chrisw

Terrible picture but never posted my bow buck from last year mounted up. I built the base and my taxidermist did the work. Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

I generally buy very little for turkey hunting anymore. Usually a few diaphragm calls. I've never needed an upgrade to much because turkeys are generally so easy to kill with basic gear. My decoys are still the same 2 foam cutout looking decoys with shot holes in them and most of the coloring gone. They still work every spring. I did buy a full strut decoy a few years ago, that thing scares off more birds than it brought in! As far as ammo, I usually grab a shell out of the mixed bag I have leftover from years ago. No patterning, no practice. I slap a full choke in and keep the birds under 30yds and I've never lost one. It's easy to way over think turkey hunting, to me at least. Then again turkeys aren't my passion, it's fun but is also a bit anti climatic to me now. Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

Probably not but I'll probably throw it on eBay for cheap, maybe throw the foot pedal on too. Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

I generally hate the term "game changer" because it's used way too much but if I were to use it, it would be about ipilot. Spot lock has to be one of the best things to come about in fishing in a long time. The head swap out is like a 10 minute job too, super easy. Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

Yea I upgraded the head to an ipilot for around $450. If that wasn't an option I would've definitely been selling it for an upgrade. I figured I'll run this trolling motor for the summer and upgrade before next spring to a 70 lb 24V system. Sent from my moto g fast using Tapatalk

I drove through sylvan beach today, I didn't see any either, that ice looked like it was going quick! There were some guys out of Chapman park this morning. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Update. Boat came in, all paperwork is done. I bought a new graph today, left that with the boat at the service center to be installed. Also, ordered an I pilot head for the trolling motor. They installed the bimini top and front curtain. Now if the damn ice will get off the lake! I'll pick the boat up in a few weeks, hopefully the salt will be mostly off the roads by then. I'll also have a new, never used Lowrance Hook2 5" split shot fish finder for sale pretty cheap if anyone is looking for a small, budget unit. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

My last trip on Oneida was 6" of slush and 18" of snow in top of it and I dragged out two shanties with 2 people on the wheeler and never got stuck, I had to pin it a few times in the real heavy slush but never got stopped. The Zilla's are a lot larger lugs than pictures show too. I went with an inch taller and an inch wider than stock, but probably could've fit 30's or close to it without modification. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

I don't have either on mine, chains would be nice when it's glare ice but I've never needed them. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

I run 27" maxxis Zilla's on mine and they work awesome. I've plowed through 2' of snow out on the lake and had no issues. I put a coil spring spacer on the front shocks (mainly to stiffen the front springs for the plow). I have zero complaints about the tires, from really deep mud to snow they work great. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Short answer in my opinion, no the deer hunting isn't great there but I don't know your expectations. It gets a ton of hiking and bird hunting pressure because they release so many pheasants there. Are there deer there? Yes, there are a few spots that get less human activity but after several years of trail cams there I've never had a single big buck picture and little deer activity overall. I live a mile from there and would rather drive 45 minutes to bowhunt down in 7M if that tells you anything. Just my thoughts, I know@Fletch hunts it from time to time and he had had some success. It's just not for me. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Beautiful pup! Congrats! Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Oswego is really flow dependant, the fish move a lot when the flow fluctuates. Generally speaking I can usually pick up a fish or two there though. With the right flows they shoot right past there and keep going up. It's hit and miss but always worth a few casts. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

There's a place near Lowville where we hunt occasionally and they created a separate no hunting zone for the yarding reason. There are so many deer packed in that area it's way too easy and people were dropping deer like crazy in there on years we got early snow. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Awful lot of people worried about snowmobiling over a 5 day season that we likely won't have enough snow for anyhow? I don't really care about the extra days anyhow I guess, I'll take it but it's not that big of a deal to me. Give it a year and the novelty of it is gone and noone will hunt those days either. As far as the deer returning to normal after a 5 day Break? Not on the properties that I hunt! For those of you that can control pressure perhaps... Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Sounds like someone needs to start steelhead fishing during the winter to get even with mid winter trout! Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

