Just came back from the Black Hills, and my wife and I both killed birds. Got hers the first day, called in next morning after roosting it the night before, then couldn't get any to talk for about 36 hours, although I saw plenty where I couldn't hunt. Finally, after a night of rain, I killed a soggy gobbler on the Bear Lodge. Saw very few hens, two and three gobblers with one or two hens, so it appeared there had been lots of hens going off to lay and nest since the beginning of the season. Understandable since it was so warm so early.
Two days in a row of no gobbling after they hit the ground. Saw lone gobblers way up on Warren Peak, which is unheard of this time of year, usually due to deeep snow, so they were scattered.
Lots of walking, since damned near every side road in the Black Hills is closed to those who don't run a 4 wheeler around the closed road signs.
I also got two in NE and one in SD. They were very talkative in those states early, and everyone must have read the weather forecast, since I only saw two other vehicles in four days.
The deer that are supposed to be down in number in the Hills were everywhere, with little or no loss of last year's fawns.
