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Called in 6 Jake's for buddy of mine. He's 57 and hunted deer all his life, but never hunted turkey, and never shot one in the fall. He was going to pass and hope the Tom's would follow, but one of the Jake's walked within 10’ and didn't quite like what he saw. Alerted the entire clan. At 30 yrds out he decided a Jake was just fine for a first bird.

So it was the opening morning " give me a break fest" which I have now come to expect over the years...I get to my spot last minute decision permethrin on clothes and thermacell lantern going. The black flies didn't care, it was bad once it got light. I no sooner sat and I got a coughing jag, not a little one I mean coal miners cough type.....that finally subsides and my sinuses are flowing like the Niagara river and I'm about to go home ...When I hear some faint clucks...long and short of it very faint gobbles to my right and behind me...2 far off shots from same direction...I'm doing purrs and clucks and the occupational(occasional)LOL hen gobble and yelp...when I hear a twirp purr behind me and I start to get ready...I cant lift the gun up because I have no idea which end of blind they will show...in the mean time I hear a gobble above me. I wait and wait then do some clucks and a soft yelp that's when I hear the snapping...and the black flies are in my eyes and biting my forehead. To my left out pops a hens head... I think greatThen 1,2,3,4,5,6, red heads come right in behind her and they are between 1 and 10 ft from the blind eyes in every single direction All jakes....I watch them for a bit and feel another coughing jag starting to erupt...Well that sealed the deal. I had the closest one to me go behind a sapling and I shouldered the gun, he of course saw it as did all the others. He was a good 12 ft away running, bam ! WTH clean miss,Seriously! He swings around and comes back as I look over to see his buddies still standing there...I swung the gun and dropped the first bird the bead hit.....Didn't that gang of 5 remaining come back to circle stomp their dead buddy. I watched this a little bit until I hear Gobble Gobble and here comes the long beards I think I had played with at Rivers blind...which was directly behind me on the other side of the woods. Well they past, but those Jakes were still hanging in 15 ft away making quite the stink. I got up and they went up the hill but still stayed yelling at me...they'd run back towards the blind then back up the hill...I have never seen that before ,they weren't letting it go. So I did something I normally won't do especially opening day or even here..Camp yes it's too far a drive to come home empty handed... not as much meat but it should taste great... my next hunt will need to be from an enclosed blind not brush...,any black fly remedies out there? 1/2 in. buttons and 3 1/2 in beard 16#'s... here he is and pic of birds with the blind I was in in the back ground.

I got lucky this morning and found a dumb one... Had my pick of two adult gobblers ..Both looked about the same size, but one was strutting nonstop and was perhaps five yards farther...The other one stretched his neck nice and high Ba Da BING !! 38 paces.... 18 pounds,, 9 3/4" beard and 1" spurs....

Went back to camp last week for the pa opener sat. Got a ton of work done one the farm thu. And fri. Put matt at the turkey tree and I went to one of my other farm properties. I had 2 2yo birds come in off the roost that I let walk, matt sent a text at 630 and said 2 birds are in the big field across the road and going down the hollow to get around to that end of the field. I told him to wait I would be there soon. Once I picked him up I explained if he had tried that it would not if worked out as that entire hollow is multifloral rose and no way to get at those birds. So I took him out the lower edge of the pasture which is almost 3/4 of a mile long. 4 times I stopped and laid out calls with the bomber and got a response that he never heard. Finally the dominate bird crested a small rise 200 yards out and cut off one of my calls . I told matt we gotta set up here as it gets too thick for too far before it opens back up and this birds coming fast. I told him to set at that tree and face that way, he days but the birds over there..... look you wanna kill that bird he's going to go over there to get under the fence and come into that opening. I started working the call and was met with thundering gobbles every time. He walked past us in the pasture to the high wire opening dropped down and came on a string to soft clucks and putts from the bomber. We hit another property that held another target bird and got him to respond but time was not on our side and had to walk away from him still hammering at noon. I knew it was too far and too little time when dealing with that bird. Got back to ny and last night went to roost a bird, ended up having him walk by me at 6 feet along with his 7 hens. Got in early and set up, he didn't gobble till late and had moved 80 yards east. With all the hens I wanted to be the first he heard and he cut off my tree talk. Once it was legal light I did a fly down with the wing and gave him a good dose of bomber talk. He flew down to the strut zone and displayed for 20 minutes until he finally got into a position I could give him more talk. That was all he could take and slowly strutted to me gobbling all the way. He gobbled his last gobble at 6am. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Starting to rain here that's a wrap for us real quiet and wet. I had the best hunt even though we only seen deer

