Author Topic: when did u get your first turkey? (Read 15359 times)

strutnrut1984 · « **on:** February 04, 2009, 08:52:16 PM »

i got my first when i was 14. it was on a fall hunt in venango county pennsylvania in 1979. it was just a small hen but i was really proud. my first tom was shot in 1987. i was out feeding the horses in the morning after work. when i heard a gobble in the woods behind the house. so i ran in grabbed my shotgun and box call and slipped into the woods sat down by a big white oak and made a few calls. they answered right back here it was 3 jakes they came in on a string. from then on i was was hooked. since then i have hunted many different states and each hunt is just as exciting as the first. theres not much out there like the spring turkey woods. strut

509er · « **Reply #1 on:** February 04, 2009, 08:54:40 PM »

About six or seven years ago.

OneHorn · « **Reply #2 on:** February 04, 2009, 09:05:27 PM »

i believe i was 9 or 10

Machias · « **Reply #3 on:** February 04, 2009, 09:12:02 PM »

I was 16 and it was in 1979 in Missouri. They had just damned the Osage River and started forming Truman Lake. It was forming several islands and lots of birds were being stranded on the hill tops. So I and a classmate skipped school and took a canoe out and paddled to an island with a lovesick gobbler. A couple of hits on the box call and he was running full out. Almost had to kill him in self defense!

firecrotch · « **Reply #4 on:** February 04, 2009, 09:13:26 PM »

when i was 9 killed a jake at 15 yards with a single shot .410

Elkstuffer · « **Reply #5 on:** February 04, 2009, 09:52:57 PM »

My first was a jake I shot in 1997 in the Joeseph Creek W/L area.

I've had the sickness ever since.

bowhunterforever · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2009, 10:00:16 PM »

I killed my first when i was 16!

wastickslinger · « **Reply #7 on:** February 04, 2009, 10:04:07 PM »

Jake in 1998. Really got into it in spring of 2000 and been hooked ever since.

SpokaneSlayer · « **Reply #8 on:** February 04, 2009, 10:18:24 PM »

A jake on opening day 2007.

Turkeyman · « **Reply #9 on:** February 05, 2009, 05:13:23 AM »

My first was in 1993 a big double bearded Merriam.

PolarBear · « **Reply #10 on:** February 05, 2009, 05:32:58 AM »

I was 6 and shot it out of a tree with a .22 on my Uncles place in Alabama.

yelp · « **Reply #11 on:** February 05, 2009, 08:16:41 AM »

I shot a jake on the Tucannon River in the Blue Mountains in April 1992, I believe. I was with a bunch of friends that took me. They showed me how to call them, hunt them and most of all be patient. I don't know if I will ever be able to pay them back for that. I am addicted to the gobble and I still get excited....We are very fortunate to be able to have this much fun..

10Key · « **Reply #12 on:** February 05, 2009, 08:29:38 AM »

...still waiting. I have hunted them off and on from 2001, really got "serious" last year.

yelp · « **Reply #13 on:** February 05, 2009, 08:31:51 AM »

Spokaneslayer...I like the sweet "Got Beer" hat?

bowhunter/taxidermest · « **Reply #14 on:** February 05, 2009, 08:34:07 AM »

i got my first turkey ever last year it was a tom with a 9 inch beard and 7/8 spurs not quite a inch but close enough i called him in myself opening day

SpokaneSlayer · « **Reply #15 on:** February 05, 2009, 08:35:16 AM »

Quote from: yelp on February 05, 2009, 08:31:51 AM

Spokaneslayer...I like the sweet "Got Beer" hat?

I was wondering if anyone would notice.

blessed · « **Reply #16 on:** February 05, 2009, 09:03:07 AM »

Yeah nice hat! oh and nice Jake too!
Aneoakleaf and I were living in Underwood WA. in 1987 and I was home with back surgery

. Packed to many elk out on my back

.
It was during the fall hunt and the turkeys occasionally wondered threw the one acher the house was on. I had told Annie earlier in the spring that she couldn't shoot one in the yard. Well, She was fixing dinner and I was on the couch watching TV when a string of turkeys paraided into the yard on their way to the field at the neighbors . She turned off the stove and announced dinner would be delayed or canceled. And she headed to the back of the house where she had hung her bow by the sliding glass door! I got up and said whats wrong?

?(WHAT NO DINNER??)

She said "I'm going to shoot a turkey!. Not to get left out ( as I quite often am

) I got my bow TOO! So She went out the left side of the house and I went around the right side of the house and I could see she was sneaking in on the front end of the parade and I watched as she shot, then I shot one at the back of the parade! I was wrestling whit mine and hollered to her didn't you get one??

