Last fall I had the pleasure of spending a long weekend with some of the guys from GORE and Sitka hunting whitetails in Maryland. I spend a full day touring the GORE facilities and learning about the science behind GORE's new Optifade pattern. I was extremely impressed by the pattern and after hunting with it for the latter half of 2010 I won't be hunting in anything else.

The next day it was time to get in the woods and start putting the gear to the test. I had previously heard of Sitka, but never had a chance to try out their gear. I was impressed as soon as I took the clothing out of the package. The quality of Sitka gear is second to none and it only takes one hunt to start realizing all that this clothing was designed by hunters. Pockets were located in all the right areas, the cut of the garment allowed me to move freely without any bulk getting in the way, and the fabric was soft, quiet and blocked the wind so I stayed warm.

The new Fanatic system from Sitka takes the whitetail hunter to a whole new level and I'm super excited to get my hands on a Fanatic system for this fall. Here's the latest from Sitka on the Fanatic:


NAPA, CA. Sitka Gear, the industry leader in performance hunting gear, introduces the Fanatic Jacket and Bibs featuring the Optifade® Forest concealment pattern. This marquee product offering has been specifically and scientifically designed for the hardcore whitetail hunter.


A key design feature on the Fanatic Jacket is its diagonal zipper design, which allows for a kangaroo pocket for hunters to keep their hands warm and ready for that next shot. This feature also places the zipper on the hunter’s shoulder and not in front of their chin.

The fully articulated arms, knees and seat eliminate the bulkiness and make it very comfortable, perfect for extended sits. In addition, the bibs feature an aggressive knee articulation for superior comfort and performance while on the stand. The Fanatic Jacket also incorporates a grunt tube slot and range finder pocket, making this the ultimate and most versatile jacket for whitetail hunters on the market.


The Fanatic Jacket and Bib Specs:
● 130 grain Primaloft insulation
● WINDSTOPPER® fabric
● Removable Hood
● Internal wrist gaskets to seal in warmth
● Full side zips on bibs for ventilation and easy on/off
● Cargo pockets for gear
● GORE® OPTIFADE® Forest pattern
● Available in sizes small to 3XL
● MSRP: Jacket $369 Bib: $329

Sitka Gear’s top-quality products feature the most scientifically advanced visual concealment pattern ever to hit the market – GORE® OPTIFADE® Concealment, the first-ever concealment based on the science of animal vision. The unique micro-pattern considers the way a deer or other ungulate perceives color, the ratio of positive to negative space and other visual elements to create an effect that allows the hunter to blend with the animal’s perception of the environment. The macro-pattern breaks up the symmetry of the human body so that if a hunter is detected, the animal will not be able to identify the hunter as a predator.

About Sitka Gear, Inc.
Sitka Gear is the leading manufacturer of high-performance hunting apparel that utilizes cutting-edge technology to keep hunters warm, dry and comfortable in any condition. For more information about Sitka visit www.sitkagear.com or call 877.SITKA-MG.

About W.L. Gore & Associates (www.gore-tex.com)
Perhaps best known for its consumer products like GORE-TEX® fabric and ELIXIR® guitar strings, Gore is a leading manufacturer of thousands of advanced technology products for the electronics, industrial, fabrics and medical markets. The company is headquartered in Newark, Delaware, posts sales of approximately $2.6 billion, and employs 9,000 associates at 30 locations throughout the world.

For the last few seasons Terry has been successfully taking a longbeard on opening morning with his trusty stick bow. However, the 2011 season would soon prove to be a bit more challenging than previous seasons had been.

Unable to hunt opening morning, Terry headed to the woods on May 2nd to his favorite turkey hunting spot - a natural funnel between a small field next to a creek and a much larger field. Each night the birds roosted on a ridge just above the small field and as day would break the woods would come alive with the sounds of turkeys until it was light enough for them to pitch down into the field.

With a lone decoy set up in the larger field just past the funnel connecting the smaller field to the larger one, Terry was set up and ready for a morning like he had experienced for the last four seasons.

As day began to break Terry heard multiple gobblers up on the roost. Terry let out some calls and got the birds fired up. He had four gobblers to his right and three gobblers to his left - it was bound to be an exciting morning.

