Best Turkey Hunting Memory
06-11-2019, 05:16 AM
#11
Fork Horn
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: PA
Posts: 470
So many, it is hard to say best. Some highlights:
First turkey(s) I ever killed- fall hunt in NY. I had been struggling to figure it all out, a farmer gave me a tip on where birds had been roosting. I set up under a likely tree that turned out to have 30+ birds roosted in it. They flew down directly below, I found myself pinned down with 30 birds on the ground around me. After an eternity I was able to get my gun up and fire a shot, wound up rolling 2 birds.
First fall bird I ever shot with my turkey dog Maizy (PA).
Limited out spring season opening day in Georgia last year, 3 longbeards in 1 afternoon, 1 had 4 beards.
Spotted a bird in an open field in GA spring season, 300+ yards away, about 10 years ago. Threw a Hail-Mary gobble at him and waved a tail fan, he came running full trot, seemed as if I had all the time in the world to get set up. He rode home in the truck that day.
First turkey(s) I ever killed- fall hunt in NY. I had been struggling to figure it all out, a farmer gave me a tip on where birds had been roosting. I set up under a likely tree that turned out to have 30+ birds roosted in it. They flew down directly below, I found myself pinned down with 30 birds on the ground around me. After an eternity I was able to get my gun up and fire a shot, wound up rolling 2 birds.
First fall bird I ever shot with my turkey dog Maizy (PA).
Limited out spring season opening day in Georgia last year, 3 longbeards in 1 afternoon, 1 had 4 beards.
Spotted a bird in an open field in GA spring season, 300+ yards away, about 10 years ago. Threw a Hail-Mary gobble at him and waved a tail fan, he came running full trot, seemed as if I had all the time in the world to get set up. He rode home in the truck that day.
06-17-2019, 03:55 PM
#12
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Maine
Posts: 12,563
Like everyone else I have a lot of memories of turkey hunting. I am mostly self taught from asking questions on this site. Turkeys were new here as they were reintroduced from years past. When they first opened the season up it was half days. I struck out three years in a row.
Then during a fall hunt I traveled down state looking for a place to archery hunt. Most everywhere I went was posted land. Finally I found an area that was not posted and a flock of turkeys in a field. Even though I was planning on deer hunting I figured what the heck. I can recall JW and others mentioning about busting the flock up . So I did just that and found an old growth log on the ground to hide behind. Sure enough just like clockwork they all came by me. I drew back and let an arrow fly. Yessah I got my first turkey ever and with the bow. I ended up unknowingly pinning the turkey to a small stump that I never even seen. The turkey was hit in the wing on one side and a leg on the other as it exited. I was some proud of getting my first turkey and with a bow gives me some great memories. After getting that turkey I started getting better luck in the spring hunts. But almost all of my advice was given to me here in this forum.
I can only add a big thank you on getting me started on the turkeys..
Then during a fall hunt I traveled down state looking for a place to archery hunt. Most everywhere I went was posted land. Finally I found an area that was not posted and a flock of turkeys in a field. Even though I was planning on deer hunting I figured what the heck. I can recall JW and others mentioning about busting the flock up . So I did just that and found an old growth log on the ground to hide behind. Sure enough just like clockwork they all came by me. I drew back and let an arrow fly. Yessah I got my first turkey ever and with the bow. I ended up unknowingly pinning the turkey to a small stump that I never even seen. The turkey was hit in the wing on one side and a leg on the other as it exited. I was some proud of getting my first turkey and with a bow gives me some great memories. After getting that turkey I started getting better luck in the spring hunts. But almost all of my advice was given to me here in this forum.
I can only add a big thank you on getting me started on the turkeys..
06-17-2019, 06:53 PM
#14
Super Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Indiana
Posts: 7,182
Ive posted one story already but most bizarre hunt was when I was out in Missouri at my buddy Dons. Well story goes they had a peacock that was blown in by a storm. Then they told me it was roosting in the trees like a turkey. The next morning im at my honey hole out there and turkeys start gobbling and I hear in a womens sounding voice help me help me. I immediately thought a womens in trouble. I heard it again and then silence. Daylight broke and I began my series of calls. Some gobbling and one is coming. He steps out in the field 60yrds away. He looks at my decoy and runs off. Im like what is up with that. Well low and behold there stood that darn peacock at my decoys pecking at one. Well I stuck my head out the blind window and ran him off, 30 minutes later I called again and a strutter came out in the field again 60 yards away turns my way and is coming and guess who showed back up. That darn peacock. Again I run him off. 30 minutes later Im calling again. 6 long beards come walking in another field 25 yards away. I picked out the biggest and lights out. The 5 other turkey started flogging him until old faithful peacock showed up and they ran off. I get the bird tag it and walk to the blind and the peacock picking at my decoys. He moved away when I gathered the decoys.
