Tag: NY
Last Call in NY
Best wishes to my fellow turkey hunting brethren still in the chase to fill a tag- As you can see, Our Viking Diva is warming up on my shoulder. 11:59:59 AM, the reigning queen of the opera sings the last act tomorrow.
No pressure… hunt smart, and you’ll send her packing.
Gobblers here in CNY are far fewer in number than most of us old timers remember. With longbeards being of the strong and silent type, the best or worst among us hunters can’t buy a gobble in many anecdotal reports.
Run and gunning may leave you eating a tag this late in the season. Play it old school. Confidence calling, feeding purrs, whips, and whistles, light clucks, and very soft yelping. If one stomps your call with a voracious gobble, get ready as they’ll likely not gobble again and come in swift but silent. Exceptions duly noted. With four weeks of renewed education, errors on our part in the turkey woods during the final hours will not be forgiven with second chances.
With an abundant but unfortunate supply of wet, cool weather, many hens have come off the nests and we have a dating/mating reset with the clock running out. If a hen challenges you, then you have to answer her appropriately. Girlfriend gets the boyfriend in trouble every time, and you may find one not on her first nest yet if you had a very late second or third hatch from last year. Too young to mate, but he’ll follow her anyway.
If you go in loud, you’ll likely leave empty handed. They’ve been chased all season, and any mistake you make will be an exit stage left with an alarm putt if you get any indication at all that you messed up. The foliage is thick as ever, and when a gobbler is pursued by a variety of predators, there is no tolerance for a clumsy two-legged one either. However far you may think he gobbled from, it might be better to halve that estimation in the woods now.
As they are not talking much now, any sightings are key tactical data. If you can get out and roost tonight, it may be the final clue to the last day. Bring your binoculars and glass as much as you can. With the foliage fully out, you can get in close, but you’ll have to be there very early tomorrow morning. The forecast is for more rain tomorrow, the last day, yet this morning is a rather nice one.
Hunt all the way to your spot, and all the way back to the truck, the entire hunt can turn around in 30 seconds, and the action can be fast and furious. On State Game Lands this past Wednesday, I filled a second tag, less than 150 yards away from my truck as I hunted back to it. It took him a full 20 minutes to show after a half gobble/half yelp.
Stay sharp, safe, and alert.
Best of luck in the final remaining hours of the season. Now if we can get this lady off our damn shoulders…
© 2025 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Turning Wishing Into Fishing
I would like to introduce my readers to a fantastic organization- Chasing Dreams Charters. I came to know of them this past week at the 2025 NYSOWA Spring Conference in Lewiston, NY. I got to spend a little time with Ned Librock, Founder of Chasing Dreams Charters, and came away with a firm understanding of who they are and the good works they do. To meet Ned is to like him, and it is a short study to know what he brings to the table in helping children deal with the difficulties of cancer and subsequent treatments. A fun and relaxing time on the water fishing is therapeutic in as many ways as any of us can think of.
Ned has assembled a fantastic and capable team of charter boat captains and a solid board of directors. To support their mission, they work closely with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, coordinating programs with The Courage of Carly Fund and the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) program.
I borrow and repeat from their published mission and website, and I strongly recommend that if you can support them in their mission, it will be well worth your efforts.
Catching Dreams Charters, Inc. a 501(c)(3) not for profit, provides fishing adventures for children and young adults battling cancer! Fishing Therapy for Cancer Kids! Cancer at any age is terrifying. Our motto of “turning wishing into fishing” promotes fishing therapy as a psychosocial therapy for these young warriors.
If you would like to donate to the mission, or have resources that can help expand to more of New York and reach more afflicted children, Contact Ned at 716-870-5326
To learn more visit-
https://catchingdreamscharters.org https://www.facebook.com/catchingdreamscharters
Turkey Hunters’ Tall Tales?
Hmmm, heard this somewhere before. When it comes to measuring trophy aspects of our quarry, we might be outdone by fishermen, but there are doubts…
A prefix to this commentary: The subject of records, trophy aspects is one of a novelty, and excellent fodder for the diner, tailgate discussions, hunt clubs, and debate at hunt camps. The experience of the hunt itself, time spent with others, is most important in my view. Like antlers, spurs, and beards, they don’t eat well, unsuitable for soup stock.
