Recent posts

#21

Turkey Guns / Re: Hydro Dip

Last post by nybowhunter - Today at 10:43:18 AM

Tarjac in Waterloo, New York is supposed to do a very good job.

Sent from my SM-A366U1 using Tapatalk

+1 for Tarjac they do great work

#22

Turkey Guns / Re: Dream Turkey Gun

Last post by nybowhunter - Today at 10:41:29 AM

That's an awesome looking gun, came out great!

#23

Turkey Guns / Re: Realtree original dip

Last post by nybowhunter - Today at 10:40:35 AM

Looks like you found someone but incase anyone else has the same question. Another option is Tarjac H2O out of NY. They have real tree and I've used them in the past to dip a deer skull.

https://www.tarjac.com/camo

#24

LEARNING TO TURKEY HUNT / Re: Knowing When NOT To Pull t...

Last post by GobbleNut - Today at 10:32:32 AM

I did exactly the same thing a few decades ago, Dana...shot a gobbler and also accidentally killed an unseen hen beyond him (related this story recently in another post...gladly turned myself in and paid the fine). Like you, I also know of a couple of other guys that have inadvertently killed hens in the spring.

It would be interesting to see how many others have had a similar experience. Honestly, I suspect it happens more than any of us would like. In today's declining turkey populations, it is probably a statistic that may be having an impact in places. As you say, mistakes can be made, but it would be nice if those making the mistakes would speak up and report their error and "pay the piper" so wildlife managers could assess that impact. Unfortunately, I am skeptical as to how many do.

#25

General Forum / Re: The Wet Foot Issue

Last post by eggshell - Today at 10:20:23 AM

I used to deal with this all the time back when I had bird dogs and pheasant hunted a lot. I would use the old grease type boot treatments on my boots. I mean load them up and do it once a week. Two pairs of socks, a cotton under wool. Of course I wore brush pants and I would use the spray on water treatment on them. The brier panels would keep you pretty dry underneath. If cool enough wear a base layer. Of course working at a fish hatchery everything was wet. The day we discovered they made neoprene gloves, socks and other garments our lives changed. Even if some moisture gets through they stay pretty warm and comfortable. You just better get them aired out and dried or they turn musty real fast. If it's really wet it's rain gear

#26

LEARNING TO TURKEY HUNT / Re: Knowing When NOT To Pull t...

Last post by eggshell - Today at 10:00:57 AM

I also will admit that Sh!t happens to all of us and sooner or later we all take a shot we probably should have passed on. There's a lot happening in a short period of time. I know several people who have killed two or more birds with one shot and some of them are very good turkey hunters. I have also watched these same guys hit secondary birds. The farther you take a shot the more likely this is to happen. There's a lot on our minds in a hunt. We do our best to be disciplined in our shot selection and choose well, but don't beat yourself up when you make a mistake. All we can ask of each other is to keep it in mind and use our best judgement. In my 54 years I had this happen to me once. It was a fall hunt and the birds came into a field with high weeds. The bird I shot presented a clear good shot and I took it because he was the bird completely separated from the group. I did not see any other bird within 20 yards of him. when I shot and I looked up a could see another bird 30 yards behind him flopping and jumping around. I had never seen this bird and how the heck any shot made it through 30 yards of high weeds to him I am amazed. Before we knew it the bird got air under his wings and sailed off. We looked for a long time and then went and got my buddy's bird dogs and looked, but never recovered the gobbler. He either survived or the coyotes eat well. The point being if it happens do the right thing. 

#27

Pot Calls Forum / Re: Buster Halford

Last post by RCK03 - Today at 09:53:37 AM

Buster makes some nice calls. I have an old hen, a ceramic, and a red slate persimmon. They are all fantastic.

#28

Pot Calls Forum / Re: Masur Birch

Last post by RCK03 - Today at 09:49:51 AM

I would love get one of your copper pot calls. Feel free to message me on here if you have any for sale. Thanks,  Ryan

#29

General Forum / Re: Gooserbat it's cold Giveaw...

Last post by GobbleNut - Today at 09:48:15 AM

Darn, didn't win again!
...Regardless, thanks for all you do around here, Sam!    

#30

General Forum / Re: Name No States

Last post by GobbleNut - Today at 09:40:35 AM

I do not experience as much hunter pressure as many of us on the forum and have a different feeling on what I saw in Trent's video. First off, he saw the truck pull up in the dark, pull a short distance past  his, but still park too close to him. I believe she should have drove past at least a half mile or more to park. Second, he had to whistle, and flash his light to her in the dark. At that point, she should have left. 3rd, while he was working his Tom, she appeared to be "stalking" towards the strutter. Trent whistled her away again, but she looped back into his set-up. This to me is a bit much, this sport requires safe-space and common sense ethics while pursuing and calling in turkeys. Ethical buffers must be adhered to to make things safe, fun, and successful. This is just my feelings and how I play the game. I do know it is tough to navigate popular public lands, thus these guidelines regarding ethics are of paramount importance to all involved. It would be a good thing for Donna to join this great forum to learn from the great fraternity here.

I preface these remarks by stating that I wrote all of this up before eggshell's last post. (His focus on the safety issues but otherwise note the similarities)

I agree with you about all of this Tom...and if everybody that decided to hunt spring gobblers would come to OG, perhaps they would hit the woods with a better understanding of what is expected of them from OUR perspective regarding those ethical and safety issues you mention above. However, I suspect Donna had no clue about any of that and was merely approaching the hunt in the same way she probably approaches deer, elk, or whatever else she might pursue.

Although you and I...and most other folks here...play the game based on those ethics and safety issues, there are still plenty of people that have taken up spring gobbler hunting that have no clue as to those concepts.

Here's what I would bet went on in Donna's mind: First off, if she lives in the area, she was probably aware that there were a bunch of turkeys there...and had already made plans to hunt that spot. In addition, she had most likely hunted there in the past and probably felt some sense of "proprietorship" about hunting there. Although she drove past Trent's truck, she probably thought nothing about it. Her thought was probably one of "Gee, I wish nobody else was here, but there are a bunch of turkeys here and, even though there is somebody else around, maybe I can get lucky and kill a gobbler anyway."

I would bet she probably did not have a turkey call, or if she did it was secondary to trying to stalk the turkeys (which is pretty obviously what she was doing). I'll give her credit for backing out after Trent whistled at her, but again her thought process was probably "I'll just hang around here and see what happens. Maybe a gobbler will come by me".  I doubt she ever contemplated the safety issues involved in that.

The above may vary a bit in the thought process, but based on my (and I would bet other's) experiences), I can tell you that there are plenty of people out here in this part of the country that hunt spring gobblers that way. They hear a gobble and try to sneak up on it and kill it...anybody else in the area be damned. That mindset of "It's public land and I have as much right to that gobbler as you do...and if I can get to him first, well, that's just too bad for you" is prevalent. 

It is an unfortunate reality that we must deal with...