New York makes news in the Wild Turkey World

Even after the spring turkey season, not all is quiet when it comes to the business of managing wild turkeys.  With the main focus of trap and Transfer of wild turkeys winding down after many years of successful re-introduction across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, it was time to re-evaluate the direction of the National Wild Turkey Federation, State chapters, and local chapters.

The NWTF New York State Chapter in conjunction with the NYSDEC, and NWTF biologists has worked to release a strategic plan to manage the Wild Turkey Resource here in New York.  This plan will provide direction and focus for programs brought forth and implemented by the thousands of New York NWTF volunteers and the NYSDEC.  The plan will help direct monies raised by the NWTF New York State & Local chapters to implement these programs.

Go to: http://www.nwtf.org/nwtf_newsroom/press_releases.php?id=12601 for more about the New York Wild Turkey Strategic Plan.

2008 has been a year of many changes, and the NWTF has seen some big changes this year. With the announcement of CEO George Thornton taking the helm at the NWTF, the New York State Chapter has issued a letter of support. (see www.nysnwtf.org  for more info) Given the cooperation of the state/local chapters, and hard working staff at the NWTF we should see a renewed commitment to the mission statement and implementation of the national strategic plan as well as those of the individual states.

Glenn Sapir- 2008  NWTF Communicator of the Year Award

This is a well deserved award to a great friend to all of us who love the great outdoors!!  The following press release showed up in my in box today:

 

NWTF Presents Glenn Sapir 2008 Communicator of the Year Award

source:www.nwtf.org

SIOUX FALLS, S.D.— Glenn Sapir, of Putnam Valley, N.Y., was recognized as the National Wild Turkey Federation's 2008 Communicator of the Year recipient during a Professional Outdoor Media Association conference luncheon Saturday, Aug. 2, in Sioux Falls, S.D.

"We all know Glenn as one of the most prolific and talented outdoor communicators of our time, but he's also one of the kindest people you'll ever know," said Tammy Sapp, NWTF sr. vice president of communications. "Through his words and stories, Glenn has inspired countless people to love the outdoors as much as he does."

His distinguished career in outdoor communications has included posts as editor for Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, New York Sportsman and 18 years with Field & Stream magazine. As president of Ashmark Communications, he has written for dozens of magazines, including frequent contributions to NWTF's Turkey Call. He also authored the book, "Secrets of the Turkey Pros," and writes a regular outdoor column for Journal News, a Gannett daily newspaper in suburban New York.

Sapir is a longtime member of the New York State Outdoor Writers' Association and has served stints as president of both the Outdoor Writers Association of America and the New York Metropolitan Outdoor Press Association.

For the last five years, Sapir has also worked for the National Shooting Sports Foundation, directing the Foundation's wide-ranging editorial services. He edits The Range Report and NSSF Reports as well as overseeing contributions to SHOT Business magazine and SHOT Show Daily. He also manages several electronic newsletters as well as NSSF's editorial contributions to outside magazines and Web sites.

"It warms my heart to also know he's been a member of the NWTF for nearly 25 years," Sapp told the POMA audience. "Though he's an avid sportsman who has hunted and fished throughout North American, his passion is hunting the wild turkey. It's reported that some of his most cherished memories afield happened during his successful quest for a Grand Slam in 1999."

Each year, the NWTF recognizes a communicator who answers the call to promote the NWTF's mission of wild turkey conservation and the preservation of North America's hunting heritage.

Past NWTF Communicator of the Year Award recipients include; Tom Fegely (2002), Ron Schara (2003), J. Wayne Fears (2004), Grits Gresham (2005), Jim Zumbo (2006) and Jim Casada (2007).

