wooly

The wing feathers are all from one bird, but I added the patch of back feathers around the call to hide the backer that showed between them. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it, for the little time I have invested in it.

Thanks guys! The round item between the spurs is indeed the shotgun shell brass. I cut that off flush with tubing cutters then hacked through the primer with a hacksaw. I added a second one to the center of the pot call because the slate started to crack when I was screwing it to the backer board.

I got a chance to finish up my 2014 turkey fan and wing display today! As you all probably know by now, I like my stuff looking a little rough and rustic instead of that fine finished look, so I decided to tear apart an old twisted stump for my plaque wood. The entire process went surprisingly smooth except for one accidental spill while the Borax was still drying things out. Had to make an emergency run for more but the best I could come up with was Boric Acid powder...... close enough,lol! Anyhow, here's what I came up with. The pot call and striker had nothing to do with killing this gobbler. I wasn't real happy with that call so I'm glad I found a use for it so I have an excuse to get a new one next spring!

Did you have heat lamps for it Biz? Cold blooded creatures wont develop at the normal rate if they lack adequate heat to keep their metabolism up. He may have been in a semi-state of hibernation at room temperature,lol

That doesn't look half bad MM! I know a guy that restored an old weathered elk shed antler by manually rubbing it on trees by hand. He's a bit of an antler extremist though,lol

I like that some of these topics get everyone talking about some of these animals that sometimes get overlooked compared to more favorable game species. Maybe it triggers some to do a little digging and take some time to learn more about them than they did before the topic started. In a way, even as hunters, I think we all have a little bit of a "tree hugger" mentality to us. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing when we're talking about conservation and preservation of even some of the less desirable species. Actually I'm glad to see it! moog- I'm about 45 minutes south of Buffalo in the town of Wales. There's really nothing special about it on the surface, but it's a pretty good mix of habitats and terrain features that hold a variety of critters.

I'm not even really sure why I like them so much. Probably because this is really the only time of year they make themselves visible before heading back into the deep, dark depths of the swamps. Other than the nuisance turtles that may take up residence in some ones pond, this is likely the only other time most folks will ever encounter one. With such little contact, I don't think average Joe knows all that much about them other than they have a nasty temperament if provoked. Once nesting season rolls around and folks start seeing these "menaces" out of their natural environment, their ignorance about the reclusive creatures turns to fear, and the feeling of need to eradicate them, or at the very least, not assist them during this vulnerable time while they're out of water in search of nesting grounds. Probably not the best critter to mess with for someone who doesn't know anything about them like Hector was saying. The success rates of juvenile turtles surviving to adulthood is very slim to begin with. Guess I just like to do my best to make sure the breeding females have the opportunity to lay as many eggs as possible to ensure some survive. I'm still looking for my first turtle shell but could never kill a live one one to obtain it. I've seen a few made into turkey calls when topped with a slate surface. That would be pretty cool to do if I ever find one.

Normally I don't like to disturb or handle any of the critters I come across, but this is one of the few times I'll make an exception. I don't think I've ever heard anyone say they really enjoy being around or seeing snapping turtles. Kinda makes me have a soft spot for them knowing they don't get the special treatment some of our cuter furry critters get.

Congrats to all the winners, and everyone else that shared their 2014 gobbler season here. Enjoyed following them all!

Found this guy trying to cross the road when I went to get the mail from the box today. I think he decided to take a nap half ways across, so I scooped him up to get him out of harms way. Not a very big one compared to others I've seen around here, but still a healthy snapper. I didn't see any obvious damage to him, so I tossed him in a recycling bin, grabbed my camera, and relocated him across the road down in the creek away from traffic. As soon as he saw the water, it was like new life sprang into him and he couldn't wait to dive in! Maybe the swarm of skeeters around us had something to do with that. You can see them in a few of the pics. I know a lot of folks around here make no attempt to avoid these "speed bumps", so I'm glad he I found him in one piece when I did.

I saw on the news yesterday that rainfall totals for WNY throughout May were slightly below normal.... somewhere in the 3" range. I only remember one real good soaker the entire month, and a few pop-up showers that kept things from getting too crunchy. I found two raided nests early in the season, and two hens sitting on nests full of eggs the last week and a half.

What you'll want to use is called potassium permanganate. I've personally never attempted to re-finish an antler, but you may want to check with members Sam Potter, or WNY Bowhunter... I know those guys have restored some weathered old horns right back to showroom condition.

Eskimo pie...?

Ohhhhh, we're past the turkey and on to my shorts again I see? Well..., I hate to endorse any of my outdoors essentials, but I will give my undies a cheap plug! You're probably thinking I'm more of a "Bone Collector" scent lock kinda guy, but Ive learned to appreciate a less restrictive pair of shorts for hunting! You never know when you'll have an encounter with a "giant angry beaver" out there,lol http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbDQTEqFhgg

Thanks again everybody! Well funny you should ask,lol I'm pretty much "turkey'd out" after eating the first one so this guys still in the freezer for a while. I'm in the process of attempting my first wing and fan wall display of this guy. Right now his parts are still drying under a coating of Borax. I've screwed around with a bunch of fans in the past, but nothing that was ever really worthy of inside display. Most of them ended up hanging in the barn where the rodents made use of the feathers in their nests. Once I got everything skinned, boned, trimmed, and cut off to my liking, I laid everything out and got them pinned and put up where nothing can get to them. Next up I need to hunt down some lumber and craft a board to mount them to. If everything goes according to plan, I'll post a pic of the finished product when it's all done.

Good shots! I've always liked the pics from them cudde's both day and night. I hear they have added some exciting features to the new cam line up this year that really got me interested.

In a heartbeat.... I could probably fit all my sentimental posessions in one suitcase, and I'd just buy a new toothbrush when I got there! As long as everything looked secure on the job front, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity. Life's about making choices and taking chances. If we had a crystal ball to foresee the future, we'd be so terrified that we'd never chase our dreams! Good luck with your decision if everything else pans out for ya!

You got it!

I guess for the time being you can just put what you want to quote between these codes but it won't show who said it unless you add it. Get rid of the period in second part of

Ok, now what? I still don't have a button....

While you're at it, can we get one of these buttons added too? Thanks,lol

Still not seeing it John.

Here's a link from the NWTF that makes scoring your own gobbler a breeze....(unless of course your bird has multiple beards as your 2'nd!) http://www.nwtf.org/all_about_turkeys/turkey_score.html

Sit tight MM, this season is coming right down to the wire for you. At least you're getting your $10 worth of season out of your tags! I heard one gobble from the deck this morning and wished I could go after him.

Part 2 of that video showed them dragging a string of tin cans and a sign on the back of the bike that read "Just Married!" That footage must have been shot somewhere up in upstate NY,lol