Early bird catches the worm

[longspur]

Looks like I may have been the first to score. Done at 6:35 this morning. Good heavy bird, 25 pounds, 14/16, 15/16 spurs and 10" beard. Good two year old bird. This morning was incredibley windy and I was very leary about hearing anything. However, as luck was had, a bird greated me as soon as I stepped out of my truck. I laughed and thought, thats a way to start off the season! The bird was across the street on property I do not have permisson to hunt. This amped up my spirits as I headed to the woods to settle in the hot seat for the morning. Birds were also greeting me in there. I knew birds were likely to roost in this spot. As daylight started to break the birds seemed quite anxious to meet up with there ladies. I had birds gobbling from all sides, but the bird behind me was on a mission to find me. I re-positioned and told him I loved him with a good seductive series of yelps and cutts. He was all over that. He came in fast at that point, and not long after I squeezed the trigger and put another notch in the box call that helped seal the deal. 6:35 I was off to a steller season for 09. I hope everyone else had similar results, or at least had a good morning. -Kevin

[Everyday Hunter]

ORIGINAL: longspur

Looks like I may have been the first to score. Done at 6:35 this morning. Good heavy bird, 25 pounds, 14/16, 15/16 spurs and 10" beard. Good two year old bird. This morning was incredibley windy and I was very leary about hearing anything.... I re-positioned and told him I loved him with a good seductive series of yelps and cutts.... -Kevin

Kevin, let me be the first to congratulate you! That is a VERY good two-year old bird. And you've proven that a hunter can succeed in the wind. Sometimes all that they want is to be told that you love them.

Now, get back there and tag out for the season.

Steve

[reeper0697]

Kevin,
 
congrats! thats an awesome bird.

[longspur]

I guess that would be early bird "caught" the worm, or better yet, early worm caught the bird ha. Thanks guys. and I suppose 14/16" is really 7/8" ha.

[mark hay]

good job LONGSPUR !   ,,,,   CONGRATULATIONS!

[NYSuperSportsman]

I guess that would prolly make me 2nd to score. I shot mine at 7:10. I heard alot of gobbling and saw 3 different birds. It was a great morning. I had 2 jakes answer my calls and come right in to 20 yards at 7:10. I was happy to drop the hammer on the lead bird and got the season started with a bang! Great hunt!! I was also greeted by a very nice PA game warden after the shot. Our land borders the PA/NY line so game wardens tend to travel through ever now and again. Here is a pic. Good luck to everyone else. And great bird longspur!!

[Everyday Hunter]

Congrats, NY! One down, one to go.

I think I have that exact same call. And I probably know that game warden. Yes, he's a good one.

Steve

[stormshooter4]

Longspur, I wasn't too far behind you. 6:55am to be exact. I was in my spot and situated by 5:15, sat thru a couple small rain showers, plus the wind/breeze. The nite before I had drove up the road and made sure the birds were roosted. They are roosting approx 15-20 yards off the road in a  ravine. Which means one big circle so they're not bumped going in. Anyways, I came in from the top and set up around 75 yards away. The day started off slow. No gobbling whatsoever. At 6:15 a hen wandered by at 40 yards out with a destination in mind. Mostly doing blind calling cause it was quiet out there. Around 7 I was on the box call and all of a sudden a gobble came to my left about 50 yards or so away. I yelped again and it answered back. Gave it another shot and found they were closing the gap. Repositioned myself to the left and grabbed my old Butski plunger call. A couple yelps on that and I saw 2 blue heads and one fan. Shut right up and let them come into the wood line searching for me. When they come in I had to pick an opening and took one of them. 21 yards away. 21 lbs, 10" beard, 1" spurs.
  Too bad the wife wasn't with me, she could of had the other one for her 1st bird.

[grizzly]

congrats to both n.y.s.s and longspur on first dy success

[reeper0697]

very nice boys!!
 
I had 4 jakes come in today, nothing worth pulling the trigger for though. Exciting none the less, they were about 10 yards away at one time. Beautiful birds.