Wednesday, August 20, 2014

The NY State Hunting Seasons Are Almost Upon Us

This coming license season is from September 1, 2014 through August 31, 2015 as opposed to years past in which the license year ran from October 1 through September 30th. That is an improvement because to hunt gray squirrels, for which the season still begins on Sept. 1st, one does not need last year's license. Other parts of the new license rules here in NY seem totally screwed up to me and why they changed the purchase system as well as deleted the Sportsman's License (hunting and fishing combined) and Super Sportsman is beyond me. The fishing license has to be printed immediately after purchase and now is a piece of computer paper from my home printer with less than waterproof ink; this state is screwed up or should I say the bureaucrats in NY are such.
 
Anyway, the seasons will start soon. Squirrel season, as I said on September 1st, many other small game seasons in October and regular deer and bear in November. With all that in mind, and since I have not gone upstate for even a single day trip so far this summer, I am long overdue for a scouting trip. Once again, Brendan and I will probably hunt NY State public land; although, he can also hunt private land owned by his girlfriend's parents. Lucky him. Unlucky for him was that he did not get a deer management permit (doe permit) for the area where their property lies. We did get three others between us, two of them closer to home than usual. I will be heading out tomorrow to scout out at least one of those areas and maybe to at least find the other one. I am already somewhat familiar with the one I will scout and the other is totally new to me so I may just do a drive by for now to see where it is and how easy it is to find.
 
I've got my day pack stuffed with gear I usually carry when hiking - not that I usually go hiking but when I do I want to be prepared. I figure I could live off of what is in it for at least a few days if something happens to me and I get stuck in the woods. Chances are though that would not be for long where in NY I plan to scout as someone would likely find me within a day or two at most. Anyway, I am happy to be going to get out and do something I will truly enjoy. Have been in a bit of a funk lately and need the change in pace.
 
If I am lucky, I may get a chance to op a shot at a few red squirrels, chipmunks and or woodchucks. The woodchuck would wind up as table fare, so too might the red squirrels depending on whether or not they look big enough to bother with and as for any chipmunks, they will make good snake food for my ball python. It would be great getting an 8-10 pound woodchuck for the smoker or BBQ. Hunting small game aside, it sure would be nice if I get to see some deer sign. Last time we were at this particular place, we saw some deer but did not get a shot. We sure got eaten alive by ticks though; as I recall, it was soon after that when I came down with my second bout of Lyme Disease. So, I am bringing some 99% deet with me tomorrow and will anoint myself thoroughly with it.
 
I may also get in some frogging if the pond on that tract of land looks to have any bullfrogs. Yummy, frogs legs are delicious but you need some big frogs to make it worthwhile. If I also happen to see a snapping turtle in the shallows and can get off a safe shot, I may try bagging one of them too - snapping turtle soup is to die for and I have not had any in years.
 
If all goes well tomorrow, I may do this at least once or twice per week right up through firearms deer season in November - that is taking scouting trips. The hiking I would do can only help lower my blood pressure while getting me in shape for hunting season. Who knows, I may lose a few pounds while at it. It's bout a couple of hours drive each way but I might be able to stand that a couple of times each way every week. Time will tell if I do it or not, so too will the results of my first scouting trip of the year. There are a few places closer to home but that mean closer to NYC. They probably would tend to be crowded with more hunters and hikers and horseback riders and bicyclists and whomever else, even during hunting season, than my first choice that is a bit further. If I get lucky though, I may find something suitable closer than a 2 hour drive. If not and if the first choice also stinks, I have a 3 1/2 hour drive to up near where my uncle owned his farm. At least I know the lay of the state forest there, the problem with that is that I have never gotten a deer there except on the farm when he owned it. Not once in many years have I connected on the state land. Plenty of time between now and hunting season though for me to find a place to hunt.

Edited to add: Well so much for tomorrow, my uncle - the one who owned the farm - is arriving from Florida tomorrow. Nice of him to remind my muddled middle age little gray cells at the last minute but better then than never. Maybe Ill go upstate wih him over the weekend.
 
All the best,
Glenn B



 

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