Tag: Turkey
Post Deer Season- Time to Implement a New Game Camera Strategy
Seems kinda an odd idea doesn’t it? Give me a few minutes of your time to follow what I lay out here and you may agree or take with you a few ideas you may adopt. It is much more about critical thinking on how things are done as it is not so much being a slave to technology. Once you read through this you will realize that marketing has overdone their job, and you really don’t need an inventory of $600-$800 cameras to have an effective and state of the art setup. It is just as easy to waste your hard earned dollars and have them not do the job at all or being stolen as quickly as you put them up. To preface how I intend to layout my thoughts across here, think in the perspective of a detective, after all you are looking to collect covert data correct? I design image sensors for a living and do a fair amount of camera work for the US Navy and other military/police services, this makes all of this second nature. To be frank, you and I cannot afford most of what the military gets to put into service (although I get to test some cool stuff), but the principles and methods which they are used are applicable to catching big bucks on camera just as you might poachers and thieves.
Technology primer (one of much confusion)
- For starters, do not let marketing fool you into more pixels is better, same confusing misinformation used in selling cell phones. most of the game cameras out there use 1/4″-1/3″ format sensors and once in a while you see a high quality deer cam with 1/2″ or 2/3″ sensor. Unless it is a large format sensor with a high quality glass lens in front of it, you are getting duped. Think optical system. Fine resolution comes from the increased ability to resolve a feature in front of the lens. Without detailing all the math of lines-per-mm and a second issue of crosstalk(where the truth is actually told) it is safe to say you are not getting more resolution in a 1/4″ sensor past 3-4MP with a cheap plastic lens in front of it. When you see them at high pixel counts with out increasing sense area (format size) and not using better lenses you have more pixels looking at the same resolved spot, and you also get less dynamic range as smaller pixels have less capacity to capture photons (light) I get counter arguments all the time to this. Talk to the news photographers who toted Nikons/Canons with 3-5mp 1 inch or full frame sensors and compare what they got against 10mp-20mp cameras that are cheap and again with small format sensors. The resulting pictures are worlds apart in quality. To make the point even simpler in terms of economics, the cost is directly related to size of the sensor and to a lesser extent the cost of supporting electronics. Sensors are made on silicon wafers and it boils down to a simple real estate equation and yield during manufacturing. Unless you plan on making huge prints or require significant digital zoom/cropping you really have little case for spending big money on deer cams. As I lay out my preferred set up, there is a call out for three cameras per setup,and they each have different functions/costs/requirements.
- Flash- if you are only interested in what critters are passing by during shooting hours, flash and the expense of it, makes no sense. For the rest of you, black flash is the way to go especially for security. There is a misuse of the term IR (infrared) in the game cam industry. This has to do with distinct wavelength bands and that is an entirely separate topic Anyone in the military dealing with weapon sighting systems would understand my comment. Essentially all of them are near-IR and barely so. Many of these cameras have a red glow giving away their location, standard strobe flash is an obvious giveaway to criminals which can be useful for decoy cameras. There are some studies that show where black flash does not emit a visible glow to humans and also not to spook deer. A low pass optical filter eliminates any energy in the visible spectrum. For those interested in geeking out on definitions: wiki/infrared
One of the disclaimers I need to make here is no matter how good or sophisticated a system is implemented, it can be defeated by two distinct groups. First is the professional, as they will have working knowledge on how cameras work, how they store /transmit data, and how they get power. Like any predator they will be steadfast studies in your movements, and be keen on any clues you leave behind. You do design your camera setups to make it take a long time to disable. A professional will pass up spots if they cannot get in and out quickly. The second is the other end of the scale, and you can’t fix stupid, they may destroy your stuff, but will likely be around long enough to get caught. The real goal here is to deter. As a land owner or someone who leases land, having to deal with the hassle of court, and bad relations that follows will leave a bad taste in your mouth, making your victory over crime seem less appealing. What we are addressing in reality is the low hanging fruit and the majority of folks that will bug out once they become aware of your intent of tracking deer but to also manage your place/property against trespass and or theft. I cover the security aspect first here as it doesn’t work well to have deer cams if they disappear before you get to check the pics of deer you hope to see.
