Blog Archives

PR Book Release: Random Musings from the Left Hemisphere by Mike Joyner

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Joyner Outdoor Media Proudly Announces the Book Release of Random Musings of The Left Hemisphere by Mike Joyner

CORTLAND, N.Y. – April 19, 2023 – The author’s latest book release is a collection of random musings made over the past decade in response to the many societal skirmishes and forays of maligned and upside-down positions taken by increasingly radical liberals and leftists of a divided country. The book features personal reflections and personal testimony of bearing witness to a profound event of survival. The new release is currently available in paperback, hardcover, and Kindle.

Publisher’s Summary – “Random Musings of The Left Hemisphere” is a collection of personal opinions, reflections, and epiphanies gained from decades of hands-on living. A worldview fully grounded in compassion and sound reasoning is expressed that in stark contrast, refutes common false narratives perpetuated by the far left, academia, and a sympathetic media that has abandoned professional journalism in favor of activism and influencer self-gratification. We are over-saturated with utopian thesis-driven views formulated in a vacuum and regurgitated in never-ending echo chambers.

The latest offering from the author is a unique departure from his well-known outdoor book titles. A random glimpse into the thoughts, and observations of a left hemisphere dominant thinker. As an engineer, awarded worldwide patents, a passionate outdoorsman, and conservative by nature, these attributes are a natural fit for the project. The reader will find a frank and honest rendering of ideas and observations to ponder and consider.

Hardcover, paperback books, and Kindle – available now on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2R2ST1Q

Joyner can be made available for media requests by emailing: info@joynerourdoormedia.com

For further information on the author: www.mikejoyner.com

-MJ

© 2023 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

Joyner Outdoor Media New Website

A revamped and updated website has been rolled out and is now live. With supporting current books in print by author Mike Joyner, the various websites have been integrated to provide a consistent offering for each title. There are two more sections for works in progress and future novels that are in planning phases. Book Trailers and a few odds and ends are still left to complete and will be updated when available.

The new website uses the same domain name @ www.joyneroutdoormedia.com

Book Projects- 2023 Update

Book Project Update-The following two projects have been long-term works in progress and are much different efforts than the storybooks that I write one chapter at a time, at random throughout the years, especially during hunting seasons. Some just appear to be at random once it is realized enough material is collected, and put aside to publish without any particular schedule. As these two large projects require large swaths of time to keep it all straight, with far too many moving parts, it takes much longer in the workflow that I have.

D.D. Adams- Evolutionary Turkey Call Pioneer, a long-awaited title. scheduled to be released this past summer has been pushed back after a recent snafu in source material permissions.

Empire State Limb Hangers– New York Wild Turkey Records, another long-awaited title, is pushed to an Winter 2023 release. Weekly progress on this. Still seeking those eligible to interview for the project, but a July 31, 2023 cutoff has to be a hard stop to make this happen.

Books in print:

Hills of Truxton: Stories & Travels of a Turkey Hunter 1.2 version is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in paperback, and kindle format. Hills Of Truxton  An audiobook is in production

Tales from the Turkey Woods: Mornings of My Better Days 1.2 version is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and kindle format. Tales From The Turkey Woods

Grand Days in the Turkey Woods is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in Hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and kindle format. Grand Days In The Turkey Woods Hardcovers w/dustjacket can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Grand-Days-Turkey-Woods-Joyner/dp/1495125475

Ten To Life- Delirium Tales Of A Covid-19 Survivor is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and kindle format. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3LP45XD/

A Walk In The Turkey Woods- Wandering Thoughts and Revelations, the brand new release on 2/27/23 is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW36MGN9

An audiobook is currently in production with a spring 2023 release anticipated.

Future Projects:

Tales from The Roost, Roost ‘n Time Tales– Another turkey hunting stories book is likely to come out in 2023 and depends on a number of things coming together. I rough draft stories each season, so it is not absolute in the schedule. As a fourth storybook, it may be one of the last of those efforts. The seasons and memories have been so inspirational which continues to drive these titles.

