A rather\u00a0odd feeling for me this year as we head into our fall hunting seasons here in New York. I love my time in the turkey woods, the deer woods (I’ll reluctantly call them that but default to turkey woods if it all possible.) This fall season so far does have a bit of a different feel for me. I’ll come back to the morning sit in a moment, as there is something\u00a0I wish to convey while it is present in my thinking…<\/p>\n
Our fall turkey season in the CNY area has shifted to the middle of October for a two week period, now in it’s second\u00a0year of it. I have written previously about\u00a0my conflicted opinion with the NYSDEC’s decision to go this route under the stated goal of reducing the fall take. I still remain steadfast in my opinion \u00a0that they catered to the wants and desires of fall archers over that of fall turkey doggers (it is actually a fall turkey season right?) They could have adopted\u00a0regulations to be bearded birds only and restricted shooting from elevated platforms. They did find some virtue of adding two\u00a0weeks to archery deer season, thereby\u00a0cutting out the time one could run a turkey dog without conflict with deer hunters. The\u00a0hunting season dates would have been fine left alone. By doing as I suggest here, hens would have been well protected, the fall take would have dropped in a dramatic fashion. To be fair, their chosen regulations resulted in a reduction in fall takes compare to 2012, 2014, but only\u00a0slightly lower than 2011 or 2013. I maintain it could have been far more effective with the right regulations.<\/p>\n
Those of us that claim to be dyed in the wool fall turkey hunters, turkey doggers would purposely put on a turkey vest rather than a safety harness and make a day of it at any given time.\u00a0I’ll probably catch hell for saying this, but in what logic, what wisdom would you consider the hunter’s satisfaction\/perception \u00a0of deer hunters with archery tackle in regards to fall turkey season over that of fall turkey hunters that partake the time-honored\u00a0tradition of breaking fall flocks with a good turkey dog? \u00a0Or the fall hunter who puts on\u00a0a turkey vest with the specific goal of tagging a fall bird. Do\u00a0not misunderstand my comments that I have a philosophical argument with those that arrow a fall turkey while deer hunting. As a generality, perfectly OK in my book. \u00a0When\u00a0it comes to regulating a fall turkey season, I have a firm opinion as to whom the considerations might go to first. \u00a0I tip\u00a0my hat to those that pursue fall turkeys with a focused purpose, over that of incidental\u00a0happenstance while on a good deer watch. Again this is not a jab at archers as I hunt the\u00a0fall archery season with great enthusiasm, and would arrow a turkey should I have a tag in hand. Under the old season dates, I would more often than not have those tags filled before the 15th. Back to this morning…<\/p>\n
I passed on going out on opening day of fall archery season on the\u00a01st for several reasons. For\u00a0starters, my heart is not into it this time of year. I dearly\u00a0miss the October 1st for fall turkey in our area. For thirty years I have become accustomed to the October 15th start of archery season pursuing whitetails. Even then I really don’t get that excited until the week of Halloween. Admittedly I am set in my ways, not unreasonably so, but it is my feeling that I have about it. In my conversations with fellow hunters, I come to know that I am not alone in that perception. The other consideration for the opener was an east wind, and it all but guarantees that you push out any deer on the property while getting to one of our many stands and most likely be winded while on stand given the way they are set up. On to day two…<\/p>\n
I chose to head out on one of the best-producing stands on my property. Today would be a deer watch as I am waiting on a few possibilities to hunt the currently open turkey season up north. With a short walk from the house, I would find myself situated and comfortable as the morning unfolded. A moderately warm and still morning, it was just as easy to fall asleep as to be on alert.\u00a0I would not dare doze off as I would surely miss something. I would not be disappointed in my short watch of two hours. Although I was not particularly driven to be on deer watch this early in the fall season, the great deer that were reported on opening day on social media was impressive, and it did not escape my attention. I do subscribe to the idea that opportunity comes to those that are vigilant and prepared.<\/p>\n
During my peaceful time on a great deer watch, I had one tall four point buck stroll in a little after 8 o’clock. With most of the leaves still on the trees, I only saw bits and pieces of him about seventy yards out. He came into my chosen area several times. The young buck would jump, play, then bound away only to return several minutes later. Not exactly sure what held him there, but he returned twice this morning. He finally walked into my shooting lane and onward to where it was he needed to go. \u00a0As much as I love the meat, and filling the freezer is a priority, I would let him go on his way, unaware of my presence. I would be hard pressed to arrow a whitetail of his weight, and looking for something larger than a deer I could carry out on my back. To watch him was a highlight of the morning. I am hoping to catch up with an impressive buck that I have pursued for three years, and came close on several occasions to sealing the deal. We hear of other great bucks roaming the hills where we call home. So early in the season, no particular hurry, and hoping to do a little selective shopping. Truthfully the one that I have my eye on, does have my attention.<\/p>\n
Another first for me was to have a pileated woodpecker in very close proximity this morning. We see\u00a0them on occasion. We hear them more often than see them. I heard this one for a bit before he landed on a tree no more than five yards out in front of my stand. \u00a0Not the largest that I have seen over the years, but a good sized adult just the same. I got to enjoy his presence for a bit longer than four minutes as he worked his way up a healthy young maple tree. I knew that we would make his way over the gnarly old maple next to my favored shooting lane just twenty-three yards from the stand. As predicted that is were he went to and it got rather loud as he quickly found the rotted out hollowed sections which I am sure provided the meal he was looking for. \u00a0Having various hawks and owls up close and personal over the years it was treat to have my pointy headed friend show up for me to have a good look at him. Another fun memory of the morning.<\/p>\n
As always, a morning in the turkey woods was soothing to the soul. Today’s brief foray proved to be fun and heart warming. Over time, my regard for the past scheduling of seasons, loathing of the new seasons may subside. I will make the best of it. Adjustments are possible should my writings, along with yours, reach the eyes and ears of those responsible for setting season dates and regulations. Make your voices, your opinions known and heard. I sincerely hope that my comments on the fall turkey season provide for some thought, even resonate with your own thoughts. I am just as confident that some will not regard my comments so kindly as there are those that profess that archery season should be the only season and is superior. Although I love my time during archery seasons, I would not agree with such an elitist perspective as I enjoy the other methods\/seasons for different\u00a0reasons. That is my personal view, yours may be different. \u00a0Although you may take issue with me on that, I do think we can agree that experiences\u00a0like I had this morning while in the turkey woods, the deer woods is something we can all smile about and think fondly of. Best of luck to all of you this fall season.<\/p>\n
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-MJ<\/p>\n
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\u00a9 2016 Joyner Outdoor Media<\/p>\n
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A rather\u00a0odd feeling for me this year as we head into our fall hunting seasons here in New York. I love my time in the turkey woods, the deer woods (I’ll reluctantly call them that but default to turkey woods if it all possible.) This fall season so far does have a bit of a different feel for me. I’ll come back to the morning sit in a moment, as there is something\u00a0I wish to convey while it is present in my thinking… Our fall turkey season in the CNY area has shifted to the middle of October for a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,116,132,118],"tags":[35],"class_list":["post-455","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deer","category-fall-turkey","category-hunting","category-nysdec","tag-turkeywoods"],"yoast_head":"\n