First bird

[Bowguy]

It's time before the season. Not much to do but scout n think about it. How bout some stories bout guys first birds? It's always memorable so let's hear bout it if it was 50 years ago or last year. Maybe including calls used, guns, etc

[Bowguy]

Ok I'll start it off though it's not a crazy story. I grew up in a state when birds were just being established n because of that once every 3 years or so we'd get a permit. I used straight mouth calls than n was running a Quaker boy of some sort back than. Didn't know too much n not many else did, the ones who did wouldn't tell you.
Was shooting in an archery club n one guy Jimmy n I hit it off. He was a turkey hunter, being I'd only get a permit once every 3 years I'd call for friends or hunt NY.
It was one such hunt in NY that I got to my spot in the Catskills just as light was breaking. It was windy n kinda hard to hear. Jimmy had given me some pointers n become excited as I'd tell him about my hunts n told me about locators n such.
As I walked down the path through the woods as far as I dared I decided to turn back still trying to locate a bird w a crow call.
Finally I heard a gobble. It was maybe an hour or so in. I closed the distance n set up. I called prob too much n a bird started closing.
Finally I saw him strutting, tip toeing it seemed down a slight incline. I was almost afraid to shoot, I was only a kid n afraid I'd miss but my shot was true and it was a nice bird. Full fan and around 1" Spurs if I recall correct. Think a decent beard too. It was a long time ago so I forget some of the particulars but I can still see that bird n the place in my mind.
Great day

[RebelW]

I was 10 years old in 2004. Dad took me. I was using a 870 youth model with Winchester supreme's. Heard him gobble at daylight but was henned up till 9:30. It was windy and dad used a "world champion" Lynch box call and a Quaker boy Diaphram. To call him and 2 jakes in. He came in behind the jakes and I could take you to the exact pine tree in Grant county Ar. Started a love I'll never be able to shake.

[silvestris]

I was 10 years old in 2004. Dad took me. I was using a 870 youth model with Winchester supreme's. Heard him gobble at daylight but was henned up till 9:30. It was windy and dad used a "world champion" Lynch box call and a Quaker boy Diaphram. To call him and 2 jakes in. He came in behind the jakes and I could take you to the exact pine tree in Grant county Ar. Started a love I'll never be able to shake.

Good look in' kid for an Arkansas boy.  Nice gobbler too.  If you are from Sheridan, do you know Rick Baldwins?  If so, tell him you conversed with a guy who said he had the sweetest car on campus.

[RebelW]

Yessir I'm from Sheridan lol born and raised! If you're from Sheridan everybody knows everybody! What class did you graduate in?

I was 10 years old in 2004. Dad took me. I was using a 870 youth model with Winchester supreme's. Heard him gobble at daylight but was henned up till 9:30. It was windy and dad used a "world champion" Lynch box call and a Quaker boy Diaphram. To call him and 2 jakes in. He came in behind the jakes and I could take you to the exact pine tree in Grant county Ar. Started a love I'll never be able to shake.

Good look in' kid for an Arkansas boy.  Nice gobbler too.  If you are from Sheridan, do you know Rick Baldwins?  If so, tell him you conversed with a guy who said he had the sweetest car on campus.

[kjnengr]

"Beginner's Luck"

I first started turkey hunting in 2010.  I had deer hunted for a couple years but began getting interested in chasing turkeys.  Two buddies from work were going on a guided hunting trip with a vendor and I kindly asked if I could come along for that year's trip.  After securing myself a spot, I only had about two months to prepare.  I bought a vest and a few calls and began practicing but I wasn't quite a turkey guru yet. 

As a group, this would be our first time turkey hunting in central Texas.  I had seen videos and knew that these Rios were more numerous and vocal than the "local" birds in southeast Louisiana.  This would also be my first time ever on a guided hunting trip of any kind.  After some troubles at the baggage claim at the airport (another hunter took my gun case by mistake and it took him about 30 minutes to figure out his mistake) we made our way to the ranch to get a snack and begin our first evening hunt. 

The guides decided who would go out with who and we got dressed and geared up and took off to try and find some long beards.  After getting dropped off by another guide, we starting to walk and call I started making small talk with the guide.  I told him to be honest, this was my first time turkey hunting.  Then he informed me of something that kinda scared me for a little bit -  it was his first time too.  At least for guiding for turkeys.  Thankfully he did have experience deer guiding and cowboying on the ranch so he knew the land well.  He also never personally killed a turkey with a shotgun but he had called quite a few and all of the guides did a good scouting so they had a good idea of the habits of a good number of birds on the ranch. 

As the evening went on, we moved, called, and moved and called some more.  It was his first time hunting using a mouth call and although he wouldn't win any contests, his calling was more than adequate and my confidence was increasing, especially after we got a response out of a bird or two.  As luck would have it we actually got a gobbler to respond pretty well to our call and he was coming in slowly.  We tucked in a group oak trees and took cover and waited.  The bird continued coming in from the right from a mesquite flat into a small opening.  The gobbler came strutting in slowly but steadily.  As luck would have it, the bird came within range and I was able to take a shot on my first gobbler on my very first turkey hunt.  After the bird started flopping we got up and high fived and celebrated for a bit.  I grabbed my bird and we tucked back in the oaks and hoped for another bird that was willing to talk to us.  Well it was quiet for the rest of the evening but I couldn't have been any happier. 

