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November 02, 2009
Days Of Hunter's Past - 11
CANDOR, NY—New York’s first modern wild turkey hunting season commenced back in the fall of 1959. Spring hunts didn’t begin until 1968. Pete Clare of Turkey Trot Acres wanted to honor that inaugural hunt 50 years later. No blinds, decoys or as Clare says, “supersonic-hearing enhancers,” would be permitted. Vintage shotguns were highly approved of. While Realtree and Mossy Oak camouflage could be found on vests, boots, seat cushions and even guns, nostalgic retro garb was strongly encouraged. Over the three-day hunt, 10 turkeys were taken; two hunters tagged two. Neither heavy winds, slanting rain, nor well-fed, acorn-enriched turkeys finding heavy mast edibles over widespread upstate NY hillsides and ridge tops, could keep Clare and his Team Retro from their appointed task. Credit John Byrne’s storied line of Appalachian turkey dogs—Luke, Clyde, KeeKee and Jenny, among other canines in camp—as well. The dogs found and scattered many flocks during the recent hunt. Guides and hunters called every bird taken back to the gun. Some flocks numbered in the ‘teens, along with smaller groups of 8-10 birds. Fresh scratchings indicated that roving fall turkeys were covering the hillsides. Mid-hunt, a storm front rivaling something out of The Wizard of Oz blew through and flushed some turkeys from the woods where they could be seen in the Tioga County farm fields. The New York autumn turkey season remains open in some areas, including those Clare hunts, until Nov. 16. For more on Turkey Trot Acres, check out: www.turkeytrotacres.com/ (Later this week, NY fall longbeards here at the Strut Zone . . .)
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Comments (11)
I say Outdoor Life ought to sponsor a hunt like this one for say... I don't know?? How about for the regular contributors to this forum. What a GREAT idea! I can hear Bo and Charlie Elk seconding that motion and Big O, Dropjhook, Big Jake, Seadog and a host of others giving their vote. From their contributions to this forum I would bet we would have such a good time at the party after the hunt, they would probably have to bail us out of jail. Don't let that scare you away Outdoor Life, we will invite the local police chief to the party - on your tab of course.
sounds like these guys were having a blast.nothing like good friends guns dogs and dead game.wish i were there!
Here is a BIG SECOND on that Kody!
Kody, I swear, sometimes I think you're reading my mind, before I had time to think of it. ;-D
Bo do you huny turkeys?
OK is a great state for turkeys, really enjoyed my hunt down there very different from WI.
charlie elk, I have played at turkey hunting, very poorly, I might add, but I keep hoping. They will be in my spot thick as fleas on a mangy dog's back one day and on the next, opening day, can't find one to save your soul. Friends have kidded me asking where I was going to hunt, because they knew there wouldn't be any there, HA ha.
For bird hunting, I would rather go with pheasant, I love to hunt and eat pheasant. And I have had much better luck with pheasant. Anyway I will go turkey hunting again this year and my wife will ask me why and I will answer "this year might be different/" Yeah, right.
Yep that is the way with turkey hunting, happens to all of us. I went 5 seasons before I killed one of those confounding feathered terrorists. That is when he infected me with that turkey disease and things have never been the same since.
Keep at it you'll get one; you'll be elated and then........
You'll travel the country March to June in search of open seasons with available tags. Life will truly never be same nor would you want it to be.
BTW, Steve has written a couple of great books his latest "Turkey Calls & Calling" just came out.
Nothing wrong with pheasant my wife wishes I would shoot more of them. They occasionally come into my turkey calls in the fall strutting & cackling with their tail feathers a spread. You know those pheasants that won't flush - I kill em to keep the gene pool pure for you guys. ;-)
Or perhaps I don't know how to call turkeys effectively yet oh well always a work in progress.
Thanks for the kind words on my turkey books there, charlie elk. I appreciate it.
Just spoke to Marlin Watkins down in Ohio. The guys (and w/ the help of Watkins' turkey dog KeeKee)got four more fall turkeys by the feet this week following the NY hunt @ Turkey Trot Acres. Stubbs killed another nice gobbler.
The whitetail rut might be on, but we're still hanging with the turkeys . . .