All the birds had flown up into the big fir trees by now. She said I thought I did but it flew off??? I walked over to her with my bird in hand. We were looking up at the birds in the 40 ft. trees just as one fell out like a cannon ball! WHOHOOO We shouted!! yeah...WE were bit!! No amount of ticks can chaise us off

MuleyontheWall · « **Reply #17 on:** February 05, 2009, 05:40:45 PM »

I got my first one two years ago, big tom, 9 3/4 beard..had been out a lot for the few days before i got it with a group and everyone had finaly given up on the hunt and just went back to the house to sit around...i had the itch bad to get a bird and i didnt figure one was going to walk into the kitchen and jump in the pan so i headed back out by myself..got to my spot and walked in about 100ft and called...big gobble and about 10 minutes later he was over my shoulder and headed back to the truck..

Birdguy · « **Reply #18 on:** February 05, 2009, 08:30:35 PM »

April 13. 2008 in Montana

. April 15, 2008 north of Spokane #2

. April 17, 2008 further north of Spokane #3

. Last year was a great week. After three years of nothing it all came together. I suppose I used all my luck/skill last year but I will be back this year

. If this year is half as fun as last year I may have to take a whole week off next year to get the kids theirs. I can not wait to see all those pictures of dead turkeys! Good luck guys!

DOUBLELUNG · « **Reply #19 on:** February 05, 2009, 09:00:19 PM »

Fall jake 1990 Wyoming

Tom Tamer · « **Reply #20 on:** February 05, 2009, 09:03:34 PM »

My first was in 2002 after starting out in '98 banging around the Capitol forrest and never finding anything. I went up into the teanaway where in'94 I saw a couple hens in front of a guys house. I called and called all morning and not knowing what i was doing I was bout to give up. So I stopped beside a huge cottonwood and decided one last call from my box call then I'd head for home. Nothing happened so I started to walk away when I startled a huge and I mean huge bird it was what I'd been looking for and he stayed long enough for a shot my first jake( It was huge because I wasn't expecting there to even be turkeys in the area). that got me going but the following year I got a classic hunt with the calls and gobbles, full strut dance and the works, from then on I was and am offically hooked.

Phantom Gobbler · « **Reply #21 on:** February 06, 2009, 12:20:19 PM »

Great Thread! I started turkey hunting in 2001 and harvested my first bird, a Jake, on opening day in 2006, hunting NE WA. As we braved spring snow showers, we tried calling to a fired up Tom that would not leave it's hens at the edge of the field. Suddenly we became aware of some silently approaching birds. I pulled up to shoot my Mossberg 935 and click, the shotgun was not fully cocked and did not fire! I cycled the shell again into the chamber and let drive at the last Jake in a rapidly departing flock of eight!

You can see a picture at:

http://www.backwoodscalls.com/pics3.html

Gobble Gobble · « **Reply #22 on:** February 06, 2009, 12:40:35 PM »

I got mine in the Fall of '05 and again in '06 '07. My avatar is a pic of my first bird and hence my screen name.

rosscrazyelk · « **Reply #23 on:** February 06, 2009, 09:42:42 PM »

I got my first turkey three years ago and I got three that year first time ever trying. have not done as well since

fishunt247 · « **Reply #24 on:** February 08, 2009, 03:23:54 PM »

I killed my first when I was 10 on my first day turkey hunting. It was in 1997, Klickitat country merriams with three beards. I'd been in the woods with my dad scouting for 7 years prior to that, and was thrilled to finally get to go hunting for them.

blacktail luv · « **Reply #25 on:** February 08, 2009, 05:43:52 PM »

I was 10 when i got my first bird(birds

). Dad called in a group of about 15 jakes. When they poked there heads up over the tall grass i looked them over, saw they all had beards, picked one and shot. The other birds scattered and mine was doin' the chicken. So we rounded it up and headed off the mountain. As we headed down, we stumble upon another dead bird. One bb from the 20 guage hit him in the neck and ended up killing him. OOPS! Dad tagged him for me, what a guy.

demontang · « **Reply #26 on:** February 09, 2009, 08:07:33 PM »

I'm still trying but hope this year is it.

Gobble · « **Reply #27 on:** February 10, 2009, 08:02:12 AM »

Quote from: 509er on February 04, 2009, 08:54:40 PM

About six or seven years ago.

Me too, I never hunted them until about ten years ago. It takes a couple of years to figure out what to do and what not to do.

luvtohnt · « **Reply #28 on:** February 10, 2009, 08:10:28 AM »

Got my first jake last year on opening say, and first double as well, my hunting buddy got his first WA jake about 20 seconds earlier.

Brandon

teal101 · « **Reply #29 on:** February 10, 2009, 09:47:42 AM »

Hopefully this year, just started last year and the bug bit me hard!