I've caught them on a big streamer before in creeks. Hardest part is keeping them out of tangles to land them. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Nets are for fish! That buck will be tough to top in NY! Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Fisher. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Short trip today but netted 5 browns and an 18" walleye. Here's the 2 better fish. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Worst part of owning a dog is saying goodbye. Had quite a scare with my dog who also lost the ability to walk a few weeks ago, I know the feeling. Sorry to hear this... Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Fished the SR for a few hours this morning, got the skunk. It's been a slooow year up there. Oswego hasn't been very good lately either but your odds are better there. As far as cold, it was 15° this morning when we started, biggest issue is ice build up in the eyelets. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Exactly the guys I thought of first. You hunt bird feeders while sitting next to the driveway. My favorite episode (not really) was them setting a ground blind up next to the guys deck. Like you said, I'm not knocking it, but don't go looking for a trophy for being a great white hunter either. It's more of herd management than hunting to me. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Yea the fish finder isn't anything special, that'll be swapped out for sure. The trolling motor is a 12V system, I'll see how it does but I'd probably rather have the 24V in the end. There's room for a second battery for the trolling motor so worst case I can just swap the terminals over if I kill one I guess. I'm also buying the Ipilot conversion kit for the trolling motor that it comes with. It's a $450 accessory but it's a super easy install so I'll do that myself. I don't foresee myself ever using the foot pedal once I have the remote either. I plan on buying or making some versatrack rail mounts for rod holders and eventually riggers. The only thing that kinda sucks is the inability to swap out parts when you order new Trackers, they make you buy the package and then upgrade and then you're stuck selling the package parts if you don't want them. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

Update: I ordered a boat. I did a ton of price comparing, features, sat in them etc... For the money/features I had narrowed it down to the Tracker Targa 18' with the 150 Mercury or the Tracker Pro Guide 175. I ended up ordering the Pro Guide, here's my reasoning why. The Targa is a bigger boat all around (although only 5" longer and about 5" wider than the Pro). It has a tandem axle trailer with brakes, 11" wide gunwales, 70pd thrust Minn Kota (non ipilot), 150 hp which should move it along at 45mph. It has more storage than the Pro Guide but not by a drastic amount. The reasons I chose the 175 are, I can get it with the 115 Mercury Pro XS motor which will push the boat at 45-47 mph (as fast as the Targa with a 150). It will probably troll a bit better with the 115 also. Even though the Targa is 5" wider, the gunwales on it are 11" wide on both sides so you actually lose a bit of interior width, so the 175 actually has more useable beam width. The 175 is only 5" shorter than the Targa so not much there. The interior depth is only 2" deeper in the Targa (not a huge deal to me). Neither boat comes standard with ipilot trolling motor so I'll have to pay on either boat to get gps, (about $500). They both carry about the same payload, even though the Targa is 1,000 lbs heavier. The 175 trailer is a single axle/non brake version where the Targa is dual axle with brakes, so just more potential for larger maintenance costs on the Targa trailer. I ordered the vinyl floor upgrade, throughout the entire boat, ordered a trailering cover, bimini top and the windshield to bimini top piece also. All said and done I think for MY main uses the 175 was a better choice. It'll still handle 4 adults relatively easy, be easier to manage by myself, save me about $7k initially to put into new graphs and upgrades later on, will trailer easier being lighter and single axle. It will handle Oneida perfectly and Ontario on the right days. The wait time on orders is 10-12 weeks but the rep said they've been getting them in about half of that time. Total cost on the 175 (minus tax, tags etc) is $32,000. I've been researching boats for a year, and went back and forth a lot on what I wanted/needed and I think I've landed on what I needed and 90% of what I wanted. And I should have it before the Walleye opener if all goes well. The picture below is essentially the exact boat, I ordered it in black (the wife did not like the red) with the motor upgrade to the 115 Merc Pro XS. Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk