My First Bird

[trybowfishin]

Started off Sunday morning at 6:30am, I hear him gobbling on the roost about 100 yards from me across a gully. After he fly's down, he continues to gobble about every 5 minutes, but I can tell he is going back and forth, he gets louder, then quieter, then louder. Silence falls around 7:45am and I never see him. I decided to call it a day at 9:45 after not hearing anything else, and return in the evening to try and catch him going to roost. I get out there real early, around 4:30pm and setup for a long sit. It was pretty windy, so any time the wind would stop howling, I would send out a couple of purrs and clucks off my slate. Buddy of mine text me at 6pm telling me he was calling it a day, but I decided to stick it out until dark. Just before 7pm I hear two loud steps in the leaves, and look across the gully about 50 yards and I see the bird that had me so excited earlier that morning, turns out he was a Jake. I don't feel comfortable with a shot that long, especially with all the limbs and stuff blocking the shot, so we have a Mexican standoff for what seems like an hour. Hear my phone vibrate about halfway through the standoff, and then the turkey does something crazy, he starts slowly making his way down the gully towards me, not sure if he was trying to find where the purring from earlier was coming from or if he used my side of the gully to fly up to roost... I didn't have a decoy out either, so no eye candy for the young gentleman. Once he steps behind a small tree, I get my shotgun up on my shoulder and get ready to pop him once he steps out. Another 5 minutes later, about 25 yards away and boom, lights out! I run down a 75 degree hill managing to stay on my feet and jump on his head as he flops. Get back up to my cell and see it was my buddy who left at 6 asking if I roosted any birds, I text him back, first bird is down!!! Turns out my buddy text me at 7:15 and I sent him a text back at just after 7:30, so the bird and I had a good half hour starring contest.

18lbs, 3.5 inch beard, 3/8th inch nubs for spurs

I know some people will be hurt that I killed a Jake, I am sorry if that bothers you, but I am super excited since it is my first turkey, hopefully many more to follow! From now on though I only plan on taking Tom's if that makes you feel any better.

I killed it so I cleaned it last night as well. Youtube and you guys here on the forum helped with that, but there is one more question I have for you. How in the world do you get the now dead bird to have his wings spread in the pictures, and show off his tail at the same time? I gave up after about 15 minutes of trying... Tips would be much appreciated!

Thanks for all the help you all have been, directly and indirectly. This website and one other have been a true blessing! The addiction has begun, now I hope I can get my wife on board every year to let me continue to go!

[Gooserbat]

Congrats

[boomer]

Congrats!!!

[ElkTurkMan]

Congrats on your first.

[hookedspur]

Congrats on the first of many

[Longshot]

Nothing wrong with that bird! Congrats on your first!

[alloutdoors]

Congrats!

[Wrangler95]

Very nice going,congrats!!

[jaybird]

Congrats, and good luck with the rest of your season!

[jakesdad]

Congrats!!!...........and don't worry about what other people think!

[Heller]

Congrats

[Muzzy61]

Congrats on a nice bird. You may kill bigger ones in the future, but none will mean more than your first.

[The Cohutta Strutter]

Congrats and that will be a hunt you will always remember!

[DirtNap647]

way to go !!!   

[870FaceLift]

Hooked for life now!