Do you remember your First Gobbler?

[Tom007]

Like it was yesterday! It was 1985, PA opening day. It was my 2nd year of Turkey hunting. Back then, nobody in my circle Turkey hunted. My first year, I called one Tom in, but never got a shot, I over-called and he skirted around me and walked off. I was devastated. That summer, I read some articles from Knight & Hale. One quote changed my Turkey hunting tactics forever. The article said that Turkey hunters are "reversing nature" by trying to call the Tom into the hen. Actually, the hen is really supposed to come to the gobbler. Therefore limited calling, patience, and the creation of unavoidable curiosity to the Gobbler will increase your success. I found this PA bird preseason, picked a set-up spot and snuck in before dawn on the opener. I already decided if he answered me, I am "done" calling, and will wait him out. Just before daylight, a crow called and "Boom", he gobbled. He was in the pines below me. When it was light enough for him to fly down, I yelped on my mouth call very softly, he double gobbled. I put the gun up on my knee, and waited. I heard the infamous fly down right below me and a few minutes later, he appeared in full strut at 30 yards. The 1100 Remi cut loose, I had my first spring gobbler. I sat with him for about an hour, it was surreal. He was a big boy, dressed out at 23 pounds and sported a 10 inch beard. I will never forget him walking out from behind the big PA pine. This is why I have pursued these birds for over 37 years and don't plan on stopping anytime soon. Thanks for listening....

[3bailey3]

Yes Tom very vividly, a very cold morning for late April here in Ms. 32 degrees. That morning my buddy killed a triple bearded bird, when we all got back to camp looking at his bird they decided to go and enter him in a contest for big bird and they told me to go setup in this big field and try it there, the wind had gotten up to about 20 mph and when I ease up to field a gobbler is strutting with two hens by his side. I start calling with my Primos spring hen push pull and they start moving my way, the field was like 300 yards long and took them about a hour to get to my end but are on the opposite side of the field, gobbler strutting for the two hens, I make a few more calls and they start my way but there is a big dip in the field and they go out of site, i get up on my knees looking down in the dip for them and the hens pop up at like 20 yards and I thought I was busted but they eased off and he finally stepped out, I took him at 30 yards at about 3 that after noon, he had a double beard and a 1 1/4 spurs, as I was walking back up to the camp house my buddies pulled up from getting his bird scored, We had a great night at camp that day..

[Tom007]

Yes Tom very vividly, a very cold morning for late April here in Ms. 32 degrees. That morning my buddy killed a triple bearded bird, when we all got back to camp looking at his bird they decided to go and enter him in a contest for big bird and they told me to go setup in this big field and try it there, the wind had gotten up to about 20 mph and when I ease up to field a gobbler is strutting with two hens by his side. I start calling with my Primos spring hen push pull and they start moving my way, the field was like 300 yards long and took them about a hour to get to my end but are on the opposite side of the field, gobbler strutting for the two hens, I make a few more calls and they start my way but there is a big dip in the field and they go out of site, i get up on my knees looking down in the dip for them and the hens pop up at like 20 yards and I thought I was busted but they eased off and he finally stepped out, I took him at 30 yards at about 3 that after noon, he had a double beard and a 1 1/4 spurs, as I was walking back up to the camp house my buddies pulled up from getting his bird scored, We had a great night at camp that day..

Wow, great story and you got him with a push pin! Love it, thx for sharing......

[Happy]

Yup, I hunted for many years on land that didn't have turkeys. I was just hoping for a miracle. If anything, I learned persistence and a never quite attitude goes a long way. I finally got to hunt property with turkeys and killed a jake at about 12-13 steps my first time on it. I am glad I had 3.5" Remington hevishot shells for that one. Still use that gun some every year 20+ years later.

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[Yoder409]

HECK YES !!!!!!!!!

