What's the rut doing over in your neck of NY? Here in Rockland, it looks like it is starting to kick up. I have been finding rubs and scrapes since before bow season, but the moon has em all screwed up. Same with over in Sullivan, the moon has em screwed up. Here in Rockland, where we go its bow only, so we dont have to worry about gun hunters. So whats the rut going like for the rest of yall?

been going for a few weeks (I think). Saw a buck chasing a doe opening day of gun. Saw another buck chasing doe week before that. I think they have basically shut down for now. don't know for sure.

I have had several doe pretty close to me the last couple weeks of bow season. I looked at there hind legs and see no run off of them being in heat. I have had bucks come up on these mature doe and pay no attention to them. This year i have seen fewer rubs and scrapes then ever before. With the weather, moon phases and lack of food in my area has contributed to the late rut I believe also.

Leo,

Im hunting 5n (salem area) and ive seen more sign in my hunting area then i ever have before. Trouble is im not seeing very many bucks. 3 bucks have been shot all year on the 500 acres i hunt... a spike , 4 and 7 pt. I have seen 3 different spikes and plenty of doe but nothing over a spike. I havent even seen deer in the areas that all the buck sign is...which i find is strange so abouts do you hunt? I see yur location is saratoga

I'm in 5r of course. I live on saratoga lake/ fish creek. I own and Operate Lee's Park campground during the summer and threw the fall enjoy hunting and threw winter snowmobile and ice fish with my time. You have some nice land up in Salem. Lots of farm land up there. I used to have a friend that lived up there on a small lake... its like 15 miles outside of greenwich up a dirt road with small houses surrounding this lake or large pond... it wasnt big. Its been a few years since i been up there and dont remember the name of the body of water. I hunt on my own land that runs parallel with fish creek. We have a good 50 acres of hardwoods and the rest is all bad swamp... you need hip waiders and machette to navigate it. Even then you have to watch your step with the hipwaiders. I'm battling some beavers right now that are living in my swamp daming everything up on me. I used to have several places to hunt but my friends care more about girls and partying these days to take time off to go hunting so this past year i been stuck at home hunting. When my hardwoods witch has several 100 oak trees produce which they have not the past 2 years are proucing i see deer almost everyday during bow and have my pick of what i want to take. Last year was tough hunting and this year is worst. Its seems around me all the people getting deer are hunting fields and meadows. I'm going to establish my property lines this year and when winter is here and the swamp freezes im taking my sicle bar mower threw the swamp and cut some trails and mount 2 or 3 stands in the swamp. Maybe if you want to next year we can exchange some hunts if you would like... i love to try different places just for different scenary. This year on my land without the oaks producing is horrible... i made a post about a dispute with a with horsefarmer with bordering land i have... lots of deer sign there but im gonna have to put off hunting that for this year till i establish boundries and can make some trails threw the swamp... the swamp is nasty and hard to navigate but cutting trails threw it this winter will make it much easier but still a pain... the best part about it is you can hear the deer coming from over 100 yards away if not more and you just wait back and let your ears do your hunting for you if the conditions are right.

Is the body of water McDougal Lake? If so thats the area I hunt. Where I hunt teh land owner is pretty strict about who he lets in, but I can usually bring someone with me during bow season. I see you are about the same age as I (23) and it is always nice to find someone else to hunt with ( considering there are not many our age that do it). Ill keep in touch with you through the boards and maybe we can exhancge some hunts next year.

McDougal Lake isnt ringing a bell at all. Its been a few years for all i know he may have never told me the name. If i saw the place i would know for sure. That would be nice to exhange some hunts next year. Be in touch!