First- Main Camera
My basic approach to each location I wish to check for game movements or security purposes involves a minimum of two cameras and in most of my installs I use three. 1st camera is my main workhorse, a 3mp to 8mp camera ideally black flash, and depending on budget, a cell type that transmits SMS to save money on data plans and send pics directly to your cell phone. I also use a common system of RF transmitters that go to a DVR that sends email of pics when movement is detected. For remote locations or where a center base of operations is not applicable the game cams with cell capability are showing great promise and the pricing has now broke though under $200. I use these main cameras to capture whatever my main interest is in the location. Faster triggering cameras do have an advantage, but it is also one that slower triggering cameras can be overcome when placing cameras to look at deer coming straight on, or angling in. I personally want to see the width of their headgear. But for setups that only offer side profile and deer walking through perpendicular, the faster triggering cameras are a must. Marketing points out the great advantages in one particular scenario, and omits the other possible setups. My point is buy the feature where and when you need it. This allows you more money for more cameras and lets you think about where you really do need to spend the extra dollars. As a side note, as much as it is desirable to share deer cam pics with your buddies, they also provide clues to those with less ideal intentions. Not only can location be figured out, flash range, blind spots, or even how far one need to be to not get a clear defined image of lets say a thief in progress? Sharing exactly what you have and showing enough pics will give those that understand imaging enough clues to thwart your efforts. In my case, I have the luxury of updating and testing new stuff all through the year, and I do not disclose much. Having pics show up on your smartphone is a quick way to let others know that you are on top of your place, and matters little if your home or not. We have found that to be useful as public information.
Second- High Security Camera ( I want to keep and own my main camera)
The second camera sole job is to monitor my first camera. It can be a cell transmitting type but it adds cost. I prefer a 3-5mp camera with SD card, small footprint,long battery life, the ability to accept external battery is handy (I’ll modify it if it does not, not a particularly hard modification to do) and camo case if I can get it. They now have some with bluetooth for remote viewing when nearby. which is great as this camera should be hidden, high, above normal sight line. Keep in mind that when snow is on, or a muddy area, footprints reveal where you go as well as everything else. In terms of catching thieves this is the most important camera and should be the most difficult to find and least accessible to remove. Borrowed from an observation in the hobbyist world of game cams, one can give the appearance of remote transmitting with the addition of a 1/4 wavelength rubberized antenna, and it is difficult to know whether it is real or not. Truthfully any camera can be modified to adapt an rf /or cell transmitter. The power for it is another discussion. Depending on your model camera a 6V lantern battery (many cameras run on 6V, but you do need to check) and the addition of a small solar panel to trickle charge the batteries is advised. Using brown/grey wire they can easily be routed/placed in the crotch of the tree and made difficult to spot.
Third- Decoy Camera
In an ideal setup, this is actually your most import piece in the puzzle. It should also be the least expensive purchase. This should be the first thing any one sees no matter which direction of approach. Key word: Highly visible (not neon). Do not for any reason buy off the self fake cameras, they are a dead give away even among the least intelligent criminal among us. Flashing LED- dead giveaway . In fact the solution is super easy. Get on craiglist, ebay , garage sales etc, look for needs-repair, broken, as-is deer cams and or security cameras. they can be got from $5 to $30. Remember you are not interested in getting them working, otherwise you are paying for the possibility of that. You are looking for used or like new outer appearance but not broken and obviously not capable of working. Same deal for lens. Remember most deer cams do not appear to do much of anything when working. Why some game cam companies insist on having a led signal when a pic is taken is beyond me, I can see it for test and setup, but once it is set to go, the deer could care less. You can put in old batteries to have realistic weight if you like. I also do this to make it realistic. If you can get your second camera to monitor the first camera and this one it is a plus. I normally setup this way. You are just more likely to capture a thief stealing the decoy camera.
Why do I disclose all this? As a designer/engineer It bothers me to see folks pay for technology that they don’t need and in some cases does not serve them well at all. I have no fear that my disclosure will make it easy to disarm my setups, as only the installer knows which is which and would take more than a few minutes to figure out. By that amount of time, their images have been captured and emailed, and is a losing proposition for the criminal. I know of fun stories of perps having their faces captured an emailed while they stole a cell enabled camera. some also now have GPS location (or triangulation from cell towers which makes police work even easier.)
Late season camera scouting
when the guns are oiled and put away after the big deer chase, it is ideal to put up new cameras. especial with the addition of boot leather scouting. Where deer go when pressured, when things settle back down is all good intel for next season. Most hunters want to know what deer made it through the season and other cool stuff like when they drop their antlers. I personally like it for tracking turkey flocks as spring and fall seasons are my particular passions. You can also benfit from end of year sales, post season sales as most places do not want to carry inventory for another 7-8 months. Plenty of good reasons to enjoy your deer cams.
