AdrianJHare

I'm 10 or 9 or something

So I guess the cat is out of the bag now T R I do agree with your comments. There are a number of Staffers, myself included that visit different sights across the net. We do it for the enjoyment of helping if we can, as we do if we spend our time at an event. Steve has taken time to help others out on other sights and he has done that in a up respected way. We're lucky to have Steve here to help on this forum. Steve, I hope you didn't take affence to my posts I was only ribbing ya bud

Why, did I know this post was going to turn this way Steve, if Erin don't read this, it maybe a good idea to sent it to her that she understands this situation on Forums...

I believe you all ready know I shoot the Benelli Nova 20 gauge, so I will leave it to that

Hi Guys, I guess if you've been at the Canadian sight thumping around you must know me. For early fall until the cold starts I spend all my time in a good pair of Rubber style boots like Nokian's. As the season gets colder I found because of back surgery my feet get cold fast, so I change to a pair of leather Georgia Boots with 2000 gms and I have no problem with cold feet as long as I ware a real wool sock that will wick away any moisture. I have a boot dryer that I use all the time and make sure the souls are taken out and the boots dried fully for the next time I use them. I hunt right into the end of the season this fall and on days where my boots froze to the stand with no problems with cold feet...

Strut, Have you ever tried to dry out your mouth calls then store them ? I'm talking about the sound issue that you may get from them when they have not got moisture in the latex. There is a quite a difference in how much easier you can get sound from a dry call let a lone the quality of the sound ? Just an idea.

Mouth calls are made of Latex, Aluminum frames and Tape. As a mouth call is used the latex and tape tends to adsorb moisture. For a person that uses their calls all the time, they will notice that after a limited amount of time in your mouth the call tends to lose its life and the sound tends to die off to a blaw sound. This is the moisture that the latex adsorbs after using them for a time period, Simply by having two of your favorite calls, each one can be changed and allowing the other to dry over a short time. I always allow my calls to air dry on a clip outside my vest, as I use the other call. Another problem that comes along with mouth calls is because the call is in your mouth and is taken out when not in use, they can start Bacteria growth and that can lead to sore throats and colds the next time you use the call. It is a good practice after each use to rinse each call in a mixture of mouth wash (scope) and water allowing it to set for 5 minutes then rinse the call under cold water, take the call and press dry with a towel and let air dry completely (do not put then away wet this will also start Bacteria growth). Do not store your calls in mouth wash as the alcohol content can harm the latex in the call and shorten the life span of your call. Toothpicks or call Savers can be added between the reeds to allow the latex to dry in-between the reeds. This also helps stop the reeds from sticking together when the call dries. To store them, place them in a plastic container when they are dry, and keep them out of direct heat and light. The refrigerator Crisper is a great place, as the calls are cool, out of the UV rays and the cool temperature helps stop the bacteria growth from forming. You will have calls that will last for years to come. Adrian J Hare

Hi Steve, Glad to see ya aboard, I'm sure you will get some questions being a Pro Staff for Realtree SHHHHHHHHHHHH No they don't know

Re: Cold Weather Boots Greg, I found the boot that works well in cold weather. I've tried everything but because of back problems the downfall I have in cold weather is my feet. I got a pair of Gorgia boots 2000 gms and they took care of any cold problems with feet. The boots are rather large and take sometime to get used to but well worth the money for someone with cold feet... Hope that helps...

Re: field photo Slaw , taking pictures of yourself that will catch an eye can be very frustrating. To start you need a camera that has a selftimer on it. Another thing that works good for this and makes the job easyer is a Tripod to place the camera on. This will also help level the camera while the shot is taken. Now finding the spot that will turn a picture into a peice of work is the next step in this project. This can be quite hard to do and at times you may have to go out of your way to find a proper background. I have drove 30 minutes in an area like SD to get the background shots that I want. Once your set with all the options to take the pic , you then have to amagine what kind of picture you want and how you want the bird displayed. This is a very fast time thing as the timer will work on its own set time. You may end up taking a number of pictures in the set to try and capture the one your are after. Every picture needs a display of the hunter and taking a few of you smiling, looking away, not smiling is something to capture at the time of the photo, it makes it easyer to get what you want when you look them over. Over the years I have taken a number of hunting photo's and some have turned out the way I like and others have not. I do find that having a low perspective of the shot seems to gain in the out come of the photo. I take a tripod with me all over where I hunt. I do not carry it but keep it in my truck or bag when traveling. Here is one from this passed season that I took and it was the first picture that took at the time. Just plain ol lucky. Hope that helps you along with some picture taking in seasons to come. Not that there is anything wrong with your photo, its quite good , but it would be better to see you in it aswell.... Adrian J Hare

Re: 20 ga. turkey shells The best advice I can give , would be to get a Good quality choke for the gun. Something you need to decide is what kind of shells you plan on shooting/hunting with this gun. After a great amount of testing with a 20 ga, Hevi shot is the way to go in the 20 for that extra range most are after. Don't scrimp on a choke and then find a shell that will perform for the choke you decided on. My 20 guage turkey gun is now shooting well , but I'm still testing shells. The best I have got with my setup is 173 shot pellets in a 10 circle at 40 yards. This was done with a Precision choke and Nitro shells. The best choke that I used with copper loads was a Rhino choke. Pellet numbers did not match the Hevi loads but with Winchester #5 would have worked great for 35 yard shots max. I just picked up a box of Hevi 13 #6 for this gun to test and am interested in how they work with my setup....BT

Re: Eastern Outdoor show ,Harrisburg PA. Update!!! I'll be at the Calling hall throughout the show ...BT

