Rich - I never use trail cams and search my properties, the old school ways-think targeting  one is fun and makes the hunt  for me.
Looking for large rubs in late winter before foliage hides them, look to see if smaller rubs were in the same area the year before, look for a nearby summer feeding area and scout in with the least intrusion  basically using field glasses from afar and watching horn growth and looking for the donkey lol.
 Locate bedding and travel routs and set up a couple of large ground blinds ( over head high with cover) very early along a couple of those routes near bedding.
Remembering that as the rut comes on he may travel far from home so not to get too itchy and just shoot anything.
Often have taken HIM very late season after second rut when he comes back home.
Some years will pass without HIM and some will take an eater elsewhere- something have a couple of shooters on different places and score twice in different seasons ( we can get up to 14 permits- several for bucks)
Its beyond a sport but is a lifestyle-  starting to get to the point -age and ability where  really gotta cut back --ahhh the memories  lol.
Think we are similar predtors in slightly different ways- more in common than not.
Might be the Native American in both of us.

One of my places here in Ct is 60 away and another 45-worth it for biguns lol.
 
Used to have 850 ac right out my back door- all pvt with few if anyone else there legal- all mountain deer.
Thats when ridge walking was best-walk the top and go peek down or have a natural blind over known bedding areas- generally in tight hemlock or cedar groves on the small hillside flats.
When ya stayed above them breeze generally took your  your scent up.
Bedding areas were pretty consistent year to year though and lanes to them were worth a good blind.
Totally different deer that don't go to crops. Move to different food sources-a very different hunt.
Its all great.

Had a flock of Turkey and two flatheads in front of me late yesterday-passed on the flats.
With rain forecast Mon and Tues later today is my last hunt for the year.
Wont pass lol.

Zip tonight-
Close neighbor musta got a new semi and LOTS of clips and rounds.
Started bout 3 and hardly stopped till after shooting time.
That could be the reason orrrrr maybe I gotta get a new place to hunt lol.

Rich,same here and "ditch chickens" is a good name for them.The state stocks them here also,but they don't count as I remember the "wild" birds and there is no comparison!Another reason I don't hunt any more.

I would think happy valley and little John get stockings. Its pretty decent small game lands and one reason I'd like to own a peice of Oswego county

With all the cornfield habitat surrounding, I'm pretty sure they are around up there.

I'm up in that area a LOT in the spring and summer.  There are no farms right around Little John, and mostly pasture in the nearby ones.  You are almost to Lacona on County RT 15 before you see any corn stubble in the fields, and onto the lake plain before you hit the big dairies that grow a lot of feed corn.  Grouse and Snowshoes, and the grouse are way down and the bunnies have been scarce for a while.  As many say here, too many 'yotes. 

I've never explored any of those management areas so I can't speak from experience. They are on my bucket list of short trips with lots time on my side.
Just figured given the vast sizes and horse and buggy near by there's got to be some habitat surrounding.

A friend of mine went pheasant hunting on a private preserve 2 days ago. They had a blast and took many photos of birds of pay.
Not really my idea of fun stuff

This is a pay to play place near Westchester co.
Not my digs to set birds and let dog flush ditch chickens.

Finished projects

That brought back memories of Mom showing me how to whittle, file and sand a LOOOOOONG time ago.  Dad had the mechanical and woodworking skills of a walnut, but there was never an unpaid bill.    

Fun stuff when you get a call while at work that your roof is blowing off your house.
Contacted a contractor who met me here when I got home and new roof starts tomorrow. Just in time for winter

Jack I'm sorry to hear and hope your back to dancing for cold weather ice for me. Haven't been out at all in 2020 . Too warm and don't feel like traveling north.

We did get some fun stuff last weekend in Saratoga during the snowstorm.
A fantastic band played our heart of town until 1:30 am.
They are heading to buffalo and Syracuse feb 27 and 28th. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.
EVERYONE ORCHESTRA !!
Cheap tickets and it's a revolving orchestra of top notch musicians led by a conductor who totally does improvisations of music.
Anyway, it's a real good time.. L-13 .
Got another big score with tickets to the Lukas Nelson tour. All small old theater venues of max capacity 1,000 less.
Front row center and first ticket buyer April 13th academy of music Northampton, mass. Next night trucking to Columbus theater providence ri, 5th row center 3 days later down towards the city at Capitol theater for a general admission show.
Maybe this time I can get on Willie's bus, lol.
Gonna be a week of fun stuff for sure.

Tomorrow night, local live music. Saturday meeting friends on local ice . Hopefully the perch pillage.

This has been a strange winter,10 days ago it was 60+ F,then the bottom dropped out and 30 was a warm day,now it seems we're going to get some"NORMAL" temps ,what ever that is:).Word is that the ice cover on the Great Lakes is the lowest in years,look out for some ball busting "lake affect" coming to the places that get those storms.Rich there is a cold weather dance for some ice to fish on.