Well the 2011 Maryland season has started off pretty well. Reports of lots of birds falling on our youth day last saturday brought high hopes for opening week.
Opening day started off slower than I had anticipated but with clear skies and no wind patience was the name of the game.
8:45 found me walking over to my first opening day Tom ever.
Weighing in at 22.5 lbs and sporting a 9" beard and solid 1" hooks, I was smiles from ear to ear!
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/wcampbell2/IMG_0353.jpg)
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/wcampbell2/2011-04-18_09-13-03_770.jpg)
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/wcampbell2/2011-04-18_08-48-24_713.jpg)
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/wcampbell2/IMG_1280.jpg)
Caught up on some well needed rest on Tuesday morning and was ready to get after them Wednesday morning.
With reports of birds using the field later in the morning, I was not surprised to only hear peepers and cardinals at first light.
Onto another farm.
Approaching the farm I spotted a great looking Tom with two hens in the far corner of the field. After what seemed like a mile hike to get around on the birds I was greeted with nothing but a pack of 10-12 beagles and some of the fastest running turkeys I have ever seen.
Off to other obligations (with high hopes of returning before noon).
Around 11:15 on my way past one of my other farms I decided to check for sign and maybe slip in on some loafing birds.
11:45 found me once again walking up to my second and final bird.
A better bird than Monday (easily a 4 year old), sporting a 10.5" beard, 1.25" spurs, and weighing in at 23.5 lbs. Not a bad way to start and end my 2011 Maryland season!
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/wcampbell2/2011-04-20_12-04-16_895.jpg)
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/wcampbell2/2011-04-20_12-04-44_379.jpg)
(http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx11/wcampbell2/TagoutkillFF1.jpg)
Top priority now is to get my girlfriend Jenna her first bird and to capture more birds dropping on film!
Congrats to all those who have killed birds this season (it was brutal sitting here reading and looking at all the pictures before our season opened up) but it was worth it in the end!
Thanks for looking!
~Wil
First Light Productions
Congrats on a great, albeit short, MD season. Monday will be my first time out at the earliest, but I'm optimistic. Good luck with getting your girl a bird! What part of the state are you hunting?
Congrats on a couple of great birds ! ! ! :z-guntootsmiley:
We're over here on Eastern Shore. Bird populations have been dynamite the past few seasons!
Congrats on the two nice gobblers... :you_rock:
:icon_thumright: Congrats!!
Nice :you_rock:
:anim_65:
Very nice gobbler,congrats!!!
Congrats!
Congrats!! :you_rock:
Congrats!
congrats :z-guntootsmiley:
I live on the other side of the Bay but hunt the lower Eastern Shore. I'll be over there Monday calling for a buddy. Hopefully we can get him a bird. Saw your post on MWC by the way.
Nice Bird Congrats :newmascot:
A couple of nice birds there. Congrats on a great but quick season.
Congrats!
That's quite an accomplishment. I've been hunting Maryland as my home state for 15 years and have yet to tag out. They're definitely active right now though if we could just get the weather to cooperate.