First Time

[Will]

Do you guys remember your first time Turkey Hunting? I do like it was yesterday. My hunting career started when I was in Junior High shooting squirrels and the occasional grouse in Western Maryland. I had reached a point in my dads eyes that I could deer hunt if I drew for a special 2 day doe season. On the heels of that he explained I was going on my first fall turkey hunt since I showed good safety skills. When asked about the details he snickered and said, "you'll be by yourself but not far because god forbid one head pops up over that hill there's gonna be some shooting". This was a big hunt for me not only because I was by myself but had never even thought about ever hunting Turkeys. I was to prove I could be good on my own so that I could get a crack at that deer thing. The November morning came along with a downpour of rain with no turkeys seen or heard. I was one if five among Uncles and my Father and began to wonder was it worth it. This turkey thing seems to hard. A short time later we ventured to the "bottom" along 15 mile creek road where my group has had previous kills. Not knowing a thing about what to expect I find a nice log with a " front porch view" of the hillside. I'll never forget this sound, wwwoooowwp.........wwwoooowwp....and so on. Little did I know I was hearing a gobbler as he walked down the hill in front of me. Focusing on what I believe is a dog barking I'm intensely looking for an old grouse hunter and his dog when I finally locked eyes on old long beard. At forty yards I aimed my dads old Stevens 511 side by side and with barrell swaying I threw a shot of 4x6's. of course I missed and to my surprise I had two hens not 10 yards below me now taking flight above my head. I'm sure your going to wonder about that second shot......well I was so mesmerized by the sight of those hens in just stood there.
From that day on I became a fanatic and began my pursuit of the Wild Turkey. To this day the Turkey is by far my favorite quarry to pursue....

[jmck]

What a memory ya shared with us . Love the story and I am sure it's entrenched into your memory in a special place.
Your story takes me back also to my first hunt ever 34 years ago in middle Alabama. What times we bob shared- there's nothing to compare to turkey hunting is there... Thanks for sharing your special story with us

[TRKYHTR]

I remember the first day I ever went to the woods after the elusive wild turkey. I had never even seen a wild turkey before. I had read a few articles and had talked to a few people that had seen 1. That first day was in March of 1983. I took my cousin with me who was 4 years younger. As we drove to an area that had been known to have a turkey it was getting daylight and I didn't know any better than to be there way before light. I spotted a flock of turkeys flying out of their roost. We pulled over and snuck around so we could get close enough to call. I remember using a box call I had bought and a turkey answered my first sorry attempt at a yelp. He gobbled a few more times that got us really excited. I crawled into the thickest bush I could find because I heard they had good eyesight. Then I heard my cousin say SHOOT HIM. I had no idea what he was talking about because I couldn't even see a turkey much less try to shoot one. That gobbler snuck off never to be seen again. It wasn't until 2 years later that I called in my first turkey. Those were the days.

TRKYHTR

[ferocious calls]

There was a fresh snow and we tracked birds for a few hours until we spotted them. My group started a bee line for the other side of them and got what they said was a good break. I could not figure out why they scared them all away when we just followed them half the morning!!

I did not take long before the first young started to kee and then the hens and even 2 gobbles. Five hunters and four birds taken that day. I was the youngest and back then we waited till last for our turn. No bird but a burning desire was made that snowy day to be certain. I can still remember smelling turkey for the first time that day.

[mspaci]

1987, my father in law invited me to his friends house near hunter mt in the catskills. He owned a small airport there & we slept over in the hanger. He was new to turkey hunting as well. We had a close call with a big tom that seemed to come in from the next mt. He was really out there but came a long way & we didnt get a shot. Later we called in 2 jakes & got a double. I have been hooked ever since that day.  Mike

[Spring Dragon]

yeah, it was like '86 or '87.  My uncle called in a monster gobbler for me.  I was using his old double barrel over-under.  The bird stepped out 8 yards in front of me.  I freaked out and lost all composure.  Instead of switching off the safety to shoot, I slid the action break over and the gun popped open and the shells ejected into my lap....LOL!  My uncle unfortunately was a drunk and yelled at me after the turkey flew away.  He told me I was dumb, as a box of rocks.  Pretty harsh on me.  He used to brag all the time about how he was the great turkey hunter and blah, blah, blah.  I said to myself that day, "to heck with him" and vowed to learn the art of calling and to become a better turkey hunter than he(my uncle) ever was.  And so....I did just that.  That one bad memory fueled and paved the way for thousands of good ones.

Weird looking back now.  See, my father was not an avid hunter and especially never hunted turkey or did archery, just gun hunted deer and small game.  I always had an interest for it and the only man I knew who did all that was my drunken uncle so I would always try to get him to teach me as a very young boy.  One day, I was 12,  he even told me  that I would never learn as much or be as good at archery hunting whitetails as him and that he'd forgotten more than I'll ever learn.  I remember it like yesterday.  Well, you guessed it, I set out to show him.  All self taught and to this day I have 14 P&Y whitetails all taken on public land to my credit and various other accomplishments and many a dead turkey to my credit.  Last I heard he never killed a good buck in his life, not ever and his brother tells me he has only taken maybe a dozen gobblers in his career.  Sadly and last I heard he was a drunk living homeless out of his car.  Go figure.---Jason

[firedup]

Interesting post....got the ole gray matter to flashing back into the dim past........1968 I think?  My dad took my brother (younger) and I on a fall turkey hunt to the mountains of WV (near Sherwood Lake for any of you familar with the area) with someone he worked with.  We stayed at this cool handmade log cabin.  The old gentlemans name was Mr. Cottle. That is all I remember.  He gave me an old slate call with a corn cob striker and a handmade wingbone call.  Man, I have wished a 100 times I had kept track of those. Anyway, my brother was too small for a gun and I just barely made the cut. I was 13 I think. I had my first gun, a model 37 single shot 12 ga. We walked around thru some beautiful fall woods.  Had no clue what we were doing. Shot a few squackers. Had a great day.  I can't remember that we tried the calls but probably did.  I do remember the next part like it was yesterday, we were walking an old timber road and rounded a little point and BAM! awfullest bunch of noise and big black birds going everywhere.  Scarred the living  out of us and of course and we never came close to getting off a shot. But that was the first turkey hunt.  I figure old Mr. Cottle has gone on to the hereafter where turkey season is in all the time.....I would love to have the opportunity over again to just set and talk to someone like him.  Been pretty much down hill ever since.....

[callmakerman]

My first turkey hunt was back around 81 or 82 with my boss at the time. I started hunting squuirrels at 15 and loved it with a few deer hunts thrown in as I got older. One day my boss who was only a few years older asked me to go turkey hunting. I told him no way as May was the time the big brown trout were hitting and in the spring I fished a ton for trout. He kept at me and I finally gave in and went with him. We worked a bird but never saw it and I got eatin alive by the sqeeters while sitting stone still waiting for that bird to come in. He talked me into going again the next week and we had a great hunt with me taking a jake when it was said and done and he told me that now I was on my own. The following year I busted my Butt working a bird on state land most of the season when on the 22nd of May I shot a great bird and was hooked for life. I can't get enough of this sport of turkey hunting and between hunting and call making I have been blessed meeting some great people and friends. Thanx Jim Miller for taking me turkey hunting.