Thanks,
Steve
Steve- Enjoyed our trip to N.Y. and had a great time with Marlin in Ohio. Glad you got your bird after Pete and I departed. Mr. Scott certainly can play those calls. Got Marlin and Ron a bologna deer with the crossbow on Tuesday after shooting that gobbler in the morning. Take care.
Daryl
Same here, Mr. Daryl. Good to have you on the SZ. Man a bologna whitetail and fall gobbler is some kind of serious Daily Double! Hard to beat. I told Pete our Sunday Nov. 1 deal was like tying the game at the buzzer, sending it into overtime, then making the winning shot. Great finish on a super hunt. -S.
PS Steve Hickoff, you are invited to the party. You must however promise to demonstrate each of your calls at whatever drinking establishment that we choose to descend upon. There will be so much chatter at this get together that I can't guarantee any of us will hear these calls. Nevertheless, a party with a turkey calling theme is guaranteed to attract some attention and it will provide us with a chance to meet the locals.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)
I say Outdoor Life ought to sponsor a hunt like this one for say... I don't know?? How about for the regular contributors to this forum. What a GREAT idea! I can hear Bo and Charlie Elk seconding that motion and Big O, Dropjhook, Big Jake, Seadog and a host of others giving their vote. From their contributions to this forum I would bet we would have such a good time at the party after the hunt, they would probably have to bail us out of jail. Don't let that scare you away Outdoor Life, we will invite the local police chief to the party - on your tab of course.
sounds like these guys were having a blast.nothing like good friends guns dogs and dead game.wish i were there!
Here is a BIG SECOND on that Kody!
Kody, I swear, sometimes I think you're reading my mind, before I had time to think of it. ;-D
charlie elk, I have played at turkey hunting, very poorly, I might add, but I keep hoping. They will be in my spot thick as fleas on a mangy dog's back one day and on the next, opening day, can't find one to save your soul. Friends have kidded me asking where I was going to hunt, because they knew there wouldn't be any there, HA ha.
For bird hunting, I would rather go with pheasant, I love to hunt and eat pheasant. And I have had much better luck with pheasant. Anyway I will go turkey hunting again this year and my wife will ask me why and I will answer "this year might be different/" Yeah, right.
Yep that is the way with turkey hunting, happens to all of us. I went 5 seasons before I killed one of those confounding feathered terrorists. That is when he infected me with that turkey disease and things have never been the same since.
Keep at it you'll get one; you'll be elated and then........
You'll travel the country March to June in search of open seasons with available tags. Life will truly never be same nor would you want it to be.
BTW, Steve has written a couple of great books his latest "Turkey Calls & Calling" just came out.
Nothing wrong with pheasant my wife wishes I would shoot more of them. They occasionally come into my turkey calls in the fall strutting & cackling with their tail feathers a spread. You know those pheasants that won't flush - I kill em to keep the gene pool pure for you guys. ;-)
Or perhaps I don't know how to call turkeys effectively yet oh well always a work in progress.
Thanks for the kind words on my turkey books there, charlie elk. I appreciate it.
Just spoke to Marlin Watkins down in Ohio. The guys (and w/ the help of Watkins' turkey dog KeeKee)got four more fall turkeys by the feet this week following the NY hunt @ Turkey Trot Acres. Stubbs killed another nice gobbler.
The whitetail rut might be on, but we're still hanging with the turkeys . . .
Thanks,
Steve
Steve- Enjoyed our trip to N.Y. and had a great time with Marlin in Ohio. Glad you got your bird after Pete and I departed. Mr. Scott certainly can play those calls. Got Marlin and Ron a bologna deer with the crossbow on Tuesday after shooting that gobbler in the morning. Take care.
Daryl
Same here, Mr. Daryl. Good to have you on the SZ. Man a bologna whitetail and fall gobbler is some kind of serious Daily Double! Hard to beat. I told Pete our Sunday Nov. 1 deal was like tying the game at the buzzer, sending it into overtime, then making the winning shot. Great finish on a super hunt. -S.
PS Steve Hickoff, you are invited to the party. You must however promise to demonstrate each of your calls at whatever drinking establishment that we choose to descend upon. There will be so much chatter at this get together that I can't guarantee any of us will hear these calls. Nevertheless, a party with a turkey calling theme is guaranteed to attract some attention and it will provide us with a chance to meet the locals.
Bo do you huny turkeys?
OK is a great state for turkeys, really enjoyed my hunt down there very different from WI.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)