It was a pair of jakes.  I was using a tube call I had made from a 35mm film canister, a rubber glove my (RN) mother brought home from work and some black electrician's tape.  The very same call my older brother's "expert" turkey hunting buddy (he had never killed one at that point) told me was junk.  Called to the birds in a mature stand of pines.  The came in above me gobbling hard.  Then they took a break to flog the snot outta one another just out of sight up over the hill from me.  Then all got quiet.  They backtracked on the silent and dropped down to my level and came around the hill on my level.   IIRC, it wasa 20-couple yard shot with my Winchester 1200 and a factory extra-full Winchoke tube shooting a 2 3/4" Federal magnum #2 shot shell.

[ChesterCopperpot]

Most assuredly, and I'd say if you don't then you're in the wrong forum. For me I followed some good advice which was to call before coming over a ridge in case anything was on top or just over the other side. So I yelp on a slate and a bird answers me but it sounded fake. Didn't sound like a real gobble. I got it in my head it was another hunter. I stepped up on the ridge and there's a pair of jakes 60yds on the other side barreling straight at me, and there's two gobblers in tow. They spot me and spook and it was over. I fully believed it was over. But I made note of the direction they went and walked a giant circle to get back to that area. When I was close a few hours later I sat down and ate my lunch. I called right before I started eating and about mid lunch I had a gobble. I get set up and here they come, those two jakes, and they run right by me at maybe five yards just cutting and yelping and raising holy hell. They run up the ridge behind me and are still making a racket. Now I see the two longbeards but they're skirting me hard left. I call and those two jakes come running back raising hell. The jakes ultimately bring the gobblers my way and all four birds end up behind me: two long beards and two jakes. One long beard is strutting and the other is running lookout. I shoot the strutter at about 15yds. Beautiful bird and an unforgettable hunt. A lot of good lessons rolled up in that one.


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[3bailey3]

Great stories guy!!

[Tail Feathers]

It's been over 20 years and I remember it like it was last week.  My first bird was a jake, called him in with a Lynch box call and he came in silent from behind me.
My first longbeard, whooo boy that was a hunt that I wish had been filmed.  Gobbling like crazy, two strutters came in together and I couldn't shoot because they were so close together.  They both double gobbled at 20 yards and about knocked my hat off.  Finally, they walked up right beside me and one stepped out front by a foot and I shot him at about five yards.  My first longbeard, my first bird called up with a mouth call and still the closest kill I've ever had.  The show doesn't get any better than the one I got.  I still have the "trophy shot" photo on my desk. 

[Greg Massey]

Yes , it took me a couple of years and it was a jake. I carried that jake around to show all my buddies, just like it was a big 12 point buck... LOL... public land gobbler. I agree with Tom, it was like it was yesterday... man i have learned so much after killing that first one and boy how my calling and calls have improved through the years. LOL. But I still learn all the time from these gobblers and i still make mistakes. By the way all my calls were homemade, 2 snuff can calls and a turtle shell with a piece of roofing slate glued into the shell with a homemade corncob cedar striker.. I still have these calls in my gun safe.

[Tom007]

Wow, love these stories, keep em coming....wish I was behind the tree with all of ya! Can't replace that 1st bird jubilance. 

[jhoward11]

Had no one to teach me so I was on my own, and what an experience. Sitting on the edge of a field, and I must have used the call somewhat ok, because they were hammering behind me in the woods. I waited and waited like I read, but after what seemed like an hour, I turned and headed into the woods. Dang, after getting up I had to take a leak. Zipped up, got my gun and turned and there he was in full strut, 30 yards away. I just stared. I was in awe! After he dropped out of strut, I realized I need to shoot. Down he went, and I was hooked. 25 years later, with numerous mounts, beards, and amazing experience's...I still have to take a leak when I get in the woods

[zelmo1]

I don't remember much these days, lol, but I remember it vividly. May 3rd 2001.  Never turkey hunted before but saw a flock while goose hunting in the fall on a buddy's property. I got permission and read all the stories I could . I had a Quaker Boy push pin and an HS Strut triple glass pot. Good camo and my trusty Browning Gold 3.5" with #4 magnums. I had the " flock" featherflex decoys and thought I was something special. He gobbled at 0445 when the farmer next door started his tractor. Flew down about 15 minutes later and gobbled for over 3 hours. I did exactly everything wrong but he would not leave. He had a mission. To sacrifice himself so I would be infected for life. He finally gave me a shot and I miraculously connected. 18 pound jake and I have been hopelessly addicted ever since. I still get jacked when I think about it. When I don't get that feeling, I will stop hunting them. The chances of that are slim, none and zero. I love the stories guys. God Bless you all, Z

[Upfold99]

Yes I had hunted several years had very few encounters and heard minimal gobbling. My Dad nor my friends turkey hunted, so I was down the path of learning everthing not to do.

