RTGobbler

How about live from the backyard? Have two gobblers going in the woods behind my house. Most gobbling I've heard since opening weekend.

Was really chilly with the wind in sterling. Phone said felt like 35. You weren't the guy I spoke to at one of the parking lots were you?

Nothing here so far either. Probably have more action in the front yard at home. Got woken up yesterday by a Tom going nuts on the roost from across the street. So they are still hot, just got to find them.

Woods are alive with birds, just the wrong kind. A little breezy here in sterling forest making it hard to hear.

I have been meaning to post this for a few weeks now but never got to it. Opening day was an heck of an eventful morning. We got out a little late, but I heard a few on the roost as I waited for my brother and old man to get moving out of the house. By time we got in it was wayyy to light out so we got in as close as comfortable to where I hear the bird and setup. Had nothing going by 7 or so, so we started moving uphill, which is typically where the bird go in the morning. By time we got up to an old logging road it was 8AM and the old man had to head to work. So my brother and I headed south on this logging road towards a very productive area. We got to the area and I let a few calls out, and boom two bird from different directions! One on the same level as us further south and another a few levels down the hill to the east. So we move in about 60 yards or so and drop down one level and set up. By now we have three birds going, the bird on our level has a buddy! At this point the bird below us stopped gobbling though. The pair kept coming in and my brother signaled to me that he saw them so I shut up and waited. A few minutes later I could see a red and white head spinning around on top of the rock ledge above us. Finally he got too curious and dropped down of the ledge and moved down hill past my brother, gobbling along the way. He was in range at this point so a few clucks here and there trying to get my brother a shot but my brother I realized after didnt have a clean shot. As the bird starts moving down hill I see his buddy drop down the ledge and start walking into an opening where I would have a shot too, then BOOOMMMM! As soon as my brother shot I started with an aggressive cut and the second gobbler stopped in his tracks and gobbled, but I had no shot. He slowly started moving away towards his hens gobbling the whole time but I never had a clean shot at him. As I am about to get up there is a gobble behind me! The third bird that was below us circled around and came up to our level silent the whole time! So I asked my brother if his bird was down and he said like a rock. I spun around by tree slowly and gave a few yelps and he gobbled back. Finally I saw him about 70 to 80 yards out in full strut, spinning around like a top. Was like a black ball with a giant q-tip in front of it. I went silent and he kept gobbling every few minutes but was hung up. After about 30 minutes I pulled out the gobble tube and started going back at him. He was coming back at me every time and I could see his head going red to white and back. He wouldn’t move though and after 15 or 20 minutes I decided it was time to go to him. I shed my vest and everything but my gun and started the belly crawl over. I had some decent cover and could use the land to my advantage. Unfortunately he started moving off and for every 10 yards I went he went 15 the other way. I finally realized that wasn't going to work so I retreated back to my brother and told him I was going to do a wide circle around and try to get in front of him. By time I got to where I expected him to cross he was still ahead of me and I watched him walk up hill a head of me gobbling. So my went back to my brother and we got his bird, not his biggest that we called in but certainly a nice, likely 2 year old. Once we got the bird back to the truck we decided to go and chase the other bird. He chased him around gobbling at us until noon when the whistle went off and then headed home. I wanted to double up with him so bad, but it wasn't to be. Still a heck of a day and great to call one in for the bro.

Wet... Quiet... Still nice.

Back out on the quiet public land. The first spot I headed to had 2 cars pull in right before me. They were just getting out of the cars, and one guy said he had another buddy coming. So I wished them good luck and went somewhere else. Sitting in a nice hardwood opening off some power lines waiting for something to happen.

Quiet morning so far in sterling. Been in the spot since before the birds were chirping. Could be better, but could be work.

Wow man that was a great sotry and even better pictures!

Thats a great video the rest of the series will be good warm up for the next month!

Lollll

Fox kill?

Nice snowy day. The snow is still soft sand quiet. Cut some old tracks and some semi fresh beds. Taking a break to sit and cool down, then back to working around towards where this tracks were headed. Hunting in this kind of weather is great, learn so much about the deer.

Yes you still need to get the permit. Takes about 10 minutes and cost $5.

Quiet snow here, but lots of snow on the trees still. Limits visibility to about 40 yrds.

I will be in sterling all weekend, because it is close. If you want to you can find places wehre you will not see another hunter. I wont tell you where though, becasue I am just like you . The short answer is find places that are hard to get to, that other guys won't walk to. Second option, depending on how far it is for you to drive, there is a lot of state land in the catskill park. The blackhead/blackdome areas can be accessed from the Windham/Jewett areas. But there are also area's in Ulster. Take a look at page 8 of http://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/wildlife_pdf/14maps.pdf.

Going to be out tomorrow in the fresh snow. Can't wait to try and cut some fresh tracks!

I don't mind sharing the woods with the hikers. But maybe they could be responsible and wear something other than brown khaki outfits.

Still swear by the minus33 wool. When I have that on with some fleece the only thing cold is my feet, because my feet suck.

Coming in to one of my older spots from a different direction and I found tons of sign. Huge scrape with fresh deer droppings and just looked like it was peed in. So I adjusted and set up on the edge of hardwoods and laurels about 60 yards away. I was dragging a scent wick the whole way too so maybe that will help.

No deer today in Sterling, lots of hunters though. Need to go back to my spots that never saw hunters. Or at least no hunters camped out in tree stands 25 yrds off the trail.

Out for the first time during gun. Constant swirling winds here in Sterling. Hard to get a consistent still hunt. Going to have to find a spot to sit soon.

I tend to agree that is is not a good change. When it first happened I thought it was a great idea, but over time I don’t think so. Most of the reasons people already stated are why, less relaxing with the crew, rushing out of work on Friday's, loss of that extra day off from school. Since the Saturday opener started we have seen a dwindling population at camp. Not sure why, but I just think it is easier and calmer to have two days of prep before the opener. You also there was a different mindset to take off a day to go HUNT compared to taking a day off to DRIVE to camp. I also think the day off from school is a huge change that people may not consider. I grew up in a rural area and people expected kids to miss school and were OK with it. There was an extra excitement to the day because you got to miss school as a little kid. I even remember in the 6th grade being called down to the office in the afternoon of the spring turkey opener to talk to the principal about how I did that morning. Making it a weekend interferes with a lot of the other extracurricular activities or jobs kids already have obligations to.

I used to use a catquiver that held 4 arrows, and had a shoulder sling. However I converted a few weeks ago to a quick detach quiver. Its on the bow for the walk, but comes off once I get settled into the stand.

Great deer! Congrats!