When the first gobbler hit the ground he was on the wrong side of the creek, but he quickly started running towards Terry and flew right over the creek landing a mere three feet from him right in the funnel. Terry moved just a fraction of an inch and the bird picked him up and quickly disappeared into the larger field. With time running out before he had to head for work, Terry decided to get out of there and try again the next day. Of course, as Terry got up there were two more birds in full strut that had come in silent and the birds left as quick as they came.

The next morning Terry was back at it and this time had six gobblers sounding off at first light. Four of the longbeards hit the ground, shut up and chased after a few hens in another direction. Once the longbeards had their ladies there was no changing their mind - it's tough to compete with the real thing.

Wednesday brought heavy rain and the birds were either silent or it was raining too hard to hear them - needless to say, it was a wash, pun intended.

Thursday brought clear skies and more rowdy gobblers. With three gobblers to his right and a group of hens on his left, Terry was smack dab in the middle of the entire flock. When the first bird gobbled Terry was shocked to realize the bird was roosted just 40 yards away with a second roosted in a tree not too far behind.

Terry let out a series of calls followed by a fly down cackle while flapping his hat to simulate a hen flying off the roost and just as he finished his calling sequence he heard one of the gobblers fly down. As the birds flew down into the field they saw Terry's decoy and came charging in at full strut. With gobblers in full strut and their backs to Terry he drew back his longbow and aimed for the bulls eye. Fifteen yards later the bird was done.

It was a "long" season for Terry, but he was able to get it done with his stick and string again this year. Congrats to Terry on the ultimate challenge in bowhunting!

After all the rain we've had the last few days the woods have come alive with new growth and are already looking like they do in summer. It's harder to see, harder to hear and increasingly difficult to see turkeys.

That hasn't stopped some of our readers and die hard turkey hunters to keep at it until the bitter end. On May 24th Michael headed out to the turkey woods to try and take a late season gobbler. Michael had just sat down along a field edge and was getting set up as day was quickly breaking. As soon as he sat down a few deer appeared in the field along with two turkeys. The animals walked by as fast as they appeared. At that point Michael began purring and clucking and a gobbler responded!

A few more soft calls brought the bird closer and Michael watched as two Toms crested the hill gobbling just 75 yards away. The birds continued on their path heading closer and closer to Michael until one of the Toms was within 30 yards. When the bird offered Michael a clear shot he took it and the gobbler hit the ground. The Tom weighed in at 22 pounds and had a 9.5" beard with one inch spurs.

Congrats to Michael on a great late season gobbler!

In response to the recommendations of the Westchester County Citizen’s Task Force on White-tailed Deer and Forest Regeneration and recognizing the success of regional municipalities with managing deer density, Westchester County will re-open sections of Muscoot Farm and Lasdon Park and Arboretum in Somers, Ward Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River and Mountain Lakes Park in North Salem for bow hunting deer in the autumn of 2011. Participants will be selected by testing and lottery.

Applicants must prove county residency and pass a proficiency test by hitting a 9-inch target at 25 yards, three out of three tries, using field tips only, at Blue Mountain Sportsman Center in Peekskill on July 29, 30 and 31. Following the proficiency test, qualified hunters will be selected by lottery. There is no fee for applying or testing, but those selected for the program will pay an administrative fee of $25.

The program will run from October 15 through December 31, 2011; the parks will remain open during the season and informational signs will be posted for hunters and park visitors. A detailed safety program will be in effect.

Download and print an application or pick one up at any of the four participating parks. Signed applications must be received in the County Parks Department administrative office at 25 Moore Avenue, Mount Kisco 10549, attention Deer Management Program by July 27, 2011 at 4 p.m. Prospective hunters should read and thoroughly understand all requirements because there will be a zero-tolerance policy for non-compliance.

For more information call (914) 864-7326.

NYBowhunter.com reader Nick Little sent in an email earlier this month to share the story of his step-son Andrew's bird taken during the 2011 Youth Season in New York.



Andrew and Nick went out on opening day of New York's 2011 Youth Turkey season and were able to call a big gobbler into gun range. Andrew squeezed the trigger on the pump action shotgun and put down the huge 22 pound bird! The turkey had a 9 1/2" beard and 3/4" spurs - a fine New York turkey.


