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Saturday 05/14: Went to our "honey hole" on private land and found out that it's not the sanctuary it seemed to be. Ran into the landowner's son on the bordering property and later got in a calling match with another guy on that property. Good thing is that the landowner's son gave us permission to cross over on their land and hunt that as well, WHICH PAID OFF! Heard this bird randomly gobbling in the distance throughout the morning but he didn't seem to move his location much. At 9:00 we decided to pursue him. We closed the distance and gave a call and he hammered right back at us and was only 80-90 yards away. We set up quick and within a minute we heard another guy moving in from our left. He was cutting and calling like crazy but the gobbler was keyed in on us. every time we gave a couple clucks, he would answer. We spotted a hen slowly working her way to us, bringing the gobbler in. She got about 50 yards away and swung perpendicular and up the hill away from us and the anxious caller to our left. We were in horrible position as it was super thick but we didn't have a choice but to park our butts when we heard him gobble. I had one tiny opening and luck was on my side when the gobbler walked into it. At the perfect time my buddy gave two quick putts and the bird stopped, giving me just enough time to drop the hammer. 3/4" spurs and 8.5" beard but it sure was a paint brush! I have one tag left but plan on devoting the rest of my season getting a bird in front of my girlfriend.

Made my first visit of the year to our local peregrine falcon pair yesterday, they were quite active.

Ran out after dinner to look for some mushrooms in the creekbottom. I didn't find any but I did get a special treat while I was there! My first fawn of the year!

SOB's are just messin with me now! Took a drive to check out a block of woods to see where I was going in the morning ... So I'm driving looking for a good place to park n walk in and a gorgeous tom walks right out from the woods in front of my truck with his paint brush blowin in the wind .... Crosses the street onto private land n just stands out there in the grass field , like what , can't touch me now! Guess I know where I'll be hunting for the rest of the season ... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For dinner tomorrow! 18 inch brown from the Delaware river today.

I took five pine trees down and to the curb today, my back is SHOT. I may have to take a bath like some kind of weirdo. Got the kids involved!

Not hunting related . Had a female Piliated woodpecker and a Baltimore Oriole show a while ago

It may be a pretty spectacle when they're going up, but it's pollution when they hit the ground.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Pat-rye-OT revolutionary pale ale brewed with apples Brewed by Devils backbone -Dogfish head - Lawson's Finest liquids - Stoudts and Trillium

Lawsuit seeks to ban balloon releases at University of Nebraska football games http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/05/16/lawsuit-seeks-to-ban-balloon-releases-at-university-nebraska-football-games.html It's about time!

I love the connection with the birds while spring turkey hunting. It's so fun and nerve racking to try and tell them what they want the hear. Turkeys can be so unpredictable that they could give you every sign that they are coming and yet walk in the complete opposite direction. The thing I love MOST though is hearing that thunderous gobble when they are just out of sight, that seems to just echo into your face. "oh man, he's coming!" gun up, ready to shoot, scanning that terrain for the red or white head, praying not to hear him gobble right behind you if he decides to circle. Gets my heart pounding so loud I can hear it. Not to mention the sight of a strutting tom. Can't beat it!

Forty one years ago today, I killed my first spring gobbler. He was a 14 pound jake with a four inch beard. I was thrilled and hooked for life. I still have his wishbone hanging on my memory shelf, labeled May 15, 1975.

Never did it as a kid, we had no turkeys. Over the past few years I get out here and there. Never once been before first light though! lol The three biggest issues. 1. I don't have access to any woods with fields which seems to be the ticket. 2. I am no good at it. 3. I can't get my ass out of bed at 4 am like I can for 3 months of deer!!

you just blew my mind. turkey stink so you'd rather eat geese?

There's more than ample time to do both turkey hunt and golf. Hunt in morning and golf in afternoon. In '09 I hunted a hot bird (didn't kill him that day) in the morning and played Niagara Falls CC in WNY Open .First round of the year. 3 whacked first hole and thought "what am I doing" Preceded to shoot 70 and beat 60 club pros and 30 amateurs . Perfect day of hunting and then golf. I don't bow hunt but have had many say " if you like turkey hunting that I'd love bow hunting" So if you like bow hunting you should love turkey hunting. Nothing better than listening to the woods wake up in the spring. Seeing nature at its finest, the songbirds, perhaps fox pups, fawns etc. I coined the phrase years ago. " Deer hunting fills my freezer but turkey hunting fills my heart " As far as bugs this year, it's been TOO cold for them. Thermacells could easily fix that problem for you guys/gals as well.

If any of you guys have got your May copy of "Meat and Poultry" Don't tell me what the cover story is about…..I want it to be a surprise, when I open the mail box..

Im not sure what you are asserting with this comment, feel free to PM me if Im off base here, but I posted this topic as an informational post to ask people not to post political threads in the General Chit Chat section. I thought that was plenty clear. Im going to go through and remove all of the nonsense in the thread, and it will remain locked and pinned. I Should have locked it originally, as its not up for debate.

dude. that's good camp fire wood!

You should return five cans and get a quarterback. Hehehe

Most of the balloons that I keep hauling out of the woods are those Mylar party balloons. So it is great that they are focusing on the mass releases of balloons, but I think the release of all balloons should banned along with the sale of them. It is the dumbest activity I ever heard of. That crap is non-biodegradable, and I have no idea how long they last in the environment, but they don't seem to ever break down.

