A Long Time in Coming (Herb McClure)

[01Foreman400]

Great story Mr. McClure. Thanks for sharing.

 

[blong]

Here is a picture of fan from a bird taken in 1959 that Mr. Herb asked me to post for him.

Here is a fan from the ozarks off one of those big headed , loud gobbling suckers.

 

[01Foreman400]

I just hunt the turkeys that have been put forth.

 

[spydermon]

Hi Mr. Riverat 84; Thank you for reading my story and other post too. You seem to have grown-up; in the 1940s or earlier. Yes I too, remember reading about your swamp turkeys, and how secluded and how hard they were to hunt. This was in sports magazines of the late forties. The big river swamps were the only legal places, where one could hunt in late Fall, near Thanksgiving, until 1955; when Spring Gobbler hunts were started.

The late Mr. Charlie Elliott, who was an avid turkey hunter, and also was the head director of the old GA. Game and Fish Comm. back in the 1940s or before; started a game restoration farm near Albany, GA. This was when he and the game dept. thought; raising turkeys to be released, would put turkeys into places that did not have turkeys.They were termed as, pen-raised turkeys, which is what they were.

I have never made any negative comments about swamp turkeys in the big river swamps. I too believe they are of original turkey genes; like the mountain turkey were.

The areas were turkeys had been eradicated, was where the pen- reared turkeys were stocked, then live trapped turkeys too, were released in those same places; at a much later date. These are the turkeys, which I quit hunting thirty-five years ago.

Hardly no one today that did not hunt those old original swamp and mountain gobblers, will ever understand how a turkey termed a native was, and how different they were; compared to the turkeys of today that will live in man's civilization beside them.

herb mcclure

Were the turkeys you quit hunting that much easier to kill than the regular "native" turkeys? How exactly could you tell when you set up on one of the other type gobblers vs the "native" gobbler you talk about?

 

[spydermon]

I just hunt the turkeys that have been put forth.

There isn't another option...

 

[01Foreman400]

There isn't another option...

Exactly!

 

[turkeyed]

For the life of me I can't get over all the punctuation! Must be native tongue! hehe

 

[wvdawg]

Fine read. Enjoyed it very much. Wish I had found this passion at a much earlier age.
Next season I hope to celebrate my 10th Anniversary and that nostalgic memory of the first Jake whose tail has a special place on my wall! They have all been special in their own way!
DJ

 

[antnye]

I just hunt the turkeys that have been put forth.

 

[sman]

Nice story.

 

[M Sharpe]

Thanks Scott!!