On opening day of the regular season Nick was back out in the spring turkey woods, but this time it was his turn to pull the trigger. Nick took a 19 pound gobbler with a 9" beard and 3/4" spurs - a similar bird to Andrew's.

Congrats to both Andrew and Nick and a special thanks to Nick for introducing a child to the outdoors - this is the future of hunting.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Joe Martens today announced proposed changes that would open new areas east of the Hudson River to black bear hunting and establish uniform bear hunting season dates across the Southern Zone beginning in the 2011 hunting season.

"The proposed adjustments to bear hunting in the Southern bear range are part of our continuing effort to better manage bear populations and provide excellent hunting opportunities in New York State," Commissioner Martens said. "Black bears are thriving in New York and have expanded their range considerably in recent years. Increasing opportunities for bear hunting in the Southern Zone will help alleviate agricultural and homeowner conflicts with bears, provide recreational opportunity, and facilitate wise use of bear meat and hides."


The specific changes proposed for the Southern bear range would:

Open Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 3F, 3G, 3N, 3R, 3S, 4C, 4K, 4L, 4T, 4U, 4Y, 4Z, 5S and 5T to black bear hunting for the archery, regular and muzzleloading seasons. This would include all of Westchester, Putnam, Dutchess, Columbia, Rensselaer, and Washington counties, and the portion of Rockland that was not already open for black bear hunting. Season dates for these units will be the same as those in place for adjacent units already open to bear hunting in the Southern bear range.

Establish an earlier start to the existing regular black bear season in wildlife management units in parts of central and western New York by removing the 7-day lag that has previously existed between the start of the regular deer season and the regular bear season in this portion of New York. This will provide a uniform bear hunting season framework for all bear hunting in the Southern Zone.

Bear hunting is the only viable and cost effective tool for managing bear numbers on a landscape scale. However, DEC also encourages public understanding and tolerance of bears through various educational efforts. Additional information about black bears is available at www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6960.html including tips for living with bears. DEC has also helped produce and distribute a DVD, "Living with Black Bears in New York," which is available in most schools and public libraries throughout the state.

To see more detailed descriptions of the proposal, including instructions for providing comments, go to he DEC website. The proposed rulemaking can also be viewed in detail in the May 18, 2011 publication of the New York State Register.

DEC will be accepting public comments on the proposal through July 5, 2011. A map of the proposed area expansion is attached.

One of my good friends Joe from Beyond Backpacks went out with his son during the first week of spring turkey season and had one crazy morning!

It started off with a ride up to Dutchess County early in the morning. As day began to break Joe and his son had a couple of Jakes gobble, but they would not commit to come in. Even so, it was an awesome experience as it was the first time Joe's son had heard a turkey gobble.

Later that morning the two hunters walked around, but didn't see anything else so they decided to head back for Mothers Day. On the drive back home Joe's son asked if they could hunt one more time so Joe made a pit stop at another spot on the way home.

Around 10:30 a.m. they arrived at the second spot and Joe let out some yelps and excited cuts with no response. Joe and his son walked another five-hundred yards when he noticed some birds walking at the edge of the woods and told his son to set up so they could try and call the birds in.

Joe let out a couple of calls and then heard a hen talking back to him followed by a couple of gobbles. At first Joe though it was another hunter calling next to him and was waiting for the other hunter to shoot the gobbler, but then the hen stepped out in front of him with the gobbler not too far behind.

Joe waited until the boss Tom crossed the 20 yard mark and squeezed off a round from the 12 gauge. Joe's son was shouting with excitement, "I got a turkey, I got a turkey!" It was a crazy and very exciting morning for Joe and his son and one they'll never forget.

It's father's like Joe that help ensure there's a future for our sport by introducing a child to hunting. Thanks for passing it on Joe!

Bloomfield, NJ - Tensions on the field ran high this weekend as thirty one archers gathered in Brookdale Park in Bloomfield, NJ to contest the final three spots in each category for the team that will represent the United States at the World Archery Championships in Torino this July. A testament to the depth of field and archery talent in the United States today, the top three spots in almost every category were closely contested. There was movement in the ranks between the first Trials event, held in conjunction with the Easton Foundations Gator Cup last month, and the second stage which took place Saturday and Sunday.

