p&y finally
Senior Member
My first was a bearded hen in '87 and I had no idea it was even a hen until a few years later when I killed a gobbler. Thats when I realized this one dont look like the last one 
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Your First Bird
- Thread starter antnye
- Start date
My first was a bearded hen in '87 and I had no idea it was even a hen until a few years later when I killed a gobbler. Thats when I realized this one dont look like the last one
Timberman
Senior Member
Spring 1983 I was a freshman at Georgia. I'd been hunting turkey's a couple years with no luck. Me and a buddy found a place on the NF in Greene county that had some birds. This particular morning it was cold and no turkeys were gobbling. I called on and off for a while and this one showed up silent to meet his fate. He broke the ice and after that I got good at it. 
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deast1988
Senior Member
I had been dabbling in Turkey chasing since 2005. First time I heard drumming was a ghost bird I never saw when I stood up he was strutting about 50yds away. Fast forward to 2007 still bird less. Senior skip day April! My buddy had been messing with neighborhood birds so we went. I put him up in a road bed through a young clear cut I fell back 50yds incase he hung it. 10mins after fly down my buddy shot his first at 6yds. He entered the road on my buddies barrel.
The next year Jones county 2008 late March. We got on some super Jakes at daylight but they henned up and vanished. We were just kicking it all day grilling steaks for dinner. So our host said go down and hunt the foodplot the birds pitched down in that morning. We started down the road about 80yds from the plot my buddy froze and slid into the ditch. I followed 15birds were in the plot, it was in a old clear cut real thick. We crawled up to the edge using the ditch. As we got there an airplane flew over and they scattered to the woods. No joke a ball of nerves! When they scattered we ran up and grabbed a seat on the road being able to shoot the plot. We sat and 20 seconds they started walking back in single file line. We watched as they pecked and scratched at 20yds, we counted down 3,2, 1! Boom, miss birds flushed like quail! We both missed :-( my bird I picked out was about 30yds running shot #2! 3.5in hevi shot #5 folded him! My buddies bird I heard him shoot #2! Center punched a birds chest at 35yds striaght up in the air! Bird paused like a thunderstruck Goose hammered but not dead! So I knew he needed help. I had hevi #6 in the gun as my 3rd shell. I swung on the wing base boom! Birds wing folded hit the ground buddy took shot #3 and it was over. 2 jakes 6 shots and too stoked 18yr olds celebrated mission accomplished!
The next year Jones county 2008 late March. We got on some super Jakes at daylight but they henned up and vanished. We were just kicking it all day grilling steaks for dinner. So our host said go down and hunt the foodplot the birds pitched down in that morning. We started down the road about 80yds from the plot my buddy froze and slid into the ditch. I followed 15birds were in the plot, it was in a old clear cut real thick. We crawled up to the edge using the ditch. As we got there an airplane flew over and they scattered to the woods. No joke a ball of nerves! When they scattered we ran up and grabbed a seat on the road being able to shoot the plot. We sat and 20 seconds they started walking back in single file line. We watched as they pecked and scratched at 20yds, we counted down 3,2, 1! Boom, miss birds flushed like quail! We both missed :-( my bird I picked out was about 30yds running shot #2! 3.5in hevi shot #5 folded him! My buddies bird I heard him shoot #2! Center punched a birds chest at 35yds striaght up in the air! Bird paused like a thunderstruck Goose hammered but not dead! So I knew he needed help. I had hevi #6 in the gun as my 3rd shell. I swung on the wing base boom! Birds wing folded hit the ground buddy took shot #3 and it was over. 2 jakes 6 shots and too stoked 18yr olds celebrated mission accomplished!