BTW for some great information and reviews on game cameras, tips, and modifications check out:
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Press Release- Wild Turkey Adventures In Cortland; Release date and book release party for: Grand Days In The Turkey Woods
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 2, 2014
Wild Turkey Adventures In Cortland
Joyner Outdoor Media proudly announces the publication release date and book release party for: Grand Days In The Turkey Woods, by Mike Joyner
Cortland, NEW YORK – Joyner Outdoor Media announces the release date for: Grand Days In The Turkey Woods, by Mike Joyner
Book release date is scheduled for September 10th 2014, with a book release event to take place at the Cortland Beer Company from 5PM to 8PM. Hard and soft cover books we be available for sale and signing. There will be a reveal and tastings of ‘Fall Gobbler Ale’ custom brew by Cortland Beer courtesy of Joyner Outdoor Media as well as a few other special surprises from local merchants.
From the author of Hills of Truxton: Stories and Travels of a Turkey Hunter and Tales from the Turkey Woods: Mornings of My Better Days, comes a heartfelt inspired collection of memorable days afield and time spent hunting the great hard wood ridges, and turkey woods of Cortland County, NY, and in Ohio, Texas, and Vermont.
“Each of these experiences from the awakening in the turkey woods at daybreak, to the thrill of the chase, and those moments of reflection during the long walks back to the truck come together as my “Grand Days in the Turkey Woods”—Mike Joyner
About Joyner Outdoor Media:
Joyner Outdoor Media was established in 2006 by author Mike Joyner. The company publishes outdoor & hunting themed works, outdoor blogs, in addition to marketing campaigns, event scheduling etc. Joyner Outdoor Media also provides author services including cover design, content formatting, publishing, press release service, website design, and marketing materials.
Located in the hills above the seven valleys of Cortland County, NY, Joyner Outdoor Media operates from a wonderful log home situated in prime turkey woods providing much inspiration. For more information visit: www.joyneroutdoormedia.com
About Cortland Beer Company, LLC
Established in 2010, Cortland Beer Company, LLC is a farm based microbrewery located in downtown Cortland, New York. The renowned award winning craft beer brewery offers a wide variety of craft beers. The Cortland Beer Company has an onsite tasting room serving 15 different beers. They also offer seasonal outdoor seating, live music, special beer offerings and apparel in a friendly bright atmosphere. Bottles and growlers of beer available for purchase onsite. Local eateries also offer food delivery to your seat. Located at 16 Court St, Cortland, New York 13045, their location is easily accessible via Routes 81 & 13. For more information visit: www.cortlandbeer.com
About the Author:
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 5th 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
Turkey Reaping & Decoying- Over The Top, Irresponsible Danger?
This is a subject I regret not getting to before the start of spring turkey season across our great nation this year. Having been subjected to a dangerous situation just days ago, my writings may appear preachy and from the perspective of a very tall soap box. If I rant on too much for your reading tastes, please forgive me.
When it comes to personal safety, I will not apologize. My hunting ethics may or may not be as yours, but I would assert there should be and there must be common ground in these matters. Whether this misguided practice of reaping is legal in your state or not, we have an obligation to our fellow hunters to put it bluntly- Not shoot them.
I personally use decoys in certain situations, mainly wide open hardwoods and fields with open approaches. The gobblers can see the decoys, and I am not surrounded by heavy cover nor encouraging stalking by others who would have no respect for themselves, me or my safety. Moving up to a field edge or on a ridge to gain a calling position is one thing. Stalking hen calls or crawling up to jump up and snap shoot is unsafe and wrong on so many levels.
I am sure that I am not making friends with the decoy industry or those who strongly disagree with my assertions here (advocates of reaping). As much as I like new gear, improved products, I cannot go along with $100-$400 decoys made to be ultra realistic or done as production line taxidermy. Seriously, if you put out a taxidermy mount or one of these über expensive decoys, how is one going to explain that away at trial for a shooting incident in the turkey woods. Is it that hard to phantom someone stalking your position, spotting your latest Acme 200 Stud Strutter decoy and promptly shoot it with you possibly in the path of the shot?
The latest fad, coined “turkey reaping” is way over the top. Simply put you wear a gobbler decoy on your head or in front of, or use a cardboard version held out in front of you and stalk directly towards a gobbler. Either you move in close or a dominate bird would charge at you to run you off. You then pull up your gun or snap shoot the gobbler at close range. Does it work? You bet, as there is plenty of footage to back up the claim. In that it is impressive.