Old Turkey Tree, Stories From The Turkey Woods– will be a collection of my favorites from each storybook title and a full-color edition will be offered in hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and kindle. That will come sometime after Roost ‘n Time Tales is published.

ReaperCide, Fatalism Defined– will tackle a controversial topic and include research materials collected for some time. This is a short effort when I ever get to it. It’s another project that will likely pop up after a few lazy weekends (rare) and I get to go back thru all the musings and edit it.

A wild turkey cookbook is a slow cooker, a work in progress, and will come out whenever I get to road-testing my hazardous culinary skills. If I survive that experiment, it will happen…

There are more slow-rolling book projects that pique my interest in pursuing, and I add bits and pieces to each project folder as they fit or strike me to capture at the moment. There are a few novel project ideas if I ever get to it.

Websites: On top of all that, a redesign of the Joyner Outdoor Media website is planned, It will integrate all the existing published books and will introduce each new book as it is released or slated for a release date. the home base at turkey-talk.com will also be completed and will solicit advertising to make the indulgence self-sufficient.

-MJ

© 2023 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

Press Release: Book Release: A Walk In The Turkey Woods, Wandering Thoughts & Revelations by Mike Joyner 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 27, 2023

Cortland, NEW YORK – Joyner Outdoor Media announces the audiobook release of A Walk In The Turkey Woods, Wandering Thoughts & Revelations by McGraw resident Mike Joyner 

The author’s latest book release offers wild turkey hunters, call makers, contest-calling competitors, and those who simply adore this most elusive monarch, something very different than the “how to,” instructional manuals, or storytelling collections.  It is currently available in paperback, hardcover, and kindle. An audiobook is in production.

Publisher’s Summary – “A Walk In The Turkey Woods” is a collection of personal reflections, epiphanies, and revelations gained from countless days roaming the great forests of North America. Captured within this volume of work are short stories, poems, a turkey hunter’s prayer, reverso poetry, and passages deeply profound and personal to the author. This body of work is inspired by the perspective that comes with so much time spent in the grand turkey woods, and from the enjoyment of all God’s creatures within these great forests. To those that passionately engage in the time-honored and most natural pursuits, it is all too well known that the acts of downing quarry are a miniscule portion of what truly transpires and what lies within the heart, mind, and soul of a hunter.  

What a hunter experiences and holds dear to their hearts is entirely foreign to those that do not hunt.  As visitors, as voyeurs of wondrous places we feel at home and fully immersed in all that it is.” The passages within these pages convey what is well beyond the mechanics of strategies and techniques of outwitting our favored quarry. The conclusion of great and epic adventures is a satisfaction worthy of our efforts and concludes with so many memories to be had, and uplifting experiences in the natural world.

Hardcover, paperback books, and kindle – available now on Amazon     https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW36MGN9

About Mike Joyner:

An avid turkey hunter for nearly a quarter century, Mike Joyner has been roaming the hills and woodlands of America stalking the elusive prey -wild turkey.  Joyner is a former president of the New York State Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, serving from 1996 to 2005

A new book: D.D. Adams, Evolutionary Turkey Call Pioneer, is set to be released later this year. Mike is currently working on a 6th book entitled: Empire State Limb Hangers, New York Wild Turkey Records.

The author is also an owner of a technology company, and appears on dozens of US and Worldwide patents for video/image sensor innovations. He spends his quality time in his turkey woods sanctuary known as the “J” Ranch in McGraw, New York, where he lives with his wife Lee.  For more information on the author visit his personal website: www.mikejoyner.com

-MJ

© 2023 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

NY Wild Turkey Records Book Project 2023

The Empire State Limb Hangers book project is coming to a hard stop for inclusion for the first edition. It has been a long time coming. Since significant life events this past late summer/fall, wrapping up large works and getting them to the finish line is a motivated focus. and will be released after the D.D Adams book. I have done what I can to gain interviews, including several state-wide tours. I can entertain a third interviewing tour this winter/spring.

