Is your most memorable turkey hunt one in which you harvested the bird or one that got away.
I have a few greats that come to mind but one stands out above the rest.
Here is mine. I had been turkey hunting for only 3 or 4 years at the time. I would say I was about 19 at the time. Well the place I used to hunt we had a small camp that was an old chicken coup re modeled to have two bunks some lights and that was it. Well this camp was in the corner of a large field with a nice ridge on the back side. One of the things that I liked about this camp is we would sometimes get lucky and see the birds fly up at night if they roosted on the ridge. So every night after dinner we would watch the ridge with binoculars to see if the birds flew up. Well this one night me my dad an old friend who is no longer with us, and my younger brother were scanning the trees when all of a sudden this bird flew up that we all could see with no binoculars. His head was so big and red that it was as if he was 20 yards away. So my dad looked at me and said can you get in there in the morning. I thought to myself hes in a tough spot but I think I know were he is. So the next morning I head out just a little earlier then usual. I get all the way to were I think he is close and set up. As soon as my eyes adjust I see that he is about 15 yds from me. I am right near a small clearing and I figure thats the best place for him to land. Right on the back side of his tree is a small drop off of about 8'. So now for the next 45 minutes I can see the beast beard swinging in the wind. Well as daylight stars to approach I hear a hen sound off. My plan is to just sit tight wait and see what he does. Well that hen comes in at daylight cuttin and cackling like a hunting show. well this birds gobble jumps me out of my socks. (remember I still a rookie at best.) That hen circles his tree about 10' from me then goes to the drop off. He pitches down to her and start heading away. Then I make my first call, he cuts me off mid way and that hen goes mad. She start hammering me. Now again being a rookie I start cuttin at her like we are having a battle. She brings that big ol boy within 15 yds. At this time I cant call because I am still not good enough with a mouth call and I cant move. I never had a good enough shot and after about a half hr she led Mr Big into the great abyss. Never to be seen again. I can re live that hunt as if it was yesterday even though it was about 20 yrs ago now.
I have some other greats but I can still see that bird in my sleep.
Lets here some stories.
