I have hunted my behind off all year, and the only two shots I fired, until today, were both on opening day. As bad as I hate to fess up, yes I missed TWO on the opener.

You'd think with 2.5 weeks of vacation one could kill a bird. Well, it didn't happen, until today. I saw three birds yesterday evening at 7:15 and knew they wouldn't go far. I knew the ridge they usually roosted on when they left the field. I set out my trusty hen decoy before daylight this morning and did a flydown.....nothing. Yelped a while, nothing. I picked up my junk and commenced to walking about 2 miles round trip, looking for a bird.....nothing. I came home at 9:30 and fixed myself a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwhich. By 10 am I was headed back out. I went to the same field I saw the three birds on yesterday evening and decided to wait it out. I didn't wait but an hour, and by 11:15 I downed my first bird of the year, with the new Heavy Shot Magnum Blends at 46 yards. They ate his lunch. I'm thrilled with their performance out of my gun. They hold tight real well.

No pics yet, but he had 7/8" spur on right, 15/16" on left, 9.5" beard, and didn't weigh him.

Here's where the redemption comes in...........I'm pretty certain he's one of the birds that either I or my dad missed or knocked down. He had several swollen knots on that old head that had healed up.....and they contained shot. It's been a great Good Friday!