For the women's recurve, four-time Olympian Khatuna Lorig (Los Angeles, CA) began the event in the number one spot, and never relinquished her hold, winning all but one of her matches in the second stage to finish first for the trials event. She will be joined in Torino by two-time Olympian Jennifer Nichols (Bryan, TX), and Junior Dream Team member Miranda Leek (Des Moines, IA), who clinched the third spot by 1.5 points.

On the men's side, Olympian and no. 2 world ranked Brady Ellison (Glendale, AZ), who set a new (unofficial) national record this weekend, established a commanding lead early on and continued his climb throughout the two stages, finishing the event in first with a ten point lead. Fellow Resident Athletes Jacob Wukie and Joseph Fanchin, finishing just two points apart in the standings, will round out the men's recurve team in Italy.

Jamie Van Natta (Toledo, OH), who shot her way to the Gold Cup podium and to a new (unofficial) World Record this weekend, also held on to the top spot in her category, finishing first by four points. Christie Colin (Ransomville, NY) took the second spot this afternoon with a half-point lead over Kailey Johnston (Dublin, GA). Together, the three will make up the women's compound team in Torino.

In the men's compound category, just a half point separated the top three, with these powerhouse shooters requiring a shoot-off to determine the first place ranking. Braden Gellenthien (Woodbridge, VA) taking the first position. Gellenthien will be joined at the World Archery Championships by reigning World Champion Reo Wilde (Pocatello, ID) and World Cup teammate Jesse Broadwater (Jennerstown, PA).

The coaching and team leader staff was also announced today; the athletes will be coached by National Head Coach KiSik Lee, who will be joined by coaches Guy Krueger, Mel Nichols and Mike Usherenko. The team will be led by Cindy Bevilacqua.

Both compound and recurve archers will compete for team and individual medals at the World Archery Championships; this is also the event at which the U.S. recurve teams will attempt to qualify quota spots for the 2012 Olympic Games. The next stop for the full team will be Antalya, Turkey, where they will compete together at the second stage of the Archery World Cup in preparation for Torino.

All new hunters, bow hunters and trappers must pass the appropriate course before getting their first license. Students must attend all sessions, demonstrate proper attitude and safety, and pass the test. A hunter education course is required for all new hunters applying for a license. To hunt big game with bow and arrow, a special bow hunting course is required in addition to the basic hunter education course. A trapping course is required for all new trappers. For most people, a license is required, even to hunt woodchucks and other "varmints" with no closed seasons. Consult hunting regulations for season areas and dates. To find out the dates of a hunter safety course near you please visit the DEC website: http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9191.html.

All courses are free. New York's Sportsman Education Programs are supported in part by Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration, funded by your purchases of hunting equipment. Additional funding comes from sales of hunting and trapping licenses. Hunters and trappers pay for Sportsman Education and wildlife conservation.

For a free study tool to help prepare for your New York Hunter Education Course or a Hunter Education Course for another state visit: Hunter Safety Courses.

It's been a really tough week of hunting with lots of highs and lows. Locating the birds seems to be the easy part, calling them in isn't too much of a challenge either it's getting a gobbler to get in front of my one opening in the blind within 30 yards that's the part I'm struggling with.

I'm hunting longbeards that live in hardwoods rather than the ones that spend most of their mornings strutting in open fields.

After watching a longbeard circle the blond yesterday a mere 50 yards away I figured it was time to bring back the decoys. I stopped using the decoys after they spooked a Jake on an earlier hunt.

This morning I stepped out of the truck and heard a familiar gobble on a nearby ridge. I had gone after this bird once before but he flew down away from me and never came in. This time I knew where he was headed so I circled down below him set the decoys up on the old logging road I figured he walk down on and set the blind up against a deadfall.

I took out my trusty diaphragm call an started talking to the bird. He liked what I was saying and I heard a crash behind me. The bird had flown in off the roost a long distance to get to me. He let out a thunderous gobble well within bow range of the blind - but of course he picked the window to my right which was closed.

I waited in anticipation for the gobbler to charge the Jake decoy and give me my shot opportunity. That opportunity would never come. The next gobble I heard was considerably past the blind and he was walking away from me. I could hear he had crossed the creek and I quickly packed the blind and went up the hill to cut him off. I had a good idea of where he was headed.

