It's funny when we get threads like these because it just goes to show that WHERE you hunt has a lot to do with how you view hunting in general.

I am not saying 1 1/2 year old bucks aren't easy to kill around here just to argue with someone........They really aren't........not where I hunt anyways. If they were I would agree 100% I'm sure in places where guys lay off the smaller bucks and they aren't running for their life 24/7 it may be different.....I just don't hunt in places like that so all I can offer is my personal experience and opinion.

On to my point about land.

I hunted a small farm this year with my bow and saw MANY deer. No wall hangers but that is not something I lose sleep over. I was thrilled with the deer numbers and sightings at first and then I killed a 6 pt and saw 4 more bucks 2 days after that (3 I could have killed)........during that day on my stand I actually thought to myself that "This is too easy" I hunted much of the remainder of the archery season on state lands and saw NOTHING. Not one deer and I hunted the entire rut in a couple different areas. I did see another buck I could have killed but it was on a private farm that lets the DEC give controlled hunting access.

So, public battlefields I saw NOTHING with my bow.......private farms I saw many deer and plenty of bucks one of which I killed. Now if you were to ask me about deer hunting in NY what should I say??? The private farm I hunted was the polar opposite of the state forests. Someone could live right next door to me and have an exact opposite opinion about hunting in my area as I do.........and we would both be right.

It's all perspective.

I would tell anyone that gained access to the farm I was at that they should see a lot of deer and have a good chance to kill one with their bow........most likely more then one.....and with a gun it is just slam dunk city........only way you come home empty handed is if you forget your gun.

That same person heading out to the state war zones I would offer two kind words.


GOOD LUCK