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Got out for a bit each of the first three mornings and had action each time. Connected at 9:30 opening day. 26 lbs, 9.5 inch beard and 1 3/8 and 1 1/2 inch spurs. Over the three days, heard 8 shots including mine. All pretty close by. I'm a lousy turkey hunter but we did really well at this particular spot.

Tagged out this morning....The one bird I have heard every morning was gobbling good this morning...Finally about 7:00 AM I had him in the woods right behind my blind...He was within 40 yards but I couldn't see him in the woods and was waiting for him to walk into the field with my decoys... Then he just shut up...I waited a full half hour after I heard the last gobble and called...NOTHING..I have no idea what happened.. Meanwhile while I was waiting , I had heard two gobbles from the opposite direction...I did some calling and heard nothing, but about ten minutes later I saw a black blob appear down in the corner of the field, about 150 yards away...He stepped out of the woods and displayed for a minute or so, then folded up and walked DIRECTLY toward Esmerelda, my pretty Avian decoy... I had the gun on the sticks and watched him come through my scope all the way....It was almost too easy...I dropped him at 21 paces, about ten feet from the decoy...Nice bird...19.5 pounds, real heavy 8.5 inch beard and one inch spurs... He's the one I saw with the jake that ignored me yesterday.. Now I need Moog to get back down here and kill the other one ..I'm sure he's the BOSS... He's probably the MOOG of all gobblers...Hehehe....

Made it out Saturday. Went most of the morning without hearing anything. Around 8:30 was able to locate two birds and call them in over about 45 minutes. Paced the shot at 32 yards. 9" beard, 1" Spurs.

Third season hunting my own land and was finally able to connect today. My first NYS bird in 9 years as well. Had lots of activity before the season on cameras and scouting for early morning gobbles. Seeing mostly jakes and hens on camera. Dead quiet Saturday. Setup in a blind this morning in a small clearing with a hen decoy where I’ve had activity on my camera. My property is otherwise 95% wooded. Of course I heard gobbles at 5:20 on another end of the property deep into the hardwoods. I got up, grabbed the gun, left everything and hustled about 300 yards into the woods stopping to listen periodically for the gobbles on the roost to steer me correctly. Settled at 5:30 or so against a tree by a stone wall facing the gobbles which were about 125 yards away but it was light out and didn’t want to spook them. After a few calls, the gobbles stopped momentarily. I thought a hen had cut me off. Then I cut at them really hard, and they started again and seemed committed and then I shut up and waited. I scratched the leaves and I saw a bunch of blue heads sprinting in my direction. Possibly 3 or 4. Tough to see over the terrain and I had my gun up at the ready. They were behind some brush and the stone wall above me. Once the first bird popped his blue head over the wall to peek at the “hen” that yelped, I dropped him at 30 yards. The others scattered and I was never able to make out if they were jakes or toms. I had assumed this was a jake given how fast they charged in. I didn’t see his beard and he never strutted before I saw the blue head. Turns out he was a nice 2 year old with an 8” beard. And to top it off, today is my 38th birthday. Great day all around. Good luck to everyone and congratulations to those who bagged their bird. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Social distancing with a buddy who we’ve fished together for over 30 years. He nips me everytime. He caught 13. I caught 12. Mostly these sized. Bigger should be in soon once water warms a bit. We did have 2 doubles Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yesterday I figured I’d stop by Wulff’s run on the way home on the Willow after fishing a few holes on the Beaverkill (running hot!). Caddis hatch was ridiculous but little surface activity. I almost didn’t fish but then saw a few rises. Was fishing a size 14 green Apple caddis and snapped off on a strike that surprised me(end of the drift with drag). Fish started rising out of reach from my position so I crossed to the opposite side. Even the Willow was high and difficult to navigate. Nailed this beauty in a similar manner but was now fishing with more conviction after the “swing” started. Clearly the emerges were on the menu. Great surprise at the end of a frustrating fishing day...euronymphing was a disaster. Constant tangles...hang ups...etc. not a great judge of the technique due to crazy heavy flows but it’s gonna be hard to convince myself to try again. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Venison Osso Buco Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Update: Granddaughter fully recovered. Thank God! Daughter almost fully recovered. Thank God! Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes.

@crappyice sent me home with his own pizza dough, garlic paste, etc. so, I DEEP fried some breaded eggplant, and made some white eggplant parm pies!, delicious, thank you sir.

