My last blog was about spring turkey season and how I would be getting out and doing some hunting.  Well, 1 1/2 hours into my first hunt of 2008 I had my first bird.  It was a nice 2 or 3 year old Tom weighing 23lbs with a 10 1/2 " beard and 3/4" spurs.  This year when you buy a turkey tag you can buy your tags separately.  When I went to get my tags I decided to only buy one to start because I said "it's hard enough to get one."  I wish now that I had bought that second tag because at 7:40am Monday morning I had two nice toms in my decoys and could have done a classic double.  O well, now I get to hunt some more and my season isn't over. 

Here is a play by play of how the hunt went down.  I was in my spot and all set up at 6:15 when the first gobble of the morning broke the silence.  I had at least 4 or 5 different birds gobbling but they were not gobbling all that impressively.  I expected that being so early in the season and with the late spring we have this year.  Anyways, they gobbled until about 6:35 and then shut up.  I continued to do my calling sequence every 15 minutes.  About 7:00 I heard a gobble a little ways to my south.  I wasn't feeling real confident with my calling and couldn't seem to get in a good rhythm.  Next year I won't wait until my first hunt to play with my call for the first time that year.  Anyways, I called at 7:15 and then at 7:30 I finally got into a good rhythm with my calling and let out a long aggressive series of clucks and yelps....this worked.  A couple minute later I caught movement down the tree line and spotted 2 nice toms moving my direction.  They were not eating or doddling around, they were coming in looking for love.  They knew exactly where the call was and were looking directly at me.  Finally they spotted my decoys in the field and took a direct route to the hen decoys.  I was kicking myself for not having two tags with me and even had to wait for the birds to separate before pulling the trigger.  At 7:40 I had the bird I would take standing at 15 steps...game over.  I can't wait to get back out this week and hope to do a few hunts in Missouri too. 

For proof here are some pictures...the background looks like there is a lot more foliage than there is.  The woods are wide open right now and that is kinda nice. 

Feel free to post your stories about your hunts so far this spring and also post your photos on "Drew's Braggin' Wall" so I can show them on the air.  Good Luck!