© 2008 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

The Custom Call Makers and Collectors Guild is Proud to Announce the Recipient of the 1st Annual Earl. E. Mickel Memorial Scholarship

NORTH CAROLINA – The Custom Call Makers and Collectors Guild is proud to announce the award of the first annual Earl. E. Mickel Memorial Scholarship to Mr. Dustin Day of Constantia, New York. Dustin will receive a $1000 award for use in furthering his academic education. Dustin is the son of Susan and Terry Day. He is an honor graduate of P. V. Moore High School Class of 2008 and plans to attend LeMoyne College in the Fall. In addition to his scholastic achievements, Dustin was a member of his school's rifle team, field/parade/jazz bands and the brass ensemble. He is a World War II re-enactor, Ranger Division and volunteers at his local Masonic Lodge. Dustin also enjoys hunting with his father. In addition to the Cash Award, Dustin will receive a sign a copy of Earl's last book from Mrs. Janene Mickel.

The Custom Call Makers and Collectors Guild created the Earl. E. Mickel Memorial Scholarship in memory of Earl. E. Mickel who passed away in 2007. The annual scholarship is earmarked to benefit future generations with stellar academic achievements, and a passion for the great outdoors that Earl also held dearly. Earl Mickel published three books on call collecting, and was a great ambassador and promoter of the art and craft of call making.

About the Custom Call Makers and Collectors Guild

The Custom Call Makers and Collectors Guild is a non profit 501(c)3 group dedicated to promoting the art & craft of making & collecting game calls. The Guild's purpose is to bring together call makers and collectors to share knowledge and promote the art of game call craftsmanship as well as preserving the history of game call use and manufacture.

For more info visit www.customcallmakersandcollectorsguild.org  or www.ccmacg.com

Hi, my wife Lee and I are hosting an event at our home this summer for the Custom Call Makers and Collectors Guild. The event is called the North East "Back Porch" get together. The idea is to have a more regional event for those in the North East. Last several years the guild has held a national event called the "pig pick'n" at the NWTF Headquarters in Edgefield. Although the guild in not an NWTF entity, the guild works with the NWTF, it's members, and is very much participates in the call making competition held each year at the national convention. The guild has been created specifically for call makers and collectors. The Custom Call Makers and Collectors Guild is a registered 501c3 group, and is working at building up networks and resources that call makers and collectors can benefit from. The website is in process so not much there yet.

http://www.ccmacg.org

We have a date set for August 2nd (Saturday) at our place just East of Cortland NY. We have A few extra places to sleep (extra bed, and futon in the office) for overnight, and fields that you can camp in if you like. We'll do the grill'n, and you bring your own extras and adult beverages if you like. We'll look into possibly doing a pig, if not, standard grill'n fare

Google map (marker is off slightly to the south, and it is the green barn on the right)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=e...mp;t=h&z=15

There is no charge, but we need to know who is coming. Non guild members are welcome to see what it is all about, but again give me a call or email.

Let us know if you plan on coming and how many!!


Here a link to a pdf of the flyer for the event:

http://www.turkey-talk.com/webpics/bpNY2008.pdf

Pennsylvania Scrapper

 

By: Mike Joyner

 

 

Spring turkey season in Pennsylvania is one of my favorites to hunt, and is always a scheduled stop on my annual spring tour.  The high level of anticipation to hunt the keystone state is due to several reasons.  I get in my annual hunts with some of my good hunting buddies.  The season opens a few days before the New York season starts.  It is usually a little bit warmer than New York, and most importantly, my wife is from Pennsylvania.  Trust me she will re-affirm this as the most important reason.  My plans this year took a few twists, and some last minute changes had me scrambling to make it happen.  I normally hunt the Pennsylvania opener with Brant Signs, which is always a good time, and a good hunt. New York's youth hunt fell on the same day as the Pennsylvania opener, and I would have to take a rain check.  Brant takes at least one if not more youths out for the youth weekend, and that is a priority for both Brant and I. This year would be the first for me as I was not able to "borrow" a youth for the weekend.  It is a hunt we both look forward to, but the introduction of a young hunter to the sport we love is a priority for the youth hunt, and during regular season. 