This is where I stop and put on the brakes. Fact: the method/practice is unsafe, irresponsible, unethical, reckless and oh did I mention unsafe? A form of “reapercide” we can do without…
Think of this in terms of explaining this to a non-hunter or say a judge. Wearing and or displaying a gobbler decoy while in the field or turkey woods in simple terms means that you are willing to be the target that is the main objective of turkey season.
Let me paint a very common and plausible scenario. Let’s say you are set up below the lip of a ridge in open hardwoods or a rolling pasture. Been at it since sunrise and now it’s that special time when gobbler’s hens walk off, and they are searching again. You may have your acme decoy out maybe a hen or two. Just over rise not 35 yards away you spot the top of a fan. Little by little more of the über realistic decoy appears, you see the bright head, huge full fan, but not the lower third of the bird. Three hours waiting on this moment, you’re not going to let this one slip back over the edge and disappear as they always do. BOOM!! Congrats you just killed another hunter. Maybe if you had waited he might have jumped up and shot your cool gobbler decoy, and maybe you as well.
Do I hope this happens? Absolutely not, but I’d bet a crisp $100 bill that it will, sooner than later. Is there any justification to risk so much for any game animal? A gobbler? I think not. I can not nor will not accept the premise that one can offer a reasonable argument that the risks outweighs the rewards, that jumping up or snap shooting gives the shooter reasonable time or sight picture to ascertain a safe background before squeezing the trigger.
Do any of us need to punch a tag that bad that we’ll resort to risking our own safety or that of others? This is a worst case scenario for gun safety instructors and I have yet to see their endorsement of this practice.
This is all legal to do in many states, and it is always the case of playing catch up with new things as they come about. We as sportsmen do not require catching up for ethics and being diligent about gun/hunting safety. I ask each of you to ponder what I have brought up here and voice your opinions. If you come to the same or similar conclusion as I, let your wildlife agencies know, and hopefully ban this practice, save someone’s life or from suffering a life altering injury.
The satisfaction of fooling, outwitting a narly old gobbler to your setup based on good calling as needed, using great knowledge of the turkeywoods, and not needing all these gimmicks is a great experience to be had. We sorely need to get past the onslaught of irresponsible marketing of these companies and get back to basics.
As a side note, this was a difficult blog to write and post, as we have enough battles to wage with anti’s, and the likes of bows verses crossbows, etc. I routinely rep different companies and know that side of it as well. Business is hard enough these days, and fighting for our sport just as hard. We all get into discussions as which way is better than the other. When it comes to matters of safety and ethics, although a hard decision to speak out, it was a clear choice to make.
Be safe, shoot straight!
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Poacher / Trespasser -the alternate path to “Gates of Forever Roost”
My My how things quickly change……………
To be honest I was elated with yesterday’s hunt, and had one of those “I’m where I’m suppose to be, and all is ok in my world” type of days. This morning started out much the same, it is the late morning portion of today’s hunt that is the subject of this post. As you’ll read further it will quickly become a holier than thou rant. I am giving fair warning that I am climbing up on a big ol’ soap box, and I’ve got some things to say.
To preface this wonderful occurrence, I have to omit names of certain friends and families and the location of property in question. I am a guest on the property and the family we are good friends with are the only ones with permission to hunt it. Located somewhere 30 minutes north and east of our home in East Homer New York, it is a huge farm with lots of wild game, great land features, and one that I have had the privilege to step foot on. Todays hunt would start out on different properties and would yield little to go on as high winds made it difficult to hear anything on the roost. The young gentlemen that I hunted with had to head off to school, so I opted to hunt an upper portion of the property and set up in a location where birds had been seen loitering in previous days. I am not much for field hunting as most of my gobblers are dealt with in patches of woods or my favored ridges. Given that the woods are still very open,and high winds, I settled on a corner of a long field where several trails come in and out, and was a likely funnel for birds drifting through the area. From 8am until the end of the morning I would catch a gobble here and there in between wind gusts. Not sure where, but glad to hear them just the same.