I ditched the decoys at the top of the hill and headed to a strut zone in the open hardwoods. The bird continued to gobble as I quickly set up the blind. Once inside I started calling and the bird responded. Then the gobbles started getting further away and less frequent. By 6:45 a.m. the bird had gone silent on me and the woods got quiet...

As my quest to kill a spring turkey with my bow continues the odds are turning increasingly in the turkey's favor. I've been hunting both New York and Connecticut and I've gotten so close to making it happen, but I have yet to fill a single one of the five tags I have.

On April 27th, opening day in Connecticut, I headed to a ridge where I had seen a giant flock of turkeys this past fall and again in March. I set up the ground blind in a small clearing and waited for daybreak and the turkeys to start talking. The sun came up, the turkeys never talked and all I saw were a few deer that were less than impressed with my blind.

The next day I went to a second spot in Connecticut where my father had taken a lone Jake with his shotgun on opening day. I set up just off of a clearing and went through the same routine as the day before with the same kind of luck - not a single sign or sound of turkeys.

Skipping out on a Saturday morning hunt, I got an early text from my brother with a picture of the bird he took at the same place I was going to hunt. It was a nice Tom with a 9" beard and 3/4" spurs. The good news was that there was more than one bird that came in and the other one got away. I'd be after the one that got away on Monday.

Sunday was opening day in New York and I headed upstate to meet up with my deer hunting partner and try to take some long beards. I arrived at our meeting spot, but he had slept through the alarm and never showed up. By 5:15 a.m. I was set up in a known crossing area and expected to hear birds up on the ridge as the sun came up. Not even a single gobble was heard. Then at 6:00 a.m. a shotgun hunter that arrived late to the woods walked by my blind and headed up the ridge. I heard two gun shots and a half hour later he was walking out of the woods with a big Tom. I stopped to talk to him on his way out and he told me the birds were gobbling their heads off at the top of the hill, he had taken this bird and took a shot at another, but missed. The hunter was on his way to a second spot to try and fill his second tag - obviously he never read that part of the NYS Hunting Regulations that states you're only allowed to take one bearded bird per day during the spring turkey season.

Monday morning I was back in Connecticut to chase after the one that got away from my brother. As soon as I stepped into the woods I heard a gobble and quickly went towards it to find an area to set up the blind. I set up on the edge of an old logging road, quickly set the decoys and was ready for the bird to fly down at any moment. I went back and forth with the gobbler until he finally flies down at 6:20 a.m. He lands in full strut and continues to gobble. The only problem is that there's a creek between me and the bird and I really don't know if he's going to cross it or hang up. I let out a few soft yelps and he's on his way, crosses the creek and pops out on my side. The bird turns out to be a Jake and as he makes his way in he sees the decoys and keeps is distance from my setup as if he's afraid to challenge my Jake decoy. As the bird walked by at 30 yards I could tell he had no intention of stopping. I came to full draw and tried to get a shot off as he passed my clearing at 30 yards, but it was a clean miss.

As the bird walked by at 30 yards I could tell he had no intention of stopping. I came to full draw and tried to get a shot off as he passed my clearing at 30 yards, but it was a clean miss.

Thursday I headed back to New York and set up on top of the ridge. The morning was quiet, but I stayed patient and finally heard a gobble around 7:00 a.m. I started calling and the gobbles started coming closer. Unfortunately it was very windy and the blind was like a sail in the wind making a lot of noise. As the birds crested the ridge they saw the movement of the blind and all I could do was watch as the two longbeards passed at 60 yards.

Friday morning it was back to Connecticut and after setting up on a gobbler I heard right outside of the truck and having no luck calling him in, I walked the area until I finally heard a gobble almost an hour later. I set up the blind against a fallen tree and brushed it in a little. I put a single hen decoy out in front and started calling. A little while later I caught some movement out in front as a Jake circled the blind at a distance. As the Jake passed by I heard a second gobble behind me. Soon enough I caught movement from my right as the longbeard worked his way out in front of me. I tried to coax the bird in, but he wouldn't come closer than 45 yards and I had no shot opportunity.