 

 

I originally planned to follow up the hunt with Brant with a hunt down at Breezewood Hunt Club, and spend a day or two with Ron Reeser.  I hooked up with Ron last year, and we had a great time chasing longbeards. I planned to hunt two days with Ron, and got a call the day I was to leave with some bad news.  Ron had injured his knee, and was not able to go much anywhere. One of those things, and if things worked out later with the doctors I would hook up with Ron later in the season.  Another scramble, and a phone call to Brant, and I would recoup the two days just across the New York / Pennsylvania border hunting on the properties that I would normally hunt but without Brant. Brant had introduced me to these spots, and in keeping with being a welcomed guest, it felt a little odd hunting it alone.  I was assured it would be fine, so the reworked plan was set.  The first day was to start out on a place just across the border, and If things worked out I would also hunt the following day on Mark Lyons place just a mere few hundred yards into Pennsylvania.

 

 

The first day out was actually the second day of the season, and I might been better off to gone fishing or better yet duck hunting.  All of my least favorite conditions rolled into one day: high wind, rain, cold, and more rain.  Despite the weather outlook, I made the drive down in the wee hours, and hoped to quickly locate a willing participant in my quest to bag a gobbler.  The rain had held to a slight drizzle for the first hour of day light, at least it was a slight reprieve.  I made my way to the first listening spot on the ridge, and found no takers, I decided to go directly to a hidden field in the hope that the birds would be there first thing in the morning.  I heard a few gobbles from a roosted bird as I walked down the hill to the field, but the gobbler was located well off the property, and not likely to be there in short order.  Never say never, and I would hope that the gobbler would travel to pay me a visit.  As I set up, a group of Jakes opened up with roundhouse gobbling, but like the first gobbles I heard, they were also off the property but much closer.  They responded well to the calls after fly down, and at least I thought they would come in and hopefully pull in a nice longbeard. The thought was short lived as I began to hear a few hens in the group, and shortly after I was aware of another hunter below them using a gobble shaker to lure the jakes to the gun.  From my position, I could hear the gobbling fools close the gap to the hunter, and it ended with a predictable loud bang. With the exception of a few "over in the next county" gobbles I heard between 9AM and 10:30AM, there was little to speak of other than getting cold and soaked. However on a novelty note: It was the first time I had ever heard a hunter work a bird in with a gobble shaker. I stopped by at Mark Lyons place afterwards and got permission to begin day two on a gas pipeline where I had tagged a late morning bird the pervious season.  Mark had a crew of hunters in camp, and they all got into birds despite the weather, and tagged a couple of birds to boot.

 

 

On to day two! With a different spot to hunt, a slightly better weather outlook, I was feeling pretty good about getting onto a gobbler. No rain, but very windy. I arrived at Mark's house a bit late, but in this case I would be ok,. The basic plan without having roosted the night before would have me working my way to the pipeline from a ridge top. The main idea was that I should be able to located a gobbling bird, and at least close the gap to a workable distance. As I crested the ridge and began down the pipeline, two gobblers opened up, one on each side, and about half way down the hill. Brant had advised that I should work it this way. As usual Brant knows his spots. Even though the pipeline met up with the back of a sizable field and created a natural funnel, it was best advice to work it from the top down. As I set up a third gobbler opened up to my right and a long ways off. Good to hear him just the same. The first gobbler to my left gobbled only a few times, and I made out a few hens near his location. With that info, I concentrated on the gobbler to my right, and hoped he would be in a hurry this morning. I issued a few light tree yelps with good response, and shortly after that I made a couple of fly down cackles with some hat flapping for added realism. Again, an immediate response, and it was time to shut down until they hit the ground. About this time, I heard a hen yelp back at me, but every so sweet and soft. This was a clue to keep it soft, and make the newcomer feel comfortable. I waited a few minutes and then proceeded with some light feeding purrs and clucks. The slate call I had fit the bill, and the hen responded in kind. Off in the distance I could hear another hen, and roughly in the location of the third gobbler that was a ways out. In the next few minutes I could hear the second newcomer, approximated the height at 5'10" (Average USA male) and it was running a slate call as was I, but much more aggressive. With this development my plan may have some difficulty if the intruding hunter kept advancing. The gobbling stopped once they hit the ground. My plan was modified at this point to coax in the first hen with boyfriend in tow, and finish the deal before the incoming hunter got too close. Only minutes later I could see the hen coming towards the pipeline, and a second bird which I could not see that well further back, and slightly behind the hen. Gobbler in tow? Not to be……..