Somewhere around 9:30-10AM I notice a recent year Black Chevy pickup stopping along the road and was obviously surveying the property I was on. I am certain my two decoys were spotted as they parked directly above me for a good 12-15minutes, whereas they would spend 8-10 minutes at the most working their way up the road. As the morning was creeping toward the end and well after 11AM, I notice two gobblers with visible swinging beards coming in hard and fast to my hard left. My guess would be 150+ yards out. Not sure if they came across the road or along the woods I was in, and swung high to gain a vantage point. I had heard gobbles behind me and to my left. As they closed to within 100-120 yards and almost as far from the wood line, BOOM!!!!! Yeah it rocked my world and how. The shot was withing 60-80 yards from where I was sitting. It was apparent that a trespasser had snuck in, knew where I was, and proceeded to cut me off in order to grab a bird. No idea how the trespasser figure they could beat me to the bird, and evade me, and not become the main participent to a hugh impending asswhooping I would be more than willing to dish out. I got up,and was yelling some words I’ll not repeat here. I did yell “I’m a hunter” in there somewhere in the profanity and ran to about where I thought the shot came from. The woods roll up and over,and apparently whoever it was, decided to leave quicker than they snuck in. Being a distance runner, I would have made good on catching them if I could have seen the direction they took. At the shot, both gobblers ran down the hill, passing me roughly 60 yards out, and doing their best rendition of the FTD man at top speed. Neither bird appeared injured or molested. I thought it odd that they hadn’t taken flight. I guess they thought the deeks might run along with them. I found myself shaking from being that upset and angry at what took place. The time and effort to play out a strategy, and patiently work the setup to its conclusion to be disrupted from unethical and unsafe decisions by those I would call and accuse of being poachers.
Not getting a bird that was so close is not really a big deal, it happens due to so many other valid things such as hens coming in, predators, farm equipment, making the wrong call, and or making a poorly timed movement. From my perspective of filling tags year after year, it is not a huge deal. Go back at it again the next day. What has me more than upset is that between us was an old logging road that the gobblers could have turned into had they decided to circle the decoys first. Not my first choice, but I have seen them do it in the past. Had that occurred, I would have been pointing a loaded firearm at a camouflaged hunter whom had snuck in, and that I was not aware of. The likelihood of picking them out in my foreground or background of my sight picture would be non existent. I could also have been the recipient of the same gun pointing, except I believe whomever it was, knew my position. The possibilities for a worse than bad day were through the roof when this person decided that property rights don’t matter, ethics don’t matter,and fundamentally, my safety or theirs did not matter. All this for a damn bird. Same goes for deer, elk, whatever your animal of choice is. As much as I love turkey hunting, and deer hunting, I would be mortified to be branded as a trespasser or for violating a pile of game laws, much less shooting someone. I have yet to see how the taking of any game species could be worth making such terrible choices while afield.
One of the very discussions I had with the two young hunters with me this morning, was that when I look at a set of spurs, a taxidermy mount or maybe a tail fan display, I want to remember the epic quality of the hunt, the things I sensed and experienced while in pursuit. I cannot wrap my brain around on slamming a trophy animal by shooting it out a truck window, or trespassing when I think no one is around, or some other unethical act. I view each animal I take as one of god’s creatures that provides me with the emotional aspects of the hunt, and table fare that my wife and I enjoy immensely. It is a matter of respect to hunt ethically and fairly. As a hunter we owe it to ourselves, the animals we pursue and to our fellow hunters as well. To the individual that did what they did today, you are not a hunter, you are not a sportsman. If anything your actions reflect a very negative light upon our sport, and as a fellow human being.
I know my wife will not be happy reading any of this, and I can say very little about it. I am grateful that the rash of terrible choices made by this person did not end up far worse, and for that matter it might have been best they evaded me in their hasty exit, otherwise I might be blogging this from jail. Blessings even in awful stories such as this one.
Thank you for enduring my rant and a less than positive post. I normally want to keep things on the bright side, but that is not the case today.
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Gates of Forever Roost
While back at my office this afternoon working on building a successful technology company, I sometimes get a few moments to ponder things not so tech related. Setting up a computer or crunching design rule checks on a sensor or pcb layout, there are periods of waiting for the computer to do the tasks that it does best.
The morning routine today which happens to be mid war spring turkey season was a bit different. With the big storm that blew in last night, and out early morning I got to enjoy three luxurious hours of extra sleep. With no success the prior evening in roosting gobblers, I would opt to start the hunt mid-morning, and hoped that the later arrival in the turkey woods would coincide with the birds coming around and shaking off a bad night and of course start gobbling in earnest.
I would hook up with a long time hunting partner and go about the business of filling another New York spring season tag. We got in the woods before 9AM and the day had blossomed into a beautiful sunny day. As always we would chat about many things including recent events and what might be chewing at the back of our minds from time to time.
