NYBowhunter.com

Agloves - The Touchscreen Hunting Glove [PRODUCT REVIEW]

2013-05-13T08:30:00.000-04:00

PROS: Allows you to use a smart phone while hunting just as you would if you weren't wearing gloves, form fitting fingers allow for good dexterity, only glove I've ever been able to wear while hunting and still be able to text, silver through out entire glove also kills bacteria to help minimize human odor, works all season long (I tested from early September hunts through late December hunts with no issues).

CONS: Not really designed for hunting and can not handle the repeated abuse of being in the woods, for example, climbing trees, walking through brush, climbing over rocks and fallen trees. Mine lasted an entire deer season and only started not working as well after 4 months of repeated use.

MSRP: $24.99

Last fall I was contacted by Agloves to try out a pair of their touchscreen gloves. Unlike other touchscreen gloves that have a small patch of silver sewn to the fingertips of two or three fingers, Agloves uses a silver thread throughout the glove to make the first 10-finger touch screen gloves.

My first impression when I received my pair of Agloves was that these weren't going to make it through the hunting season. The gloves are full knit which makes them easy to snag on brush and wear with repeated treestand use in the deer woods. Surprisingly, however, these glove lasted the entire season finishing with a few small holes and some wear around the thumbs.

Using these gloves when on stand to take pictures with my smart phone, text my hunting partners and keep track of the weather was super easy. It was effortless to use my phone with these gloves on and keep everyone on the NYBowhunter.com Facebook page up to date on my hunts as they happened.

I was really impressed by these gloves. They gloves stretch to fit your hand allowing for increased dexterity which allows you to do things like hook your release to your bow and find items buried in the bottom of your pack.

After four long months of bowhunting with these gloves I was very impressed with how they worked. The only downside was they're not made to handle the abuse of being in the woods. Repeatedly using these gloves to climb up to my treestand eventually led to a few holes in the gloves and a loss of touchscreen control in the thumbs which I believe is from wear on the silver thread in these areas. Most likely it broke from repeated use and that's why it's no longer easy to type on my smart phone with my thumbs.

Overall, I'd recommend giving these gloves a try. It's so much easier to use a glove that's designed to be used with a smart phone than have to keep taking your old gloves on and off to use your phone. Gone are the days of taking off your glove to use your smart phone and watching as your glove falls off you lap and lands twenty feet below your tree stand!

Deer Management Program Proposed in Rye

2013-04-19T12:26:00.000-04:00

Following the success of the deer management programs around Westchester County, Rye is the latest town to propose a management program. It's estimated that there are 52 to 55 deer per quarter square mile at the Marshlands Conservancy in Rye. With the population this outside of the carrying capacity of the land it's necessary to start controlling the deer population.

As we've seen in other parks, the program works and deer number balance out after the first few years of a program. Here's an article on the Deer Management Program in Rye.

Be sure to read the comments at the end. There's a lot of residents with strong opinions on hunting in general. Not surprisingly many of these people just don't understand hunting or how these hunt programs work.

The Forgotten Trail Cam

2013-04-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

Just in case you didn't miss deer season enough, here's a few pictures I got from one of our reader's Chris at the end of last season.

During hurricane Sandy Chris' ladder stand and tree had become victims of Sandy and were lying on the ground. Instead of taking the stand and moving it to another location, Chris decided to come back at the end of the season to get the stand.

For the remainder of the season, Chris hunted a few other stands and ended up with a nice eight pointer.

Chris forgot about a trail camera he placed early in the season out in Suffolk County and when he finally checked the camera he was surprised to find two big whitetails that made it through the season - a wide six pointer and a super nice ten pointer.

There were 868 pictures on the camera and many of the pictures were from days when Chris was hunting another stand just 150 yards away. Sometimes that's how hunting goes, but at least Chris will have something to look forward to next fall!

Why Deer Antlers are a Hunter's Best Friend

2013-04-11T22:44:00.000-04:00

Antlers are the first thing most hunters think of when it comes to deer. For decades, hunters have gone out into the wilderness to hunt deer. The majority of them love the venison they will bring home after a successful hunt. However, as the sport of deer hunting has grown over the years, and deer populations are thriving, more hunters are being driven by an opportunity to bring home a buck they can put in the record books. Man caves across the country are featuring big bucks on their walls as trophies of the sport they love. Serious hunters go as far as managing parcels of land with the specific goal of growing big bucks, with big antlers. It has become an obsession by many in more ways than one.

