How long does it take?
 

With this being my first year to hunt turkey, just wondered how long it took you guys to get your first turkey? Did you learn on your own, or did someone show you the ropes?

Knock'em Stiff

RE: How long does it take?
 

It took me until the second day of my third season. A few years back I read an article about it taking the average spring hunter five years to get a bird. As populations in areas have grown though I am sure that statistic isn't totally accurate any more.

Ryan Tucker

RE: How long does it take?
 

It took me 15 minutes in a 20 minute hunt ! then I self taught my self after that !...BT

RE: How long does it take?
 

I hunted one day of the season my first year to no avail,but watching and listening to Ben Rogers Lee and Denny Gulvas helped in becoming much better prepared my second season.In the first 3 days of that second season I killed a jake my first day,called in another for my huntin partner,and killed my first longbeard the third day.I'll never forget that first hunt though.We didn't have a clue as to what in the heck we were doin.All we had was an old Olt double sided box call and a little bit of information as how to use it off a record that we listened to off the turntable.All the video's and most of the major manufacturers we have now weren't around till later.After I managed to harvest that first longbeard I've spent many mornings in the turkey woods learning how to hunt this awesome bird.Even after 25 years of chasin turks every mornin is a new experience and a different bird and you just do the best you can to apply what you've learned from the past to get ole tom turkey to pay you a visit.What a great sport we have in huntin turks!!<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

RE: How long does it take?
 

Took me my 3rd year to get my first bird.I'm self taught from books,videos,and from my many mistakes and some things that I did right in the field.Nothing beats hands on experience!

RE: How long does it take?
 

Second day of my first season(10 yrs old), then I went 7 years until my next one.

RE: How long does it take?
 

It was a long hard wait for me ! Lets see I bought a Butskis box call in February along with a Old Dick Kirby video. I watched and practiced calling all winter.May 1 rolled around and as had been suggested I scouted allot previously, so i knew where there were some birds.

Went out opening morning just a tad late due to sleeping in. Got outa my truck hit the call and had three toms answer. Less than thirty minutes later I was toting my first gobbler outa the woods on my first day of turkey hunting.To date that was the biggest Tom Ive taken in 18 seasons.

I found out after that though it wasnt as easy as it first appeared!There was a good dose of luck involved in that hunt. However I had done allot of things to make my success easier the biggest being, SCOUTING.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: How long does it take?
 

My first year turkey hunting I went with a friend who had hunted them before,shot one about an hour into the hunt.Since then I have hunted by myself or with my family.The great thing about turkey hunting is that you learn something everytime you go to the woods.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I like bosstom killed one in about twenty minutes of my first hunt and then every hunt since has been a big challenge. I guess I came across the right bird at the right time.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I killed my first bird on the third hunt of MY first season (I had helped a friend the season before, we still have to draw permits in Maine). Since then I have had birds in front of me every opening morning, whether calling for myself or someone else. Videos and books have been my only help.

RE: How long does it take?
 

An old hunting partner showed me the ropes, told me the area to put in for a permit, and got me permission to stay at his Uncles house for the 5 days the permit was for (WI). He got drawn for the same area but different dates. I shot my 1st tom on the third morning hunt in my first season.

I messed up shooting one the very first morning and learned from that lesson. Bird came in on my left and stayed left. I should have rotated to my left early but didn't. Always thought that tom was going to go right and to my decoys but he never did.

RE: How long does it take?
 

MY first hunt took about 20 minutes I was 14 yrs old and used a push button call I only wish they were all that easy

RE: How long does it take?
 

It took me about 5-6 years before I got my first tom, but the first year or two I only went out once or twice a year. I got my dad involved in turkey hunting too, but sadly he passed away before he or I havested a bird. My fist tom was also my biggest.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I hunted off and on for a total of nine years. Only the last four of those were serious. So ... four years of serious hunting. A lot of it on my own, another lot of it under the tutelage (sp?) of my cousin, Buckoduck.

See my first success at:
<pre id=code><font face=courier size=2 id=code>http://www.hotspothunting.com/common/showsite.asp?dovend=0&id=18984</font id=code></pre id=code>

Romans 8:28

Edited by - powduck on 01/22/2002 14:15:52

RE: How long does it take?
 

