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Well I gave it all I had, not a gobbler from the roost again today, busted 1 off the roost @ 5:45, sat it out till 9 hoping there would be 1 nearby. Took a walk,at 10 I set up again and called aggressively, had 2 gobblers sneak in quite, season ended 5 minutes later!!!

Found this juvenielle crow today trying to figure out how to put some air under his wings. They nest high in the tall pines every spring, but this is the first time I've ever come across one at ground level. Apparently he bailed from the nest just a little too soon as he wasn't accumulating many frequent flyer miles. He's not the most exciting critter to ever step in front of the lens, but shooting "black" subjects in bright light has always been a challenge for me. .... and here's a couple random filler pics to get my 10 shots in.

Nothing this morning in the spot where I heard four gobblers last Friday.. GLAD it's over !! Not I can get all that stuff out of my truck and get it put away, to make room for my FISHING stuff !! Of course, then there is that LONG honeydo list that The Mermaid has been harassing me about... That woman's INDIAN name is "Five Horses".....Nag, nag, nag, nag NAG !

Girls and I went down there today. Checked out Arboria luminarium It's an inflatable maze with light and music inside. Actually pretty neat. Took the bike ferry from outer harbor to inner harbor Checked out the naval ships , sub and planes. Area was quite active today as war memorials being visited General Mills but we didn't smell Cheerios today as usual. Pretty impressed on how they've built up the area. Someone had some serious kite action going on.

Bill , It's 82 degrees out and way too warm for us all to wearing hip boots for the $hit you're shoveling. Do you have a friend or neighbor who has a smartphone who you could borrow to post pics ?! We'd like to see pics of a possible NYS record bird. Just askin. Just think if you wouldn't have "stung " that other bird you wouldn't have had this chance. Crazy how things work ain't it.

I think I may have finally caught up with the gobbler that I've been chasing for the past couple of weeks. My wife nearly killed him yesterday morning but he slipped through our fingers. Had him going this morning til 7:00 but neither I nor the real hens could lure him down the hillside. Eventually, he just shut up and I figured he had crossed the road above us. I left and drove around to check out another area and on the way back through where I had worked the bird earlier that morning, I spotted two longbeards fanned out in a corner of field circling each other and getting ready to fight!!! I hurried to get into position to intercept them further up the field. I got to the field not knowing exactly how far from them I was and was contemplating my next move when a full fan suddenly came into view at 35yds!!! I didn't even have time to sit...I raised the gun...he was facing away...I got him to raise life his head out of strut and delivered a load of Longbeard XR's to his face. Game over at 8:50. The other gobbler and 4-5 hens stood there and watched as I ran out to retrieve him. Not bad for the subordinate bird...almost 22lb, 10.5" beard and 1 1/4" hooks. One of the two was the "youth season" gobbler I had been after. The other one will have to wait until next year. This is the latest in season that I've ever punched a tag but it was worth the wait!!! It's been a rough season plagued by close calls and a miss early on. I've only really hunted two spots but was within striking distance of gobblers nearly every morning but just couldn't seal the deal. He lost a few tail feathers during the retrieval process. I also got a nice gash on my finger from grabbing his legs... This one's for you Reeltime...limbhanger!!!

Thanks, Turkeyfeathers! Here's the stats: 18.5 lbs. 9 5/8" beard, and 7/8",15/16" spurs. Ants, funny you should mention shed antlers, I found a half 8pt yesterday and today I found a basket rack half 8 pt. Today I saw 2 bucks running together both had 2-3" spikes, and later on my 9-10 am walk I saw a real nice buck, he was up to his ears!

Tis also a rap. Time for new line on the rod n reel. It's been fun reading this thread this year. Congrats to all who prevailed. Even if we didn't we learned a great deal and saw and heard some neat things. Til next year you wiley turkey ..

And that's a rap.... No gobbles today. Talked with a hen off n on for over n hour as she was feeding in the corner of the field ... Eventually paid my jake a visit, was hoping she'd have a beard haha... No boyfriends lurking in the shadows .... 2016 stats.... Days hunted - 26 Days off- 5 KIA - 1 two year old tom Beard- 8 in. Spurs - 7/8 in. Weight - 21 lbs. Birds worked - 8 Hens called in - 5 A-hole hunters snagging my spot - 3 ( 1 tom to show for it , grrr) State Lands Hunted - 5 Counties Hunted - Genesee, Cattataugus, Wyoming Been fun... GONE FISHIN ... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

All is quiet

Saturday over the long weekend, i got my 2 acre soybean plot in, with a screen of field corn going around 3/4 of it, and a few rows of sweet corn as well(for my own consumption, if the deer do not beat me to it lol) we also got a quick heavy storm right afterwards. Just hoping its enough to make some germination quicker. Looking forward to it. I have never planted corn before, and i hope the screen works for entering/exiting my stand.. also helping the deer stay at ease a bit longer.. as well as a small winter feed source. Providing the coons dont tear it all apart..