The obsession doesn't stop when hunting season is over either. Once the season closes, many hunters keep trail cameras out, and wait to see when the bucks on their property have shed their antlers. Shed hunting has become a sport of its own. If a hunter has missed out on a big buck he knew was on his property during deer season, it can be a painful experience. All of the effort and time some use to hunt a specific deer can be heart breaking at the end of the season if unable to bring him home. So the next best thing is to go out, and hopefully find that deers antlers once they've dropped. The antlers become a trophy themselves, and most hunters will be ecstatic when they find them. Another reason that hunters look for sheds is to get a good idea of the age and size of deer on there property. This comes back to deer management. By collecting the sheds, they will have an idea of how many bucks are on the property, and which of them will be mature enough the following year to put on the “hit list”.

There are other reason for collecting shed antlers that don’t just attract hunters. Many people like to give them to their dogs to chew on. We all know that dogs love to chew on stuff. Sticks, raw hides, bones.. The problem with most of those things is they don’t last very long. Deer antlers on the other hand, last much longer than the conventional chew toys. It may take a dog over a year to diminish a deer antler. Another use for antlers is to sell. The price of deer antlers has been steadily rising and you could say, have become a hot commodity. People buy antlers to make knives and silverware with, to cut up and sell as dog bones, or even to make things like lamps, and chandeliers. I've seen sets of antlers go for hundreds of dollars online.

Overall, there are many uses for deer antlers. They are wonderful trophies and are a key part of any deer management plan. Deer antlers are also great chew toys for dogs, and make a number of other decorative household items. It's no wonder that deer antlers are a hunter's best friend.

Jeff Stevens is a writer for the hunting and fishing site Hunter's Guide. He loves to hunt, fish, and experience all things outdoors. Jeff recently wrote an article about Deer antler growth.

Nikon Archer's Choice MAX Rangefinder [PRODUCT REVIEW]

2013-03-07T23:20:00.001-05:00

PROS: 0.1 yard increment readings, 200 yard ranging capability, easy to use, one handed operation, quickly acquires target, distance is compensated for angle +/- 89 degrees, rubberized finish, waterproof, fogproof

CONS: the backlight turns on automatically in lowlight conditions and cannot be controlled or adjusted for brightness

MSRP: $349.95

Rangefinders are essential pieces of bowhunting equipment and I’ve been using Nikon’s Archer’s Choice MAX rangefinder for the last two seasons. It’s a tool that's earned my trust and rely on my Nikon to make an ethical shot and a quick clean kill while bowhunting. With the Archer’s Choice MAX I can quickly and easily range my intended target from 5 to 200 yards in 1/10th increments. You can even hold down the range button and continuously range an animal as it moves - how cool is that!

The big thing with today's rangefinders are their angle compensating technology. Nikon’s ID Technology compensates for various incline or decline shooting angles, up to +/- 89 degrees. It's extremely helpful for hunters out west, but don't over look its importance if you're a treestand hunter. I'm routinely in a treestand 25 feet off the ground in hilly terrain which exaggerates the already steep angles from my treestand to the deer below me. This is where the Nikon Archer’s Choice MAX and its ID Technology really shine.

If you're familiar with Nikon’s binoculars, then you'll feel right at home with the Archer’s Choice MAX. The rangefinder is finished with a rubberized coating for a non-slip grip regardless of weather conditions. I find this especially useful for those early season hunts in the rain. If you hunt late season, and I'm talking late December into January when the temperatures really drop, any sound you make travels farther. The rubberized coating deadens any noise should anything come in contact with the rangefinder.

What you won't find on any other rangefinder is the unique neoprene carrying case that comes with Nikon's Archer's Choice MAX. The soft case provides a protective cover for the rangefinder body as well as a quiet magnetic front flap for protecting the optics from dirt and scratches. The front flap is great because I’m always moving around my rangefinder and without a cover for the glass I’m sure I'd find a way to scratch the lens. On the other hand, if front flap bothers you, just unsnap the it and put it in your pocket. With an adjustable shoulder strap, it's easy to keep the rangefinder close and slide out of the way as that big whitetail works his way in.

