NY Season Update:

[WNY Bowhunter]

Day 1:

I heard two birds on the roost, both hit the ground and went silent.

My uncle killed a good one:  22 lbs, 9.5" beard, 1 1/4" spurs





Day 2: 

Started out just like day #1.

Dad killed a beauty: 20 lbs, 9" beard, 1 1/4" spurs. 





Got love a limbhanger!!!



Tried my luck with a late morning hunt.  I wasn't 200 yds from the truck when I struck up a gobbler on the first notes from my Halloran Crystal.  The set-up I had to deal with was awful with lots of treetops and thick woods between the birds and me.  What started out as one bird turned into 4 and I was certain that I was into a group of jakes.  I ended up getting a look at 3 of them as they attempted to circle me and it confirmed my jake theory.  Gobbler #4 stayed over the knoll just out of sight but I could here him drumming and gobbling.  I messed with them for over an hour knowing that often times a subordinant longbeard will buddy up with jakes.  When I glanced at my watch it was 11:55 and time to leave.  They were all still within shooting range so in effort to spook them off I layed the gun down, grabbed a baseball sized rock and raised up on my knees to throw it in their direction.  As I did, I suddenly saw the unseen bird in half strut just below the jakes between two logs!!!  He was in the shadows and I couldn't see his chest but he was definately a bigger bodied bird and had a huge white glowing head.  He spotted me...lowered his tail and stretched his neck up.  I got a quick glimpse of what appeared to be the full fan of an adult gobbler.  Wasting no time, I dropped the rock in my hand...shouldered my Browning and sent a load of heavy shot his way.  Everything happened to quickly that I honesty thought I had missed him.  As I walked over to the logs where he was standing I was relieved to see him laying there stone dead.  Unfortunately, my mystery bird ended up being an honest to goodness 19 lb. jake!!! I was a bit disappointed at first but it was a fun hunt and if I had to do it over I still would have taken the shot.  Back in 2011 I was in the same situation two times and ended up letting birds walk due to not being able to see confirm whether they were adults or jakes (both ended up being longbeards).  Not this time...





His body frame was the same size as dad's 3 year old...

[davisd9]

I have been waiting on an update.  That is a hoss of a jake!  If I would have been in the situation I would have likely done the same.  Congratulations on number one.  Cannot wait to see the next one. Also Congratulations to your dad and uncle!

[WNY Bowhunter]

Thanks.  I've got 28 days left to knock a big one down for the team...

[JVA54]

  Congrats!! To all of you!

[Terry]

Congrats!

[boomer]

Congrats!!

[M,Yingling]

Congrats   

[trkehunr93]

Ain't no shame in that!  Turkeys a turkey in my book.  He comes to the call, he dies!