An updated query of NWTF records is nearly done, and now looking at several turkey contests where the methods of measurement are known. I will entertain other contest data or personal data that can be verified, as apple-to-apples is the fairest way to compare.

Any new record entries are invited to be included, and if meeting the criteria listed, welcome to be interviewed. If you tag or have tagged a legally harvested gobbler in the past that meets the criteria listed at the end of this, I would love to interview you for inclusion in the project. Although your stories and photos will be captured for the book, you will retain all rights to your photos and your story. Should you wish to have the story I write up be used for other uses, Copyright permissions would be normal and expected for personal uses, commercial use can be reviewed for consideration.

The deadline for interviewing for the first edition will be July 31, 2023. contact me- mjoyner@joyneroutdoormedia.com

The following folks are sought to interview from known records:

NameHome
State
CategoryRank
Frank SpartanoNY13
Scott DavisPATypical14
Stanely Hall Jr.PATypical16
Robert KirkFLTypical21
Bryan StoneNYTypical21
Douglas LakowitzNJTypical22
Art FlickNYNon-Typical5
Scott SmithNYNon-Typical6
George WadeNYFall Non-Typical1
Terrance PierceNYFall Non-Typical2
Chad OrtmanPAFall Non-Typical3
Darrell EasterlyNYFall Typical1
Peter SchirrmacherNYFall Typical2
Eugene FrostNYFall Typical3
Dawn SeacrestPAFemale Typical5
Emily BowmanNYFemale Non-Typical1
Linda StylesNYFemale Non-Typical2

Book Release is slated for Fall, 2023.

The challenge with keeping it all legit for the project is typically weight as most of the common small scales that are used to weigh fish can vary +/- 1 lbs to 2 lbs or more. A weight coupon from a certified scale ensures accuracy and proof of measurement. Otherwise, it can be legitimately and reasonably challenged. The scale should be suitable for products or goods for sale that are taxed in the state.

Pictures with tape measurements in the pics are best to show scale for beards and spurs. There are several handy products to help measure spurs (including the curved outside edge) but as of this writing, none cover the spur measurements that have been described going back decades as published by the NWTF http://turkey-talk.com/scoresbpmeasure.html#spus

Anecdotal evidence cannot be used to substantiate record book entries. If you think you have one for the books: weigh the gobbler on a certified scale and be sure to get a weight coupon. Take plenty of photos. NWTF requires witness signatures that also have to be an NWTF member if you wish to participate in their records program. Safari Club also has a program but is not viewable unless a current member. I may include them if details can be worked out in the future. I am accepting record entries not included in the NWTF system. Please note that the NWTF requires verifications that I have mentioned and will accept their determinations for the project. I do support their system and would encourage you to enter your submission with the NWTF as well. NWTF submissions are now accepted online: https://www.nwtf.org/the-lifestyle/turkey-records-home

Scoring tabulations for the project will include the NWTF system, and the SBP weighted system. for more info on SBP http://turkey-talk.com/scoresbp.html

For those that I have contacted or attempted to contact at the beginning of the project: Your stories will be available to review as I complete them. The book will not be published until each person reviews and provides feedback as to the accuracy and that no sensitive information that needs to be private remains as intended. Hunting location is often the consideration for discretion.

If you haven’t been interviewed and would like to be included, please contact me, I would love to include as many as possible that met the original score criteria.

There will be future editions as records are broken. For those I attempted to include in prior attempts, should you desire to catch up and be included in the project, that would be welcomed for future editions. Some hunters have passed on, and should their families or hunting partners have an interest in including them, please contact me directly. The more turkey hunters that come on board that I originally sought to interview, the better. Records are made to be broken, eclipsed, and expected.

If you have harvested a legally tagged wild turkey with one or more of the following attributes in NY during the 2022-2023 spring/fall seasons, or years prior, registered or not registered with NWTF records, I would love to talk to you about being included/interviewed in the book!