There is one feature that Nikon had good intentions with, but slightly missed the mark on and that's the automatic backlight in low light conditions. The first version of the Archer’s Choice had black text on the screen when you ranged an object. The downside to the black text was at dawn and dusk the lowlight conditions made it hard to read the rangefinder. Nikon's new automatic backlight was supposed to solve this problem by illuminating the display with red text for easy visibility, but a new issue came along with the illuminated display.

With no brightness control, the illuminated display washes out what you're ranging making it difficult at best to be see what you’re actually ranging. I found there were times right after daybreak and before dusk when the illuminated display came on, but was not yet needed.

Weighing the pros and cons of the Nikon Archer’s Choice MAX I still can't argue it's quality and ease of use. It's rangefinder that's great for any bowhunting situation and it's saved me in a few instances from both the deer stand and the turkey blind.

Muddy Bloodsport Hang On [PRODUCT REVIEW]

2013-02-28T22:51:00.001-05:00

Back in January 2011 I met up with the crew from Muddy Outdoors at the ATA Show in Indianapolis where they unveiled the new Bloodsport hang-on stand and from that day on I wanted one.

I counted down the days until the Bloodsport would ship and probably called Chad from Muddy more times than he'd like to admit! Just a few days after the season had started in Connecticut my Bloodsport stands had arrived. Out of the box the stand required a minimal amount of assembly which consisted of attaching the tree bracket to the back of the stand and sliding the waterproof foam seat on to the metal frame - that was it.

Last season I hunted from a Muddy Hunter Pro hang-on stand so I was familiar with the set up and quality of the stands. The Bloosport is basically the exact same stand as the Hunter Pro with a different attachment system. Like Muddy's Climbing Sticks, the Bloodsport utilizes a rope and cam system to securely attach to the tree.

My first time using the Bloodsport was actually on a hunt the very next morning after it arrived. With the Bloodsport on my back I headed to the area I wanted to hunt and hung the Bloodsport while I was 20 feet up in the tree hanging by my lineman's rope in the dark (I'd strongly recommend you hang the stand during the day prior to using it so you're familiar with how it works).

The Bloodsport was super easy to hang and very quiet to set up. I did make some noise while hanging the stand, but nothing like I normally would when using the ratchet strap from the Hunter Pro. The noise mainly came from two metal covers that rotate over the cams to prevent the rope from accidentally being knocked out of the cams while you're on the stand. Personally, I don't think these cam covers are necessary after tying a knot with the tag end of the rope to prevent it from coming loose (otherwise they'd probably be on the climbing sticks as well), but they do provide an additional layer of safety and security for the hunter.

In 2011 I took three Bloodsports with me to Kansas for my 10-day DIY bowhunt for whitetails on public land. I think I spend more time scouting and hanging stands and cameras than anything else, but the Bloodsport and Muddy Climbing Sticks made the work easy. I carried a few screw in steps because I like to climb big gnarly trees with multiple trunks so I can stay hidden on stand, but I never needed more than four screw in steps before being able to use my climbing sticks. It took me a little while to adjust to hunting from a treestand in Kansas because the woods were just totally different and I couldn't climb as high as I normally do in New York. As such, there were several times when I hung a stand, climbed onto it and then realized I had to drop the stand a foot or so. The rope and cam system made these minor adjustments super easy and very quick to accomplish.

I've beat these stands up, put them to use in all sorts of trees and they haven't let me down a single time. I've actually sold my climber since purchasing the Bloodsport because this is the ultimate stand for the mobile hunter. No longer do I have to search for a straight tree that's not too big so I can get 20 feet up with my climber, now I can hunt in any tree I want. The Bloodsport also allows you to tuck yourself into trees with multiple trunks and large branches to help break up your outline so the deer don't pick you out.

Now that I've shared my experiences with the Bloodsport with you, let's get down to the details. The Bloodsport shares the same 26" x 20" platform as the Hunter Pro and weighs in at a mere 10 1/2 pounds. The rope system quickly and quietly gets the stand secured tightly to the tree for a rock solid and quiet platform for the hunter. Additionally, the ropes double as backpack straps making packing the stand in a breeze.

2012 WCBA Big Buck Contest

2013-01-22T08:44:00.000-05:00

Each winter the Westchester County Bowhunters Association holds a big buck contest to showcase some of the clubs largest whitetails from the season. There are prizes for the top three bucks as well as the largest doe by weight.

This year was a strange year in the woods and conditions were tough. With no acorns beginning to feel like the norm, the deer seem to hold to routines less as their food sources are constantly changing. We've also noticed that the deer started feeding on less preferred late season browse earlier in the season this year.

