………...and what gun, shell, call did you use to kill your first spring bird ??

Turkeys only moved into our area in 1979. Couple small game hunters kicked a hen up out of a brush row. First gobbling bird I ever heard was in 1981 and I hunted him. Finally figured it out in 1984. Called in two and killed one at about 18 yards. Called them in with a home made tube call (35mm film canister, rubber surgical glove, electrician's tape) and shot with a Winchester 1200, factory full Winchoke tube and a Federal 2 3/4" magnum #2.

Here in Michigan when I started hunting turkeys in 1976....had to apply for a tag in only a couple areas in Northern Michigan....season was 4 days....shot a jake the 4th day...with a Browning A-5 3" Full #4 shot used a mouth reed call...

We didn't have them here in huntable numbers until about 1990. Killed my first one with a Winchester 1300, I'm thinking #4 shot.

1993 Massachusetts... used my Browning 10 Gauge Goose Gun with hand loaded 2 Oz. copper plated #5 shot in a Precision Reloading steel shot cup, buffered. I was prepared for a 40 to 50 yard shot (In my mind)... shot my first turkey at 10 yards, he dropped like a rock... almost missed... could only find 2 pellets in the neck. Now I use an Encore 20 gauge... nice and light! To this day my favorite calls are the paddle style box calls. I never really got the hang of the mouth calls.

I can't remember the exact year but it was the first fall season offered in MN which would have been around 1990. I applied in the lottery and won a tag.

I used an Ithaca Mag-10 with Federal Premium turkey loads. They were 2 1/4 oz of #6 shot. I used a Tru-choke Modified choke.

I did not use a call as it was fall and I had no idea what I was doing. I relied on ambushing the bird and was lucky to do so and bring home a poult.

My first spring bird was in 2000. It was the second year I hunted in the spring. I used the same Ithaca and loads to take that bird. I used a box call which is my favorite and most productive to this day. For the life of me I can't recall the brand though I think it is a Quaker.

Somewhere around 1980. I went to eastern Montana with a friend and knew absolutely nothing about them. We camped in an area where they gobled all night. I did get one, but it was pure luck. Since then I have hunted them quite a bit in the spring. Few people realize what a thrill it is to hear birds gobbling in the roost, then try to call them down and into a decoy. I have been able to get quite a few nice birds with all kinds of shotguns and bow and arrow...

I hunted turkey on and off since the late 60's.. But where I live requires a long drive to get to turkey country, so I wasn't too successful until I retired.. I shot my first turkey in the fall with a .243.. Since then, I've killed a bunch.. Mostly with rifles, but 40 or 50 with shotguns..

My first turkey was 1985 with a 20 gauge 870 with a 1 1/8 ounce load of 7 1/2 shot. Moved to an 870 express 12 gauge for a while. Lately I've been happy killing them with a 20 gauge flintlock. I started with mouth diagram calls and added box, slate, and various friction calls to the repertoire. Somewhere along the way I picked up a couple of hen decoys. When I added a jake to the set things got real interesting.

GORGEOUS birds, sir !!!


Shot my first trio Merriam's this past spring in Wyoming and Nebraska. Beautiful country !! beautiful birds !!! However, the Wyoming public land ones rank as the most IGNORANT turkeys I ever tried to make die...…….

Started in 94.

Killed a tom 3rd year, 1100 Magnum, 12 ga w WW3" #5's. 30" full choke.
10.5" beard, 21#

7 days total turkey hunting over that period.

April 19 1983. 12 ga Sears Ted Williams (Winchester 1300) with pollychoke shooting a 3” federal #4. I used a old home made scratch box call I was given. Didn’t have any chalk so I grabbed some blue pool stick chalk from our pool table. Didn’t know how to call nor had I ever hunted them before. 12” beard and 24lbs. I was walking on air.

It's almost 40 years ago now.

My First Turkey Hunt

Back then, there weren't too many turkeys, and I only had one half-day a year to hunt them. That was because I was a working stiff, and couldn't afford to take off during the week. You couldn't hunt on Sundays, so I'd set aside the first Saturday of season, and drive out Friday night after work. I'd have to pitch a tent around 11 O'Clock and be up at 0430 to hunt. Ohio only allowed you to hunt until Noon, so I'd come out and drive home.

