An interview with Marc Alberto of NY Bowhunter

Marc Alberto of NYBowhunter.com

I know The Musket has been pretty stuck on nothing but fishing this summer, but you’re going to notice hunting will start easing its way in as the seasons approach. We recently had the chance to interview Marc Alberto of NY Bowhunter. If you’re into bowhunting at all, then you will love his blog at NYBowhunter.com.

MC: According to your blog, you’re pretty into bowhunting.  Tell us about that.

NYBH: Hunting has always been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started rabbit hunting at the age of 12, but it wasn’t until I was 16 that I was able to go on my first big game hunt – at that time New York was one of the strictest states in the nation when it came to age requirements for hunting. After my second season of deer hunting I realized that if I learned how to shoot a bow I could participate in the archery season and extend my deer season. That summer I found an old Browning bow that my father had purchased in 1985 and started practicing. By the end of the summer I had passed the bowhunter safety course and was able to group arrows in a pie plate out to 30 yards. I spent hours in the field with my bow until I finally arrowed my first deer during a snow storm that hit around Thanksgiving. From that point on I spent every free moment in the woods with my bow pursing whitetail deer. It became my passion and it’s something I put effort into 365 days a year.

MC: Besides the obvious, how is bow hunting different than other types of big game hunting?

NYBH: I grew up with a shotgun in my hand. I hunted rabbits with my beagles and spent the summers shooting International Skeet at the local range. Although I enjoyed gun hunting, the challenge of bow hunting is what drew me closer to the sport and these days the only thing I hunt with is my compound bow. Bow hunting is all about getting close to game without being detected. That means paying close attention to the wind, being as scent free as possible, planning your entrance and exit routes to and from your stand and putting in the time and effort during the offseason to scout the animals you will be hunting that fall. For me, bow hunting is a year round ordeal. I start scouting as soon as the season is over, I shoot my bow several times a week, I hang trail cameras to monitor the herd and help me choose the animals to go after and pass up several deer as I wait for an encounter with my target animal. The feeling I get when I’m 20 feet up in a tree while a group of deer pass within yards of my stand without the slightest clue I’m around is why I bow hunt.

MC: Give us a breakdown of the gear you use.

NYBH: I have to start by saying I’m a gear junkie. I’m always looking for the highest quality equipment that I can trust because I never want to say that I missed because a piece of my equipment failed me. Here’s what I’m shooting this fall:

I’ll be wearing clothing from Sitka Gear this fall in GORE’s Optifade Forest pattern. This is the first camouflage that’s designed specifically for treestand hunting ungulates like deer and elk. Last season, I hunted while wearing the Sitka Stratus Jacket and Bibs in the Optifade Forest pattern and was blown away by the fit and quality of the clothing by Sitka as well as the performance of the Optifade pattern on deer – they literally looked right through me. During the early season I’ll be wearing the Ascent pants and Traverse top and as the season progresses I’ll increase my layers until it’s cold enough for the Fanatic Jacket and Bibs. I only wear rubber boots while deer hunting and will be relying on my Muck boots to keep me warm, dry and from leaving any unwanted human scent on the ground.

I spend 95% of my time hunting from a treestand and where I hunt there’s no guarantee your stand will be there on your next hunt so I have to carry in and set up each time. My treestand of choice is the Muddy Hunter Pro hang-on with a set of 5 Muddy Climbing Sticks. It’s quick and quiet to set up and I not longer am forced to look for that perfect tree for my climber. This season I’ll be using the new Bloodsport from Muddy that uses a rope system to silently attach the stand to the tree.

MC: Coolest hunting story?

NYBH: Last year I took my first trip to the midwest to hunt Kansas whitetails. I saw more big bucks in the five and a half days I was in Kansas then I’ve seen in the last two years of hunting in New York. On the last morning of my hunt I had three deer step out of the cedars just as day was beginning to break. I could tell one was BIG and they were headed right towards me. I grabbed my bow and got ready as the deer approached from behind me. When the lead doe got within 50 yards I turned and stood up. Unfortunately, the seat pad I had under me squeaked and the doe froze in place. I had a beautiful 150″ ten pointer with chocolate antlers and a split brow tine in front of me broadside at 56 yards and there wasn’t anything I could do about it. I just wasn’t comfortable with the shot and couldn’t risk wounding an animal of that caliber. You can watch the video HERE:

MC: What kinds of big game are you after?

NYBH: Right now I only hunt whitetail deer. One season I tried to hunt black bear on public land in New York, but was unsuccessful. The sign was everywhere and the bears were there, but I never saw one. In the future I’d also like to backpack into the mountains after mule deer and elk and sit over a water hole on an antelope hunt.

MC: Favorite place to hunt?

NYBH: Right now my favorite place to hunt is Kansas. I’ll be headed back there this year from November 7th through the 23rd to hunt public land on my own. Next year, I’ll have enough preference points to hunt Iowa and I’m really looking forward to hunting there.

MC: Other outdoor passions?

NYBH: I’ve always been into the outdoors and I enjoy backpacking, snowboarding and bicycling. However, as I’ve gotten more serious about bow hunting whitetails I’ve spent less and less time with some of my other hobbies. Bow hunting is a 365 day a year passion of mine.

MC: What can we expect from NY Bowhunter this coming season?

NYBH: Expect to see more product reviews from NYBowhunter.com this season as well as field reports, updates from the NYS DEC and more contests on the NYB Forum.

MC: In closing, is there anything else you would like to share with The Musket readers?

NYBH: Bow hunting takes patience, persistence, dedication and determination. It’s not about the kill, it’s about the experience, getting out there and watching the woods come alive as day breaks, watching how the animals interact with their surroundings and being able to put yourself in the right tree so you’ll have a shot at that big buck if he decides to walk by your stand that day. Practice with your equipment, scout as much as you can during the offseason and spend every chance you get in the stand during the season – there’s no magic recipe for being a successful bow hunter, it’s hard work and a little bit of luck.