Please contact mjoyner@joyneroutdoormedia.com

Note: Non-registered birds- measurable attributes must be verified for consideration.

Typical score greater than 75.000 (weight x1 + beard x 2 + L & R spur x 10)

Non-Typical score greater than 105.000 (weight x1 + beard(s) x 2 + L & R spur(s) x 10)

Weight greater than 26.5 lbs. (verifiable certified weight)

Beard Length greater than 12″ (verifiable length)

Spur Length greater than 1.625″ (verifiable length)

Color phase variations and Hens with beards or spurs are notable stories for inclusion.

-MJ

© 2023 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

Four Phases of a Turkey Hunt

-MJ

© 2023 Joyner Outdoor Media

Books In Print Update

This is just an update on what’s available for current titles and small updates. As the printer now offers case laminate hardcovers, I have added this to current titles and will also do for future releases.

Hills of Truxton: Stories & Travels of a Turkey Hunter is currently available online at Amazon and other online bookstores in paperback, laminated hardcover, and kindle format.

A 1.2 version is the current print-on-demand book with a new cover, and the typical text corrections and small edits in an effort to follow in some semblance of the Queen’s English. The laminated hardcover 1.2 edition is now available.

An audiobook is underway for production to coincide with the 1.2 updates. a March is expected. Audiobook will be narrated by Tim Carper

A Hardcover Linen Wrap (Dust Jacket) offering is not scheduled at this time. Should there be demand for it, I may do a run of them. Updated 2/3/23

Paperback—–Hardcover—–Kindle—–Audiobook (coming soon)

Tales from the Turkey Woods: Mornings of My Better Days is currently available online at Amazon and other online bookstores in paperback, laminated hardcover, and kindle format.

A 1.2 version is the current print-on-demand book with a new cover, and the typical text corrections and small edits in an effort to follow in some semblance of the Queen’s English.

Although the original release featured a Hardcover Linen Wrap (Dust Jacket), the printer discontinued the service. A Hardcover Linen Wrap (Dust Jacket) offering is not scheduled at this time. Should there be demand for it, I may do a run of them.

Paperback—–Hardcover—– Kindle—–Audiobook Updated 2/23/23

Grand Days in the Turkey Woods is currently available online at Amazon and other online bookstores in paperback, laminated hardcover, kindle format, and Hardcover Linen Wrap (Dust Jacket). An audiobook is currently available. The audiobook is narrated by Tim Carper.

Paperback—–Hardcover—–Kindle—–Audiobook—–Hardcover w/dustjacket

Ten To Life- Delirium Tales Of A Covid-19 Survivor is currently available online at Amazon and other online bookstores in hardcover, paperback, and kindle format. An audiobook is currently available. The audiobook is narrated by Tim Carper.

A Hardcover Linen Wrap (Dust Jacket) offering is not scheduled at this time. Should there be demand for it, I may do a run of them.

Paperback—–Hardcover—–Kindle —–Audiobook

-MJ

© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

Meaning Of Thanksgiving At The ‘J’ Ranch

What It Means to Celebrate Thanksgiving At The ‘J’ Ranch

As a holiday celebration that prominently features a turkey dinner feast, it is front and center in this author’s thoughts. Having had several medical “Hard Resets” in the past fourteen months, a celebration of “What am I thankful for,” has my undivided attention. Here at the ‘J’ Ranch, Joyner Outdoor Media, there is a long list of things to be thankful for. The shortlist for this grumpy old turkey hunter includes a good supply of gobblers to chase next season.

I am literally thankful to wake up each morning. Thankful for the love of a good woman, my children, grandchildren, family, and friends. I am thankful for a career that is peaking in years when most are retiring out. I am also thankful to be able to walk again under the stars of a Texas sky this past spring. Gaining back the stength to climb a ridge to be on the same level with a bird in the turkey woods is something I am so grateful for. I was nearly denied temporarily or could have turned out worse had my medical issues resolved differently.  Those are just highlighted ones; the list could run through several pages and my ability to recall them all.

