It took a bit of patience but I got my first bird of the season today. I've come extremely close on a couple of occasions, particularly yesterday when I called one to within about 20 yards, but the brush was too thick for a clean shot. But today another one came in. From the morning's roost I heard several but none would come my way when they first flew down. I suppose they had business with other hens. I stayed put on a little ridge above a swamp bottom and creek and continued to randomly call, just to let the gobblers know I was still there. About 45 minutes later I heard a gobbler down in the wet bottom gobbling and looking for me. I called to him a few times until he about shook me out of my boots with a thunderous roar no more than 20 yards away. Still, however, I was unable to see him. I waited quietly thinking surely he would move and let me see him strutting by. Several minutes passed and I still saw nothing so I called to him again and got an instant and powerful response from that same nearby spot where he was before. But this time I finally saw him moving slowly from my left to my right and I popped him with a 3 1/2" #5 shot as soon as I could.
He was a good gobbler but his beard was only 8" while his spurs were 1". His next stop will be on my grill one day this week!