The 2012 WCBA Big Buck Contest had several nice whitetails including The Conye Buck (shoulder mount in the first picture) we did a story on earlier this year and one of my customers from Skull Cleaning NY (pictured above).

There were several great bucks that came in this year despite the tough hunting conditions. They scored in the 120s and 130s which is great for this part of New York.

If you'd like to enter the 2013 WCBA Big Buck Contest head over to their website and become a member. You will be mailed an entry form before the 2013 bowseason begins and if you're lucky enough to cross paths with a big whitetail you can bring it in to next year's winter meeting to get officially scored.

From Trail Cam to the Wall

2013-01-15T08:11:00.000-05:00

On November 16th BJ Macri was bowhunting in Westchester County in the same area where he took a nice 10-point whitetail the previous season. Macri first learned of the buck from a trail cam photo on October 13th, but Macri didn't cross paths with the buck until hurricane Sandy had passed.

The morning after Sandy, Macri had a lot of trouble getting to his tree. The fallen trees and limbs that littered the woods forced Macri to walk to his stand another way. As he came up to his tree, Macri jumped the big 8-pointer bedded down just 5-yards from his stand.

Macri was frustrated with the encounter, but he knew it meant the buck would be back. Fast forward to November 16th. Macri hunted the morning and it was the foggiest day he ever hunted. Around 9:30am Macri saw a buck coming down the trail and as the buck got closer Macri realized he was a non-typical 6-pointer cruising for does. That would be the last deer of the morning and Macri would return for an afternoon hunt.

Later that afternoon Macri was back in the stand just before 2:00pm and started rattling and grunting with no response. It was around 3:30pm when Macri saw a big rack working its way through a swamp about 200 yards away. Macri grabbed his grunt tube and let out a few grunts to try and bring the buck in, but there was no response. He then went for his rattle bag and as soon as he began the rattling sequence the buck stopped dead in his tracks. The buck walked towards an opening in the stone wall and then turned towards Macri slowly working his way in.

When the buck closed the distance to 35-yards, Macri only had one small window to make the shot. Macri came to full draw and as soon as the buck entered the shooting window he let the arrow fly. The buck was slightly quartering away and only made it 40-yards before going down. The buck scored 127 1/8" gross and was 187-pounds field dressed.

The Wekerle Buck

2013-01-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Paul Wekerle was hunting in Suffolk County on November 6th when this buck came in downwind and caught him completely off guard. The buck stood 25-yards away sniffing an estrous scent wick Wekerle had put out that morning. As the buck began walking away, Wekerle picked up his can call and a grunt tube and did a series of bleats and tending grunts. With no response from the buck, Wekerle tried a snort-wheeze and the buck snapped his head around and started to turn. The buck just stood there licking his nose and looking back in Wekerle's direction. Then the buck turned away and slowly walked off. Wekerle watched as the buck of his dreams disappeared back into the woods.

About an hour later Wekerle glanced over to where he saw the buck disappear and there he was. The buck had had bedded down just out of sight, probably waiting for a doe. Wekerle knew the buck would take the same trail out that he took in. He immediately got into position. As the buck stepped into one of his shooting lanes, Wekerle stopped the buck and let the arrow fly at 25-yards. The buck didn't make it 80-yards before going down. Wekerle's buck was aged at 4.5 years old, dressed out at 155 pounds and gross scored 135".

A Buck to Remember

2012-12-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

This was a hunt I wish I was able to be a part of, but I was out of town. My brother really got into bowhunting this year (it's about time!) and it only took a few sits for him to get his first buck down, then his second buck. After that Derek was able to pick up a few of his own hunting properties, do some serious scouting and go after a really big buck on his own. For someone's first season of bowhunting, I'd say he's pretty lucky!

Here's Derek's story in his own words:

After checking my cameras I was excited to see a big buck had been coming around during daylight hours. I made an effort to be in those woods as much as I could. On my third trip out, it all came together. This particular morning had more deer activity than most other days I've had this year with sightings of four does and three bucks.

At 7:45am I had the does and a young 8pt in and out of shooting range behind me and decided to just sit and watch them as my only intention was to get a shot at the big buck I had seen on camera. I got my binoculars out to check out the buck but couldn’t get a good view. As I turned back around I saw a deer in the distance walking my way. I immediately saw the size of the rack and knew it had to be the big buck. He came in cautiously, closing the gap between him and I. After a long pause behind some thick brush he stepped out into an opening at 32 yards broadside to me. I let my arrow fly.