bulldawgborn
Senior Member
Mine was in 1999 opening weekend. My sister's boyfriend and I went hunting on some property he had permission to hunt...it was both of our's first Turkey season. The day before we had a tom hang up on a creek and ultimately wound up getting up and spooking another that came in silent. So Sunday morning we decided to try the same general area (where a gas line cut through fairly mature planted pines and met a big hardwood bottom). Instead of approaching it the way we did opening day, we cut through an old family cemetery and approached the gas line through the pines. We got set up where we could see the gas line pretty good and my soon to be ex bro in law started calling. After about an hour of not seeing or hearing anything, we were talking to each other in rudimentary hand signals and were about to get up and move. I look to my left and just as I did, a nice gobbler came into view and immediately went into full strut. I frantically motion for my partner to sit back down, and I get my Mossberg into a right handed shooting position (all I had ever been was left handed at that point in time), line it up on the base of his neck and squeeze the trigger. At the shot we both jump up and go running to the flopping turkey just as we had watched on TV. As we were standing there enjoying the moment and appreciating this beautiful bird, I heard what sounded like a car engine racing. The sound of the motor got louder and directly I could see a big long car streaking through the pines on an old two path I had no idea was there. To say i was surprised to see this Pontiac Parisienne come fishtailing onto the gas line is a gross understatement. Everything in me wanted to run even though I knew I hadn't done anything wrong. We stayed put, and as the car slid to a halt a fairly angry man got out in his PJ's and holding a bull barrel .270
Come to find out we shot one of "his" turkeys he had been feeding all year long. We must have only been a few hundred yards from his back door, and he claimed we were trespassing. My sister's boyfriend insisted he had no idea. We didn't cross any fence, but the man said his land started at the back of the cemetery we crossed. We offered to give him the turkey and were very apologetic, but he just said he wanted us gone and not to come back. We beat a hasty retreat back to the truck with the bird and were back at my house about to skin it out for a cape mount when the sheriff called my Dad to ask him to bring us and the bird back to the man's house to talk. It seems he told his sister what happened and she insisted on prosecuting us to the fullest extent of the law. Thankfully, I'm from a small town where the sheriff had good sense and even better people skills, and he was able to calm the lady down and explain to her it was an honest mistake made by 2 young teenagers who were upfront and ready to face the consequences. We were able to return home free and unprosecuted to finish cleaning our poached turkey. 1 3/8" spur on one leg, broke on the other. 10.5" beard. I have never been back to that tract of land, but to this day I can remember that hunt and the happenings thereafter like it happened this morning. Every time I look at the cape mount, I think about my outlaw past.
Come to find out we shot one of "his" turkeys he had been feeding all year long. We must have only been a few hundred yards from his back door, and he claimed we were trespassing. My sister's boyfriend insisted he had no idea. We didn't cross any fence, but the man said his land started at the back of the cemetery we crossed. We offered to give him the turkey and were very apologetic, but he just said he wanted us gone and not to come back. We beat a hasty retreat back to the truck with the bird and were back at my house about to skin it out for a cape mount when the sheriff called my Dad to ask him to bring us and the bird back to the man's house to talk. It seems he told his sister what happened and she insisted on prosecuting us to the fullest extent of the law. Thankfully, I'm from a small town where the sheriff had good sense and even better people skills, and he was able to calm the lady down and explain to her it was an honest mistake made by 2 young teenagers who were upfront and ready to face the consequences. We were able to return home free and unprosecuted to finish cleaning our poached turkey. 1 3/8" spur on one leg, broke on the other. 10.5" beard. I have never been back to that tract of land, but to this day I can remember that hunt and the happenings thereafter like it happened this morning. Every time I look at the cape mount, I think about my outlaw past.
GreatWhiteTurkeyHunter
Senior Member
I learned lot of lessons before bagging my first turkey. Took me a couple seasons but I learned some valuable lessons trying to do it on my own. I learned quickly to keep my gun ready, after calling in my first bird and having the gun across my lap. I also learned quickly to keep quiet when the bird gets quiet.
Then one day, on my uncle's farm I heard what sounded like a turkey dying. I seriously had no idea what was approaching until I saw the uneven fan over some dog fennels. I was so shook up I had no idea I was shooting a jake, nor did I care. I had finally bagged my first bird with no help or advice from anyone. I think I carried that beard around for a good 5 or 6 years before I lost it, all 4 inches of it.
Then one day, on my uncle's farm I heard what sounded like a turkey dying. I seriously had no idea what was approaching until I saw the uneven fan over some dog fennels. I was so shook up I had no idea I was shooting a jake, nor did I care. I had finally bagged my first bird with no help or advice from anyone. I think I carried that beard around for a good 5 or 6 years before I lost it, all 4 inches of it.
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Huntinfool
Senior Member
Here's mine. Still laugh about it sometimes.
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=751086&highlight=
http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=751086&highlight=
Beagler282
“Rabbit Man”
I met Chuck Jones who was filming for Realtree when they got started in the early 90's.He gave me a video and a mouth call and I learned how to quack quack quack.Well that's what it sounded like at the time.lol. First time I tried it was April 17th 1992. He hammered at daylight while walking down the road.I fell flat on my butt I was so close. After 3 yelps he flew down and landed 10 yds in front of me.Scared me slap to death.I think I shot in self defense.It happened so fast I wasn't sure what had just happened. That was the biggest feeling of High I had ever felt.It seemed like I was bouncing 3ft off the ground walking back to the house. It has been my worst addiction to anything you can hunt in the woods.
19 lbs
9 1/2'' beard
1'' spurs
19 lbs
9 1/2'' beard
1'' spurs
My first was a bearded hen in '87 and I had no idea it was even a hen until a few years later when I killed a gobbler. Thats when I realized this one dont look like the last one
Well, at least you're honest.