 

 

What seemed only seconds the approaching hunter called again and had closed to within 200 yards. This was not good, and the amount of greenery would not be enough cover. The hen busted out of the woods in flight, and I could make out the second bird running down thru the woods. The hunter continued calling and eventually moved above me coming in close enough where I thought I should be able to see, but I never could see the hunter as he came and went. Once past me and up the hill, the hunter setup a few hundred yards above my position and across the pipeline. I picked up with my tail between my legs and continued down the hill and hopefully far enough away from the none-the-wiser hunter.

 

 

With the inadvertent fowl up on plan "A" I went to the bottom, and hoped I had put plenty of distance between us. The good news was I never did hear the hunter again that morning, and that is all I could ask for given the circumstances. I made my second setup near the field / pipeline intersection, and played it out for over an hour. The wind had picked up, and not a single bird in the field. I had enough of sitting in the cold wind and decided to find reprieve back up on the hill where I had heard the other gobbler that morning. Sure enough after checking some other fields I worked my way up a logging road and found a nice spot were the hill blocked the wind, and hoped that the birds would be close by. Not long after setting up, and doing a little soft calling, I heard a double gobble up the hill and off to my right as I faced the hill. Thirty minutes passed, and not another response. The wind had shifted, and I guessed either the gobbler couldn't hear or it was me. The good money would be on my inability to hear them.

 

 

I decided to check the fields one more time, and it resulted it the same empty fields with no response from any calling. The back of this field where it meets the gas pipeline right of way was ideal, and it was my ace in the hole if all else failed to pan out. For whatever reason, the birds were avoiding the fields that day. Coming to the conclusion that I needed to abandon the sure thing plan I decided to move towards where I last heard the double gobble. Once I got back into the woods and onto the logging road I was looking for I crested one rise to only see the next one. As I crested the next rise, I was pleasantly surprised that it flattened out some, and had small patches of greenery, with three logging roads coming together which formed a  "Y" pattern. This was an ideal spot, and I set up again just off of the intersection. The wind had picked up again, and after twenty minutes of calling I contemplated moving on to a hidden field that was protected from the wind and just below a one of the pipelines utility shacks. On any normal day in the woods I would have plenty of patience, but given the high winds, the fowl up with intruding hunter I found myself unusually impatient. Instead of standing up, I gave it one more go with a mouth call, and two longbeards opened up with double gobbling and they were close. Yes, timing is everything!!

 

 

I silently thanked myself for being stubborn enough to give it one last try, and now the game was on. The two sneaky gobblers were in close just on the other side of heavy brush, briars, and tree tops left over from recent logging. From what I could guess they stood slightly down the bank within eighty yards. Once this pair started gobbling, they never stopped. Every 15 to 20 seconds, and I would only call after they gobbled at least twice. I anticipated they would circle and pick up the logging road to my right and come up. From there they would see the decoys, and that would give them something to look at. Sure enough minutes later they rounded the obstruction and they nearly went on past the logging road due to the hurry they were in. A couple of clucks, and they stopped, made a ninety degree turn, and up the logging road they came.  From what I could tell it looked like a duo of hot two year old gobblers with plenty of weight, and solid eight to nine inch beards. They closed to within fifty yards, and made an abrupt turn into the tree tops and briars, all the while eyeing the decoys and gobbling. Frustrated to say the least, I had a tag all but placed on the bigger of the two. They made a semi circle thru the brush coming no closer than fifty yards as they moved onto my left side. After passing two large trees they could show in a clear opening just at forty yards or turn out and exit stage left. Easy choice on that one, they made an exit, all the while still gobbling.

