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And I'm out

Today was my most exciting turkey hunt of my short turkey hunting career. Was going to have a buddy come to my place to hunt. However the lack of turkeys lately made us choose a property in Darien he has permission to hunt. Got to the fields by 530 and listened for awhile and didn't hear any birds. We did hear a other hunter hittin the owl hooter pretty hard. We decided to move back to the edge of a field that border hardwoods and had fields on either side of us. We sat and called for about a hour and a half with no responses. He moved down the edge of a field next to us and called. Got a reaction immediately from a tom that was probably 250-300 yards away. We made a plan and moved towards the tom which was sounding off on the other side of a ravine in a hidden back field. When we got to the ravine i called and instantly he responded. We setup there calling to him and he kept gobbling. However he wasnymt moving, and we figured he was around 150 yards away in the far field. We moved up the ravine through some pines and stopped just below the crest of the hill. We would call and he would respond, but still in that corner. He decided we should move to the edge of the field by us. When we got there and called we got no response...did we spook him? We stayed there contemplating our next move. Then boom he gobbles and is within 100 yards nack in the pines. We each move into the pines across from us, i call and gobbles back. Next i could see two heads cresting the other side of the pines 50 yards away, 2 hens, and behind them there he was full strut blue and bright white head glowing. I had a downed tree 20 yards out infront of me blocking most of him except the top of his head and his tail feathers, my buddy adjusted to try and get a better view and the hens saw it. They all got nervous and started moving awy slowly, i figured it was now or never i gave a couple yelps so he would pick his head up, it worked, boom...flop...turkey dinner. 38 yards, mossy 835 with winchester xx 3.5" #5. 8.5" beard, 1" spurs, guesstimated weight of 21lbs. Sorry for the long response, great day in the woods.

Daughter just got home from saftey course. She was very excited to show me her certificate. Ide like to thank anyone on here that gives up there time to help get kids and adults get into the tradition of hunting and shooting by teaching these courses. She said her class was 50/50 kids to adults and same for male and female total was about 30people ahe said. She thanked instructors as did i when i dropped her off. She was smiling the whole way home. Next weekend me and my new hunting partner are going to chase some turkeys and start making memories.

Birds gobbled on ground for a bit and quiet since. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I finally found a dumb one..Or maybe just got lucky...After four days of hunting from pre-dawn until noon and hearing just a few gobbles and getting very little response... Set up this morning in my blind with a strutter and two hens out....No roost gobbling....After flydown I started doing some clucking, ,purring and soft yelps....No gobbling...About 7:00 am a hen came out, shortly followed by two others...I got the gun ready and sure enough, here comes the gobbler trotting after the hens Ba-da BOOM !!… 18.5 lb, nice heavy 9" beard and 7/8" spurs..... Not the most exciting hunt I have ever had, but after 4 slow days , he was more than welcome...

Great morning yesterday. Several good birds working from 4 different roosts on the same farm. Finally get a big boy to come 600 yards across the meadow to 49 yards and just skirted around us. Wanted nothing to do with the dekes. My nephew and I cracked up at how rude and disrepectful that bird was. I couldn’t go this morning but my nephew did. Same thing; however, the purrs got to him and he shot him at 7 yards.

Dropped one! Not much of a story but I shot him at 4 yards. He come running down the field edge to a lone hen in the field. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Took my daughter to the airport and found this little fellow in the road . Called Dec to come get him no one came so I scooped him up and brought him home . Dec called me with a rehabilitators name and number she came and took him he was so cuteeeee.

Oysters, soft shell crab, and rack of lamb Primavera - Croton Falls Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks sj, started out great, I got up late, quarter of the drive down I remembered I forgot my camo jacket grrrr but there was no turning back. Parked the truck and of course being late they were already gobbling on the roost. Busted some deer as I approached my spot sat down made a couple calls and nothing. Few minutes later they all tee off in the distance, sounded like they were heading away from me. Made a few calls no response. Minutes later they respond closer, then they showed up (5) flanking my left side. They bunch up about 30yrds out and two broke away heading away. The other three turn and start coming in front of me strutting and gobbling but there all bunched up and would have shot all three if I attempted a shot. Finally they walk behind a two trunk red oak, I adjust and once the lead bird popped out I hit the trigger. With the limited time I'm tickled as hell!!