As of late, the embellishments (or bending of the truth) appear to be heightened to a comical observation, although this commentary might ruffle some feathers and deflate a few claims. It is a foolhardy, harmless embellishment, unless someone’s forcefully claiming a record bird. In the end, your birthdays will remain unchanged, death and taxes will still prevail…
Noticeably increased observation of social media since the May 1st opener in New York reveals truly great gobblers, smiling hunters, which are the happy outcomes of a great day in the turkey woods. As an author and one who tracks records in the great Empire State, there are norms observed and expected, and it captures my interest when a gobbler exceeds in exceptional characteristics, as claimed.
Those of us with many seasons tucked away as fond memories will have more than a few gobblers encountered as hefty carries back to the truck. We’ll be able to eyeball rather quickly as to being of nominal expected size/weight, and lengths of beards and spurs, akin to deer hunters who can gauge racks and weights of whitetail bucks to within close to measured results. In the social media space, with a little lack of civility, opinions may vary.
Turkey hunters often exaggerate the weight of their gobblers due to a mix of tradition, pride, and some genuine confusion in measurement. Here’s why it happens:
1. Field Dressing Confusion: Turkeys are often weighed after being field-dressed (internal organs removed), but some hunters report the weight before. This can cause significant weight differences—up to a couple of pounds, depending on live weight. An 18-pound gobbler carries up to a pound and a half of entrails. These delta anecdotal differences are observed from involvement with spring and fall turkey contests for many years, in which rules dictated field-dressed for weight measure, and to cool the meat and mitigate spoilage, hopefully shortly after being tagged in the field.
2. Lack of Accurate Scales: Many hunters use inaccurate spring scales, cheap electronic scales of questionable accuracy and affected by battery strength, or just guess based on feel. In a turkey contest, you might be surprised how many soaking wet birds are brought in to measure/score on a perfectly sunny day. Sometimes hunters use a coveted measuring device: “SEF Weight Scale.” Surprisingly, the “Shoulder-Elbow-Forearm” weight measuring triangle is the ultimate weight scale device among some turkey hunters. One simple lift of the bird will result in a 25-pound estimate in an eager and optimistic view. Asking for a weight coupon or placing the bird on a verified, accurate scale will not gain you many friends in such situations. All humor aside, it is an observation of casual conversations.
3. Bragging Rights & Storytelling Culture: Hunting, especially turkey hunting, has a strong oral tradition. Telling stories of the “25-pounder” is part of the culture, even if that bird was the typical norm of 18-19 pounds.
4. Misjudging Size: Wild turkeys, in their appearance, look deceptively large due to their feathers. A 20-pound bird feels massive after carrying it through the woods, especially early in the morning.
5. True Big Birds Are Rare: A wild gobbler in New York over 25 pounds is genuinely rare. The average reported weight for an adult gobbler in New York runs 18-19 pounds. So when someone thinks they got a record book bird, they might lean into that claim, whether or not it’s verified. It’s all part of the mystique and fun of turkey hunting, though the conscientious, more serious hunters do strive for accurate records. A 22-pound or heavier gobbler coming at you in the turkey woods will appear as Gobzilla, and a world apart from the size of an 18-pound bird.
Turkey hunters often exaggerate the length of beards and spurs for similar reasons they exaggerate weight, but with a few unique twists tied to measurement error, ego, and tradition. Here’s why it happens:
1. Improper Measuring Technique: Beards should be measured from the skin (base) to the longest strand, pulled straight, not curved or fluffed. Spurs should be measured along the outside curve to the tip, not in a straight line from the middle to the tip. Some hunters measure around the spur or include feathers in beard length, which inflates the numbers.
2. No Standardization in the Field: Some hunters are using a tape measure incorrectly or, worse, eyeballing it. That leads to inconsistency and overestimation.
3. Ego and Bragging Rights: Long spurs and beards are often seen as signs of a mature, trophy gobbler. Hunters may stretch the truth—“That gobbler had a 12” beard!”—because it makes for a better story. We all know that 6” is sometimes expressed as 12”. We’ll stop there and keep it clean.
4. Beard Clumping Illusion: Some gobblers have multiple beards or thick, ropey beards that look longer than they are. Broken strands that haven’t dislodged. Been fooled a few times with that.
5. Curved Spurs or Fat Spurs Create Optical Illusions: Spurs with tight curves can look shorter than they measure along the curve. Wide or fat spurs can appear shorter compared to narrow, needle-like spurs.
© 2025 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
. #turkeyhunting #nywildturkeyrecords #wildturkey #nyturkeyrecords #recordbookgobblers
NY Turkey Records 2025
If you tag a gobbler that meets the criteria listed below near the end of this post or in future editions that are anticipated, I would love to interview you for inclusion in the Empire Limbhangers book project. Although your stories and photos will be captured for the book, you will retain rights to your photo’s and your story. Should you wish to have the story I write up used for other uses. Copyright permissions can be granted as needed.