 

 

What to do now? It was after 9AM they were without hens, lathered up gobbling, and moving slowly away out of sight. I shut down long enough for them to go behind the brush, and I had doubts about turning this around. I have had two year old gobblers come back multiple times in the past, but such gifts are rare. I checked them again, and they were within 80-100 yards. I decided to go fall tactics and started up a big hen fight. I pulled off my hat, laid out every call I had, and proceeded flapping my hat, kicking the leaves, and calling with the loudest purrs, cutts, cackles, and aggressive yelps that I could make at the same time. A little over a minute of this obnoxious calling, and I had to put everything down in a hurry! The dynamic duo was double and triple gobbling at all the racket, and decided they could take it no more. I looked up just in time to see two glowing light bulb heads darting back and fourth trying to push straight thru the brush to close the distance. Gun up, and now it was time! Fifty yards, forty five yards, stop!! I couldn't believe it! They stood there in the brush, after they fought their way thru just to get there and stopped. I would understand why just moments later.

 

 

As I watch the glowing heads thru the holosight, I had the hammer back on the Encore 12 gauge, and I was making rapid math calculations as to how the distance might become shorter. Tempted? You bet. Forty five yards in heavy brush? Yes I wanted to, No I just couldn't. Ethics is a party pooper for sure. Just as my morals were being subjected to increasing stress I caught movement to my extreme right. Once I shifted my eyes I made out a third gobbler sneaking up the same logging road and making a beeline to the decoys. He stopped at one point, and his beard swung out just far enough for me to make him out as an adult bird. One tree between us would allow me to re-align the gun, but the other two gobblers would be sure to bust out or alarm putt once I made a move. Once he passed the tree the gobbler would be just inside forty yards in the open. The advancing gobbler went behind the tree, I made my move, and the gobbler reappeared just as I leveled the barrel. Target lock, Bang! Never did hear an alarm putt from those two others. The stealth gobbler went down hard, and there was no need to race to the downed bird. The dynamic duo flew out the ridge at the shot, and must have been dumbfounded just long enough for me to pull it off. The walk to the downed bird was 38 paces, close enough on range estimation. As I looked over the gobbler I found a neat surprise. Not a large bird by any means, but he sported 1-3/16" spur on one leg with the other only ¾". He sported a full 8-3/4" beard which looked big on him given his weight.  Later we weighed the bird at 16lbs 1oz, and it appeared that I bagged a little scrapper out of the flock. If I were to guess on what happened, those two gobblers knew this bad boy was close by. As much as they wanted to buddy up to their new friends, they were not about to get caught being too close to any possibly receptive hens, unless they wanted to endure a thrashing.

 

 

The entire encounter lasted maybe eight to nine minutes, but it seemed like forever trying to seal the deal. In this brief period of time, I heard better than sixty gobbles if I heard one. The little scrapper himself never made a gobble even when the duo was in close. Having a pair of hot two year old longbeards is about as loud and as much fun as you can have in the turkey woods. It was 9:26 AM when I dropped the hammer, and the morning hunt in Pennsylvania finished out on a high note that day!

 

 

 

© 2008 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

 

 

Kentucky 22 hours-2 down: The Story

 

This year's spring tour was up in the air which is unusual as we plan sometimes a year in advanced. I was planning to hunt Kentucky with my outlaw crew of biologists & teachers like we have in past years, but their schedule was a week too early for me (work conflict), and I couldn't make the trip. This March I hooked up with Veterinarian Jon Burke who rents out a cabin in Garfield, Kentucky, and had access to 170 acres around the camp, and thousands of acres of farmland to try if the birds didn't cooperate. I would head out the second week of their season for a long weekend.

 

With a battle plan in hand I drove out myself, splitting the drive into 400 miles or so that afternoon/evening, staying overnight near Akron, Ohio, and finishing the drive the next morning. The drive was more than pleasant as the weather actually was more summer like, and a welcomed change to our long winter in New York. Made a stop at Gander Mountain on the way to Ohio, and Basspro the next morning along the way for essentials, and "just because". Arrived at camp 12:30 pm on Friday.  Saw plenty of birds during the drive, and with the nice weather, I was excited about spending a few days chasing gobblers.

