It's turkey time!!!

O.K., I have my hunting license..... I found the gun and my boots. I've been scouting for birds and this is what I saw one morning out of the west dining room windows..... we've been seeing a few more birds each year and one bunch has had nine hens and one gobbler.



Now they are on the east side of the house and the gobbler doesn't seem to eat, he just stands around looking cool....



Here he is in one of those moments when he is not all puffed up. Be sure to click these photos to get a larger view.



One morning we were treated to a fresh batch of snow and the birds showed up just the same. He looked pretty neat out in the snow, with the flakes drifting by...
I arranged to be off work this coming Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, as I have a permit for the first season which ends on next Sunday. I am hoping for a bird on the first day so I can goof off for the remaing time I have off.



I caught him in mid-gobble in this photo. It is a neat sound and especially when you're close to them. At night you can do a fake owl hoot noise and they will answer from wherever they are perched. You can then plan on where to set up the next morning. It even works sometimes...



One year a friend of mine got a bird and he let me pretend to be the hunter and get my picture taken. What a pal. These birds a big, wary and not too bright--maybe I have a chance at it.

We visited Peg's brother's house for Easter dinner. Lot's of people I see once a year, and it's always an enjoyable time. The guys usually do the first clay pigeon shoot of the year following dinner. This year I decided to actually shoot at this event, even though I have not shot clay birds for decades. It went O.K., I burned up about 125 cartridges, got a sore shoulder and had a really good time.

So wish me luck later in the week and I'll keep you up-to-date on the turkey hunt.

I gotta go, Carlo