The main issue with keeping it all legit for the project is typically weight as most of the small scales that are used to weigh fish can vary +/- 1 to 2 lbs or more. A weight coupon from a certified scale ensures accuracy and proof of measurement. Otherwise, it can be legitimately challenged. The scale should be suitable for products or goods for sale that are taxed in the state. I live in Cortland County and own several scales suitable for trade with a 25lb calibration weight with certification tracible to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology, formerly National Bureau of Standards,) and can also provide a video of calibration and the actual weighing of your gobbler. I will be glad to do so, and there is no fee.
Pics with tape measurement in the pics are required to show scale and accuracy for beards and spurs. There are several handy products to help measure spurs (including the curved outside edge) but as of this writing, none aside from a tape measure cover the spur measurements that have been described going back decades as published by the NWTF http://turkey-talk.com/scoresbpmeasure.html#spus As the decades long description covers the entire exposed spur that can occur below the outer edge of the leg, it is more often that the exposed spur is even with the leg edge. Anecdotal, as such, the differences observed have not exceeded 1/8″. As the calculation is x10 or x32 for each spur it is a detail to be aware of.
Anecdotal evidence unfortunately cannot be used to substantiate record book entries no matter how good the stories are.
Best bet 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 including those with a tape measure. 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 member. I may include them if details can be worked out in the future.
Record entries not included in the NWTF system once verified can be accepted. You will note that the NWTF requires verifications that I have mentioned and I 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: www.nwtf.org/hunt/records.
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.
If you have harvested a legally tagged wild turkey with one or more of the following attributes in NY during the 2023-2024 spring/fall seasons, or years prior, registered or not registered w/NWTF records, We would love to talk to you about being included 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 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, Hens with spurs
http://empirestatelimbhangers.com/
© 2025 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
. #turkeyhunting #nywildturkeyrecords #wildturkey #nyturkeyrecords #recordbookgobblers
Opening Day New York Spring 2025
From all of us at Joyner Outdoor Media, we wish hunters heading out into the great Turkey Woods of New York for the 2025 Spring Turkey Season Opener a safe and most memorable morning and season afield in our great forests.
Be diligent in firearm safety and identify your quarry 100%. Do your part to ensure each of us turkey hunters makes it back safely to hunt again another day. If someone beats you to a spot, give them room to work the gobbler, move on to another spot, and check it later in the morning. If someone comes in on you, do not turkey call or wave. Speak in a firm voice- “I’m a hunter.” Courtesy and ethical behavior makes for plenty of respect and positive experiences.
We hope that you are inspired while spending time in the places that feathered monarchs thunder gobbles from the many old and ancient roost trees well known to the prepared, and set your hearts racing in anticipation.
© 2025 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Bring Us Your Tired, Worn Out Anglers, and Turkey Hunters
If you happen to be an angler that is plum worm out reeling in those monster stripers, or any of the multitude of sport fish that will test the limits of your fitness, I might have a solution for you! Lets face it, a day of long retrieves can reality check the best of us crusty ol’ anglers. We know all to well what it is like for us cantankerous turkey hunters to carry out those monster gobblers miles back in from the truck. Guilty as charged…
During the 2024 New York Outdoor Writers Association Conference in Oswego, New York this past weekend, we were introduced to a new local business- Aqua Spa Float Center & Wellness Boutique. With an invite to try a few of their wellness services, I would visit along with my wife, Lee. We scheduled an afternoon visit after several days of outings during the conference. We were promptly greeted when we arrived and our first impression of a clean, warm and inviting facility was in keeping with what was described to us from Oswego County Tourism staff we met with at our meet and greet on Thursday evening.
The wellness and float offerings are robust and the customer can choose from recommended times for each. As expected they offer a variety of packaged offerings. The services offered include:
Float Therapy / Cryotherapy / Infrared Sauna / Salt Therapy / Oxygen Bar / OHCO M.8 Massage Chair
IV Nutrient Therapy / PBM Therapy / Aesthetics Services
The links embedded in each category of services will take you to a full description of each offering. The prices are affordable, and they have certified medical staff for treatments that you would expect certified professionals.