Put one to bed last night, he walked 6 feet from me going to roost. He couldn't take the bomber talk and gobbled the last time at 6am. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

I've been busy setting up my "workshop" and have been messing around making a bunch of knick knacks Still getting used to the new to me saws but having fun creating. Here are some the items I've made. Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk

Woods are loud had a deer blow at me for about 15 minutes it seemed letting everyone know I'm here. No gobbles frustrated. Got my 10 year old playing hookie for the first time.

Yep the youngest is 2, will be 3 next month. My other is 4. I didn't take them out at first light since they were sleeping but my wife got them dressed up and ready to go for me to come back and get them. You shoulda seen me carrying both of them, plus my shotgun the last 100 yards or so to the blind because of the deep mud haha. They had a good time even if we didn't get to shoot the turkey. I can only hope they want to keep going with me for as long as I live! I really wish the age limit for hunting wasn't so high in this state....

Having a two year old in the blind with you? Bless you! Some day you will both get a good laugh when you tell the story! So cool that the boys are spending time with you in the woods at such a young age! You have plenty of season left to put that ol" gobbler down!

Ah video seems bad: Imagine a happy little girl jumping at the end. Lol. I think she aimed about 4ft high.

So, so, so close this morning...my wife passed on a iffy shot...proud of her for holding back. Redemption tomorrow! !!

Enjoying a pale ale from Foothills Brewing in NC. My hunting buddies son is the head brewer down there. He moved there from Siuthern Tier. Very good brews down in NC and a great music scene. The new kitchen countertops were installed this week and I've finished all the trim and plumbing work. Definitely time to kick back with a couple of good brews. How do you turn these darn pics?

I've rounded out my No-Till arsenal! 330 AC 4 row large seed, Jacobson slit seeder for small seed, and an old super heavy drill for trees... Now mabey I wont have to replace tiller tines this year! Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

Seems like Biz is vacationing in Texas now ....

Bird roosted. Hope he plays the game in the morning!

My daughter made hers into a grilled cheese with the bread her sister made for a school project. We're pretty much off the grid Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Blue fish steak Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Women want the same rights as Gun Rights . Hmmmmm ! Does that mean that this brilliant liberal wants... -women to be banned from entering school and college campuses? - women to be banned from any establishment selling alcohol? - women to be banned from polling places on election days - women to be banned from any official government group meetings? - all women to be banned from airports? - you to have to pay a fee to the state before you can carry a woman on your person? - some women to be banned outright simply because they look too scary? - all women to be locked up at all times that they are not in use? Hmmmm. Does she also think that all guys should have more than one? That all women should come with silencers? Maybe this was not well thought out.

Big question, who was taller?

I had to retrace my footsteps this morning as I think I missed a stick I didn't step on and snap. Found it and stepped on it , all good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We lost a chicken to a fox last spring, that evening before dark I walked out into the woods behind the house with a chicken under 1 arm and the 10/22 under the other tied a rope around a sapling then around the chickens legs backed up 20yds didn't take 5 minutes for me to be back to the house and the fox to no longer be a threat to the chickens. It turns out chickens don't like to be tied to a tree in the woods and they'll make one hell of a racket when they are. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well...I'd have a big beauty of tom dead right now to show you guys...but my boys couldn't quite hold it together long enough. [emoji849] Just as they are getting bored and wanted to go home. I hit the call one more time and a bird gobbles less than 100 yards behind us. My 2 year old starts flipping out that he wants to go home and I couldn't get him to quiet down enough in time. Bird came in and got spooked by all the commotion coming from the blind. What a bummer! O well, I'll come out tomorrow morning after work by myself and see if I can get it done.

Where? My countdown clock says 152 days?

