Early Bird

[Foggy Mountain]

The season started out rough. I looked for months and the population seemed way down. 
Youth day I had a total of 9 gobblers around. All but 2 jakes. My hunter killed a longbeard. 
Monday NJ opened. I’d watched some birds Sun night. Saw about where they roosted. Monday morning it was way too bright. I get to my area at 3 and I only moved when clouds covered moon but the light made me cautious. I stopped short of where I wanted. Saw a longbeard at 60 yards with others about as close but not closer. Yesterday I tried the opposite side of farm. Shot an ok longbeard at 4 yards. Was filming a hen, gobblers talking all around me. Bout 9 I closed the camera and figured it might be over action wise. I looked to side. Of blind and the window was nothing but feathers. Don’t know how I never heard them. I reached for camera, gun in hand when one bird looked square at me. I figured he had to see me so I put the scope at neck base and tapped. Bird went down but I didn’t compensate for close range aiming higher.  Busted up beard. Anyhow 3 hunts, 2 dead birds, one close call.