This Thanksgiving will be observed in its full meaning here as I hope it will be at your home. Most years, a jake or jenny taken in the fall is featured as an essential part of our feast. My fall birds this year were taken in Missouri. The bounty will be enjoyed at Squaw Creek Lodge in Northwestern Missouri. It is a milestone as the first harvested gobblers taken there since the opening of the new outfitting business. At the “J’ Ranch we may use a bird taken this Spring in New York. It is our tradition to use a wild turkey for the thanksgiving feast or Christmas meal. Some years it is done for both holiday festivities.

This Thanksgiving, every holiday, truthfully every day, we rise to take on the day. We have much to be thankful for. Our lives are not perfect reflections of bedtime stories, romantic-themed movies, lofty ideals. It is seldom the fast-paced living on the edge, amps on 11 lifestyles. It sure looks good in a video and especially looks good on paper. Our lives twist and turn, we lose those we love. We are at times disappointed in ourselves. We can be discouraged by events. Sometimes let down in our expectations of others. It happens to all of us in varying degrees. It occurs at different times and places without regard to our stations in life.

We dust ourselves off from the imperfections, disappointments. We resolve the intentional or unintentional offensives and we take it on again the next day. That is the American spirit that we are proud to say. It is our common connection to others no matter where they come from.  We celebrate the good in our lives, in others, the special moments, and the successes.

Your crazy deranged relatives at the Thanksgiving dinner table are actually human by birth. You might be surprised to know they live, love, lose, worry, and suffer for the same reasons yourself. They take joy in spending a day with you in it. Having the company of others on this holiday is no more complicated than that. Some of you may accept the challenge.

With many followers and friends here on social media, there is a continual list of those to pray for. Some, for the most tragic of circumstances. There are those passed unexpectedly, afflicted by disease, severe medical issues or addictions. There are many reaching out, struggling with divorce, and those with broken or dysfunctional families. I am one of many who include you in our collective thoughts and prayers. It is a stark reminder of what blessings I may have and to not take them for granted. We can for at least a few brief moments be of comfort in our responses and our actions. Not facing your strife alone, to know others are rooting for you is the upside of being human.

It is my sincere wish that all of you enjoy a day with family and close friends. May your joy and love of others leave no room for/cast away the things that divide us. We can surely do without the hateful politics, and contrived drama far from our homes and hearts.

Happy Thanksgiving!

-MJ

© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

New York Gun Owner/Sportsmen Apathy

Well, my fellow sportsmen, turkey hunters, deer hunters, waterfowlers, and gun owners across the great Empire State, we can legitimately be labeled as apathetic, not in the game as evidenced by the preliminary results reported this morning. As it appears we will have to suffer four more years of a governor that openly defies the supreme court rulings on constitutional matters, and governs as an emotionally riddled suppository that caters exclusively to a radical left base.

I find this painful to openly state, but we deserve this, we let it transpire with little opposition.

Using estimates for 2020-2021, 4.5 million gun owners are thought to be among us in New York. Seven hundred thousand outdoorsmen participate in hunting pursuits, although no breakdown of gun ownership there.  To be fair I cannot assert that all of those included in these numbers would vote single issue, even to preserve our constitutional rights. With the current results pegging Gov. Hochul at 3.022 million votes with a margin of 311,000 votes, a five-point spread, on its face, our group of “like-minded people” could have singled-handedly sent her packing in a landslide.

I’ve heard enough of the downstate runs everything argument… Total bullshit… We failed miserably to represent ourselves. If 68% of us 4.5 million gun owners in New York pulled the lever, scanned the ballot, tables would have been turned. “Put up or shut up” is an appropriate retort to this fail.