It took until 1984 before I saw my first dead bird at the check-in station.

It took until 1988 before I got to see my first strutter. He was about 300 yards away, and gobbling like crazy. I was sitting with my back to the back corner fence post of the property and I couldn't get him to cross the distance.

I got my first shot at a gobbler in 1993. He honored my call at 200 yards, way off on the neighbor's property and I'd long since given up on him. 2 hours later, he poked his head up behind a fallen log at about 10 feet. We scared each other rather badly. I stood up and emptied my magazine at him as he flew off.

In the early 90's, Remington 870 12 gauge 3" using Remington Long Range Express #5's. Used a Dick Kirby Quaker Boy box call back then but didn't like how it took up both of my hands. Exclusively mouth calls now for when they're close, same old box call for locating. Took a couple years to "figure it out" (hahaha), and over the subsequent years have used pumps, semi-autos and a muzzleloader, a myriad of different shot sizes, choke tubes, different length barrels, open sights, optics.... all the "stuff"! Even picked up a bunch of different turkey specific reloading stuff from Ballistic Products in Minnesota and loaded up my own turkey shells. Didn't really find any advantage to "rolling my own" other than I liked it and got to spend more money! Lol! Have only hunted Eastern birds in Wisconsin, Illinois and Missouri. Got drawn this year for Wisconsin and Illinois, thinking about Missouri but their NR tag has gotten a little pricey.

It is hard to hold your water, sitting near a roost and hearing these birds...

Shot my first in '03, dad never did it so I wasn't able to really get into it until I worked for a place who's owner was a big turkey hunter. Jake at about 55 steps with an 835 with Federal 2 1/4oz #6s. He called it in for me. Didn't get my first longbeard until my 2nd season. Called a pair in with a Pittman Sapphire right at dark, was actually headed back to the truck when they started gobbling.

We mowed this weekend, it was too wet though. Rolled tire off the rim of tractor, then stuck truck trying to load the tire up to take to get fixed. Put tire back on to use tractor to pull truck out, that took countless attemps and angles. Ran into town, got it fixed, then after we started mowing again, fuel line popped up the gas tank and we lost it all. Fun day.

In the fall of 2003, I was dating my wife and met her family at a birthday party... and I got along with her dad because I was a hunter. He was sliding a WI turkey hunt application to me the next time we visited and I applied. Either he liked me or he was going to secretly kill me in the turkey woods while he called for me

Obviously I survived. it pays to be armed with a 28 inch 12 ga browning BPS full choked and running 3 inch #5 winchester supreme shells just in case. I got my first turkey a 1/2 hour into the hunt about 20 yards away.
I hunted several years with him, but he lost interest because he preferred snow-birding in Texas and kept coming back later and later every year.
My last hunt was in his back yard sitting in his utility trailer...still hammered a bird. Just not much fun.


I took a couple years off after getting married, relocating, and found a spot to hunt in MN just south of the cities.

now im dabbling with 3 different shotguns and non-toxic shot because of federal land no lead rules... and I get birds by luck because I hunt pinch points and don't do any run & gun or locating or "putting them to bed". I just scout for turkey tracks in the snow in March and go there in April.

Late 80's killed a bird 2nd day ever hunting

I started about 1982. Had a guy who I helped cut wood wanted to go out muzzle loader deer season. We were driving down a pumper road and ahead the road was black. When we got closer realized a huge flock of turkeys were crossing the road and we took in after them with our muzzle loader. Never got one but that started the turkey hunting bug in me.

Ok since we are all going down memory road, this story I posted about 4 yrs ago that my son wrote for his English Honors class at the time really puts it all in place. My turkey hunt mentioned above has always been one of my best hunting experiences, until this hunt with my son happened .
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt.../8624693/re-from-a-kids-view#Post8624693

1976, used a 243 winchester with a reduced load. It was legal back then in Oklahoma to use a rifle in the spring. I used a Lynch box call which is still the one I use now.

Growing up on our farm in southeast Kansas, there were no turkeys, you could go about 30 miles in any direction and start seeing them. I remember one morning grandpa calling my house "look out your bedroom window" he said. It was a hen turkey walking across the yard. The first we'd seen close by. That was in the late 80's. The population increased to quite a population from then.

