Gill-T

People visiting the hatchery during egg/milt taking have noticed hatchery employees just grabbing fish and not really selecting the biggest/fittest. Human nature would dictate if you were picking up large slippery awkward fish all day, the back and shoulders might get a little sore. Whether subconsciously or consciously we all might start to grab the two-year olds after awhile. That is why it needs to be policy to only strip 3 year-olds.

There may be a genetic un-natural selection that has gone on in recent history. Within this decade we had some difficulties obtaining enough eggs from brood stock to meet the hatcheries quota. That meant hatchery employees could not be as selective in which adults are used for egg and milt. If there were a lot of 2 year olds used due to a lack of three year olds getting up to the hatchery from getting caught by fishermen easier in shallow water we may have inadvertently selected for fish that run in two years. I also don't know if it is hatchery policy to select only three year old brood stock........BUT IT SHOULD!

I know on the great lakes Botulism has taken its fair share.

I have done this with my stinky undershirt. Just hung it nearby and it worked.

OMG forget next year.....get your muzzleloader ready!

Go here http://www.lakemichiganangler.com/ They should have them under gold star "smoke silver glow". Not sure if they are still made but the extended blue-glow Optitackle dodger at http://www.tackletheoutdoors.com/TackleStore/TroutSalmon/tabid/69/ProductID/326/List/0/Default.aspx?SortField=ProductName,ProductName gets a lot of play mostly for lakers. Alderton dodgers (action dodgers) chrome with customized crush glow or glow slick on both sides. Orange small Alderton (action)dodger for cohos. Stan, just sell the house in California and move to the shores of Lake Ontario!

A few weeks ago up by Canton there were TONS of geese and ducks. I was having to use the barrel of my gun to swat at all the mallards and woodies descending on my head when we were pulling our dekes. Due to the warm weather the ducks can still get access to the back slough areas. You may have to do little hiking and wading but without freezing temps the birds have access to all the back-water areas.

That doe is older than 6.5 yrs old! Good Kill!

Ray, I have been hunting with my climber right in that power-line right-of-way area and I have not seen that buck yet.

I can see there is not much difference between opening and dropping a bag of apples vs sitting near an apple tree but there is a limit for me to man's interference in the process. To each his own but please don't brag to me about how you are a great hunter if you are sitting over bait. IMO you are short changing the experience if you bait. Ted Nugent can shoot lights-out with his bow over a pile of bait. WIth his bad knees he can't hunt any other way. Good for him. Not for me. As long as I am able-bodied I will give deer every fair chase opportunity I can including not using trail-cams. Respect the quarry.

I would take exception with that article placing NY last. First, can't fight genetics. You can manage for age structure, so NY may fall short there. Second, who doesn't like hunting in snow? Third, I have hunted in states that bait......guys sitting over a bag of sugar beets. Guys setting up on other hunters bait piles...... This is not hunting. Forth, if you like taking a long still-hunt or go tracking in those other states ......forget it. NY has the big blocks of timber that allow you to "hunt" not just shoot.

Green patterns usually work well on Ontario

Brittanys are nice dogs. They are energetic in the field. They point well. I didn't like taking burrs out of their hair. They can be a little goofy and prone to doing things for attention like eating shoes ......or whole nightgowns. Great hunting dog and good family pet. Just make sure you exercise them or goofy gene comes out.

Go to dreamweaverlures.com. Look at their super-slim spoons. They have an excellent selection of steelhead patterns. If you are fishing high, clear alpine lakes and reservoirs consider green-natural patterns like green gator, green dolphin, leopard frog (also in UV), yellow leopard (UV), green goby. If you have some water color then consider the brighter colors like magic man, jawbreaker, acid rain, mixed veggies, pink panties, steelie dan, steelie cane, lemon ice DUV, chicken bone, steelie stomper, firecracker, orange slurpee, get-r-done. Small evil eyes, small crystallina pirate spoons, small michigan stingers etc. Lots of choices. Small renosky stickbaits would be a good choice for those high lakes.

Oh I know that spot by the Mexican bamboo Ray! I have a ground blind right near there. Maybe I will see you Saturday? I will listen intently for your paddle strokes then start hammering on my grunt tube to mask the sounds of your approach. You should have no trouble getting into your stand undetected.

I do use these unknown plugs. Catch Browns and Kings. http://www.kikofishing.com/fishingstore.html

Everyone has a red squirrel story. I do find they will chatter when they see deer so they can early detect for you. Agree how important blue jays are. When I hear them go off, all my focus is on the direction they are calling from. They are money for getting your gun or bow pointed in the right direction. The other helpful critter are hawks. When hunting big timber and I am undecided which way to walk, a hawk chipping high overhead will often be a tell that there are deer below them.

Put some Bing-chukka-bing-bing music in your predator caller and see if that attracts some bucks?