Saturday morning I was in Connecticut and planned on setting up where the two birds had crossed just out of range the day before. On my walk to my setup I heard a gobble off to my right and made a last minute decision to go after the bird. I set up just off a trail in the hardwoods and just as I got settled in the blind, the bird popped up in front of me in full strut. The bird was gobbling, spitting and I could feel him drumming as he worked his way in. I had the two corners of the blind open and soon realized this was not going to work. I had to let the bird walk by me within 25 yards twice before he circled and gave me a chance to zip up one window and unzip the second window in front of me. For the third time the bird circled in front of me and was putting on a show at 25 yards. This time, however, I had the right window open and when the bird stepped behind a tree I drew back and settled between my 20 and 30 yard pins. I released the arrow and the bird dropped to the ground. He tried to get up, but fell back down and then went over the small hump in front of me. I could tell he was hit and it looked like I took out at least one leg.

I nocked a second arrow and got out of the blind. Quietly I snuck to where I last saw the bird and saw him another 25 yards away from me. As I drew back for a second shot the bird started to scurry away and I let another arrow fly. The arrow hit the bird taking off some feathers and leaving it with a superficial cut and I watched to my amazement as the bird flew away. I was shocked that the bird was able to fly after that. I went back to the blind to pack everything up and circled around to the top of the hill where the bird was headed. Unfortunately, when I got to the top of the hill a turkey got up and flew 80 yards ahead of me. I went to the are the bird took off from, but there was no sign that it was my bird. I searched the bottom of the ridge where the bird had landed, but couldn't find a single feather or drop of blood - I had lost the bird.

One thing is for sure - it's been a very exciting and frustrating first week of the season. I've made some adjustments since the first week. I recently upgraded the seat I was using in the blind to the Primos Qs3 Magnum blind seat which has made it much more comfortable to sit all morning in the blind and has saved my lower back. It also gives me the freedom to easily get up and shoot without anything getting in the way. It's been a real help. I've also changed my broadhead choice. I'm a fan of using large mechanicals for turkey and switched from a the Rage broadhead, a 2-blade mechanical with a 2" cut, to the Spitfire Max, a 3-blade mechanical with a 1 3/4" cut. I also have on order a set of Trophy Ridge Tom-A-Hawk broadheads which is a 125g 3-blade mechanical head with a whopping 2 3/4" cut - this should be the ticket and put the birds down fast. It's now week two and I'll have another update at the end of the week. Good luck to all of you who are chasing spring turkeys!

The New York State Senate and Assembly passed a bill (S177/A2021) in early May that would allow junior bowhunters to hunt biggame at 12 years of age. This bill is now headed to Governor Cuomo for his signature.

In an effort to make this bill law, hunting organizations throughout New York are working together to urge sportsmen and women to contact the Governor’s office and urge him to sign S177/A2021 into law. I've already sent the Governor an email and hope many of you do the same.

The easiest way to contact the Governor’s office is via phone at (518) 474-8390 or e-mail at gov.cuomo@chamber.state.ny.us. You can also send your written comments via a Fax at (518) 474-3767 or a letter at the following address;

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of the State of New York
The Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Contact can also be made through the following web site at http://www.governor.ny.gov


Did you know?

Currently New York junior archers must be 14 years of age before they can hunt biggame with a bow. This is the most restrictive minimum age requirement in the nation. The remainder of the 49 states allow junior archers to hunt big game with a bow at the age of 12 or younger with 54% of the states having no minimum age requirement at all.

Junior bow hunters can not begin to hunt until they can pull back a legal 35 pound hunting bow and only after they can comprehend/pass a bow hunter education class. In order to participate in a hunt junior bow hunters must be under the direct supervision of an experienced adult hunter with written permission from a parent or legal guardian. These requirements make the minimum age requirement self regulating and safe.

Lowering the big game minimum age requirement for junior bow hunters to age 12 would match the age when our youngsters can begin to hunt small game with a firearm. If enacted this legislation would make consistent the age needed to obtain a license for both junior hunting and junior archery. By decreasing the minimum age, interested youths would gain valuable knowledge and experience that will ensure their hunting safety for years to come.