Are you sure the statue of limitations has ran out? 
trkyburns
Senior Member
Spring of 1993, my dad kept me and my older brother out of school that day to turkey hunt. We had been on several birds that season but couldn't close the deal (no big surprise, we were three boys tagging along with dad and he was the only proficient caller). My brother had killed his first the year before so that morning I was the shooter. I don't remember too many details but i picked out the closest jake out of a group of 5 or 6. I was so excited about killing that bird that I begged dad to take me to school and check in late so I could tell all my buddies.
1996 two long years after I started this craziness of getting up to early chasing some loud mouth bird through the woods, (that I had never heard talked the first year). That's right nothing the first year no gobble yelp or even seeing anything. Second year got the first gobble last week of the season and no bird. Third season after this mystery bird it finally happened 20ga 870 3in #4 20 yards, 10" beard 1 1/8" spurs, almost landed on me when he flew down after the shot another ran to the exact spot he was and I didn't know what to do, so he made it out. I would say after 20 plus years 30 plus birds good seasons and not as good of seasons, that it was all down hill after that first one but I find my self climbing up more hills every spring. Do more calling for others then myself now and still love it, if I get a limit and have no one to call for I go set up unarmed and see what I can do. The wife was giving me the eye the other day when I came through the house playing the box call!!
swampstalker24
Senior Member
I spent spring break one year with my grandparents in SC turkey hunting when I was in 8th grade. They were both avid deer hunters but never turkey hunted and I had only been once or twice. So me and granny headed out on the first morning to give it a try. She was a bit to old for the "run and gun" hunt, so we sat up in one of their box stands in front of a nice green food plot. Nothing gobbling from the trees, so as the sun came up i just gave a few yelp here and there with my mouth call (im sure i sounded terrible). All of a sudden a turkey come walkin down the road and it turns out to be a jake. It gets in range and I shot it. Being a bit nervous i made a bad shot and just winged it. We got down out of the stand as it flopped around trying to run/fly off. I pulled up and was about to shoot it again but granny said "save your shell, I've got this!" She nonchalantly walked over, grabbed it by it's neck and gave it a good twirl! I was shocked and amazed at the same time! I said "dang granny, thats pretty hardcore!"
We hunted pretty hard the rest of the week, only seeing a few outta range. On the last afternoon we headed back to the same stand and got set up. I'd call here and there but go no responses. Finally, I let out a few yelps and a gobbler let one rip close! We looked at each other with excitment. Even though granny wasn't even carrying a gun, I could tell that she was fired up! I decided to give the tom the old silent treatment and see what happened (I was wise beyond my years by the end of the week) Well just as planned the gobbler steps out of the wood line, about 75 yards across the food plot! He was definitely a boss, beard dragging the ground as he strutted his stuff! I would give him a few clucks, and he would take a few more steps closer and then return to full strut. This carried on for about 30 mins or so and we were enjoying every minute of his display. I finally whispered to my granny "ok granny, when he takes one more step, I'm ganna take my shot"...... well I jinxed myself as it seems, cause he all of a sudden turned and looked towards the other side of the food plot.... there was something he didn't like. Before I knew it, he turned and ran back into the woods! I couldn't believe it! My granny looked at me and and I looked at her and said "that was awesome granny!" We packed up and headed back to the house, no bird in hand, but definitely not empty handed! That hunt is what got me hooked, and I will never forget it!
We hunted pretty hard the rest of the week, only seeing a few outta range. On the last afternoon we headed back to the same stand and got set up. I'd call here and there but go no responses. Finally, I let out a few yelps and a gobbler let one rip close! We looked at each other with excitment. Even though granny wasn't even carrying a gun, I could tell that she was fired up! I decided to give the tom the old silent treatment and see what happened (I was wise beyond my years by the end of the week) Well just as planned the gobbler steps out of the wood line, about 75 yards across the food plot! He was definitely a boss, beard dragging the ground as he strutted his stuff! I would give him a few clucks, and he would take a few more steps closer and then return to full strut. This carried on for about 30 mins or so and we were enjoying every minute of his display. I finally whispered to my granny "ok granny, when he takes one more step, I'm ganna take my shot"...... well I jinxed myself as it seems, cause he all of a sudden turned and looked towards the other side of the food plot.... there was something he didn't like. Before I knew it, he turned and ran back into the woods! I couldn't believe it! My granny looked at me and and I looked at her and said "that was awesome granny!" We packed up and headed back to the house, no bird in hand, but definitely not empty handed! That hunt is what got me hooked, and I will never forget it!
Core Lokt
Senior Member
I think it was in 2000. Always a big deer hunter and a buddy got me into it. We went to some land that I have access to and setup on the edge of a field and HW bottom. The bird gobbled in the tree a few times and we heard him fly down Not a minute later we could see him and I shot him at 15 yds. 12" beard and 1 3/8" spurs. I remember telling him "there isn't nothing to this turkey hunting" and didn't go back that yr. the next yr I started chasing them, learned it really wasn't that easy and have bee chasing them every year since.
