HUGE bucks I had shot behind my place.. Told them NO but they woldnt hear it.  Figured it to be the old 'new guy outa stater' thing and kinda laughed it off. They believed it like it was gospel. Had never told anybody bout seeing deer or the fact that I had been looking for a decent one.
      Now this is a place I used to set out 20 gallons of apples every 10 days or so in the early fall and late Summer only to return to nothing left. Then  all of a sudden the apples set out in the yard late August would still be rotting in November. Not touched cept by Coons. Same for my salt and corn now.
  Have been  figuring it is cause of the logging and a hard winter 2 years ago- . Am I getting paranoid or could there be a human oriented issue going on here?
  Stay outa the woods so as not to spook anything buy went for a walk yesterday out back and find some Deer moving bout a hundred yards behind my place pretty frequently (not a lot of Deer but some) and just cant see why they dont come in to eat once in a blue moon like they always did in the past.
   BTW-  would never shoot over bait clean it out early even though its in the yard not out back by my stands.  Am bout ready to bring some nice racks from Ct up there and nailem to the garage where they can be seen. Starting to get real antsy bout this affair. Been chasin Deer in a lotta places all my life and cant figure this one out. It is NOT bout shootin one- heck coulda done that lotsa times there its bout seeing one or even havin them come around.
   The first time ever saw this place was in late Oct and it looked like a late winter deer yard with sign -bought it right away. The second year- just as good. Then zippo. Evryone on this Forum told me I was nutso for blaming the logging and now I'm wondering too.

By chance did the logging remove all the white or red oaks ? No feed no deer.

   Only have 10 acres but enjoy several Oaks. Some alongside my yard - No attention to them whatsoever in the yard area.
 The acess road and other skidder roads have grown into lush grasses and there is enough other PVT property close by to hold many Oaks for the Deer but  would agree that many were probably removed by the loggers.
  They Winter bout   2 miles down the road and there is a very large herd there all during the cold months.
  If I had not had an inordinent amount of activity originally I wouldnt be as surprised by this condition as I am. Just got me puzzeled and grabbing straws trying to figure it out,
  It isnt bout shooting Deer - heck I pass here in Ct regularly - just trying to find out what happened. This is the third Season upcoming since the logging and the Deer are fewer now than ever. Even last year one came in now and then - this year- ZIP.

I have never had logging ruin a spot for more than a couple years. Usually it makes the place better. You have something else going on.

as I get older I call it a fairly successful year when the season is Over and the stands are put away without me getting hurt climbing in or out of them.

How true.. I know 4 guys that fell out of stands last year and only broke bones thankfully...

One guy about 34 just broke his TOE !!!!!! how lucky is that ????

I am debating using the climber this year with the crossbow though .. not sure.. "wifey" says NO WAY.. but what she doesn't know won't hurt her == LOL LOL

last year it was ground blinds and ladder stands... I miss the climber though.. I use to love using that thing, it's even more comfortable (after some home-made additions) than the ladder stands I use..

I haven't used climbers for 20 years. I had an old Baker come out from under me that laid me up awhile and twice had a Loggy rope get set so I couldn't get it undone and had to shinney down the tree and come back with an extension ladder. It's been hang on's and either screw in steps or tie on's depending on the tree and/or landowners wishes. I really like the climbing sticks I got last year and will start to do away with the steps. They have their drawbacks also.

ORIGINAL: Dr. Trout

For what it is worth...

When I use the climber I have constructed a "belt-like" system that keeps the bottom section fastened to the top section where the seat is as I climb and then lift my feet.. It may some day slip but it will not fall more than about 2 feet even if my feet slip out of the stirrups.

I tighten the belt after I get it all set up and add a bungee cord to help hold it (bottom section)fast, same with the top, I use the belts and bars but add a bungee cord... Since most of my hunting is on public land I have to be very careful of the trees I choose to climb...only "rough" barked trees.. so .. SO FAR.. had no problem with slipping.. but I am very alert the whole time climbing and descending...

I'd LOVE to try one of those tree lounges ... I have had people tell me they are so comfortable they often FALL ASLEEP IN THEM ?????

Tree Lounges are junk. They sit too far from the tree and have a lot of spring. If you cant get comfortable in a Summit Viper you can't get comfortable. Always use a tether when climbing with a two piece stand and also a safety rope. Slide rope up tree as you climb. It is very possible for any climber to slip rather tether together or not. When one disengages the top section ones weight is what is holding the bottom section against the tree. If the bottom slips while disengaging the top, you going for a ride tethered or not thus the importance of the safety rope or strap.

ORIGINAL: S-10

I haven't used climbers for 20 years. I had an old Baker come out from under me that laid me up awhile and twice had a Loggy rope get set so I couldn't get it undone and had to shinney down the tree and come back with an extension ladder. It's been hang on's and either screw in steps or tie on's depending on the tree and/or landowners wishes. I really like the climbing sticks I got last year and will start to do away with the steps. They have their drawbacks also.

Some of my sets I use sticks. I've tried a lot of them and found the Lone Wolf to be my favorite.I have also had the old Bakers and Org Loggys slip on me also. Today I use Summit and Lonewolf climbers. Wolfs are a little lighter and Summits a little more comfy for long sits.

rg..

the local WCO would just love to see me with a nail in one of his tress....