First Turkey Harvest Stories

[deadonshot2]

Like the title reads. Let's hear about your first turkey kill.  Let's talk turkey.

My first turkey kill was on opening morning of A week years ago. I scouted a spot and had several gobblers strutting in the field. But there was also another truck watching them. I decided I would get there an extra hour early in the morning. Well I was not there first. As I walked into the field with my light on I was greeted by a light shining back at me from about 500-600 yards away. As I continued the hundred yards to the spot I planned to set up, the other guy was going nuts with flashing that light.  

Well all set up and hoping I was in the right spot. I was startled close to fly down by a gobble right behind me. Crap this turkey is literally right behind me. So the second it was legal I hit the slate a few times lightly. Out of no where there is a turkey going to my left but could not tell if it was a tom. So I literally scratched the slate twice and dropped it in my lap and put the gun up. A second after gun was up a tom pops up right in front of blind and bang.  First turkey down and also had a band hanging from its leg. When I retrieved my tom I looked towards where the other guy was set up and there was a tom about 100-150 yards from his blind located in the middle of the field. As I started walking out I saw a hen-- oh crap a hen decoy. Yet another guy set up right as you enter the field. So I had guys to both my right and left. It was crazy fast and obviously yet another guy was watching those birds the day before.

[Rusty]

My first turkey was a LONG time ago and I did everything wrong.  I was overworking a bird that was extremely vocal but wasn't coming in.  I was cutting the distance between us and occasionally calling to keep track of him when another gobbler gobbled right behind me.  He caught me flat footed, standing out in the open and he walked right past me.  He disappeared into some thick stuff only 15 yards away so I dropped to the ground with absolutely no cover and started mouth calling.  The silly bird turned right around and walked into my lap.  

Edited April 13, 2020 by Rusty

[mazzgolf]

Couple friends kept bugging me for a few years to go deer hunting with them, but I didn't have the urge based on their description ("yeah, we sit in a tree all morning and watch squirrels" ). But then I ended up getting a shotgun (because someone took me trap shooting once, and I liked it, so I bought my own SG - an 870 super-mag). Well, I figured since I got a shotgun now, why not try this hunting thing?! Took the hunter's ed class in March, then bought a z21-D over the counter after the season already started (this was 2013).  Now you can't buy one after 5 minutes of OTC sales! Another friend has some private land and offered to let me and my buddy hunt it for turkey.

We didn't know anything about turkey hunting. I had a box call I bought on EBay, and my buddy had a blind and a couple foam turkey decoys. I didn't even have any hunting clothes yet - I just used my old Army BDUs and boots from the late 80s (yes, they still fit!).

We hunted starting the first Monday of D-period and hunted through Friday (May 17, 2013). We didn't hear much the first day, then the second day we'd hear some gobbles.. the next day we'd see a Tom with some hens off in the distance. Finally, Friday... out of nowhere, a hen comes walking right in front towards the decoys. I elbow my buddy who is sitting in the blind - HEY, HEY!! (in an excited whisper - good thing we were in a blind because without it, we'd have been busted quickly with all the movement and whispering we were doing). Behind her, in comes a really nice Tom! We both raise our guns - we said first one with a clear shot takes it. The Tom is walking in and behind the decoys. He whispers over, "I don't have a shot, do you?" I whisper back, "I will in a second....." BANG! Down he went. We just sat watching him flop. Then a bunch of high-fives. My friend whose property we hunted was just as happy as we were! He came out and took a bunch of pictures for us. He showed me how to breast out the bird, too.

That was my first hunting harvest of any kind. I've been hooked on this hunting thing ever since  I branched out since then - got a bow and started deer hunting... squirrel, goose, pheasant, crow, ducks, groundhog, predator... but turkey hunting is still one of my favorite seasons. I just love that feeling of sitting next to a tree in the dark and then hearing that first gobble off in the distance, and thinking "game on!"

May 17, 2013:

[Nomad]

Turkeys were reintroduced to New Jersey in the early 70s. The first turkey season since they were all killed off in the mid 1800's, was in 1981.  I was lucky enough to draw a permit at age 17. There were not many permits given out and only up north.

I drove out from my house in Oradell in my parents station wagon. I was hunting on the hill about a half mile from the Dingmans Bridge, public land. Called him in right at first light and shot him at 20 yards, with a Browning auto five, and number four shot.
 

Gutted him and then drove to the Stokes State sports shop to check him in. Someone from Fish and Game was there that weighed him at 21 1/2 pounds and also took this photo, which he sent to me.

Shot a lot of turkeys along the river there for years afterwards.

Did anyone else hunt that first season in 81?  There was another hunter parked next to my car when I came down off the hill with the bird.  He shook my hand and congratulated me.