I am soooo tired and ache all over . I went to Geneseo this am to pull cards and set up a ladder stand that has been laying on the ground , chained to a tree for 2-3 years . I had the right key but couldn't get it to open and broke the key . Walked back to the car that was over 1/2 mile away and got my bolt cutters . Had to carry the ladder stand over another 1/2 mile to where I wanted to set it up . I would have made 2 trips with it but the area was so wet and soft that I took it in one trip because I didn't want to walk through the wet , soggy crap twice . . I'm getting to old for this crap ! I didn't have all the tools I needed but was able to improvise and get the ladder stand installed . Got 'r done ! Gotta check with the neighbor and see if I can enter my SIL's woods from his property . View from the stand

Whenever I hear "72 virgins" I keep thinking of this Family Guy clip. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am very hopeful that both me and pops will flop 2 tomorrow. Lots of birds in the fields all day long. Should be able to flop, Tim Horton's, then flop another ! We shall see. Good luck to all my fellow beard collectors!!! Be safe Ps, I think they are ok with my blind placement.... Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Blind paid off, again. Dad shot a Tom @ 15yrds, after the Tom walked far enough away from the blind to shoot !! He came in and walked around the blind so close he couldn't shoot !! All on film.... Great memory !! Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Not me.......Had one at 60 yards +/- that just wouldn't commit. Windy with sprinkles all morning, a few times later today the wind died down to an except-able level but still way windier than I'd have liked. Saw a gobbler JUST before the storm hit today in the pasture here. He gobbled his fool head off at the lightening! Wonder where he'll be come 5:30am.................?? My buddy killed an adult this morning, he had his 11 year old twin boys with him in the blind at the time. Twas a good deal!!

I'm just putting the gear back in the boat, My list Flares in date Throwable flotation devise safety vest for each occupant fire extinguisher needle nose pliers couple hand towels grime boss wipes docking rope sunscreen bug spray couple ball caps and spare set of cheap sunglasses, I never fail to lose one pair overboard a year! anchor and rope net, rods tackle, rain gear....as needed you also need signaling/running lights if running after dark I always have some water bottles stashed away as well a sealable bail bucket which has in it first aid kit gorilla tape spare boat plug, also have one in truck console whistle flashlight/batteries TP boat reg and ins card

yesterday during the day i was working in the garage and heard a tom sound off. i've got a beat old box call in leave in there. for laughs and fun i called the long beard in from out back to the edge of the yard. daughter who's almost 3 couldn't take it any longer. ran out from behind the corner of the garage and out into the yard after it. it obviously didn't like that and went back out into the corn field. kids i tell ya!

I know I wasn't that good at her age. . I didn't pick up a bow until my late teens-early twenties. And I never had a coach like moog either! Miss Natalie is going to show us all how it's done! So cool to see the youngsters do so well! Moog, you are doing pretty good over there. Raising a budding Olympic archer, and Pro Bass angler!! Nice work Dad!

Good for you bringing them out. Its pretty hard at 46 let alone 2 years old to stay patient. That Tom will be back.

Put a sneak on Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Had one gobbling like crazy 60 yds away watched him strut for 30 minutes on his branch gobbling and he flew away from me... full fan. lol and that is how it goes.... great am so far also saw 4 deer. good luck all

Good morning Mr . Woods. Pretty morning out. Saw a bunch of glow in the dark slugs in the field on the way up. Mighty warm walk up. Enjoy the morning everyone, be safe and soak in all the wildlife Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just hope he passed up on the Keystone too ! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cheers Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Slacked on pics sorry My son, wife an my parents caught some nice sea trout and a red last week. I foil pouched half with butter, lemon, fresh thyme and some Tony Catcheres seasoning. The other half I grilled blackened. It was real good. We killed it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Venison burgers on the "grillet" Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My wife and I will be out. I'm the guide / caller and she is the shooter should the opportunity present itself...

Here ya go: http://foodanddrink.scotsman.com/food/a-history-of-the-clootie-dumpling-including-a-recipe-for-making-your-own/

Apparently after hearing 2/3 birds rip on roost this morning I did not pick the exact second to talk to them

I found this mud puddle today and it looks like the turkeys are drinking from it and eating the pollywogs. I haven't seen this many pollywogs since I was a kid.

Had 2 or 3 gobbling 80-100 yards away, clearly I didn't sound sexy enough they moved off to I believe my neighbors field. I'll head back out after I get the kids on the bus at 8. Goodluck all

You just used an unknown to explain another unknown. I still don't know what's a Cootie Dumpling and now I'm just as curious as to what is a Scottish Fortune Cookie is. I remember as a toddler, we generally avoided cooties.

I get it and agree there seems to be an over kill among some with their gear . However I also know that it seems hunters as a whole have always used the most advanced gear avalible at the time . Did they not ? I see today's tree stands as the biggest aid in bow hunting .