It actually took me two years to take my first turkey. my fatherinlaw got us started
and I knew that he had actually called in
and harvested some birds! WELL HECK, if he
could do it I should be able too. Up until
that time I thought you had to be a kin to
Danial Boone or something to get the deed
done. I used an old Olt box call and had a
bird answer me! HOLLY COW,I`VE GOT TO HIDE!
I crawled into the middle of a blowdown and
called somemore. The next thing I knew he is
right on top of me (about 5 yards) I buried
so deep in my hidy hole I can`t swing my gun.
He of course sees and flies off! I`am watching him sail off and seriously thinking
about falling on the first sharp object I can
find, when up walks a secound bird! I blast
him and I`ve been hooked ever sence.

[Deleted]
 

[Deleted by Admins]

RE: How long does it take?
 

I was lucky enough to grow up in a huntin family.My first time out I took a nice longbeard with the help of family members.Been hooked ever since.Let's just say that's been a few years ago.

RE: How long does it take?
 

Allen , We call that beginners Luck , I'm still getting it after 12 years <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
ProdTrapper thats a neet story an Olt Box call I bet BobGobble2 has tried to borrow it <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
Jalvja Your exsperance shows to the woods , I've even learned a thing or two from ya, but I won't tell ya , I don't want your head to all go swelling on ya !<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>...BT

RE: How long does it take?
 

When I got out of school, I moved to a town close to my grandparents. When I was getting a deer stand ready, I looked out over the field I was going to hunt and saw a whole bunch of something that turned out to be turkeys. I decided to hunt them the following spring. So, I went out and bought myself a Lynch &quot;Jet&quot; slate call, started practicing, and kept up with the birds' movements all winter. Opening day, those birds never made a peep. I don't hunt on Sunday but I was back at it Monday morning. The woods were ALIVE with gobbling. I was hooked right there. I worked a bird for about 2 hours. Had him struttin, spittin, and drummin but he would not commit. I figured I was calling too much and that I needed to play it a little more coy, so I switched to a feeding purr and soft chatter and scratched in the leaves. I never saw that bird again... 'cause 9 hens came running in all over me and brought a BIG ol' tom in with them. I had to raise my gun VEEEERRRYYY slowly with a hen about 10 feet in front of me (talk about dumb luck, getting away with that move) and took him at about 25 yards. So, to answer your question, I'm self taught and I got my first one on the second morning of my first year and have been trying to recreate that thrill ever since. I don't know if he was my biggest, but he is my favorite.

RE: How long does it take?
 

It took me several years of fumbling around in the woods trying to figure out what to do. Experience is the best teacher. Seems like only yesterday, my dad and I were driving to the woods with a Ben Lee Cassette tape in the truck trying to figure out what to do. Lots of hunts and reading, watching tapes later, the turkeys still do things to make you laugh and wonder.

Find yourself some good videos (Denny Gulvas makes some excellent tapes) and watch and learn. Get out there and make the mistakes, sooner or later it will all make sense.

RE: How long does it take?
 

so far 10 for 10 but its not easy.early scouting helps. i think turkey hunting is 50%skill and 50% luck. believe it or not but the most challenging bird i ever got was a 20lb jake.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I'v been hard at for 4 years and still haven't got that Old Tom.I have seen lots of birds I hope this is the year for me.

RE: How long does it take?
 

Got any <font color=red>beginners luck in a bottle</font id=red>
Sounds like I'll need it :o)

RE: How long does it take?
 

Well.. lets see. Many years ago ,seven to be exact I started Turkey hunting. I hadn't seen a video but thought it couldn't be that difficult. I didn't call any in that year. I tried again the next three years half heartedly at best.
Then I met up with an old aquaintence and we vowed to kill a Tom. We went to three seminars that winter, traveled three hours to a turkey gun paterning event,Learned to use boxes, slates and other diaphrams. We scouted like hell for the month of april in two states. I killed a Tom the first morning. We went to Vermont and between us took three there.
I have had successful seasons sence, and hope my good luck remains.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I hooked up with a guy that knew what he was doing. I watched and listened to every thing he did. I killed my first with him. I bought tapes and different calls and drove my wife and family crazy. It has paid off for many people. I like to call for my father and friends. Someone kills every year.
GET A MENTOR and MAKE A FRIEND

RE: How long does it take?
 