Rainy day = Venison Osso Bucco It begins! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Finished off at 185 degrees. Just pulled it and the results are positive.

Had to do it ! Recent trip to Cleveland and Christmas story house. One of our favorite movies Have the 20” model that daughter will take to college in upcoming years. Full send on the 50” model. To get shipped in crate would have been and extra $400+ No thanks on the crate.

Oh my! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Haha alright so final verdict is mixed. On Easter I did a 17lb farm bird. I’m not sure what the weight of this bird dressed was, but it was def bigger. For experiment purposes I used the same recipes and wood with the exception of adding bacon. The farm bird was done in about 3 hours, which was shorter than expected, so thinking a bigger bird would take another hour I started at 2 with a goal of being done at 6 or 7. Come 7 and it’s still at 142* and I’m needing 155 and not able to really hold out. So we pull the bird. I’m nervous about over drying it, but also don’t want to take any health chances. Wife and I decide to pop it in the oven at 400 and it was in there for maybe 30 minutes and at 150 we took it out. The skin was toast, but we’re not skin eaters anyhow and the bird was moist and freaking delicious. I’m soooo happy it didn’t go to waste. Some thoughts on this. 1.Don’t shoot big birds or plan on longer smokes haha. 2.The bird didn’t seem to retain the smoke flavor of the domestic. It was moist and good but bland. Maybe we were spoiled by the Smokey flavor of the domestic, but gravy or sauce is needed for some kick. 3. The legs were certainly tougher as expected but edible. Really excited for the sandwiches this week and I’d recommend you guys try to cook the whole bird. It’s worth the extra meat in my opinion. Ps the bacon won though haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Lunch/snack smoked venison sausage pickeled eggs and peppercini

Tapping out. Daughter thinks 3 were hammering after they hit the ground. Apparently they henned up quick as shut right down Still built memories in the woods together. Now she can’t go til end of the month. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

did well on the perch yesterday out of the catt just east of evanagloa

Good job! I spotted this Osprey the other day near my house unable to fly. His right wing was injured. I’m not sure if he tangled with one of the 2 bald eagles that has been hanging here around lately. I called the local wildlife rescue and they came and picked him up.

Neat things you come across on new land. Might be a town line as I found 4 in a line.

Venison jalapeno sausage, periogies, onions and peppers. As seen on here by bionic...except I didn't have sour cream and added peppers and onions.

So. The neighbor decided it was time to mow..... Which means I had to mow. Great. So it begins. I like all the pretty yellow flowers we had growing Sent from my LM-V405 using Tapatalk

On the ride home sure as heck I am looking into a cut corn field across from a dairy farm and I see a huge Tom in full strut.....get out and my binos to glass....and sure as heck he is courting a hen. What a cool experience Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

Doing my part..

Funny you say that. She took a mishandled catch off the shoulder/cheek area. Of course it wasn’t fast or hard and she was fine. She owns the local ice cream stand and she still treated all the kids to free ice cream. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Won't be ready till morning but after leaving Nashville I've wanted some pulled pork. Brined two days has a apple rub with cherry wood. Nice night for me and my pup to have a bbq.

I had a bird going real hot next to your dad's property opening day on my buddies. He headed YOUR way with his hens, pronto after he heard me. Kill 'em tomorrow.

Gonna give it a go in the am. First of only a few changes for me. Good luck in the am boys

Trying new property tomorrow. Quick scout tonight and saw two birds very far off and couldn't tell what sex. Looking forward to some new scenery.

My first gun would be a Winchester Model 69A. It belonged to my uncle but he left it with his sister (my mom) for safe keeping. I put probably 1000 rounds through it before I was 16. Not many compared to lots of kids I'm sure but a lot to me. My mom died in '86 and my uncle died in '88 and the gun became mine in a sad kind of way. I still have the gun but it gets shot rarely........ Many a head of small game fell to it, along with a truck load of Campbell's soup cans.

theres more to life than sports, fellas! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sorry for the late post, today is the first chance I get on a computer. I called this 1 in on Wednesday morning, took a good friend for his first turkey hunt. 8.5" beard, 7/8" Spurs. He was alone, came in strutting and gobbling. Almost too easy. The next morning I called in a gobbler with 3 hens, got him to check out my decoys, 35 yds I knocked him down only to watch him get up and run off! I think my shot was low and because I was shooting up hill and he was over a slight crown, I think I shot through the tall grass? This scope/ no scope decision is going to drive me nuts! Yesterday heard 1 gobble at first light and nothing until around 10 am. Only gave me courtesy gobbles. Great 3 days even though the weather man called for rain, most if the rain came over night or after noon near Little Valley. Taking today off to recharge, going out tomorrow in 9f.