With my recent loss of my mother in-law in her battle with cancer, that conversation would be part of a slow progress along a big ridge. We would talk about who would handle our affairs when our time came, what was important to pass on and to whom. I would jokingly remark (in ways maybe more serious) that I would look out for him and his affairs but I would be teed off if he didn’t send at least another 100 gobblers to the “Gates of Forever Roost” before heading off to his own special place. Yes, even as mighty hunters we are painfully aware of our own fragile nature and mortality. That may come as a surprise to those who view us in a negative light for our love and passion of hunting.
In our quest each season, and as much as we love our great pastime, in practical terms, it’s about harvesting gobblers. From the bird’s point of view, not likely to be a favorable one. It is however our personal bond with the natural world that we come to appreciate it the way we do, and understand in a very deep and emotional way the cycle of things such as life and death. It is a perspective not gained by way of buying meat in a wrapped package at the grocery store.
One can be self-aware-close to their human existence, share the things that make us lifelong friends, and companions doing any number of favorite pastimes, activities. I would not claim what we do is better. For many of us, it is. I would submit to you, that despite the over the top marketing of hunting products, our sport of turkey hunting is not one of blood lust, or testosterone filled fantasies. It is in many ways closer to nature, and akin to the creations around us. As an outdoor writer I strive to bring my view of the turkey woods to print in such a way that you see as I do. I will flatly claim that I barely manage to bring a fraction of all the things I observe of my time in the turkey woods. In my quest to convey what I so love about turkey hunting, I can sometimes put you in the tree next to me, or at least cause you to remember a similar experience. In that I am sometimes successful, and will continue to hone my craft.
Today’s hunt was as relaxing as any meditation class one might take, and was as peaceful as my soul required today. We would hear gobbling untill almost noon, but they had plans other than granting ours. It was a morning of great friendship, great discussion of most serious matters, and as good a hunt that I had in recent memory.
I wish all of you days in the great turkey woods like the one I had today.
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Old Memories, New Memories- Good Times: 2014 New York Spring Turkey Youth Hunt
What started out as a plan ‘B’ turned out to be a memorable hunt for a very nice young man and two of us old well seasoned hunters. It would be memorable for a host of reasons which I’ll explain further.
Since the inception of the New York Spring Youth Turkey Hunt, there have been plenty of memories made, and lots of pictures of young adults with smiling faces. For my hunting partner Paul Walling and I this has been our experience, and something we look forward to. Although my children were grown adults before the inception of the special youth season, I would take out a young hunter as the opportunities presented themselves. Like many of you, we would take out young hunters in regular season as well.
For this particular hunt, Paul and I would be taking Keller Pai out for this morning’s hunt. Keller has taken several gobblers in prior hunts, and has a few seasons under his belt. As much as Paul and I enjoy each other’s company while hunting, we would agree that taking out a young hunter is the highlight of the season. Paul grew up learning how to hunt while taught by his father, and that is something I appreciate very much as I did not hunt until my mid 20″s. My father was an Adirondack deer hunter, but gave that up after joining the Navy. The experience for us to take out Keller is especially rewarding as the morning would be full of lessons of the turkey woods, and recounting of past experiences of our escapades and that of Paul and his father.
Our plan ‘A’ for the morning was to visit one of our favorite haunts that we affectionately call “Shorties.” There is a lengthy story behind the name, and technically there are two possibly three separate stories depending how one parses it. A chapter in my first book “Hills of Truxton” was dedicated to this “special” gobbler and so named. Disclosing the exact location is of course misleading on purpose but I can tell you that it is a piece of state game lands south of Cortland, or was that northeast of Truxton? I arrived ahead of Paul and Keller at 5:16AM, only to find another truck parked there, and they had already headed in. As good as the place is, we very seldom run into other hunters there. I let Paul know that we needed to go elsewhere as we would not intrude on purpose, and would give them the courtesy that is due. We would regroup and try our luck at another favored spot a little more than a mile from where we were. We would find our plan “B” choice to be unencumbered, and appeared to had little vehicle traffic nor any one parking there recently. As a side note, we saw no other vehicles parked at the side of the road or at trail heads the remainder of the morning. In some respects the 2nd location and the logging trail along the bottom of a hill would provide an area shielded from the predominate wind that morning, allowing us to hear a ways off. Rain had tapered off long before daylight, although cool temps greeted us, it was much more comfortable being out of the wind. The morning would remained overcast and cloudy, no bright sunny day to warm things up today. A base layer, and light hunting jacket would suffice.