Well 3 days of turkey hunting and I am tagged out. Actually pretty disappointed to be done but I wasn't out there to let one walk. Got set up on the lease this morning on the Oakridge I shot my 8 PT last fall. Heard some gobbling on roost, sat 50 yds from my hunting buddy. Nothing responded once they hit the ground. Decided to try running and gunning but we couldn't buy a gobble. Went too DD for some coffee and a breakfast sandwich and decided we would set up on the big field edge and if nothing else enjoy the beautiful sunshine and maybe catch some zzz. Got set up and put the decoys between us. Heard a gobble and the Tom came right out in the field. It all happened quick. Bang flop at about 30 yds. I'm going to tag along with my one hunting buddy still since there isn't much else to do... 17.5 lbs 12" beard 1 1/4 spurs...

I wanted a red dot for my Turkey slayer. Was trying to decide between the Vortex Venom and Burris Fast Fire. I decided on the Venom mostly because of what I have heard about Vortex customer service. I got the Venom last Friday. When I opened it I was annoyed that the base was installed, the battery was installed and there was no paperwork at all. I figured I got one that somebody returned. I called the place I ordered it from and they said it wasn't returned but it was their display model. They said I could return it but I wanted it yesterday. I emailed Vortex and told them and asked if they could possibly send me the paperwork I should have gotten. I got a message back within a few minutes saying yes and it was shipping. Came home to a Vortex optics box on my porch. Here is what they sent me... Well I can't upload a picture. They must have overnighted this stuff. I got the paperwork I requested, a hat, Vortex decal, Vortex playing cards, Vortex optics cleaning cloth, extra screws for the optic mount and a torx bit. Thought it was a pretty big box for a tiny instruction manual.

Not sure whatcha call it but it was good. Hash browns, jalepeno sausage, eggs and a little country gravy. Def not health food but was a leftovers concoction that worked.

Made lasagna for the fam and some to drop of contactless at my wife’s grandparents Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You'll be ok....They are all special, and if you keep turkey hunting you will EARN every bird, believe me...! Tom Kelly said it best in his book " The Tenth Legion"... " If you persevere you will kill a few turkeys that you don't deserve, but you will DESERVE a lot more turkeys that you don't kill"...

Wild turkey cutlets , mashed and country gravy.

I almost didn’t recognize him cause he was holding a good fish!!!! [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not a peep this morning, so I loaded my turkey bag up with leeks on the way out. Leek soup is on now. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Saw this little guy in the driveway today, relocated him a big puddle next to the stream here.

Sitting by the fire, enjoying the sunset and listening to a turkey gobble across the road on neighbors property that I can't hunt. Lol.

So nice out today... made me think of summer. Went with venison kabobs with zucchini, peppers, onion and topped with baby

Holy crap I almost didn't recognize you with that COVID beard! Oh and good fish too!

Pics are back! Ramps, asparagus eggs hot with Bio Tater topper- great addition!!! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just spent the last 3 hours catching up on this site. I've been out of internet reach for 4 days hunting a friends place in Birdsall. Too windy to try roosting on wednesday, pouring all day on thursday, hunted state land on friday, got 1 to gobble at 11:30 too far to be able to work it. Got beat to my parking spot on Saturday, had to go to plan B, never heard a bird. Sunday I went back to area I heard the gobbler on friday, never heard a bird. Didn't see much in the way of scratching in the woods and I hiked a ton this weekend. I seriously think the bird population is way down in that area? Slept in this am, I really needed it, between the hiking and the work at camp I'm exhausted! We did get a good start on the water system for the cabin, I'll post a couple of pics on that thread.

What a monster..CONGRATS !!

Ha if this unemployment keeps up much longer , the deer will soon be joining those turkeys .

The hens will draw another gobbler or two in as the season continues. More opportunities for you soon.

I started bow hunting 6 or 7, maybe it's 8 now, seasons ago. As soon as I was in the woods that first day of my first season I thought, why did I wait so long to do this... Well thats exactly what I thought at about 5:30am last Friday 5/1 when I heard my first gobble. Why oh why did I wait so long to do this!!

Barnyard pimp .

Ribs smoked on the Weber kettle and finished on the grill. Side of tuna macaroni salad Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

Me and my moose page 13

A lot of boat traffic this afternoon being a Saturday. Cant hunt Turkeys so might as well fish. Very slow day. Out with cousin and his 5 yr old. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Looks like a Yellow Crowned Night Heron, though it does look like it's uncommon.

Awesome dedication guys! The bird that Cynthia finally will drop needs a full mount done to remember this pursuit! Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

That's OK...Especially when I remember the seasons when I hunted my sawed off little ass off all season and got maybe one or maybe NONE...Hehehe.. Besides that, I also love to FISH and may is a great month for fishing..

Never once have I turkey hunted by not being here at sun up. Too afraid to miss something and listening to the woods wake up is the best part.