Would of, could of, should of, is of little comfort in the coming days when more restrictive gun control gets shoved down our throats while we hope and pray it gets remedied by the Supreme Court years later, assuming confiscation doesn’t happen beforehand. You can bet with our current representatives; they want to be first in the nation in the erosion of the second amendment. It is the one amendment that ensures the good keeping of the first amendment as the others. If you have paid attention at all in the last decade, there are calls for censorship, ending private gun ownership, for neutering anyone that can oppose leftist views. Gun control has always been about control of us. Our opponents have made it clear that safety is not even the real discussion here at all. Bail reform is a game changer for criminal rights over law-abiding citizens. Ten out of ten criminals approve of that message.

We could have stopped this yesterday, and it is clear we didn’t vote as a Tour de Force, nor participate in the fundamental right as a New Yorker. Those that oppose us would like to see our views removed from the landscape and they did show up and vote.  To those of our ranks that did, thank you from a fellow patriot. To those that sat it out, and never registered, there is no tolerance for your bitching when it hits the fan. In my best New Yorker accent “You need to show up and vote.”

-MJ

© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media

NY SPORTSMEN & GUN OWNERS- CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS MATTER TO YOU ON NOV 8th 2022?

THE EXPECTED ANSWER- HELL YES, WITHOUT QUESTION…

A preemptive disclaimer- There is no sugar coating it, no regard for moderate positions, compromise, or apologists in this commentary. For those offended, not sorry, don’t let the door slap you on the ass on the way out. We cannot be sidetracked by the likability of the truth or the notion of being politically correct. This is an updated commentary from prior election cycles and we need to do far better.

A gratuitous ‘Yes’ response serves no one unless followed by conservative/constitutional core principles put into action. As a whole, gun owners, hunters, archers, trappers, competition shooters, and sportsmen in New York State fail miserably. Despite a large demographic and cross-section of the population, we effectively neuter ourselves each election cycle, and there is no valid reason to justify that being the case

To be fair, there are those among us that vote, participate in the political process, petition, and spread the word, you know who you are and this commentary is not intended to insult your sensibilities. Sadly too many sit on their hands when push comes to shove.

Despite the fly-by-night passages of the ‘Safe Act,’ and the emotional knee-jerk reaction of the stand in governor’s “Safe Act II,” an egregious assault on second amendment rights and further restriction on law-abiding citizens, our King ‘C’ was reelected with little opposition by our ranks. Shall we sit on our hands for the emotionally driven radical Hochul that replaced him? We literally had the numbers to vote the bastard out, but could not bother to show up and vote. Does all this sound too harsh? I have expectations of my fellow sportsmen and gun owners to stand up against this naked tyranny. It starts at the voting booth.

We tolerate increasing restrictions pertaining to gun rights, hunting, fishing, and trapping and we are being dictated to by those that have little to no understanding or working knowledge and generally allow us to pay our way while putting a virtual thumb on every aspect of our activities and inalienable rights. It is also to our further dismay that those that are bent on removing the first and second amendments and ending all hunting and fishing get ample access to our political system and yet we are far too apathetic. As a group, we allow this as we decry downstate politics. Sorry, but it’s total bullshit. We failed to see it through.

It is plain and simple. Why do we care in New York?  New York in all its levels of government will waste no time in harassing us, even when faced with supreme court decisions. Despite knowing that they will be struck down for unconstitutional offenses, they would rather waste time and money just to keep a jackboot on our necks…

We decry that downstate dictates all things within the state politics and laws that are passed. In the case of issues of interest to gun owners and sportsmen, there is simply no truth to it.  In the prior election had just firearm owners voted in mass, Cuomo would have been defeated. There is no plausible excuse for this had we voted consistently. Should we vote as a group, in mass, infringements on our rights including the first and second amendments, our beloved pursuits would see a return as unpinged and free from the constant assault and harassment that we continue to endure. There is much to be upended, reversed, null/voided, and restored.

If you do give a damn about your rights and freedoms and that of your loved ones, your children, your grandchildren, your neighbors, and your brethren, the passive response, sitting out elections is not a responsible choice, and you must exercise your rights as a citizen.

We cannot afford to continue letting others do our bidding… See you at the voting booth?

-MJ

© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media