Mike Raykovicz, Author at Outdoor News

Here’s how to tag that last-minute gobbler before season’s end

Featured, Features, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, New York / Mike Raykovicz

A friend of mine once remarked, “After killing a wild turkey, don’t you feel like you’re the smartest guy you know?”
I knew what he meant and I’ve often felt that way when whatever call or strategy I used resulted in a dead bird. However, when it comes to spring turkey hunting there is no right or wrong way to go about it because each bird and each hunt is different. Early May and late May often require different strategies but, late May can be more vexing.

Here’s how to tag that last-minute gobbler before season’s end Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: A few thoughts on taking advantage of New York’s turkey season

Blogs, Hunting, New York, Opinion / Mike Raykovicz

New York’s spring turkey season is here and across the state, tens of thousands of hunters are in the woods. No doubt some, out of necessity or just plain laziness, will have done little or no pre-season scouting. I get it.
Being hours away from your hunting camp or favorite turkey woods, coupled with work or family obligations, can put a damper on scouting activities, but I like to know there are turkeys in the areas I’m going to hunt before the season opens.

Mike Raykovicz: A few thoughts on taking advantage of New York’s turkey season Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: Know the difference between ‘magnum’ and ‘chilled’ lead shot

Blogs, Featured, Hunting, New York, Opinion / Mike Raykovicz

I’ve reloaded all of my rifle ammunition for more than 60 years and I like to say I’ve never bought a box of factory loaded ammunition in my life. Except for my commercially sourced turkey loads, all the shots I take at clay targets, either skeet, trap or, occasionally five-stand, have been reloaded on my bench as well.

Mike Raykovicz: Know the difference between ‘magnum’ and ‘chilled’ lead shot Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: Troubled hellbender tells us plenty about the waters it calls home

Blogs, Featured, Nature Page & Night Sky, New York, Opinion / Mike Raykovicz

My introduction to the eastern hellbender or mudpuppy came at an early age.
I was about 14 years old when I first held one in my hand and it scared me half to death. As kids, we frequently fished the Susquehanna River for smallmouth bass and never used an artificial lure. We waded the river in a pair of cut-off jeans and wore an old pair of sneakers.

Mike Raykovicz: Troubled hellbender tells us plenty about the waters it calls home Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: At long last, a bobcat caught on camera near New York/Pennsylvania border

Blogs, Featured, Hunting, Hunting, Nature Page & Night Sky, New York, Opinion, Opinion, Pennsylvania / Mike Raykovicz

When I moved to New York’s Southern Tier back in 1969, man had yet to land on the moon, turkeys were a rarity, and no one that I knew ever encountered a bear, much less a coyote. But, during the ensuing years all that changed.
Turkeys are hunted across the state and I hear coyotes howling just about every night as I’m leaving the woods during archery season. Bear sightings are fairly common, and we even had a mother with three cubs walk down the middle of our street a short while ago.
There is however one animal I’ve never seen, and that’s a bobcat.

Mike Raykovicz: At long last, a bobcat caught on camera near New York/Pennsylvania border Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: How much is too much when it comes to the cost of archery equipment?

Blogs, Featured, Hunting, National Hunting, New York, Opinion / Mike Raykovicz

I don’t know about you, but 20 bucks for certain things is still a lot of money to me.
Twenty dollars for a pizza or a couple of Big Macs just turns my head. I know everything is relative and, even though it was years ago, I can still remember the reaction of my parents when my wife and I took them out to dinner. The bill came to 38 dollars for the four of us and I thought my father would fall out of his chair. He was astounded at the high price.
Now, as the saying goes, the shoe is on the other foot, but it’s not the dinner bill that amazes me.

Mike Raykovicz: How much is too much when it comes to the cost of archery equipment? Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: Care for trail cams to prolong their life

Blogs, Hunting, New York, Opinion / Mike Raykovicz

I thought I was done. My hunting clothes were cleaned, and my rifle was given a thorough scrubbing, but there was one thing I neglected to do. I realized I forgot to properly care for the six trail cameras I own.
Like just about every other hunter I know, I rely on my trail cameras to alert me to the deer that call the property I hunt home and I look forward to checking their SD cards regularly. Just like my other hunting equipment, my trail cameras require some regular care and maintenance to keep them functioning for another season.

Mike Raykovicz: Care for trail cams to prolong their life Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: Looking into the push to kill barred owls to protect spotted owls in Oregon

Blogs, Nature Page & Night Sky, New York, Opinion / Mike Raykovicz

As a turkey hunter, I never get tired of hearing the early morning hoot of a barred owl. It’s even more fun when two or more of them hoot to each other. The “who– who–who-cooks-for-you” call is as familiar to hunters as a wild turkey gobble.
Owls are a protected species almost everywhere but, believe it or not, last August the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service came up with a plan to kill up to 450,000 barred owls over a period of 30 years in the state of Oregon. Why, I wondered, would anyone want to do such a thing?

Mike Raykovicz: Looking into the push to kill barred owls to protect spotted owls in Oregon Read More »

Mike Raykovicz: How to pick the right hunting boot

Blogs, Featured, Hunting, New York, Opinion / Mike Raykovicz

Every hunter needs a good pair of hunting boots but to have happy feet they must have certain features and they can’t fail to keep feet dry. Mine did.
I have several types of hunting boots, but most of the time I turn to ones with the knee-high rubber bottom and neoprene tops. I like them because of their versatility. Ultimately, after years of service, mine developed a leak and I wasn’t happy. I’m not the type to put things off, so they had to be replaced before spring turkey season began. Now was the time to do it.

Mike Raykovicz: How to pick the right hunting boot Read More »

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Mike Raykovicz

Here’s how to tag that last-minute gobbler before season’s end

Mike Raykovicz: A few thoughts on taking advantage of New York’s turkey season

Mike Raykovicz: Know the difference between ‘magnum’ and ‘chilled’ lead shot

Mike Raykovicz: Troubled hellbender tells us plenty about the waters it calls home

Mike Raykovicz: At long last, a bobcat caught on camera near New York/Pennsylvania border

Mike Raykovicz: How much is too much when it comes to the cost of archery equipment?

Mike Raykovicz: Care for trail cams to prolong their life

Mike Raykovicz: Looking into the push to kill barred owls to protect spotted owls in Oregon

Mike Raykovicz: How to pick the right hunting boot

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