Bird down! Story added (Pics in registration thread up above)

[northms]

Just dropped a bird men. Pics and scoring to come soon. I'm on my phone now. Time to celebrate raiders.

Well I've been working hard to get one on the board even though I haven't been on the forum much.  Glad to get that first bird off my back and go after some big ones.  

I had some time to hunt this afternoon from about 12-4 and knew where some birds had been hanging out in the mid day time period.  They've been feeding in a little saddle in one of our pastures.  

Well I showed up and parked through the pasture gate.  As soon as I topped the hill I see a strutter about 400 yds away from me on a gravel road across the pasture.  This isn't 50 yds from the truck and I had a bird in sight.  Well I made a huge semi-circle and got behind him over a small rise.  I hit the glass friction call but the wind was a little too high for that to reach him.  I got out the hooks devastator and gave him some yelps and he gobbled back out in the pasture, over the rise.  Long story short he never gobbled again and I honestly have no idea where he wandered off to in the pasture.  But I know he didn't come my way lol.  I think he had some hens I couldn't see at first sight.

Well after that I decided to head on over to the saddle and rounded a corner and cautiously glassed the saddle.  No birds in sight but I was still wary to approach.  I set up and called while watching and sure enough after 5 minutes I see a long beard and a jake eating in the saddle.  They didn't want to have anything to do w/ me and I'm honestly not sure they could see my dekes.  About 200 yds away.  Well after they fed back down the saddle I thought they were probably going to feed away.

I made a quick move at this point down the fence line cutting the distance down to about 100 yds over a rise in the terrain w/ the pasture in my front w/ thick sage grass all around except about 50 yds in front of me.  I set up my b-mobile w/ the real fan, "Jonathan", and his mistress hen decoy about 15 yds in front of me.  I figured they were either very close over the rise or feeding off away from me.  I let out some purrs and clucks w/ the glass slate.  Followed that up with a soft yelp.  About 2 minutes later did one more soft yelp.

After sitting there for only about 3 more minutes and kind of zoning out thinking the jig was up, I saw a red head pop up about 60 yds from me over the rise through the sage.  I figured this was the jake but it turned out to be the long beard.  He came about 15 more yds and finally saw "Jonathan" and came trotting on in to about 20 yds.  He strutted for about 5 seconds in front of "Jonathan" and let down from strut.....BOOM!  The deed was done.  Shot him at 14 steps, up close and personal.  

[sugarray]

WOOO-HOOO.  Way to go Raiders.  Getting us started.

[Jay]

  We are on the Board   Good job

[northms]

I have a meeting at 6 but wanted to pass along measurements.  I will get the pics and such onto the right thread later tonight.  He is just a 2 yr old bird but he will get us started for sure.

Beard: 9"
Spurs: both 3/4"
Weight: 21 lbs 13 oz

[RaspyD]

The first of hopefully many for the Raiders!  Nice work northms!!

[socalturkeyman]

YES!! Thats what Im talking about !!! CONGRATS! 

[cuttinAR]

Heck yeah!!!!!! Nice start for sure! 

[CSAW]

Yeah baby!  Way to get it going!

[boomer]

Congrats!!!

[simpzenith]

Awesome! I love middle of the day hunts!

[TrackeySauresRex]

         WTG! Congrats..Now wer Rollin!

[Bigsho69]

Congrats