We both chose the massage chair and oxygen bar as an introduction to their services. The massage was fantastic, not just a simple vibrating chair. Very robust massage, firm enough to be very effective in easing those sore muscles from hauling in those big lakers. Your back and legs will thank you for it. You can also add heat to further enhance the therapeutic value. We did a 16 minute session and would be keen on longer sessions in future visits. The Oxygen Bar is a great experience as you can choose from the various infused scents and you will notice an immediate difference in relaxation, calming and mood. If we had more time the float tank is another offering we would have tried. We will try this in a future visit.
The staff is very friendly, attentive and professional. This adds to the inviting atmosphere, and it is the opinion of this ol’ crusty turkey hunter/fisherman that it is worthy of your time to pay a visit and sample what you might find to your liking and to be most beneficial to rejuvenate from a great day on the water or in your favored turkey woods. For those of you that regularly work out, you would definitely benefit from services offered here. You can learn more at: https://aquaspafloatcenter.com/
You can easily spend a half day or more with combined therapies and with a little planning, create a fantastic long weekend of fishing, of relaxing therapies, and return from a mini vacation rejuvenated and and with memories of great times on the water. Highly recommended!
© 2024 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Girls, Girls, Girls -Late Season in New York
As the 2024 Spring Turkey Season is into its last days, our guest Viking Opera Diva is getting her wardrobe dry-cleaned and gearing up for Friday at high noon.
Unlike Mötley Crüe’s rendition of the song. These sexy feathered babes are out there with a mind of their own, and I have a unique late-season and somewhat perplexing story to tell.
After spotting a gobbler, two jakes, and two hens this past Sunday, and very near to state land I could access their core area with a little boot leather. The long walk to the first sit is far easier than the climb to return to the truck. I would be there early this Memorial Day to see what I could make happen. I sure did, but it was a far different hunt than I had in mind. We had a soaking rain last evening that tapered off right at first light this morning. It was a wet walk going in before daylight, but far more comfortable than sitting in a steady rain.
Super quiet start of the morning, and that included the turkeys. One of my favorite late-season spots in Cuyler, New York, and that added to my anticipation, along with the turkeys we spotted here the day before. I had worked my way down to a small flat along one of the finger ridges I like to check on. With the wet understory, it was a stealthy approach and got to where I wanted to go without disturbing any deer. No gobbling on the roost, or at all for that matter. No tree yelping or the usual small talk you hear as the morning light emerges. I gave a few tree yelps close to the time I thought they might fly down, short and sweet with no feathered responses. The chipmunks, however, loved it.
I heard the first wingbeats close to 6:30 a.m., followed by two more. The first hen landed within gun range off to my left. The next two landed out in front, also within range. They would cluck occasionally. Fast forward an hour and I had a fourth hen come in behind me and start clucking. She came up to the tree I sat at. Other than a very elevated heart rate, no pressure at all. Once she started, she never stopped until she left five minutes later. Her clucks were low volume, soft, and varied in pitch. No whips or whistles and no yelping. None of the four hens ever yelped at all. The other three hens would cluck here and there, with no specific pattern to it. They first came to attention when the fourth hen arrived, but quickly lost interest and paid no mind to her. Best described as akin to a teachers lounge, eat a little, stretch, sit for a bit and so on.
Despite being close to a known roost area with a large facing slope, and all that sweet girl talk, it failed to produce a single gobble for the duration there. As I sat and patiently let it all play out, It had crossed my mind that this might be a common meet-up spot and that a gobbler would come in silent, and as Murphy would have it, on my off-side as well. It never happened, but I sure thought about it. Another hour passed and the three hens drifted off the flat as they fed away, down to the creek. I would head back home once they dropped out of sight.
Despite having live hens with sweet voices to entice gobblers further, I could not buy a gobble, anywhere. The climb back to the truck was so worth being front and center to that many hens for 2-1/2 hours.
It is a first for me to encounter hens like this so late in the season. Still roosting without nests to tend to, and without suitors. So content to just hang with their beasties deep in the turkey woods. I have questions as to how this fits into the overall scheme of things, not to mention, where in the hell are the gobblers, and how they would leave these lovely ladies unattended.
Best of luck to all of you in the final days!
© 2024 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
Father and Son Top 10 NY Turkey Records
A query into the possible record book gobbler taken by Cullen Fennessy this past April during the youth spring turkey hunt would lead to the discovery of four more record book gobblers taken by Cullen’s father, Michael Fennessy. Unlike so many of the stories I cover, I would have the opportunity to visit Cullen and his father en route to a planned trip to Maine this past week.