I came down from my tree a couple hours later and found my arrow covered green. I believe my arrow was deflected off a branch I had not seen due to tunnel vision. Knowing I hit the guts I quietly backed out and called Marc Niad of Deer Search. He met me after work at 7:45 pm and we began tracking with his dog, Dakota. At 9:00 pm we found my deer, nearly 400-yards from where I shot him. I would have never found this buck without their hard work. Mike is a great guy and gave an honest effort from start to finish. It was a day I will always remember.

The Woznick Buck

2012-12-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

It was coming down to last light Tylor Woznick had already made the decision to take this buck if given the opportunity. As the buck closed the distance Woznick got ready and once the buck entered a shooting window at 27 yards it was time to draw back. Woznick took a deep breath and let the arrow fly. The buck was hit hard, but a little low. Woznick, however, was confident in his shot. Time was not on his side. Although the blood trail was decent, there was little light left to track the deer and Woznick decided to leave the buck overnight and pick up the trail in the morning.

The next morning Woznick was able to pick up the trail. Lots of blood lead to little blood and now Woznick was over 350 yards from the stand where he shot the buck. It was time to bring in some help. Woznick's brother and his friend joined in on the search and not long into the search Woznick's brother literally stumbled over the buck. Unexpectedly, the buck rose to its feet and walked off. Unfortunately, Woznick didn't have his bow and had to head back to the truck to grab it. With his bow now in hand, Woznick picked up the blood trail and finally found the deer again. Sneaking within 5 yards, Woznick carefully settled the pin and released a second arrow. This time the arrow hit its mark and the buck was down after a short 35 yard run.

Two November Whitetails

2012-12-25T21:55:00.002-05:00

Mike had been hunting hard since October 1st passing up numerous nice bucks along the way in search of one of his four target bucks. November 11th was a calm cold morning, but there was not much action happening. Around 9:00 am a really nice 8 pointer came down a run Mike knew the bucks had been using.

The buck came with in 15 yards of Mike's stand by he elected to pass knowing the buck wasn't one of the hit listers. Not more than fifteen minutes later Mike looked up to his right and on the same run came a beautiful tall tined 8 pointer that Mike had trail camera pictures of in September. The buck headed straight for Mike and turned broadside at 25 yards. Mike drew without being noticed and took his time. The arrow tipped with a NAP Killzone broadhead hit its mark and the buck only went 40 yards and piled up.

On November 30th Mike planned on heading to his stand straight from his night shift, but with the full moon shining bright, he decided to sleep in and go into the woods around 10:00am. On the walk to the stand Mike ended up jumping four different bucks in some thick brush. Mike quickly got down and took out his binoculars to check out what bucks he had jumped. There were four different 8 pointers including the big wide eight that was at the top of Mike's hit list. Mike stayed extremely still and after a few the bucks settled down and began to feed in the thick cover, Mike decided to try and make a stalk on the monster buck.

Mike stalked within about 40 yards and lost the bucks when suddenly he heard two bucks cracking antlers - it was the big buck and a smaller eight. The big buck ran the other buck off showing his dominance. Once Mike saw this he immediately did a very aggressive snort wheeze and the buck turned and walked within 10 yards of Mike while he was on the ground at full draw. Mike, however, could not shoot through the overly thick brush between him and the buck. The big eight finally circled and ran out to about 50 yards. Mike put the pin on him and slipped the arrow through a small window and put a solid hit on the buck. Mike found the buck within 100 yards and had taken the number one buck on his hit list.

Wide Eight Pointer from Connecticut

2012-12-22T08:30:00.000-05:00

It's been a tough season this year for many of us. It was no different for my father who was hunting Connecticut this fall. On an early morning hunt during the last week of November this wide 8 pointer made its way in around 7:10 am. A double lung shot put the deer down within 50 yards, but it died in a creek which made for a not so fun recovery.

The Zane Buck

2012-12-21T11:33:00.003-05:00

Twenty year old Joe Zane has been bowhunting for three years now and on November 28th crossed paths with a dandy 8-pointer. The buck came in from seventy-yards away trailing a group of does. Zane gave the buck two quick grunts and he came in just enough for Zane to deliver an arrow through the deer at forty-five yards. The buck sprinted another 30 yards to his final resting place.