Ever see a fishing spider?! Hand to God, one chased my boat down to get on it. Not even kidding, I kept clicking the trolling motor faster and faster and it swam faster and faster and climbed on the transom. I had my buddy's 13 year old nephew go back and knock it off or I was getting out of the boat lol

In the grand scheme of things, I'd agree with you. I'll admit that I don't like them for what are mostly irrational reasons. I find them creepy, no matter how fascinating. There's one in the corner of my kitchen that seems to eat fruit flies. It gets a pass. But when you're working in a crawlspace with 6" to 8" of clearance and no way to flee or counterattack, or when one jumps into your hip-waders for no reason while you're chest-deep in a boathouse doing electrical work and starts biting you, I'm not so sure the fear is entirely irrational. 6 or 7 bites can wreck your day with the bigger ones.

I want to see those hooks too, preferably on a limb

When we go into,basements , I always send the youngest man first. Only exception is if he's short, then the tallest goes first .... Clears the webs out ahead of me .

you don't know wood spiders till you hunt in the south. One overlooked benefit of our cold and snowy winters is that we're not dealing with crazy spiders and venomous snakes. be thankful.

With all my might, I'm willing a longbeard within range for you! If anyone deserves one it's you! Good vibes and luck being sent!

I love spiders. Isn't this beautiful? Scary

I don't like those leaves in the Chipper Monk pic ...........

Another day - another view

This is the biggest I have seen so far

Love me some Corona in the summer

Partook in a few myself this weekend. In no particular order, here are a few. Not posting the 12 pack of Coronas I drank Sunday at a BBQ. They were free and it was hot. Plus we were playing Cornhole.

I prefer to hunt like the Indians did, you know, 85 % let off, drop ,away rest, fiber optic sites , release, carbon arrows. While wearing a scent loc suit, from a tree stand with a range finder, 6 trail cams, and a gps . Just like Ishi .

I think you are missing the boat on this one. The whole tone of the original post sounds a little arrogant and elitist. If you make comments like this on a public message board, I don't know why you're acting so surprised that you get negative feedback....

Like it or not full inclusion for crossbow is coming. I've hunted and killed deer with bow and crossbow. No big deal to me. If you don't like crossbows, don't use em. Very simple and no arguments from me.

I'm not gonna beat you up over it but a xbow is just a much archery equipment and the modern compounds...so unless you hunt and shoot strictly trad you are no closer to the true origins of archery than I will be with my xbow Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Let me get a beer and some popcorn....<< SIGH>>....

Season I over now what? How bout introducing some new folks to the outdoors? Take your youngster bream fishing, maybe your wife to catch some bass, be the guide n keep it fun w both. Leave your gear home the first couple times n concentrate on the newbies. How bout taking your teenager n his/her friends bow fishing or a 3D shoot? All great memories n better than sucking up ac n TV til the fall

Afraid????....dang right I am...with good reasons other than the normal phobia that life gives us.... So imagine the scream that scared Mr B. this morning when in the kitchen sink , that I had just put the plug in and started running hot water appeared a spider. Not any old spider that climbed up on to the white dinner plate I placed in the sink. making his size Oh so visible. It's the biggest spider I have seen other than those blk. and yellow corn spiders. It's body was the size of a quarter and it's leg span wider around than a mayo jar lid!!! EEEWWWW!!!! I had just had my hand in that sink!!!! Well he hit the hot water when Mr B went to get him and left the house on a serving spoon.....I figure the goose bumps it gave me will eventually leave....I can handle big garden spiders...which are many this year...but not ones that could be crawling on me in my sleep at night....

This Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 with 7.5" barrel will see the deer woods this year. Nics check approved today , get it on permit tomorrow and shooting it Thursday

Soybeans are awesome, they'll eat them once they start growing until they are gone. The only time they typically don't eat em is when they are yellow in color.. get ready for some action lolSent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

I took a youth out for his first season a few times...with his scouts baseball and being at his mom's we only made it out 2 times both times were a blast and 1 time we got rained on pretty good...having him experience the woods waking up and gobbles off in a distant got him itching for next season...good thing I'm a way better deer hunter than turkey I will get him in front of a deer this youth season...knock on wood... On to fishing season...old man caught this in Canandaigua sat night Oh and the never ending chipmunk season Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Man.... I wish I had some discing done...but the disc isn't even on yet and I still have rocks in the field with a bad knee...I did feel OK enough to mow today....that is until I tried getting off the tractor...30 mins later I hobbled to the house...ice, Ibuprofen and a pillow under my knee...I'm praying for sleep to take me away for a while... Your plot looks good and I'm sure will look GREAT in a couple of weeks...

Best I could do at gas station in the hills of the boonies on way home from hunting.

Had 3 hens and a jake outside the house window this morning 7:00 am about 15 feet. They hung around for 10 minutes or so. No reason to shoot because I only eat the ,Breast , not going to kill one just for that. Let them make more young ones.

On the way out of the turkey woods I spotted this chuck rumbling thru the field. Made a great shot with Beretta 92 9mm with Speer Gold Dot. He crumbled pretty good.

There is a point where 2 lines intersect on a graph. One line is effective humane harvesting ability and the other is time. as time increases we begin to plot. first we start with the gun, then the crossbow, then the compound and finally the recurve. Not everyone can afford the time, some don't have the patience and yet others will wield the weapon they're not proficient in and wound an animal. The compound of today fits in that nice sweet spot on the graph for many hunters. It's efficient and deadly, yet still requires practice enough to weed out the weekend warriors. It still requires skill enough to make it a challenge and one that is enough of a challenge to really distinguish it from the gun. The crossbow seems to blur the lines too much for many. Your argument which has been used a billion times in this debate isn't a bad one, but it speaks to the level of challenge and the efficiency of the hunt. The spear hunter could debate with the recurve hunter and the knife hunter with him and the argument never ends. To be able to kill any size or sex deer with any weapon is an accomplishment that most of the world doesn't know. We are a minority. Being able to get any size or sex deer close enough shoot and recover with a compound is a great accomplishment that we sometimes forget about as we chase the trophies. Unless you're in a highly populated, low pressure area be happy with the challenge the compound provides. Take up the recurve if you want, but truly honestly tell me you don't see the difference with the bipod, scope and trigger the crossbow offers when compared to the compound vs the recurve.

With last years mild winter. Will they grow faster, bigger and quicker, this year, due to not having to replace as much body reserves? Last winter was by far the least snowy and the mildest, in our area that I have ever seen. Will it make a difference in rack size, this year?

All spider webs are face level, why is that?

Just my $.02, but it sounds to me like the potential recruit is a winner, you will just need to break her of a bad habit or two. I tried training a rescue dog to hunt turkeys, it didn't work out so well, but that is my fault. I got her as a pup, and was told she was a Golden Retriever/Spaniel mix, I took their word for it, and once she got a little older it was obvious she was mostly a terrier. I should have known by the size of her feet, lesson learned. She actually was able to find birds and flush them, but she wore out after an hour or so in the woods.She's a great little house pet, and very low maintenance. The next dog I got was from a reputable breeder, and she is everything I ever wanted in a bird dog. Good luck with your decision!

They do have an attitude.

I've got a pack of coyotes howling , baying and yipping at about 300 yards. Distant birds touching off. All I want is one in my zip code to play with today

Those birds have a crazed look.

Hit up at my sisters over the weekend to help with some projects. Spent a day and a half jack hammering concrete and then chainsawing! At least she took me around to the micro breweries in Plattsburgh that I have not been to. Hit Ausable Brewing Company and was real impressed. Has a great IPA and a delish bourbon porter. Then hit Oval which was eh so so. The other was Valcor built in one of the old Air Force base buildings which was pretty fine as well. Another good IPA and a smoked stout stood out. I'm back home now relaxing with some take home bourbon porter and an ACID Extra Ordinary Larry cigar. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Short ribs and chicken

even at only 32 I couldn't imagine doing both in the same day. I'll try to get in bed by 9 before a turkey hunt, but if the wife's into the wine I'm staying up. The next morning after 4 hours or so in the woods I need a nap, and the weekend is my "sleep in and recover from 2 kids and hectic work week". That and although a very understanding wife, I can only push so far with 2 little kids.

I'm aghast you'd rather eat goose than wild turkey.

Crossbow only. Love the compound but with the newborn, both of us working 50+ hrs a week ~ very limited time for hunting itself ~ let's just be honest about this question