I would travel north to St. Lawrence County on a beautiful spring day to meet with them, conduct interviews for the Empire Limb Hangers book project, have a look-see at the gobblers, and check measurements and confirm the scales. I would notice with great interest the walls of Mike’s massive garage lined with trophy displays of gobblers, With that, I knew I might be there for a while. I would confirm Cullen’s first gobbler along with four more that Mike presented to me. The tasks were made easier as both, the father and son were concise in their stories and recollection of details. Lots of pictures helped document and confirm the record book entries.
As there are several good stories of the hunts, and will be published in full in the book project, I will outline the top record entries first and continue from there.
Cullen’s gobbler taken in April 2024 during the special youth season, ties at #5 with NWTF Typical Score of 81.1250 (SBP Typical Score 172,2500) in New York. Weighing in at 26 lbs 12 oz. becomes the 11th heaviest bird, vetted, and recorded. The beard taped out at 11.8750 and ties with several others as 13th longest beard makes for a grand gobbler in the Empire State. There is a wonderful back story to the hunt, one of father and son, the help of Steve VanPatten , and the chance encounters of a red Cardinal with a heartwarming connection to his great-grandmother. With the backdrop of a warm and inviting experience of a North County hunt camp, it is the start of a lifetime of memories to be made. Given the impressive qualities as a young adult that I discovered in interviewing Cullen, and the mentorship he is receiving as a young hunter, It would be little surprise to see him make a father proud in a path well taken and have his own collection of memories of the great turkey woods.
Michael’s gobbler taken in May 2017 comes in at the new #6 with NWTF Typical Score of 80.8750 (SBP Typical Score 168,5000) in New York. Weighing in at 30 lbs. 0 oz. this boss gobbler becomes the new 1st heaviest bird, vetted, and recorded. Beard measured at 10.1250, and sported 1-9/16″ and 1-1/2″ spurs to complete a grand father-son entry in New York Wild Turkey Records. It is the first to have found where a father and son have pulled a hat trick in the record books.
Michael has also entered three additional gobblers that place:
@ 14th with a NWTF Typical Score of 76.1250, (SBP Typical Score 159,0000,) #10 for weight of 27.0000.
@ 28th with a NWTF Typical Score of 73.7500, (SBP Typical Score 155,0000,) #10 for weight of 27.0000.
@ 32nd with a NWTF Non-Typical Score of 91.1250, (SBP Non-Typical Score 185,0000,) #5 for weight of 28.0000.
Several potential records are being looked into and hopefully vetted. One in particular would topple #1 Typical in NY and one I hope to verify soon. A thank you goes out to Keven Lothridge for the heads up on coming across these incredible stories!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Empire-State-Limb-Hangers/139342609441424?v=info
http://empirestatelimbhangers.com/
© 2024 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
. #turkeyhunting #nywildturkeyrecords #wildturkey #nyturkeyrecords #recordbookgobblers
New York Wild Turkey Records
The Empire State Limb Hangers book project is in the final phase of collecting the last few interviews, and getting the stories finalized. All current and known data and record listings per category is formatted and awaiting proofreading. It has grown past 400 pages in a 10×7 format This post will be reposted each pre season as there will be future editions as records are broken and those I attempted to include, catch up with the project. The more hunters that come on board that I originally sought to interview, the better. Records are made to be broken, eclipsed, and is expected.
If you tag a gobbler that meets the criteria listed below near the end of this post, 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 rights to your photo’s and your story. Should you wish to have the story I write up used for other uses. Copyright permissions can be granted as needed.
The main issue with keeping it all legit for the project is typically weight as most of the small scales that are used to weigh fish can vary +/- 1 to 2 lbs or more. A weight coupon from a certified scale ensures accuracy and proof of measurement. Otherwise, it can be legitimately challenged. The scale should be suitable for products or goods for sale that are taxed in the state. I live in Cortland County and own several scales suitable for trade with a 25lb calibration weight with certification tracible to NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology, formerly National Bureau of Standards,) and can also provide a video of calibration and the actual weighing of your gobbler. I will be glad to do so, and there is no fee.
Pics with tape measurement in the pics are required to show scale and accuracy for beards and spurs. There are several handy products to help measure spurs (including the curved outside edge) but as of this writing, none aside from a tape measure cover the spur measurements that have been described going back decades as published by the NWTF http://turkey-talk.com/scoresbpmeasure.html#spus As the decades long description covers the entire exposed spur that can occur below the outer edge of the leg, it is more often that the exposed spur is even with the leg edge. Anecdotal, as such, the differences observed have not exceeded 1/8″. As the calculation is x10 or x32 for each spur it is a detail to be aware of.