We would slowly work our way into the woods as the regrouping had us going in as the sky began to change and was getting light out. Paul knew the traditional roosting areas very well,and we could cover some ground without disrupting the birds as they waited to fly down. We quickly called up an owl, which did elicit a gobble from parts unknown in distance and only a general direction. The owl favored Paul’s rendition of an owl more so this morning, and would occasionally answer my efforts. Paul and I learned long ago, that with two callers, favored responses will switch back and forth over the course of the morning. It mattered little, as long as we got a response. For the first 30 minutes we would occasionally hear a gobbler, not at all close but in a direction that we figured to be where Plan “A’ would have taken place. I personally thought we would hear a shot come from there. Something that we never heard during our time there this morning. A slow start to be sure.
We eventually got out to a spot that overlooked a large drop off along the state land border. A few calls got a round house of gobbling and hen talk from a flock we figured to be a good quarter mile or further down the bottom of the overlook on private property. We sat down and decided to see what if anything the flock would do. By auditory appearances my guess would be several mature gobblers, a few jakes and at least a hen or two willing to talk. Most likely more hens than what we would like. They would gobble at any call we made, so we decided to wait a bit, and see if their feet were moving or just their beaks. Probably less than ten minutes, I did a short sequence on a mouth call that Paul makes for me, and got an immediate response, not more than a few hundred yards below us. We got an answer we were happy about. Wasting no time I moved back and over some from Paul and Keller. A few calls later the gobbles in response to our calls ceased and I figure either they were coming or working out the steep bank. After making a call with no response, I decided to hold off and see what they do. Paul and I read each other’s next moves pretty well, and when he called shortly after I had stopped it surprised me, even more so, the call was a very soft first yelp and finished just as soft. That is when I notice Keller’s shoulders tighten up. The game was on and target was in sight. The gun came up, and a moment later it roared. I was far enough back that I could not see the approaching bird.
We all got up, with Keller reaching the bird in mere seconds. It was a good sized jake, and he had wasted no time coming up the steep bank to get to us. Paul’s last call turned the bird enough to bring his path in front of them and within 30 yards. With the woods wide open which is typical for early season, it was great to not have the bird hangup 50-60-70 yards below our location. After tagging the bird and taking pictures we walked back only a little faster than we came in, listening for other gobblers as any intel is welcomed for the opener on May 1st. We did hear a few gobbles, but nothing close. Given our location, we were surprised to hear no other shotgun blasts, although Keller thought he heard one, far off and early.
Keller got a quick lesson as to how fast things can go from a gobble way over yonder to fast action with an even faster conclusion that can occur in the turkey woods. Something Paul and I have experienced many times and I would suspect that goes the same for many of you.
We concluded the hunt with a great breakfast at the local diner (location not disclosed) and then parted ways, headed for home. A short nap later that morning was most welcomed. Big congrats to Keller and a big thank you to Paul for what continues to be one of many great and memorable hunts.
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
2014 NYS NWTF Turkey Calling Contest @ Auburn Bass Pro
Being a year round student of wild turkeys, seasonal pursuer (AKA- turkey hunter), and passionate writer of nearly anything related to my favored bird, I find any opportunity to participate in a wild turkey related event a welcomed one. One of my favorite things is to participate as a judge at a turkey calling contest. Being a certified and self described turkey obsessed individual, judging a calling contest is right up my alley. I have been honored to judge contests going back to 1996. Contests include: Great Outdoor Sportsmen’s Show at the NY fairgrounds, State Chapter championships, and whole bunch of local NWTF chapter contests.
Before going further -to those not intimate with these vocalization affairs it is a ton of work and dedicated practice among the call competitors. The difference among the top callers is subtle many times with merely a point or two separating 1st and 2nd place. After months of practice, preparation and many times a very long drive to the event it comes down to very fine details, and subjective reckoning as to whom is the best on a given day. Add to that that each caller is keyed up at the event and performs his best in front of friends, fellow competitors, and a roomful of hard core turkey hunters, call makers and other industry professionals. Believe me, each and ever note of each call is scrutinized under very critical ears.