GUHunter · « **Reply #30 on:** February 17, 2009, 12:53:39 AM »

No Turkey yet. Last year was my first time hunting them and it is a rush. If I only knew that what I thought was 55 yards was closer to 35, I'd of pulled the trigger

Oh well, lots of fun either way. I'm hooked.

Pathfinder101 · « **Reply #31 on:** February 20, 2009, 06:00:28 PM »

2006 in Waitsburg. Hoping to get my 10 year old son on his first one this spring...

C-Money · « **Reply #32 on:** February 20, 2009, 06:37:46 PM »

1998, north of Davenport, Wa. Jake, opening morning. I called in 3 jakes and my friend and I each got one! It was a great time! Since, I have killed a few in NW PA, big Eastern Tom's.

parrydog · « **Reply #33 on:** February 21, 2009, 10:30:37 PM »

I got my first in May 2007, I had been turkey hunting a few times before that but not "for reals". Moved up to Newport in Pend Oreille county in 2006 and the following spring had my first turkey a tom with a 6" beard. This last spring I got 2 toms one with a 6" beard and one with a 7.5" beard. Of course up here they are almost vermin so I try to keep my bragging to a minimum.

Phantom Gobbler · « **Reply #34 on:** March 12, 2009, 02:39:43 PM »

Determining proper range takes some time at the shooting range and also actual hunting experiences to dial it in. I was hunting with a guide in Oregon several years ago and he called in two mature Rios to within 40 yards. I had never used 3.5 inch 12 GA shells before so I was not aware how lethal they are and I let the tom's walk. My guide was not happy with me!!

lokidog · « **Reply #35 on:** March 12, 2009, 07:50:44 PM »

1983, Alabama, knew a girl in college in WI who's parents knew someone with a bunch of land. Had never tried it before, drove down over spring break, called in a 25 pound tom across a pasture strutting all the way. Have loved it ever since. 2004 first with the bow in Onalaska. Hope to do more with the bow!

turkey slayer · « **Reply #36 on:** March 13, 2009, 10:23:23 AM »

My first bird was a jake in 97. I got him in the little pend oreille refuge area. Never forget that hunt.

CP · « **Reply #37 on:** March 13, 2009, 11:50:07 AM »

I think it was 1972 or so near Hondo Texas. I snuck up on 3 toms scratching up food under a mesquite tree. I killed two with the first shot and finished off the third with a second shot.

Yes, that was legal.

Phantom Gobbler · « **Reply #38 on:** March 13, 2009, 04:20:16 PM »

Quote from: turkey slayer on March 13, 2009, 10:23:23 AM

My first bird was a jake in 97. I got him in the little pend oreille refuge area. Never forget that hunt.

Slayer, I didn't know that you shot Jakes..........

turkey slayer · « **Reply #39 on:** March 15, 2009, 05:54:24 PM »

Phantom, If you only new how many jakes i'v shot, but I no you have the smallest i'v ever seen

Phantom Gobbler · « **Reply #40 on:** March 15, 2009, 09:09:44 PM »

Quote from: turkey slayer on March 15, 2009, 05:54:24 PM

Phantom, If you only new how many jakes i'v shot, but I no you have the smallest i'v ever seen

Slayer,

At least my little bird last fall was a Jake!!

As you know some years and in some locations, if a person passes on too many Jakes they may end of with a large bowl of tag soup!

Pathfinder101 · « **Reply #41 on:** March 15, 2009, 10:14:22 PM »

Tasted it...

turkey slayer · « **Reply #42 on:** March 16, 2009, 11:13:49 AM »

Knock on wood, I've never ate turkey tag soup, is it good Phantom

? I no deer tag soap isn't very good.

Phantom Gobbler · « **Reply #43 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:21:07 PM »

Quote from: turkey slayer on March 16, 2009, 11:13:49 AM

Knock on wood, I've never ate turkey tag soup, is it good Phantom ? I no deer tag soap isn't very good.

Slayer, Luckily it's been a while since I dined on turkey tag soup................but every year puts us to the test!

You might have to bale me out one of these years if the birds avoid us up in the northern mountain country!

I'm kinda developing a taste for deer tag soup however!!

Old Mule · « **Reply #44 on:** March 16, 2009, 07:43:26 PM »

2006 When I was 46 years old, First time Turkey Hunting and was using a Elk Diaphragm call to make hen yelps, Called one in above Lake Cle Elm, He was one of the most Beautiful things I had ever seen Strutting in the Morning Sun with that neon Blue Head, I Shot him anyway, Had a 9 inch Beard.

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Author Topic: when did u get your first turkey? (Read 15359 times)

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