LI OUTDOORSMAN

Gobbling is great and it indicates a presence of toms in the area but it sure doesn't guarantee a kill. This youth season on L.I. the first morning it poured..I mean torrential flooding rains...huge puddles and trees dripping...If I wasnt 100% certain there was good birds in the area I probably would never have ventured out...At 6 am we had a minor break in the weather and I did some light calling on a Matthews slate..by 6:20 my youth hunter had a bird on the ground..a good bird..big hooks and a 11" beard.Probably the dominate bird of the area..No gobbling that morning what so ever..came charging in completely silent to the decoys and totally trashed a pretty boy strutter decoy before getting a load of #6 20 ga federals in the face..The next morning was beautiful calm and clear...birds gobbling like mad from the roost and on the ground...no kill that day..A hen came in leading 4 strutters with full fans and just didn't like the setup and putted and pulled them all away..Moral of the story....rain or shine... gobbling or silent ...GO HUNT!!

Some personal observations..LOTS of gobbling before the season opens regardless of weather..I can remember last spring when it seemed winter would never let go...During scouting had them gobbling like mad a week before the season opened in 20 degree weather with hard frozen ground and snow..LESS gobbling where they are pressured more somehow they just know somethings up. Of course less gobbling when accompanied by hens... When I get up and look up into a calm clear sky full of stars I call it a "Turkey Sky"..they will gobble..!! Cold temps,wind,hard rain ...little to no gobbling even when birds are definitely there. Lots of predators will decrease on the ground gobbling. Drizzle or fog..doesn't seem to bother them If it rains hard all night and dawns sunny and nice they will gobble, usually later in the day than usual This youth season I had a great rare opportunity to hunt birds on L.I. on private land in a completely predator free environment with zero hunting pressure and got to watch birds on multiple days before the season opened..You want to talk about gobbling?...strutting!..hen talk!...amazing what these birds do when nobody's after em! Of course this is all subject to change without notice!!!

Remington 870 Magnum RC rifle sighted barrel / Primos Jellyhead .600 choke Drilled and tapped with See thru rings / Leupold NWTF scope Aftermarket Shur Shot stock Quake Bottomland sling Bottomland camo dipped by Camo Enterprises

Took my buddy's 12 yr old out East on L.I. this morning...had torrential rains and some fog..no gobbling...did some light calling and had a bruiser run in from across the field and beat the heck out of Pretty Boy decoy and then Frankie flattened him at 10 yds with his Mossberg 20ga...all done at 6:20AM...AWESOME hunt and got it all on video. Bird weighed 20.5lbs 1 1/4" spurs 11" beard

Those shows really are for entertainment only...When you want to learn about real turkey hunting and get the REAL FEEL of what its all about pickup a copy of Dwain Bland's Turkey Hunting digest...I just love that old book for reference and for pumping me up for the upcoming season!

Saw a whole bunch of robins this morning in L.I. Was down at Hempstead lake..saw 3 woodducks leaving the roost and had my first ever Bald Eagle sighting on the island..very cool

Good luck..nothing like hunting with your family..especially Dad!

I keep hearing about that if it doesnt have a string its not a bow...Yes not in the true sense of the word but the use of it and shot placement and tracking / recovery would be much more akin to bow hunting than gun hunting.The projectile still kills by cutting not from blunt trauma like a bullet..I think it should be allowed anytime during the season and Especially on LI..I would much rather see this air bow in more widespread use than the opening up of more counties for rifle season..If you ask me after the guns start going off deer season blows....I'm all about the QUIET...

Recently i started using a chair..my back and butt can't take those long sits...i had an ameristep lounger first but the quality wasnt good didn't hold up..then i got a browning strutter..its heavier but its awesome i can sit all day and be comfortable.. Wouldn't go turkey hunting without it now..

The deer are there but those stupid check in/ out times force u out of the woods at prime times..a little too counterproductive for my liking.. Most guys do drives to maximize Results.. Again..not my liking.. But the deer are there

Opening day we saw a big 6pt and does at the check station..

In hunting it really seems that retelling the story of a great hunt is even better than the hunt itself! Great story..

Some may feel 200 yds is too close and may be sending you a message..Still doesnt give them the right to take your stuff.

When you go to replace them buy at PC Richard and get the full service contract...Anything you buy now anywhere will have something go wrong.even the higher end products.with the contract your covered.I have been doing business with them for years and they have a good track record.

Happened to me this season while bowhunting a state park on the Island..I got on the cell phone with DEC. and put in a complaint..They said sorry its been an on going problem and would dispatch someone to the scene..but not before I had quads driving along the trails...stopping a few yds from me..(they didnt see me I was in full camo in my climber) AND they were shooting something..sounded like air guns..Unbelievable. At just the wrong time..around 3:30

There's a saying in hunting..."Its better to be lucky than good" Please dont take offense..Great story and a great buck! Just that many guy's who consider themselves very good hunters might go an entire lifetime and not get lucky enough for a chance at a buck like that. You are very fortunate Congrats!!

We talked about that up in camp...All year theyre so sneaky and spooky and silent and elusive...so smart...Then they just run in front of a speeding noisy smelly car and bam..Even when the rut isnt running strong..those headlights seem to put them into some kind of trance...such a shame

I never leave without my compass..a real one ..not the app on a phone..ever.. Especially a new area..I always take a home base reading before I set out.. Learned my lesson years ago

I've got 2 really good spots..one is actually a bedding area too...that's close to active roadways..Sometimes its really hard to hear footsteps in the leaves with the traffic hum...doesnt seem to bother the deer at all..

Very nice buck Congrats!

I know its best to cut your own meat but many people use a butcher to take care of their deer because of time restraints or no experience.The meat should be properly wrapped and labeled and FROZEN when picked up.If its to be picked up fresh then the customer should be notified ahead time so as to arrange a timely pickup.

Windy now in 1C ., Was calm this morning, had one sneak in behind me at first light, the harness scraped the tree bark when i turned to get ready... That was that!!

Honestly don't think the rut is completely over just with all the shooting the majority of activity becomes nocturnal. I saw bucks chasing does this morning on Long Island where there is no shooting going on..That's about all I can say about that!!

About 8:15 had a buck chasing does for quite a while.. Fun to watch but too far for the bow.,

Setup on long island in a new spot i scouted with my son.my buddies upstate are saying bucks are a no show now since rifle season started. Too much shooting up there..nice and quiet here..wind in my face sitting in my climber.. Good luck to all..