Bowhunting the Rut for Big Bucks

2012-12-21T11:21:00.001-05:00

Jonathan Mule was hunting on the evening of November 10, 2012. He made his way to the stand early that afternoon to avoid jumping any deer. Mule climbed up a tree in natural funnel and was settled in by 2:00 pm. Around 3:30pm Mule caught movement out of the corner of his eye and watched as an eight pointer scent checked a doe bedding area.

Mule grabbed his bow very carefully. He watched as the buck walked perfectly broadside in front of his stand and then began to walk slightly quartering away. As soon as the buck started walking away, Mule drew back his bow and sent the Grim Reaper broadhead on its way and the buck went down in sight.

Last Minute Monster

2012-12-04T22:07:00.000-05:00

Ken had put his time in this year. He was hunting four spots hard, but having little luck crossing paths with a big buck. Ken planned to take Thanksgiving morning off from hunting so he could relax and get ready for the long day with family ahead, but the weather was just too perfect to sit inside. Just past 9:00am Ken left his house and headed to his nearby hunting ground. Just as he got set up in the tree a doe starts closing the distance. The doe worked her way into 40-yards and spending the next half hour feeding around Ken's stand. Ken let out a few bleats with his can call and misted the air with some scent.

"All of a sudden movement catches my eye uphill and to my left just beyond a rock wall," said Ken. "I look through the binoculars and all i can see are antlers bobbing towards me!"

Ken would have to get the buck to cross the stone wall and work its way closer to his stand. "I'm freaking out and grab my grunt call to get his attention," said Ken. "I give him three grunts and see he hears me. He keeps coming closer and i tell myself I have to really get his interest when he gets to a known opening in the wall and hopefully he will come closer down the hillside. So when he gets there I give two short, loud grunts and sure enough he turns down to me!"

The buck was committed and headed towards Ken's stand at a steady pace. Another stone wall closer to Ken's stand forced the buck to turn broadside and as the buck made his way through an opening in the stone wall, Ken came to full draw. Just then the buck noticed the doe that was still feeding just 40-yards away. The buck picked up its pace and headed for the doe.

As the buck entered an opening 30-yards away, Ken made a bleat sound to stop the buck. With the buck broadside at 30-yards Ken tried to settle the pin while shaking like a leaf. The shot was good, but the buck barely got startled, started quickly walking away and eventually disappearing in the brush.

Ken waiting a half hour before climbing down and looking for the buck. His father had made it over to the spot to help with the recovery and as they walk to where the buck was last standing there was blood all over the ground.

Just past a small patch of cover Ken saw his buck lying on the ground. "I finally walk up to my deer and wrap my hands around the antlers, which are massive and go to lift his head up and see just how huge this old beast was," said Ken. "The neck was so swelled and so heavy it didn't even look like a neck!"

Ken and his dad shared a range of emotions, hugged and just stood there (Ken still shaking like a leaf) looking at the buck for a while in disbelief. It was an unbelievable moment that Ken says he will never forget.

Ken's giant 8-pointer green scored at 134 inches and is the biggest deer Ken has taken.

Orange County Eight Pointer

2012-12-03T09:01:00.000-05:00

Earlier this year, Salvatore Prestigiacomo purchased property in Orange County with the intentions of creating a hunting club for family and friends. Sal wanted to manage the land to become a whitetail heaven, but after years of hunting on Long Island exclusively, Sal was reluctant to take the bow upstate because he didn't think he would see the same quality of whitetails the he normally saw in Long Island.

On November 4th, 2012 Sal was hunting his property in Orange County when a brute showed up. The buck was headed towards Sal, but stopped at 40-yards because something just wasn't right. As the buck turned to walk away, Sal had an opening that would give him a 44-yard shot. With the buck slightly quartering away, Sal took the shot and the arrow hit its mark. The big 8-pointer was comparable to what Sal was used to seeing on Long Island and he said, "I am extremely proud of this buck because it represents a great beginning of what I hope to be many years of hunting with my family and friends in Orange County, New York!"

Congrats to Sal on a great buck and lots of luck in building your whitetail paradise!

The LeMon Buck

2012-11-28T23:13:00.003-05:00

On November 6th, Robert LeMon was able to get out of work early and head to the woods for the last 2 hours of day light. LeMon made his way in to the woods and when he kicked up a small buck just 70 yards from his stand. As the sun started to set, LeMon heard some movement out to his left.