I hunted no more than 4 times over 15 years with people that wanted to go to my property without hearing a single bird. Decided to try it on my own last year and killed one on my second trip. Heard him gobble at 10 a.m. as I was putting my gun in the truck to leave. He was hot and came in like he was on a string. Only heard one other bird all year.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I have been lucky enough to learn from some great turkey hunters! I went with one of them and took my first bird my first day ever hunting turkeys at around 11 am so I guess it was about 5 hours into my first hunt.

Since then I have learned from the best teachers around, the turkeys, at the school of hard knox.

<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Safe and Happy Hunting!
My Hunting Page

RE: How long does it take?
 

Killed my first and biggest gobbler about 1 hour into opening day of my first year, which was four years ago. I was lucky to be hunting with a good friend and great turkey hunter. He put me and another guy onto two more gobblers the next morning, at exactly the same spot. I blanked the next year, but killed two more last year, so I've been lucky so far, with four gobblers in five weekends of hunting over three years. (see my first at www.turkey-strut.com)

RE: How long does it take?
 

If you can go with an experienced hunter by all means go. Learn how he scouts,sets up and calls to a turkey. Learn the area you are going to hunt. There is no better tool than being a goog woodsman.

RE: How long does it take?
 

It took me 28 years to get my first Turkey and I calles him in 5 times to get the right shot at him. I feel like a dummy going by the rest of you all.

RE: How long does it take?
 

My cousin and I started back in the late 80' took us 6 years of learning on our own, to harvest our first birds,I belived we could write a book of all the things not to do.But what a Blast we had, The stories we can tell.That what it all about Having fun and enjoying the Outdoors

RE: How long does it take?
 

i am 15 i shot my first turkey at the age of 12 on opening day of my first season it had a 8 1/2 inch beard. i have shot 4 turkeys since and even a 2 over 21 pounds. i tought myself how to turkey hunt and i have tought ajot of older people to hunt turkes since

RE: How long does it take?
 

Second spring i took my first bird a 17lb jake. I learned every thing i know from Mark Drury. Thanks Mark!!!

RE: How long does it take?
 

THE 2001 SEASON WAS MY FIRST SEASON OF TURKEY HUNTING EVER, I WAS BACK AT FAIRCHILD AFB, RIGHT OUTSIDE OF SPOAKEN, AND MY BROTHER SAID TURKEY SEASON OPENS UP ON THE 15TH AND HE WANTED TO GO SO I HAD SOME TIME OFF OF WORK AND I WENT WITH HIM, BEFORE WE WENTOUT I BOUGHT A PRIMOS SLATE CALL AND A KNIGHT AND HALE BOX CALL, AND I SAT IN MY BILLETING ROOM WATCHING THE OUTDOOR CHANNEL ON MY OFFTIME, LEARING HOW TO USE THE LSATE CALL, TRYING TO MIMIC THE WAY THEY WERE SOUNDING ON THE T.V. IT PAYED OFF AND I GOT MY FIRST TURKEY EVER IT WAS A 18 POUND JAKE.

RE: How long does it take?
 

my 1st season was 1997. i killed a jake 15 minutes after i got out of the truck on opening morning at daylight. i said to myself &quot; hey this turkey hunting is easy&quot;. boy was i in for a rude awakening.in
1998 and 1999 i did'nt kill anything. that brought me back down to earth. 2000 i got 2 gobblers, and 2001 got 1 gobbler and 1 jake. i guess i have been lucky the past 2 years.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I took my first bird the 2nd day out. My brother helped me call it in and I just watched videos and read mags and books after that...plus a little trial and error along the way. Always seem to learn something new just about everytime I go out.

RE: How long does it take?
 

I hate to admit this after all of your posts, but I've yet to take one going into my 13th season.<img src=icon_smile_blush.gif border=0 align=middle> I've had some adrenaline rushes over the years, but they never ended with food for the table. To my defense, I have never hunted hard for them, and always hunted on our property where there weren't many birds but was convenient. I didn't even get to go some years because of work. I only went 5 times last year, so hopefully I can get out there a few more times this season and end my drought.

Edited by - slee on 02/06/2002 01:34:15