06-28-2019, 04:20 PM
#16
Spike
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 12
Probably my favorite turkey hunting story has to do with a few year ago. Here in Utah, specifically where I'm from, there are wild turkeys everywhere. A few areas get hit pretty hard every year, so I decided to take off with my younger sister in tow to a steep ravine where I figured another big flock would be hanging out. Sure enough, we spotted them about two miles out, so up and down these steep hills we go, trying to sneak in closer. Finally, we were within striking distance, and since it was later in the day, I wanted to get in between the turkeys and their roost. I snuck within 100 yards of several toms and a few jakes, but realized they were on their way to private land, and I couldn't coax them in. So up we go again, up and down hills, when suddenly a big group of turkeys take off on a barren hillside in front of us. I pulled up and took a jake from the group.
Just a great experience, especially being able to take my sister out on a hunt and finding a large flock of turkeys that had been mostly left alone that year.
Just a great experience, especially being able to take my sister out on a hunt and finding a large flock of turkeys that had been mostly left alone that year.
08-02-2019, 10:47 AM
#18
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Waipahu HI USA
Posts: 2,915
Some of my more memorable moments involve close encounters with animals. One from 16-17yrs ago...
We were a group of 4 guys on a fall turkey hunt. We roosted 2 small flocks the first evening. The first morning, one guy remarked that he usually carried a slug or 000 buck shell in case he ran into big hog. But, he'd forgotten to pack any on this trip. I walked in with 2 guys, Mike & Mike Jr. to set them up in the first spot. Almost there, we heard a huge crash in the grass and bushes in front of us. Then in the pre-dawn dark a big, black blob moved across the road and started blowing and snorting at us. We were <10yds downwind of the pig. We froze for a second and the pig retreated into the brush, blowing all the while. We knew he was big from the sound of the rocks he was moving as he went through the brush..
Later that morning, Mike Jr. got a picture of a huge board with 2+ inches of tusk sticking out of his mouth ambling across a field, right next to where we had jumped him that morning. He looked every bit of 220-250#. If he decided to charge us in the dark, it would have been bad.
We were a group of 4 guys on a fall turkey hunt. We roosted 2 small flocks the first evening. The first morning, one guy remarked that he usually carried a slug or 000 buck shell in case he ran into big hog. But, he'd forgotten to pack any on this trip. I walked in with 2 guys, Mike & Mike Jr. to set them up in the first spot. Almost there, we heard a huge crash in the grass and bushes in front of us. Then in the pre-dawn dark a big, black blob moved across the road and started blowing and snorting at us. We were <10yds downwind of the pig. We froze for a second and the pig retreated into the brush, blowing all the while. We knew he was big from the sound of the rocks he was moving as he went through the brush..
Later that morning, Mike Jr. got a picture of a huge board with 2+ inches of tusk sticking out of his mouth ambling across a field, right next to where we had jumped him that morning. He looked every bit of 220-250#. If he decided to charge us in the dark, it would have been bad.
08-05-2019, 03:36 PM
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 438
I was hunting the George Washington National Forest in Hardy Co., WV. I had camped overnight in a clearing just across from the old forest road I intended to use to get deep into the mt. As I was locking up my camper a vehicle screeched to a halt across the dirt road from me and and the guy jumped out and started hastily up the road. He had to see me so I started out after him and eventually caught up and he said he was going to a spot that I knew of but wasn't in my direction. At just before daybreak a bird sounded off across a hollow from me so I headed over there and got setup about 60 yds from him (still dark). He gobbled a couple of times and then I thought I heard a person call and in the early light as it looked as though a field was beyond the bird and the call was coming from there. After a short time he flew down right where it looked like was the edge of the field. He would gobble occasionally but was walking back and forth for a distance of 20-25 yds. parallel to me and was maybe 15 ft wide. I never saw the hen until he bred her. All of this occurred between daybreak and 9:30. He bred her and I don't know where she went. He stood there a bit and turned on a dime and began walking straight toward me. At 25 yds. I drew down on his head, the gun roared and he flew away untouched. I had been unable to move for about 3 hours, my butt was killing me and I guess I didn't get down on the gun right. I went over to the area from where he was gobbling, but what I thought was a field in the predawn was a cliff. I was worn out from watching, hoping, calling, and discomfort. A couple of years later I moved to that area and became good friends with the guy that I felt had run in on me. Of course, his story was just the other way around. Either way we'd always call each other guy out. He passed away last fall with an enormous stash of turkey beards.