 

Edited April 13, 2020 by Nomad

[Fred Flintstone]

There were no Wild Turkeys in Orange County,NY in 1974 when, I was 14. I did not start until 1990 at age 30. It took me 5 Solid Springs and towards the very end of that 5th Spring, I walked in with another Guy. A Gobbler Flew out of a Tree and he Connected. Another Flew out and, I had my 1st Turkey. Just a Jake of 12lbs or so. Good Wingshot on him. I never had a Mentor- so it was Tough!!

[MikeStaten]

Shot my first, and largest bird ever, in the mid 90's in Oswego County, NY.  I scouted some land a few days before the opener by walking up and down a power line with a hen call just before dark.  Within a few minutes I got a bird to gobble and I quickly left.  Came back on opening day, setup in the woods where the bird gobbled a few days before.  At first light I did a few clucks and yelps and immediately got a response.  I sat tight and within a few minutes the turkey strolled right in and I shot him with my Winchester 1300, factory full choke and a load of size #4 shot.  Dropped him although he did come back to life when I was filling out my tag so had to chase him down a few feet and put em down.  10.5" beard and 1.5" spurs.  Had no idea that it was a good bird at the time but when I showed it to my friend who turkey hunted a lot, he couldn't believe how big it was.  At the time I was thinking "wow this whole turkey hunting thing is easy". 

[Tarhunt]

27 minutes ago, Nomad said:

Turkeys were reintroduced to New Jersey in the early 70s. The first turkey season since they were all killed off in the mid 1800's, was in 1981.  I was lucky enough to draw a permit at age 17. There were not many permits given out and only up north.

I drove out from my house in Oradell in my parents station wagon. I was hunting on the hill about a half mile from the Dingmans Bridge, public land. Called him in right at first light and shot him at 20 yards, with a Browning auto five, and number four shot.
 

Gutted him and then drove to the Stokes State sports shop to check him in. Someone from Fish and Game was there that weighed him at 21 1/2 pounds and also took this photo, which he sent to me.

Shot a lot of turkeys along the river there for years afterwards.

Did anyone else hunt that first season in 81?  There was another hunter parked next to my car when I came down off the hill with the bird.  He shook my hand and congratulated me.

 

I was also fortunate enough to get a permit in 1981. I hunted near the Delaware Water Gap and on my very first time going, I was able to call in a nice tom and shot him at 15 yards. 

[Nomad]

7 minutes ago, Tarhunt said:

I was also fortunate enough to get a permit in 1981. I hunted near the Delaware Water Gap and on my very first time going, I was able to call in a nice tom and shot him at 15 yards. 

That's great!  

[Tarhunt]

That's great!  

I'll try to find a photo to post.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

[deadonshot2]

Great stories- keep em coming.

[Russ 11]

46 minutes ago, Nomad said:

Turkeys were reintroduced to New Jersey in the early 70s. The first turkey season since they were all killed off in the mid 1800's, was in 1981.  I was lucky enough to draw a permit at age 17. There were not many permits given out and only up north.

I drove out from my house in Oradell in my parents station wagon. I was hunting on the hill about a half mile from the Dingmans Bridge, public land. Called him in right at first light and shot him at 20 yards, with a Browning auto five, and number four shot.
 

Gutted him and then drove to the Stokes State sports shop to check him in. Someone from Fish and Game was there that weighed him at 21 1/2 pounds and also took this photo, which he sent to me.

Shot a lot of turkeys along the river there for years afterwards.

Did anyone else hunt that first season in 81?  There was another hunter parked next to my car when I came down off the hill with the bird.  He shook my hand and congratulated me.

 

Mark that bird looks huge .  Pretty cool !

[deadonshot2]

^^^^ I thought the same thing. How much did it weigh?

[Septicdude]

First bird I killed I was 10 years old, my uncle.picked me up from my parents house and took me to state land in zone 8.  We had birds gobbling on the roost in front of us about 80 to 100 yards away and one lone gobbler behind us.  After a few minutes the bird behind us went silent along with the birds is front of us.  Ten minutes later I hear my uncle say dont move, a second later the bird from behind us gobbles about 2 feet behind me.  Talk about shitting your pants lol couldn't believe how loud it was.  Bird walked in front and I dropped em at 5 yds we made it back to my house before my mom and dad woke up, talk about a quick hunt, I dont think I've had one that quick since.  Birds was 20 pounds with 1 inch spurs and ten inch beard, not a bad first bird.

[Tarhunt]

13 minutes ago, Tarhunt said:

I'll try to find a photo to post.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 

I amazed myself and found the photos. I forgot how handsome that I was back in high school. LOL! 

[Nomad]

34 minutes ago, deadonshot2 said:

^^^^ I thought the same thing. How much did it weigh?

21.5 after being gutted.