As judges we have to contend with room acoustics, differences of one side of the curtains/table verses the other, hard reflections from a wall we are typically close to, back ground noise, etc., Most of us who serve as contest judges have many years of chasing turkeys under our belts with plenty of experience with vocal combat engaging wild turkey hens in the spring, and mass hysteria of flocks in the fall. Some of us have competed at some level in contests, so we have an appreciation of the task at hand. As conscientious individuals we strive to be fair, and not end up wishing we could go back and change our scores after hearing the last caller of the event. It is not easy to fairly score callers whom are very close in talent and in their delivery of the required call. It is very common to hear turkey calls on a stage that are superior and more consistent than anything we ever hear in the turkey woods. In my own personal view of things, if you nail a call and impress me, I will give you an 18. 19 or even a 20 (max score on a single call), on the other hand if you choke, over blow a call, unable to give the call requested, or just lock up on stage, I am hard pressed to give a 1, or a single digit score (calls are scored from 1-20). It takes significant intestinal fortitude to get up there and strut your stuff in front of a very critical audience. To those unfamiliar, in open, friction and resident divisions calls are scored 1-20 with 20 being perfect, the best score possible. Each caller is required to deliver five calls in a particular order (youth divisions is usual 3 or 4), each call is scored by five judges and the results of the five calls are then totaled according to NWTF Sanctioned calling contest rules. High and low scores are tossed and the remaining middle three scores are used as to help null personal preferences (we each have our personal preferences) and result in a median score from the judges.
The reason for the lengthy background pretext before diving into today’s event, was that today we as judges had our work cut out for us. the 2014 NYS Championship would be remembered as a well ran event with very close competition. The low scores were not at all low, and the spread between 1st and 3 rd places were ridiculously close, in some cases only a point or two apart. Amazingly no ties or call offs for spots on the podium. As judges we were tasked to score a very talented field of callers. I can assure you the entire field of callers we had before us would get the job done in any turkey woods I ever stepped foot in. A big thank you and congrats to all the callers that made for a challenging day in determining the winners.
Youth Division
1st Aidan Pollack- Rock Stream, NY 2nd Riley Scott- Mohawk, NY 3rd Jacksun Scott- Mohawk, NY
Friction Division
1st Lawrence Scartozzi- Sparta, NJ 2nd Jason Pollack- Rock Stream, NY 3rd Ken Jones- Proctor, VT
Open Division
1st Jason Pollack- Rock Stream, 2nd Lawrence Scartozzi- Sparta, NJ 3rd Mike Mettler- Niagara Falls, NY
NY Resident Division
1st Michael Pollack- Dundee, NY 2nd Steve Scott Jr.- Mohawk, NY 3rd Jason Pollack- Rock Stream, NY
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Wild Turkey Full Arm Sleeve Tattoo
Turkey Sleeve Project is nearly all healed up. A few more touch ups to be done. Decided to give it a little more finished look by adding a little old school touches tying everything all together on upper part of the turkey sleeve. Scot Clark (pinpoint tattoo) did the strutting gobbler, From Ascend Gallery, Sean Price did the new school turkey skull & the ghost gobbler. Adam Golden did the Weims, flying turkeys, and dogwood flowers,Josh Payne did the gentleman gobbler (upper inside bicep), gobbler head, stone turkey tracks,and all the glue tying it all together. Thanks to everyone for the great experience putting this together, and especially Josh for making it look like a grand plan.
- Adam Golden, Josh Payne, Scot Clark, Sean Price
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
New!! Joyner Outdoor Media website launch and contest
Launch Day! Rolling out the new Joyner Outdoor Media website! A new responsive style site. One by one the individual book sites will be updated. Current ongoing book project sites will be updated from a place holder or requests for info to full content websites as well.
We’ll be kicking the tries over next few weeks to correct any goofs or make improvements. As we grow so to will the main site. The online stores are just now up, and will be expanded shortly.
To celebrate the launch, we’ll be giving away a signed set of books “Hills of Truxton” and “Tales From The Turkey Woods” at 1000 likes, 2500 likes, 5000 likes, and 7500 likes. At 10,000 likes a lucky winner will be invited on an all expense paid hunt with author Mike Joyner and a story of the experience to be included in “Grand Days In The Turkey Woods” currently being written. The winner may choose New York, or winner’s home state, or possibly others. Winner responsible for travel to and from the event, and license. Further details on additional incentives will be forthcoming.
Winners will be pick at random, and announced on facebook. Hunt trip winner will also be announced on facebook, and the resulting story will be reviewed with the winner before publication
© 2014 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
How to Cook a Turkey Like an Engineer
My inner geek just had to share this one. I am sure that with a few modifications the modeling can be properly adapted to back straps, tenderloins and neck roasts. I am sure we can find an element model for a cast iron frying pan around here somewhere 🙂
© 2013 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
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