First hunt was in 1999, I'd came home from college to see 2 gobblers strutting behind my parents house. I drove to walmart, bought a slate call and turkey tag, and started hunting. First set of notes I played, I had those gobblers come running fast. I was set up to shoot to the left, they came to the right. I moved. They left the county. The next day I set up on another spot, made some notes, got some gobbles, again, they came to my right, I was facing left, I moved, they left the county. Lesson learned on what they would put up with. Hunted them for 2 more years before I finally got one. Most years I'll get 1 or 2 now.

Absolute most memorable hunt was a few years ago, set up on a river bend on a field my buddy owns. We park the trucks in the city limits and walk across the field. Gets light enough to start calling, have gobbles all up and down the river bottom. One flys down off the roost, lands about 100 yards out in the field. Immediately goes into a full on side stepping strut. Dragging wings. Drumming. Spitting. Gobbling. All the way into the decoys. Drags his wings on the ground the entire way, circles between the decoys and me and dad before dad finally lets him have it. Put on quite the show for about 10 minutes. Loaded up and headed back to the house before the sun had came up.

I first started turkey hunting around 40 years ago- first two turkeys I killed were on the same hunt, in S. Texas. I was in a tree stand, hunting for deer, but with turkey permits in my pocket. A tom came out of the thick brush, and I shot him with my .25-06. A few minutes later, a second tom emerged, and started pecking on the dead bird. His last mistake.

Since then, I have hunted for turkeys in my home state of CO, as well as Texas, Wyoming, S. Dakota, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
For the past 8 seasons, I have hunted them on my farm along the Arkansas River in E. CO, with great success. Favorite call is a Quaker Boy mouth call, and I use Primos hen and jake decoys. My weapon of choice is a Mossberg 935 12 ga. with Winchester Long Beard XR #6 shells. In the past, I have used archery, handgun, and rifle, where legal in spring. So far, subspecies taken are Rio Grande, Eastern, and Merriams.

2015. 44 years old. A Carlson's choke in a Winchester Ranger and LB#6 got the first one. I've gotten 3 more since then.

4 years ago with a 870 supermag, 3 1/2 magblends and wet clothes. Didn’t know how to or have any calls. A buddy and I stalked and crawled to within 20yards or a few gobblers. He got one the first day and mine came to second. I was hooked from them on. I’m no expert but seem to get lucky occasionally.
I now have to many calls to fit in my vest and have been loading my own shells for the past two seasons. That’s what I enjoy most now. If deer and turkey season was the same time I prolly wouldn’t kill anymore deer

I started Spring gobbler hunting in 1987. I had a lot to learn and for the most part it was all on my own as I knew very few turkey hunters to get advice from and this was long before hunting shows and youtube videos. I hunted all that Spring and did kill one gobbler ( i screwed up several other opportunities) ....since then Spring gobbler hunting has become my favorite hunting, I have been fortunate enough to hunt Eastern gobblers in Virginia and Kentucky every year and to date have killed 114 Spring gobblers with no signs of slowing down, I cant wait to get started again this Spring 👍......Good hunting....Hb

1978, Used hand made cedar scratch box and a Rohm brothers mouth call that I mail ordered from an ad in a hunting magazine. Gun was Grampa's Ithaca Field grade 12 gauge SxS. 2 3/4 Magnum 6's. Called some up, but didn't kill one till 1980. Dad and I had to drive about 75-85 miles over to Lincoln to hunt. Very limited areas that had good populations of birds back then. 4 day season, and you could only hunt til noon.

Now I can walk from my house and hunt good birds. Feeding them all winter in the back yard.

Still have the shotgun.

I was 13 years old. Dad got a new 870 and gave me his old Revelation 2 3/4 pump 12 gauge with a selecta choke. I was shooting Federal high brass. Sitting behind a fence row with my Ashby push button box. Called in a 7 inch bearded Tom from what felt like 250 miles away. To this day I have yet to experience a bigger adrenaline rush.

1990 used a Remington 870 ,640 hasting choke and federal premium number 4's. I have been hooked ever since.

