Five Seasons

my little dude is loving it so far.

My seed starters are all busting at the seems. I think I'm going to transplant this weekend. Anyone else started yet?

also use this setup. I have an empty paint can to hang from a bow holder about 6' off the ground. In the paint can I have a small bush beans can with a sterno. taped to the top i have a large empty bush bean can filled with goodness. I can then just light the sterno and let it puff (really cool how it puffs). You actually don't want to put too much in as it will overflow the honey and create a mess. I'll post pics this spring as I need to make a new one. i still think it's risky, but not illegal. Open to interpretation. the argument being that something boiling on fire and not left in the woods while not boiling isn't "edible" and therefore not food bait. I also think many dec officers run into actual baiting and understand how hard bear hunting without any form of bait can be, so maybe they're lenient.

you'd think for simple marketing and customer satisfaction they'd keep the delineation. I'd hate to make a hasty purchase of arrows for my compound only to get a package of crossbow bolts in the mail. Until they're identical in nature, they should be labeled and marketed separably.

depends on how long you want it to burn I guess, but you're right.

the 1.5 is sort of the catch. I have never even had a bear come into my range and I've only been half assing it for 2 seasons, but my homemade honeypot was pretty sweet. 1.5 oz is not a lot btw. Start adding things like apple slices and anchovies and idk. Also because it's technically edible when not burning and not a lure like deer pee, i think it's a gray area. Not one that anybody should be worried about, but I don't even think the above quoted Q&A is completely black and white. again, i have one. so that's my stance on it. I also added a packet of strawberry or cherry jello mix. That sugar mixed with the honey really sets it off.

very cool story man and congrats. I'm jealous you got him that close without getting busted. I think my old vest had a pouch on the back, but I never got to bloddy it. My new vest has a very sturdy pouch in the back that buttons up tight and out of the way but I was so grateful for it when I shot my 24lb bird and had a mile walk out. It reminded me of carrying my younger boys in those hiking packs haha. Anyhow, I think it could double for a decoy or 2 if needed as well. When I got back I just sprayed it out and hung it upside down to dry. https://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Mens-Tactical-Tatr-Turkey-Vest/730722.uts

there's so many things to say to this, but we will just leave it be as deep down you know.

while i'm at it; do you guys typically remove the "fuzzy" feathers towards the front of the fan or leave them?

Well I had about an hour of silence. Then a loud gobble rings out in the hardwoods directly to the east. I wait and see a shadowy figure move through and then disappear. I give a couple soft clucks and nothing. Then a crow buzzed over head and I get a good shock gobble. He’s closer and also positioned to come out of the opening in the stone wall right where my 2 hens and jake are positioned. Silence again. I give a soft yelp. Nothing. Another few minutes go by and I give a soft cluck. Then he appears right where I wanted him too. I am brushed in real well, full ghile suit and mask sitting behind a mad max blind/rest with gun ready. I haven’t got my boy in the woods yet, and only 1 tag left so I told myself going in I’m just taking toms at under 30. This shot is 35 and his neck is extended and any other day I’m taking it. He’s not staring at me, but I’m in his fov. It’s clear he’s checking the spot out before he commits and this is where I learned my lesson. I slowly lower my head to look through my site and his neck goes up. Shit. Then quickly down and he heads briskly back to where he came from. And puts... and we all know what that means. I’m not mad, but kicking myself a little. About 20 minutes after that I had him or another bird come from the north. All I saw was a bright red head at 60 yards before he changed his mind. There’s a decent pop of birds here and I still have gobbling off to the east so I’m gonna hold tight. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have. The birds have shut up and the fog rolled into the field. There is a big ass puddle here and I have ducks that won’t shut up now. Haha Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Foggy morning and got in later than I would have liked, so I setup in a different spot so not to bust them off the roost. Currently have what sounds like 2 birds hung up in the distance. Trying to play it cool with subtle calls... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

i ended up buying this. turns out its local from NY so that makes me happy. It's very well made and I'll get him mounted in a week or so and share the pics. it's a little pricey, but this is my first big Tom and I want to cherish the memory.

fantastic. cannot recommend enough. Does nothing for deer and horse flies and isn't so great on a windy day. But for black flies and skeeters on a calm day it's worth its weight in gold. fishing, camping, hunting or just sitting on the deck in the backyard.

i've said this in a few other spots, but $5 a shell and maybe 2 or 3 shots a season is a small amount of money when you consider the time, effort and other expenses that go into turkey hunting. Heck I spent more money on the bacon that i wrapped my turkey in for the smoker than the $5 hevi-13 shell I used to kill him.

yeah i'd take their numbers with a grain of salt for sure, but it was a good tool to illustrate what you're really getting with that extra kick to your shoulder.

if you're standing, and the angle works, just prop your non shooting hand out like a chicken wing to brace against the tree. I know you don't want to admit to this, but it's not really different than any gun hunting situation with the exception of reduced range. While I can agree it's not as easy as some of us make it sound, it's still nowhere near on par with holding and drawing a compound or recurve, which is how this discussion started.

lol. the thirst is strong with this one.

good luck Bob. I'll be in your shoes tomorrow and I'm hoping the break in rain will get them out too

I think this is an interesting website to play around with http://patternboard.winchester.com/#/compare/ if you compare a #5 winchester double XR load 3.5" 12 gauge load vs a 3" 20 gauge load, the velocities are the same but the pellets within 10" @ 40 yards basically double. @ 20 yards they more than double. Both are killing machines. Like I said earlier, i think it's up to the hunters comfort.

these are ideal and we all try to do that. my whole original point is that deer dont always do what we want them to. this creates conditions that any archer on this board worth his salt has been in. holding their draw for longer than they'd normally want or plan to. the magic of hunting if you ask me.

fair enough. I don't think it's significantly different than holding a heavy ass 12 gauge (thanks onondaga county). I'd rather hold my gun up with an elbow proped against the tree, or even better use the rest on a ladder stand then be at full draw.

their den is probably a pool and they were sick of being so pruny all the time.

could you setup in the direction where they always walk off to?

i don't think it's want. i think sometimes these dang deer don't do what we think they're going to do. I let down on my archery buck last year because for whatever reason he slowed his walk to stand behind a bush before coming into the lane. Thankfully I was able to cleanly draw again. Wouldn't have been a concern with a crossbow though ahah.