Blog Archives
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:
Name | Home State | Category | Rank |
Frank Spartano | NY | 13 | |
Scott Davis | PA | Typical | 14 |
Stanely Hall Jr. | PA | Typical | 16 |
Robert Kirk | FL | Typical | 21 |
Bryan Stone | NY | Typical | 21 |
Douglas Lakowitz | NJ | Typical | 22 |
Art Flick | NY | Non-Typical | 5 |
Scott Smith | NY | Non-Typical | 6 |
George Wade | NY | Fall Non-Typical | 1 |
Terrance Pierce | NY | Fall Non-Typical | 2 |
Chad Ortman | PA | Fall Non-Typical | 3 |
Darrell Easterly | NY | Fall Typical | 1 |
Peter Schirrmacher | NY | Fall Typical | 2 |
Eugene Frost | NY | Fall Typical | 3 |
Dawn Seacrest | PA | Female Typical | 5 |
Emily Bowman | NY | Female Non-Typical | 1 |
Linda Styles | NY | Female Non-Typical | 2 |
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
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
Book Projects- Heading Into 2023 Update

Things at Joyner Outdoor Media remain busy these days, Still recovering from a near-fatal Covid experience in August/September 2021, and an emergency open surgery four weeks ago, things have changed yet again. Several long-term projects will finally be completed by this year and next spring, and a few unusual and different ones to be released in the future that will surprise you as well.
D.D. Adams- Evolutionary Turkey Call Pioneer, a long-awaited title. scheduled to be released this past summer has been pushed back. Lots of pictures in a large format book, and currently going thru thirty hours of interviews that have been transcribed. Plans are to release on Amazon and other online book stores in hard cover, paperback, kindle and something special for collectors while keeping it manageable on the wallet.
Empire State Limb Hangers– New York Wild Turkey Records, another long-awaited title, is pushed back. Still seeking those eligible to interview for the project, but a cutoff will occur once I nail down a release date. Plans are to release on Amazon and other online book stores in hardcover, and paperback formats.
Books in print:
Hills of Truxton: Stories & Travels of a Turkey Hunter is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in paperback, and kindle format. Hills Of Truxton
A 1.2 version is coming later this Fall in 2022 with a new cover, a few updated pictures, and the typical text corrections and small edits in the effort to follow in some semblance of the Queen’s English. A hardcover w/ dust cover will also follow in the 2.0 version, The laminated hardcover 1.0 edition is no longer available. An audiobook is being considered a 2023 release to coincide with the 2.0 update.
Tales from the Turkey Woods: Mornings of My Better Days is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in paperback, and kindle format. Tales From The Turkey Woods
A 1.2 version is coming later this Fall in 2022 with a new cover, a few updated pictures, and the typical text corrections and small edits as with my first title. A hardcover w/ dust cover will also follow in the 2.0 version Release of 2.0 will be announced later this fall. An audiobook is being considered a 2023 release to coincide with the 2.0 update.
Grand Days in the Turkey Woods is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in paperback, and kindle format. Grand Days In The Turkey Woods Hardcovers can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Grand-Days-Turkey-Woods-Joyner/dp/1495125475 An audiobook is being considered for a 2023 release.
Ten To Life- Delirium Tales Of A Covid-19 Survivor is currently available online at Amazon and other online book stores in hardcover, paperback, and kindle format. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3LP45XD/ An audiobook is currently being narrated by Tim Carper and will come out later this fall.
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. An audiobook is currently in production with a spring 2023 release anticipated. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BW36MGN9
Future Projects:
Roost ‘n Time Tales– Another turkey hunting stories book is likely to come out in 2023 or 2024 and that 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– will be a collection of my favorites from each storybook title and will be offered in a hardcover, full-color edition. That will come sometime after Roost ‘n Time Tales is published.
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 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
© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Do We Recognize Ourselves, Our Country 21 years later, Post 9/11?

There was a 9/12 that our voter party card did not matter, white privilege did not matter, struggles of the races did not matter. We did not need diversity training, or reparations to understand in our hearts and our guts that we are Americans. This week our president in office declared half of the country in the goulish Neo Nazi period correct backdrop as extreme, violent, and a most undesirable segment of America. A self-projecting fascist, drunk in the despicable art of propaganda, in my view. It is something I never expected to see in my lifetime from the highest office in the land. In all irony of a most distasteful, insulting and unbecoming display of hyperbolic partisan politics, the use of the term MAGA, Ultra MAGA is somehow un-American. Those that have a problem with “Make America Great Again” have lost their way and for the most dishonorable intentions. Orange Man Bad has huge equity in rent-free space of the craniums of these deranged folks. MAGA would have resonated just as well on 9/12/2001.
We demonstrate daily that we can easily be pitted against each other, at will, for political aims. I submit to each of you, that we can just as easily rally for each other, and have each other’s backs as we did 21 years ago. We can demonstrate what is awesome about us, our country. In doing so, we honor those innocent victims of 9/11 and those fallen who have served us. They deserve better, we deserve better. from each other.
What was made clear to me in my near death experience last year and again last week, is that we know enough to seek forgiveness for our major offensives. What we, you and I fail to do enough of, is to seize the smaller opportunities of moments of kindness, to forgive more easily. We can impact the lives of others in the most profound ways through the accumulation of small acts of kindness. The big things are obvious and easy. It is the daily implementation of it when we are off our game, don’t feel well, or are pissed off at the news. Speaking for myself, I still have a bit of work to do there…
For those of you that are polar opposite to my conservative thoughts, I can still toast to our mutual betterment in life with us being of the same great America that we love, warts and all.
I have not forgotten:
The memories and the feelings from that day have not faded, nor diminished. It was to be a perfect bluebird day in September.
The near-perfect September day morphed, shattered for thousands of victims in mere seconds for many, some in agonizing, terror-filled minutes, hours yet for others.
In the ripples of life, our greatest loss is to never know or benefit from what great deeds and accomplishments of all those lost.
That we came together as Americans. We were united as Americans. We still are Americans. Many have forgotten this very fact in recent times.
Those that perished on this fateful day of September 11th, 2001.
Those that gave all in order to save lives. Heroes that walk among us to this day.
Those who survived only succumbed to it days, months, and years later.
That we are all equal by way of our maker
This is republished each year as I find it so important to include:
On each anniversary of 9/11, my thoughts return to two fellow NWTF members Cynthia Giugliano & Walter Weaver that we lost that day. A memorial webpage can be found at http://www.turkey-talk.com/9_11_01_memorial.htm
As you toe up on the start line of your favorite road race or triathlon or enjoy another fall season hunting our nation’s forests, fishing the lakes and streams of our great land, I ask that each of you give thought to those that serve us. In your travels, I ask that you take the time to thank those that serve us, and continue to support what they do for our country.
Along with counting your blessings, say a prayer for all innocent victims, and that you do something on your part to make the world just a little bit better for those around you. We can all benefit from a little emphasis on random acts of kindness.
-MJ
© 2022 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media