I know most people are thinking turkeys right now, but I have one last shed hunting story to tell. Damien is one of the most successful shed hunters I know and at the end of April he and his friend Dan stumbled upon an unbelievable find. Here's his story:


Hey Marc, I just thought that I would share some late season finds with you. In reality, I guess that I am never done shed hunting, but always looking. I went out with a buddy yesterday and had an unbelievable late season day in Ontario county- just outside of Rochester.


When my friend, Dan saw this great single shed lying in the wide open forest floor, you would have thought that he just got shot out of a cannon!


The awesome 125” 8 pointer was probably a road kill as it was less than 80 yards from a busy road way. We also found another small dead buck and a little fork horn shed from last year.

Thanks to Damien for sharing his story with us. What a way to end the shed hunting season.

Spring Turkey season is finally here and it's been an interesting start to say the least! This year I'm hunting exclusively with archery gear as I'm determined to take a spring gobbler with my bow.

My spring turkey season began in Connecticut on April 27th. Opening morning I hiked into the woods to set up on a ridge where I knew the birds sometimes roosted and had seen them roost in the fall.

On a scouting trip in late March I had confirmed the flock was still using the area and had high hopes of getting it done on opening day. As I set up in the dark I waited for the sun to rise and the birds to gobble - but gobble they did not. In fact, I didn't hear or see a single deer. The only thing that showed up were a couple of deer.

That same day my father headed to another property in Connecticut and had a similar experience - no birds gobbling. However, mid-morning a lone gobble shattered the silence and dad was able to connect with the Jake.

I was back at it the next day, this time at the same property my father took his bird from. I had high hopes for this place and thought I had a good chance at getting it done. Unfortunately, the birds were no where to be found.

On Saturday, my brother and father were back at the same spot I hunted the day before. This time they had quite different luck. They arrived late to the turkey woods and at 5:30 am it was already light out. It didn't matter too much though because the birds were roosted not too far from the truck. Quickly they loaded the guns and hid in the brush. After a few calls the gobblers flew down and came right in. By 5:40 am Derek had his gobbler on the ground.

Sunday was opening day of Spring Turkey season in New York and I was really excited to get to the woods. I was set up by 5:15 am and waiting for the birds to start gobbling at any moment. Around a quarter to six I thought I heard a distant gobble. A few minutes later I caught some movement - a shotgun hunter walking through the woods to the top of the ridge. Ten minutes later I heard two gun shots and a half hour after that I saw the hunter walk out with a gobbler hanging over his shoulder.

I sat in the blind until 8:00 am and then moved to a field edge where I set up the decoys and sat until 10:00 am. At that point I packed up the blind and decoys and went for an hour long walk trying to locate the birds, but came up empty handed. Another unsuccessful hunt.

Monday morning I was at it again. After the sit, call and wait strategy failing on me I decided to walk through the woods until I heard a gobble and try to get as close as I could to set up the blind and decoys. Well not more than 50 yards into the woods I finally heard a gobble!

I moved quick to close the distance and knew the bird was on the other side of the creek. It was already getting light and I couldn't move any closer to the gobbler so I was forced to set up at the creek crossing and hope the bird would actually cross the creek. The gobbler and I went back and forth calling for a good 40 minutes before I finally saw him fly down at 6:22 am.

He immediately went into full strut as soon as he hit the ground and continued gobbling. I watched as the bird worked his way through the woods towards the logging road that would lead him straight to my set up. I watched as the bird approached the creek and luckily it was low enough that he could easily cross. As he approached my set up I noticed I couldn't see a beard - it was a young Jake. I called to him once more and he gobbled, but he also noticed my Jake decoy and was hesitant to come in.

I drew back as soon as I had the chance and waited for him to present me with a shot opportunity, but he was skirting the edge of the woods and about to walk right past me. I gave a quick put with my diaphragm call to stop the bird and let an arrow fly at 30 yards, but the arrow missed its target and the bird flew up the hill.

As the bird walked away he gobbled twice more and then I never heard him again. It was turkey decoy setups 101 - if you're trying to kill any gobbler, Jake or Tom, then don't put out a gobbler decoy. This bird came right into my calls and was intimidated by the Jake decoy I had out. This bird wasn't looking for a fight and didn't want to get his tail kicked by the boss Tom. Needless to say, the Jake decoy is in the back of the truck and the hen decoy is in the decoy bag for my next hunt. Next time, the gobblers won't be so lucky.