New York Hillbilly

I started hunting turkeys in the late 80's. I was hooked bad, and spent more energy, time, and effort, in trying to connect, than I can believe, looking back on it now. I finally shot my first one in 1992, a good sized jake with about a four inch beard. From that point on, I shot a good number of really nice toms. But, even more exciting than shooting a gobbler, for me, was the morning after morning of close calls. Being busted, toms sneaking in behind me so close I could hear that.......... fittt fitt bizzzzz sound of a tom puffing up, vibrating and strutting, and my thinking my heart would pound out of my chest, wanting to turn my head........just a little...and waiting to hear that all to familiar...putt putt putt and then running in the opposite way, which meant I just got busted again. Or, sneaking in, in the dark, and when it got light enough to see, find myself sitting up against the very tree they were roosted in, and watching the turkeys waking up, figgiting in the tree, wobbling about looking like they were going to tip over and fall out, and craning their neck about scanning the floor of the woodlot, before they finally one after the other just sort of fell into a glide down from the tree tops, to the ground. Back then, my woods were full of turkeys, and the whole hillside would echo with gobbles. I was much younger, my life was much simpler, my kids were small, my wife excitedly pulling for me to "get one". Getting up in the morning was a breeze, and I didn't ache when I got out of bed.....lol. Unfortunately, it didn't take long before everyone in the area and from outside, began to see my little woodlot as the premier place to hunt, and worthy of getting yelled at some from me for trespassing, to get to take a whack at one of the gobblers. A few close calls with pellets raining down on me from above, as neighbors shooting at turkeys still roosted, sky lined on my property, with me below, was the beginning of the end for me. And, then the trespassing got out of hand, where it was more work to hunt hunters than turkeys, or have guys come stalking me as I called, or flushed turkeys from their roost as they bumbled into my woods, after I had been sitting for a hour already. Over the years, turkey hunting sadly became more of a hassle, getting out of bed became an effort both mentally, and while I hate to admit it, physically. I like to think that someday the fire will reignite, but for now, it is but a small dying ember. Good luck to those still ablaze with the turkey hunting fever. I hope you all connect with your best turkey yet, and be safe.

Welcome to the site, and nice pictures!

Happy Easter!

Happy Birthday!

Wow! That is a beautiful picture. I would love a copy of that one to frame and hang up.

I still think he took a page right out of the Webster maniac's play book, with just a little spin. The guy in Webster set fire to draw firemen and police in, whereas, the Herkimer maniac set fire to draw them away from those he wanted to kill. Then, both holed up for the big shoot out, Webster chickens out and kills self, Herkimer tries to one up him and go down shooting. As I said before, I think it's weird how the two physically, look the same when you put their faces side by side. I can't help but wonder if in his sick mind, Herkimer, in some way identified with Webster. Sad, how they both caused so much pain to so many.

My wife calls me on the unit today to tell me this crap is going on just doors down from her brother's house, and business, in Mohawk. It was bad enough that a few months ago, the almost same scenario played out in Webster, a couple miles as the crow flies, from my daughter's house. So then I tell my wife how it seems this goof might actually identify with the guy in Webster, based on the similarity in his actions. She in turn looks up on the web and low and behold tells me over the phone, "holy smoke they look just like each other". Has any one else looked at the pictures of these guys and compared their likeness, side by side. Eerie!

I can do tuna in very small amounts, but actually gag on it in a sandwich. I think I'm in the same camp as you josephmrtn, way to many as a kid. Thanks for the heads up though, I'll tell the wife, she loves the stuff.

Welcome to the site, and the world of hunting.

Is that a Nail gun?

Thats an easy one Carbonelement, by applying your logic. To me it's the same as late term abortions. Get rid of all border patrol officers and replace them with "doctors", who then intercept those "precious" lives "crossing our borders", at which point the doctor shoves scissors into their brain, which then gets scrambled and kills them. Then you just toss them into a dumpster. What people, crossing what border? What difference does it make if the border is between our country and another, or located in some medical or surgical office? With this line of thinking, they are all just fetuses. Does the scenario sound as crazy and ridiculous to you as it does to me? In my very personal experience, parents of children who have struggled to survive at the time of birth, cry, pray and beg doctors and nurses to save their baby, not save their fetus. In preparation for the big day the list of things to do include what? Baby (not fetus) showers, fix up the baby's(not fetus) room, buy baby clothing, baby toys, and baby diapers.......again....not fetus. When it comes to late term abortions, it seems to me the difference between being called a baby or fetus really depends on whether you're wanted or not. I'm more in line with you Ants, for better or worse. And from here on, I have to stop reading this stuff on this site. I need to remind myself I come here to enjoy sharing hunting stories and topics, and as a diversion from the sad $#!T in the world, and to not even peek at threads like this. In other words, the little time I spend here is to enjoy life, not to argue about when it begins, or who has the right to end it. No hatred or hard feelings from me to anyone here. It's sunny outside, spring is finally in the air, and I'm going to go celebrate life. I hope you all do the same. Peace

Cool..............thanks!

Right on that one, covert!

Yup...I think I heard Bubba was in this line of work. I'm not sure where he was or is working. I know there are very few of us though, and the hospital I'm going to has never had a psychiatric nurse practitioner, so I have been told. And, that came from a good source, my friend is the unit chief.

Biz, I sure don't think the taxes up here are fair for what we get. Well water, septic, pay to have garbage hauled, pay through the eye sockets for electric and the latest plan for that is if they put in transmission lines through our property, our electric will cost even more, and downstate will get it even cheaper. We have volunteer fire company and volunteer rescue squad. Just because I built my own home, and it's nice, why should I feel so lucky to have it, I'ld be happy to pay high taxes? I think you should get taxed on the services you are provided, or what you use, not for what you own.

I'm in southern corner of Oneida county, near Madison County, Herkimer County and Otsego County. It's sort of where they all come together. A house around here with 3,500 sq ft would be called a mansion. LOL But, there are some quality houses in the 2,500 sq ft range, surrounded by thousands of acres or public hunting lands and horse trails, withe deer and turkey up the wazoo (should use that word on the language thread...lol) on between 3-5 acres for 200K, or a little more. Taxes around 4K would be my guess.

OMG now I'm ROFL, need to move on PDQ or ASAP, which ever is faster, so people don't think I'm a SOB who hijacks their thread. OK?

But, I prolly should not be talking about anything other than "language" on this thread. It is after all the topic at hand............just sayin.

Once the details get ironed out, working at Claxton Hepburn Hospital. I'm a board certified family psychiatric nurse practitioner.

Hey josephmrtn, Looks like I'm taking a job up in your neck of the woods. It came down to Rochester and Ogdensburg, and Ogdensburg was my final decision.

Geno, I'm not in real estate, but if you get an itch to move up tis way, tell me what your looking for and I'll keep an eye out for you. Just curious, why that county?

Welcome!

Geno, Great question! As a life long upstate resident I can tell you the taxes are off the hook. Anyone who knows me, knows how bad, and for how long, I have b!t(#@& about the very subject.

The one word that drives me out of my mind when I read it is, "prolly", for "probably". But you prolly don't care................., "just sayin" (the new one that makes me cringe.....)

Happy to hear the news!