 

As I pulled into the entrance road to camp. I met two hunters driving out that were hunting adjacent properties, and were having trouble with henned up gobblers, and advising that calling much at all was not productive. Very friendly encounter and I would later meet up with their father on my way out on Sunday. Nice folks, and very friendly. As I headed toward camp, I spotted a nice long beard up on a power line opening and all by himself. Although the opening was a few hundred yards from the fence line, he was slowly working his way in that direction. I pulled into camp, and switched out clothing, loaded up the vest, loaded the gun, and set out to intercept the long beard.

 

I only needed to go 150 yards or so from camp to get on a side bank that sloped down to a drainage bottom, then up to another ridge which the gobbler would be coming from. I sat up at a spot to where I could broadcast at least to the top of the ridge. The property boundary was just on the other side of the drainage, and I was hoping the gobbler would cross thru the fence or short hop over it. No real set up spots near the border, and I had no intentions of crossing the fence. I hadn't heard a gobble since leaving the truck, but with high wind conditions, and a ridge between us, no surprises there. In my haste to set up, I neglected to put out decoys, and as I issued the first series of calls, I noticed the lack of foliage. There were plenty of trees and some brush, but still open enough for a gobbler to hang up on. Not knowing were the gobbler was, I stayed put, and hoped that an afternoon without a girlfriend would properly motivate the gobbler to come look close enough.

 

Not wanting to spook a prospective customer from paying a visit. I called every 10-15 minutes in between wind gusts, and only then a few cuts followed by 4-5 note yelps. Two sequences at the most. 45 minutes had passed, and on my fourth round of calls, I thought I made out a gobble. Waited 5 minutes, 3 short cutts, and the long beard jumped on it.  Ten minutes later The bird had gobbled twice and I held off, in the desire to making him move rather than gobble. I issued 4 soft yelps, and he jump on the call, and I knew he was committing. To my surprise I spotted him high on the ridge moments later but he had circled to my right, and cutting back across down to my center view. I had set up, along side a deer path that led down to the drainage and with any luck if the gobbler crossed the fence, it would be path of least resistance. The long beard had gobbled several more times as he made his way towards my position, but only stopped to look, and never strutted. His beard was easy to spot as it swung back and forth as he walked. The gobbler walked up to the fence and lowered himself below the bottom strand crossing with little effort. The gobbler quickly crossed the drainage, and closed the gap. No need to cluck as he stopped within range and persicoped to located his midday girlfriend. The gobbler issued a loud cluck, I responded with a loud BANG!! It was 2:20pm and long beard down! Less than 90 minutes from leaving the truck, and a impromptu plan came together. Back at the truck, the gobbler weighted in at 21lbs-2oz, sported a 8-3/4" beard, and 7/8" spurs.

 

I met up with Jon (camp owner) and got more info on what was going on, and would hook up next afternoon to hunt. I would try a big green field below camp the next morning. I went about that evening getting food supplies for camp, and shopped at the smallest Wal-Mart store on the planet. At least 1/4 the size of the typical store. That evening the rain started, and trying to roost birds resulted in no response. The owls seem to like it some however.

 