I often visit the CNN website, and flip across their TV channel, to check out their coverage. There is a lot of truth to the old "God-father" saying "Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer" . I learn a lot from these visits: Mostly, where to shop and spend my money (not at places or for products that buy advertisement on that network), and how deep that their hatred is of Trump and his supporters. There is no doubt that Trump is justified in his frequent counterattacks of those folks. Last week, I read an article on the CNN web-site that was highly critical of Trump's son-in-law Jared K. Every so often, the anti-semitism that runs deep thru CNN, is on display for all to see, and it certainly was in that article. Not since Harry Truman, have the Jewish people had a greater supporter in the White house than Donald Trump, and his acceptance of his son-in-law's wise council is the second biggest proof of that. His support of the US embassy move, and his recognition of The "true" capital (Jerusalem), was the biggest proof. Acceptance and love of those of the Jewish faith is a mark of a true Christian, and there is no doubt that Trump has shown that. His words and tweets are not always impressive, but his actions have spoken volumes. History will remember Trump as one of this nation's greatest Presidents thanks to the job he has done, and continues to do. The single most impressive thing I have seen from him is his pick of and retention of Mike Pence as VP. How many Presidents have picked a VP who is more capable than themselves ? The second and third most impressive things were the selections of his (2) Supreme Court justices. His ability to work effectively with state governors of both parties, during the current Covid-19 crisis, illustrates his ability to break the Washington deadlock and get things done to save lives. I am very thankful that we have such a leader in Washington at this time and he will certainly keep getting my prayers for support.

Local brew from Brown's Brewery on the back deck. Peter's pale ale. Recipe by master brewer Peter Martin who died in a tractor accident. Lived right down the road from the farm. Cheers Peter. Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Baby cardinal Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No idea how old it is but I'm goin for it! Call Me The Teflon Don

Pasta fagioli, chicken cutlets and (grilled salmon) not in the picture.

Bought a 12 pack of Genny Cream Ale, girl asked for ID......

75 and sunny, 1245pm Sunday Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Congrats to everybody who connected, especially Mowin who is teaching others and helping keep our traditions alive! In retrospect yesterday was one of the most interesting days of turkey hunting I've had, was just feeling too down on myself to type it up. Long story short, I missed a gobbler I've been chasing (presumably same one, same spot, same tendencIes) for 2 years now. Did every single thing right, except have patience to wait for him to get into a proper gap in the woods. Tunnel vision. Map: Red line is the bird, purple is where he flew. Mine is obviously the blue. Long story, not short : I played with, and watch this gobbler through binos for well over 2 hours before getting my chance. He's also kind of a badass that isn't afraid of coyotes any more than he has to be to stay alive. Heard him gobbling 2 fields away, after having a real aggressive hen come out and cackling at me when I called, around 830 or so. Fortunately didn't have the deeks out yet or I'm sure she would have had me pinned down for a while. She was belting out yelps looking for the other hen, then this gobbler started up about 4 yards away. She headed in his direction, and I followed. Alot of field between me and him. So I setup with the hen/jake deeks, and called to him for at least 30 minutes. He was gobbling like he was going to come in, but didn't. Another one started up a couple hundred yards behind me in the woods, which ticked him off further. I think that one was a jake, because I ran into a jake while I was watching the coyotes from across the fields. Eventually headed south to this big former cow field thats about 300 yards long and 150 wide that runs up a hill to some pines, with a sharp bank and thick saplings running down a steep hill below it. So I pack up the deeks, back up to the other side of a hedge row, and start heading closer to see what he's up to. As I'm watching him from 400 yards away, two coyotes tried to put the stalk on him! He quite matter of factly flew up into an oak tree maybe 15 feet off the ground, putted at them a couple times and just watched. He might as well have given them the finger. Once the coyotes buggered off he hopped out the tree and resumed his strutting at the top of a long field, with hundreds of yards of vision all around him. I had moved up to behind this old barn while he was distracted, so I'm maybe 300 yards away now. There was no way to not get busted when he was out in the field. I see him head under the pines, and decided to make my move. Leave the decoys at the barn. Drop down, as quickly as someone who isn't allowed to run with a 3 month old ACL can go, through a marshy field, below that steep lip of the field he was in, into the saplings / brush below the field. There's a decent sized stream running through the bottom of the field and it was running pretty hard. Setup on hummock, before the stream (which is also the property line to the lease I can't hunt anymore #bitter). Start calling, that bird starts up again up in the pines. Get him going then I clam up. First 5 minutes he didn't move, then he starts down the hill. Instead of calling I did some scratching in the leaves to keep his interest peaked. Takes him about 30 minutes, and finally I see him on the other side of the stream, which has a bed about 8 feet below eye levels. Wait til he's behind a tree and just HAMMER the mouth call and he cuts me off, spitting, drumming, the whole 9. I pitched my call so it sounded like it was on the other side of the hummock I was on, so "she" is just out of sight of him. He's fired up now. Unfortunately where he's strutting is way to brushy for a shot even though he's probably 25 yards away. Eventually he gets mad enough to go down IN the stream bed and that's when I hammer it again, scratch, get my gun up and safety off, 100% ready. He takes his time coming up, but instead of coming close hes further down, and the hillock is blocking everything but his big white head. Still REALLY brushy, no easy openings. Eventually he gets to top of the hummock where he can see down the other side, in a half decent opening (I thought), and that head goes uuuuuuuuuuuuup, and I knew the jig was up. Took the shot, new pins right on his eyeball (mistake). He disappears and I'm elated for about 1 second before I see him cruising on down the valley. S.O.B.

