First bird 2012

[knuckledragger]

The pic is my first bird of this year.  I got skunked opening weekend here in NC.  One bird wouldnt come in closer than 50 m, never saw him in the brush.  I went back Sat AM for payback but he was silent around sunup, but another bird was losing his mind about 400 m away.  Since I knew I was the only one on the property,  I eventually moved on him instead.  He was with hens so I settled in for a long morning of "reminding him" I was still there when he was done with the real hens.  As he gobbled, the bird in the pic started gobbling where I had set up first:Banghead:.  The good thing is everytime he gobbled he got closer.  While he was getting the henned up bird all goofy, that bird wasnt leaving his hens.  The 2d bird gobbled from behind me real close, so I carefully spun around the tree I was leaning against.  As soon as I settled in he popped out of the brush at 10m in full strut.  I clucked once and he put his head up.  The old reliable 12 ga Mossberg did it from there with #6 shot.  Stats: 15 lb, 9,25 in beard and .75 in spurs.  I think he was a 2 y/o.  Turned him into nuggets, very tasty.  Heading up to MI to call for a young hunter this weekend, I drew for next week's hunt but can only hunt Mon and Tues AM before I need to swoop back to NC for work.  KD

[gitano]

Yee HAA!!

Congratulations!

Paul

[Hunterbug]

Yea for turkey dinner!

[buckshot roberts]

Congrats on your tom, I can't get them to come in closer here, been working on one  this season, by the time season opened they were just
about done with the hen's, If I can't call this old tom in on monday,tuseday I'll just ambush him...........good luck on the next one..Ron

[davidlt89]

excellent knuckldragger!!!!!! we can always count on you for a picture of a bird!!!! God Bless.

[knuckledragger]

Thx guys.  The MI hunt fell thru at the last minute.  Turned out my host went in for minor surgery and would be recovering at home for the weekend.  He didnt want any company, dont blame him.  I wouldnt want me around either in his situation.  Hopefully I get drawn again next year.
 
This AM I went out locally to an area that was very active before the season (Ive never been disappointed there before).  It has not received much pressure so far but was quiet as a graveyard in there.  I am really wondering if the early spring (everything is leafed out here in E NC) hasnt caused breeding season to slide left.  They already sched the hunting season to start at the theoretical halfway point in the breeding season to ensure the hens get bred and reduce the risk of hen loss due to "mistaken identity".  I agree with that but wonder if things werent as synch'd up as usual.  
 
Given all the things I let slip in the pre season so I could scout, this may be my last weekend in the woods, have to start acting like a grown up with responsibilities for a while...I guess:o.  
 
Semper FI, KD

[CallMaker]

That's a great bird. Well done. Good Sunday dinner there.