The next morning I set up as planned with decoys out, and plenty of birds gobbling all around my position. Funny thing, although no luck roosting the night before, I had 4 or 5 gobblers hammering on the roost that were within 100-200 yards of camp. You never know.  After fly down the gobbling became less frequent, and I figured they had got onto a logging road, as the gobbling was back and forth across a hundred yards and out in front of my position. I was stuck as the birds were up on the hills, and the cover was not enough to slip around undetected. Eventually the birds moved off and I surmised they went to visit another green field above them, and parallel with the camp. I remained for another half hour just in case, and then went out and around toward the upper green field. I stayed below the field edge, and on the down side to keep from spooking anything that might be in the field. Sure enough, I crested the corner I spotted two full fans a hundred plus yards out. I crawled up a bit and staked decoys so they might see them if they came to my end of the food plot. The few calls I made resulted in no effect at all. For the next hour I watch and waited to see what would develop, and then decided I needed to do something different. I worked my way around the back side of the brush, and discovered that the two stutters had 6 hens and a few jakes within eye sight, and had no reason to go anywhere. I decided to see if I could pull the hens in, and they got noisy, but not nosey. 15 minutes later the flock began to feed towards a logging road that enters the far side of the field toward camp.  I put trees between us, and slowly got below the field, and came back up along heavy brush along the field but ahead of the flock.  I turned to look and spotted a neon red, white, and blue head in a  8"-10" opening thru the brush, and not more than 30 yards away. I could see his full fan, and a top of a very thick heavy beard jutting out from his chest. I centered the holosight just below his head and down he went. Gobbler down, flock up!  As I came around the brush, turkeys were running, and flying every which way. As I approached the downed bird I got a surprise.................. it was a Jake!  The young gobbler sported a full round fan, a very thick 5" beard, and 3/8' spurs. Now I knew why I could only see the top of his beard. This was the bigger of the two stutters, and I surmised that the other might have been a Jake as well.  I was fooled to be sure, but he walked the walk, and talked the talk, and that will earn a ride home in the truck to be sure.

 

I had been in Kentucky less than 24 hours and two birds down, doesn't normally work out this way, but I 'll take dumb luck anytime!  The rest of the weekend I spent with Jon taking a tour of the many farm properties they owned or leased, and we chased more gobblers in the quest ot have Jon and his son make good on a tag. A cold front had moved in and slowed things down. Saturday evening I was invited to a Cajun Crawfish fest along the river, and that was a special treat. The following morning we were greeted with heavy fog, but the birds did gobble on the roost, and we had one coming until he got intercepted by hens or a group of jakes so we thought. All in all this was one of my better trips! Spending time in Kentucky I highly recommend! Next stops on the spring tour: Pennsylvania, New York, and Vermont. More stories to follow!

 

Time to go Shopping for NY Gobblers

 

Nine days to go before the New York Opener for spring gobblers! For those of you hard core turkey hunters, the wait will soon be over only to be replaced with lack of sleep, huge doses of humility pills, and an increased appreciation for one of nature's wariest creatures. Youth season is just a mere three days of anticipation for aspiring 12-15 year old turkey hunters. With my children long past high school age, I have in past years, "adopted a youth for the weekend". Being associated with a local NWTF chapter has made it relatively easy to find a youth in need of someone to help them get started. Trust me on this: You will receive back ten fold what you give in introducing a youth to the outdoors, and calling it rewarding, does not do it justice. Being in a blind with a young person experiencing their first turkey hunt, and having them close to a bird gobbling on the roost is something you will remember. I recommend it highly.

The opinion from my travels, checking my usual spots, the talk around town, etc, is that things are really looking up for spring turkey season in New York. We are seeing lots of birds, and some dandies at that! Flocks have separated, and the scouting you do now up till May 1st will be the most useful intel for the first week of the season. Patterns will change thru the season, and the practice of continual scouting will pay off putting you on birds and filled tags. Your eyes and a good pair of binoculars are your most important tools for gathering critical data. Check your favorite fields and woodlots at least the first hour of daylight. Checking at different times during the morning and mid day will give you more clues, and let you know where they travel.

If you plan on scouting do all of us a big favor, leave the turkey calls at home. It is understood that making long beards gobble their fool heads off is a bunch of fun, but it also educates the birds. Turkeys will pattern hunters just as deer do. Slamming car doors, and hearing loud calling moments after give the birds a heads up. It doesn't take long for a long beard to figure out that running to a call (before season) does not result in a new girlfriend. Turkeys hang up enough with out being encouraged by pre-season calling.

With continued nice weather, the season should prove enjoyable and productive. Remember to be safe, identify your target, and shoot straight! Good luck to our youth hunters out this weekend and to the rest of us the month of May

 

© 2008 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

April Fools Day: Back In The Saddle & Big Changes All Around

Well folks, glad to be back at it again! Funny how a few warm spring days will change a perspective, and realign one’s schedule, especially those of us foolish enough to chase longbeards! It’s been over 5 months from my last column, and much of that due to building a log home that we are finally progressing to the finishing touches, and endless little projects. The other is from having a busy "real job" that supports eating, a roof over head, and my endeavors without regard to how foolish or fool hardy that they might be. I am a fortunate fool in that I now can walk out on my deck to hear gobblers, and with some regularity catch a glimpse of a few does that pass within mere yards of the house. I can now brag that I can literately roll out of bed, slap on some camo, and be at any one of my favorite listening spots within 15 minutes. Spring season is all about renewal, and changes! Yeah, life is good.

