Got one, going for 2 in the morning

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Well I have some points for the team.  My smallest bird ever but its something.

20#
8.5" beard
3/4"spurs

[Duke0002]

Congrats on the very nice bird.  Good luck on another, and be safe!

[canadatom]

congrats on the bird, good luck snaring another

[DMP]

Congrats and good luck with #2.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

No go on #2.  And that about raps up my season.

I can't complain.  I have had many chances and many good times.  This year the birds were call shy like nothing I have ever seen.  And many seasoned local hunters  struck out this year. 

Today I bellied crawled 300yds through a flat hay field to get within 40yds. As I stood the bird layed out flat to the ground.  When I flushed the bird I was unable to determine the sex before it had left shooting range.  While NOT a way I prefer to hunt, I adapted to the situation and had a blast doing it.   After that comedy show I set up on another.  And after the tom played with 3 hens for an hr he decided the lonely hen speaking lovely sweet things on the hill was to much to resist.   He came and came and when I wanted to shoot he proceeded to keep coming.  OF course directly lined up with a tree.  He came and came and at 5 yds steeped to the side of the tree.  And yours truly snuffed the shot.  Not 1 time but another and another.  All shots within 15yds.  well an hr of blood trailing and many hundreds of yards later no tom was found.  An easy blood trail until it got to some spray and it quit.  I am thinking he might have finally taken flight.  I feel thats the reason for the spray?

But anyways 1 tom killed, another tom hit.  I consider my tags filled and season over.  Worse part was the second tom was a BIGGUN.

[BowBendr]

Congrats on the tom you bagged, and I hate to hear you couldn't locate the other......
Those 5 yd shots are really tough to pull off, maybe he'll make it and good job on trailing him out until you were sure he couldn't be found. Speaks volumes in my book.

Congrats on your season. 

[MDbowman]

Congrats on #1, looking forward to seeing the pictures!!

Good follow-up on the second, tough luck.

[Duke0002]

Kudos on the decision to fill your 2nd tag on the injured bird.  Certainly an ethical thing to do.  Congrats for setting a fine example.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

Seemed the only choice.  With the ease of the blood trail I could hardly believe it kept going.  I have a gut feeling he is now dead somewhere.  After the blood spray area a buddy and I made a grid search of the area in the direction of travel but no further sign or bird was found.  

First time blood trailing a bird but it goes along the same lines as deer except you have the added dimension of flight.

And 5yds I can't believe it, I always wondered about you guys putting red dots, scopes, rifle sights on your guns.  I have a good choke and a nice pattern.  But I now see the reason for the sights when your at ranges where your pattern is little more then a golf ball.   But still no excuse my second bird ever missed. At least the first I had an excuse that the tree jumped in front of him.

[DMP]

You got to hate those jumping trees.