Anecdotal evidence unfortunately cannot be used to substantiate record book entries no matter how good the stories are.
Best bet 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 including those with a tape measure. 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 member. I may include them if details can be worked out in the future.
Record entries not included in the NWTF system once verified can be accepted. You will note that the NWTF requires verifications that I have mentioned and I 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: www.nwtf.org/hunt/records.
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.
If you have harvested a legally tagged wild turkey with one or more of the following attributes in NY during the 2023-2024 spring/fall seasons, or years prior, registered or not registered w/NWTF records, We would love to talk to you about being included 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 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, Hens with spurs
http://empirestatelimbhangers.com/
© 2024 Mike Joyner- Joyner Outdoor Media
. #turkeyhunting #nywildturkeyrecords #wildturkey #nyturkeyrecords #recordbookgobblers
A Tale of Two 4473’s
From as far back as I can recall of the throes of gun control. It is the incessant, endless claims of not enough gun laws, we need more, and they should all be banned. Despite all the banshee screaming from the mountain tops, we are witness to bail reform, lenient sentencing if at all, day of crime release-rotating door policies, and the topics at hand, no prosecution henceforth for the tens of thousands of gun laws on the books.
Be a scholar and give it an hour of your time. You’ll find some of the multitudes of overlapping and exceedingly redundant laws; you might notice that many of them call out criminal acts that are also illegal no matter what method is invoked. For instance, it is, under broad definition, illegal to commit manslaughter and or murder. It is heinous without regard to how it is accomplished.
In current news, fresh from last evening, Hunter Biden, after five years in the making, has been finally charged with felony gun indictments. Namely centered and focused on false statements declared on the ATF 4473 yellow form which those of us in the hunting and firearm industry are intimately familiar with. It is required along with a NICS check for anyone in the United States who purchases a firearm from an FFL dealer, Private sales also require this in some states for private sale. My home state of New York requires this with the change of the State Police now doing the background checks.
Hunter, if convicted of felony counts may face a maximum fine of $750,000 and 25 years in jail. It is reported that the charges relate to lying to an FFL Firearms dealer, declaring a false Statement on the ATF4473 form, and possessing an illegal firearm for eleven days. No mention was made of illegally disposing of the 38 caliber revolver in a dumpster across the street from a high school. Technically, Hallie Biden did the deed of disposing of it, as reported. His very public drug use is in very clear violation of the declaration provision in the document and is a prickly charge to squirm out of. 11 days? By the casual read of current gun laws, there is no grace period for possession of an illegally possessed firearm. His lawyer is reported to claim, that no one was harmed so it doesn’t matter as the 11 days. Not as I read the laws…
These reported offenses are all part of black letter law that is in practice, treated as murky, discretionary. We should expect better from our DA’s and we certainly deserve better. It’s total bullshit in view of having the 4473 form in the first place. It either has the backbone to ensure noneligible applicants are thwarted in purchasing a firearm or a ruse of no intentional detriment.
The talking heads are predicting no significant jail time or fine, or should it go to the full extent, a daddy POTUS pardon would follow. As of the moment, it is conjecture, not based on fact. Vega odds are yet to weigh in.
I do know directly of another tale, not so long ago, where a Cornell student son, murdered his CEO father at point-blank range with a 12-gauge shotgun. I worked with the deceased up until the company was purchased by him and also knew the family. He was VP of sales at the time. I was not invited to the transition as I was not of a favorable opinion, seeking to have him fired. It is a long sordid story that you couldn’t begin to make up. His son committed the act a little over two years after I had moved on to start my own company.
The very public murder trial ended with a hung jury and then dismissed. The feds came back with charges stemming from false statements made on an ATF 4473 form. The result of that was the full prosecution of a common citizen and a sentence of 20 years plus 3 years of post-supervision. I have left out details and opinions of this abbreviated tale as the point of it to illustrate the ballistic version of two levels of justice currently in vogue.
The takeaway from this in my view: Despite all the claims of timing to the election, pollical dirty tricks, It has been a slow roll of nearly five years to even get this far on Hunter Biden. I think we can safely assume that if it had been one of Trump’s sons, it would have been prosecuted and the convicted corpse left to rot within a year’s time. At least figuratively, in reality, millions in fines and release from jail as a very old man. More importantly, should this be you or I, not of the beautiful people crowd, or politically connected to the party of the ass, we might also be left to rot in jail and destitute of any financial gains. Pay attention folks, the tale of two 4473’s is telling of so much more…
-MJ
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