I had finally found a few turkeys I came across deer hunting on some public and scouted the area before season. The morning before I had located 3 gobblers and they worked towards each other off the limb. I had found my spot for opening morning.

As the sun decided to rise, there was a heavy fog and I heard nothing. 45 min or so after sunrise I heard a gobble to my crow call. These birds had came off the roost and already made it several hundred yards to a large grown up field on private. I sat down near the public line and called some with a Bass Pro Red Head mouth call and a bird answered. I was tucked so far in a blow down I knew I had a great hide. Well, the gobbler decided to come in silent and at a quick pace. When I could see him he could see there was nothing for him there. He slipped out about as fast as he came in. I had been froze and couldnt have moved if he would have stood there. However, he did leave in the direction towards my parking spot about 1.5 miles away. After a while sitting and light calling I had about given up and was thrilled with the experience.

I got up and started back down the long straight road, kicking dirt and replaying the scenairo. Every 100 yds or so I would make a yelp throwing it in the direction the gobbler had went. About 500 yds later he gobbled not far off of public. I hurried and sat down. A few more calls and he gobbled a lil closer. Finally he came out of the timber and into a powerline that was the property line. He made it a good 20yds or so on my side stopped and went to looking hard. As I settled the bead with that mule kicking 3.5", I had my 1st turkey. 3/4" spurs 9" beard. I was so excited!  I had grown up hunting and being in the outdoors but this experience had came to fruition and I was proud of all experiences that led to number 1.

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[Will]

I was 18 years old and hunting Garrett State Forest along the property edge of a piece of land owned by a timber company. This was almost 30 years ago. I remember the temperature was cold and I was wearing a Mossy Oak Break Up coat at the time. I was tucked in some dead fall looking over a bottom at the base of a hill. I could see fairly far since this was the season opener and foliage was non existent. I began calling with my Lynch fool proof one sider and to no avail had a gobble that sounded off about 100 yards away. I had no idea what I was doing but I perched my Remington Wingmaster 870 in matte finish on my knee. The minutes that went by felt like hours but it wasn't long before three jakes walk within 20 yards to my right. The rest is history with the lead bird falling to a shot of 2x6 Remington Turkey loads. Those shells had the dark green hull.
Still have my Wingmaster and still have the Lynch turkey call. I remember the beard was 3 1/2" and these were the days when you had to physically check in your big game at a certified check in station, we didn't have call in check in at that time.                   

[jb1069]

Opening day 1997 season. I had never even thought about turkey hunting until about a month before this day. I went to a turkey calling seminar the month before and bought one mouth call. Opening morning I start out at the cabin and take off walking. Not sure how it all worked, Id walk 100 yards and yelp on that mouth call. The only sound I good make. Looking back I am not sure if the turkeys were gobbling or laughing at me but I was getting answered! I managed up the side of a steep ridge when all hell broke loose. I would call and they would go crazy. They were within 100 yards. Not knowing I should sit and call them to me I kept closing in. About 30 seconds later 2 big toms come running down the hill about 50 yards to my left looking for the 3 pack a day hen who wont shut up! I yelp one more time and they turn on a dime and come right towards me. I shoot at 20 steps and now I am a certified turkey killer! 24lbs, 11inch beard, 1 in spurs!! I walk out of the woods thinking there is nothing to this turkey hunting. Then I go the next 4 years without getting one. lol I look back now thinking how over the years I have over complicated and spent countless money trying to add turkeys to the list. When it all comes back to the very first day lesson. Just get in the woods, something good might happen!