Well you've heard my previous rants on balloons ,nuff said.

Doc , sorry I didn't get back sooner . Yes , it's an old wild apple tree . The camera has been in the same location for years . Here is a picture of another Deere that I got .

We had a gen-u-ine Spanish omelette prepared by our Spanish exchange student, it was delicious

I was gone all day today, from 7 am till about 6pm. Walked into the house and noticed an awesome smell. The wife and my daughter surprised me with a roasted turkey, mashies, peas, stuffing, gravy biscuits …..They must want something…….

Long Trail Limbo IPA. Went really well with some raw clams.

Youth Hunter I was mentoring this morning.

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Thanks again guys! I struck out on the mushrooms again today, but I bumped into my little buddy again on the other side of the creek! He's not one for posing just yet, but he's a natural when he's in front of the camera! Anyone know what that ground cover plant with the blue flowers is called? It grows like a carpet down here and really hides the fawns well.

Thanks guys! Elmo, by the time I spotted the little rascal he was only 3 or 4 ft away. I knew he wasn't going anywhere so I looked around for momma and didn't see her, so I spun on my 18-55mm lens and got down to his level. By then I was more like 1.5-2ft away and that's why you only see 6 shots here. Mom would have had to clear a creek to put the hooves to my head but that thought was always on my mind. The doe leave their fawns here a lot during the day every year and are seldom ever around but she'll come back for him. The fawns I find here have a very good survival rate from what I've noticed compared to fawns further up the hill that have coyotes and other critters to contend with. This spot is relatively close to houses where predators don't hang around much day or night. Year after year they just love to hide their fawns here!

I love deer hunting as much as spring turkey hunting. However , when it comes down to excitement , spring turkey hunting can't be beat. For those few minutes when that gobbler appears and starts heading towards my decoys , my heart literally starts pounding I'm my chest. Sitting up against a tree motionless while watching him strut , spit and drum around the decoy makes me so nervous , I've actually started hyperventilating. Then trying to get him to come out of his strut and raise his head up for the shot is the final step.​ BOOM ! Now I get the shakes walking up to my prize. Funny thing is I couldn't care less about fall turkey hunting.

Tell that to the Black Flies !

Saturday is yardwork and pool. Sunday is golf, sometimes fishing sprinkled in beforehand. I'm not waking up before 7am on a weekend.

It is nice, and they take the leaves in the Fall. They grind all this stuff and put out free mulch. I dont use it because someone told me it can give your plants and shrubs diseases or something, I dont want to chance it

True, I just hate pine pitch to much lol

Sorry for your loss - remember the good times.

Sorry for the loss buddy.

Rather play golf or go fishing. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not to add a wrinkle to the thread but if any of the firearms are now classified as "Assault Weapons" in NY not all the options listed above are applicable.

My condolences

Excited to get out this morning and hopefully put my new front sight through its paces

PS: condolences to your friends family.

Guessing you're talking about "Alone", where those people are put on Vancouver Island to see who can last the longest??? That show seems a little less pre-scripted than some of the other survival melodramas, like Naked & Afraid.

You'll be waiting a long time. I have seven more waiting in the wings if that one breaks.????????

It's a mother-in-law fishSent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Yup was out that way last weekend in Oneonta for a soccer tournament. Not too far from the tracks in Unadilla. Used to turkey hunt near Harpursville. It's out there. If you came into the area on 17/86 you probably saw the Blue Dolphin in Apalachin. I'm right behind it. Good Greek restaurant too if you are in the area again.

Not from my experience,lol Does your wife know your posting pics of your pecker on the internet Eddie...? Pretty cool to see the wide variety at your feeders and a good opportunity for you to document them with the camera! Nice shots!

I had these 2 fly by me while turkey hunting last week, cel phone pic so not the best clarity. First time seeing a pair of owls for me.

Might consider cutting the antlers into chew toys for the dogs and seeing if the shelters might like them. Might brighten a shelter dogs daySent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

I had lots of interest, just no money.

So we've been up since 3 a.m hunting birds and whooped. Buddy sends text " hey , any chance you could help plant some pine trees?" Absolutely. Buddy is incredible hunter but was involved in a terrible auto accident in December of 2014. Mere inches of cheating death. He's paralyzed on his left side , battled thru severe brain injury , speech problems etc. Amaxing how far he's come in recovery and still hunts . He just got back from Ohio this afternoon from taking his younger kids and wife turkey hunting He and son doubled on birds in Texas about 2 weeks ago. Nothing going to slow him down. 44 years old with turkey slam , turkey shotgun slam , 100 + birds , 140 class deer barely make the cut. His intention of planting these trees is to get kids involved in the planting and then seeing the trees grow over the years as they will have permission to hunt there for their participation. How could we say no to such a great idea ! Lives in Bennington. He drove wheeler pulling cart full of trees, his daughter dropped them at each hole. Wife , my daughter , his buddy and 2 younger kids planted Managed to get in roughly 400 Norway spruce and white pines. All of us had a blast but sure to be sore in the morning. We also feel great helping out.