Re: Manitoba Turkey Take a trip to Ontario , there is lots of birds and Lots of places to hunt them. Its too bad NonRes can not hunt Manitoba , because I would trade you a hunt ...BT

Re: Bugs in quebec Get yourself a Thermacell , you will be surprised...BT

Re: Am I losing it? TG , this problem could very well have something to do with the food sorce in the area you live in that year or couple years. Turkeys will travel to find feed and nesting areas. Places that you normaly hunt could change because of this type of thing. If local farmers change crops every couple years, nut and berry crops happen to be on the low side, or even nesting areas changing can all cause the local birds to move towards a better area for their needs. With the farmers and Nut and berry crops changing from year to year, there could be a chance that birds could travel right back to your home area. I would think this would have more to do with your problem, other then you going into a slide...BT

Re: Scouting Scouting is a key role in turkey hunting. Taking the time to learn the area is what a turkey hunter needs to do. There are a number of factor one needs to look for and that is, all the elements that a hunter faces in the woods while he is trying to setup on birds. This is something you should try to do well before the season, as walking turkey hunting areas tend to apply pressure to the birds you intend to hunt in the season. This is a problem that a lot of turkey hunters make for themselves. If you are limited to only certain areas and hunt them every season, most of your scouting is done, as you all ready know the lay of the land. Scouting begins in the early season. If you have an area that you intend to hunt spend some time before the season looking for birds in and around the area. Once you have found where a population of birds is spending time, you should take note of any fields that these birds are feeding in and this will follow other parts of scouting like hunting areas to strutting areas and roosting sites. Scouting is not over yet. By obtaining permission to hunt the areas by the local landowners it is time to walk the areas and find a little more detail Scouting inside the woods is one more step in understanding what the birds you hunt maybe doing. Looking for Tracks, strut marks on the ground, dustings, feathers, scat, scratches and water locations in the woods can all tell you different things that the birds in the area are doing. This type of sign will tell you hens from gobblers, where turkeys are frequenting and where they spend time in the woods you are going to hunt. Another thing that your scouting trip is going to tell you is, how the lay of the land is. Roads, trails, ridges, creeks, swamps, died falls all play a role in a turkey hunt. These type of obstructions can stop an in coming gobbler from making it to your setup and makes the game a little more clear to you at the time of the hunt. It can also help with deciding where to setup if you hear gobbling birds. You will notice more sign in scratches in the woods in some places over others. This will tell you travel routes the birds like to use. These type of routes most often are used on normal bases and can become a get place to setup for birds heading to feed, to birds that maybe coming back to roost in afternoon hunts if your place allows all day hunting. Fields or clearings are another place that a hunter could find sign. Tracks and strutting marks in the dirt, dusting areas can all tell you that the birds in the area are using these such clearing on a normal bases. This is another place that a turkey hunter can setup and call birds that maybe coming to feed or strut for hens. Understanding the terrain is another part of scouting. By walking field edges and not in the middle of them, and using such terrain layout to your advantage it will help the success in your hunt. With taking the time to study the land terrain layout, you will see the places that you should travel in and out of your setup locations. This is something I notice a lot of turkey hunters tend to ignore or miss understand about being able to come and go or move on a traveling flock without being spotted by the birds. By traveling and using the terrain layout for cover can help hide your presents and keep you close to cover if it is needed. Land study will also help the hunter understand where turkeys like to spend most of their free time. Understanding the terrain you plan on hunting is important. The higher elevation is where turkeys like to travel. These places are where a turkey can see and hear the best. If they needed they can take to the air in a fast mode to get away. So some of us turkey hunters will call this their safe zone. Most times Roosting takes place off of these such areas, because the bird can fly high up and when they come down from the roost they can fly into the side of a hill to stop the landing and keep their balance. Wood roads or logging trails, are another place the hunter should know about, as turkeys will travel these as well. These routes make for fast take offs if needed for danger and turkey use them all the time for strutting and travel routes. These places will make great setup areas for morning and afternoon hunts as well. By understanding what your hunting areas have to offer, you will gain the woodsman ship you need to have and will be able to moves towards setup locations with out being spotted by the birds in your hunting area and as well understand what is happening in a hunt that you can not see but can hear a gobbler at the time of calling and working the bird on your hunt. When you scout your areas, leave your calls at home. This is a big must! Most hunters can't help themselves from calling to the birds they intend to hunt and only add pressure to the birds before the season. If a call is a must on a scouting trip, locators are a better choice. Tracks and strut marks, dusting areas and all the other type of sign will tell you the turkeys are in the area and you don't need to make these birds any smarter then they all ready are. Hope this helps you with the scouting skills you need to know, Adrian J Hare

Re: ontario turkeys I've hunted bird in Ontario since back in /89 and the population has gained well. The winters are still and can be still a problem along with the predators that prey on them. It would be nice to see the MNR start a fall hunt to control the hen population in the next couple years , it would help with the traveling in the fall to get a good Fall hunt in. I'm seeing more and more Americans coming up to hunt in the spring and for the price with a 2 bird limit , it is well worth it for them...BT

Re: Hey ! whats going on in here ? Good to hear from you bud. Florida is a go as I work there now in the season , and I can see PA as I just bought a licence for next spring , other then that its time I need just to get away LOL . Hope things work out for ya ....BT

Re: Hey ! whats going on in here ? Thanks Guys, sure been a long time and glad to see you guys are holding the fort here. I'll be dropping by every now and then. Hope you all have a good successfull Fall , can't wait to here the stories...BT

Re: Merriams pics!! Great Photo's ...BT

Borch , Long time no talk buddy. Hows the realtree forum going ? Hope everyone had a successfull last spring. Mine was upside down , but managed to kill a few birds...BT