Major change appears to be a continuing theme for 2008............................

If you have been on the web at all in recent times, a major shakeup has occurred within the ranks of the National Wild Turkey Federation. Carl Brown & Dick Rosenlieb have left after long terms of service, and Rob Keck has resigned effective June 1st. Within the hours of the announcement, the internet forums have in their usual fashion, run rampant with rumors, both pro & con, and the usual dribble that goes with it. Regardless of how you view things, you have to give credit were it’s due, and also look at what needs to change to move forward. During my days as NY State Chapter President, and even before that, I can remember calling up or even stopping in at the headquarters and have face to face time with Rob, Carl, James Earl or Dick, and for that matter any of the staff. That is not something you find everyday in a large organization. With over 550,000 members and an operating budget close to $50 million, the NWTF can accomplish many things. The NWTF is supported by the best volunteers that you could ever rub elbows with, and a major reason for the huge success of the organization.

If you happen to be a student of history and business cycles, this becomes a more civil observation of things, and with the NWTF in its 35th year, not so much a surprise, but a natural progression, Like all things, you have good & bad years, people that move onto other things, etc. The NWTF has become a major voice for the conservation community, and that is sorely needed. Let’s hope that after the dust settles that the national board of directors finds suitable replacements and sets a solid path for the future. In the mean time, spring is here, the NY opener just a month away and I am ready to get out there!

© 2008 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

 

Fall Turkey Season in NY '07

A month to go for one of my favorite seasons! We are blessed here in New York with one of the longer fall turkey seasons in the nation. From what I have seen and heard from others around the state, you can expect sizable flocks to chase for most of New York. Here in my stomping grounds in Cortland County, and along the 81 corridor up thru the Saint Lawrence area it appears to have been a successful brooding season and we see lots of hens with large numbers of poults scurrying about. We're expecting a noisy and fun season this fall. Moderate temperatures and relatively dry weather last spring gave poults a big boost in making it thru the first few months. Lots of birds make for fun hunting in the turkey woods!

 

With a month to go for most of the state, it would be good advice to watch the hay fields as the farmers work the fields for the last time before fall sets in. This coincidently is the time for lots of grasshoppers and crickets. With freshly cut fields providing easy access, the fall flocks that vacuum up these tasty treats are easy to spot as they gorge themselves while crossing open fields. Should there be a large mast crop again this year, the flocks will quickly head back into the wood lots for this preferred food source. With fall turkey hunting it is all about the food, and where they roost. Flocks can change quickly to accommodate changes in food availability and a successful hunter will adapt as well. Two other big changes for fall flocks to be aware of is the falling leaves and first snow. Turkeys leave little sign if they find their food on the ground uncovered. Once the leaves are down, they scratch the leaves to find their food. Same idea for snow covering. As the season progresses, the flocks tend to be larger as hens and their broods join up in search of food and safety in numbers. With this the sign will also increase. When a few dozen turkeys go thru an area, their scratching is easy to see if there is snow or the leaves are down. Knowing the terrain and utilizing your woodsmenship will be the key to working into range on that many pairs of eyes.

 

Whether you use a turkey dog to find and bust your flocks (legal in New York), bust up flocks on foot after lots of scouting and legwork, or use your scouting knowledge to pinpoint the perfect ambush site, it comes down to two main factors. It is all about the food, and all about where they roost. In the case of heavy mast crops, many times flocks have to travel very little to eat. Other instances they may travel several miles. The scouting you do now, coupled with determining what food is available will put you on flocks in a much shorter time, and may result in a filled tag.   

© 2007 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media