maytom

Nice clock!!!

snowing out by me big time right now.....news stated by 2am it will dwindle down!!

It's a personal decision all the way. I will only try to harvest a Gobbler, mainly because I collect the beards and spurs. As most of you know, a jake has a stubbie for a beard and a small nub for a spur.

Using decoys, adds to the illusion in the hunt. A gobbler hears a hen, (you), and thinks there is a hen that wants company. So you now have his curiosity up and he slowly makes his way toward your set-up searching for the hen he previously heard. Then, he spots your decoy, that clinches the deal in his peanut sized brain. I'd rather carry decoys with me to use at a moments notice than to leave them at home. Feather - Flex made some awesome decoys a couple of years ago with there new at the time "fracking" process. I use their hen and jake decoys. The jake is actually a black color and the hen is a light brown, very life like. Set up: Face the jake towards you, since a gobbler will approach a jake from the front, there by giving you a chance to get your gun on him while he is in strut. His fan will be blocking his head from you, allowing you to make your final move. Face the hen decoy away from your set-up, again, being that a gobbler will approach a hen from behind. With being in strut, his fan, again will block his head from you while you make your move.

Fall hunting is a whole different sport compared to the spring. Not very much gobbling, (maybe some jakes), as can be expected at this time of the year since the mating season ended back in the summer. Like some have already mentioned, knowing where birds are already roosting and travel patterns will help out more as well as a good dose of patience. I'm referring to here is strictly gobblers, polts and hens are very vocal, all depends what you are looking to fill your tag with? A taxidermist once told me that for a flying mount, the best gobbler mount would be a Fall gobbler. reason being, they have a completely new set of feathers after the summer molting, with no broken wing tips, breast feathers, etc.

Mossy Oak Elite III is a dandy. 19 zippered pockets, made for several pot calls as well as a box call. I have since been using portable seats vs using the seat cushions that come with the vests. After sitting for a few hours on a daily basis during the season, my tailbone gets sore with just sitting on a seat cushion. The H.S. Strut folding leg model is a good one, as well as the newer styles out there with the backs. You can sit for longer times and are much more comfortable while waiting on a tom.

Unless you shoot 3-D on a consistent basis, knowing the exact distances out to 40 yards is a guessing game at best. Most can judge 20 yards, no brainer there, but 5 yards either way past 30 yards and it's a miss or worse yet a bad hit? I like to know the range to various trees etc., from my stand ahead of time, so when a nice buck shows up, I know where to aim. These tools aren't gimmic's at all? Seems that when your looking for a reply to a question, you get reply's from people who never used the item? Thanks for all the "good" advise.

Was curious if anyone has tried out these newer rangefinders with "height compensation". I have an older Nikon ProStaff Laser 440 model that I have been using and was curious if the newer models with that ARC compensation are worth taking a look at? Interested in the Bushnell Truth model, or the Nikon Archers Choice.

Of course I will try them both out before making a decision. Field & Stream did a 10 bow comparison in a previous back issue. Out of the 10 bows they shot and evaluated, the Bowtech and Elite rated #1 and #2. I have been a Mathews fan for over 15 years now, starting first with their Ultra-Light model, and still shooting their Switchback model now. Think the time has come to try something different.

Ditto!!

Awesome buck!!! Bet you were tickled seeing the show as well!!

Ditto........you also might think about trying to set up in some multi-trunked trees as well. they will help break-up your outline. If you back track that trail, sooner or later you will find the ultimate tree setup.

I'll be up-grading next year sometime. Trying to decide between an Elite or Bowtech. Both are rated very well, but think the Bowtech is a little quicker?

Awesome buck!!! WTG!!

Wow!!! Awesome brute of a buck!! Check out the wood on that monster!!

That would surely tick me off to no end!!

DITTO on the Winchester 2 3/4" slugs out of a smooth bore!!

I have the .17HMR in a CZ-452 American, while very accurate at 75 yards, the wind plays havoc with that light weight bullet past that distance!! With even a slight breeze it seems to be all over the target!! I would assume that the .22 mag shooting a heavier bullet would be more accurate?

Well at least Sunday was an awesome day!! Now it looks like rain for another three days!!

Yes, quite depressing with all the wet weather of late!! Suppose to rain the next three days!!!

What sun? All I see and feel is rain!!! LOL!!!

Holy smokes, last year we went from winter right into summer, missed the spring altogether. But this year, 20-30 degrees cooler than normal and rain every day or every other!!! Getting a little tried of al the wet weather!!

What a topic!!! Let's just say this: my folks are in their mid 80's and I don't have any kids. At what point do my folks, who are on social security, get a break from paying school taxes, since they are on a fixed income? And what about me, no kids at all, and fronting the same school taxes as people with kids? (and who get a tax break from them at the end of the year by the way, so what are they actually paying for school taxes?) This entire School tax thing should be based on a percentage..............if you have kids in school, you should be be paying MORE!!!! I don't want to hear the song and dance about people paid for me when I was in school, look at the salaries back then and what they paid, compared to todays rate and amount!! Something has to change..............

Decoys are another "tool" to use to fool a gobbler. He "hears" a hen, then works in expecting to find/see one and then spots the decoy. It adds to the illusion of the hunt. I love the new Feather-Flex line with their "flocked" finish. The jake is black and the hen is brown....like they should be. Light in weight so carrying them isn't an issue at all, being made out a foam material. Midwest carries a decoy bag made for most sized decoys, comes with a shoulder strap and can carry other items as well. As far as set-up goes: Have the jake facing "towards you", since the gobbler usually always comes in facing the jake with his tail fan raised. This will allow you to get on him without him seeing you move your gun, since his head will be blocked by his fan. Have a hen decoy facing "away" from your set-up, since a gobbler will always approach her from behind, again, this will allow you to make your move on him without him seeing you due to his tail fan blocking his head. Give it a try this season. I wouldn't leave home without them..........they work well!!!

I have been using the "Nitro" 4x5x7 Tri-plex loads for several years now. I bought a box at the NWTF convention years ago for $100.00 for 25 shells. Steep price for ammo, I agree. But, the patterns are awesome while using a Rhino Choke sized .660 out of my Win 1300. Last time I patterned this shell/choke combo, I got 316 pellets inside a 10" circle at 40 yards. Haven't tried any of the new shells out on the market now, due to me still having several of these Nitros left. Hevishot is here to stay for sure.