First hunt was 1997, dad never hunted turkeys so my education came from hunting shows and trial and error. First harvest was 1998, I was 16. Called in two jakes with a Lohman box call, shot one at 30 yards with a 870 express "turkey" and Winchester Supreme 3" #5 thru a XXX full comp-n-choke. Still using that gun and load 20+ years later.

Started hunting them some in the spring back around 1985 or so. Not very serious with it though. First SPRING bird was a jake I still hunted up on while moving thru a line of timber bordering a clearcut. A5 x Heavy with a 30" full choke barrel. 2 3/4" Winchester Magnum #6 copper plated. Had 8 or 10 pellets down in the upper breast that completely overpenetrated. First called bird was around 1994 with a 10 gauge BPS 2 1/4 oz Remington #4. First turkey ever was way back in the days when in the fall if it was a turkey it was shootable season or not. So I'll confess my sin of youth. 16 years old and dog deer hunting at home in Alabama with a bunch of older guys that hunted meat. 1966. Was a driver on that day and we'd been bumping turkeys pretty far out front of us all morning. Hearing a shot from the standers fairly frequently after a flush. A fairly dumb hen didn't flush until I was 25 or 30 yards away with Sweet 16 full of #1 buck. Came crossing in front of me and not shooting never crossed my mind. Got her with 4 or 5 pellets including one in the neck and she tore down most of a canebrake on her way to the ground. Was an extremely excited young man. Got over the outlaw hunting pretty quick but I'll always remember that turkey folding in midair with feathers going everywhere.

Started in 1985 with a Lynch Fool Proof box call and a Mossberg 500. Took me a few years (and many scared off turkeys later) to actually get a bird and I have been hunting them ever since. I still get out 15-20 mornings each spring before work and on Saturdays. Love that time of year.

Started hunting around 1994. Saw the first turkey on the property when I was deer hunting. Went out the following spring. Got my first bird with a Mossberg 500 with a 28" barrel and Xtra Full choke, using 12 ga 3 inch Winchester 2 oz lead #4 shot. I've had excellent results with this load, one shot = one bird for 28 birds.

Can't use it anymore, no lead shot allowed in CA.

I use a Perfection wooden box call. I tried mouth calls, but they make me drool like a Saint Bernard with a mouthful of peanut butter. I had to switch to a box call to keep from drowning.

I started the spring of 2000. I read/watched everything I could find. Decided i NEEDED a Mossberg 500 12ga Turkey or it just wasn't going to work. Had decoys, 200 calls in my new vest, Realtree Camo head to toe, some sort of 1200 pound small folding chair I carried around.

Missed a running Jake on day one. Shot a beautiful tom the next 10 with perfect 11" paintbrush beard and some damn nice spurs I didn't measure because I didn't know I was supposed to.

Now I mostly carry a diaphragm call in my pocket and a Rem 870 20. Don't really use dekes anymore and mostly of the time don't carry anything other than a diaphragm call.

There is absolutely NOTHING like it! Nothing! It will get my blood pumping every single time!

My first Turkey hunt was in Colorado in around 1965 while I was going to gunsmith school there. We heard the Turkey season was on so about 6 of us piled into my old Chevy station wagon to hunt. We got to the sport we were going to hunt and spread out like we were hunting Quail in a line across a meadow. About half way across a Game Warden pulled up and asked us what were hunting? We told him Turkeys and we could hear him laughting as he drove away. Retired and started hunting them with the help of a good outdoor writer in 1994.

Spring 92.

Took my first bird 95. Carried one call in the pocket of BDU pants and an 835 ulti stomper. Now I feel lost without several pot calls, way too many mouth calls and the same box call I used way back then. Now that I think about it, it’s probably the oldest piece of hunting gear I own.

Back when everyone would say "you're hunting what"?! Used my 870 pheasant gun, a Dick Kirby Quaker Boy box call, and 12 gauge 2 3/4" Remington Express Long Range #5's. Since then, a plethora of different guns, shells and calls! After all these years, a gobble in the pre-dawn woods still gets the adrenalin flowing!

ah about 52 years ago with dad.had a jc higgins.dont rember size etc but was a time i wont forfet.dad been gone36 years now but memorirs still there