As we got to our pick up spot, I told the guide I had an idea to mess with the guide and hunter coming to pick us up.  I told him I would hide the bird behind a small bush and tell them that we didn't have any luck.  When they came to pick us up the other guide was bewildered when I told him that we didn't even hear a bird as he knew we were in a good evening spot where the birds travel through going to roost.  After chatting for a minute or two, I told him "Hey let me go pee before we go"  Well I went behind that bush and came out from behind it with a big gobbler over my shoulder and everyone died laughing.   

It might not have been the hardest bird to kill but it was a perfect first hunt for me. 

[Farmboy27]

My first turkey was a heck of a hunt lol!  It was a fall hen in 1993 when I was 12. I was hunting squirrels (during the fall turkey season). I heard something on the side of the ridge so I walked to the brow and peeked down over. There was about a dozen turkeys about 30 yards away and bang, I had my first turkey.

[Farmboy27]

Oh yeah, the gun was an old Kasner over under 12 gauge. Don't remember the shell. I'm sure it was a high brass #6 of some sort

[jwright8]

I was 6 years old. Me and my dad had sat in the blind all morning. It was raining. A flock came through, no gobblers in range. I ended shooting a bearded hen out of the flock.

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[BottomLand54]

1)Didn't know anything about pattering a shotgun(non existent)
2) no red dots, scopes, tru glo sights
3) no heavy shot


Old box call, old Remington, Winchester super x 5 shot 3".  Old man who taught me everything I know was working an old box call. Called in 2 Jake's I thought it was a monster. We got a double header! You woulda thought I'd killed 65 lb bird with 8 inch spurs and 100" beard! It's amazing how we have e been introduced to technology and get so advanced, lol. Still hunt with old man who uses old box call with old Remington with super x 5 shot. He don't pattern no shotgun but kills big birds every year about!

[Marc]

My first year turkey hunting, and I was in my early 20's in college....  Self taught, and hunted by myself with no instruction but a book or two and the woods as my instructor...

Very high density turkey population, and I would love to hunt there again (property long since sold).  I basically eventually blundered into a bird, but learned a lot in the process...  In the following years, I became much more successful on that ranch, and had some great hunting experience that at the time was not really appreciated.

I was using a Quaker Boy Box call (which has been ruined but still in my possession).  He gobbled a few times, but came in silent...  Only reason I killed him, is that I was atop a high steep ridge that had taken a while to get to...  After not hearing the bird gobble for some 20 minutes I had all but given up on him...

As I made a final note on the box call, I heard that "PUTT" from right behind me, and saw the bird maybe 30 yards away (I am sure he spotted me fiddling with my call)...  Nice looking beard, and he took off running, and I swung on him and flopped him...  He rolled down the ridge probably 100 or more yards, and I was right behind him (probably not the most prudent of actions looking back).

He was a jake (looking at the tail fan), but had about an 8" thick beard on him...  I called everyone who would listen to tell them of my incredible hunting prowess...

[Kylongspur88]

Pardon the brevity but I'm typing on my phone. I was 14 and a friend of the family took me hunting at his place. Within a half hour of my first sit, first time out 3 big gobblers came running in to a pot call. I picked out what I thought was the biggest and dropped him. After the shot I was so weak in the knees I could barely get to the bird. I was hooked.

I was using his gun, an old 870 with Greenleaf camo shooting 3 inch Winchester reds in #4.

[guesswho]

I was 6 years old. Me and my dad had sat in the blind all morning. It was raining. A flock came through, no gobblers in range. I ended shooting a bearded hen out of the flock.

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Looks like you killed it with one of those water cannons.

[catman529]

First turkey was on a piece of public land I had just started out on thanks to a tip from a call maker I met at the store earlier that year.

I think it was my 3rd hunt when it came together. Had heard a few very distant gobbles mid morning. Eventually headed that way through fields and woods, and came up to a field where I saw a strutter. Snuck my way through cedar thicket and sat down on some poison ivy under a cedar on the edge of the field.

There were maybe 3 toms, some hens and jakes. I made some clucks and purrs (probably sounded like crap) on my homemade bamboo tube call. One of the hens got pissed off and came running straight to me. Two red headed jakes came right behind her, and I popped one at 6 yards. I can still see that bird hit the dirt in my mind, something I will never forget. The bird smelled like smoke from dusting in the burned field. I've had a special liking for hunting burned fields since then.


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[wvmntnhick]

Didn't get the early start on spring hunting that many did. Dad worked most days so we didn't go much when I was younger. Had tangled with some birds when I was a freshman in college but couldn't get them to cross the creek to my side. Buddy told me we needed to go across the creek and get to them so one morning that's what we did. Crossed the creek and he started asking about where they were roosted. I'd told him to the best of my ability and sure enough, if I'd been any closer to correct we'd have parked right under them. Birds gobbled their heads off that morning. Bird we targeted was around the ridge from us so we could stay out of sight of him. He flew from the roost right to us and walked behind a large stump. I pulled the single shot 10 ga up and leveled him at a whopping 18 yards. It took a while for me to get seriously afflicted with the bug but it's grown since then and now I'd almost rather hunt spring birds than most other things.