Six does were making their way up the hill to a nearby field. Shortly after, LeMon then turned his head and saw some movement in the brush in front of his stand. LeMon kept his eye on the brush and watched as a rack popped up above the brush. LeMon grunted at the buck and after the third grunt the buck stopped 30-yards out and began to make a scrape. While the buck was occupied, LeMon drew back on the buck and was able to make the shot.

LeMon's 7-pointer was a heavyweight buck tipping the scales at almost 200 pounds. LeMon was hunting in the town of East Fishkill in Dutchess County when he arrowed this nice buck.

The Tellone Buck - A Giant Long Island 8-Pointer

2012-11-28T22:43:00.004-05:00

On November 3rd, Greg Tellone was hunting on the east end of Long Island when this giant 8-pointer walked past Tellone's stand. After 20-years of hunting Tellone finally had a shot at a monster buck and was able to put the beast down at 6:45 am.

The buck weighed a whopping 232 pounds and unofficially scored 171" with 25 4/8" main beams and 14 4/8" G2s.

The Randazzo Buck - A Westchester County 10 Pointer

2012-11-18T22:25:00.001-05:00

My good friend Joe Randazzo sent me this picture last week of a great 10-point whitetail he took in Westchester County. Randazzo had watched this buck over the last few seasons, but the buck wasn't getting any bigger. This year when the buck gave Randazzo the opportunity, he took the shot and put the big whitetail down. Congrats to Joe on this awesome Westchester whitetail.

Archer Kills Ulster County Buck with Stone Arrowhead

2012-11-18T22:16:00.002-05:00

Glenn Smith killed this 10-point whitetail in Ulster County on November 11th using a handmade stone point. Smith's arrowhead was a keokuk hafted Susquehanna style point and it successfully put down the big bodied whitetail. Is anyone else using stone arrowheads these days?

The Janes Buck - 154" Whitetail

2012-11-18T22:04:00.000-05:00

Twenty-two year old Chris Janes hasn't been hunting for many years, but is having a great season so far. On November 3rd, just after first light, Janes had a doe coming straight to his stand. As he looked further behind her Janes noticed a big buck trailing behind. Janes slowly and carefully positioned himself as the doe stopped about within 20 yards of his stand.

As the buck came up behind her, Janes realized he was about to see nature at its finest. Janes watched as the buck mounted the doe and hoped the genetics from the bruiser would be passed down to future whitetail generations. As the buck dismounted Janes drew his bow back and waited for the buck to take one last step.

With the pin settled on the buck, Janes let the arrow fly and dropped the buck in its tracks. The buck has 11 scorable points with an inside spread of 20 4/8 inches and a green score of 154 inches. Congrats to Janes on an awesome whitetail.

The Herbert Buck - Suffolk County Whitetail

2012-11-18T21:28:00.001-05:00

Gunnar Herbert took this great Suffolk County buck on Friday, November 7th. It was a cool morning and Herbert was off from school due to post-hurricane Sandy damages. Herbert's brother invited him out east for a morning hunt.

Around 10a.m. Herbert was bummed as he didn't see a deer all morning. Then out of the heavy brush came a big buck. The buck trotted in right to Herbert's blind and Herbert stopped the buck dead in his tracks at 10 yards.

Herbert was able to make a perfect shot on the whitetail and it was down for the count after 70 yards. "I couldn't help but scream after i saw him drop," said Herbert, "What a rush!"

Tall Tined Long Island Eight Pointer

2012-11-07T20:13:00.002-05:00

One of the NYB Forum member just posted this awesome Long Island eight pointer that was taken on November 5th. This is an incredible buck with really good tine length. It looks like both the G2s and G3s on this buck are over twelve inches in length. What do you think this buck scores? Let us know in the comments below.

Giant Suffolk County 11-Pointer

2012-11-04T21:34:00.001-05:00

Jaret recently sent in these trail camera pictures of an awesome Suffolk County 11-pointer that's been showing up on his hunting ground.

These night time pictures show all the tines clearly and this buck has a lot of them. It's obviously an older class animal and his neck is already huge in anticipation for the rut.

Hopefully Jaret can connect with this buck soon before he leaves the area in search of does. This buck will probably gross score high 130s or possibly even 140s. What do you think he scores?