My daughter was just a recent Grad of her hunter safety course and thought I’d take her to look at some guns and get her fitted. Went to Corfu A&k guns and I happen to know owner Ken pretty well over the years. He really took his time with her measuring her and keeping in mind that we wanted a gun she can grow into. Ended up with a 20g Browning micro Midas. It has the expansion plates for her as she grows and have the option to get a 28” barrel later on . Funny my first gun was a Browning A5 and now hers is a Browning. She’s really pumped to start shredding some paper and eventually clay’s . So what or when was your first?

2nd, got my first last year.

Just a heads up , the Lilac Fest. Is in a large Rochester park,where one can wander among a large variety of well Lilacs . Then enjoy food, booze, and bands, crafts, rides for the kiddies and so forth . It runs May 10 - 19 May 18 is the Craft beer expo as well ,here’s that info . https://www.rochesterevents.com/lilac-festival/craft-beer-expo/ scroll down on the link for brewers attending .

Its possible i heard more gobbles today than in the last ten years combined, two birds just hammering back and forth for an hour and forty five minutes. The fog kept them in the trees until after 7. They worked their way to a gas line and strutted before a real hen came in, and I also had a deer blowing over my left shoulder. I finally decided to move on them every time they got behind a big maple, didnt work lol. They werent spooked too badly but they moved off with the hen so I backed out

Out on lease. Not a lot of turkey out here but once in a while get them on cam. So far today is not that once. Haven't seen or heard a thing.

After I got my hunter safety, Dad had a friend pick up a bolt action JC Higgins 12 gauge goose gun for me, which he refinished the stock on. Dad was only an occasional hunter, and not a successful one at that, so pretty much any gun was good enough. I carried that telephone pole for small game and deer until I found most of a Winchester model 94 sticking out of a trash can one day. We ordered up the needed parts and thank goodness I had that for deer hunting, anyway. I actually shot a huge southern tier doe my first season carrying the JC Higgins...dad was close to seizures when he saw it! I bought a Savage bolt .22 for my son to start with, followed by a Stevens 20 gauge side by side. As he took an interest in muzzleloading I built him up a Dixie Gun Works 40 cal Cub rifle, which was alot of fun.

2 gobblers on roost Time to play Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Randy lay there like a slug; it was his only defense. I can’t put my arms down! You’ll put your arms down at school! Fa-ra-ra-ra-ra-—RA-RA—RA—-RA Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dino's told me, and shown me, a lot about the process, but the impetus actually came from my wilderness survival class instructor. This year, in addition to making some basic primitive bows, he wants the class to make arrows, too. I don't think it will be anywhere close to the craftsmanship that Dino puts into his stuff. I will try to reach out to him for some feathers. Thanks.

Since china started making everything a lot of middle America has been suffering the same fate more here because of over regulation and high taxes

Tonight it was mostly margaritas. Had some King Sue earlier. Now drinking psuedo sue. Wife pulling out the big guns apparently. She's stepped up with drinking Nightmare Scaphism (17% stout). Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Stuffed Mexican tonight at a friends that work in NYC. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

New views are always great. Enjoy the morning and good luck.

Farmer that gave me and my daughter permission to hunt sent me a pick of a tom gobbling outside his window of the house today.

Wow! Your son looks great! Congrats! Oh wait, are children off limits? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Masterpiece of a film. That wedding sequence is one of the best sequences ever shot. Little trivia. That was John Cazale’s (Stan) last film. He had cancer but Streep (his girlfriend) insisted they use him or she would walk. He never saw it finished. Cazale appeared in only five films and each was nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award: Godfather 1and 2; Dog Day Afternoon; The Conversation; and The Deerhunter.

Another solid game, had 2 walks a double and a single. He's doing really well hitting and he's the youngest kid on the team.