I have been reluctant to post my first two days recap because of a major blunder; I missed a slam dunk yesterday morning. 5:50am and I had him dead to rights at maybe 20 yards but just his head and fan were visible. (oh and my gun was pointing too far to the right) He went behind a small tree and I swung over, as he came out I was kind of contorted and squinting as I was shooting right handed and am more proficient lefty........I guess I rushed it. At that point he was probably 30 yards or so. After that I worked another adult that must have had a hen, he didn't play by the script at all. Moved to my third location and worked a couple Jakes in easily two different times from 10am-noon. One of them sounded so much like an adult I couldn't believe he didn't have a vertical beard. Exciting Friday was pretty good at another spot too but only resulted in an unfilled tag. A silent bird coming into about 10' off my left shoulder before I couldn't resist looking and spooked him to Canada...LOL Around 11am I had two Jakes come into 20 yards and stand there for 15 minutes just staring holes in me. Exciting Today I slept in. The birds can wait.....

This is exactly why I watch CNN. While I can not do much about what they say. I can affect the company's which purchase advertising time there by not giving them any of my hard-earned dough. As far as Biden goes, the only hope for him is if this Covid-19 thing prevents head-to-head debates. I think that even most Democrats feel that Trump would eat him for breakfast if such and event were to occur. A real measure Biden's weakness as a leader will be if he picks a woman of color as his running mate, in a lame-brained attempt to gather support of those two important demographics. He might pull some of the less intelligent folks but the smarter ones realize that the Republican party has always had their interests covered the best, starting with Lincoln.

Well bill did good called in 2 birds . I goofed up didnt let them get in close and got excited shot low . Killed a tree . Ughhhhh. At least I didnt laugh . When they were in the tree gobbling I was laughing then they flew down and i got ready .

CNN is not a news network and it's anchors are not journalists. It's a propaganda arm of the Democratic National Committee and it spews opinions, not news. It doesn't have to be correct, factual or relevant to anything factual. CNN's purpose is to keep the lies flowing in order to keep it's followers in a lather. The mind control of the left is a cult. People under it's influence are often illogical and hateful, refusing to believe anything good about their opposition. That is why it is impossible to compromise with them on anything. CNN is not interested in what is good for the country. It is paid to sell what is good for keeping leftists in power. It's people are highly paid commissioned salespeople for communism. Communists have always been anti-semitic. What is despicable is their alliance with the enemies of the Jews. They support Islam and never challenge them on their hatred of Jews, or anything else. This is also relevant to members of this hunting forum, because these same Communists hate individual ownership of firearms, along with most other individual rights. CNN is one of the biggest opponents of the 2nd Amendment. Now, just to be clear before some here misinterpret what I've have written, I'm not calling CNN viewers Communists. I'm saying if you listen to it's propaganda, you are being indoctrinated by them. They want people to hate Trump, conservatives, the US Constitution, Rule of Law, the electoral college, immigration laws and free speech. If you are also against those things, you belong to the cult. In other words, if you support Democrats, you are not very smart, but you think you are, and that is what makes you dangerous. As for judges, people were pushed to hate Gorsuch and Kavanaugh, as well as oppose confirmation of ALL judges Trump nominates. These leftists know the easiest way to get their laws in place, is with activist judges who will circumvent the Constitution and install those laws by judicial fiat. They don't want judges who follow the Rule of Law. This is the most important thing Trump has done to preserve the country, and CNN and American Communists hate him for it. All of that considered, someone explain how Democrats think Biden would lead America on a path of exceptionalism and prosperity.

Jenn wanted wings tonight, so we did that. Firs pre-seasoned with Bionic’s Chicken Rub, General Tso’s for her, and my plate is pictured with a half dozen General Tso’s/sesame seeds, and a half dozen Frank’s Red Hot. Still doing the 60-90 minute convection bake, then deep fry method, delicious. First pic is baked, ready for deep fryer.

Tried making beef short ribs for the first time in about 20 years. 6 hours in the slow cooker (I think 8-9 hrs next time). Mashers with homemade gravy and green beans. It fell off the bones and the family loved it