Uncle Nicky

I've hunted in Texas a couple times, not every operation is high fence, you just have to do your homework & ask questions. IMO, it's more of a "fun" hunt, incredible deer densities, lots of hogs & turkeys, hunting from enclosed blinds. A little different than what most of us are used to.

Yeah, just had that happen with a microwave I bought....died on me 5 days after the 1-year warranty expired. I don't blame this on the appliance store as much as I blame it on China. NOTHING is made to last anymore.

LOL...I get lost in those stores, it's about 1/4 mile from the garden center to the sandpaper department. I stick with Sears Hardware or True Value.

The Savage Model 99 is box-fed, but they stopped making them years ago. I still have mine, it's a tack-driver.

Bolt action rifles are usually more accurate, lever action rifles are faster on the reload...so take your pick.

As a boy, I used to hunt with my father and uncle....my uncle never killed a deer, I don't think he ever even shot at one. To this day, I really don't think he ever cared if he got one or not, he quit hunting 20 years ago, but is still a fishing fanatic. Some guys are just happy getting away from the wife & work for a week, LOL.

Hang in there. You have permission, and May 1 is only 360 days away!

Guess I DIDN'T help.

I went here about 10 years ago, everyone in camp either killed a bear or shot at one, I got mine the first afternoon & fished the rest of the week. Pretty sure the price is still for one week, we didn't fly, we drove up. You might need to rent a car if you fly, you had to drive to & bait your own stands when I went there. Hope this helps. http://www.lillabellelodge.com/bear.htm

The reasons change with time & circumstances. These days it's mostly to TRY filling the freezer (doesn't always work out that way). As a kid it was because it was something new and I felt cool carrying a gun and hanging out with the older guys. In my 20s it was about chasing trophies and going to camp and having some cold ones. In my 30s it was a luxury, since I worked 24/7, and any time away from this routine was a joy. In my 40s it was making up for lost time, hunting species I had never hunted before (because I was finally a little ahead of the game financially), and trying to pass my passion along to the kids. As I'm pushing 50, I'm still trying to get my kids involved (2 steps forward, 1 step back), and as I find better spots to fish and hunt and become more in tune with it all, seems like we're eating fish or deer/geese/turkey more nights than not.

Had a couple close calls yesterday, but birds refused to show themselves, probably the thick foliage this year has them ultra-paranoid.

I'm not sure there is anything you can do to coax in a bird that doesn't want to commit, other than to just purr or cluck quietly and hope for the best. They seem to have a mind of their own most times. You could try following him if he moves on, sometimes if they think a hen is cutting the distance they will turn back around.

Well done!

Last few days have been tough, that is for sure. Hunted with a buddy near Cortland again, found roosted gobblers 3 days in a row before sunlight, they'd gobble like crazy on the roost, gobble for another 1/2 hour after flydown, get with their hens, and shut up. We did a lot of running & gunning, occasionally we'd strike a gobble, but nothing wanted to come in. Sat down this morning around 9:30 and cold called, had 2 gobblers come in to about 25 yards at 11:30, but only saw a brief glimpse of red head before they backed out (didn't see a hen I guess). I might have been able to get a shot off, it was awfully thick, but was busy trying to get my son a shot (he couldn't see them from where he was sitting). They stayed out hung-up and gobbling until quitting time. I'll be back at it next weekend for one last hurrah.

Thanks. I never really thought of wild turkey as being particularly gamey, just a little chewier than store-bought, all the peppers, onions, and mushrooms gives it a unique taste for sure. This is pretty much the same recipe I would use for veal cacciatore. Not good to have leftover wine, might as well drink it.

I know a lot of guys just breast out their spring gobblers, but I just had leftover turkey cacciatore for lunch, man was it delicious!! Thought I'd share the recipe: 4 boneless, skinless turkey thighs 1/2 onion sliced 1 bell pepper sliced 10 mushrooms (or more) 1 jar tomato sauce (or homemade, if you make your own) 1/2 cup red wine 1 beef bouillon cube 2T chopped garlic 1 cup water 1t chopped rosemary leaves Cut the thighs into cubes, and brown in a heavy skillet in olive oil. Remove from pan. Saute the onions, peppers, and mushrooms in the same skillet until softened, remove set aside from the turkey cubes. Now add the garlic to the skillet, just cook for about 20 seconds, add the red wine, water, bouillon cube, and tomato sauce, bring to a boil, add the browned turkey cubes, cover well with sauce, add the rosemary, and place in a casserole dish. Cover with foil, and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 2 hours. After 2 hours, add the sauteed onions, peppers & mushrooms, cover back up with tinfoil, and place back in the oven for 1/2 hour, adding a little water to thin the sauce out if needed. Serve over rice, spaghetti, or noodles.

Once or twice before flydown, VERY softly. Then every 20 minutes, if you sense them coming, step it up a little.

I was trying to think of what I could do with a turkey breast filet from one of the birds I shot- it had about a dozen pellets in it, my shot went a little low. Anyway, I decided to try making enchiladas with it. They came out EXCELLENT! The first step was to triple check I'd gotten all the feathers & 6-shot out of the breast. Next, I cooked it while I was at work in a crock-pot, and shredded the meat while still warm. I diced 1/2 an onion, sauteeed this in a few tablespoons of bacon grease, and added a few tablespoons of chili powder, cumin, and a shot of hot sauce, just enough to soften the onion and take the rawness out of the spices. I added a 1/2 cup of water and 1 small can of refried beans. Let the mixture cool slightly. I divided the turkey/bean mixture evenly and filled 8 heated medium-size flour tortillas, and rolled them up in a cigar shape. Pour 1 small can of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas, and top with a healthy amount of monterey jack and cheddar cheese, cover with tin foil. Place in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 1/2 hour, and serve. I made rice & fruit salad to go with it. I would have taken a picture, but there were NO leftovers. I imagine this would work for duck or goose breast that is peppered with shot as well, I will give that a try next winter.

It really all depends, I was on private land that I knew nobody else was hunting the day I killed that bird, and it was only a short hike back to the road, wasn't worth rearranging the game bag in my vest that day. But, for any type of hike, it's easier to put the bird in the game bag of my vest. My hat is also reversible blaze orange & I have a couple orange hankies I carry if I am hunting on public land.

Jury is still out on decoys, sometimes they seem to help, other times they seem to spook the birds. If I do use them, it's only in an open field.

I don't think so...I'd say there is more chance of spooking them once they fly up & can still see than right before fly up and are still on the ground. Best bet would not to get too close at all, try & locate them from 100 yards or more if possible, an owl hoot or coyote call can be heard from a long way off.

Got this joker on Day 2 near Cortland, finally got some pictures. Heading back up next weekend and Memorial weekend, hopefully I can get my son a bird or two. 9" beard, 7/8" spurs, 22#.

IMO, seems like a trend that has been going on for years, I believe adapting & changing tactics is the key. Find where they roost, strut, rest, and feed and try to get on their travel lanes. No, ambushing them isn't quite as fun as calling them in from a distance, but drastic times sometimes call for drastic measures.

He shot Fluffy!!

A .243 will kill a whitetail, no question about it. I don't like tracking, and recoil never bothered me. Given my choice, I'd rather have a little more firepower.