Skillet

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Happy Birthday!

I'd like to see a one bird limit in the spring as well as fall seasons. Taking a week off of the spring season would be cool, too.

Congrats. Maybe You could find a kid to take out for the rest of the season.

Gotta love that 835! You can't kill 'em. I've got the same one I've had for 15 years & it's never let me down. We just got my son one, too. Just an awesome gun.

They have their place, but it's not riding through the woods at dawn on your way to the stand. I'm all for them being used by older or handicapped hunters and to haul deer out etc. If you're able though, I think you should hoof it in and out. Getting there is half the experience & a 4 wheeler will rob you of that. We get a lot of them trespassing on our property so I have a bad taste about them in general. I'm sure most guys who use them are responsible, but just like bikers, a few make the rest look like tools.

Great pics of some poult killing scumbags.

Well put man! Late season is definitely the best hunting in my book. Less guys, more receptive birds, and it's easier to sneak around in the greened up woods.

That does seem kind of strange. Toms aren't usually buddy buddy this time of year. Jakes will hang together though.

I'd agree with you that the Jake may have spooked him. I have a Jake, but I don't use it because I'll gladly shoot a Jake given a chance & I don't want to risk intimidating him. I could see it spooking even a big tom if he's not in a fighting mood.

I've always used dekes, unless I was runnin & gunning & a bird was coming in too fast to set it up. Never had a bird spook because of my deke as far as I know. I bought an avian X Lookout hen this spring. It blows any other deke out of the water. I cant believe how real it looks. The tom my son missed on Saturday locked on to her and seemed to have no doubts. They were normally $80 at Field & Stream, but I got it on sale for $60. Got one for the Girlfriend too, as an early mother's day gift. Are they expensive? Yes, but considering the $ we drop without a thought on a box of turkey loads, I guess it's all relative. I'd rather spend a little more to maybe make the difference in one of the few opportunities I get at turkeys. It's a one time thing, I'll never need another one unless it gets shot or something stupid.

He's kinda bummin, but we're out here. All quiet though, even on the roost. It's tough when you have a small amount of land to hunt. If you spook them, you're all done for a few days. We've moved as far as possible from yesterday's spot and put the deke out in a meadow, hoping a Jake will sneak in. The girlfriend is out on a piece down the road we are allowed to hunt, but all quiet there as well.

My son just missed a big tom. I found most of his pattern in a few saplings and 1 feather where the bird stood. Sick to my stomach, worse than missing myself. Nothing we could do. Looked for him for half an hour. I put my arm around him and said "I know". What else can you say to a kid with a broken heart?

Yesterday, except he wasn't upside down.

LoL. Same here! There were 3 gobbling on the roost within 150 yards. As soon as they hit the ground, they shut up. As far as getting my 12 year old to sit still...... yeah right. I have to keep telling him every 5 minutes. He's sleeping now, first time he hasn't been wiggling all morning. Good luck!

I love Kermit.

Not a bad idea to give them a pass. I'd be just as happy bow fishing or chuck hunting.

Definitely seems like numbers are down in 8N where I am. During the last couple weeks of scouting & during the youth season, we only heard a total of 3 birds between all of our spots. In the past, it was normal to hear a bird or two sound off from every ridge around. Not much sign out there either. Like has been said though, plenty of fisher & coon sightings in the past cpl years. Rough springs and high predators are too much for them I think. In the past, I've killed 2 birds per year whenever I've had the chance, not this year though. I'm going to try & get my son a bird, then that'll be it. No reason to have a 2 bird limit anymore. I really think turkeys may be headed the same way pheasants went. You might hear one here & there on a spring morning, but hunting wild ones will be a really low success thing. Maybe we can get DEC to raise them and do a release a few days before the season. LoL.

Went out listening yesterday at camp. Wind was dead calm and I could hear for a long ways. Sat until 7 & not one gobble. Strange, on a nice clear morning. I hope things change by the weekend for my kid. Come to think of it, I haven't been seeing them around camp at all. None in the usual fields or along the road. No sign up on the ridge, where usually there's all kinds of scratching. I hope there wasn't some big winter kill in the area or something.

Never saw this thread, Law. Sitting in the parking lot at Eelpot right now, getting ready and waiting for sunrise!

Kill them. Not that I would, but I know a guy who knows a guy.......

Mine is a killer, she hunts as much as possible. We're always out hunting something, from deer to frogs. She's also great at butchering, & does all the taxidermy. I've never had to ask to hunt or fish & I don't think I ever will. I wouldn't trade her for ANYTHING.

Congrats on a great mount. I hope it brings you memories of the hunt every time you see it.

Thanks again guys!