How Many Years Have You Spring Turkey Hunted?

[Bond,James Bond]

  For me my 36th Spring is coming up. Motivation is still Strong. How about you?

[JoeT]

This will be my first!

[Greybeard]

1 here with gun, 2 in PA with bow.  Days besides years. 

[Rjtfd]

40 Maybe more rather not think about how fast time goes. 😢

[jumpthestring]

When it started here in Jersey , I would say the first 3 yrs.  hard sport and had a couple close calls with hunters. 

[Batsto]

8 yrs! I wish I got into turkey earlier, but I saved my days off from work for Duck and upland seasons. Retirement is a good thing. 

[Bond,James Bond]

4 minutes ago, jumpthestring said:

When it started here in Jersey , I would say the first 3 yrs.  hard sport and had a couple close calls with hunters. 

2 or 3 Springs back,I had 2 Gobblers coming in to my calls. Maybe 60 yards and still out of sight in the hardwoods. I was all set and ready to flick my Safety off when-- Boom- Boom. 2 Quick Shots.  They never used their calls. Happens on Public sometimes. 

[Jafgasa]

40 for me as well.  So many great memories of hunts past.  There were a few years when I worked and could only hunt Saturdays segments and didn’t receive permits, but still went out with a camera.   

[Bond,James Bond]

6 minutes ago, Batsto said:

8 yrs! I wish I got into turkey earlier, but I saved my days off from work for Duck and upland seasons. Retirement is a good thing. 

Retired here also.

[Nightnurse]

50 plus years was hooked first time Joe Garris took me out in Sussex had the most eye opening time and never could get it out of my system . Still as excited to turkey hunt as ever just had Hip replaced second one this is alittle slower than first hip. Hope to be ready for opener working hard PT been getting calls all tuned up and hunting equipment all dialed in good luck everyone.

[archer36]

Probably about 10 times. I started late. I think I harvested a few birds till my kids were old enough to hunt. They were guaranteed permits then and I saw it as a way to spend time in the turkey woods. Well, my twins were tough ones. It was near impossible getting them up early since they were "teenagers". I told them, next year I will take your (younger) brother turkey hunting and WE WILL kill a turkey. Well on the first day he killed a Jake. 

I have turkey hunted on and off since then. Killed a few more birds.  Would basically do it if I was extremely bored. I would look to see if there was leftover permits and go. I have not hunted in about 5 years. I'll check to see if there are permits left for the last segment and check the long range weather forecast and see if I'll go. 

My property isn't great for turkey. I decide if I will hunt based on observations during the deer season. 

For you guys with good property, enjoy!

Edited March 1 by archer36

[Grassmans]

45 years and still going,a good friend Pat Mcarthy took me under his guidence and i was hooked !!

[fab]

This will be my 40th season 

 

my dad started hunting them in spring 78 in ny and spring 79 in pa   
 

I believe nj had its first spring hunt in 81    Pop didn’t hunt nj till 83     My dad was a turkey nut    All he wanted to do was hunt them birds      

 

He hunted them in 3 states.   I have hunted them in 4 states 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bond,James Bond]

9 minutes ago, fab said:

This will be my 40th season 

 

my dad started hunting them in spring 78 in ny and spring 79 in pa   
 

I believe nj had its first spring hunt in 81    Pop didn’t hunt nj till 83     My dad was a turkey nut    All he wanted to do was hunt them birds      

 

He hunted them in 3 states.   I have hunted them in 4 states 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 States here as well.  Got one down in Tennessee in 2004. Got a bunch in PA. Down to 2 States now.

[fab]

I’m going to add this.  Between 90 and 07.    I was fortunate to enough to have hunted them in zones 1-7.  9 ,10 14 and 16.    Really ashame how few birds are around now in the northern half of the state as compared to in the late 80s to early 2000s.      
 

i can recall bow hunting in deer zones 1 2 3 and 6 in the late 80s.  and early 90s.    It was common to see flocks of 40 to 70 birds  in multiple locations      
 

 Now I get excited seeing a bird