Well it has been an interesting start to my season.  The first bird was taken on the Kansas opener.  I heard two birds on the roost but they were off the property line and a good way away.  I decided to call to them anyway hoping they may venture over my way.  After about thirty minutes a bird fire off to my left only about 150 yards away.  I made a few soft clucks and purrs from my Lights Out Old Gobbler aluminum call and within two minutes he is standing at the edge of the powerline I was sitting on.  He strutted on the hill top for about a minute before he decided it was time to kick ole jake DSD's butt.  I shot him at twenty yards.  10" beard, 1-3/8" and ¾" Spurs (he broke one off....) he weighed a staggering 25.86 #'s!
(http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o621/mashbcg/DSC_0812_zpsacfd0c09.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/mashbcg/media/DSC_0812_zpsacfd0c09.jpg.html)
(http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o621/mashbcg/DSC_0811_zps80470f76.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/mashbcg/media/DSC_0811_zps80470f76.jpg.html)
(http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o621/mashbcg/DSC_0804_zps22127491.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/mashbcg/media/DSC_0804_zps22127491.jpg.html)
(http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o621/mashbcg/DSC_0785_zpsd604609f.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/mashbcg/media/DSC_0785_zpsd604609f.jpg.html)
This past weekend I and Jacob (jake on here) went up to NW Nebraska to hunt Merriams.   It snowed from Omaha until we got there.  Friday started out with a blank so we moved to a different spot Saturday morning and had numerous birds hammering on the roost.  Once they flew down we made a move on them and I was able to take a nice Merriam.   The only problem was that I shot him a 15 yards and the shot carried him off about a 75 foot drop off in the woods.  He messed his fan up pretty good on the way down.
(http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o621/mashbcg/DSC_0985_zpsfeaa8592.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/mashbcg/media/DSC_0985_zpsfeaa8592.jpg.html)
On Sunday Jacob got a nice bird right off the roost.
(http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o621/mashbcg/DSC_1044_zpsfe2e5f0e.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/mashbcg/media/DSC_1044_zpsfe2e5f0e.jpg.html)
(http://i1151.photobucket.com/albums/o621/mashbcg/DSC_1048_zpsdb909f93.jpg) (http://s1151.photobucket.com/user/mashbcg/media/DSC_1048_zpsdb909f93.jpg.html)
			
			
			
				Awesome, Great start.  Love the white coloration on the tail feathers on your buddy's Merriam's.  Great job.  
			
			
			
				Congrats! :icon_thumright:
			
			
			
				way to go :icon_thumright:
			
			
			
				Congrats on some great looking birds.....
			
			
			
				Nice Birds  :icon_thumright:
			
			
			
				Nice birds, congrats!
			
			
			
				Thanks guys, I just got the invite to go back to Nebraska this weekend so I have two more tags to fill! :icon_thumright:
			
			
			
				Go get'em
Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk 2
			
			
			
				Nice!
			
			
			
				Congrats!!
			
			
			
				:you_rock:
Very nice going,congrats!!
			
			
			
				4 long beards hit the dirt yesterday from three of us.  Will post pictures once I get back from Nebraska!  :newmascot: